A crossbow in her hands and covered top-to-toe in a black Islamic headwear and robe that leaves only her eyes visible - that is the image now circulating of France's most-wanted woman: Hayat Boumeddiene.

London, Jan 10 (Prensa Latina) The Mexican film maker Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu was nominated today to the British awards Bafta in the categories of better director, original script and movie by his acclaimed ''Birdman''.

The British Academy of the Cinematographic Arts and Television (Bafta, by its English initials) nominated also the anglo-Brazilian movie 'Trash' in the category of movie in not English language.

Gonzalez Iñarritu already won a Bafta in 2002 for Amores Perros, the movie that launched the acting career of Gael Garcia Bernal, and that year achieved a big success in multiple international contests.

Among the nominated to considered English Oscars stand out actors: Benedict Cumberbatch for 'The Imitation Game'; Felicity Jones, for 'The Theory of Everything', and Julianne Moore for 'Still Alice'.

Nevertheless, all the the looks are on 'Birdman', the history of an actor whose career fell apart after reaching the glory acting as superhero, tape that aspires also to the Oscar and the golden Balloons.

Michael Keaton gives a magisterial recreation of himself, since at the beginning of 1990 he interpreted Batman in the first two and dark deliveries of the famous saga, directed by Tim Burton.

Other candidates to better movie are 'Boyhood', 'The Imitation Game', 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and 'The Theory of Everthing', and the winner will be revealed here on February 8, in Royal Opera House.

The Big Hotel Budapest, of West Anderson, leads the nominations to the Awards BAFTA with 11 candidacies, continued by 'Birdman' and 'The Theory of Everything', with 10 per capita.

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[readon1 url="http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content;task=view;id=3431871;Itemid=1"]Source: www.plenglish.com[/readon1]

Rapid changes in the use of the Spanish language in the Southwest may lead to the language's extinction in coming decades in the region unless bilingualism is accepted and promoted, a University of Colorado expert said.

Devin Jenkins has found that in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, areas with a large population of Spanish and Mexican descent, the use of Spanish is no longer growing.

In other areas of the United States, however, Spanish is flourishing with the arrival of new immigrants, said Jenkins, who speaks Spanish fluently and has gathered information about the subject for the past 35 years.

"The change of language by the third generation is, simply, the process in which immigrants' grandchildren tend to speak only one language, the one prevalent in their communities, and not the language of their immigrant ancestors," he said.

In some parts of Texas, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, less than one in three grandchildren of immigrants speak Spanish, compared to major cities in California and South Texas where two out of three young people preserve their grandparents' language.

"Language extinction happens all the time everywhere in the world," said Jenkins, a Spanish teacher and director of the modern languages department at UCD.

"Those languages are the cultural link with the past," Jenkins said. "Losing them is losing a piece of our own culture. That's why all efforts to preserve a language are commendable."

In the Southwest, the efforts include studying why someone speaks in Spanish or ceases to do it, who uses the language and what benefits the children and grandchildren of immigrants derive from being bilingual or from speaking only in English.

Changes in language usage affect family relationships since grandparents may not be able to communicate with their grandchildren, Jenkins said.

"There is little gain here," Jenkins said.

"Those who promote English-only policies say that people who speak only English have better chances to succeed," Jenkins said. "But that's not the case. Knowing only one language reduces a person's abilities, while being bilingual doesn't mean that the person is less proficient in English."

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Former Smiths vocalist will be honoured by Mexrissey as part of Year of Mexico in the UK

On Tuesday January 6, (Epiphany, or “Kings' Day in Mexico), the Consuate General of Mexico opened its third annual exhibit of Nacimientos (traditional crèche scenes) in its 2nd floor gallery room.

Americans today are taking less vacation time than at any point in nearly 40 years, according to an October report for the U.S. Travel Association by Oxford Economics. So where and how will we be spending our precious leisure time in 2015?

As a new year begins, industry and research groups are looking into their crystal balls. Turns out, when Americans travel internationally most stick close to home. Michelle Grant, a travel and tourism research manager for Euromonitor International, a market research company, pointed out that nearly half of overseas travelers are from the East Coast, and they make trips within the Western Hemisphere or to Western Europe, to places that are more affordable and easier to reach (with shorter and direct flights) than those farther afield.

The most popular international destination, by a landslide, will be Mexico, according to Euromonitor. Mexico topped the list last year with about 20,916,000 trips, and Euromonitor predicts it will be favored again this year, with some 21,297,000 trips, an increase of 1.8 percent. Ms. Grant noted that California and the border states are huge drivers of the trend. (The group’s forecasts are derived from national statistics and trade sources and are based in part on the number of trips Americans made in 2014.)

Mexico is alluring not only for its sun and sand but also for its cuisine, destination yoga retreats and cultural activities, be it exploring the ruins of ancient Maya civilization at Chichén Itzá, a Unesco World Heritage site near Cancún, or partying in Cabo San Lucas. While some tourists are steering clear of places afflicted with gang and drug-related violence like Acapulco and Sinaloa, places like Cancún and Puerto Vallarta continue to be popular.

Capturing second place is Canada. Americans made about 12,331,000 trips there last year and according to Euromonitor, it will again be the second-most visited international destination with 12,489,000 trips.

For the last few years the Reputation Institute, a global management company that says it takes the pulse of more than 27,000 people in the G8 countries, has ranked Canada among the top countries in the world to visit thanks to its beauty, friendly people, safe environment and “contributions to global culture,” as the Canadian Tourism Commission put it in a news release.

Rounding out the top three is Britain, though it lags far behind Mexico and Canada (there were some 2,516,000 trips to Britain in 2014 and Euromonitor is forecasting about 2,546,000 this year).

Britain, of course, offers a variety of lush landscapes and cultures throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. That said, London — with its historic buildings, parks, gardens, museums and pubs — attracted two-thirds of Americans’ vacation visits to Britain, a 2013 report said, while the rest of England attracted 30 percent, according to VisitBritain, the national tourism agency. Scotland, where travelers are drawn to castles and villages, captured 10 percent of visits, while Wales had 3 percent.

France, Italy, Germany, the Bahamas, Jamaica, China, Spain and Japan (the latter two essentially tied) complete the top 11, in that order. Euromonitor analysts say Japan is likely to experience the biggest bump in American tourists, thanks to decreasing prices as well as the fading effects of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis. (Forecasts for additional international and domestic destinations are at nytimes­.com/travel.)

So far, the estimates appear to be corroborated by other companies. Mexico and London are among the top three international destinations being booked for 2015, according to a survey of 1,226 travel agency owners, managers and agents from the Travel Leaders Group, one of the nation’s largest travel agencies. Travel professionals questioned in November and December were asked to name up to five top destinations that they were already booking for 2015. The No. 1 international trip was a cruise vacation in the Caribbean; however, in a news release, the group said that “Europe is drawing in Americans in the highest numbers we’ve seen this millennium.”

A research team at Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, revealed a similar forecast, with London, Paris and Cancún topping its list of 2015 international destinations.

But what about emerging tourist destinations? According to members of the United States Tour Operators Association, an industry group, Myanmar will be the top emerging destination in 2015. Cuba took second place in a survey for the association conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, though one suspects it will soon nab the top spot now that travel restrictions are easing because of the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States. Indeed, between Dec. 16 and 18, in the days surrounding President Obama’s announcement about reopening relations with Cuba, travel queries related to the island jumped 809 percent, according to Google. Most searches came from users in Florida, New York and California. On Cuba’s heels were Croatia, Iceland, India, Peru, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia and Panama, according to the survey.

When it comes to domestic tourism, California has been and is likely to continue to be by far the most popular destination, according to Euromonitor. The state is projected to attract some 134,145,000 tourists in 2015, lured by wineries, food, beaches, spas, surf culture, theme parks, the slick artifice of Hollywood and the natural wonders of Yosemite and Big Sur. Little wonder California is the nation’s largest tourism economy, according to Visit California, the state’s marketing and tourism arm.

Texas nabbed second place with an estimated 87,502,000 tourist visits in 2015, followed by Florida (69,463,000 visits) and New York (55,383,000 visits). Florida is likely to be the fastest growing state for tourism, according to Euromonitor, thanks to its sunny skies and initiatives at theme parks like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios. Indeed, agents at Travel Leaders Group listed Orlando as the second-most popular domestic destination in 2015 based on bookings so far. (The No. 1 domestic vacation is an Alaskan cruise.)

How Americans allocate their vacation dollars in 2015 will depend on where they decide to go. Based on national statistics and trade sources, Euromonitor analysts predict that Americans who take international vacations will spend most of their money on accommodations. Food is next on the list, followed by shopping, travel within the country and entertainment. (According to data from the United States Department of Commerce, in 2013 sightseeing and shopping were the most popular activities among leisure travelers overseas.)

The rankings change a bit for domestic vacations. Analysts think Americans will spend most of their money on travel within their own country, followed by lodging, entertainment, food, shopping and excursions.

Given bookings-to-date for 2015 and conversations with clients, almost 97 percent of Travel Leaders Group agents said their clients would spend the same or more on international travel this year compared with last year. Of course, the cost of any trip is determined by a variety of factors: destination, length, class of service, hotel, experiences. Taking that into consideration, analysts at American Express Travel said that based on the average seven-day trip (for international travel), a 2015 vacation is likely to cost from $2,100 to $5,000 or more. (A report from the Commerce Department shows that in 2013 the average trip expenditure per leisure traveler visiting overseas was $2,914. Most flew economy class.) Based on an average of six days for domestic travel, the trip cost could be $1,500 to $3,000 or more, according to American Express.

By and large most Americans will travel by land in 2015, making 870,526,000 trips, according to Euromonitor. Air travel is likely to be a distant second (154,021,000 trips), followed by rail (78,270,000) and, lastly, sea (6,291,000).

Hotels and motels will remain the dominant lodging option, but private rentals are expected to continue to garner popularity. Some 14 percent of travelers booked a private home, condo or apartment rental for at least one of their trips in 2013, up from 8 percent in 2010, according to PhoCusWright, a travel market research company.

Should you make it to one of the most popular places, Britain, you may want to experience a rising trend: the so-called poshtel, a kind of elegant hostel such as Hoax or Safe­stay. Hostels seem to be hotter than ever, and Euromonitor predicts that the sector will experience a record 3 percent growth through 2018.

That’s good news for those striving for a little luxury on a little budget in the new year.

[readon1 url="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/travel/where-will-americans-travel-in-2015-.html?_r=0"]Source: www.nytimes.com[/readon1]

Gunmen have attacked the Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people and injuring seven in an apparent Islamist attack.

NASA has come out with a new image that could become one of its most iconic ever.

The Hubble Space Telescope revisited the so-called "Pillars of Creation," which the space agency describes as "three giant columns of cold gas bathed in the scorching ultraviolet light from a cluster of young, massive stars in a small region of the Eagle Nebula, or M16."

The previous photo of these pillars, taken in 1995, went on to stand out from all the rest of NASA's space images, the agency said. "The Hubble image is so popular that it has appeared in movies and television shows, on T-shirts and pillows, and even on a postage stamp."

In celebration of the telescope's upcoming 25th anniversary in April, Hubble returned to the pillars -- and this time with the latest high-definition tools.

The new sharper and wider image was taken "in near-infrared light, as well as visible light," NASA said. "The infrared view transforms the pillars into eerie, wispy silhouettes seen against a background of myriad stars. That's because the infrared light penetrates much of the gas and dust, except for the densest regions of the pillars. Newborn stars can be seen hidden away inside the pillars."

In 1995, the captured image gave insight into star formation. "Nebulous star-forming regions like M16 are the interstellar neon signs that say, 'We just made a bunch of massive stars here,'" said Paul Scowen of Arizona State University, who helped lead the original observations, in a post on NASA's website.

The new image "hints" that these columns "are also pillars of destruction," NASA said.

"The ghostly bluish haze around the dense edges of the pillars is material getting heated up and evaporating away into space," said Scowen. "We have caught these pillars at a very unique and short-lived moment in their evolution."

8 new planets found in 'Goldilocks zone'

[readon1 url="http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/06/tech/nasa-pillars-creation/index.html"]Source:www.cnn.com[/readon1]

Youngest ever: New York on Tuesday elected the U.S. Congress's youngest female member ever -- 30-year-old Republican Elise Stefanik

New York on Tuesday elected the U.S. Congress's youngest female member ever -- 30-year-old Republican Elise Stefanik.

The Bush administration veteran took 56 percent of the 21st district, which includes much of the sparsely populated Adirondack Mountains in the state's northernmost reaches.

She's the first woman to ever hold the seat, which was vacated by Democrat Bill Owens.
New York also hosted the previous youngest female member of Congress Democrat Elizabeth Holtzman, who was 31 when she was sworn in back in 1979, notes ABC News.

Just 10 weeks after her 30th birthday, Stefanik has become the youngest woman of either party ever elected to Congress.

'It's not news to anyone that Republicans have struggled to reach out to voters in my specific demographic: young women who are professional, not married — that was one of President Obama's most enthusiastic voting blocs,' Stefanik, who worked to defeat Obama as a member of Mitt Romney's campaign, said during a September tour of small businesses along Old Forge's bustling main drag. 'There is an appetite in this district for a new type of Republican.'

The party's 'women problem' was well-documented in the Republican National Committee's 2012 postelection report. It helped spawn a program instituted by House Republicans last summer, Project Grow, that includes renewed focus on recruitment, training and fundraising for promising female candidates nationwide. Stefanik is among the program's beneficiaries, who are spread across the country.

It is a long-term effort, GOP officials say, and one that is critical to the party's future.

'The job of the party committees is to recruit the best candidates possible, and this cycle we have an outstanding field of women candidates running across the country,' says Andrea Bozek, spokeswoman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, which leads Project Grow.

Project Grow has been slow to produce results, however. The number of Republican women set to appear on the ballot in House races this fall is roughly the same as in prior elections, according to Debbie Walsh, the director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Republicans had 47 Republican women on the ballot in 2010 and 2012 elections, down from a high of 53 female candidates in 2004; there will be at least 51 this November after Tuesday's primaries.

I may be the only woman who was looking forward to her 30th birthday

'There's a lot attention on women in general in this election,' Walsh said. 'But it's a trajectory that appears to be moving in the wrong direction.'

There are few opportunities for Republican women in part because there are so few congressional seats in play every two years. Redistricting has given GOP incumbents a stronger grip on the vast majority of their 234 seats, and Republican leaders aren't willing to encourage promising female candidates to challenge incumbents.

Stefanik found an opening in New York's 21st Congressional District, where her father still runs the plywood distribution company he founded two decades ago. The seat, held by retiring three-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Bill Owens, was considered one of the GOP's top pick-up opportunities.

A veteran Washington operative years before she turned 30, Stefanik fought through residency questions to win her party's nomination in late June. She opposed a better-known Republican businessman with the help of establishment-minded super PACs that funneled more than $1 million into the primary contest on her behalf.

'I may be the only woman who was looking forward to her 30th birthday,' Stefanik said with a laugh during a recent interview.

She says she's particularly concerned with the exodus of young people from the region. She often refers to 'my generation' and 'people my age' while talking to voters who worry aloud about the area's economic challenges.

Some concede that her age was a factor — at least at first.

'That was everybody's first impression: She's just too young,' says Chip Kiefer, whose Old Forge's Souvenir Village displayed an 'Elise for Congress' sign on its front window. 'But having young energy is a good thing for us.'

The Bush administration veteran took 56 percent of the 21st district, which includes much of the sparsely populated Adirondack Mountains in the state's northernmost reaches

[readon1 url="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2821434/Elise-Stefanik-New-York-elects-Republican-30-year-old-youngest-woman-U-S-Congress.html"]Source:www.dailymail.co.uk[/readon1]

Each year, neighborsgo asks local and city leaders about their goals and resolutions in our special looking ahead edition. This week, we’d like to ask you about your goals and resolutions for the new year. What do you have to look forward to in 2015?

Ronald Paris, McKinney: My goal is for my health to continue to improve. I am a diabetic and three years ago, I almost died from kidney failure. I will beat this disease!

Michael Maus, McKinney: I have been retired since fall 1998 and am enjoying life wonderfully with my wife of 50 years. We travel a great deal, play golf here at Stonebridge Ranch and when we travel. Normally, that involves two weeks in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, and two weeks on Maui. On occasion, we travel to Europe where we lived twice before. We have children and grandchildren in New Jersey and Raleigh, N.C., and dear friends up and down the East Coast so we see them often. One of our daughters and her family live in Dallas so we have the school events of three more grandchildren to enjoy. What does that mean? It means that we need to be sure to maintain our health and outlook on life. We volunteer often at our church, St. Gabriel’s Catholic Community here in McKinney. Clearly, our resolution is to stay involved and healthy — not something to be taken lightly. We look forward to many more years being blessed by the Lord.

Peter Ahern, Princeton: I resolve to love my wife and our three children (ages 11, 9 and 7) to the best of my ability.

Dub Lowe, Allen: My wish is for our citizens to take better care of their homes and property. As neighborhoods get older, homes tend to deteriorate unless the homeowner takes the time and money to make necessary repairs. While most people take pride in their homes, there are others that don’t seem to care about the condition of their property. They might not care, but others around them sure do. I’ve seen everything from fascia boards rotting off, gutter hanging down, chimneys falling down, etc. There are homes with bushes so thick that you can’t see the home behind them. Do we want blighted neighborhoods? I don’t. There are also some folks that seem fit to store their RVs and large boats in the street. All this does is screw up traffic on the street and makes it dangerous to navigate the narrow streets. The city of Allen needs to put more emphasis on code enforcement for some of the most glaring offenses. We need to be proud of our neighborhoods and reflect it in the condition of our properties. If you can’t afford the upkeep, sell your home. That’s what apartments are for, it’s done for you.

Glenn Mieritz, McKinney: A large part of my life has been spent having goals and aspirations. Some lofty, others not. In school, it was work hard, good grades and have friends. In the workforce, both initially in a factory and later in an office and corporate environment, it was a never-ending series of goals be they target dates, deadlines, budgets and career advancements.

I was fortunate enough to have the chance to retire early. Even then there were goals. Landscape the yard, rebuild closets, etc.

However, lately I have gotten away from having set goals or resolutions. Resolutions were just things you would like to do, but always found a reason not to do. In recent years, my goals have become simple. Each day I wake up with the thought that I will enjoy what the day will bring. I try to be the best person I can be and if I can help someone, or put a smile on someone’s face, I am happy.

Ron Austin, Allen: In 2015, I plan to complete writing five fiction books and one biography with a CD of the subject voice, telling the auto-chapter stories. I also plan to complete a sequel to my first novel: Grayville’s Story. In 2014 , I finished writing a second book Snippets of Life: Book 1. I sketched out a trilogy, but more material came to mind so I now have four or five begun. I published my first and it was releasesed Dec. 31, 2013, and is available online at Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million and other stores.

How do I have time? I am retired, living with a transplanted kidney, a rubber material graft to replace an abdominal aortic aneurysm and atypical Parkinson’s. The dosage of my 25-plus perscriptions range from one to seven per day, plus doctor recommended OTC meds.

Surprisingly, I have very few difficulties and enjoy good health generally. A fall here and there and some unexpected Parkinson’s symptoms keep me hopping. Finally, in 2015, I want to encourage more, stand up to male gossips and bullies, pray more and immerse myself in he Holy Scripture.

Sandy Kulkarni, Allen: With the hustle-bustle of demanding and busy life, my goal of 2015 is to find some quality time with my loved ones. It is time to pursue my passion or at least get a head-start with my hobbies like painting, writing and singing.

And finally, I have to take actions so my life may benefit the world in some way, like love and console the needy people. All of this will lead to a marvelous journey to discover myself and I can hardly wait to experience the thrills.

[readon1 url="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/allen/headlines/20150101-sounding-off-collin-county-readers-tell-us-what-they-are-looking-forward-to-in-2015.ece"]Source: www.dallasnews.com[/readon1]

A 7-year-old girl walked three-quarters of a mile through rugged terrain Friday night — after surviving a plane crash that killed her father, mother, sister, and cousin.

The child had been aboard her family’s Piper PA-34 heading from Key West, Fla., to their home state of Illinois, but the plane crashed in western Kentucky.

Larry Wilkins of Lyon County says the little girl, who was dressed in a light top and shorts for Florida sunshine, reached his front door after braving some of the “toughest land you’ll ever see in your life” barefooted, in the dark.

“That’s one tough little girl, brave little girl,” Wilkins said in an interview with Yahoo News Saturday morning. “I don’t even walk through it in the daylight.”

The child told Wilkins that her mother and father had just died and she was in a plane crash. The wreckage was later found in a wooded area off the Buckberry Trail.

“Her little legs were just cut up all over from briars and [tree] limbs. She had a bloody nose,” Wilkins said. “She was of course crying a little bit. But she was coherent and pretty poised for a 7-year-old girl who had just gotten out of a plane crash.”

Wilkins says he did what anyone would do in that situation: invited her inside, laid her down on his couch, elevated her feet with a pillow, gave her as much comfort as he could, and dialed 911.

Kentucky State Police arrived at his home within 10 minutes and EMT workers quickly followed, he said.

She was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Kentucky State Police Sgt. Dean Patterson says she was released to family about 1:15 a.m.

It took police just over two hours to locate the crash site and the four victims inside the plane. The coroner was notified and officers stayed on the scene to make sure no one tampered with it before federal investigators could arrive, Patterson said.

“Before the plane went down, a distress call was sent to Memphis Center stating that they had engine problems,” he told Yahoo News when asked about the cause of the crash.

National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigators will investigate the incident.

Early Saturday morning, Kentucky State Police identified the four victims as Marty Gutzler (father), 49, Kimberly Gutzler (mother), 45, Piper Gutzler (daughter), 9, and Sierra Wilder, 14 (Piper’s cousin). They are all from Nashville, Ill.

Extended family request that the surviving child’s name not be released.

ESPN anchor Stuart Scott has passed away at the age of 49.

Here's the statement from ESPN.

Stuart Scott, a dedicated family man and one of ESPN’s signature SportsCenter anchors, has died after a courageous and inspiring battle with cancer. He was 49.

Scott is survived by his two daughters, Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15; his parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott; and his three siblings Stephen Scott, Synthia Kearney, Susan Scott and their families. His girlfriend, Kristin Spodobalski, was with Stuart and cared for him every step of the way and along with support from his loving family, close friends and colleagues, he went through several surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials to stay strong and ward off cancer for as long as humanly possible.

“ESPN and everyone in the sports world have lost a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure in Stuart Scott,” said ESPN president John Skipper. “Who engages in mixed martial arts training in the midst of chemotherapy treatments? Who leaves a hospital procedure to return to the set? His energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work while fighting the battle of his life left us in awe, and he leaves a void that can never be replaced.”

On July 16, 2014, Scott accepted the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs. During his speech, he expressed the following sentiment about his two daughters: “Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat. I am standing on this stage here tonight because of you.”

During his ESPY speech, Scott shared his approach to fighting cancer. “I also realized something else recently,” he said. “I said, I’m not losing. I’m still here. I’m fighting. I’m not losing. But I’ve got to amend that. When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live. So live. Live. Fight like hell.”

For 21 years, years Scott was one of ESPN’s and ABC Sports’ most recognizable and quotable personalities and one of the most popular sportscasters around the world. His catchphrases, including his most famous “Boo-ya” and “As cool as the other side of the pillow,” have become an integral part of pop culture. While Scott became instantly known for his enthusiasm and colorful descriptions, he was always proud of the facts he would weave into his storytelling, recognizing that every great story is based in fact.

After joining the network in 1993 for the launch of ESPN2, Scott became a leading voice on ESPN’s SportsCenter, where he anchored the 11pm show. Over the years, his talent and work ethic led to many additional high-profile assignments including major hosting roles on NFL and NBA programming. During his career with ESPN, Scott covered a slew of major events, including the NBA Finals, Super Bowl, Major League Baseball playoffs and World Series, the NCAA Final Four and more.

From 2007-2011 Scott was the host of ABC Sports’ weekly NBA Sunday studio show, ESPN’s NBA studio show, and served as a host during the NBA Finals Trophy presentation each year. Scott also hosted numerous ESPN and ABC series and specials, including Dream Job, Stump The Schwab, ESPN’s 25th Anniversary Special, and The ESPY Red Carpet Show.

In addition to this busy TV schedule, Scott had also worked as a regular contributor to ESPN: The Magazine, ESPN Radio, and ESPN.com.

Scott was featured in countless This is SportsCenter commercials, which he so enjoyed.

Most recently, Scott was in the anchor chair alongside his longtime partner, Steve Levy, when ESPN re-launched SportsCenter on a new set.

Scott not only interviewed most of the world’s top athletes, he interviewed top celebrities, newsmakers, and politicians. Stuart interviewed and played a televised game of one-on-one basketball with President Barack Obama, one of his two interviews with the President, and conducted numerous one-on-one interviews with the likes of Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Denzel Washington and President Clinton.

Hollywood and Madison Avenue also took notice of Scott’s wide appeal; he was featured in numerous high-profile commercial campaigns. He appeared on many TV shows, sitcoms, feature films and music videos and was parodied in a Saturday Night Live skit.

Over the years, Scott earned numerous awards and honors. He was recently honored with the NABJ Award of Merit, received a Rammy Award which pays tribute to superlative performances in athletics, academics and sports from his beloved alma mater, UNC-Chapel Hill, and was a guest of honor at the 14th annual “An Evening with Heroes” celebration in Indianapolis, which benefits the Heroes Foundation. In 2011 he was honored by The V Foundation with “The Spirit of Jimmy V Award.” He was instrumental in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for The V Foundation, Livestrong, and participated in Stand Up To Cancer campaigns as well donating time to raise awareness and funds for numerous other charities.

He always said a personal and professional highlight for him came in 2004, when he was requested by U.S. soldiers to be a part of “ESPN’s SportsCenter: Salute the Troops” effort, in which he and fellow anchors hosted a week of programs originating in Kuwait.

Prior to joining ESPN, Scott worked at local stations in Orlando, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina and Florence, South Carolina. He was graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1987. One of his proudest moments came when he served as the commencement speaker at his alma mater in 2001.

At North Carolina he played wide receiver and defensive back for a club football team.

He was diagnosed with cancer in November 2007, and dealt with recurring bouts of the disease. He met the challenge as he did everything in his life – with determination, a courageous fighting spirit and an always positive attitude that impacted and inspired everyone who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The V Foundation (www.jimmyv.org).
Photo Montage: https://library.espnimages.com/?c=13148&k=b91bc12505

Good Morning America feature on Stuart Scott with Robin Roberts from ESPNMediaZone on Vimeo.