The first trailer for the fifth season of Game of Thrones has leaked to the internet, and it promises a truly epic season of the hit HBO fantasy series. If you’re sitting down, you may want to stand, take a deep breath, fasten a seatbelt to your couch, and then sit again before watching.

The new trailer appears to come by way of some blessed soul that attended a screening of the final two episodes of Game of Thrones‘ fourth season in IMAX. Thrice blessed art thou, and may the Seven smile upon you, YouTube user adelaido Rahl. The video copy is wonky as all get out, of course, but the main gist of it gets across. [h/t: Watchers On The Wall.]

Clocking in at just over two minutes, the trailer touches on just about every thread that was left dangling from Game of Thrones‘ fourth season, with glimpses of Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion, Daenerys, Arya, Littlefinger, Sansa, and all of your favorites that didn’t stomach a sword over the last four years. There’s a ton to unpack, so let’s get to it.

“Nothing’s more hateful than failing to protect what you love.”

We start out with a couple of glimpses of Cersei and Jaime Lannister in close proximity to what appears to be a stately funeral. Those who watched the last season of Game of Thrones should remember that Tywin Lannister was killed by his son Tyrion in the season’s final episode. Those who haven’t watched it yet have just learned a valuable lesson about reading articles that common sense would decree might have spoilers in them.

It goes without saying that the fallout from Tywin’s murder – one of last year’s “YouTube reaction video” moments, indeed – will loom large over the early portion of Season 5. Given the recent death of love-to-hate-him Joffrey Lannister, it looks like Lannisters are dropping like flies, and Tyrion – a suspect in both killings – is still at large. Cersei, meanwhile, is discovering that she can’t protect the people she loves; not her son, not her father, not her brotherlover Jaime. This is all going to figure greatly into her character arc for this season.

“There’s no justice in this world, not unless we make it.”

That’s Littlefinger speaking to Sansa Stark, and we’ve got to assume that he’s tutoring her in the ways of righteousness as he says it. Littlefinger has had to scrape and scheme for everything he’s gotten in the world of Game of Thrones, and he’s trying to tell the erstwhile Princess Sansa that she’s going to have to do the same.

The big takeaway from Littlefinger’s speech to Sansa, though, is that last bit: “Avenge them.” It looks like we might see Petyr taking this season to teach Sansa how to truly play the game and exact slow vengeance on those that wronged her family. Just how well she’ll take to the game of thrones, though, remains to be seen. As Cersei once said, when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. So Sansa is going to have to learn quickly.

“I will never sit on the Iron Throne.”

That’s fan-favorite Tyrion Lannister giving the sober view that we’ve all come to know and love. Not to jump too far ahead in the trailer, but we’re thinking that this quote ties into another, later quote.

“The Seven Kingdoms need a ruler that is loved by millions, with a powerful army and the right family name.”

That, of course, is Varys speaking to Tyrion. As we’ve seen from previous leaks, Tyrion manages to make his way to the court of Daenerys Targaryen, and he somehow manages to keep his head in the process. We’re betting Varys has a good deal to do with both of those, and we’re betting the goal is to get Tyrion – acknowledged among some circles as the one who really saved King’s Landing – to throw his weight behind Daenerys.

And just what sort of ruler would the Mother of Dragons be, were she to sit the Iron Throne?

“I’m not going to stop the wheel; I’m going to break the wheel.”

That’s Daenerys talking with someone. It could be Tyrion; it could be Varys. It could be someone who made the mistake of quoting a Journey song at the Queen of Meereen. The target of the dialogue doesn’t matter, because it gives us a sense of just what Daenerys is thinking.

The Mother of Dragons has been royal-born, as well as a slave. She’s been a vagrant, a guest, and a supplicant. Now she’s a queen, with a formidable army and allies positioned to help her take the Iron Throne. We don’t know just what she plans to do with her dragons and her Unsullied, but it looks like she’s not going to settle for the status quo.

“Strip away the gold, knock down the statues, and this is what remains.”

The speaker of this line isn’t identified, but this will likely be one of the most important lines of the next season of Game of Thrones. That’s because it’s likely uttered by the High Sparrow, the humble leader of the Faith, who comes to Cersei and makes a bargain that winds up drastically upsetting the status quo. Not to give too much away, but Cersei’s Walk of Shame is an outgrowth of the belief expressed in that quote. What remains after the gold and statues are gone? The Faith, of course.

And what else remains of the trailer? A ton. Too much to go into here. We haven’t even gotten to the marauding wildlings or the particulars of Tyrion’s journey to meet Daenerys – spoiler alert: it probably involves wine and wine casks. There’s also a shot of erstwhile Daenerys ally Jorah Mormont fighting for his life in the pits, as well as a shot of Cersei receiving a strange, automatically opening gift.

What else? We haven’t touched on your new favorite characters for this season, the Sand Snakes, whom we catch a glimpse of once or twice in the trailer. There’s also a shot of little Arya Stark, well on her way to becoming what you should have guessed she’d become once you saw a certain coin placed in her hand.

And more? Yes, more. There are those guys in gold masks. Who are those guys in gold masks? And the statues toppling from pyramids. And then, the most important bit of information: Game of Thrones Season 5 hits your television, computer, smartphone, tablet, or torrent feed – don’t deny it – on April 12.

The ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 5 Trailer Has Leaked. Here Are The Six Big Takeaways From It is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Astronauts landed on the moon six times between July 1969 and December 1972, and UFO researcher have been claiming that NASA’s Apollo moon missions definitely encountered not only UFOs but actual aliens. One prolific UFO YouTube researcher has spotted what he believes is evidence that aliens actually suited up in Apollo astronaut space suits.

At least, that’s what the UFO researcher Streetcap1, who has “discovered” numerous examples of UFO and alien sightings from old as well as recent NASA space photos, believes he sees in this photo of one of the two Apollo 17 astronauts on the lunar surface during what proved to be the final time NASA — or anyone — landed a human being on the moon.

But that’s no human being! Or so says Streetcap1.

“Well am I crazy?,” the UFO archivist asks, perhaps rhetorically. “Don’t look like a human face to me. Also why is the Sun Visor raised – surely he would go sun blind.”

Here is the NASA photo taken during the Apollo 17 moon mission that sparked the YouTuber’s imagination.

UFO YouTuber Streetcap1 believes the face inside the helmet belongs to an alien.

Apollo 17 blasted off on December 7, 1972 — more than 43 years ago. Three days later, the spacecraft reached the moon and began orbiting. The day after that, on December 11, the lunar module, manned by astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmidt, landed on the lunar surface.

The two astronauts left the lunar module three times over the following three days, spending a total of just over 22 hours walking — and driving — on the surface of the moon.

During one of those EVAs — extra vehicular activities, as NASA called the astronauts’ excursions outside the landing module — the above photo was snapped, one of dozens sent back from the moon.

But according to the UFO researcher, there’s something odd about this one. Streetcap1 enhanced and zoomed in on the photo, as seen in the video above.

Here is the closest magnification he achieved.

Is that the face of an alien behind the glass sun shield? Or is it astronaut Eugene Cernan?

And here, for sake of comparison, is Apollo 17 Commander Cernan, as he appeared in 1972 at age 38. Cernan became, to this day, the last human being to set foot on the moon, as he re-entered the landing module for the final time after Schmidt was already inside.

Does the face inside the space helmet look like an alien. Or is Streetcap1 simply looking at a 42-year-old photo of Cernan, filtered through the lens of a overactive imagination. NASA, of course, never comments an any matter UFO or alien. But Cernan himself once said that UFOs came from “some other civilization.”

Alien Wears Apollo 17 Astronaut Suit In NASA Photo? Face ‘Doesn’t Look Human,’ UFO Researcher Says is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A student at the University of Minnesota has been diagnosed with a case of measles.

The 20-year-old student had just returned to the university after having traveled internationally. After three days of classes he sought medical attention from the University of Minnesota’s Fairview Hospital. There, he was diagnosed with measles.

According to MPR News, the dean of the Minnesota Medical School, Brooks Jackson, indicated that the student was off campus to recover from the disease.

University of Minnesota students, faculty and staff who have not been vaccinated against measles are being reminded that the disease is highly infectious. Jackson has urged anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the disease to seek medical attention.

The university is working with the Minnesota Department of Health, hoping to contact anyone the infected student was in contact with.

Measles can be a very serious disease for unvaccinated people. The symptoms usually appear a little over a week after someone is exposed to the disease. First among the symptoms is usually a fever, followed by rash and then possible cold-like symptoms.

Minnesota state officials have been clear that they do not believe the university measles case is linked to the California outbreak.

Due to the Disneyland outbreak and the case from the university, a legislator in Minnesota has introduced a bill that would push parents to consult with a doctor before deciding not to vaccinate their children.

Representative Mike Freiberg stated, “Some states like Washington, which have had high exemption rates historically, have followed this approach and it’s helped reduce the spread of vaccine preventable diseases.”

The measles was very nearly eliminated in the U.S. in 2000; however, there has been a record of 644 infections reported last year. According to Freiberg, that’s not the only disease making a come-back. Minnesota has seen a rise in kids being diagnosed with mumps and whooping cough because of parents forgoing immunizations.

“Children are getting sick and being hospitalized because some parents do not understand the overwhelming evidence that vaccinations prevent serious illness,” Freiberg said.

Part of the issue that is the fear some parents have that too many vaccines too soon in life could lead to autism.

The fear stems from a 1998 study that suggested the possibility. That study did not successfully prove the theory. Since then, a 2004 study and a 2012 study have both concluded that vaccines early in life do not have any relationship to developing autism.

[Image courtesy of Liberty Voice.]

University Of Minnesota Measles Case Confirmed is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Rasheed Sulaimon’s career at Duke University began with such promise, but now it ends in shock.

Time Magazine is reporting that Sulaimon, a junior guard at Duke, has been dismissed from the team. The reason behind Sulaimon’s dismissal: an inability to live up to the standards expected of Duke University athletes. Sulaimon is reportedly still in good standing with the University, and he will finish his degree in the spring semester.

Shooting 41.3 percent from the field, Sulaimon has averaged 7.5 points per game in 20 games this season, as well as 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists. From beyond the arc, Sulaimon has managed a 40.4 percent conversion rate.

Since his freshman year, though, Sulaimon has seen his playing time steadily decrease. Upon first joining Duke, Sulaimon was averaging 29.2 minutes per game. That year saw him named to the ACC All-Freshman team.

This year, though, Sulaimon is averaging only 19.3 minutes per game. In the last two games, the Duke guard has scored only seven points on 2-of-9 shooting.

“Rasheed has been unable to consistently live up to the standards required to be a member of our program,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a news release. “It is a privilege to represent Duke University and with that privilege comes the responsibility to conduct oneself in a certain manner. After Rasheed repeatedly struggled to meet the necessary obligations, it became apparent that it was time to dismiss him from the program.”

The Washington Post is reporting that there has been tension building between Sulaimon and the team, especially coach Krzyzewski. Coach Krezyzewski has repeatedly ordered Sulaimon off the floor during practice this season, and suspended Sulaimon last year for a full game against Michigan. Sulaimon also fell behind guards Tyus Jones, Quinn Cook, Justise Winslow and Matt Jones in the perimeter rotation.

Sulaimon’s dismissal represents the first time Krzyzewski has dismissed any player from his basketball program. This first comes after Krzyzewski’s latest milestone, his 1,000th victory as a head basketball coach.

Part of the tension seems to be what is perceived as Sulaimon’s moodiness. ESPN is reporting that Sulaimon was called out last year for inappropriate body language when facing adversity, constantly pouting and not celebrating his teammates’ successes while he was on the bench.

“It was an accumulation of a whole lot of residue,” one source close to the Duke program told ESPN‘s Jeff Goodman. “It had built up over time.”

“His issues didn’t outweigh his talent.”

Though he ended up coming off the bench, Sulaimon seemed to have accepted his diminished role. and he was becoming one of Duke’s better on-ball defenders.

[Image via CBS Sports.]

Duke Basketball Player Rasheed Sulaimon Dismissed From Team is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The negative reaction to last Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV event seemed to vindicate the popular saying, “the revolution will not be televised”.

Instead, much of the protest against by WWE fans took place on social media.

Twitter took center stage for a few days, as angry WWE fans proudly trended the hashtag #CancelWWENetwork.

It seems at first glance that WWE is moving to make the sort of changes that will make disgruntled fans stand down.

However, I am skeptical as to whether or not it will be enough. Especially when you consider that the WWE has been in decline for some time now.

A sharp, steady decline is indicative of uncorrected behaviors and a stubborn refusal to listen to your target audience.

A good portion of this downward spiral can, and should, be blamed on how out of touch the company has allowed itself to become with today’s youth and their pop-culture/social interests.

In the past, having an ear to the ground has helped WWE stay current and produce entertainment that seemed to speak convincingly to its loyal fan base.

But that’s changed in the WWE, which seems to be more determined than ever to disregard and ignore its supporters and what they care about.

The cold fact of the matter is that WWE would simply be better off without the meddling of Vince McMahon.

Thank you to all @WWENetwork subscribers for this milestone. #Then#Now#Forever pic.twitter.com/RTRBLXKjGr

— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) January 27, 2015

We are a long way from the golden (80s) and silver (90s) era of professional wrestling, when the WWE (then WWF) blossomed under the visionary achievements of Vince McMahon. The WWE successfully integrated story lines and characters borrowed from real events and translated into truly fun and entertaining events for wrestling fans.

What made THIS former WWE fan walk away?

It wasn’t a matter of whether or not sports entertainment was “real” to me (come on now…) so much as it was an issue of whether or not I was even partially willing suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy what Vince was trying to do.

In the end, the answer was a resounding, “No”.

I felt that there was a notable shortage of individuals who had the charisma of larger-than-life wrestlers that I grew up with.

That and the deceptively organic and seemingly spontaneous nature of the WWE was gone.

The only way to explain is to compare it to a magic trick. Yes, the magician didn’t really pull the rabbit out of that, but that doesn’t stop you from being dazzled and wondering how he pulled it off.

That magical aura was waning years ago.

I tuned out of events like the Royal Rumble and everything associated with WWE for the most part, to the point where there is a sizable portion of people in the WWE at present that I don’t recognize.

With the blow up over CM Punk’s departure from the WWE and subsequent joining of the UFC, I had briefly considered easing back into watching WWE related events.

Then the 2015 Royal Rumble happened.

I am sorry on behalf of the WWE fans who are too young to recall a time when the company would not blatantly slap you in face with such a poorly put together PPV main event that utterly insulted your intelligence.

Although some are trying to lay the backlash at the feet of affronted Daniel Bryan fans, I feel like that’s a bit of an insult in and of itself.

I sincerely doubt that the backlash was solely about the failure of an obvious fan favorite like Dylan Bryan to be the Royal Rumble winner.

In actuality, it seemed to be just the latest outcry against the WWE not listening to its fans. Especially in terms of how stars are made and story lines are told.

You can’t write your way to a WWE superstar, Vince.

Fans are won over by personality and charisma that is allowed to develop naturally. Not by cheap tactics like bringing in the Rock to make a sympathetic cameo on behalf of his cousin (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?).

#ThatMomentWhen The Rock knew the fans weren’t on Roman Reigns’ side. pic.twitter.com/Dz30itO7dL

— BBC Sporf (@BBCSporf) January 26, 2015

Reigns is a very good-looking man, but he’s not the Rock.

And once upon a time, even the Rock wasn’t himself.

The Rock would not be who he is today, WWE wrestling superstar and successful Hollywood actor, if he was not given the opportunity to develop his persona over time.

It looks like McMahon is trying to force lightning to strike twice, without allowing Roman to develop into the sort of unique talent that would make him an icon in his own right.

Much of the Rock as a character was apparently born in a barber shop, listening to trash talk.

Where is it then that Roman Reigns is coming from exactly? A haphazardly patched-up bit of writing by Vince McMahon?

It’s bad enough that McMahon has forgotten how to transition from aging talent to new talent; but something else is happening here that younger WWE fans may not appreciate having not seen it with their own eyes.

I strongly remember the old WWE parodies featuring “The Huckster” and “Nacho Man”, aimed at mocking wrestling legends who defected to WCW (and took a sizable chunk of the WWE audience with them).

It’s rather startling to consider how Vince is doing pretty much what he once mocked his rivals at WCW for about a decade ago: Leaning hard on aging talent with big names and the nostalgia factor.

Though I confess to being out of touch with regard to current WWE events, I also admit I never thought I’d see the day when Vince McMahon and his vision of the WWE would become the punchline to a joke told years ago.

And I confess…it makes me rather sad.

So what say you WWE fans: Would the company benefit if Vince McMahon and his ilk stepped aside once and for all? Or is the WWE in an irreversible decline?

Also as a former WWE fan once tempted to dive back in, I’d love your honest opinion as to whether or not I’m off the mark and what YOU feel the real problem is.

I’m not Vince in that I promise I’ll listen to your opinion—especially concerning whether or not there’s any corner of the WWE worth re-familiarizing myself with.

[Image Credit: jamie nyc]

Royal Rumble Backlash: Just How Far Out Of Touch ARE Vince McMahon And WWE? [Opinion] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is tracking millions of Americans using automatic license plate readers, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) revealed this week. While the DEA states its intention is to seize cars and assets of those involved in drug trafficking, the program has also swept up hundreds of millions of records of motorists around the U.S.

The ACLU discovered the existence of the DEA program on Monday through a Freedom of Information Act request. According to the heavily redacted and incomplete set of DEA documents, the program was implemented in 2008.

“The broad thrust of the DEA is to spread its program broadly and catch data and travel patterns on a massive scale,” ACLU analyst Jay Stanley told The Guardian.

“This could be a really amazing level of surveillance that we’ve not seen before in this country.”

The Wall Street Journal cited anonymous officials and official documents confirming that the DEA program stored hundreds of millions of US motorist records in a database designed to track vehicles in real time. A Justice Department spokesman said the DEA has reduced the time records are stored from two years to three months.

Documents released on Wednesday showed that the DEA planned to work with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Phoenix to monitor public gun shows using automatic license plate recording technology back in 2009.

A few other major findings on DEA surveillance made by the ACLU include:

• The DEA has deployed at least 100 license plate readers across the United States.
• By 2010 the DEA had established 41 plate-reader monitoring stations throughout California, New Mexico, and Texas.
• The DEA invited local, state, and federal agencies to contribute information to the database.
• DEA received records from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) between May 2009 and May 2013 consisting of over 793.5 million license plates.
• DEA says that the National License Plate Recognition Initiative targets roadways it believes are commonly used for drug trafficking.
• The DEA mines license plate data to identify travel patterns.

Though law enforcement agencies have used automatic license plate readers for years to catch known criminals, the ACLU claims that “the DEA has provided limited information to the public on the program’s goals, capabilities and policies.”

The DEA isn’t the only organization using technology to track the movement of Americans. The Inquisitr reported in 2013 that the ACLU published a study outlining the broad implementation of automatic cameras by police to capture the photos of millions of license plates across the U.S. in order to help solve crimes. But the ACLU concluded that millions of innocent Americans were also being caught up in the dragnet in violation of their Fourth Amendment rights against illegal searches without probable cause or a warrant.

Is the DEA going too far? Tell us in comments.

[Image via Wikipedia]

DEA Is Secretly Tracking Travel Habits of Americans [Video] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

If you are a true Missy Elliott fan that has missed seeing her on stage, get ready for a Super Bowl 2015 surprise. Just days before the Super Bowl, Missy Elliott was reported on the Associated Press as a last-minute addition to Katy Perry’s Super Bowl half-time performance. Currently, the NFL has not officially announced the Super Bowl half-time performance with Missy Elliott — but Katy Perry did hint that there would be an undisclosed female singer added to the show that Perry promised would make “jaws drop.”

The Associated Press said, “A person familiar with the plans for Sunday’s halftime show told The Associated Press on Thursday that Grammy winner Missy Elliott is slated to make a surprise appearance during Katy Perry’s performance.”

After releasing hits through the late 1990s and up to 2007, Missy Elliott suddenly disappeared from the celebrity world. On occasion, Missy Elliott would appear to play an awards show — but she has not been releasing new music or doing tours.

To explain her absence from the world as a full-time entertainer, in 2011, Missy Elliott announced to People Magazine that she was battling a thyroid-related syndrome called Graves Disease. About the condition, People Magazine states, “The disease – which Elliott was diagnosed with in 2008 – first began affecting her motor skills, followed by a string of symptoms: dizzy spells, lumps in her throat, mood swings, hair loss, a fast heart rate and bulging eyes.” Missy Elliott also followed up with a full interview with VH1‘s “Behind the Music” to explain her break from full-time recording and performing.

While her appearances were scant for several years, in 2013, she suddenly reappeared when Fantasia released “Without Me” featuring Missy Elliott and Kelly Rowland. However, 2014 was the year Missy Elliott started stepping back into the spotlight. During the summer of 2014, Missy Elliott joined Skateboard P at the BET Awards to perform “Come Get It Bae” and “Pass That Dutch.” In September 2014, Faith Evans released “I Deserve It” featuring Missy Elliott and Sharaya J.

In October 2014, US Weekly released pictures of a slimmed-down Missy Elliott looking radiant. During the same time period, Missy Elliott performed on stage with the Alexander Wang and H&M Collection Launch in New York City. In late October, it was announced by MTV that Missy Elliott would join Lil’ Kim at the 2014 Soul Train Awards on November 30.

Does this Super Bowl half-time show with Missy Elliott and Katy Perry mean that Missy is finally back? Fingers crossed for an announcement from Missy at the Super Bowl that she is releasing a new album in 2015.

[All images from the referenced links. Lead image via The Lava Lizard.]

Is She Back? Missy Elliott Plays 2015 Super Bowl: New Music Videos is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Is Suge Knight a coldblooded murderer? According to a witness who was at the scene of an alleged hit-and-run on Thursday night, that’s exactly what the hip-hop mogul is. The Daily Mail reports that Knight is still on the run, and has not turned himself in to the LAPD. Meanwhile, police are seeking Knight on homicide charges stemming from the incident that left a man dead. A combination of witness accounts and official police reports have painted a picture of premeditated murder.

Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department told the media that Marion ‘Suge’ Knight had gotten into an altercation with more than one person while on the set of the upcoming N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton. The altercation had ended between Knight and the others, however, and he was presumed to have left the premises. However, Knight returned within 20 minutes after the altercation had ended, tailing the men when they went to lunch. Knight reportedly hit the men with his vehicle at Tam’s Burgers. He also reportedly ran at least one of them over before tearing out of the parking lot. One victim in the incident succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the alleged vehicular assault, and he has been identified as a friend of Knight’s.

At least one witness shared shocking revelations about what may have taken place. He claimed that Suge Knight not only plowed down and ran over his friend, but he distinctively aimed at the men before accelerating and driving his vehicle into them. If that’s the absolute truth, then Knight could find himself facing more than simple homicide charges.

Suge Knight shown with Tupac Shakur.

Knight’s attorney claims that the entire situation was a tragic accident — but does the public believe that? He’d come across as more sincere if he’d turn himself in as The Independent reports he has promised.

Fans in the music industry have made a mixed bag of reactions to this latest controversy surrounding Knight. Some have even gone as far as to accuse him of getting away with killing Tupac Shakur. It’s been a longstanding theory that the music mogul killed his friend, and there are a number of theories surrounding why. One of the most prevalent theories puts Tupac in the position of leaving Death Row Records — something that would have left Knight rather displeased. The murder of Tupac Shakur remains unsolved, but is still open with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. Suge has never been charged with anything pertaining to Pac’s murder. Knight has, though, been named as a suspect in the homicide case stemming from this most recent incident.

[Photo credit: TruthAboutTupac. Lead image via BET.com]

Witness Says Suge Knight Aimed For Victim Before Plowing Him Down In Hit-And-Run is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Unless you’ve been living under a rock as a wrestling fan, you’ve heard of the controversial ending to WWE’s Royal Rumble match. WWE superstar Roman Reigns won the match, only to face a sea of boos and online negativity. WWE saw a lot of negative comments from fans, but also from the media. National and international media all covered the event due to how massive a reaction fans across the world had.

The company is by no means blind. Many thought that WWE would not come close to recognizing the boos or negativity on their TV shows. However, on both WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown, WWE addressed the critics. On RAW, WWE tried to tease the potential WWE WrestleMania 31 main event as it stands now. While many fans loved the Paul Heyman promo, few were sold on Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

A lot of people think that Reigns is by no means ready to be in the main event while others more deserving have been passed over. This year alone his Shield brethren of Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins have been more impressive. Others like Dolph Ziggler have shown major promise as well. In addition, WWE still has Daniel Bryan, who has a massive fan base behind him.

So what is WWE to do when there is a problem such as this?

Like last year, WWE has to consider changing the main event and it looks like they might do so.

Roman Reigns may well have won the Royal Rumble, but he hasn’t won the fans’ hearts. Image via TJRWrestling.

Storyline WWE COO and real life WWE Executive Triple H mentioned on Thursday’s LIVE WWE SmackDown broadcast that he would have an announcement on WWE RAW this Monday. The announcement would concern the current WrestleMania 31 main event. He claimed his announcement would rock the WWE Universe to it’s core. It is uncertain what he means by this, but fans are hopeful.

Many fans believe WWE is teasing a change to the WrestleMania 31 main event. The idea that WWE could change it is a big deal. Many wonder why WWE does not listen to it’s fans until major issues such as this come up.

A lot of people were mad at the Rumble match as a whole. Some are cool with Reigns winning, but not in the way WWE made it happen by virtually burying all of the WWE favorites on the way to his win. In an effort to “make Roman Reigns look strong,” they buried people such as Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, and Dean Ambrose. That was the real kicker to WWE fans. In addition to that, Reigns still won. So the way WWE handled the event as a whole was the first issue, then the winner was the second.

WWE had to change WrestleMania up last year when Batista won the Rumble to fans’ hatred as well.

Some behind the scenes wheels are turning in order to get the WWE back into the fans’ good graces. Image via WWE.

What is interesting is that despite the sizable negative reaction for that match last year, this year’s controversy has sparked even more hatred. Yet WWE changed the event last year, so one would imagine that WWE would do similar this year with even more hatred coming about.

What WWE changes the main event into is up in the air. Roman Reigns cannot be removed from the match, as he still won the Rumble match. Obviously WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar also cannot be removed. So WWE would have to change the match to a triple threat, fatal four way, or something along those lines.

Many believe a fatal four way is possible, as WWE would not want to have two triple threat matches on two straight WrestleMania main events.

Triple H is teasing a major announcement, so the WrestleMania main event could be much bigger than either one of those matches. However, if it only includes the two men currently in the match, fans will not be satisfied.

Regardless of what WWE does, it is terrific that they are at least listening to the WWE fans. WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year, so it needs to be big. The main event has to be one fans want to see. If few fans are for it, WWE has no alternative but to change it.

[IMG Credits: WWE.com]

WWE News: Could WWE Change The WrestleMania 31 Main Event? WWE Executive Triple H Teases It On SmackDown is an article from: The Inquisitr News

When David Miller applied for a job with Strava, a company that produces a fitness-tracking app, he wanted to stand out from the crowd. He decided to submit his credentials along with some “Strava Art” that had a clear message about how he wanted the hiring process to end.

The app’s GPS tracking produces a city map with the route taken after a run or bike ride. Miller planned, and ran, a route that spelled out the words “Hire Me” on San Francisco streets.

The idea of “Strava Art” is not new. It has become something of a trend, with fitness enthusiasts going to great lengths to produce intricate pictures through their movements. Cycling Weekly featured some extraordinary examples that include a horse — hooves and all — that was the result of eight hours of cycling covering 231 km. There’s also a turkey, a bicycle and a marriage proposal in the shape of a heart.

The marriage proposal, by cyclist Murphy Mack in January 2014, was met with a “yes.”

Chris Phipps, who was making Strava art as far back as 2012, said he maps out his route first and looks for obstacles such as schools or parks. That’s unless he’s spelling out words, which he said in an I Love Bicycling post do not need prior planning. Phipps has also done a cat and the San Francisco Giants logo.

Miller explained to ABC News his motivations for taking the extra step, and they are bound to warm the hearts of any Strava boss looking to hire.

“I’m at a point in my career where I’m looking for an awesome company to work with. I’m so passionate about running already. It seemed like a good idea.”

Miller is apparently early in the hiring process, as his run was just completed on January 26. A Strava spokesperson told ABC that Miller’s application had been received, but gave no indication whether his extra efforts — or the publicity he’s received — have given him an edge over other candidates.

Miller ran 8.1 miles to create the Strava art, with a running time of 1 hour, 15 minutes and 42 seconds. According to a screen shot of the app, he burned 1,111 calories on the trip. Some New Age astrologers might have advised him to make a wish, as 1111 is thought to be an auspicious number. A little bit of extra luck can never hurt when it comes time to look for a new job.

[Image: Strava via ABC News.]

Would You Run Eight Miles To Get A Job? This Man Did, But There’s A Logical Reason Why is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Bill Maher has had no shortage of criticism for the Middle East and, more specifically, Islamic beliefs over the last few months.

On Friday night’s edition of Real Time with Bill Maher, his HBO talk show, he redirected some of that anger toward President Obama for his recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

Maher found it “odd” that the president would cut short his visit to India in order to visit Saudi Arabia and make nice with its new leader.

Along with other panelists, he criticized the president for not addressing the Saudis’ history with persecuting women and religious intolerance.

He wondered why Obama would show that much respect to a culture that “wouldn’t shake hands” with his wife.

While Maher seemed disappointed with the president’s behavior, he did have some good things to say about the First Lady, in particular, her decision not to wear a headdress.

“I thought when she wouldn’t wear the head scarf, that she was kind of making the kind of statement that I’ve been trying to get across here for a long time, which is stop respecting their medieval bulls*** under the guise of ‘It’s their culture.’

“Cultural relativism is nonsense. It’s the 21st Century. You won’t shake hands with a woman? You’re the ones who should be embarrassed. And if that’s judgmental, good, I’m judging. Yes, I’m judging that that’s f***ed up, and that you’re the bigot. I’m not the bigot. You’re the bigot.”

For this last part — the “bigot” comment — Maher was referring back to criticisms he received for being intolerant and “Islamophobic” for comments he made on previous episodes of his show.

The most famous of which involved him and actor Ben Affleck. The two engaged in a skirmish where Affleck accused Maher of condemning an entire group of people based on the actions of a few.

Bill Maher in turn pointed out that polls had shown close to three-quarters of Muslims believed women should always be subject to their husbands and that anyone who commits apostasy should be killed.

He’s also been highly critical of Saudi Arabia for beheading prisoners and for treating homosexuality like a crime.

In Friday’s criticisms, he was sure to point out that President Obama did not address any of these issues when visiting with the Saudis during his latest trip.

What do you think, readers? Is Bill Maher right to criticize the president, and is cultural relativism really “nonsense”? Should we not respect cultures that we view as abusive toward human rights? Sound off in our comments section.

Bill Maher Chastises President Obama For Respecting ‘Medieval Bulls***’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Ms. Marvel, a comic book superheroine, is being used in a series of graffiti attacks on free speech in San Francisco.

Ms. Marvel is a comic book superheroine owned by Marvel Entertainment. She originally was Carol Danvers but the latest character to assume her identity is Kamala Khan, who first appeared in 2013. Marvel emphasized that Khan is Islamic and it became such big news that legacy media sources, including the New York Times, ran stories on it.

Ms. Marvel is back in the news in early 2014, and her Islamic identity is again playing a central role.

The American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization describing itself as opposing “global jihad and Islamic supremacism,” purchased advertising space on vehicles belonging to the city-owned San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. The AFDI ads focus on what AFDI says is Islamic hatred of Jews. Some have objected to these ads and now one or more people are defacing them with Ms. Marvel graffiti.

And this attack on free speech is being met with cheers from many in the media.

NBC praised the graffiti with the headline, “Comic Heroine Ms. Marvel Saves San Francisco From Anti-Islam Ads.”

UPROXX cheered it by saying that, “Ms. Marvel Is Being Used To Battle Islamophobic Bus Ads In San Francisco.”

And Blastr lauded the vandalism with a headline claiming, “Graffiti artists cleverly defacing racist San Francisco bus ads with Ms. Marvel.”

Islam is not a race. It is a religion and people from any race can join it. But Blastr wasn’t the only media outlet confused about what Islam is.

Mstars News wrote that, “Now their teen super heroine, Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, has been using her powers in real life to fight racist anti-Islam messages on San Francisco muni buses.”

Writers at media outlets weren’t the only ones to praise the graffiti attacks. G. Willow Wilson, the writer of the Ms. Marvel series, also supports them and she let the world know it through her Twitter account.

Some amazing person has been painting over the anti-Muslim bus ads in SF with Ms. Marvel graffiti. Spread love. https://t.co/U8W2g01O2T

— G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) January 26, 2015

But not everyone endorses this attack on free speech.

Eugene Volokh writing at the Washington Post legal blog, “The Volokh Conspiracy,” noted that, “No, pasting over anti-Islam ads with images of ‘Ms. Marvel’ isn’t free speech.”

“Is this action itself constitutionally protected free speech, as some have suggested?

“No — just as it wouldn’t be protected free speech to take a pro-religious-tolerance advertisement (or a mosque advertisement) and paste anti-Islam messages over it. People have no right to just attach their own messages to city vehicles. Indeed, attaching messages that write over lawfully purchased advertising messages likely qualifies as ‘[d]amag[ing]’ another’s property, or as ‘[d]efac[ing]’ it by ‘mark[ing]’ over it.”

In other Ms. Marvel news, The Inquisitr recently reported there are signs that Marvel Entertainment might be looking at Natalie Dormer to play Carol Danvers in the upcoming Captain Marvel movie.

[Image via the official Marvel website]

Ms. Marvel Used In Attack On Free Speech In San Francisco is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A cop in Montreal is now being sued by a woman she arrested for public intoxication.

Constable Danielle Gallant took an unnamed 17-year-old female into custody one night in 2011. The young woman had been drinking heavily, so Gallant handcuffed her and placed her in the back of the police truck.

Unfortunately, Gallant had arrested a nationally registered sex offender earlier in the evening, and somehow, without Gallant’s supervision, he was able to get loose and rape the 17-year-old, who was defenseless.

Gallant was a young and inexperienced officer at the time and didn’t even have the credentials to carry a firearm. Police reports stated that when she returned to the back of the police truck, she found 24-year-old Joe Kritik on top of the young woman with his pants down.

Graeme Hamilton of the National Post explains further.

“Despite the assault,” Hamilton writes, “the girl was kept in a police cell overnight and was not given medical attention,” nor were her parents contacted.

Kritik pled guilty to the sexual assault in 2012 and received a sentence of 39 months in prison, while the girl filed a lawsuit in 2014 in Quebec Superior Court against Gallant, the Kativik Regional Police Force (KRPF) and the Kativik Regional Government seeking $400,000 in damages.

“The KRPF manifested a serious lack of professionalism and gross negligence by leaving an inexperienced police officer, with no knowledge or life experience of northern Quebec populations, and without the authorization to carry a firearm, to ensure alone the security of the public,” the suit, uncovered by La Presse, reads.

Worse yet, the assault is said to have left “deep psychological scars” on the victim, according to court documents. The victim is now 21 years old and prior to the incident, she had “no history of mental health problems but now displays symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder,” said psychologist Joseph Beltempo, who added that she “experiences nightmares of the rape and will not leave her home alone. She is drinking more and is afraid of men.”

“Her depression, loneliness and isolation are getting worse,” the psychologist wrote.

Perhaps most disturbing in this incident is not the police negligence but the fact that Kritik could have already committed four sexual assaults and then add another while in police custody but only receive a three-year sentence.

What do you think about this case, readers? Should the woman get the full $400,000 she is suing the police for? Sound off in our comments section.

Cop Arrests Two, Places Them In Back Of Police Truck: One Ends Up Raping The Other is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Terry Crews, one of the stars of The Expendables, is no stranger to the reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything). His sessions are usually creative, hilarious, and fun, and his sit-down with the community this week was no exception.

You can usually bank on a few gems to come out of these Q&A festivals, and with this go-round, it was the workout advice that I found most appealing.

Now just looking at the guy’s picture, you may be thinking, “What could he possibly have to say that would apply to me? He looks like a professional wrestler and I have a potbelly.”

Well, surprisingly, this is advice that can be applied to any point in your journey to get fit, and it really works! Here’s what Terry Crews had to say.

“TREAT THE GYM LIKE A SPA.

Yes. It has to feel good. I tell people this a lot — go to the gym, and just sit there, and read a magazine, and then go home. And do this every day.

Go to the gym, don’t even work out. Just GO. Because the habit of going to the gym is more important than the work out. Because it doesn’t matter what you do. You can have fun — but as long as you’re having fun, you continue to do it.

But what happens is you get a trainer, your whole body is sore, you can’t feel your legs, and you’re not coming back the next day — you might not come back for a year!

I worked my way up to 2 hours a day. I ENJOY my workouts. They are my peace, my joy — I get my whole head together! I value that time more than my shower! And it really gets me together. But it’s a habit.

There are times when — I’m not even kidding — there are times when I’m in the middle of a workout, and actually woke up because I am so engrained with going to the gym and being there — it’s that much of a habit to me. The first thing I do in the morning is workout — I lay out my workout clothes the night before, and just hop in ‘em.

So lay out your clothes, and go to the gym, and relax.

HaAHAHAH!

But sooner or later, you WILL work out.”

Terry Crews’ advice is not unlike the old “baby steps” routine from Bill Murray in What About Bob? Don’t think about everything you have to do. Just think about the next thing you have to do.

Do you think you could develop a healthy workout routine following the advice of Terry Crews?

Terry Crews Just Gave The Best Workout Advice Ever is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Music icon David Bowie received a 50-year animated gif makeover by illustrator Helen Green in honor of the performer’s 68^th birthday. The gif is comprised of 29 illustrations of Bowie ranging from his humble beginnings as David Jones in 1964 and spans throughout his superstar career as David Bowie, ending with a recent portrait derived from 2014 photo.

Green shared her gif on Tumblr and garnered more than 40,000 responses from Bowie fans around the world.

“I felt inspired to create a short visual journey through many of Bowie’s styles and guises, from young Davie Jones in 1964 to David Bowie in 2014,” Green wrote.

The 22 year-old portrait, fashion, and lifestyle illustrator Green wrote to the Huffington Post, “In celebration of David Bowie’s birthday this month, I created a little animated portrait of Bowie through the years in appreciation of his mesmerizing evolution and reinvention.”

“It’s my little tribute to how he’s fascinated us over the years.”

[Click on below image to see gif animation]

Titled “Time May Change Me”, Green is selling signed 8″ by 10″ black and white and color prints from the David Bowie gif on her website for $15 each.

According to the Official Davie Bowie Facebook page, it took Green a total of 35 hours to produce the Bowie pencil drawings and to process them digitally.

“Each pencil drawing was coloured digitally and animated in Photoshop, and took around 35 hours in total though much of that time was spent finding references where David was facing in a specific direction,” Green said.

“For many of the drawings, I used a reference from a different year, but facing the correct way. For example, the reference for Ashes to Ashes Bowie was his 1976 mugshot, and a sideways-facing ‘Heroes’ Bowie for the drawing of Davie Jones. It was quite a triumph to see all 29 drawings in motion for the first time!”

Besides David Bowie, the UK-based Green is also known for her illustrations of music legends like Bob Dylan and lesser known but talented acts like First Aid Kit.

The Inquisitr reported on David Bowie’s 68^th birthday earlier this month when his fans took to social media around the world to celebrate. Besides honoring Bowie on Facebook and Twitter fan pages, many fans visited the David Bowie Is exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago which attracted 193,000 attendees. A record-breaking 52 million Twitter accounts displayed the exhibition hashtag #DavidBowieIs while the MCA website drew more than one million visitors thanks to the vastly popular David Bowie exhibition.

[Image via Weekly Music News]

David Bowie Birthday Tribute To 50 Years Of Changes is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Could the WrestleMania 31 main event change? While not confirmed, it appears that WWE might be leaning toward changing it at least a little. Triple H made an announcement on WWE SmackDown this past week saying that he would put an end to the Royal Rumble controversy. This led many to believe he would announce something that would allow for a change in the Mania main event. He claimed that his announcement would likely shake the WWE Universe to it’s very core.

This is a strong statement by the storyline WWE COO. It is one that WWE fans hope is not disappointing.

The issue is, no one knows exactly what it planned. According to Cageside Seats, we may have an idea about the announcement. Cageside reports that Triple H is expected to announce a match at WWE Fast Lane that would include the likes of Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, and others. A multi-man match is set to take place that would help steer the direction of WrestleMania for all involved.

It is uncertain if a battle royal of sorts will take place or a 6 man tag. Right now, we don’t know the exact details of what Triple H will talk about on WWE RAW.

We can assume this however. WWE is still recovering from the major negativity following the Royal Rumble PPV. Seemingly every news outlet panned the event and spoke negatively about Roman Reigns, the winner of the 2015 Rumble match. It seemed that Triple H was claiming that he would change the main event in some way, or at least give us a possibility of it when he spoke on SmackDown.

We know Triple H will announce something to do with WWE Fast Lane, WWE’s newest February PPV. They want this PPV to be must-see, especially in a free WWE Network period. So the show will most likely be stacked up in order to impress people.

That said, if the main event has to do with what could go down at WrestleMania, we could see something interesting.

There is a rumor that if plans go according to present plan with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar headlining the WrestleMania 31 main event, WWE would consider a double turn at WrestleMania. Meaning the current face and heel would switch roles by the end of the match. Cageside reports that there is some talk of turning Reigns heel, especially if WWE can get Brock Lesnar to re-sign with the company. This would allow WWE to continue the Lesnar/Reigns rivalry past WrestleMania for a bit.

Many think the only way to save Reigns currently is to go ahead and make him a heel because that is how WWE fans are treating him regardless of his character. Meanwhile WWE fans have not seen a babyface Brock Lesnar since he returned, so it could be interesting to see him face heels instead of faces for a bit.

Fans like Lesnar, but they may only cheer him majorly due to the hatred Reigns has right now. So it is uncertain that this could go down.

If WWE does the double turn concept, we could assume Paul Heyman would be involved in some way. It would be the first WrestleMania double turn since “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13. We know that this sent Austin into the stratosphere of fame while Hart also benefited greatly from the move to heel. It is uncertain if that could happen with Lesnar and Reigns, but something needs to be done if the main event stays the same.

Whether Triple H changes the main event of WrestleMania or it stays the same, plans seem to be in place regardless in order for WWE fans to enjoy the PPV.

[IMG Credits: WWE.com, PWmania.com]

WWE News: What Triple H’s Potential Announcement Will Be On WWE RAW, A New WrestleMania Main Event? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Gulf coast residents were relieved when the BP oil spill seemed less harmful than expected and millions of gallons of oil appeared to melt away into the ocean water. Unfortunately, scientists have discovered that the ocean didn’t absorb as much oil as once thought, and about 6 to 10 million gallons are now resting on the sea floor. This revelation may mean disaster for both sea life and humans.

The BP oil spill leaked about 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

A new study from Florida State University says that 6 to 10 million gallons of that oil ended up buried in sediment on the sea floor – and it may stay there for a while.

According to Phys.org, there is less oxygen on the bottom of the ocean. Once the oil particles start receiving less oxygen, it becomes more difficult for bacteria to attack the oil and make it decompose.

That creates a couple of problems for the Gulf.

First, if anything does disturb the sediment, it will stir up the oil, creating the effects of a whole new spill. Nature World News reports that the original Deepwater Horizon spill led to skin lesions on Mahi Mahi and red snapper fish, unhealthy coral growth and reduced numbers of critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.

Second, the oil will likely end up in the human food chain.

Professor of Oceanography and lead author of the study Jeff Chanton explained.

“This is going to affect the Gulf for years to come. Fish will likely ingest contaminants because worms ingest the sediment, and fish eat the worms. It’s a conduit for contamination into the food web.”

Chanton’s study is one of the few serious reports on sedimentary oil from the BP spill. Think Progress reports that the federal Oil Budget Calculator, designed to determine where the BP oil would go in the short term, did not take into account build-up on the sea floor.

Chanton added, “everyone thinks oil is very buoyant and that it just floats on the surface,” making the bottom of the ocean a low priority.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, there was another study which found a “bathtub ring” of oil in the depths of the Gulf. That ring was roughly the size of Rhode Island.

On the upside, Chanton’s study found less oil than he’d originally thought. His original expectations were fueled by numerous reports of people seeing oil clumping together on the surface and then submerging down. Still, that might be little consolation as the BP oil spill promises to cause damage for years to come.

[Image Credit: NOAA/Flickr]

BP Oil Spill Study Finds Millions Of Gallons Of Crude Left On Ocean Floor is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Bachelor has made much of Chris Soules’ small town roots and the willingness — or not — of his female suitors to move to Iowa should he propose. Soules told the Sioux City Journal that being on the show is actually a sound option for a farmer who has few outlets to find love.

“I don’t get to just go out to dinner or go out to a bar and happen to run into someone. I have to make an effort no matter what I do. This is a much more fun experience than being on a dating website… There are a lot of great girls in Iowa. It’s just hard to meet somebody. It’s hard to meet the right person for anybody…no matter where you live. I’ve got three older sisters and they’ve all got great relationships. One took until she was in her 30s and she lived in Chicago. What you really want to do is find that special person who’s perfect for you…and that’s hard.”

Soules also said that as unreal as it may seem to an outsider, he’s a supporter of The Bachelor process. He was impressed by the people that run the reality franchise back when he was one of Andi Dorfman’s potential husbands on The Bachelorette.

“When I went through the casting [for ‘The Bachelorette’], they asked a lot of important questions and made me think they really cared before bringing me onto the show. It was an intense process. It’s very thorough and that was a big part of why I was going to do it.”

Among the benefits of finding love on The Bachelor, instead of, say, a dating website, is one-on-one contact. That is something Soules has been known to take full advantage of. People kept a tally of the number of girls Soules kissed in episode 3, and came up with eight, although one woman’s face was obscured by his, so the encounter may have been from an earlier installment.

Juelia Kinney, who was sent packing last week, defends Soules’ affectionate ways.

“Chris is a man and he is trying to get to know all of these women and I don’t really think it’s a bad thing for him to kiss somebody if he’s feeling a connection with them… He’s not planning on keeping all 30 women, so whatever he needs to do to get to know people I think is fine.”

In addition to finding his soulmate, Soules wants The Bachelor to enlighten people about Iowa and farming.

“I was very adamant going in that farming is a modern, advanced business that I want to have respected. So far, I think it’s coming across really well…. [Des Moines is a] very modern, metropolitan city that’s got a lot going for it. I’m excited to have that on national television.”

The Bachelor airs Mondays on ABC.

‘Bachelor’ Chris Soules Says Show Is More Fun Than A Dating Website is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A Taco Bell employee and two of his friends were arrested after setting up a fake robbery at his place of work. Miguel W. Feliciano, 18, of Wildfire Lane, near New Castle told police he had been punched in the face and had a knife to his throat, while a robber forced the manager of the restaurant to open the safe.

Only thing was, according to Senior Lt. Adam Brams of the New Castle police Feliciano (pictured left above) was arrested a few hours later as he drove away in the alleged getaway car.

His two friends, Jaron V. Middleton, 19 of Bear (pictured center above) and 19-year-old Matthew W. Tormen of New Castle (pictured right), have also been arrested.

According to Brams, Feliciano, who works at the Taco Bell in Airport Plaza in New Castle, was the one to initially report the crime at 7 a.m. Thursday.

Delaware Online quotes Feliciano as saying a robber had entered the Taco Bell store and punched him in the face. The man then allegedly held a knife to his throat. The same robber then held the manager at knife point, demanding that he open the safe.

As the robber left the premises, he emptied the cash register and then ran to a waiting car in the parking lot.

It is unknown how much cash was taken from both the safe and cash register. Brams continued that Feliciano had suffered a minor injury and refused medical treatment. Police accessed the surveillance footage of the robbery.

Police then asked for assistance in identifying the criminals involved in the robbery.

Police ask for help IDing New Castle Taco Bell robber armed with knife http://t.co/wOyUWCOqtN

— 1150 AM WDEL (@WDEL) January 29, 2015

Later the same day, police spotted a vehicle which matched that captured on the surveillance tape. It turned out the driver of that vehicle was Feliciano and his two friends, named above, were the passengers.

Fox Philly reports that later on, Feliciano admitted that he had planned the “robbery” with his two friends and that he had wanted to “make it look real and planned to get struck in the face by another conspirator.”

It was apparently Middleton that entered the store as the robber, punched Feliciano in the face and then left with the money. Tormen played the part of the getaway driver. While all three were playing parts, however, a crime was committed.

Feliciano was charged with theft, falsely reporting the incident and conspiracy. Of the two friends, Middleton had been charged with first-degree robbery, aggravated menacing, possession of a deadly weapon, second-degree conspiracy and wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony. The getaway driver, Tormen, is facing theft and conspiracy charges.

In other Taco Bell related news, it seems the fast food restaurants are attracting crime, as the Inquisitr reports a 27-year-old man is in custody after attempting to rob a Taco Bell in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Taco Bell Employee Charged For Faking Robbery is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The third annual Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit, which was held in San Antonio de Belén, Costa Rica, concluded this past Thursday. With its end, the member states agreed upon The Political Declaration of Belén, which is a collection of 94 points that involve the independence of Latin American entities from the United States and European countries, as well as the economic and social development of its member states.

Per Telesur, the 94 points may be summed up into five major themes:

1. The commitment to end hunger
2. A call to end U.S. interference in Latin American affairs
3. A call for the end of the U.S. blockade on Cuba
4. A call for Puerto Rican independence
5. The raising of a monument to victims of the slave trade

These points of agreement were negotiated over a six-month period between representatives of the 33 member states and were finalized by the presidents at the summit in Costa Rica.

Per AVN, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro tweeted about his excitement and enthusiasm regarding the agreed upon goals for the future of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“The path of union of our America has been consolidated, now it’s up to us to realize the agreed plan. I will explain everything in detail tomorrow.”

He also tweeted upon his arrival to his native country.

“Landing in our country, after living intensely CELAC successful summit and receiving solidarity and affection from Costa Rica.”

Furthermore, the Second Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities of Social Development to Eradicate Hunger and Poverty will meet in Venezuela in the second half of this year.

Poverty is a rampant issue that has widely plagued Latin American countries and continues to do so in the present day. Costa Rica, the host country of the international summit, has experienced an increased poverty rate, rising to its the highest in four years, 21.2 percent.

Regarding the grim economic situation of Latin American countries and its consistently high levels of poverty, Alicia Bárcena, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean, commented that recovery from the international financial crisis was not sufficiently taken advantage of, which has kept many countries vulnerable to the economic cycles.

“The recovery from the international financial crisis does not seem to have been taken advantage of sufficiently to strengthen social protection policies that reduce vulnerability in the face of economic cycles. Now, in a scenario of a possible reduction in available fiscal resources, more efforts are needed to fortify these policies, establishing solid foundations with the aim of fulfilling the commitments of the post-2015 development agenda.”

Nevertheless, there is a strong sense of hope in the air for Latin American and Caribbean countries, due to the Political Declaration of Belén, which very well may result in the mitigation of poverty within that region.

Costa Rica Hosts CELAC Summit, Ground Breaking Change To Come is an article from: The Inquisitr News