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Whether you’re after waterproof walking, springy strolls or harder hikes and punishing treks, there are plenty of boots out there which will be a perfect fit this summer. Take a look at five we tried out, to help you put your best foot forward on a summer staycation. Berghaus Women’s Expeditor Trek 2.0 Boots (£99, tiso.com) Key features: No wearing in needed, thanks to super cushioning from the EVA midsoles and OrthoLite footbed. Their split suede upper, robust, grippy soles and all-round performance makes them good value for money. They were also the easiest boots to get on and off, with a wide entry point. Verdict: These snug-fitting – but comfy – walking boots pack a punch for the price and I did a five-miler straight from the box and didn’t suffer any ill effects around the toes or the ankles. They are reasonably lightweight and fairly generous width-wise, although I could feel a slight pinch point mid-foot by the end of the first walk, which evened out the more I used them. The grip is sufficient for tricky hills and they are also waterproof, although I suspect you won’t do the suede upper any good if you’re traipsing through boggy puddles. On the whole, a great all-rounder for the price. Columbia Women’s Trailstorm Mid Waterproof Walking Shoe (£90, columbiasportswear.co.uk) Key features: Their weight – just 290g. Their versatility and good looks mean they wouldn’t look out of place under jeans, if you’re doing a short amble with a stop-off at the pub, or some easy sightseeing en route. Verdict: These super-lightweight boots – which are actually billed as a walking shoe but have some ankle cushioning – are a cross between a sturdy trainer and a light walking boot. They have the comfortable springiness of a trainer – which is great for walking on dry ground – while the grip will hold you steady on more rocky terrain. They are waterproof, withstanding a bit of summer rain, but I wouldn’t be taking them into boggy winter conditions any time soon. They’re ideal for summer, when you don’t want heavy boots for meandering along easy country paths and green fields in the sunshine. Get a size up from your regular shoe fitting and you’ll do miles in total comfort. Helly Hansen W Switchback Trail Helly Tech (£120, hellyhansen.com) Key features: Their toe and heel caps keep your feet secure and protected, they’re fully waterproof and feel sturdy, despite being relatively light. Verdict: These are impressively sturdy boots considering how light they feel, definitely not an enhanced trainer but with an understated, stylish look, which would appeal to both younger and older walkers. During a 10-miler across mixed terrain, they had a sure grip providing stability on rocky, unstable downhill slopes, while the cushioning on super hard surfaces made you feel like you were walking on cotton wool. Get yourself a size up if you want to wear thick socks with them in the winter, but the spongy, comfortable materials used around the ankle and the tongue should assure you of a blister-free trek. Merrell Moab Speed Mid GORE-TEX (£135, merrell.com) Key features: The mid-sole has extra cushioning, which protects the balls of your foot, along with a ‘rockplate’ which helps reduce the impact of unforgiving sharp rocks or stones underfoot. Verdict: With a Gore-Tex lining you can count on, I yomped through muddy fields and shallow puddles and stayed dry – it’s worth paying an extra few quid for the knowledge you won’t be squelching in your boots. In our unpredictable British summers, though, you want plenty of breathability which these boots have in spades. After trying them out on a warm spring day in thin socks, my feet emerged as dry as a bone. Eco-warriors may be impressed with the 100% recycled laces, which didn’t feel flimsy, the recycled mesh lining and 30% recycled rubber in the outsole. AKU Alterra Mid GTX (£229.90, aku.it/en) Key features: The outer sole and impressive grip helps prevent you stumbling on rocky, uneven ground, while there’s excellent protection around the ankle, yet it still feels spongy and comfortable. Verdict: The Italian specialist brand Aku says these sturdy boots are designed for medium terrain and longer rambles over mixed ground, but these were by far the toughest boots, with such impressive grippy soles that I think they’re just as suitable for winter walks. They may be a little extravagant – and a bit heavier looking – for easier summer rambles, but if you’re a hardcore hiker with aims of climbing challenging peaks this summer, these are just the job. And right on cue, Aku has brought out a new lighter weight version of the same boot, so look out for the Alterra Lite Mid GTX. 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A Florida man who recently dropped all legal appeals was executed Thursday for the 1988 murder of a woman who was sexually assaulted, killed with a hammer, and then set on fire in her own bed. James Phillip Barnes, 61, was pronounced dead at 6.13pm following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke. Lying on a gurney, Barnes appeared to already have his eyes shut when the curtain was opened for witnesses. He didn't respond when prison officials asked if he had a final statement, and he remained motionless except for breathing for about 10 minutes until that stopped. A doctor then pronounced him dead. The 61-year-old inmate was sentenced to death for the murder of nurse Patricia “Patsy” Miller. It was the fifth execution in Florida this year. One of the victim's siblings, Andrew Miller, witnessed the execution and said he came to remember his sister. “I did not come here to watch someone die. I came here to honor our sister, Patricia Miller,” he told reporters afterward. “No one should live in fear within the safety of their own home. No woman, no child, no animal should have that fear. We did.” Barnes was serving a life sentence for the 1997 strangulation of his wife, 44-year-old Linda Barnes, when he wrote letters in 2005 to a state prosecutor claiming responsibility for killing Miller years earlier at her condominium in Melbourne on Florida’s east coast. Barnes represented himself in court hearings where he offered no defense, pleaded guilty to killing Miller and did not attempt to seek a life sentence rather than the death penalty. Miller, who was 41 when Barnes killed her on April 20, 1988, had some previous unspecified negative interactions with him, according to a jailhouse interview he gave German film director Werner Herzog. “There were several events that happened (with Miller). I felt terribly humiliated, that’s all I can say,” Barnes said in the interview. When he pleaded guilty, Barnes told the judge that after breaking into Miller’s unit, “I raped her twice. I tried to strangle her to death. I hit her head with a hammer and killed her and I set her bed on fire,” according to court records. There was also DNA evidence linking Barnes to Miller’s killing. After pleading guilty, Barnes was sentenced to death on 13 December 2007. He also pleaded guilty to sexual battery, arson, and burglary with an assault and battery. Barnes killed his wife in 1997 after she discovered that he was dealing drugs. Her body was found stuffed in a closet after she was strangled, court records show. Barnes has claimed to have killed at least two other people but has never been charged in those cases. Barnes had been in and out of prison since his teenage years, including time served for convictions for grand theft, forgery, burglary and trafficking in stolen property. In the Miller case, state lawyers appointed to represent Barnes filed initial appeals, including one that led to mental competency evaluations. Two doctors found that Barnes had symptoms of personality disorder with “borderline antisocial and sociopathic features.” However, they pronounced him competent to understand his legal situation and plead guilty, and his convictions and death sentence were upheld. After DeSantis signed the inmate’s death warrant in June, a Brevard County judge granted Barnes’ motion to drop all appeals involving mitigating evidence such as his mental condition and said “that he wanted to accept responsibility for his actions and to proceed to execution (his death) without any delay,” court records show. Though unusual, condemned inmates sometimes don’t pursue every legal avenue to avoid execution. The Death Penalty Information Center reports that about 150 such inmates have been put to death since the US Supreme Court reaffirmed the death penalty as constitutional in 1976. The Florida Supreme Court accepted the Brevard County ruling, noting that no other motion seeking a stay of execution for Barnes had been filed in state or federal court. In the Herzog interview, Barnes said he had converted to Islam in prison and wanted to clear his conscience about the Miller case during the holy month of Ramadan. “They say I’m remorseless. I’m not. There are no more questions on this case. And I’m going to be executed,” Barnes said. Read More Grieving families confront Pittsburgh synagogue shooter at death penalty sentencing Singapore executes third prisoner in just 8 days. What explains this fresh wave of death sentences? Robert Bowers killed 11 in a Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. A jury ruled that he deserves death

A wealthy dentist convicted of killing his wife at the end of an African safari is expected to be sent to prison for the rest of his life when he is sentenced in federal court Monday