Batman vs. Superman Trailer Leaks: See Ben Afflecks Batman Square Off ...

Is it really surprising that the most powerful man in the world should be a figure of controversy?

No, not really. But that rhetorical question kicks off the highly anticipated trailer to Zack Snyders upcoming DC Comics superhero blockbuster Batman vs. Superman. The film, not due until 2016, pits Ben Afflecks Bruce Wayne/Batman against Henry Cavills Clark Kent/Superman in a battle royale.

The trailer for Snyders film was supposed to premiere on April 20 in IMAX theaters:

Well, the trailer has apparently leaked online a few days ahead of its planned debut. The subtitles are in Portuguese, so it stands to reason that the footage was bootlegged in Brazil. Either way, its something.

The footageif it is indeed authentic, though it looks pretty legitshows glimpses of Snyders film, including Cavills Superman being cornered by a group of face-painted men straight out of a Dia de los Muertos parade, followed by cheers and jeers from the citizens of Metropolis who have apparently turned on the man who recently saved their a***s, as you see a gigantic Superman statue spray-painted in red with the words False G*d on it being taken down Saddam-style. There are also vague voiceovers courtesy of Lux Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), who says, Devils dont come from h**l beneath us they come from the sky, and Batmans loyal butler Alfred (Jeremy Irons), who utters, Thats how it startsthe feeling the powerlessness that turns good men cruel.

We see a brief flash of Affleck outside the costume before he lumbers forward, looking like the bulkiest Batman yet, before he squares off against Superman with his illuminated white eyes, grumbling in a gravelly baritone: Tell me do you bleed? You will. The white eyes, by the way, come from Batmans detective mode built into his cowl from both Grant Morrisons Batman: Arkham Asylum and Frank Millers seminal series of graphic novels Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which gives him not only heightened detection skills and night vision, but also white eyes.

Still no sign of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor, or Jason Momoa's Aquaman here, but for that perhaps we'll have to wait for Trailer Nos. 8, 9, and 10.

You can check it out here:

UPDATE: Due to the leak, director Zack Snyder has tweeted out the #notblurry #notpirated version of the trailer, which is much higher quality:

Source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/17/batman-vs-superman-trailer-leaks-see-ben-affleck-s-batman-square-off-against-the-man-of-steel.html

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Friday Feature: 'True Story' review

Hayden Pittman, WFAA Special Contributor 4:36 p.m. CDT April 17, 2015

(L-R) Jonah Hill as Mike Finkel and James Franco as Christian Longo in "True Story."(Photo: Barry Wetcher/Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, and Felicity Jones, "True Story" is a dramatic thriller based on true events and elevated by performances from Franco and Hill, who star in a more serious and engaging role than most audiences have likely seen before.

Overall, this film has many good qualities, but it also has several elements that seem to be out of place or that simply do not work. Although there is some dark and hard content, it's nice to see Hill and Franco together in something other than a comedy. While the film may not be on the exact same level, it almost presents a "Gone Girl" or "Prisoners"-like thrilling, dramatic experience.

Going into this film, I didn't know anything about it. To my knowledge, I was not familiar with the story and had not seen any advertisements for the film. Being a fan of Franco, Hill, and Jones, I had good hopes for the movie. Initially, I expected Hill or Franco to start telling jokes, but after some time, I started to appreciate their decent performances. "True Story" won't be mistaken for the best of its genre or one of the top films of the year, but it's a refreshing change from some of the other films currently in theaters.

Hill plays the role of Michael Finkel, a journalist for the New York Times who gets fired for improperly creating a story about African slave trade. On top of losing his job and struggling to find another, Finkel soon finds out that Christian Longo (Franco), a man who is part of the FBI's Most Wanted for allegedly murdering his wife and kids, has been arrested, and claims to have been living as Michael Finkel. The real Finkel goes to visit Longo in prison, and the two strike up a rather strange relationship, where Finkel ends up trading journalism and writing tips for Longo's confession and account of what really happened.

"True Story" is the kind of film that is not always clear, doesn't give you all the pieces and presents a slow reveal, which often keeps you guessing, waiting, and sometimes confused. It's clearly a drama or suspense thriller, utilizing techniques like slow motion, extreme close-ups of people or objects, shots that are in and out of focus, long pauses, and ominous or dark background music. Some of the material is often weird, eerie, or difficult to watch, such as the creepy relationships or encounters between characters, or when Longo is describing how his family died while showing flashbacks of the event. There's not exactly a huge shocking reveal at the end; it's more of the creepy and odd way everything plays out.

The plot of the film is intriguing enough and there are several known quality actors, but for whatever reason, certain things don't seem to work. Whether it's the dialogue, pacing, the setup and layout of events, or something else entirely, parts of the film just feel off, unclear, out of place, misused, poorly executed, etc. Felicity Jones plays Finkel's wife, and while her performance is not a loss, her role seems forced or incomplete at times. As she is an English actress, I had a difficult time trying not to focus on her attempting to cover up her accent. When it's all said and done, there are certain elements in the film that are very weird.

While the storytelling and treatment may not be perfect, it's fascinating and even chilling to think about the reality of what really happened with Finkel and Longo. From British theater director Rupert Goold, produced by Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment, and premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, "True Story" feels more like an artistic indie thriller than a Hollywood blockbuster. For fans of Hill and Franco, their interactions and one-on-ones are the main reasons to see this film. Opinions of this film are all over the map, but there's no denying that this tense thriller and true story provide adequate entertainment.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars.

"True Story" is rated R for language and some disturbing material. Running time is 1 hour and 40 minutes.

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Hayden Pittman is a special contributor to WFAA.com and a freelance film critic and entertainment writer out of Dallas. He is a film, TV, and sports enthusiast, and when he is not reviewing movies, Hayden works in film production. As an average, passionate film lover who rarely misses a film, his reviews are simple and straightforward. Don't like what he has to say. Let him know at hpittman87@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @HPMoviePitt. Enjoy the movies!

Read or Share this story: http://on.wfaa.com/1G2fg3D

Source: http://www.wfaa.com/story/entertainment/2015/04/17/friday-feature-true-story-movie-review/25956365/

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UPDATED, Saturday, 7:13 AM: Furious 7 raced in with an estimated Friday gross of $8.28M to $8.4M on a three-day trajectory of what looks like $26M to $28M for Universal. The Vin Diesel-driven ensemble has paid off extremely well for the studio, which seems to be the only one in town who are opening their sequels higher than the original this year. Helluva marketing and distribution team there.

Meanwhile, Sonys sequel to Paul Blart Mall Cop bagged $7.3M yesterday. Estimates have this Kevin James laffer heading anywhere to $22.8M to $23.6M when malls close on Sunday which was on the high end of estimates on Wednesday and welcome news for the Culver City-based studio. Also welcome news for James as its his best opening for a film that he has shouldered in five years since Zookeeper which opened to $20M+ in 2011. Universal and Blumhouses Unfriended should drop today as most of these horror films are Friday front loaded. With a little under $7M yesterday, this social media scarefest could end the weekend around $16.5M.

The last newcomer is Disneynatures Monkey Kingdom which should get a slight boost today from family audiences. Yesterday, it swung in with $1.5M on its way to around $4.7M for the weekend. This film is playing just like Bears which opened last year with a Friday of $1.34M and ended its opening weekend with $4.7M.

Foxs The Longest Ride saddled up on Friday with $2.4M on its way to a $6.9M second weekend. The total cume this weekend for the film based on a Nicholas Sparks novel will be roughly $23.6M. It is dropping about 47% which is stronger than many expected.

Ex Machina from A24 is one of the gems in the bunch this weekend. The sci-fi thriller from writer/director Alex Garland expanded this weekend to take $281K on 39 runs for a per screen average of around $20K to $22K, depending how the weekend plays out. It moved up a couple of notches from last night from No. 15 to No. 13. It opens wide next weekend.

The chart follows:

1).Furious 7(UNI), 3,964 theaters (-58%) / $8.28M to $8.4M Friday / 3-day cume: $26M to $28M / Total cume: $291M to $293.8M/ Wk 3

2). Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 (SONY), 3,633 theaters / $7.3M Friday / 3-day cume: $22.8M to $23.6M / Wk 1

3). Unfriended (UNI), 2,739 theaters / $6.7M to $6.8M Friday / 3-day cume: $16.5M / Wk 1

4). Home(FOX/DW), 3,488 theaters (-215) / $2.4M Friday / 3-day cume: $9M to $10M / Total cume: $141.6M to $142M+ / Wk 4

5). The Longest Ride(FOX), 3,371 theaters (+5) /$2.4M Fri. / 3-day cume: $6.9M (-47%) / Total cume: $23.6M / Wk 2

6). Monkey Kingdom (DIS), 2,012 theaters / $1.5M Fri. / 3-day cume: $4.7M / Wk 1

7).Get Hard(WB), 2,655 theaters (-477) /$1.4M Friday / 3-day cume: $4.6M / Total cume: $78M+ / Wk 4

8). Woman in Gold (TWC), 2011 theaters (+507) / $1.3M Friday / 3-day cume: $4.25M / Total cume: $15.58M / Wk 3

9/10). Cinderella(DIS), 2,414 theaters (-611) / $1M Friday / 3-day cume: $3.8M to $4.1M / Total cume: $186M+ / Wk 6

Insurgent(LG), 2,542 theaters (-576) /$1.2M Friday / 3-day cume: $4M / Total cume: $120M+ / Wk 5

15).Ex Machina(A24), 39 theaters (+35) / $281K Fri. / 3-day cume: $780K to $890K / Per screen: $20K to $22K / Total cume: $1M+ / Wk 2

Amanda NDuka contributed to this report.

PREVIOUSLY, Friday, 11: 20 PM: After three weekends in release Furious 7 is still No. 1 with a Friday box office haul of about $8M on a trek to a possible three-day weekend of $26.8M to $27.2M for Universal which is celebrating today its first ever $1B worldwide box office on a picture. That will put its domestic cume at around $292.6M. Meanwhile, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 is, as expected, the No. 2 movie of the weekend, opening to a strong $7M Friday for a better than anticipated $22.5M weekend for Sony. And after a week of being re-victimized all over again, Im sure it is a little bit of welcome news for the studio. Hang in there, guys. It received a B- CinemaScore.

The other newbies, Universal/Blumhouses Unfriended is likely to scare in around $6M to $7M today with late night horror crowds having come in late to bolster the gross. This R-rated, smaller-budgeted film will likely slack off a bit tomorrow (as most films in the genre do). So look for a weekend cume around $14M to $16M. Like most of these horror films, it ended up with C CinemaScore.

Disneynatures Monkey Kingdom with a nice A- CinemaScore should open in the sixth slot behind Home and the second weekend of the Nicholas Sparks-based film The Longest Ride (which is holding strong with only about a 47% dip). It has, of course, that Scott Eastwood factor. Monkey Kingdom is coming in, as anticipated earlier in the week, to around $4.6M.

The other film that we told you that we would follow throughout this weekend is A24s surprise sci-fi hit Ex Machina which expanded into 39 runs and is still having the best per screen average of the Top 20 with an esimated $15K+. Thats how they look tonight with numbers changing likely in the AM. Heres the chart:

Amanda NDuka contributed to this report.

1).Furious 7(UNI), 3,964 theaters (-58%) / $8M Friday / 3-day cume: $26.8M to $27.2M / Total cume: $292.2 to $292.6M/ Wk 3

2). Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 (SONY), 3,633 theaters / $7M Friday / 3-day cume: $22M+ / Wk 1

3). Unfriended (UNI), 2,739 theaters / $6M to $7M Friday / 3-day cume: $14M to $16M / Wk 1

4). Home(FOX/DW), 3,488 theaters (-215) / $2.25M Friday / 3-day cume: $9.3M / Total cume: $141.6M / Wk 4

5). The Longest Ride(FOX), 3,371 theaters (+5) /$2.4M Fri. / 3-day cume: $6.9M (-47%) / Total cume: $23.6M / Wk 2

6). Monkey Kingdom (DIS), 2,012 theaters / $1.5M Fri. / 3-day cume: $4.6M / Wk 1

7).Get Hard(WB), 2,655 theaters (-477) /$1.35M Friday / 3-day cume: $4.4M / Total cume: $77.9M / Wk 4

8). Woman in Gold (TWC), 2011 theaters (+507) / $1.3M Friday / 3-day cume: $4M+ / Total cume: $15.5M / Wk 3

9/10). Cinderella(DIS), 2,414 theaters (-611) / $1M Friday / 3-day cume: $3.8M to $4M / Total cume: $186.6M / Wk 6

Insurgent(LG), 2,542 theaters (-576) /$1.15M Friday / 3-day cume: $3.8M / Total cume: $120.3M / Wk 5

15).Ex Machina(A24), 39 theaters (+35) / $210K Fri. / 3-day cume: $621K / Per screen: $15,912 / Total cume: $948K / Wk 2

Source: http://deadline.com/2015/04/paul-blart-mall-cop-2-unfriended-furious-7-box-office-1201411948/

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Recalling the day Jackie Robinson ushered in a new era

BALTIMORE His name is Daniel Mason and he is 79 years old, and he celebrated Jackie Robinson Day at his usual post, by the right-field escalator at Camden Yards. Out on the field every Yankee and Oriole was wearing No. 42. Daniel Mason didnt have a jersey, just his black Orioles jacket, and an appreciation of April 15, 1947.

Its an important day for all of us, Mason said. It should be. Somebody had to break the color barrier. It opened the doors for all black people. He paused and smiled.

Look around, he said, waving his arm toward the concourse. Not one of us would be here without Jackie Robinson. It didnt matter how good you were. You couldnt play. You couldnt do (a lot of things).

RELATED: DODGERS TRIP BRAVES IN JACKIE ROBINSON'S FIRST GAME

Daniel Mason was an 11-year-old kid in North Baltimore, barely a home-run ball away not far from where he still lives, the day Robinson integrated Major League Baseball. He doesnt have specific memories of the day, and doesnt remember it immediately changing his life, because his entire world neighborhood and schools was 100% black, so racially drawn he had scant idea of what else was out there.

It wasnt even segregation. Everybody was the same color, Mason said.

Daniel Masons ancestors came from South Carolina, a state that had more slaves per capita than any state in the Union. He knows little of his family history, how many generations before him included slaves and sharecroppers. All he has known is life in this city, where he and his wife of 52 years live and raised their children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren, and where he has always refused to see things through the prism of race. That has never been around me much, Mason said, his voice a raspy mumble, with a thick Southern inflection. People dont treat me in that light. I never looked at things like that. Ive been (at Camden Yards) for 19 years and never had a problem with anybody.

Life has not been easy. Mason dropped out of school in 10th grade. He worked for years as an orderly in a hospital, then as a baggage handler at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Now he directs ballpark visitors to the upper deck, with a ready smile and stock jokes. A man and a woman hold out their tickets and he directs them to the escalator, and says to the woman, Youre with him.

When a Yankee fan who is a Camden Yards regular approaches, Mason waves hello and sends him on his way. Carry on, Mason told him.

He greets every fan warmly, and provides any direction he can give them. It helps to be out, and be busy, taking his mind off things, such as his diabetes. Mason was recently diagnosed with a kidney disorder and is going to be starting dialysis, maybe as soon as this week. He makes it sound as if it is no bigger a deal than a parking ticket.

Take the old blood out, put the new blood in. Ill have to do that for the rest of my life, he said. Its just something I have to do, until I get a kidney transplant. Im on the list, but I dont know when that will be.

On the 68th anniversary of Jackie Robinson playing his first game of baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers, batting second and playing first base before 26,623 fans at Ebbets Field, Daniel Mason didnt need a No. 42 jersey to get in the spirit of the moment. Two women approached the elevator with a man, and he said, Upstairs to your right. Youre with him, and they all laughed.

Under the lights of Camden Yards, in front of the brick warehouse on a pleasant spring night, a fully integrated game of baseball was going on, with players of various backgrounds, and countries. It was a good night to be at work, and to remember how history happened. (Jackie Robinson) caught h**l, but he just kept going, Daniel Mason said. Thats how he got to where he was. He just kept going.

Tags: jackie robinson

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/coffey-recalling-day-jackie-robinson-ushered-new-era-article-1.2187232

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The gyrocopter footage is even better with Inspector Gadget music

Police arrested a man who steered his tiny, one-person gyrocopter onto the West Lawn of the Capitol Wednesday, astonishing spring tourists and prompting a temporary lockdown of the Capitol Visitor Center. (AP)

A man flew a gyrocopter on to the front lawn of the Capitol on Wednesday, and footage captured and provided to the Associated Press shows his descent.

And it's even better when you add, thanks to Trevor Foughty and Emily Cahn, the theme song from Inspector Gadget.

[Gyrocopter lands on Capitol lawn; pilot is arrested]

Hunter Schwarz covers the intersection of politics and pop culture for the Washington Post

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Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/04/15/the-gyrocopter-footage-is-even-better-with-inspector-gadget-music/

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Things to do in Dubai this weekend

Whats On has a list of things to do in Dubai this weekend, including brunch, drinks deals, festive events, live entertainment and new openings.

You know that moment on a Thursday afternoon when your work buddy asks what youre doing this weekend and your mind goes blank? Well worry no more, friends, because Whats On has the perfect solution, whatever mood you are in.

THURSDAY

Deacon Blue liveDeacon Blue enjoyed huge success with singles such as Real Gone Kid, Fergus Sings The Blues and Wages Day from their 1989 album When The World Knows Your Name. The band drifted apart but Ross, along with James Prime, Lorraine McIntosh and Dougie Vipond, reunited to release 2012s The Hipsters, which went top 20 in the UK.Read an interview with the Deacon Blue.

Irish Village, Al Garhoud, Dubai, 9pm, Dhs185. Tel: (04) 2395000. Metro: GGICO. theirishvillage.com

Enter The Dragon at China GrillThe hugely popular China Grill launches a new sophisticated supperclub concept, Enter The Dragon. For just Dhs195, guests can enjoy unlimited Dim Sum, other small plates and, of course, selected drinks, while residentDJ Ivy V provides the soundtrack.

The Westin Mina Seyahi, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Dhs195, 10pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 5117333. Metro: Nakheel. chinagrillrestaurant.com/dubai

Nasimi SessionsRobin Schulz takes to the sand in front of Atlantis for the latest in the popular Nasimi Sessions series. The German underground DJ who went overground in a big way with his 2013 remix of Waves by Dutch hip-hop artist Mr Probz. Establishing himself as the go-to man to give pop songs a house kick, Schulzs recent reworking of Prayer In C by Lilly Wood & the p***k also topped charts around the world. He was last in town in October, rocking Cielo by The Creek.

Nasimi Beach Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, Dhs195 for guys and ladies free before 9pm. Taxi: Nasimi Beach, Atlantis The Palm, Tel: (050) 8497332. platinumlist.ae

Steve McCurry LAST CHANCEWorld renowned photographer Steve McCurry is most famous for his iconic image Afghan Girl, which he took in a Pakistan refugee camp in 1984. In April hes exhibiting his series of photos of UAE women in Dubai, entitled 7 Princesses. Read an interview with Steve McCurry here.

The Empty Quarter, Gate Village, DIFC, Dubai, Sun to Thur, 10am to 7pm, free. Tel: (04) 3231210. Taxi: Gate Village, DIFC. theemptyquarter.com

Italian drinksSay ciao to a new themed evening of Italian drinks in Downtown. The chic Armani/Lounge is putting on canaps and drinks such as Bellinis and Negronis for its aperitvo evenings on the terrace with views of the fountains.

Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, Tue and Thur 8pm to 10pm. Tel: (04) 8883888. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. armanihotels.com

New pool barNew meets old with the opening of the Hiltons rooftop pool bar. Sitting on the 14th floor of the hotel, The Edge does drinks and a casual menu of mezze, seafood and Arabic nibbles. But who cares about the food when youve got views of the Dubai skyline and the creek like these? Dubai just got a new selfie spot.

Hilton Dubai Creek, Deira, Dubai, daily 6pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 2127551. Metro: Al Rigga. hilton.com

Annie LAST CHANCEThe Broadway musical continues tonight. The Depression-era story charts the journey of orphanage-runaway Annie, an 11-year-old in New York, who overturns her fortunes with the help of local billionaire Oliver Warbucks. Under his wing, the star wracks up an impressive collection of new friends, including the President of the United States.Meet the starsof Annie here.

Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3666546. Taxi: Souk Madinat. madinattheatre.com

FRIDAY

Tryrare Ethiopian coffeeA new coffee boutique will serve the worlds first batch of Ethiopian Gesha coffee. Mokha 1450 supports female coffee farmers in Yemen and Ethiopia.

Aswaaq Centre, Al Wasl Road, Dubai, daily 7am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3216455. Taxi: Next to Life Pharmacy. mokha1450.com

Cassy at ProvocateurCassy Britton is something of a unique case in electronic music. She manages to please both chin stroking underground heads in the bowels of Berlins finest clubs, but she also sends kids in muddy English fields bat crazy. Whether headlining Panorama Bar or Creamfields, then, she always has the right record for the right situation. Those records are mostly of a house and techno persuasion, can come with a touch of party or a plunging depth to them, and are always expertly sequenced. Straight from the Beatport Top Ten they are not; carefully dug out over the course of a long career they most certainly are. Read more from Cassy here.

Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Taxi: Four Seasons Resort. provocateurdubai.com

Manuel Tur at De.Con.StructDe.Con.Struct holds its second event tonight at The Basement, hot on the heels of their brilliant launch a fortnight ago, with Danny Howells. German DJ Manuel Tur as well as UAE House favourite Raxon take to the decks, with the former using the night as preparation for big sets in Berlin and London later this month.

The Basement, Boutique7 Hotel & Suites, TECOM, Dhs100, 10pm to 3am. Taxi: Boutique7. facebook.com/deconstruct.music

Apollonia at EdenApollonia, the French trio of Dan Ghenacia, Dyed Soundorom and Shonky, are vinyl collectors, players and lovers in every sense. Throwing down immaculate house and righteous techno on wax is second nature to the Gallic DJ collective. On the eve of international Record Store Day, the lads play at Dubais Eden Beach Club. Hear what they have to say with thisApollonia interview.

Apollonia at Eden Beach Club, Rixos Hotel, The Palm, 10am to midnight, free. Taxi: Rixos Hotel. facebook.com/edendubai

Try a new chefs tableCapanna Nuova, the Italian restaurant at the Dubai Marine Beach Resort, has launched a chefs table. Chef Francesco meets guests, asks about dietary preferences and then whips up dinner for up to four guests. Prices are between Dhs280 and Dhs330 per person and the table must be booked in advance.

Dubai Marine Beach Resort, Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3461111. Taxi: Opposite Jumeirah Mosque. dxbmarine.com

Dubai Collective at PachaPacha is ready to go all day and all night, throwing open its doors for a monster 11-hour session featuring the very best of Dubai. A whos who of mix masters from the region will take to the decks in both the main room (11pm to 3am) and up on terrace (4pm to 3am). Expect the likes of Charl Chaka, David Craig, Arcade 82 (Live), Marko Smokingroove and Greg Stainer.

Pacha Dubai, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 4pm to 3am. Taxi: Souk Madinat Jumeirah. Tel: (050) 8861129. platinumlist.net

SATURDAY

Piknic ElectronikThe Piknic Electronik festival is settling in well on the UAEs musical landscape. And the third event today sees one of the My Favorite Robot trio racing from the massive Californian festival Coachella to play in Dubai the very next day.My Favorite Robot are DJs and producers Jared Simms, James Teej and Voytek Korab, known for their deep and moody synth tracks and their record label of the same name. After Coachella, Voytek heads to the UAE, where hopefully h**l play Glass To The End and Magneto, at the family-friendly festival. Read more about Piknic Electronik here.

Sports Village, Dubai Sports City, Saturday, April 18, 3pm to 11pm, Dhs130 in advance, Dhs150 on the door, under-12s free. Taxi: Dubai Sports City. facebook.com/PiknicElectronikDubai

Part With Your ArtDo you ever find yourself looking at a piece of art on your wall at home and thinking, I dont like that anymore. On the other hand, maybe you find yourself at home staring at a blank wall thinking, I really need some art to brighten up this place. Both parties can help the other by engaging with a new art fair in Dubai. Part With Your Art is a five-day event in which regular folk can buy or sell pieces of art at prices to suit all budgets. If youre a seller you must submit the details of your piece (size, price, frame) and describe what type of art it is (oil, watercolour, photograph, acrylic) by April 11. If youre a buyer simply go to the fair at Iris in The Oberoi Hotel this month and see what grabs you.

Iris, The Oberoi, Business Bay, Dubai, 4pm to 2am, free. Tel: (056) 9511442. Metro: Business Bay. irisdubai.com

Pik-Nik at The WestinIt may be spelt with a k but the new pik-nik at The Westin involves a hamper of food, a blanket and a lawn so well let the quirky spelling slide this time. Dhs390 gets you bread, cheese, charcuterie, and salads for four people, or grab a burger and hot dog from the BBQ. Children can learn circus skills and a guitar duo add to the chilled atmosphere.

The Westin, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai, 11.30am to 4pm, Dhs390. Tel: (04) 3994141. Taxi: The Westin. westinminaseyahi.com

Source: http://whatson.ae/dubai/knowledge/26601/things-dubai-weekend-21/

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Former NFL Player Aaron Hernandez Sentenced To Life In Prison

Former New England Patriot Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after being found guilty of first degree murder in 2013.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Aaron Hernandez, a former tight end for the New England Patriots, was found guilty today of first degree murder. The judge immediately sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Craig LeMoult was in court today and has covered the case for WGBH. Craig, welcome to the program.

CRAIG LEMOULT, BYLINE: Thank you.

CORNISH: The victim was named Odin Lloyd, and his family was in the courtroom. The family of Aaron Hernandez was in the courtroom. And it seemed very emotional. Talk about what happened.

LEMOULT: It was emotional when the verdict came out. Hernandez's fiancee, whose name Shayanna Jenkins, was sobbing. She'd actually testified earlier in the trial. Prosecutors said she had gotten rid of the murder weapon at Hernandez's request. And then across the courtroom was her sister, Shaneah, and she was the victim, Odin Lloyd's girlfriend; that's how Lloyd and Hernandez knew each other. And throughout the trial, there's been this sort of weird dynamic of these two sisters on opposite ends of the case. Shaneah was surrounded by Lloyd's family, who have been a consistent presence in the courtroom throughout the trial. And, of course, they were also very emotional.

CORNISH: What kind reaction was there from Aaron Hernandez?

LEMOULT: Not much of any really - he was pretty much stone-faced as he waited for the jury to read the verdict. And then when they said he was guilty of first-degree murder, his expression just didn't change at all. It was pretty much the same emotionless demeanor that he showed throughout the trial when the jury was present in the room.

CORNISH: Craig, Odin Lloyd's mother actually spoke. She gave a statement before sentencing. Tell us what she had to say.

LEMOULT: Yes, she spoke powerfully about how much she loved her son, how much she missed him, what a wonderful person he was. And remarkably, she had this to say about the people who killed him.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

URSULA WARD: I forgive the hands of the people that had a hand in my son's murder, either before or after. And I pray and hope that someday everyone out there will forgive them also.

LEMOULT: Again, that's the victim's mother, Ursula Ward. And her daughter was asked if she also forgive Hernandez. And she said she's not as strong as her mom is, but she said maybe someday she will be.

CORNISH: Craig, afterwards, the jurors actually got together and held basically a press conference. How did they feel about the verdict?

LEMOULT: Yes, they were there to give a statement, and they wound up taking questions. And it was actually kind of a funny feel to that press conference, because, I think, they were all just really relieved it was over. They seemed like a pretty cohesive group, and they actually laughed about a number of moments throughout the trial. They said they felt strongly that they'd made the right decision.

During the trial, Patriots owner Robert Kraft testified that Hernandez told him shortly after the killing that he hoped that the time of the murder would come out, because he was in a club then. But the jury members said they didn't understand how he could know where he was if the time of the murder hadn't come out. They said they were also really surprised when the defense acknowledged in their closing argument that Hernandez was at the scene of the murder. And they didn't buy the claim that two other men charged in the murder killed Lloyd when they were high on PCP and that Hernandez was in shock and didn't know what to do about it.

CORNISH: What's next for Aaron Hernandez?

LEMOULT: Well, he faces life in prison without parole, but he's actually not done with court yet. He's facing charges in a 2012 double murder in Boston. That trial is being rescheduled right now, and he's actually also facing a civil lawsuit from a former friend who says Hernandez shot him in the face when he was in Florida.

CORNISH: That's Craig LeMoult of WGBH. Thank you so much for speaking with us.

LEMOULT: You're welcome.

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Source: http://www.npr.org/2015/04/15/399937672/former-nfl-player-aaron-hernandez-sentenced-to-life-in-prison

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