If Kim Kardashian really is bothered by the media hubbub over her pregnancy weight gain, she ain’t showing it.

The 32-year-old reality star took to Instagram on Saturday to proudly show off her bare pregnant belly in a pair of self-snapped photos.

Wearing black skintight leggings and a white top, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star spliced together two pictures of herself in the same pose: One with her belly covered and the other with it exposed.

The accompanying caption said it all: “Baby love ♥”

Kardashian, who is six months pregnant, has been crudely criticized for gaining weight during pregnancy. Last month, the focus on the star’s weight gain prompted supermodel Helena Christensen to lay into the media for what she felt was “despicable” coverage.

Hearteningly, Kardashian seems unmoved by the fuss, stepping out in plenty of colorful, figure-hugging costumes, and now showing off her bump in all its glory.

A later pic showed Kardashian in a sophisticated black pantsuit with her younger half-sister, Kendall Jenner. As the pair pout at the camera, Kendall cradles Kim’s bump.

Kim has recently revealed she’s borrowing maternity clothes from older sister Kourtney. Writing on her Celebuzz blog, Kardashian wrote:

“I’ve been turning to her for styling advice and tips since her effortless preggo fashion has served as inspiration for me. It’s nice to have someone who knows a thing or two about dressing up your baby bump!”

What do you think of Kim Kardashian’s baby bump pictures? Let us know in the comments!

Kim Kardashian Shows Off Baby Bump In Instagram Pics is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth and songbird fianceé Miley Cyrus may have had some troubles recently, but don’t assume he’s just a jerk who let fame go to his head. According to Spanish model Elsa Pataky, who is married to his brother Chris, both men — and their brother Luke — “really know how to take care of women. Their mom did a great job with them.”

Heh. Come to think of it, that comment can have more than one meaning.

Was Liam great with Mad Men star January Jones? A few weeks back, rumors of an affair swirled around the couple, who were allegedly spotted in the back seat of an SUV at the Oscars.

There have even been rumors of an open relationship that included Jones. Well, I think we can all agree that you’d need to be a pretty smooth talker to get away with that one.

At one point, Liam Hemsworth had actually headed back to Australia, where his parents supposedly bought him a $1.6 million bachelor pad. I guess if you’re great with women, then you always know when to give her some space, but some people might call that a tad too much.

When Miley Cyrus appeared in public without her engagement ring, the rumor mill went wild. It certainly seemed logical to assume that the pair had split. Cyrus said that she was getting her ring re-sized and taking a break from social media…a break that didn’t last too terribly long.

According to a Friday report, the ring is now back on her finger. And, of course, she’s been very active indeed on Twitter, where she’s promoting her new single “Ashtrays and Heartbreaks” with the artist formerly known as Snoop Dog.

Whether or not his mom gets the credit — or their blame — Liam Hemsworth is good enough with women to get Miley back. At least for now.

FOCUSED ON MUSIC & MUSIC ALONE.

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) March 27, 2013

#MCTWERKTEAM twitter.com/MileyCyrus/sta…

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) March 22, 2013

that awkward moment when someone is talking and it takes everything inside of you to not scream SHUT THE HELL UP (in Madea voice of course)

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) March 15, 2013

Unlike Pataky, I can’t speak to Hemsworth’s character. But I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers.

Do you think the Miley Cyrus/Liam Hemsworth wedding will happen?

[Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth photo by Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com]

Liam Hemsworth Allegedly Great With Women is a post from: The Inquisitr

Eric Abidal is back. A year after receiving a liver transplant in April 2012, Abidal was back on the soccer field in the 70th minute of Barcelona’s 5-0 win over Mallorca, where emotional fans awarded him a standing ovation even though the game was already won.

It wasn’t about who won or lost, although it was a foregone conclusion that Barcelona would win. Football, known as soccer to Americans, isn’t a high-scoring game, and a lead like Barcelona’s would never be easily overcome.

It was about Abidal’s personal comeback. “Football is my life. I didn’t want to end my career without playing again,” he said.

In March 2011, he’d had a tumor removed from his liver, which temporarily took him out of the game. Yet he returned from that surgery to help win the Champions League trophy at Wembley — a mere two months later.

Unfortunately, the surgery itself wasn’t as successful. The cancer returned. Ultimately, his very survival was called into question, and it became obvious that he would need a new liver.

His cousin Gerard donated a part of his own liver, and Abidal underwent the transplant surgery last April.

He first returned in a “friendly” game on the training grounds on March 18, when he played 65 minutes without any health issues. He is now an inspiration to Barcelona’s coach Tito Vilanova, who himself recently returned to the coaching bench after receiving treatment for salivary gland cancer in New York.

After yesterday’s game, he removed his shirt to reveal this message in bold yellow block letters on a blue field: Merci Mon Cousin…”Thanks, my cousin,” in English.

Abidal’s soccer comeback fairytale had some observers wondering if we’d see a repeat of 2011′s Wembley victory next month.

But, with his victory over cancer, Eric Abidal is already a double winner.

[Sofiane Feghouli and Eric Abidal photo by Natursports / Shutterstock.com]

Eric Abidal’s Emotional Return After Liver Transplant is a post from: The Inquisitr

A pot house slaying in rural Idaho is under investigation, after a visitor on Friday saw a 2-year-old girl out wandering in the cold and then discovered three dead adults in the house. A second child, a 2-month-old baby, was rescued from where she lay under the arms of her mother, 27-year-old murder victim Yavette Chivon Carter.

The house, locally known as a pit bull breeding operation, is located in Oneida County, outside the small town of Holbrook north of the border with Utah. The visitor had come to buy a pit bull but instead ended up finding the dead bodies of 61-year-old Brent Christensen, his son 32-year-old Trent Jon Christensen, and the son’s girlfriend Carter.

There were around 50 to 70 pit bulls on the property. After making sure that the little girls were placed safely with their grandmother, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department is working to feed the dogs and figure out what to do with them next. They’ve already received donations to keep the dogs healthy and fed for the time being, but anyone who owns any of the dogs is asked to come get them.

Some of the dogs may be dangerous, as the investigators have discovered a fighting arena in addition to the breeding operation.

They also found a professional marijuana growing operation, with 38 plants that they valued at around $95,000.

Sheriff Jeff Semrad advised against jumping to conclusions about the motive behind the pot house slayings: “You could say it might be drug related, it might be dog fighting related, it may not have anything to do with either one or it may have something to do with both of them.”

The time of death was estimated to be sometime late Thursday afternoon or early evening — which means that the 2-year-old was likely wandering outside for most of 24 hours before the deadly discovery. Investigators are being somewhat careful with the details, but they don’t think the public is in any danger, because it looks like the victims were targeted by their killers.

There was an Easter party on March 31 at the house, and the sheriff is asking anyone who attended to call his office at 208-766-2251.

KPVI News, a local TV news station, has posted some chilling video of the scene of the pot house slayings, including many of the pit bulls on the grim scene:

According to Semrad, it’s the first murder in the rural county in over 100 years, since the pioneer days. The last thing the peaceful community normally expects is a gruesome pot house triple slaying.

[marijuana and cash photo by Eldad Carin via Shutterstock.]

Pot House Slayings: Three Dead, Baby Found Alive, Up To 70 Pit Bulls [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

NASA’s asteroid retrieval proposal was thrust back into the news Friday, when Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) announced that the ambitious plan to lasso an asteroid and bring it closer to earth had the president’s support.

Now, you and I may have been asking ourselves just what the good senator was smoking, but the project is very real — and the head of Russia’s space agency Vladimir Popovkin hinted that the Russians want in. The asteroid retrieval is “a very interesting project, which NASA proposes to carry out jointly with Roscosmos specialists,” he said in a brief comment to UPI.

With or without the Russians, Americans can expect to see $100 million for the project appearing in this week’s federal budget, according to Sen. Nelson. The project was originally priced out last year by the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

In late March, Aviation Week noted that President Obama wants to send human astronauts to an asteroid by 2025, a goal that can’t be met by private investors and probably not even with NASA’s current budget. However, the alternate technique studied by KISS — of sending an unmanned craft to the asteroid belt with a high-tech lasso to retrieve an over one million pound asteroid for us — could be done for less than $3 billion.

NASA’s $100 million request, a pittance by comparison, will allow the space agency to seek out an asteroid that’s just the right size for the project. Nelson revealed that if the project worked, it would actually bring forward the day when humans stood on an asteroid by four years, from 2025 to 2021.

Here’s the Keck video about what’s involved in catching an asteroid with a high-tech lasso:

I have to admit I’d love to see me some cowboys lasso an asteroid, but I never imagined Russia coming along for the ride. What do you think of the asteroid retrieval program?

[artist' s conception of an asteroid belt from a nearby planet courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech]

Asteroid Retrieval Mission May Be Joined By Russia [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rick Adelman joined the elite ranks of NBA coaches on Saturday night with the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-101 win over the Detroit Pistons. With the victory, the head coach notched his 1,000th win becoming just the eighth coach in league history to do so.

The group of coaches that he now stands beside is a who’s who of some of the greatest coaches in the history of the NBA. Don Nelson and his 1,335 wins heads the list and is joined by Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, George Karl and Larry Brown.

People might forget just what a great coach Adelman is, because he has toiled on some truly bad teams. This year underlines that point as he probably had to wait longer for win number 1,000 since he’s coaching a Minnesota Timberwolves squad that currently sits at 29-47.

Despite the fact that the team might not even be all that keen on inviting their coach back next year, he was all about focusing on the accomplishment that was achieved last night.

It’s special people,” Rick Adelman said when talking about the people who he just joined on the list. “Some of the names up there, it’s incredible. I never, ever expected to be with that group.

Among active coaches, only Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs is close to being able to say he might join this elite group. Popovich is about 90 wins behind the Timberwolves coach and Doc Rivers is third among active coaches with just over 500 wins.

Before coming to the Timberwolves, the 1,000 win coach saw a ton of success at stops like the Houston Rockets where he went 193-135 from 2007-2011.

His biggest claim to fame was when he was coaching with the Portland Trailblazers from 1988 to 1994. With the Blazers the team went to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992.

Rick Adelman isn’t sure whether his career will go on after this season, but even if it doesn’t he’ll always have Saturday night.

Rick Adelman Gets 1,000 Wins As NBA Coach is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rob Gronkowski is in jeopardy of missing the start of the season after having surgery to remove a plate in his previously broken left forearm .

The surgery was meant to ensure that a infection the New England Patriots tight end caught in January is completely removed.

Gronkowski’s latest procedure came at the end of a six-week cycle of antibiotic treatments, though doctors said they aren’t positive that all traces of the infection were gone. The procedure represents the fourth time Gronkowski had surgery on his forearm, which was originally broken November 18 in a win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Speaking to ESPN in March, Rob Gronkowski said he is feeling good about his recovery.

“I’m doing a lot better, definitely. Feeling a lot better,” Gronkowski said on the Mike & Mike in the Morning radio show. “My arm is feeling way better than it was during the playoffs and regular season when I broke it.

“Right now, just rehabbing, getting the muscle stronger around it. You want to get everything activated, re-activated, because it shuts down for a little bit when it’s healing. Just rehabbing, and when my trainers give me the ‘good to go’, hopefully in the next couple weeks, hopefully as soon as possible … I can get rolling again and get back in the weight room and get back on the field and do what I love doing — running around and catching some balls.”

Gronkowski was injured while blocking during an extra point against the Colts and missed five games before returning for the regular season finale and playoffs.

But Gronkowski didn’t stay health for long. As he was pulling in a pass during the first quarter of the Patriots divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans, Gronkowski landed hard on his forearm and suffered a break just above where the plate had been installed.

Rob Gronkowski’s recent bouts with injury and infection have threatened to derail a promising young career. The Patriots’ 2010 second-round pick out of Arizona has caught 187 passes for 2,663 yards and 38 touchdowns in 43 regular season games.

Rob Gronkowski Has Plate Removed From Arm, Could Miss Start Of Season is a post from: The Inquisitr

Trayvon Martin became the target of a racist cop who is under investigation for making an alleged racially derogatory comment during a Winter Park police briefing in February.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the Trayvon Martin family sued the homeowners association for the sub-division where Trayvon was shot and the lawsuit was recently settled. The Trayvon Martin family settlement is estimated to exceed $1 million. Reaching a settlement does not necessarily mean that the homeowners association is admitting any guilt, but lawyers say it’s typically less expensive to settle rather than carry the lawsuit all the way through.

George Zimmerman’s brother Robert went on a Twitter rant against Trayvon Martin, with some people alleging that Zimmerman’s Trayvon Martin comments were racist.

Lt. Ron Johnson of the Winter Park police department was discussing the Trayvon Martin shooting case’s one-year anniversary with fellow officers when he remarked, “This [Trayvon Martin] is why they should be drowned at birth.” An internal investigation is saying the Trayvon Martin racist comments were in reference to black people in general. The police briefing was supposed to be about readying for any Trayvon Martin demonstrations in the area.

Ron Johnson was not fired and is instead being allowed to retire with full benefits after being a police officer for 27 years. The police department says this is the first time there has been a racially related complaint about Ron Johnson.

Police Chief Brett Railey spoke about one of his police officers making a racist comment about Trayvon Martin:

“Lt. Ron Johnson has been a part of our police family for many years and to have this occur after an otherwise distinguished career with our department is regretful. However, regardless of the individual and years of service, statements of this type are unacceptable in order to maintain the public’s trust.”

Do you think Ron Johnson should have been fired for his racist comments on Trayvon Martin and black people in general?

Trayvon Martin: Racist Cop Says Black People ‘Should Be Drowned At Birth’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chris Davis failed to hit a home run for the first time this season as the Baltimore Orioles fell 6-5 to the Minnesota Twins.

Davis had a chance to become the first player in MLB history to hit a home run in the first five games of the season, but it was instead his error that led to the Orioles’ loss on Saturday. The score was tied in the ninth inning when Davis let a groundball go through his legs, leading to the go-ahead run for the Twins.

“My glove was down, my head was down the ball just went right through my legs,” Davis said. “Just one of those things.”

Though he fell short of the record, Chris Davis said he going to bat trying to hit home runs.

“I wasn’t actually thinking I need to hit a homer,” he said. “My mindset was more, drive in runs. Homers come and go, they come in bunches.”

Thanks to a home run from Chris Parmelee and a timely hit from former MVP Justin Morneau, the Twins won for the first time in Baltimore since April 21, 2011.

“Wins are good anywhere,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “This is a tough league over here. This whole division is tough, and there are a lot of good baseball teams in it. You can’t make too many mistakes against these people.”

Gardenhire added that it’s particularly hard trying to stop the Orioles, who have a lot more than just Chris Davis.

“I don’t think we’ve figured that out,” Gardenhire said before Saturday’s game. “I’m not sure anyone has. But that’s the goal. The biggest problem with that lineup is they have some many guys getting on base for them. They have a very good lineup and a lot of good two-strike hitters. And so he comes up with a lot of guys on.”

Chris Davis has a chance to start a new home run record on Sunday against the Twins.

Chris Davis’ Home Run Streak Comes To An End As Orioles Fall To Twins is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s not very often that an MTV reality show takes the high ground but in the case of Shain Gandee’s death the network is moving in the right direction.

Producers for the hit show Buckwild have announced that they will not record and air Gandee’s funderal.

Parallel Entertainment CEO J.P. Williams tells TMZ that “never in a million years” would they attempt to air the funeral of a deceased cast member. Williams says out of respect for Shain and his family they will avoid cameras at the affair all together.

Of course this would not be the first funeral to be broadcast, in fact TLC has made a business out of the practice with its show Best Funeral Ever. 

Parallel Entertainment and Zoo Productions are not only refusing to film the funeral, as we previously reported they have asked to foot the bill for the ceremony.

Shain Gandee will be laid to rest on Sunday. In true Buckwild fashion guests attending the 21-year-olds funeral have been asked to wear their Sunday best … camo.

Gandee was killed last week when he went out mudding with a two male friends. The truck the men were riding in became stuck in a large pile of mud and the muffler was concealed below the dirt. As the men waited for help to arrive they are consumed by carbon monoxide poisoning and passed away. Riding with Gandee was his uncle and another friend.

A website setup to raise money for Shain Gandee’s funeral is now going towards therapy for the family and to help alleviate the funeral costs for the other men involves in the tragic incident.

Do you think the decision to not air Shain Gandee’s funeral was the right move from Parallel Entertainment?

Funeral For Buckwild’s Shain Gandee Will Not Be Televised is a post from: The Inquisitr

If Hillary Clinton is running for president in 2016, this week may be seen in retrospect as a major turning point.

Talk has been slowly been building that Clinton is planning to parlay her experience as a New York Senator and President Obama’s Secretary of State to try a run for the Democratic nomination in 2016. But so far it has mostly been in whispers, with little in the way of actual movement toward a 2016 run.

That seems to have changed. Democratic strategist James Carville offered to lend the support of his super PAC to get Hillary Clinton to run for president in 2016. Carville has been a longtime Clinton supporter and was an adviser to her bid in 2008.

Carville plans to use the the Ready for Hillary PAC to build more momentum for a Hillary Clinton run.

In an email to supporters, Carville wrote:

“I’m not going to waste my time writing you about how great Hillary is or how formidable she’d be – you know it all already. But it isn’t worth squat to have the fastest car at the racetrack if there ain’t any gas in the tank — and that’s why the work that Ready for Hillary PAC is doing is absolutely critical. We need to convert the hunger that’s out there for Hillary’s candidacy into a real grassroots organization.”

Though Hillary Clinton still has far to go before anything becomes official — and the process is still nearly three years from the beginning of primaries — it is clear that Hillary is putting the pieces together for a run.

Huffington Post political writer Jason Linkins notes:

“And it looks like that time is nigh. Clinton is starting to deliver public orations again, as consultants start to eye the chessboard and grassroots activists start to gin up support and raise ducats for a campaign-in-waiting. There’s no doubt that we’re still several steps short of a critical mass — let alone an announcement from the former secretary of state and presidential aspirant herself. But whatever dam had been previously holding back the flood has started to show some signs of cracking, and the discussion has begun anew.”

If Hillary Clinton does run for president in 2016, she would likely enter the race as a frontrunner. A poll from Quinnipiac University released in March shows that she would have a wide lead in hypothetical matchups with top Republicans.

Hillary Clinton 2016 Speculation Continues To Build is a post from: The Inquisitr

Snoop Lion believes rap music may never accept homosexuality.

The artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg briefly discussed the matter during an interview with The Guardian. Although the rapper recently came out in support of gay marriage, he revealed that it could be a while before homosexuality was accepted by the rap community.

Snoop Lion said that the “masculine” attitude present in the genre could make it difficult for gay rappers to be accepted by their peers.

“It’s like a football team. You can’t be in a locker room full of motherf***ing tough-a** dudes, then all of a sudden say, ‘Hey, man, I like you.’ You know, that’s going to be tough,” he explained.

When asked if Frank Ocean would help others gain acceptance from the community, Snoop Lion remarked that Ocean wasn’t a rapper.

“He’s a singer. It’s acceptable in the singing world, but in the rap world I don’t know if it will ever be acceptable because rap is so masculine,” he said.

Snoop Lion revealed last month that he didn’t have a problem with gay marriage.

“People can do what they want and as they please. Satisfy yourself accordingly. I have no issues with nobody, I live for me and I live my life doing what I do, so you should have the right to do whatever you want to do,” he revealed during an interview with The Huffington Post.

The rapper said he respected the gay community’s struggle for acceptance in society.

“People who were gay used to get beat up. It was cool to beat up on gay people back then. But in the 90s and 2000s, gay is a way of life. Just regular people with jobs. Now they are accepted, not classified. They just went through the same things we went through as black,” Snoop told The Guardian.

Are you a fan of Snoop Lion? Do you agree that rap music may have a hard time accepting homosexuality?

[Images via Harmony Gerber / Shutterstock.com]

Snoop Lion Doesn’t Think Rap Music Will Ever Accept Homosexuality is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Navy ship that crashed onto a coral reef caused $1.4 million in damages that the United States will be expected to repay. That’s the statement from Tubbataha National Marine Park, Philippines superintendent Angelique Songco, who said that she based the price on evidence that the USS Guardian damaged 25, 240 square feet of UNESCO World Heritage coral reef in the remote Sulu Sea.

She said that the Philippines would file a formal request with the US embassy next week and that the amount wasn’t excessive or dishonest. She said that the island nation was simply assessing the actual costs of damage to the living coral reef, which is the country’s most productive and is considered a vital food resource.

The incident has been something of a scandal ever since the $300 million Navy minesweeper went aground on the reef on January 17. The Navy ship was wedged so tightly into the coral reef after the collision that it had to be completely dismantled, a salvage operation that reportedly cost $45 million and wasn’t completed until March 30.

“A mistake was made there,” retired three-star admiral Joe Sestak reportedly said. While the Navy hasn’t given details about exactly what that mistake might have been, there’s not much question that somebody did something wrong and the Navy is pretty hot about it. The commanding officer, as well as three crewmembers, have been relieved of their duties while the investigation continues into exactly what happened.

The world’s coral reefs have been having a tough time lately.

Half of the Great Barrier Reef has vanished in less than 30 years. A recent report said that the Caribbean coral reefs were essentially almost dead, at least in part because of global warming that made the already warm waters too hot for living coral.

That’s what made the remote Tubbataha National Marine Park so special. As the Philippine’s largest protected marine park, it provided safe haven not just for more than 350 species of coral but for hundreds of species of fish, marine mammals like whales and dolphins, and even rare sea turtles.

The park’s page currently describes the grounding as an event that turned “4,000 square metres of healthy corals into rubble.”

It seems unlikely that any amount of money can fully restore the coral reef scraped off by the Navy ship. Coral reefs grow slowly — at most a few inches a year. But it’s a start.

[Navy ship photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released) via Flickr]

Navy Ship Coral Reef Grounding Fine Will Be $1.4 Million, Philippines Says is a post from: The Inquisitr

Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam has admitted that Verizon Wireless could easily begin offering a no-contract structure, but only if customers ask for it. McAdam was speaking at a New York City event this week when he admitted that T-Mobile trying out new pricing structures was an exciting time for the US mobile industry.

McAdam calls the move to a no-contract structure “pretty easy” to complete.

According to McAdam, “I’m happy when I see something different tried. We can react quickly to consumers’ shifting needs.”

T-Mobile several weeks ago announced that it would attempt to disrupt the US wireless industry by offering off-contract plans that encourage customers to bring their own unlocked smartphones to the network.

The non-subsidized phone pricing model is not a new concept, Europe customers often pay full price for their smartphones while receiving lower priced mobile phone plans on a month-by-month basis.

Under T-Mobile’s plan customers pay more for the first 20 months after buying their devices and then pricing goes down further.

As a consumer don’t be fooled by Verizon’s expected willingness to help customers. The network could actually earn more money if it can convince customers to go off contract. Currently Verizon, AT&T Wireless, Sprint Wireless, and other carriers are losing hundreds of millions of dollars each year as they subsidize a customers iOS, Android, or Windows Phone smartphones. Wireless carriers earn back subsidization costs over the period of a two year contract by charging higher contract prices.

Are you a Verizon Wireless customers? Would you stick with the network if you had to pay $500-$600 for your next iPhone while receiving lower wireless carrier costs?

Verizon CEO Says Contract Free Plans Will Arrives If Customers Ask For Them is a post from: The Inquisitr

South Carolina authorities have successfully identified a female toddler left abandoned on a stranger’s doorstep late last Tuesday as 4-year-old Zoe Brown of Marietta, Georgia.

Roy Campbell, the home’s owner where the child was dropped, explained to the media and Anderson County authorities that he recalled hearing the doorbell ring but didn’t see anyone. He inspected around his property, and, when he returned to the front, noticed a baby in a stroller.

The police were called, and the child was taken to a local hospital where she was found to be in good health. The child donned clothing sized for a 24-month-old and had chest scars indicative of prior heart surgery. She had a note pinned to her diaper reading “call DCAF please,” referring to the Department of Family and Children.

Officials reached out to various news and social outlets in order to garner tips that would lead to the identification of the abandoned child.

A tip led to the identification of the child and her parents. Zoe’s parents, 31-year-old Alonzo Brown and 37-year-old Tongela Denise McBride, were arrested Friday night. Brown was detained in South Carolina and Tongela in Georgia. She will be extradited to South Carolina, and both face charges of unlawful neglect of a child.

During Brown’s arraignment Saturday, Judge James Cox agreed with the statements of Anderson County official Marlene McClain, a victim’s advocate, who shared with the court, “This is a serious crime where a minor child with very severe medical issues was left abandoned without medication and without information, without instructions, on a stranger’s doorstep … We consider a person who would do that a serious threat to the safety of our community.” The judge denied bond.

Deputies believe the child’s mother will have a bond hearing in the coming week. Brown’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 3.

Per the South Carolina Daniel’s Law, caregivers are exempt from criminal prosecution if they drop a child at a state-sanctioned “safe haven” like a fire station, church, hospital, or school. However, the law is only applicable to infants under 30 days old.

Zoe is currently being kept in a foster home under the care of the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) until a family member can be found able to provide a safe environment.

Chad McBride, of the public information office for the Anderson County Sherriff’s Office, remarked on the enormous amount of people who called regarding the child – some with tips, others wishing to adopt the little girl.

South Carolina penal code statute 63-5-70, the unlawful conduct towards a child can be levied against anyone in charge or in custody of a child (parent and guardian) responsible for their welfare. Offenders are charged if they have been found to place the child under circumstances of unreasonable risk, cause unlawful or malicious bodily harm to the child, or willfully abandon the child. If found guilty of the offense, upon conviction, those cited can face a fine and imprisonment of no more than ten years, imposed by the discretion of the court.

Police Identify Abandoned Toddler, Parents Arrested is a post from: The Inquisitr

CNN is looking to add Crossfire back to its schedule at some point this summer.

The program was originally canceled back in 2005. However, the recent failure of several shows has prompted the network to reconsider the decision it made nearly eight years ago.

An insider told the folks at Deadline the series could return to CNN beginning this June. The source also revealed that fans of the program should anticipate some changes to the format.

It’s believed that Crossfire could be expanded from its original half-hour format. It’s also being reported that the show will likely feature contributors from both the “left” and the “right.” Nothing official about the program’s resurrection has been confirmed by CNN.

While reports seem to suggest that Crossfire is on its way back to the small screen, one source told Politico that the deal may not happen. The individual explained that the show’s return would “probably” happen this summer.

The political debate show aired on CNN from 1982 until its cancellation in 2005. Although the show was quite popular on the network during those years, it never really recovered from Jon Stewart’s appearance in 2004.

After spending years making fun of Crossfire on The Daily Show, Stewart famously appeared on the program to confront Tucker Carlson. The debate soon reached epic proportions when Stewart called the host a “d***.” A clip from the show was viewed several million times online.

CNN President Jonathan Klein later canceled the show. He said the network was looking to move away from the confrontational atmosphere of Crossfire. Although the show has been off the air since 2005, CNN seems to think the program might help bring viewers back into the fold.

The network has also added other new shows to its current lineup. In addition to a morning show hosted by Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan, CNN is rolling out a panel program entitled (Get To) The Point.

Were you a fan of Crossfire? What do you think about CNN possibly resurrecting the show this summer?

[Top Image via Wikimedia Commons]

‘Crossfire’ Could Return To CNN This Summer is a post from: The Inquisitr

The South Korean government is on high alert as North Korea is believed to be preparing a new missile launch scheduled for April 10. According to reports Pyongyang workers are being pushed to leave the Kaesong Industrial Complex before that potential launch day.

According to South Korea’s Blue House spokeswoman Kim Haeng, Seoul “is on military readiness posture” follow North Korea’s hints that foreign diplomats should leave Pyongyang immediately.

Kim further notes:

“As of now, nothing out of the ordinary has been detected. If limited war is to break out, North Korea should bear in mind that it will receive damages many times over.”

Tensions between North and South Korea began mounting several days ago when North Korea’s government officials banned the entry of new workers and trucks into Kaesong. That location is a shared facility that sits on North Korea’s side of a military fortified border with South Korea.

“Given the current situation, Gen. Thurman will remain in Seoul next week as a prudent measure.”

The neutral country of Switzerland has even stepped in, offering to host a meeting between North and South Korea. Officials in Switzerland said they are “always ready to contribute to finding a solution, if that is the desire of the parties, for example hosting meetings between them.”

North Korea has increased its threats in the last several weeks. In one state run TV ad the countries leaders promised to launch a nuclear attack agains the “imperialist United States.” According to Kim North Korea is making ridiculous claims in an attempt to grab headlines, a move he calls the “headline strategy.”

When asked about South Korea’s seemingly calm reaction to North Korea Kim notes:

“A duck will appear peaceful on the surface, but its feet are moving breathlessly under the water.”

At this time South Korea has promised that it will not rush into peace talks with North Korea under the threat of war.

With a possible April 10 missile test planned by North Korea the United States military has decided to delay the launch of its own Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. The test which was scheduled for a Tuesday launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California was delayed to avoid further tensions between the North and South.

Despite threats of war and the upcoming missile launch, embassy leaders are staying put in North Korea, even as the country’s leaders warn that it may not be able to protect them in Pyongyang should war break out in the region.

Reports suggest that North Korea will test Musudan missiles which have a range of 2,500-miles. At that range the Musudan missile could reach South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

Two medium-range missiles have been placed onto mobile launchres on the east cost of North Korea.

In the meantime the United States is using North Korean posturing to build out its own missile defense system on the Western coast of the United States.

Do you think North Korea will actually launch an attack against an enemy of the state or is this just more North Korean military posturing?

North Korea Launching Missiles In Next Few Days, Reason Unknown is a post from: The Inquisitr

New footage from the upcoming Godzilla reboot has arrive online.

If you were hoping to catch a glimpse of the big green monster in action, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. The only thing fans can hope to see in the embedded video are soldiers repelling out of a helicopter and some Godzilla-sized debris.

Footage from the set of Gareth Edwards’ big-budget, star-studded version of the classic Japanese franchise has been creeping out left and right over the past few weeks. Video showcasing a destroyed helicopter was uploaded earlier this month.

The amount of unauthorized set footage suggests that people are excited to see what Edwards and company are doing with the Godzilla story. Although the film isn’t slated to hit theaters until next year, the buzz for the reboot is already pretty strong.

The fact that a number of top-tier Hollywood actors have signed on for the project is reason enough to give fans hope that it will surpass Roland Emmerich’s 1998 disaster. Edwards’ version stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Bryan Cranston, and Sally Hawkins.

In addition to these famous faces, Edwards and Warner Bros. have also landed Akira Takarada. The man who starred in director Ishiro Honda’s original Godzilla flick is expected to make an appearance in the reboot.

Edwards said last year that the project was a labor or love. Although making the movie has been hard work, he hopes it will pay off for fans in the long run.

The director explained:

“I’ve never worked this hard, this long and been this emotionally involved in something that’s lasted only a few seconds since the time I lost my virginity! But the reaction has been amazing, and I can’t wait for the fans to see our final product.”

Godzilla is set to thrill audiences when it arrives in theaters on May 16. Are you looking forward to the upcoming reboot?

‘Godzilla’ Set Footage Arrives Online [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

An “Idealisitc” U.S. diplomat was killed this weekend in Afghanistan. John Kerry issued a statement mourning the death of Anne Smedinghoff, 25, and the five other people who were killed by militants on Saturday.

Kerry met the young Chicago woman a few weeks ago when he was visiting Afghanistan. The U.S. Secretary of State said that he remembered the “selfless, idealistic” young diplomat who was working to donate books to students in the area.

Kerry said: “Anne and those with her were attacked by the Taliban terrorists who woke up that day not with a mission to educate or to help, but with a mission to destroy. A brave American was determined to brighten the light of learning through books, written in the native tongue of the students she had never met, whom she felt it incumbent to help.”

Smedinghoff, who grew up in River Forest, a suburb just outside of Chicago, was killed by a suicide bomber in the center of Qalat in the Kabul province of Southern Afghanistan. An Afghan doctor, three soldiers, and another US civilian were also killed in the attack.  According to News Day, Saturday was the deadliest day for the United States in the war in the last 8 months.

Kerry described Smedinghoff, saying: She was vivacious, smart, capable, chosen often by the ambassador there to be the lead person because of her capacity … There are no words for anyone to describe the extraordinary harsh contradiction for a young 25-year-old woman, with all of her future ahead of her, believing in the possibilities of diplomacy to improve people’s lives, making a difference, having an impact.”

Kerry added that the United States could honor Anne’s legacy by continuing to work for peace. The Secretary of State added: “It is now up to us to determine what the legacy of this tragedy will be. Where others seek to destroy, we intend to show a stronger determination in order to brighten our shared future, even when others try to darken it with violence. That was Anne’s mission.”

The young “idealistic” U.S. diplomat was also publicly mourned by her parents. Tom and Mary Beth Smedinghoff wrote in a statement to the Chicago Suntimes:

“The world lost a truly beautiful soul today. Our daughter, Anne, a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, died in the service of her country as she was traveling with a group to deliver books to a local school in the Zabul Province of Afghanistan. She joined the Foreign Service three years ago right out of college and there was no better place for her. Anne absolutely loved the work she was doing. Her first assignment was in Caracas, Venezuela. She then volunteered for an assignment at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which she began in July, 2012. Working as a public diplomacy officer, she particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work directly with the Afghan people and was always looking for opportunities to reach out and help to make a difference in the lives of those living in a country ravaged by war. We are consoled knowing that she was doing what she loved, and that she was serving her country by helping to make a positive difference in the world. She was such a wonderful woman–strong, intelligent, independent, and loving. Annie, you left us too soon; we love you and we’re going to miss you so much.”

‘Idealistic’ U.S. Diplomat Mourned By John Kerry is a post from: The Inquisitr

Two young kidnapped brothers are still missing, but police have found a vehicle used in their abduction. The discovery has provided possible clues to the whereabouts of Cole and Chase Hakken, who have been missing since Wednesday.

According to police, four-year-old Cole and two-year-old Chase were forcibly removed from their grandparents’ Tampa home by their father, Joshua Michael Hakken. New evidence suggests that Hakken may be holding the boys on a sailboat off the coast of Florida.

As previously reported in The Inquisitr, Joshua and Sharyn Hakken lost custody of their children last year. The young brothers have been living with their maternal grandparents for the past several months.

On Tuesday, a judge granted the grandparents permanent custody of the boys, a ruling that police believe may have prompted the abduction. The next day, 35-year-old Joshua Hakken reportedly entered the home and forcibly removed his sons.

According to police, Hakken restrained his mother-in-law by securing her wrists to a chair. He kidnapped the young brothers and fled the scene. Authorities believe that the boys, who quickly became the subjects of a multi-state Amber Alert, are now being held by both of their parents.

Authorities have indicated that the couple may have secured weapons and should be considered dangerous. Joshua Hakken reportedly has a prior criminal record.

Police reportedly received a tip pointing them to a vehicle believed to have been used to transport the kidnapped brothers. On Thursday, the Hakkens’ abandoned 2006 GMC pickup truck was recovered from a parking garage in Madeira Beach, Florida.

On Friday, police discovered that Joshua Hakken recently purchased a 25-foot sailboat. The search for the family has now broadened to include both water and land. Several agencies are currently assisting the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, including the FBI, in an effort to ensure that the kidnapped brothers are found.

According to Detective Larry McKinnon, “We continue to have full assistance and mutual cooperation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Coast Guard, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and many other law enforcement agencies from around the country.”

Police describe Hakken’s sailboat as a 1972 Morgan. The bimini top and hull are blue, while the mainsail, cabin, and deck are white. The name “Salty” is written across the sailboat’s hull and a white paw print is featured on both sides. The sailboat is marked by Florida Boat Registration number #FL3717BK, HUL #M252099.

According to police, the possibility remains that the Hakkens may have abandoned the sailboat and returned to land with the kidnapped brothers. However, police reportedly found evidence suggesting the sailboat was a premeditated part of the abduction plan.

“These are not dumb people.” explained Detective McKinnon. “They’re very intelligent people with some emotional issues. Our goal is to still resolve this peacefully.” Police indicate that although Joshua and Sharyn Hakken are believed to be armed and dangerous, they believe the kidnapped boys will be found unharmed.

[Top image via Shutterstock]

Kidnapped Brothers Still Missing, Truck Found is a post from: The Inquisitr