The final countdown to the Oscars is on and the harrowing drama '12 Years a Slave' looks to be positioning itself as one of the frontrunners having scooped the Best Actor award for British star Chiwetel Ejiofor and Best Film award for director Steve McQueen at Britain's top movie honors, the BAFTAs.

But it was space thriller 'Gravity' which landed the biggest haul of honors including Outstanding British Film and Best Director.

The BAFTAs come just two weeks ahead of the Academy Awards are are widely seen as a guide to likely Oscar winners.

Pussy Riot protest band members were released from a police station on Tuesday (February 18) after being held in connection with a theft in the Winter Olympics host city of Sochi.

The members were held for around three hours at a police station in the Adler district of Sochi, before appearing with other women on the steps outside wearing summer dresses, colored leggings and their trademark balaclava masks.

An original member of the band "Devo," best known for their 1980 hit song "Whip It," has died. Bob Casale 61, died as a result of heart failure.

Devo formed in 1972, but it wasn't until their hit "Whip It" - and the accompanying music video - that the group rocketed to international fame.