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031f65e3566d9c0696231482cb2d069888c578ea | Homes owned by a string of celebrities have vanished from Google’s Street View Map following draconian European privacy laws, it emerged yesterday. Mansions owned by Sir Paul McCartney, former Prime Minister Tony Blair and singer Katherine Jenkins are included in those that have disappeared from the controversial online tool. The popular map feature allows users to view homes, buildings and areas along almost every road in the world on a computer screen. Scroll down for video . Now you see it... now you don't: Tony Blair's London home has been blurred out on Google Street View . Normal scene: How the London home belonging to Mr Blair (right), which is protected by police, normally looks . A mansion owned by Sir Paul McCartney are included in those that have vanished from Street View . But following a landmark ruling in a European court in favour of people’s ‘right to be forgotten’, the computer programme has seen dozens of requests from the rich and famous to have their homes removed. The house of former Beatles star McCartney can now not be seen on the 3-Dimensional online map, despite most of the London street that it is on being visible. A click of the mouse to show the west London home of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page also comes up against a blank. Street View users are instead left having to view the distinctive property from a long distance away – blocking out any of the home’s features. Hidden: The Cotswolds mansion owned by pop star Lily Allen (left) is hidden from the public eye of Street View, as is the Surrey home of Katherine Jenkins (right) Privacy: Street View users can only view Katherine Jenkins' mansion from far away - and parts are blurred . The same barrier is in place at the Surrey home of Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins. This is despite it being seen by millions of people when it featured in a series of the BBC One’s Apprentice. The world’s biggest search engine has also blurred out the £5million Georgian townhouse in central London where the former Prime Minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie live. Blair, who has made millions of pounds trading off his image and former office since leaving Downing Street, moved to the property, where he is continually protected by a police guard, in 2004. Caught on camera: A Google street-mapping car used to compile the online map . The Cotswolds mansion owned by pop star Lily Allen and her husband Sam Cooper is also hidden from the public eye of Street View. It comes as the disgraced former Royal Bank of Scotland banker Fred Goodwin’s £3.5million Edinburgh mansion was revealed to have disappeared from the Google application last month. Goodwin, who was stripped of his knighthood, was held up as a figurehead for the bank’s disastrous crash in 2008 and the epitome of capitalist excess in the UK. A Google spokesman confirmed that it has always been possible for users with a ‘compelling case’ to convince them to remove images of their homes. But it has been hit by a huge increase in requests to remove data from its search archives after European judges ruled in favour of citizens’ ‘right to be forgotten’. The legal decision means that companies holding vast quantities of data - such as search engines - can be forced to take down information which is deemed ‘inadequate, irrelevant or excessive’. It also allows people to suppress embarrassing information about their pasts if it is no longer relevant. Services such as Google Street View are thought not be covered by the ruling. Google has already disclosed that it has been asked by MPs, celebrities and public figures to have search results removed. It has employed a team of workers to evaluate each request. As seen on screen: The popular map feature allows users to view homes, buildings and areas along almost every road in the world on a computer screen . Removal: A Google spokesman confirmed that it has always been possible for users with a 'compelling case' to convince them to remove images of their homes . The Mail’s website, MailOnline has also received notification from Google of which links it has decided to remove. They include a story about Dougie McDonald, who was a Scottish top-flight football referee who was found to have lied about his reasons for granting a penalty in a Celtic v Dundee United match; a story about Tesco workers posting stories on social media attacking their workers; and a story about a Muslim man who accused Cathay Pacific, the airline, of refusing to employ him because of his name. The stories have not been removed by MailOnline, which described the move as similar to ‘burning books in a library’. | Online map shows homes and buildings on almost every street in the world .
Lily Allen's Cotswold home and Fred Goodwin's mansion can't be seen .
Google says it has always been possible for those with 'compelling case' to have images of their homes removed .
There has been an increase in requests to remove data from search archives after European 'right to be forgotten' ruling . |
03202696618e9602ef900a9099b1cc8e589b646c | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:46 EST, 7 June 2013 . A bouncer who beat and strangled his girlfriend to death before driving around for two days with her body stashed in the boot of a car has been jailed for life. Aaron Mann, 33, broke Claire O'Connor's jaw and two of her ribs before throttling her in the early hours of January 1 2012, after the couple had returned to the home they shared in Warwickshire following a New Year's Eve party. Mann then dumped mother-of-four Ms O'Connor's body in her Ford Focus and drove it around for two days, before parking it outside his . parents’ home and telling them what he had done. 'Evil killer': Aaron Mann (left), 33, strangled his girlfriend Claire O'Connor (right), 38, to death after a New Year's Eve party then tried to hide her body . The 38-year-old's body was found wrapped in a sleeping bag in the boot of her car on January 2 last year. Mann told a court ‘voices in his head’ told him to kill his lover, and denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. But he was sentenced to life in prison today, after being found guilty of murder yesterday following a week-long trial. Warwick Crown Court heard how he had previously sent his girlfriend chilling death threats; one which read 'You aint going to be around for long', and another that said simply 'I will kill you'. Mann was told he must service a minimum of 16 years in court today. Domestic violence: The body of the mother-of-four was discovered wrapped in a sleeping bag in the boot of her Ford Focus on January 2 last year . His victim's heartbroken parents Graham and Patricia Griffiths said after the sentencing they had been in 'no doubt' that Mann was guilty of the 'savage and brutal murder of our daughter'. 'We would like to thank the jury, who have seen through the lies and deceit of Aaron Mann in his attempt to minimise his responsibility for the brutal murder of our daughter Claire,' the couple said in a statement issued through Warwickshire Police. 'His suggestion that “voices told him to do it”, were in our opinion completely fabricated. 'Claire had decided to split up from Mann, but she was murdered before she had a chance to leave him. 'We . have had to live with the terrible consequence of Mann’s murder of our . daughter, the details of which have been both shocking and graphic. 'At . no stage has Mann shown any remorse whatsoever and his account of how . he murdered Claire is quite the worst thing any parent could possibly . imagine. 'At least we now know . that while he is in prison other parents can know that their daughters . will not be exposed to this evil killer.' Ms O'Connor's son Daniel wrote on Facebook following yesterday's verdict: 'It’s a result but don’t bring her back. Rot in hell!' Scene: Forensic investigators descended on the couple's home in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, in the wake of Ms O'Connor's murder in the early hours of New Year's Day last year . 'Difficult': Bouncer Mann was convicted of murder and told he must serve at least 16 years in prison following a week-long trial . Detective Chief Inspector James Essex, from Warwickshire Police, said the force was pleased with the outcome of the trial. 'This has been a particularly difficult trial for Claire’s family and friends,' he said. 'Unfortunately domestic abuse is largely a hidden crime that all too often takes place behind closed doors. Often no one other than those directly involved, know it is taking place. 'Sadly it is too late for Claire, but I am urging anyone who suffers from domestic abuse, in whatever form, be it physical, psychological, sexual, financial or emotional, to seek help from the police or other support agencies. 'The message to anyone affected by domestic abuse is that you do not have to put up with the abuse and you don’t have to cope on your own. 'There are people who can help, people who can listen and who can provide you with support.' The court heard throughout the trial how Mann was driven to jealousy after seeing Ms O'Connor socialising with other people, and she had told him their relationship was over. Mark Wall QC, prosecuting, said the attack occurred on January 1 after the pair returned from a pub called the Green Bear, near their home in Nuneaton. Mr Wall said: 'They returned home at around 12.30am and Mann killed Claire by applying such force to her neck as to asphyxiate her. 'A pathologist found other injuries as a result of the attack, including a broken jaw and two broken ribs. 'There can be no doubt that what Mann did was a significant attack, which was intended to either kill her or cause her very serious injury.' Mr Wall added that the pair’s relationship 'had not run smooth' and that the previous spring Ms O'Connor had gone to the police to report violence and threats against her by Mann. Giving evidence to the court himself, Mann - who had already admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility - demonstrated how he had gripped her neck and put a pillow over her face. He added: 'The voices told me to finish her off'. Prosecution psychiatrists dismissed Mann’s claims he had an acute psychotic illness - finding he had been perfectly 'rational' and careful in trying to cover his tracks. Mann's medical records - which included frequent visits to doctors and psychiatrists since 2009 - had made no mention of hearing voices. | Aaron Mann, 33, broke Claire O'Connor's jaw and two of her ribs .
Strangled the mother-of-four then hid her body in boot of her Ford Focus .
Mann had denied murder and said 'voices in his head' told him to kill lover .
Sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murder following a trial . |
0320d19bfb6d6b2a7a459d336121f7765cd11df6 | (CNN) -- With Halloween right around the corner, it's about time someone checked to see whether "The Bachelor" is cursed. The ABC dating competition show doesn't have the best track record when it comes to lasting love connections, and the show's latest match, Juan Pablo Galavis and Nikki Ferrell, have reportedly called it quits. This isn't entirely surprising, considering the couple has fought off rumors that they were ill-fated from the start. During his season on "The Bachelor," which aired this year, Galavis was reviled by fans for his apparent lack of sensitivity toward the women competing to be his love interest. By the time he got down to his final two options, Galavis wasn't interested in proposing to either contestant, although he did want to pursue a relationship with Ferrell. One of the big sticking points for fans was Galavis' refusal to say whether he was in love with Ferrell. 'The Bachelor': Six ways Juan Pablo lost this season . The months that followed "The Bachelor's" finale in the spring were filled with rumors of a breakup, and those rumors only became louder when Ferrell and Galavis signed up for season 5 of VH1's "Couple's Therapy." Apparently that therapy didn't stick. Over the weekend, Ferrell is said to have unfollowed Galavis on Twitter and Instagram, while posting a message on her own Instagram feed that many think was aimed at Galavis: . "Isn't it pathetic how we waste so much time on certain people and in the end they prove that they weren't even worth a second of it," the message says. According to People magazine, Ferrell's romance with Galavis is definitely done. "It can't be saved, and they're not even speaking anymore," a source told the magazine. The source added that Galavis was "getting tired of her childish antics and temper tantrums," but it was Ferrell who "decided that she didn't want to keep up the facade anymore." | "The Bachelor's" Juan Pablo Galavis and Nikki Ferrell have reportedly split .
The couple has been plagued by breakup rumors from the start .
Ferrell is said to have unfollowed Galavis on social media over the weekend . |
0320e826d1a852ad9c12b1b97abf7abd0eca4fd0 | The Scouse Brow has been voted the worst female beauty sin, topping a list of crimes that includes foundation tidemarks, spidery eyelashes and caked-on powder. The dark, angular, pencilled-in brow look has been showcased over the years by Liverpool celebrities Coleen Rooney and Alex Curran - but has recently fallen out of favour as girls go for a more natural power brow look like Cara Delevingne's. The survey, which found that over-plucking the brows is almost as offensive as pencilling them in too strong, revealed also that women are harsher judges of each other's looks than they are of men's. WAGS Coleen Rooney and Alex Curran have both fallen victim to the so-called Scouse Brow in the past - a strong, dark, angular pencilled-in brow . The study found that 78 per cent of . women would negatively judge a woman with badly applied make-up, and a . particularly disparaging 22 per cent would even refuse to socialise with . women who happened to be poorly presented. In what is no doubt a blow to . sisterhood, the new survey showed that the fairer sex are . nearly five times more likely to judge a woman by her appearance than a . man. The survey of over . 1,000 women revealed that 78 per cent of women admitted they would look . negatively upon a woman whose make-up was poorly applied. Over . half added that they would view a woman with badly applied make-up as . grubby and lacking in essential presentation skills with one fifth of . women adamant that a woman with bad make-up would not be welcome in . their social circle. The Scouse Brow came top in the list of deadly beauty sins with women saying it was the worst beauty blunder. Other cosmetics crimes included foundation tidemarks on the face, patchy fake tan and concealer on the lips. A particularly disparaging 22 per cent would even refuse to socialise with women who are poorly presented . Overplucked eyebrows, too much mascara and clumped 'spidery' eyelashes also took a lashing as the worst face faux pas . 1. Scouse brow 21.2% . 2. Foundation tidemarks 20.4% . 3. Patchy fake tan 16.4% . 4. Concealer lips 9.3% . 5. Overplucked eyebrows 8.7% . 6. Clumped 'spidery' eyelashes 6.7% . 7. Caked-on powder on face 4.5% . Emma Leslie from Escentual.com who conducted the survey said: 'It's no secret that many women these days like to take an interest in other women's appearances - whether positively or negatively. 'Of course it's never nice when this leans towards the malicious side of the spectrum.' 'A lot of these beauty 'sins' can easily be avoided by paying a little more attention when getting ready, though. 'As for the Scouse Brow coming up trumps in the list of blunders - style icons like Kate Middleton and Cara Delevingne both have bold brows, which have become an intrinsic, much-coveted element of their looks. 'So it seems that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.' | Sins revealed in new survey that detailed seven worst crimes .
Scouse Brow is a dark, angular, pencilled-in brow shape said to be popular with Liverpool girls .
Concealer on lips, over-plucked eyebrows and caked-on powder listed too .
Study found women judge each other more harshly than they judge men . |
032139e45f756ffd5d7acdf6f8621250f0c795f5 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 15:22 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:41 EST, 27 February 2013 . Slip up: Commons Speaker John Bercow (right) mistakenly introduced former England rugby star Ben Cohen (left) at an event as 'openly gay' last night . Weighing 16 stone and standing 6ft 2ins tall, former England rugby star Ben Cohen is not someone you would want to offend. So luckily the happily married father-of-two took it in good spirits when Commons Speaker John Bercow mistakenly introduced him as ‘openly gay’ last night. The MP was introducing the ex-England rugby international to a room full of guests at ParliOut, Parliament’s gay staff network, when he made the slip-up. Mr Bercow was left squirming while the audience burst into laughter and Mr Cohen called out: ‘Don’t tell my wife!’ Since retiring from professional rugby in 2011, Mr Cohen, 34, has dedicated much of his time to tackling the problem of homophobic bullying among young people through his StandUP Foundation. Keen to press home the rugby star’s credentials, Mr Bercow announced: ‘I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Ben Cohen before but I’m delighted to remedy that serious deficit. ‘For those of you who aren’t aware his background is as a rugby international - capped no fewer than 57 times for his country - and he is openly gay and has dedicated himself to fighting for gay rights.’ As the audience roared with laughter Mr Cohen called out: ‘Don’t tell my wife!’ Mr Bercow was left squirming and tried to backtrack. Couple: Ben Cohen and his wife Abigail seen during the International Rugby Board Awards in Australia in 2003 . ‘No he’s not openly gay,’ he said, adding: ‘I am not in favour of outing people against their will and that was an ignorant outing that I apologise to Ben for. I’m not sure how I’m going to be getting back from this faux pas!’ The MP later told reporters: ‘That was embarrassing - but he took it in good humour.’ Mr Cohen - who has five-year-old twin daughters, Harriett and Isabelle, with his wife Abigail - was obviously not fazed by Mr Bercow’s blunder. Writing on his Facebook page afterwards, he said it was a ‘great honour’ to speak to the group and even posted a picture of himself with Mr Bercow at the meeting. Former star: Ben Cohen (left), the England wing is ankle tapped by Akvsenti Giorgadze (right) of Georgia during a Rugby World Cup match in October 2003 in Australia . But not everyone was so forgiving, with . followers speculating that Mr Bercow may have mistaken the rugby star . with Benjamin Cohen, the openly gay founder of Pink News. 'For those of you who aren’t aware his background is as a rugby international - capped no fewer than 57 times for his country - and he is openly gay and has dedicated himself to fighting for gay rights' Commons Speaker John Bercow's slip-up . One follower posted: ‘Bit of a faux pas . of Bercow to out you as being “openly gay”, the silly old tart could . have been more precise between Ben and Benjamin Cohen! Hope the missus . gets the right man back home!’ Perhaps Mr Bercow was not the first to . have made the mistake. Mr Cohen is considered a gay icon, has posed for . the cover of gay magazines and in 2008 was named Gay Times’s sports . personality of the year. Talking of his gay following in 2011 he said: ‘To be honest with you it’s something that’s been going on for about five or six years. I don’t really see myself as a gay icon, but I realise I have this huge following and it’s growing every day.’ Couple: House of Commons Speaker John Bercow and his wife Sally Bercow pictured in April 2011. Lord McAlpine is seeking £50,000 in damages from Mrs Bercow over comments she made about him on Twitter . Welsh international Gareth Thomas was the first top-flight rugby player to openly come out as gay in 2009. He recently said he feared few others would follow suit without a drastic change in the attitude of supporters. Meanwhile, Mr Bercow's wife Sally is facing action from Lord McAlpine, who was wrongly accused of being a paedophile. He is seeking £50,000 in damages over comments she made about him on Twitter. She tweeted: ‘Why is Lord McAlpine trending? *innocent face*’, after a botched Newsnight probe claimed an anonymous Conservative figure had sexually abused boys at a Welsh care home. But Mrs Bercow, a Labour supporter, has claimed Lord McAlpine’s lawyers were ‘ambulance chasers’ and ‘big bullies’, and added that the case was ‘totally politically motivated’. | MP was introducing the rugby player at Parliament’s gay staff network .
After Bercow's slip-up last night, Cohen called out 'Don't tell my wife!'
Since retiring Cohen has dedicated time to tackling homophobic bullying . |
0322db4f70a88b4af103b7c1ac145fc6a81eb2fd | (CNN) -- If the past 25 years are anything to go by, Germany has proven its firm position as the world's economic powerhouse. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the county thrust forward, developing a world-class car manufacturing industry and a network of small-to-medium size businesses which represent the backbone of the country's economy. It has weathered tough times too, famously branded the "sick man of Europe" by The Economist magazine in 2004. However, today the country ranks as the world's fourth largest economy, with one of the lowest unemployment rates, and one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Click through the slides of CNN's infographic above to see Germany by numbers, from average hours worked per year, to the percentage of Internet users in the country. Read more: Germany: 25 years later and no looking back . Send us your pictures: CNN iReport wants to know your favorite thing about Berlin . | Click though the slides to see Germany by numbers . |
0323548133707cd1fc2c1b6e1b7cfc7aa51a0266 | (Mental Floss) -- Just hearing the word "champagne" conjures up images of sparkling wine, popping corks, and wild celebrations. But mentioning that other Champagne -- as in the northeastern region of France -- evokes a much more complex bouquet. Filled with wars, political clashes, and controversy, the bubbly region and its eponymous drink have produced a rich history worth toasting to. Divine Origins . Today, the region synonymous with sparkling wine is crowded with vineyards -- but that wasn't always the case. In fact, during the 17th century, France's Champagne district was known primarily for its high-quality wool. Then a Benedictine monk named Dom Perignon came along and changed everything. At the age of 29, Perignon was appointed business manager of Champagne's Abbey at Hautvillers. Realizing that the financial health and reputation of the monastery was tied to its vineyards, the Dom set to work resurrecting the beaten-down vines and reconstructing the cellar. In almost no time, the Hautvillers vineyard was up and running. Nowadays, many people credit Dom Perignon with inventing champagne by forcing bubbles into sweet wine. That's a myth, though. In Dom Perignon's day, bubbles were considered a serious wine flaw, and the good monk actually went to considerable lengths to eliminate them during his 47 years as cellar-master. And while he never succeeded on that front, he did succeed in making bubbly wine a whole lot better. For starters, he was the first winemaker in Champagne to use corks, which kept the carbon dioxide from escaping, thus creating the bubbles. He also used a process of gently pressing his grapes, so that it eliminated the dark color that came from the skins -- producing a clearer, less murky wine. He even blended his grapes to make a light white wine, which suited the effervescence far better than the heavy red. Legend has it that upon first tasting his vastly improved beverage, the Dom exclaimed, "Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!" Loyal Royals . Dom Perignon brought such nobility and renown to Champagne's sparkling wines that they soon became the preferred libation of royalty -- namely, France's Sun King, Louis XIV. For much of his life, Louis XIV drank champagne almost exclusively -- a habit that made one province very wealthy and another very jealous. Burgundy, to the south, felt the Sun King was giving their fine red wines the shaft. They soon engaged Champagne in a war of words carried out via inflammatory pamphlets and public seminars deriding their wine. The feud was no small affair. In fact, it lasted for more than 130 years, and many times, the two regions seemed to teeter on the brink of a civil war. Of course, the Champenois learned to embrace the long-detested bubbles along the way, and it didn't hurt that doctors began claiming the bubbles cured malaria (a proclamation that caught the attention of everyone with a moat). Louis the Great was hardly the last emperor to take a liking to the region, however. At age 9, Napoleon Bonaparte was sent to study at the Brienne military academy in Champagne, where he developed an early interest in the local brew. In fact, before each of his military campaigns, the self-appointed emperor made a point of passing through Champagne to obtain a supply of bubbly from his good friend Jean-Rémy Moët. After all, Napoleon once claimed of champagne, "In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it." One can only assume that post-Waterloo was a time of need. Sadly, in the ensuing years, Champagne's ties to royalty did more harm than good. In 1870, Bonaparte's nephew, Napoleon III, declared war on Prussia, and by the time Prussian troops overran Alsace and Lorraine, the only thing standing between them and Paris was a patch of land called Champagne. The Franco-Prussian War was one of the bloodiest of the 19th century, and many of the deaths, according to one observer, occurred in fields "strewn with fragments of glass from champagne bottles." Within a short time, Prussia had won the war, and France was left nearly bankrupt. It was about that time that Louise Pommery decided to introduce a radical new idea to the world: dry champagne. Brut, as it became known, was more expensive and more difficult to make because it required more fully ripened grapes. But the extra effort paid dividends. The world loved brut, and within three years, France's economy was back on track. Along with the cabaret, the cinema, and the cancan, champagne played a large role in the Belle Époque -- the nation's greatest era of peace and prosperity. It's no wonder, then, that the sparkling beverage quickly became a fixed part of France's national character. Trick or Treaty? In order to cement the Champenois' hard-earned contributions to world culture, France forced some specific language into the 1891 Treaty of Madrid. It stated that sparkling wine could only be named champagne if it was produced in Champagne and made with grapes originating there. As happy as this made the Champenois, it also created a confusing problem. Champagne itself didn't have defined borders; thus, when the French government formally declared in 1908 that only those vineyards in the Marne and Aisne districts had the right to call themselves "Champagne," well, it caused quite a ruckus in the neighboring Aube region. (This would be roughly the same thing as Major League Baseball suddenly declaring the Toronto Blue Jays a minor league franchise because it isn't really located in the United States even though they've won the World Series.) What happened next was predictable: protests, riots and 6 million bottles of good champagne destroyed. Of course, the incident was nothing compared to the devastation, confusion, and sheer terror Champagne experienced during World War I. The German toll on the area was horrific. In fact, the destruction of buildings like the Rheims Cathedral (a building that had seen the coronation of many a French monarch, celebrated with many bottles of -- what else? -- champagne) was so dramatic that among the many stipulations of the post-war Treaty of Versailles was a further, more forceful clarification of the 1891 proclamation that only the Champenois could legally produce a sparkling wine called champagne. That seemingly minor concession in the Treaty of Versailles has become the linchpin of the business in France. The fact that no other nation (nor any other region of France, for that matter) can legally produce champagne gives long-established houses like Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, and Krug a huge advantage when it comes to sales. Sure, other places produce sparkling wine, but in Italy it's called spumante, in Spain it's called cava, and in Alsace, crémant. Interestingly, American sparkling wine producers have been able to get away with printing the word "champagne" on their labels, but only because they've sneakily skirted the system. Even though President Woodrow Wilson signed the Treaty of Versailles, the U.S. Senate never ratified it; therefore, American winemakers are technically not subject to the strict standards of the treaty. (Which is why Korbel sells a bottle of "California Champagne" for less than $15.) Champenois of the World . Today, the champagne business in Champagne is as strong as ever. In fact, things are going so well that some insiders worry that the only place for the region's industry to go is down. They warn that small producers are introducing new brands too quickly, and that they might be at risk of overcrowding the market. Of course, the biggest problem seems to be growth. Because Champagne has a finite geographical size, it can only hold so many vineyards, and right now, the region is at its capacity. Not to worry. Even though the Champenois make a wine for the best of times, they've had more than their share of the worst of times. And somehow, that special homemade bubbly always seems to carry them through. For more mental_floss articles, visit mental_floss. © Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. E-mail to a friend . For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. | France's Champagne district known for its wool in 17th century .
Dom Perignon was first Champagne winemaker to use corks .
France's Louis XIV drank champagne almost exclusively .
Treaty of Versailles: Only Champagne can call sparkling wine champagne . |
03236d3e7d67f9600b6fda69f218367c2f88c2cf | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:17 EST, 2 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:22 EST, 2 November 2012 . Superbowl Champ Warren Sapp has sold his palatial home in Windermere Florida for $2.1 million to a fitness celebrity who made her fortune with workout videos. Brenda Dykgraaf was the high bidder at the Thursday’s auction of Sapp’s estate, according to Fisher Auction. ‘[It was] strictly a real estate deal,’ Dykgraaf told reporters. ‘I live in Wesley Snipes’ old home right next to where Tiger Woods used to live so it doesn’t really matter to me.’ Scroll down for video . Lucky winner: Dykgraaf made her fortune selling fitness programs and exercise machines on the Home Shopping Network . Busted: Sapp lost most of his money in an investment to build low-income housing before the real estate market crashed . No stranger to profiting from the poor business acumen of celebrities, Dykgraaf bought Snipe’s house just before he went to federal prison for tax evasion. Dykgraaf said she wouldn’t live in the house but might use Sapp’s celebrity to market it. Dygraaf, 51, is the star of several home exercise videos including Disco Workout and Whole Body Workout and has sold fitness equipment for the Home Shopping Network including the AirClimber and Ab Roller Plus. Luxury home: Sapp's 10,000 square foot estate was built for appromixmately $7 million just seven years ago but only sold for $2.1 million this week . Built in 2005 for $7 million, the 10,000 square foot Tuscan style home is filled with luxuries. There are four large bedrooms, a wine cellar, a private movie theater, and a custom resort-style swimming pool complete with waterside and lazy river. Deluxe: Sapp's mansion featured a private movie theater, four bedrooms, and wine cellar . The lanai boasts built with rock and brickwork. The yard features 500 feet of combined frontage, with a dock, on Lake Butler with an array upgrades and extras. Caption: Sapp¿s custom resort-style pool came complete with a waterslide and lazy river . Dykgraaf was one of five registered bidders who eposited $300,000 in cash each for the chance to bid for Sapp’s home with the initial asking price set at $1.6 million. Sapp¿s home is rumored to still house a pair of Mohammed Ali¿s boxing gloves and more than 200 pairs of Nike Air Jordan¿s the former NFL star collected . The auction lasted only 15 minutes before Dykgraaf’s bid wasn’t matched. ‘You always hope for more bidders,’ said Lamar Fisher, owner of the Pompeo Beach auction company. A deal: Dykgraaf said she wouldn¿t live in the house but had purchased it strictly as a real estate deal . Sapp, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers stay who played in the National Football League for 13 seasons told the Tampa Tribune that he had to file for bankruptcy to avoid jail time. Last resort: Sapp said he wouldn¿t have declared bankruptcy or sold the beautiful Tuscon home if there was another way to stay out of prison . ‘Do you think I wanted to declare bankruptcy?’ he said to reporters. ‘Do you think, if there was any other way possible, I would have done it? It was either this or go to jail.’ Great outdoors: Sapp's yard features 500 feet of combined frontage leading to a boat house and dock . Sapp lost much of his money in a plan to build a low-income housing project in Fort Pierce, but the market dropped out after he invested in the deal leading to his NFL wages being garnished for 11 months as his bills went unpaid. | NFL star had to sell his luxury mansion after filing for bankruptcy .
Fitness guru Dygraaf bought the house but does not plan on living in it .
Mansion has a cinema and swimming pool with a water slide . |
03237ae5525cb42763d295e47cf30f946c6f65da | The Beverly Hills mansion that featured in The Godfather and The Bodyguard, and provided a romantic retreat for John F Kennedy and his new bride Jackie on their honeymoon, is being listed for $135 million. The historic mansion, set on six acres of land close to Sunset Boulevard, has had only four owners since it was built in the 1920s, but countless A-list celebrities, royalty and high-profile figures have been guests there. From the honeymooning Kennedys, to parties for Rihanna and Prince Albert of Monaco, the legendary Beverly House had become nearly as famous as those who have graced its rooms. Scroll down for video . Starring role: Beverly House has appeared in several films, including The Godfather and The Bodyguard . Romantic retreat: The lavish estate was used by the Kennedys on their honeymoon . The sprawling estate, which includes a 50,000sq ft house, cascading waterfalls leading to a swimming pool, and a two-story library, is a mix of period features and luxurious flourishes. A spa, 22ft tall hand-painted arched ceiling, billiards room complete with a carved fireplace from Hearst Castle in California, and parquet flooring are just some of the features in the 30-bedroom, 40-bathroom estate. Current owner Leonard Ross, who bought the mansion in 1976 when he was just 31, said it takes two hours to show prospective buyers around. He paid $2 million for the house, but told ABC News that despite its current $135 million price tag the property was an 'investment that could only go up in value'. He admitted that when he bought the property it was 'much larger than I needed'. New chapter: The two-story library comes with an open fireplace, wood paneling and carved ceiling . Original features: The parquet floor and stone fireplace in the billiards room were installed when the house was built in the 1920s . The iconic home, made famous by the horse head scene in The Godfather, is being listed by Hilton Hyland, who describe it as a 'perfect combination of Italian and Spanish style'. The property has an outside terrace that can seat 400 for dinner, an art deco nightclub, tennis courts, gym and array of guest cottages and accommodation for staff. Built out of . terracotta stucco, the H-shaped residence combines Spanish and Italian . style. It has intricately carved ceilings and paneled walls, French . doors, balconies, arched ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, which . overlook the pool and Venetian columns . beyond the pool house. Alongside financier Ross, previous owners included newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who was given the house as a gift by actress Marion Davies, and banking executive Milton Getz, who commissioned Hoover Dam architect Gordon Kaufmann to build the home. Star billing: The $135 million estate appeared in The Bodyguard, above, as the home of the character played by Whitney Houston . Dream home: It may have appeared in one of the nightmarish scenes from The Godfather, but Beverly House would be a fantasy for many people . Honeymoon: Jackie and John F Kennedy stayed at the luxury estate after their wedding in Newport . Room with a view: Huge windows overlooking the gardens and a door opening on to a terrace are found in the dining room . Historic: The home was built in 1925 by architect Gordon Kaufman, who is best known for his work on the Hoover Dam . Stylish: The H-shaped home has a flair of Spanish and Italian design . Party place: A nightclub, pool and terrace that can seat 400 people make Beverly House perfect for entertaining . | Beverly House is a 30-bedroom property just a few blocks from Sunset Boulevard .
The sprawling estate, built in the 1920s, appears in several films including The Bodyguard .
The Kennedys, Rihanna and the Prince of Monaco are among the property's famous guests . |
03243e4e9126816dfff2326476bd68b4cbf02d24 | Shamed former News of the World editor Andy Coulson was spotted leaving his home early this morning following his early release from jail yesterday. The ex-Tory communications chief was let out of Hollesley Bay, an open prison in Suffolk, less than five months into an 18-month prison sentence for phone hacking. He was seen driving his car bright and early this morning as he left his home in Kent, wearing a black coat and blue T-shirt. Coulson was seen walking his dog later this morning as he carried a stack of the national morning papers . Andy Coulson was earlier seen leaving his home in Kent this morning after being released from prison yesterday . A man and woman in a white van arrived at his home yesterday to fit him with an electronic tag, which he must wear as a condition of his early release. If Coulson fails to stay within the set vicinity of the monitoring device outside curfew hours then police will be alerted and he could be returned to prison. He was jailed on July 4 after being found guilty of conspiring to intercept voicemails at the now-defunct Sunday tabloid following an eight-month trial at the Old Bailey. The Ministry of Justice declined to comment on an individual prisoner but said inmates can be released under home detention arrangements before they have served half of their term. The ex-Tory communications chief wore jeans, a blue T-shirt and a black coat as he took a morning stroll . Today is Coulson's first full day of freedom after he was released from early from prison yesterday morning . A spokesman said: 'Public protection is our first priority. Only prisoners who pass a strict risk assessment can be released on home detention curfew (HDC). 'Offenders on HDC are subject to strict licence conditions and can be recalled to prison if they breach them.' Prisoners can be considered for HDC if they are serving a sentence of more than three months and less than four years and have served a quarter of their sentence. During his trial, a senior judge at the Old Bailey said that he had to take a 'major share of the blame' for the phone hacking at the News of the World, in which the voicemails of thousands of people were unlawfully accessed. A woman arrives at Coulson's home carrying a box labelled 'Special HMU' - containing the electronic tag he must now wear as a a condition of his early release . HMU: Home Monitoring Unit is unloaded from the back of a van by a man and woman at Mr Coulson's home . The victims included celebrities, politicians, the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and members of the royal family. When the defendant returns home from court or prison a supplier will attend the curfew address to install the monitoring equipment during curfew hours. They will fit a transmitter device, the tag, to the defendant - around their ankle. The supplier will also install a receiver device, the monitoring unit, in a suitable location in the property. The tag sends radio signals to the monitoring unit at frequent intervals, typically once every 30 seconds or so. The two devices are calibrated so that if the defendant leaves the curfew address the signal from the tag no longer reaches the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit stores the signals from the tag and transmits them to a monitoring centre staffed by the supplier’s employees. Source: Home Office guidance . Coulson, 46, initially spent two months in Category A Belmarsh prison, in south London, alongside terrorists and other dangerous inmates – longer than is usual for a crime such as hacking. He was then moved to Hollesley Bay, a minimum security jail in Suffolk. The 421-inmate Category D prison which is spread over 85 acres is often nicknamed Holiday Bay because of its sea views and easy-going regime. Coulson was housed in a cell in the prison's Hoxon induction unit which is also where shamed Tory Lord Jeffrey Archer served his sentence for perjury and perverting the course of justice following a News of the World sting. Other inmates said Coulson had been given a job in the prison as an education orderly which involved being a classroom assistant, helping to educate prisoners. Millionaire author Archer who was released in 2003 worked in the prison library. Many of the prisoners have jobs outside the prison in places like factories and charity shops, but it is believed that Coulson was considered too high-profile to work in the local community . There was a mixed response from prisoners about how well regarded Coulson was at the jail. Coulson appeared outside his home in Kent yesterday afternoon clutching a large bouquet of flowers . Coulson was picked up from Hollesley Bay open prison in Suffolk - five months into an 18-month sentence . One inmate said: 'Most prisoners just ignored him. What his newspaper did, hacking the phones of dead people, was bang out of order. There are plenty of criminals here, but we have some morals.' Another prisoner said: 'He was a fantastic chap who was always friendly and had the time to talk to anyone. He had a job in the classroom and he helped a lot of people. 'He had what was considered as quite a nice job in the prison. But it suited his skills. He was certainly was not given any special treatment. 'Apart from working, he volunteered as a mentor, helping individual prisoners to learn how to read and write. It was a pleasure to do time with him. 'He kept quite active and took part in a variety of sports including badminton. I wish him all the best for the future.' Coulson's sentence has been calculated under a complicated set of rules known as the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. The 46-year-old left Hollesley Bay, an open prison in Suffolk, yesterday and must now wear an electrnoic tag . This allows non-violent inmates sentenced to 18 months or more to spend the last 135 days or less at home, wearing a tag. In Coulson's case, his 18-month sentence was halved – as happens in all bar the most serious cases - then had the further reduction made under HDC rules. However, his ordeal will not be at an end when he leaves open prison. In August, prosecutors in Scotland announced he faces a series of perjury charges over the Tommy Sheridan trial. Coulson is alleged to have lied while giving evidence at the trial in December 2010. He is accused of knowing there was a culture of phone hacking at the News of the World while he was editor but denying it while on oath. Following his conviction in July, the Prime Minister apologised for hiring Coulson as a Tory spin doctor and, later, the communications chief at Number Ten. David Cameron said it was 'the wrong decision'. The former editor and his wife, Eloise Patrick, outside London's Old Bailey in June before he was convicted . | Andy Coulson jailed in July after conviction for conspiracy to hack phones .
Sentence followed costly eight month trial at the Old Bailey in London .
Ex-Tory communications chief left Hollesley Bay jail in Suffolk yesterday .
He was spotted in his car leaving his home in Kent early this morning .
One inmate said: 'Most ignored him. What papers did was out of order'
But another called him 'fantastic chap' for his work teaching other inmates .
He must wear electronic tag and have curfew as condition of early release . |
032449c915acc507cabf1e0a2ea64bf88397f332 | By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 04:37 EST, 22 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:49 EST, 22 September 2013 . Scared: Tulisa Contostavlos, pictured here at the Academy Awards, called police after men were spotted outside her house . English Defence League boss Tommy Robinson was questioned by police after he was spotted outside the home of Tulisa Contostavlos with a cameraman. Mr Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - was confronted by police officers and had his car searched after the former X Factor judge dialled 999. Friends of the star have said she feels 'victimised' by their activities and is still too scared to return to the £6million Hertfordshire home. However the men, who claim they were filming a documentary, were not arrested, and police decided that no crimes had occurred, the Sunday People reported. Mr Robinson had used her house as the backdrop for a video six days earlier in a video asking viewers for money. At the end of the video, he jokingly adds that the money could let the EDL 'buy a house like this', before walking towards it as if to go inside. The former N-Dubz member reportedly . tried to ignore the activity but eventually felt compelled to call the . police once she spotted the men outside her gated home late at night. A friend of Miss Constostavlos said: 'She's really shaken up - she has no idea why the EDL targeted her. 'She's absolutely not a supporter of the EDL, but she's never said anything publicly about them, so feels pretty victimised.' Four police cars and a dog unit were called to the house on September 11, while Miss Consostavlos's PA Gareth Varey confronted the men. A Hertfordshire Police spokesman confirmed that they had been called to the incident. He said: 'We were called at 10.23pm to reports of suspicious behaviour of two men in a vehicle outside a property. Scroll down for video . Filming: A video uploaded to YouTube shows EDL leader Stephen Lennon gesturing towards the star's house . Spotted: At the end of the video he walks towards the gated house as if to go inside . 'Both men were spoken to. As a precaution, we also searched the area. We were satisfied no crimes had occurred.' Mr Robinson, who tweeted pictures of the officers questioning him and searching his car, later said: 'It was just me and a camera guy who is making a documentary.' He then said that Mr Varey had 'started piping up cos we was [sic] making a 3 min vid in a lay by outside'. After the news emerged this morning, Mr Robinson tweeted 'Worst idea I've ever had!' Online: EDL Leader Stephen Lennon sent this tweet after police questioned him outside Miss Contostavlos's house . Some of the video the two men made outside the star's house had been uploaded to Youtube, and shows the EDL leader begging viewers for donations to pay legal fees. Mr Robinson tells his audience that he desperately needs money to pay a legal bill he said he had already run up trying to challenge police restrictions on one of the EDL's controversial marches. In a bizarre sign-off at the end of the video, Robinson addressed the camera and jokes: 'Please give us some money - so we can by a house like this.' He then adds: 'Who lives in a house like this?' before walking towards it as if to go inside. Miss Contostavlos, who is currently on bail on suspicion of dealing drugs, is said to be staying in north London, in a flat she previously shared with Mr Varey, until she feels safe enough to return to her Hertfordshire home. | Former X Factor judge called police after men seen filming outside her house .
English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson was questioned by police along with cameraman .
Officers concluded no crimes had taken place - but Tulisa still too shaken to move back . |
032525b310cac7d9a4501f68b5cd43d9c8a6ecb3 | Chelsea Clinton’s much-hyped debut as an NBC reporter last night was today slammed as 'monochromatic', 'nervous' and showing 'no charisma'. The 31-year-old former first daughter chatted with Rock Center host Brian Williams on the NBC sofa and did a segment on a non-profit organisation. Some reviewers gave her the benefit of the doubt for first-night nerves but one suggested she could be ‘one of the most boring people of her era’. Scroll down for video . Boring: Chelsea Clinton's much-hyped debut as an NBC reporter last month was slammed as 'monochromatic', 'nervous' and showing 'no charisma' Presenter: Her report was a feel-good piece from the Topps Center in the poverty-stricken Pine Bluff in Jefferson County, Arkansas . Dressed in a plain claret dress for . the studio part, she was decidedly low key as she talked about the . non-profit story and how she came to NBC. She said: 'For most of my life, I did deliberately lead a private life and inadvertently led a public life.' She credited her late grandmother, . Dorothy Rodham, for convincing her to come out of the shadows and into . the spotlight, reported Politico. Miss Clinton said: 'She recently had . been cajoling me and challenging me to do more with my life, to lead a . more of purposely public life. 'Clinton... seems like a very nice young woman. She is obviously bright, although we already suspected she was that as well. Otherwise, there was nothing else that necessarily dismissed charges (mostly by TV critics, although they were not alone) that she got this job because of that name'(Verne Gay, Newsday) 'The former first daughter appeared poised and well-prepared, though a bit nervous'(Caitlin McDevitt, Politico) 'Chelsea doesn’t "pop" off the screen, to use an industry term - her demeanour is reserved, she doesn’t project her voice like a broadcaster. Not that most viewers probably cared'(Howard Kurtz, Daily Beast) 'What was surprising to see on Monday night’s show is how someone can be on TV in such a prominent way and, in her big moment, display so very little charisma - none at all. Either we’re spoiled by TV’s unlimited population of giant personalities or this woman is one of the most boring people of her era'(Hank Stuever, Washington Post) Chat: Miss Clinton was filmed making cornbread and interviewing founder Annette Dove, left, about the 500 children and young adults they serve . Interviews: Sources say Chelsea's debut didn't go off as well as expected and she may not resign again . ‘(She said) that being Chelsea Clinton . had happened to me and that I had a responsibility to do something with . that asset and opportunity.' 'For most of my life, I did deliberately lead a private life and inadvertently led a public life' Chelsea Clinton . Her report was a feel-good piece from the Topps Center in the poverty-stricken Pine Bluff in Jefferson County, Arkansas. Miss Clinton was filmed making . cornbread and interviewing founder Annette Dove about the 500 children . and young adults they serve. The report was part of the network's . Making a Difference series. While her debut went smoothly it wasn't met . with enthusiasm by many. First show: Brian Williams interviewed Chelsea Clinton on Monday night's Rock Center as she made her debut as an NBC 'special correspondent' Mixed reception: Some reviewers gave her the benefit of the doubt for first-night nerves but one suggested she is 'one of the most boring people of her era' Hank Stuever, writing for the Washington Post, said she displayed 'so very little charisma - none at all.' 'Either . we’re spoiled by TV’s unlimited population of giant personalities or . this woman is one of the most boring people of her era' Hank Stuever . He wrote: 'Either we’re spoiled by . TV’s unlimited population of giant personalities or this woman is one of . the most boring people of her era.' He notes that after degrees . from Stanford, Oxford and Columbia, she is now doing feel-good . journalism - ‘one of the easiest tasks on the planet’. Meanwhile . Howard Kurtz of the Daily Beast said she had a 'reserved demeanour' and . did not 'project her voice like a broadcaster'. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Former first daughter did piece on Arkansas non-profit .
Also chatted with Rock Center host Brian Williams .
Reviews were mixed but said she was rather bland . |
03271d0b261b226c85be8efc5b8dd213af7d340f | (CNN) -- A cruise ship resumed its voyage to Cozumel, Mexico, on Tuesday after the Coast Guard released it from the search for a 50-year-old woman believed to have fallen overboard late Monday. Passengers on the Carnival cruise ship Holiday were told that the missing person had not been found. The Coast Guard identified the woman as Michelle Vilborg of Bay Minette, Alabama. Two Coast Guard ships, two planes and a helicopter had been searching an area of more than 1,200 square miles about 75 miles south-southwest of Pensacola, Florida. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman told CNN the search began after a crew member heard a loud splash near the vessel late Monday. The Holiday, which sailed from Mobile, Alabama, stopped and passengers were told to return to their cabins for a head count, a passenger said. On Tuesday, a note from the ship's captain, Carmelo Marino, was slipped under the doors of passenger cabins, briefing them on the situation. After circling in Gulf waters Tuesday, the Holiday was released by the Coast Guard about noon. The Coast Guard continued searching for the missing woman. Vilborg is believed to have fallen about 10:30 p.m. Monday, and boats were launched from the cruise ship to search nearby waters. The Coast Guard said it joined the search around 11 p.m. In a separate incident Monday, rescuers found a passenger who had fallen off another Carnival cruise ship. The man had climbed a railing for a better a view of the scenery and slipped into the water near Tampa, Florida, the Coast Guard said. The passenger was found clinging to a sea buoy and was taken to a hospital with cuts on his arms. CNN's Ed Payne and Samuel Gardner contributed to this report. | Authorities suspect passenger fell overboard from Carnival ship Holiday .
Ship in Gulf of Mexico on way from Mobile, Alabama, to Cozumel, Mexico .
Missing 50-year-old Alabama woman still not found .
In separate incident, man rescued after falling off another Carnival ship . |
0327547e92f80e13b71e285958620592f287e98f | BOCA RATON, Florida (CNN) -- Edgar and Nina Otto say they had no idea how their four-legged clone would react to them. But last week, after waiting several months, the yellow Labrador puppy bounded off an airplane at Miami International Airport, right into their arms. Lancelot Encore is his name, or Lancy for short. Nina and Edgar Otto say their cloned puppy crosses his paws like the original dog did. The puppy Lancy looks and acts just like Lancelot, their first Lab, who died a year ago, say the Ottos. That's not surprising, because Lancy is Lancelot's clone. "We just got him because we wanted to have Lancelot more than just the 11½ years," Nina Otto said. The Ottos submitted the winning bid of $155,000 at an auction with a San Francisco biotech company that had Lancelot cloned in South Korea. Watch Lancy at home with the Ottos » . "Did I ever think that I was going to spend $150K on a dog? No," Edgar Otto said, adding, "This is a really sweet dog, and ... we're very happy that we did it." Edgar Otto is the son of Edward Otto, a co-founder of NASCAR. So money was really not an issue for this family. They got the idea five years ago and had a sample of Lancelot's DNA extracted and banked when they heard that cloning was possible. So far, the Ottos say Lancy is eerily similar to Lancelot. They say Lancy walks just like Lancelot and crosses his paws like him, too. "I only was hoping to get the essence of Lancelot back," Nina said. "I know I've gotten that. Anything else is icing on the cake." But is it the same dog? "It's as close as you can get," Edgar said. The Ottos have nine other dogs, as well as cats, birds and sheep, all living on a spectacular 12-acre spread in Boca Raton, Florida. "This dog was immediately accepted by the nine dogs," Edgar Otto said. "There was no baring of teeth, not ever a single growl. So, the pack accepted him." Four customers who also placed winning bids in an auction by BioArts International will have their dogs cloned, and those pets will be delivered in the coming months. BioArts is collaborating with South Korea's Sooam Biotech Research Foundation to produce the dog clones. Cloning dogs is considered difficult because of their complicated reproductive physiology, but the procedure has been perfected in South Korea, according to industry experts. In Lancy's case, his DNA was placed inside an egg from a South Korean dog and implanted in an Irish setter in South Korea. About two months later, 1.3-pound Lancy was born in a single litter birth. BioArts says it's an expensive process and the company is still analyzing whether pet cloning can be a viable, profitable business. "I would love to see more families be able to have this experience," said Lou Hawthorne, the BioArts CEO. "But due to the complexity and cost of the process, availability is going to be limited for the foreseeable future," he said. Lancy is a robust 17-pounder today, and quite healthy according to the Ottos. He romps around their yard like any puppy would. But, the Ottos say, he's taken a particular fondness to a bush planted at the spot where his original, Lancelot, died last year. "This is the only guy that's gone to that bush, and he started burrowing in the bush," Edgar Otto said. "I don't know what to make of that, but we have nine dogs and let them play everyday out here, and this guy just hung out there," he said. But this story is not without its critics. The Ottos can do whatever they want with their money, but "a shelter dog just lost out on a great chance of having a home," said Cherie Wachter of the Humane Society of Broward County, Florida. Each year, the Humane Society euthanizes 3 million to 4 million pets in the United States. "I think, until the day comes when animal shelters across this country have empty cages all the time ... maybe then think about cloning," Wachter said. But the Ottos have a whole zoo full of pets and have donated more than $300,000 to their local Humane Society. "The only reason I don't go to the Humane Society is because I would bring every one of them home," Nina Otto said. But this process appears to open up a whole new horizon for pet lovers with money in the bank. Edgar Otto says he's a futurist. "Think about this," he said philosophically. "You could have your favorite dog with you your entire life. I don't think that's too far-fetched." | Edgar and Nina Otto paid $150,000 to clone their late dog using stored DNA .
Californian and South Korean companies collaborate on the cloning .
Cloned puppy eerily walks like original and crosses paws like him .
Couple owns nine other dogs as well as cats, birds, and sheep . |
0329340bcd2d251d74fa687f5a6eb0f2501b3f0b | Myth? Contemporary biographers have turned Lewis Carroll (pictured in later life) into a social misfit with an unhealthy interest in little girls . Lewis Carroll has been cast by many modern biographers as a social misfit with an unhealthy interest in little girls that led him to take hundreds of nude photographs of them. But a leading authority on the author has now claimed this is a ‘myth’ created by spurious and sloppy research. Edward Wakeling has criticised biographers who have given the author of two of literature’s greatest children’s classics - Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass - a disturbing modern reputation. Previously-unpublished letters and reminiscences of those who knew him are among thousands of documents which Mr Wakeling has collected over four decades. They offer evidence that Carroll was in fact a sociable man who enjoyed adult company as much as children’s, he said, adding: ‘It’s both. You can’t just say it’s one and not the other.’ From an opus of some 3,000 photographs, Mr Wakeling has calculated that nude photographs of children represent ‘no more than 1 per cent of Carroll’s output’. While Katie Roiphe wrote a novel portraying Carroll as holding sexual feelings towards his muse, biographer Morton N Cohen observed that it would be ‘naïve’ to suggest that Carroll’s interest in children was ‘strictly artistic’. But Mr Wakeling points to unpublished material, including reminiscences of Mabel Amy Burton, who was eight when she met Carroll in 1877. She recalled: ‘As a small child I much disliked strangers, but the personality of this gentleman attracted me and I chatted away with him quite freely.’ Young girl: Alice Liddell (pictured) was photographed many times by Carroll. Pictured above in 1858, she was the daughter of family friend Henry George Liddell and the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland . On news of his death, she wrote of the ‘irreparable loss in the hearts of many who had been his child-friends’. Mr Wakeling says: ‘It is about time we cleared up, once and for all, the pervading false myth about [Carroll’s] unhealthy relationship with children. He was a lover of children but he was not an abuser of children.’ He added: ‘There must be 30 or 40 biographies since his nephew wrote the first one in 1898. ‘People who decide to write about Carroll realise that they’re not going to get their book published unless they can find a new angle. ‘Quite a few of them have scratched their head and come up with something outrageous and controversial like Lewis Carroll was Jack the Ripper, that he didn’t write Alice - Queen Victoria did - that he was having a sexual affair with Alice’s mother, and a lot more nonsense… . ‘Then there are biographers who really don’t do their homework. They read a few other biographies, regurgitate them, add a few bits of speculation - and that’s it.’ Also pictured by Carroll: Gertrude Chataway, photographed (above) in 1876, was one of the author's closest friends. The girl inspired his nonsense poem The Hunting of the Snark . Then, he suggests, like Chinese whispers, untrue facts get shared and embellished. He argues that, if biographers went back to the primary sources, they would discover a very different picture of Lewis Carroll, the pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. As a writer of children’s books, Carroll (above) needed to explore children, a leading authority says . Mr Wakeling is a former chairman of the Lewis Carroll Society, who regularly advises auctioneers and exhibitions worldwide. His books include Carroll’s ten-volume Diaries, which he edited in 2007 following their release by the family. He also owns one of the finest Carrollian collections, including a database of 6,000 letters, of which some 4,000 are unpublished: ‘So there’s a great wealth of material I can draw on.’ He publishes his research later this month in a new book titled Lewis Carroll: The Man and His Circle. Numerous ‘myths’ that he challenges include those relating to Carroll’s photography, of which perhaps the most prevalent – ‘frequently used by writers, biographers and journalists’ – is the supposed large body of studies of nude children: ‘This is not borne out by the facts.’ He argues that picturing nude children and focussing his camera on girls was common practice among Victorian photographers and that, when Carroll visited family friends, boys were more likely to be away at school. Vilifying a man who believed in girls’ education is therefore unjustified. Anyway, there are as well many photographs of boys and adults. As a writer of children’s books, Carroll needed to explore children, Mr Wakeling pointed out: ‘His relationship with children is not an all-encompassing part of his life, which many of the biographers tried to suggest. ‘He was a teacher. He actually enjoyed the intellectual banter that he could have with children. Children in Victorian times found that very refreshing because it was very uncommon for someone to treat them as equals. Children were seen and not heard.’ Photographed: Carroll also took portraits of poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson in 1857 (left) and Prince Leopold, the eighth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1875 (right) For Carroll, Mr Wakeling added, ‘they were seen and heard’. Reviewing reminiscences by Carroll’s child-friends, Mr Wakeling could not find ‘a bad word spoken against him’. Those friends included Edith Litton, who described Carroll as ‘one of my most delightful friends’ with a ‘sweet smile’. She was seven when he read her the story of Hans Andersen’s Ugly Duckling: ‘Being very sensitive about my ugly little self, it greatly interested me.’ He told her that ‘it was better to be good, truthful’. Mr Wakeling ridicules Carroll’s portrayal as an eccentric misfit: ‘The vast majority of the biographers say he was a shy, reclusive man. Nonsense. He was a socialite. ‘He mixed with the great and the good of Victorian society - all the Pre-Raphaelites, Arthur Sullivan [the composer], famous politicians. ‘He was a friend of the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, whose parties he was often invited to. This man is not a recluse and he isn’t shy.’ His evidence includes an unpublished letter from Lady Georgina Salisbury, telling Carroll: ‘The children are very anxious you should come to their party… and, if you could come on the 31st and stay over the 3rd January, we should be delighted to see you.’ His circle of friends included Sir James Paget, surgeon to Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. In response to Carroll’s concern for a friend who was dying from cancer, Paget wrote: ‘I will gladly see the poor lady.’ ‘Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it,’ thought Carroll, and in Mr Wakeling’s book it is clear: to defend him from his modern character assassins. The book is published ahead of next year’s celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice, and include a major BBC documentary, books and exhibitions worldwide. But no doubt those with suspicious minds will be back. | Edward Wakeling has collected reminiscences of those who knew Carroll .
He was 'sociable man who enjoyed adult company as much as children's'
Nude photographs of children make up 'no more than 1% of his output' |
032a739c2d8661dc2b1365b630f4a1db30452675 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 13:22 EST, 7 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:03 EST, 7 December 2013 . The Prime Minister lived up to his laid back reputation this weekend by spending a low key Saturday night cooking lamb chops for his mother. David Cameron was spotted purchasing the lamb cutlets from the local butcher near the Prime Minister's official country residence Chequers on Saturday afternoon. Downing Street said he bought ten chops from A Cobb butchers in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire ahead of his mother Mary's visit for dinner Saturday night. Mr Cameron's visit tied in with Small Business Saturday - an initiative designed to encourage people to use local shops and businesses. A chillaxed Saturday: Prime Minister David Cameron visited family butchers, A Cobb, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to mark 'Small Business Saturday' Taste tester: David Cameron sampled some of the local produce as he chatted to butcher Tom Cobb in his family run butchers shop . 'Small businesses are the lifeblood of our country - essential for building a resilient, sustainable economy and a central part of my long-term economic plan for Britain,' Mr Cameron said. 'They account for 99 in every 100 businesses and keep more than 11 million people in work so this isn't about sentimentality, it's about the future of Britain, creating jobs and turning our economy around. 'I'm determined that we back them in every way we can - that's what today is all about and that's what this Government is about.' Many MPs took to social media to promote businesses in their constituencies. Meanwhile Ed Miliband bought gifts for his sons, Daniel and Sam, at the Bookseller Crow as he toured shops in Crystal Palace and bread and ham from nearby Good Taste Food and Drink. It comes after the government announced measures to help small businesses, including faster broadband and moves to tackle late payments. Mr Cameron opted for 10 lamb cutlets as he shopped in local stores to promote 'Small Business Saturday' 'Small Business Saturday' is an initiative designed to encourage people to use local shops and businesses . The announcement is aimed at removing some of the barriers faced by small businesses, such as accessing faster and better broadband connectivity and making it easier to switch energy suppliers. Business Secretary Vince Cable said: 'I meet with small businesses regularly who tell me about what Government support works well and what doesn't. Through our commitment to small firms we are directly addressing that feedback, freeing them from unnecessary burdens, providing more finance and improving access to advice and support. 'In particular we are tackling the issue of late payment, which can threaten the survival of otherwise healthy businesses. We are enforcing prompt payment through the entire public sector and asking what more we can do to get credit flowing in the private sector.' Enterprise and skills minister Matthew Hancock said: 'Small businesses are the lifeblood of the British economy and responsible for nearly half the job creation in the UK. That's why we are removing barriers to growth and supporting them, so that they can create jobs and compete in the global race.' Local produce: Mr Cameron visited A Cobb butchers in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, ahead of his mother Mary's visit to Chequers for dinner on Saturday night . Dinner date: Mr Cameron planned to cook the lamb cutlets for his mother Mary, pictured together at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships this year . Dr Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'The Government is right to say that Britain is a great place to start a business. Now it needs to become a great place to grow a business too. That means ensuring that fast-growing and dynamic small companies get access to the capital they need to expand, and access to practical business-to-business support to break into new markets around the world.' Terry Scuoler, chief executive of the manufacturers organisation the EEF, said: 'Small businesses are a vital part of the economy and we need to make it easier for them to invest, grow and create the highly skilled innovative jobs our economy needs. 'The more we can grow into larger medium size companies, the better for UK plc. In order to enable this we need to examine every means to removing some of the barriers they face, improving the business environment and making it easier for them to fulfil their potential.' John Cridland, CBI director general, said: 'Small and medium-sized businesses are at the heart of communities across the UK and are the job-creating dynamos of the recovery. 'Small Business Saturday is a great way for people up and down the country to back their local high street in the run-up to Christmas and I would encourage everyone to get involved.' The Prime Minister spent a low key weekend at his official country residence Chequers in Buckinghamshire . | The Prime Minister bought 10 lamb cutlets from A Cobb in Aylesbury .
Mr Cameron's visit to the butchers was on Small Business Saturday .
His mother Mary visited Chequers for dinner hours later . |
032a8f7a30ecc565526d0e3d5cc02217ec61eaa3 | (CNN) -- When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg instructed five hospitals to evacuate their patients from Hurricane Irene's path, one replied it couldn't follow his order. Administrators from New York University-Langone Medical Center explained that six patients in the intensive care unit were so sick that moving them might kill them, and so the mayor's office gave permission to keep them in the hospital throughout the storm. It then fell to Elaine Rowinski, nurse manager of the intensive care unit, to find seven nurses willing to stay at the hospital, right in the hurricane's predicted path and just 100 yards from the East River, which many feared would overflow. It turned out she had nothing to worry about. "I could have had 20 nurses if I'd needed them," she said. "That's how many called me up to volunteer." Rowinski stayed at the hospital all weekend as the doctors and nurses who also stayed listened to the wind and the rain through the boarded-up windows. "I had no qualms about staying, no fears at all," she said. "We train for these disasters." Brainstorming with her staff, Rowinski came up with a list of what they might need during the storm. The nurses kept flashlights by each bedside and plugged machines into the red outlets on the wall, which connect to the generators on top of the building, in case they lost power from Con Edison. They also kept a three-day supply of medicine next to each patient's bed in the event they needed to evacuate quickly. About 200 staff members stayed at NYU, including engineers, security guards, housekeepers, blood bank staff, and two doctors. Four family members stayed all weekend with the patients. Some of the patients had neurological diseases, while others had respiratory problems or infectious diseases. Many were on life support, but those that were conscious were told Friday they might have to be evacuated. "They were so relieved when they found out they could stay," Rowinski said. As for Rowinski, she finally went home Monday afternoon after nearly three days straight at the hospital. While she was working, her husband had to evacuate their house in Oceanside, on Long Island. "He told me he kept a picture of me by the dog so he'd remember me," she said with a laugh. CNN's John Bonifield contributed to this report. | As Irene approached, 6 patients were too sick to evacuate from NYU-Langone Medical Center .
The hospital is just 100 yards from the East River .
Nurses kept flashlights by each bedside, and a 3-day medicine supply for each patient .
"We train for these disasters," says nurse manager Elaine Rowinski . |
032c00ba5bfd48261ddb731654ea4ebc2458f682 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:00 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:54 EST, 2 February 2013 . An 80-year-old woman saved the life of her 2-year-old great-grandson when a tornado ripped through their home and tossed their entwined bodies onto a nearby highway. The senior, Betty Stewart, saved young Zane McFarland by wrapping him in a blanket and lying down on top of him. She was babysitting him while his parents were at work when the tornado tore through Northwest Georgia on Wednesday. 'She said to Zane, "I'm not going to let you go,"' said Stewart's nephew, Kenneth Hayes, to wsbtv.com. 'She doesn't remember anything else, except somebody found her in the road. She remembers somebody talking to her when she was out in the middle of the road, and she didn't let go of him.' Scroll down for video . Betty Stewart, 80, (pictured) saved the life of her 2-year-old great-grandson when a tornado ripped through their home . Zane McFarland is pictured just hours after surgery on his broken leg . This where the home stood that Betty Stewart and her great-grandson were inside of when the tornado hit . The tornado had lifted the toddler's home in Gordon County, Georgia off its foundation and carried it about 50 feet toward the highway where Stewart was found still clutching baby Zane. Zane survived the storm with a broken leg while his great-grandmother suffered a broken back in two places and a broken leg. 'The skin is gone from one hand down to her elbow,' Hayes said, describing Stewart's injuries. 'She has bleeding on the brain, cuts all over. She's black and blue all over.' Both Zane and Stewart underwent surgery at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn. and are recovering. Tornadoes left a trail of wreckage across two Georgia counties . Tornadoes were reported in four states killing two people as an Artic cold front clashed with warm air producing severe weather over a wide swath of the nation . Zane's father, Daren McFarland, said he can't even begin to describe how grateful he is to his grandmother for saving his son's life . The massive tornado leveled this home in Adairsville, Georgia . Zane's father, Daren McFarland, said he can't even begin to describe how grateful he is to his grandmother for saving his son's life. 'Words cannot explain what my grandmother did,' he said. 'If it wasn't for God and her, my son wouldn't be here.' 'I love her to death,' he added. He said Zane, who will be forced to wear a body cast for three months, is recovering well. 'He's just our happy little boy,' he said. 'He's our miracle boy.' | Betty Stewart, 80, saved great-grandson Zane McFarland by wrapping him in a blanket and lying down on top of him .
Tornado lifted McFarland's home off its foundation and tossed their bodies into a nearby highway - where Stewart was found still clutching McFarland .
Stewart suffered a broken black, internal bleeding and a broken leg .
McFarland suffered a broken leg . |
032c3982795744a8d79ac8c95ee21d5a35f0087d | By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 10:10 EST, 1 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:12 EST, 4 November 2013 . It’s Doctor Who – but there’s no need to hide behind the sofa. To mark Halloween and the 50th birthday of the BBC show, an adorable two-year-old girl dressed up as all 11 of the Doctors, from the original, played by William Hartnell, to 2013’s Matt Smith. Katie Kent, from Dallas, Texas, modelled the costumes after her father, Todd, had spent months scouring the internet for them. He posted the pictures on his Comic Book Literacy blog in a gallery called ‘Happy Wholloween’, alongside pictures of the Doctors that the costumes mimic. He told MailOnline that the photos took several months to put together. He said: ‘Most clothing items were bought surprisingly cheaply on eBay. Each item was only around a dollar or two. I started looking for costume items around February of this year so it took several months to compile everything.' 'We also took the pictures over the course of several months. Whenever it was time for Katie to go outside and play we would dress her up in an outfit and head out. I would just follow her around with the camera and take about 30 to 40 pictures per outfit with the hopes of getting two good pics that would work for the blog.' Katie dressed as William Hartnell, who played . the Doctor in the first series, which aired in 1963. He bowed out three . years later . Patrick Troughton . became the second doctor in November 1966 in the 'regeneration' process. He described his Doctor as a ‘Cosmic Hobo’, who would play a recorder when stressed . Mr Kent explained that Katie liked wearing all the costumes, but the ones with big coats in particular. He said: 'She likes to play dress up so she seemed to like most of them, especially the ones with long coats. I think both our favourite may be the sixth Doctor's outfit. She liked the colours and I love how the outfit came together. It was the most challenging to make. My wife is a talented seamstress and she made the coat herself.' The show has been a hit with Mr Kent for a long time. He added: 'I've been watching Doctor Who since I was a child. Shortly after Katie's birth we started a complete re-watch of the entire series from the very first Hartnell episode. We usually watch one serial per weekend together but so far have only made it up to the fourth Doctor. Katie likes the theme song and claps along to it when we watch.' Peter Capaldi has been revealed as the twelfth incarnation of Doctor Who. The 55-year-old actor, best known for playing Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It, was announced as the new Time Lord in a live BBC TV special in August. The Scot's appointment came two months after Matt Smith, 30, announced he was quitting following four years as the time-traveller. Matt, who joined the show in 2010, will appear in his last scenes in the Christmas Special, with the Peter appearing in 2014, joining current assistant Jenna Coleman, who plays Clara. Jon Pertwee's Doctor, who hit screens in 1970, was a little more action-packed than his predecessors and was predisposed towards slightly frilly shirts . In 1974 Tom Baker arrived as the Time Lord, with his trademark long scarf and trilby. He was perhaps one of the most popular Doctors . Peter Davison stepped up to the Doctor Who plate in 1981. He was known for his role in All Creatures Great and Small and outfit-wise went for a cricketing look . Another Baker played the Doctor in 1984, this time with the first name of Colin. He wore colourful outfits and had a larger-than-life personality . Sylvester McCoy took the Tardis helm in 1987 and in 1989 viewers watched what was apparently the final episode in the series' 26-year-run, with McCoy and his assistant walking off into the distance... but the show would return . The series was revived in 1996 with Paul McGann chosen to wield the sonic screwdriver and command the Tardis. He was much-loved by UK viewers but the series didn't fare so well in America . The ninth Doctor was Christopher Eccleston, who brought his tough-guy persona to the role, with Billie Piper as his companion. Katie is pictured here wheeling around in the leather jacket he wore . David Tennant was the 10th Doctor and an incredibly popular one. Tennant is a brilliant actor and fans were disappointed to see him go. Katie looks the part here in a stylish coat and suit . Matt Smith emerged from regeneration in 2010 and will leave this Christmas, to be replaced by The Thick Of It actor Peter Capaldi, who was revealed in a BBC special . | Todd Kent from Dallas, Texas, spent months sourcing clothes from the internet for his two-year-old Katie to wear .
The costumes were made by Mr Kent's wife and the pictures taken over a period of time as each one was finished . |
032cfa2d855548a72430d50988cedba7c959ac27 | Bob Baker, the founder of one of America's oldest puppet theaters, died Friday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 90. The cause of death was kidney failure, his biographer, Gregory Williams, said. The Bob Baker Marionette Theater captivated children and adults with its ornate wooden puppets and props. Bob Baker, the founder of one of America's oldest puppet theaters, died Friday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 90. The theater was a vestige of the days when marionettes were widely used on stage and television and playhouses dotted the streets of downtown Los Angeles. 'He really contributed to the continuation of puppetry as an art,' Williams told The Associated Press on Friday. 'With the digital age, it's going in a different direction. But people still come to it because it's an introduction to theater for young people. It's real-life 3D.' Baker discovered puppetry as a child and described being immediately transformed. 'He couldn't talk about anything else when he came home to his mother and he knew what he wanted to do,' Williams said. Baker discovered puppetry as a child and described being immediately transformed . At an early age, he began constructing his own puppets and performed. He worked in animation for Walt Disney and others before starting his own theater company with his partner, Alton Wood. Baker's credits included orchestrating marionette work on more than 250 films, such as 'GI Blues' and 'Escape from Witch Mountain.' In an interview with The Associated Press in 1997, Baker said it was important to teach people to use their imagination and believe in fantasy. Baker's credits included orchestrating marionette work on more than 250 films, such as 'GI Blues' and 'Escape from Witch Mountain' He performed until he was 86 and began having physical difficulties. Williams said Baker lost both his family home and his theater to a mortgage lending company and that there were ongoing issues to be settled with his estate. The company has a lease on the theater house until March, at which point it will be extended month to month. 'At this point we are continuing,' Williams said. | The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, has been praised for captivating children and adults with its ornate wooden puppets and props .
He worked in animation for Walt Disney and others before starting his own theater company with his partner, Alton Wood .
He performed until he was 86 and began having physical difficulties . |
032d79c7a9d1a09670e603740e27e842f97d2de7 | (CNN) -- A gunman faces six counts of attempted murder and other charges after he opened fire at an elementary school in southern California and injured two students who were outside during lunch, authorities said. The girls, ages 6 and 7, suffered minor arm injuries in the shooting Friday in Carlsbad, said Lt. Jay Eppel of the Carlsbad Police Department. Both were flown to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Police indicated the students each were grazed in the arm by bullets. Construction workers at Kelly Elementary School detained a suspected identified as Brendan L. O'Rourke, 41, shortly after noon until officers arrived, Eppel said. Police do not suspect the man has a relationship with any students at the school. Worker Carlos Partida got into his truck and was able to knock the gunman down with the vehicle, police said in a statement. The man, dressed in black, was then tackled by other construction workers and witnesses. O'Rourke appeared to be trying to reload his handgun, police said, adding that the workers managed to remove the weapon. The suspect's vehicle was parked near the school. Officers found a handgun and propane tank inside, police said. O'Rourke also had taken a small gas can to the playground, police said. The suspect was taken to a hospital after he complained of back and neck pain, and faces six counts of attempted murder and numerous weapons violations, according to the statement. Police said the suspect provided three names, one of them a woman's name, when asked for identification. The superintendent for the school district thanked good Samaritans, police and school staff members for their actions Friday. Counselors will be at the school Monday to help students, staff and families "handle the anxiety and fear that can result from a traumatic experience," John A. Roach said in a statement Saturday. Third-grade student Shaylyn Foley was on the playground with her friend and told CNN affiliate KGTV what she saw. "I saw him and he was across the street. Phoebe said, 'Who is he?' Then I'm like, 'Phoebe, he might not be a good man.' Then he put his hand out and then I heard the shot, and then I'm like, 'Phoebe, come on, this isn't OK.'" Shaylyn and her friend ran away as the gunman fired. Students were taken to a local park to be picked up by their parents. Pete Anderson, who operates a small research vineyard near the school, said he was tending vines when "I heard something like a gunshot, followed by another." Three more shots followed about 30 seconds later, he said. Children were yelling as they ran from a playground back toward the school, Anderson said. "At this point, I knew this was not a drill," he told CNN. Anderson said he did not see the accused shooter until after he was taken into custody. The school is in a residential neighborhood in this city between Los Angeles and San Diego. "This is extremely unusual," Anderson said. CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report. | Man arrested after incident at southern California school .
Several shots were fired; two students suffered minor injuries .
Construction workers detain gunman . |
032ddd9c5ef4fe17b4120ae12df6dbf3d4fc92d2 | Kevin Mitchell came into the Last Chance Saloon, otherwise known as the O2 Arena, with all guns blazing. By so doing he resurrected himself from the Boot Hill of boxing into a genuine world title contender, once again. The dazzling exhibition of high-class and deeply hurtful fisticuffs with which he reduced Mexico’s Daniel Estrada to pulp inside eight rounds establishes this talented but hitherto wayward Londoner as the mandatory challenger to WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares. Kevin Mitchell put Daniel Estrada through eight rounds of hell on Saturday night as he proved far more powerful . Mitchell put on a masterclass in the capital as Estrada took all sorts of punishment up to and including the eighth and final round . Mitchell had an easy Saturday night's work against Estrada as he won with an eighth-round stoppage . Mitchell celebrates his victory over Mexico's Estrada after their the WBC Silver lightweight title fight at O2 Arena . So easy a Saturday night’s work was this for the 30-year-old Mitchell that it was evident the hard work had gone into the preparation for this fight for the WBC silver belt. Mitchell has admitted that he squandered his two previous world title challenges – against Michael Katsidis and Ricky Burns – on booze and junk food. Given this third opportunity to reach for the stars, he cleaned up his act, thanked his new girlfriend for helping him stay on the straight and narrow and has now proved that he is living the Spartan life of a top ring professional. Just in time, it really does seem all that talent is no to be ultimately wasted. There is talk of Linares being allowed a voluntary defence in April. But the defining day of Mitchell’s career should come this summer. The cavernous O2 Arena was reasonably well populated for a non-world title night and Mitchell came in to roaring London support. Estrada was accompanied to the ring by his better known countryman Juan Manuel Marquez but the Mexican legend, in attendance more for moral and inspirational support rather than active involvement took a seat a couple of rows back from the corner. Mitchell was much the more aggressive from the first bell and despite his opponent’s extra height and long reach he connected on a surprisingly hesitant Mexican with quick sharp lefts to head and body. The 02 Arena was reasonably well populated for a non-world title night as Mitchell (right) punished Estrada . Mitchell was much the more aggressive from the first bell at the O2 Arena in London as he breezed beyond Estrada . Having sworn that he is now dedicated to boxing, Mitchell was not only keener but quicker. Although Estrada did begin to find the range with his range left jab, he walked onto the crisp right hand which put him down early in the second. Mitchell poured on the punishment in the third. Yet despite taking a whole variety of spiteful blows the ponderous Mexican somehow staggered and reeled through to the bell – and through more rounds of pure hell. That gave Mitchell the chance to impress with lightning combinations coupled with clever innovation as he weaved into close quarters. By the midway point at the end of the sixth round Estrada was already in need of knock-out. But Mitchell was the only man looking likely to end the evening inside the 02’s requested curfew of an 11.30 pm finish. So slow was Estrada that he rarely landed a punch. The end looked nigh as Mitchell landed at will in the seventh but again the bell prolonged the beating. But only for another minute and 12 seconds. Ian-John Lewis could have stopped it considerably sooner, should have called a halt as Mitchell came out bombing at the start of the eights, finally came to the gallant Estrada’s rescue as another onslaught climaxed in a left hook which left him tottering and defenceless. Estrada barely landed a punch as he lost against a determined-looking Mitchell on Saturday night . Kevin Mitchell (right) beat Daniel Estrada for the WBC Silver lightweight title at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday night . | Kevin Mitchell put on a masterclass at the O2 Arena in London as he punished Daniel Estrada .
Estrada could barely get a punch in on Mitchell up to and including the eighth and final round .
The referee stopped it in the eighth as Mitchell sealed the WBC Silver lightweight title .
Mitchell becomes the mandatory challenger to WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares . |
03309b85478639afb961141502b8cae0a4431b6f | (Health.com) -- Caffeinated alcoholic beverages such as Four Loko have come under fire from lawmakers and public health officials in recent weeks, following reports of hospitalizations and even some deaths tied to the potent drinks. Now, a new study suggests that combining caffeine and alcohol can pose a risk to young people even when the substances aren't mixed in the same can or cup. College students who consume nonalcoholic energy drinks such as Red Bull at least once a week are more than twice as likely as their peers to show signs of alcohol dependence, including withdrawal symptoms and an inability to cut back on drinking, according to the study. Health.com: Do you have a drinking problem? "The odds were fairly strong, especially when you look at the dose of energy drink used," says the lead researcher, Amelia Arria, PhD, director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, in College Park. The study, which appears in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, was based on interviews with about 1,100 college seniors. The findings do not show cause and effect, and it's unclear whether energy-drink consumption is directly linked to alcohol problems. For instance, students who spend a lot of time partying may simply be more likely to resort to energy drinks to help them pull all-nighters and cram for tests, the researchers say. On the other hand, energy-drink consumption could be a more immediate symptom of alcohol problems -- if a student often drinks Red Bull in the morning to shake off hangovers, say. Health.com: Being choosy about booze helps avoid hangover (to a point) Another possibility is that energy drinks actively contribute to problem drinking. If mixed with alcohol -- a common practice among college students -- caffeine-laden energy drinks can prolong drinking sessions and mask the feeling of drunkenness, potentially raising the risk for dangerous binges and behavior. (This has been the main concern with caffeinated alcoholic beverages, including Four Loko.) "Caffeine keeps you awake but just as impaired," Arria says. "You may feel as if you can get into a car or play a risky game. That's why this feeling of wide awake drunkenness is more dangerous." A similar dynamic can exacerbate alcohol problems over the long term, says Jeffrey Parsons, PhD, a professor of psychology and public health at Hunter College, in New York City. Consuming energy drinks "masks the extent of the drinking in such a way that it can sneak up on people," he says. "They don't realize that they're developing the problematic patterns that are characteristic of alcohol abuse and dependence." Health.com: Can a bigger booze tax reduce disease, crime? Nearly two-thirds of the students in the study reported having an energy drink in the past year, and just over half said they consumed the drinks about once a month or less. About 10 percent of the students consumed the drinks weekly, and roughly 3 percent did so daily, or almost daily. Red Bull was the most popular drink. Compared to those who consumed energy drinks rarely or not at all, students who consumed them at least once a week drank alcohol more frequently and in greater amounts, on average. They were also more likely to experience blackouts, skip class or other activities due to hangovers, be involved in a fraternity or sorority, and meet the criteria for alcohol dependence. The researchers took into account a number of other student characteristics, including sex, race, socioeconomic status, depression symptoms, and total alcohol consumption. Factors such as depression were associated with alcohol problems, as expected, but energy-drink consumption was independently linked to alcohol dependence even after controlling for all risk factors. Health.com: Family, friends are big influence on drinking . Energy drinks -- which include brands such as Monster, Rockstar, and Amp, in addition to Red Bull (by far the market leader) -- generated about $5 billion in U.S. sales in 2008 and have skyrocketed in popularity. Although the economic downturn appears to have somewhat slowed their growth, sales of the beverages in the U.S. increased by 136 percent between 2005 and 2009, according to the market research firm Mintel. The American Beverage Association, a trade group that represents the makers and distributors of nonalcoholic beverages (including Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, and Amp), emphasized in a statement that the study did not prove a direct link between energy-drink consumption and alcohol problems. The findings "do not show that energy drinks encourage misuse of alcohol in any way and state that further research is warranted," the association said. The association also said that the amount of caffeine in most energy drinks is comparable to that in 1 to 2 cups of coffee. (In the study, Arria and her colleagues did control for caffeine intake from sources other than energy drinks.) Energy drinks contain anywhere from 50 to 500 milligrams of caffeine per can, but the caffeine content is largely unregulated and isn't required to be listed on the label, Arria says. Health.com: 12 surprising sources of caffeine . In 2009, Arria joined a group of scientists in asking the FDA to review the safety of premixed caffeinated alcoholic drinks. Although the new study did not look specifically at these products, the risk of alcohol dependence associated with drinks such as Four Loko may be even greater, Parsons says. People with alcohol problems who are determined to mix caffeine and alcohol "don't need help from the manufacturer," he explains. "But for those who haven't developed a problem, the ease with which they can get drinks that have the combination in them makes it more likely they're going to try these out in a way that can potentially have negative consequences." The Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an announcement about caffeinated alcoholic beverages on Wednesday, according to news reports. In a press release, Senator Charles Schumer (D--N.Y.) said Tuesday that the FDA "will rule that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcohol beverages," effectively banning the sale of the beverages in the U.S. Copyright Health Magazine 2010 . | The amount of caffeine in most energy drinks is comparable to that in 1 to 2 cups of coffee .
It's unclear whether energy-drink consumption is directly linked to alcohol problems .
Energy drinks generated about $5 billion in U.S. sales in 2008 . |
03318e280520c957c7dcb3c7c2798d568f14a596 | FIFA needs a 'new breath of fresh air' declared UEFA president Michel Platini as he withdrew his support for FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter. Football's world governing body has been plagued by negative press in recent weeks, with the revelations about potential corruption in the vote for the Qatar 2022 World Cup proving the most damaging. Blatter, 78, announced at the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo earlier this week that he would seek re-election for a fifth term despite previously running on the promise of stepping down after this stint. Fresh air: UEFA president Michel Platini (right) will no longer support his FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter (left) Under pressure: Blatter is seeking a fifth term despite promising he would step down after his fourth . Mandate: Blatter was given the backing by the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo to stand for another term . He also sparked and an angry reaction in Britain when he claimed that the allegations against the Qatar World Cup bid process were based on 'racism and discrimination', as well as claiming there was a plot to 'destroy FIFA'. But speaking about the Swiss, Platini said: 'I do not support him. I have known him for a long time and I like him but I am not in favour of him having a new term. 'I supported him in 1998 but I do not support him in 2014. And in the future I will not support Mr Blatter. 'I am supporting him no longer, it's finished. 'He knows it, I told him. I think FIFA needs a new breath of fresh air. 'In 2011, he asked for [UEFA's support] and told us that this was his last term.' Platini himself has yet to confirm whether he himself will run in opposition to Blatter at the elections later this year, but when asked he said: 'It is an option. 'But it is not because of Blatter that Michel Platini would stand. And it is not because of Sepp Blatter that Michel Platini would not appear. 'My only concern is what I want to do. I am almost 60 years and I need to know what I want. Under pressure: FIFA has faced criticism over allegations of corruption in the 2022 World Cup bidding process . Corrupt? Qatar won the vote to host the 2022 World Cup but allegations have been made against them . 'I just want to be sure what I want to do. In my life, I wanted to be a footballer, it went well. I was asked to coach, and to be president of the organising committee of the 1998 World Cup, I liked it. 'Then I became a member of the Executive Committee (FIFA). Now I am very happy to be at UEFA. I am loved by national associations. But FIFA is something important.' Platini said he also had to think about the impact on his family if he went for the FIFA presidency. The 58-year-old said: 'It is not just mine but also that of my family, my children. That's a lot of people. 'But choosing between UEFA and FIFA is not choosing between going to hospital or going to prison - the choice is not a negative one. But when I launch, it is to win.' Blatter on the other hand was infuriated by the reception he received from UEFA federation members, including FA chairman Greg Dyke, earlier this week. Dyke had told Blatter at a meeting of UEFA countries on Tuesday his claim that racism was behind World Cup corruption allegations in the British media was 'offensive and totally unacceptable'. Displeasure: FA chairman Greg Dyke was among the voices who withdrew their support for Blatter . Allegations: Mohamed bin Hammam has been accused of arranging payments to be made . Undecided: Platini says must choose his life direction like when he was a player before standing for election . But Blatter then told a news conference after the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo: 'I have had to accept a number of blows, but what I saw and heard at the UEFA meeting was the most disrespectful thing I have experienced in my entire life, on the football pitch and in my home.' Blatter was given the green light to seek re-election by FIFA delegates yesterday when they decided to remove age limits or restrict the length of a presidency. The UEFA president is just the latest high-profile football man to withdraw their support for Blatter, with Dyke, FA vice-chairman David Gill and the head of the Dutch FA Michael van Praag already confirming they no longer support the Swiss. Blatter reacted angrily to claims in the British media that Mohamed bin Hammam arranged for payments to be made in order to acquire votes for the Qatari bid for the 2022 World Cup, forcing a heated response from Dyke and Gill. | UEFA president Platini says he has told Blatter he will no longer back him .
Blatter was elected for fourth term in 2011 and said he would not run again .
FIFA under pressure amid Qatar 2022 World Cup corruption allegations .
Platini is yet to confirm whether he will put himself forward for presidency .
FA chairman Greg Dyke was among those to already pull their support . |
03324f541f84babec3abb8c5f194946e9169a6d0 | Tommy: The case centers around chimpanzee Tommy, whose owner keeps him in a modified shed in upstate New York . A panel of New York state . judges on Wednesday cast doubt on a prominent animal rights . advocate's bid to win legal rights for chimpanzees, saying they . could be protected without being given some of the same rights . as people. ABC reports that, by law, animals are 'property' or 'things' and not 'persons' However, some legal reformers want to see the definition of 'persons' include chimpanzees. The case of a 26-year-old chimpanzee, Tommy, whose owner . keeps him in a modified shed in upstate New York, is the first . in the world seeking 'legal personhood' for a nonhuman animal. Steven Wise, a lawyer who has worked for three decades to . expand rights for animals, is trying to win an order that Tommy . has been unlawfully imprisoned by his owner and should be . released to a sanctuary in Florida. He filed an appeal after a lower court judge last year . dismissed the case. Wise told the five-judge panel of appeals court in Albany on . Wednesday that chimps are intelligent enough to experience the . same suffering as humans when kept in solitary confinement. Scroll down for video . Dangerous: Patrick Lavery, Tommy's owner, said that Tommy is a wild, dangerous animal who shouldn't be treated as a human . 'Tommy has the autonomy and self-determination to understand . that he doesn't want to be imprisoned for life in a cage,' Wise . said. Wise is using a legal mechanism known as a writ of habeas . corpus, which is traditionally employed by prison inmates who . claim they have been illegally detained. He has said that he . chose Tommy because he is one of four chimps living in New York, . where courts have taken a less restrictive view in habeas corpus . cases. Tommy's owner, Patrick Lavery, waived his right to make an . argument at Wednesday's hearing. In December, when the suit was . filed, he said Tommy had the best possible care and enjoyed . living alone. Wise on Wednesday compared chimps to human slaves, who were . treated as property by U.S. courts. Justice Karen Peters said she was troubled by the analogy . and suggested Wise abandon it. Peters said it may make more . sense for Wise to lobby lawmakers to protect chimps from . 'unlawful detention' by private owners. 'Historically, any laws to protect animals from cruelty by . humans have been legislative,' she said. Judges: Judges say animals can be protected without being given some of the same rights as humans . Slaves: Steven Wise, a lawyer who has worked to expand animal's rights for three decades, compared chimps to human slaves, who were treated as property by U.S. courts (stock photo) Justice Michael Lynch said Wise may be able to bring his . case under a state law that allows courts to order the release . of a privately owned animal if its owner does not maintain . conditions required by law. Wise replied that the case was not against Lavery, who had . not violated any laws, but was intended to challenge the very . notion that chimps could be kept as private property. Japan Times reports that a decision is expected to be made in four to six weeks. An appeals court in Rochester in December will hear a . similar case from Wise involving a chimp named Kiko. The case is Nonhuman Rights Project v. Lavery, New York . State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, No. 518336. | The case of Tommy, whose owner keeps him in a modified shed in upstate New York, is the first in the world seeking 'legal personhood' for a nonhuman animal .
By law, animals are 'property' NOT 'persons,' but legal reformers want the term 'persons' to extend to chimps as well .
Judges say animals can be protected without being given some of the same rights as humans . |
03331ccf9223082a3b003d088cb7e4dad266c7f7 | Manchester United want a loan fee of £4million for Danny Welbeck, with Sunderland and Tottenham both interested in the England forward. United are prepared to let the 23-year-old leave Old Trafford for the season with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie ahead of him in the Old Trafford pecking order. Welbeck spent the 2010-11 season on loan at Sunderland but it is understood he would prefer a move to Spurs. Scroll down for video . In demand: Tottenham and Sunderland both want to sign Manchester United's Danny Welbeck on loan . Both Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino and Sunderland boss Gus Poyet are keen to add a frontman to their ranks on deadline day. Pochettino is still pursuing a move for Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez while Poyet is optimistic an agreement can be reached with Liverpool for the sale of Fabio Borini. But Welbeck is seen as an attractive alternative for both should those moves fail to materialise. Pondering: Mauricio Pochettino knows he needs another striker though the doors at Tottenham . | Louis van Gaal is prepared to let Danny Welbeck leave on loan .
But the England striker will cost £4million for the season .
Welbeck spent a year on loan at Sunderland in 2010-11 . |
0333d8afcd55dbbb3c0b937a074e8d1ae8db6e70 | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 10:51 EST, 17 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:57 EST, 18 September 2013 . A businessman who took a gamble on a little known company in 1980 has been revealed as one of several billionaires who made their fortune thanks to Warren Buffett. Stewart Horejsi's family welding business had been struggling to fight off competition when he first bought 40 shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc for $265 each. Friends had told him about Buffett, the company's chairman who he went on to model his life on, in a move that has propelled him up the rich list. Growth fund: Stewart Horejsi is now worth more than $1 billion thanks to an investment with Warren Buffett . The 75-year-old father of two is now a billionaire, with a bigger stake in the profitable company than that owned by Bill Gates, the world's richest person - and Buffett's bridge partner. Mentor: Billionaire Warren Buffett inspired Horejsi . He has 4,300 Class A shares of the Nebraska company, giving him a net worth of $1.1 billion, according to Bloomberg. However, the modest man has never appeared on an international wealth ranking. Horejsi's path to his billion-dollar empire began with a modest investment. In 1980 he bought 40 shares in Berkshire for $265 each - an initial investment of $10,600. Two weeks later he bought 60 more shares at $295 each and, a month later, spent $66,000 buying 200 shares at $330. This morning, the 4,300 shares he accumulated in Berkshire since 1980 were valued at $746 million. 'I kept running the [family] business, but I just kept buying Berkshire. I can’t really believe I put so much into one issue, though,' he said. Horejsi was so impressed with Buffett, he has followed several of the billionaire philanthropist's moves. In an interview with Wealth Estates he . said: 'Buffett is one of two people I’ve met in my life that within 60 . seconds of listening to him, you can feel an aura of integrity around . him. It’s very comforting.' When he was 43 Kansas welding supplier Horejsi took a year off to focus on his next move. He read books such as Adam Smith's The Money Game which helped he realize his best opportunity was to invest outside the welding world. 'It was a profitable business, but . companies took their money and bought more trucks,' Horejsi said. 'The . competition just grew.' Horejsi turned his attention to Berkshire, buying up more shares every time the market dipped. Island living: Horejsi has used part of his fortune to buy a luxury villa in Barbados . Low key: Despite his billions Horejsi has never appeared on international wealth rankings and says his biggest extravagance is flying by private jet . As well as investing in Buffett's venture, he also emulates the billionaire's lifestyle in other ways and has remained grounded, living a low-key life between his American homes . and a Barbados villa that has a 300-year-old palm tree in the front yard, according to Forbes. He admitted to the Phoenix Business Journal that his greatest extravagance was flying by private jet, but the Kansas University graduate remains committed to supporting his old campus and other education charities. Despite being a shrewd investor, Horejsi measures his own success in more personal terms, saying: 'If the people you want to love you, love you, then you are a success.' | Stewart Horejsi now owns $746m shares in Warren Buffett's company .
Welding company owner modeled himself on successful philanthropist . |
0333dde45b4127cf588fe7d362bb108f38907d45 | By . Eleanor Harding . and Nick Fagge . and Emily Davies . Taxpayers, MPs and councillors united last night to condemn the decision to spend £10,000 on flying lessons for a failed asylum-seeker. They said the decision was ‘plain wrong’ and ‘crazy’ when public services are being cut. The controversy centres on Yonas Admasu Kebede, 21, who is training to be a pilot despite a ruling that he must leave Britain next year. Anger: News that asylum-seeker Yonas Admasu Kebede, as identified by neighbours in a picture from Facebook, is being given £10,000 flying lessons has been condemned by MPs and councillors . Newcastle Council has to pay for his lessons after the Court of Appeal ruled it had a duty to meet his ‘education costs’ as he has no parents and had been taken into its care. Yesterday, it emerged that the authority has already spent £30,000 on the case and will also have to pay Mr Kebede’s costs. Councillors could now take the decision to the Supreme Court, which would incur further costs. Labour MP John Woodcock said: ‘This crazy ruling could signal open season for a run of indefensible claims. Asylum-seeker: The controversy centres on Yonas Admasu Kebede, 21, who is training to be a pilot despite a ruling that he must leave Britain next year . 'Flying lessons for someone ordered to leave the country is just plain wrong.’ Conservative MP Peter Bone added: ‘My constituents struggle to get by each day, Most people would find it an extraordinary waste of money.’ Local councillors also questioned why the money is being spent after Newcastle’s revenue was cut by £9million last year. Henry Gallagher said: ‘Flying lessons seems fairly extreme. The main city swimming pool has closed and there are libraries under threat.’ Fellow councillor Marc Donnelly said: ‘In times of limited public funds, we have to be extremely careful.’ There was also anger on Twitter last night from across the country. Dan Forrest, of Middlesbrough, wrote: ‘Pensioners will die this winter ’cos of fuel costs. 'But never mind, we’re paying for an asylum seeker’s flying lessons!’ Graham McNeill, of Surrey, wrote: 'The mind boggles more and more every day . . .’ Edward Cyster, of London, wrote: ‘I wish I would have been this lucky!’ Mr Kebede’s lawyer Paul Heron said yesterday that he could not access ‘student support in the normal way’. He was ‘confident’ the student will gain indefinite leave to stay in the UK and be able to repay the money by getting a job. Lessons: Kebede has so far taken four lessons at the Elstree Aerodrome in Hertfordshire, pictured . Mr Kebede has taken the first four out of 45 lessons costing £165-an-hour at Elstree Aerodrome, Hertfordshire, . With his brother Abiy, 20, he arrived from Ethiopia in 2004 with their older brother and father, who later abandoned them. Their asylum bid failed but they have discretionary leave to remain until November 2014. The council is also paying for Abiy to attend university. | Ethiopian Yonas Admasu kebede, 21, must leave Britain next year .
He has already had four flying lessons at Elstree Aerodrome, Hertfordshire .
MPs and councillors have hit out at the cost of the flying lessons .
Newcastle Council is considering taking the case to the Supreme Court .
But the local authority has already spent £30,000 on the case . |
03342e9c8c3ca2384bc2ab7c8fbe485bb659a014 | (CNN) -- The evolution of Tamerlan Tsarnaev from aspiring Olympic boxer to apparent radical jihadist may have been influenced by a friend in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "This person just took his brain. He just brainwashed him completely," Tsarnaev's uncle, Ruslan Tsarni, told CNN from his home in Maryland, describing the friend as an Armenian convert to Islam. While Tsarni did not give the friend's name, The Associated Press reported that other members of Tsarnaev's family said the friend goes by the name "Misha." Asked about those reports, Elmirza Khozhgov, a former brother-in-law of Tsarnaev, told CNN Tsarnaev once introduced him to someone by that name who was an Armenian convert. He said he was not told Misha's full name. "It seemed to me that Misha had influence on Tamerlan," apparently encouraging him to give up boxing because it "is violent," Khozhgov told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "Tamerlan told me that he quit boxing and music because Misha was teaching that it's not good in Islam to do those things." "Misha" taught Tsarnaev "things that would make Tamerlan go away from the people and go more into the religion," Khozhgov said, but "I didn't witness him making him radical." Khozhgov added that he has not spoken with Tsarnaev or with the younger suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, since 2010. And even then, "We didn't talk for a long time." Tamerlan Tsarnaev "seemed normal" at the time, he added. "He only told me he goes to the mosque often and he's doing community work at the mosque." Officials have not responded to requests for comment on someone named "Misha." Lawmakers briefed Tuesday on the investigation told CNN they had not heard of anyone by that name. The Islamic Society of Boston told CNN Wednesday that so far no one in its network reported knowing a "Misha" who fit that description. "We are looking for him," said spokeswoman Nichole Mossalam. Uncle called a friend to investigate . Tsarni, Tsarnaev's uncle, told CNN he was so concerned about someone brainwashing his nephew that he called a family friend in the Cambridge area to investigate. "I said, 'Listen, do you know what is going on with that family? With my brother's family?' Then he says ... there is a person, some new convert into Islam of Armenian descent," Tsarni told CNN's Shannon Travis. "Armenians, I have no intention to say anything about Armenians. It's a neighboring region with North Caucasus," the same area where the Tsarnaev family also hails from. "It started (in) 2009. And it started right there, in Cambridge," Tsarni said of the friendship. Aunt reveals clue to older brother's trip to Russia . Tsarnaev's mindset leading up to the bombings at the Boston Marathon may never be fully known. He was killed after a shootout with police last week. His brother, Dzhokhar, remains hospitalized with an array of gunshot wounds. He has been charged with using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death, as well as one count of malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive device resulting in death. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been communicating with investigators in a limited fashion. He has indicated that his older brother, not any international terrorist group, conceived the deadly attack, a U.S. government source said. The preliminary interviews with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev suggest the two brothers fit the classification of self-radicalized jihadists, the source said. But the official noted that information from the preliminary interviews needed to be scrutinized. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has also cited the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as motivating factors behind last week's blasts that killed three and wounded hundreds more, a U.S. government official said. Suspect's widow is distraught . The suspects' uncle said Tamerlan Tsarnaev was clearly the leader between the two brothers. "Dzhokhar is being used by his older brother. (Tamerlan) used him as his -- not even accomplice -- as some kind of instrument," Tsarni said. At 26, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was seven years older than Dzhokhar. Friends say Dzhokhar followed his big brother around like a puppy. And as their father is in Russia, the older brother may have become a father figure to the 19-year-old these past few months. At 6-foot-3, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was, by many accounts, an intimidating presence with increasingly strong convictions about society and religion in recent years. Tsarni said he was shocked by the explosions and how his nephews may be involved. "Tamerlan is off now," the uncle said. "There is no obedience and respect to his own father. That concerns me big time." CNN's Shannon Travis, Jake Tapper, Brian Todd and Wayne Drash contributed to this report. | NEW: Islamic Society of Boston has not found a "Misha" by that description so far .
The suspects' former brother-in-law tells CNN he met "Misha."
The suspects' uncle did not name the friend, but said he began influencing Tamerlan in 2009 .
Source: Interviews with Dzhokhar suggest the brothers are self-radicalized jihadists . |
0335dc412162074dc4a53687120b672e2e5f7774 | Andrew Willis is prepared to be the least popular man in Glasgow by beating home favourite Michael Jamieson in the 200metres breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games. Willis and Jamieson, the Olympic silver medallist and one of the faces of Glasgow 2014, train together in Bath and are close friends. 'If it was going to be anyone I hope it's me,' Willis told Press Association Sport. Man with a plan: Andrew Willis wants to beat Michael Jamieson in his hometown at the Commonwealth Games . 'We got a slight taste of the welcome he'll get at the Duel in the Pool back in December. 'He's going to get a loud reception. I have to use that to my advantage and really just give it my all.' The pair's relationship is likely to be on good terms until they enter the call room - where swimmers wait in the final minutes before their events - when the serious business begins. Willis knows it will not be easy to beat Jamieson, who leads the world rankings this year with two minutes 07.79 seconds, set in the British Championships in the Tollcross pool which will be used for Glasgow 2014. Five of the top-10 200m breaststroke times this year have been set by Commonwealth swimmers, with Willis eighth in the rankings behind Scottish duo Jamieson and Ross Murdoch, Australia's Christian Sprenger and England team-mate Adam Peaty. Competition in the 200m breaststroke has long been strong, with Jamieson, Willis and the now-retired Kris Gilchrist all battling for British team places for some time. Willis believes the strength of domestic competition helps when it comes to major events. 'It's always tight to qualify for Games,' the 23-year-old added. Tables turned: Willis wants to use the raucuous welcome Jamieson, pictured, will receive to his advantage . 'It's all tight stuff, especially when it's two or three of you going through. 'It's quite nerve-racking at the trials. There's so much depth and that does help when you do qualify for the majors. 'It helps through the rounds, through the heats, through the semis, you're used to racing and having to get up to race every race.' Willis was fourth in Delhi, his first major multi-sport Games, but wants to do better four years on. He added: 'I want to be coming away with a medal. That was my first international in Delhi. I was chuffed with coming fourth. 'I've been to all the major Games now, multi-sports, worlds. I need to be stepping up and getting on the podium.' It remains to be seen if that will be above Jamieson, or to one side. . Frontrunner: Jamieson leads the world rankings this year with two minutes 07.79 seconds . | Andrew Willis and Michael Jamieson will face off in 200metres breaststroke .
Swimmers are good friends outside of the pool and train together .
Jamieson is from Glasgow where the Commonwealth Games are held .
The Scot leads the world rankings in 2014 with two minutes 07.79 seconds . |
0336319e8be0d930daffb179c27944d832c0e30b | A soldier who survived the Battle of Rorke’s Drift against 4,000 Zulus only to be forgotten on its Roll of Honour has finally been hailed a war hero – thanks to a 130-year-old sketch. Private David Jenkins was among the 150 soldiers who fought in the heroic defence of the small South African missionary outpost in 1879, which was immortalised by the film Zulu starring Michael Caine. Such was the bravery shown by the heavily outnumbered troops that after the battle 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded. Hero: Geoff Rees, great grandson of Private David Jenkins, recognised him in this sketch by Lady Elizabeth Butler. He had fought valiantly in the heroic defence of Rorke's Drift in 1879 . However, Private Jenkins’s name was somehow left out of the Roll of Honour, and for more than 130 years his descendants have tried in vain to have his heroism recognised. But they had no proof – until spotting a sketch of a ‘Private Jenkins’ by a Victorian war artist that was being used to illustrate a competition run by the National Army Museum. The Battle of Rorke’s Drift had been nominated as one of Britain’s greatest battles, and the image chosen to represent it was a pencil sketch by Lady Elizabeth Butler of Private Jenkins. Private David Jenkins' family was determined he should be recognised as one of the soldiers who took part in the historic battle . His great-grandson Geoff Rees recognised the face instantly and was able to prove to historians that his relative was a long-forgotten war hero. The artist had been commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate the battle in her painting The Defence of Rorke’s Drift. Mr Rees said: ‘Lady Elizabeth Butler visited the survivors who returned to Portsmouth in the autumn of 1879 and she was treated to a re-enactment of the battle. ‘She famously used real models who were actually there to paint her war scenes.’ Each soldier who survived the battle had also been given a Bible to commemorate their role. Private Jenkins’s Bible was handed over to the museum’s historians as added proof that he had fought at Rorke’s Drift. Private David Jenkins of 1st Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, has now been reinstated in the battle’s Roll of Honour. A spokesman for the National Army Museum said: ‘When his great-grandson contacted us with irrefutable evidence proving David Jenkins’s presence at the battle and his identity in the museum’s sketch book, we set the record straight.’ Pt Jenkins appears in the bottom left hand side of this picture painted by Lady Elizabeth Butler, titled The Defence of Rorke's Drift . Geoff Rees, Pvt Jenkins' great grandson, said that another Jenkins was at Rorke's Drift but the sketch could not be him because he was killed in battle . Mr Rees, 52, from Swansea, said he was incredibly proud of his great-grandfather’s part in history. He added: ‘It’s nice that the history books have finally been corrected to recognise his role. ‘What I find most inspiring about the battle is that it was won by ordinary men who fought so heroically for one another. 'How exposed must they have felt, yet they defended the outpost to a man over a nightmarish 12-hour period.’ | David Jenkins' name was left off Roll of Honour of soldiers who defended tiny outpost .
Family wanted him to be recognised for his actions and finally have proof . |
03370cbe41beec9a94ee195cc884dd70ca1de3ba | I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! has been criticised for its lack of ‘diversity’ as the show kicked off its new series in the African jungle starring ten white celebrities. Radio presenter Yumi Stynes renamed the Channel 10 reality show ‘I’m A White Celebrity Get Me Outta Here’ as the new series started on Sunday night starring the likes of The Brady Bunch's Maureen McCormick, famous for playing Marcia Brady, and model Laura Dundovic. After weeks of guessing games, the celebrities flew into view in ten helicopters whirring over Kruger National Park where they'll be staying for the next six weeks. The line-up includes Olympic swimmer Leisel Jones, 29, Australian cricket legend Merv Hughes, former Big Brother runner-up and Gold Logie Award winner Chrissie Swan and 24-year-old comedian Joel Creasey. Scroll down for video . I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! kicked off on Sunday night with ten stars entering the African jungle . They will appear in the jungle contest alongside TV personality Andrew Daddo, 48, AFL legend Barry Hall, 37, and lesser known stars Lauren Brant, former Hi-5 member, as well as 27-year-old model and 'professional traveller' Tyson Mayr. ‘Loving @joelcreasey and of course @ChrissieSwan but there are other races in Oz!,’ Stynes wrote. She also commented: ‘I've never watched Brady Bunch. Too white. #ImaWhiteCelebAU.’ Radio presenter Yumi Stynes renamed the reality show 'I'm A White Celebrity Get Me Outta Here' The Feed host was disappointed with the lack of diversity in the show's line-up . TV presenter's Yumi Stynes (left) and Marc Fennell (right) took to Twitter to comment about the show . ‘Apparently The Block is all white contestants but have never watched it because I live in a cave with no tv but lots of interesting brown pe [sic],’ she added. One of Stynes' followers responded: '#ImACelebrityAU even the butterflies are white @yumichild #ImaWhiteCelebAU.' And comedian Mark Williamson said: 'Shouldn't the show be called I'm a White Celebrity get me out of here? #ImACelebrityAU.' Film critic Marc Fennell posted a picture of the full cast on Twitter, writing: ‘And people tell me there’s no diversity problem on Australian TV.’ The Feed host told Daily Mail Australia that although he is a big fan of I’m A Celeb and likes ‘a number of people on it’ he was not so happy with the lack of diversity in the line-up. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! Former Brady Bunch actress Maureen McCormick (left) jumped into the jungle on Sunday alongside model Laura Dundovic (right) 24-year-old comedian Joel Creasey (left) and TV personality Andrew Daddo (right) are ready for the challenge . ‘In general there is a problem in Australian TV,’ Fennell said. ‘Reality TV often leads the way, if you look at MasterChef, X Factor, The Voice, those shows are really good… the big event shows people watch in general are getting a lot better… I wish they’d been able to do this on this show,’ he explained. Fennell said he had no problem with I’m A Celeb ‘over all’ and enjoys watching it but believes there should ‘at least be an attempt to represent the full diversity of Australia’. ‘It’s a big, fun, cheesy reality event that could do really well… I wouldn’t have put it to air without at least an attempt at some diversity,’ Fennell said. The 29-year-old SBS anchor admitted that the show’s producers would have had a tough time casting for I’m A Celeb. ‘The talent they are after needs to be universally known but not busy... That’s a hard ask,’ he said. Chrissie Swan (left) was expected to be on the reality show after being spotted on a flight to South Africa last week. AFL player Barry Hall (right) is also playing along . Male model Tyson Mayr (left) seemed excited as he entered the jungle with former Hi-5 star Lauren Bryant (right) Howzat! Cricket legend Merv Hughes and his infamous handlebar mustache have made their way into the jungle. Olympic Swimmer Leisel Jones (right) has also joined the cast of the reality series . Adding: ‘I bear no malice to the production company I just don’t think in 2015 it’s OK to put out a show that’s just white people and bears no resemblance to the diversity of Australia.’ Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10 for comment. Stars who reportedly tuned down offers to appear on the show include former radio star Sophie Monk, who turned down a proposed $60,000 per week salary, along with beauty queen Tegan Martin, cricketer Shane Warne and former Bachelor Blake Garvey. I'm A Celeb achieved an impressive 1.306m viewers for its opening show and 1.199m for its Welcome to the Jungle special on Sunday. It rated as the fourth most-watched show after the Australian Open final presentation and match on Channel 7 and Nine News's Sunday show. Jungle beauty queen: Laura Dundovic was among the Australian celebrities sent into the jungle . Red hot: The former Miss Universe Australia is set to be a fan favourite in the competition, while former Big Brother runner-up and Gold Logie Award winner Chrissie Swan was expected to be on the reality show after being spotted on a flight to South Africa last week . Going into the jungle: The ten celebrities, inlcuding Merv Hughes (left) and Leisel Jones (right) get ready to jump into croc infested waters . | A new series of the jungle reality show kicked off in South Africa on Sunday .
Radio presenter Yumi Stynes commented on the all-white cast line-up .
She renamed the Channel 10 show 'I'm A White Celebrity Get Me Outta Here'
Film critic Marc Fennell is disappointed in lack of diversity amongst 10 celebs .
'I don't think in 2015 it's OK to put out a show that's just white,' he said . |
03372fc545293a17d7b60a39aa900e3b87faa9cb | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:13 EST, 8 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:27 EST, 10 September 2012 . When a woman in California started losing feeling in her lower extremities and then her upper, she was terrified at what was happening to her body. When Sara Alvarez found out that her brain was infected with a calcified tapeworm and she had to have a life-threatening surgery, the terror grew. Her case is one of a growing number of cases popping up in the west-coast state, and now some physicians are saying that neurocysticercosis – where tapeworms lodge in one’s brain – is becoming a first-world problem. Emergency: Sara Alvarez had the parasites removed in a potentially life-threatening operation in 2011 . Alvarez, was told by doctors in December 2010 that she needed this surgery to extricate the growing number of parasites in her brain. Her children were horrified that they might lose their mother. Doctors in Redwood, California were at first baffled by her symptoms, and first diagnosed her with a tumour. It was only after a CT scan revealed calcified tapeworm larvae that they knew she had neurocysticercosis. Only about 1,900 cases are reported in U.S. hospitals annually. Alvarez, who was born in Mexico, told Scientific American that she experienced crippling headaches for more than two decades before she was diagnosed. She received the operation in January of 2011. A large part of her hair had to be shaven to allow surgeons to cut into her scalp and reach her brain. Dangerous: The large circle indicated by the black arrow is a sucker in the brain, the dark dots highlighted with green arrows are calcified larvae of the pork tapeworm . The tapeworm larvae form little nodules in the brain like this one . A study published by PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases in January stated that 304 of the hospitalisations in the U.S. during 2009 were in California. In addition, 85 per cent of those identified in the state were Latino, with 72 per cent from the southern areas. Many of the population are Hispanic immigrants who do not have access to proper health education and are unaware how the parasite is spread. Tapeworm larvae are passed through direct contact with human feces. Though her surgery was a success, some medical professionals are worried of the growing number of cysticerosis cases in the state. Neurocysticercosis . is a common disease within third-world and developing countries, . affecting 50million people globally, but is largely overlooked by . physicians in America because of inexpensive early treatment options and . hygiene available. Patricia Wilkins, a scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told Scientific American that neurocysticercosis has been affecting a growing number of marginalised populations within the U.S., including immigrant Latinos and Hispanics. She said that these populations are not given the education necessary to prevent infections. According to the CDC, neurocysticercosis is preventable, but happens with larval cysts of the pork tapeworm enter the brain. It is the most severe form of cyticercosis. A person can become infected then they unwittingly ingest microscopic eggs. For instance, if an infected person who hasn’t properly washed their hands after defecation then contaminates food or other surfaces, that puts others at risk for contracting the parasite. The larvae can then be unknowingly consumed. When the larvae hatch inside the body, they migrate up towards the brain. Microscopic: A Cestode Tapeworm (Taenia) cysticercus is invisible to the human eye and is passed from human to human in fecal matter . The CDC notes that the infection is preventable if people thoroughly wash their hands after using the toilet. Treatment for neurocysticercosis is extremely costly. The CDC estimates that the average cost of hospitalisation for one infected cost $37,600. A staggering 43 per cent of the financial burden was passed to Medicaid. | Sara Alvarez was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, where pork larvae infect the brain .
Required dangerous surgery to extract them .
Infection is most common in third-world countries . |
033778d67c4d2a046dc719be531b18191b72da57 | He's a brave hero who never turns his back on a fight, and his name is Rocky. Not the boxer famously played by Sylvester Stallone, but this labrador-husky cross, who helped his owner drag a nine-year-old girl to safety after she fell into the fast-flowing waters of Canada's icy North Saskatchewan River. Rocky's owner Adam Shaw told how his dog jumped into the water, allowing Samara Sunshine - who had fallen in with her 10-year-old sister while out tobogganing - to grab on to his lead as he towed her back to the snow-covered riverbank. Scroll down for video . Hero: Rocky, a labrador-husky cross, helped to pull nine-year-old Samara to safety as she was being swept along an icy river in Canada . Danger: Samara, nine, had been tobogganing along the snowy banks of the river with her 10-year-old sister when the girls fell in . Mr Shaw, 27, who was alerted by the sisters' screams while out walking with his dog in Edmonton on Sunday, managed to haul Krymzen to safety, but Samara was swept out of his reach by the current, according to a CNN report. He tried to throw his dog's lead to the girl for her to grab on, but she was already too far away, so Mr Shaw reattached it to Rocky and instructed his dutiful dog to jump in the water. 'He jumped in right beside her,' said Mr Shaw. 'I called him back and he swam toward the ice.' Rescue: Mr Shaw managed to haul Krymzen, 10 (pictured), to safety, but her sister Samara was swept out of his reach . Rocky managed to tow Samara close enough to the bank for his owner to grab her arm, and his pet, and get them away from the water's edge. The girls' relieved mother, Miranda Wagner, has said she cannot bear to think about what might have happened had Mr Shaw and Rocky not come across the scene. She told CNN affiliate CTV: 'Doctors said two more minutes and Samara would have been gone. 'I just want to give him a big hug and tell him he's my hero. If he wasn't there I wouldn't have my girls.' Scare: When Adam Shaw and his dog Rocky came across the scene, he saw one girl in the water as her sister tried to drag her out . 'Miracle': Mr Shaw dashed to the girls' help with his pet dog Rocky after hearing their cries as he walked across a bridge spanning the river on Sunday . It is thought the ice extending from the riverbank gave way beneath one of the girls' toboggans on Sunday. Mr Shaw, who was walking along a bridge over the river when he heard the girls' cries, said he looked down and saw one girl in the water and another trying to pull her out. By the time he and Rocky and sprinted down to the riverbank, both girls were in the water. He dragged Krymzen back onto the bank, but Samara was already too far away. 'She said she couldn't move her arms, couldn't move her legs,' Mr Shaw explained. As he and his dog tried to get closer to the young girl, the ice gave way beneath them. By the time they were out of the water, Samara had drifted 50 or 60 yards downriver and was struggling to keep her head above water. But Mr Shaw refused to give up, sprinting to the girl again while his dog leaped into the water to help tow her to safety. Fire crews arrived shortly after Samara was pulled on to the riverbank and the sisters were taken for treatment. Hero: Rocky was treated to a gigantic rawhide bone by chiefs at the local fire station as a reward for his efforts . Mr Shaw, who said it was 'a bit of a miracle' that everything had worked out, and his dog were honoured for their efforts at the local fire station on Monday. Fire chief Ken Block, who said the Sunshine sisters were 'very, very fortunate' that Mr Shaw and his pet came along, presented the 27-year-old with a fireman's hat, while Rocky was rewarded with a giant rawhide bone. VIDEO: Hear Adam Shaw describe how Rocky the dog helped him rescue sisters . | The dog helped to pull a nine-year-old girl from North Saskatchewan River .
Samara Sunshine was being swept downstream after falling into icy water .
She and her sister Krymzen, 10, had fallen in while out tobogganing .
Rocky and his owner, Adam Shaw, worked together to pull sisters to safety .
'Two more minutes and Samara would have been gone,' girls' mother said . |
0338c847baf0953af566878502e1fd979624cb39 | Anderson Cooper had a close call on the Gaza frontline when a rocket exploded just a few blocks from where he was reporting live. The CNN anchor was speaking to the camera in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Sunday night when a rocket exploded close to where he was standing, causing the veteran journalist to duck for cover. He was discussing the death toll - which includes ten members of the same family - on the Gaza trip as Israel continues to hit Hamas strongholds. So far, 96 Palestinians and three Israelis have died since the conflict began last Wednesday. Scroll down for video . Danger zone: Anderson Cooper ducks for cover as he reports from the frontline of the Gaza Strip on Sunday night . On the frontline: Cooper spoke to viewers as rocket explosions lit up the sky in Palestine. One missile landed so close it caused the journalist to take cover (right) Cooper has been updating his Twitter constantly as he reports from the frontline. Following the blast, he wrote: 'Rocket from #Gaza City fired just minutes ago while I was live on @cnn. Smoke trail clearly visible behind me. 6th rocket we've seen today.' He later tweeted: 'More rockets fired from #Gaza and reports of air raid sirens in #Ashkelon. Now, sound of call to prayers echo throughout Gaza City.' In his latest message, the correspondent told his followers: 'Bldg hit by multiple rockets. Saw them slam into lower floors. Ran to scene. Bldg on fire. ambulance crews pulled out 1 man severely burned.' Attacks: Smoke and fire from an explosion by a high-rise housing in Gaza City today . Lifesavers: Palestinians firefighters try to extinguish a fire after an Israeli strike on a building in Gaza City . Casualties: Injured children following an Israeli air strike on Gaza. Almost half of the 1.7million population is made up of children . In the latest Israeli airstrike today two children have been killed and several injured. Anderson Cooper's near miss in Gaza is far from the first time the reporter has placed himself in harm's way. During the Egyptian uprising in spring 2011, Anderson and his camera crew were attacked while reporting on the streets of Cairo. He made a follow-up report from a darkened room, in a undisclosed location, which was 'frankly for our own safety' he admitted to viewers. Cooper has been on the ground to report during the tsunami damage in Sri Lanka in 2005 along with the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon then the Niger famine. He was also in New Orleans to report on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As a college graduate trying to get his break in journalism, Cooper forged a press pass and sneaked into Myanmar, selling segments on the student uprising against the Burmese government to a news agency in the U.S. Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted around 80 sites in overnight airstrikes which continued to hit the enclave during the early hours of this morning as the violence entered its sixth day. Health officials said rockets hit two houses belonging to a single family, killing two children and a woman and injuring 30 others - half of them children. It came less than 24 hours hours after several women and children were among 11 reportedly killed in an airstrike on a residential area as Israel expanded its targets to what it said were the homes of wanted militants. Save the Children has called for an immediate end to the conflict between Israel and Gaza as fears grow that the situation will have a devastating affect on children who make up nearly half the 1.7 million population of the Gaza Strip . It came less than 24 hours hours after . several women and children were among 11 reportedly killed in an . airstrike on a residential area as Israel expanded its targets to what . it said were the homes of wanted militants. While Cooper reports from the Middle East, his talk show Anderson Live is being manned by first ever guest host Rosie O'Donnell today. Cooper will join the show via satellite to give the latest updates from the Middle East conflict. Shaken: The veteran anchor, who has reported from conflicts around the world, looked rattled following the explosion . Professional: Cooper kept up the rest of his report following the blast, telling viewers that the blast just a few blocks away had set off car alarms but he could not see where it had impacted . The big story: Cooper appears on the Election Night special earlier this month . | CNN anchor was talking live to camera on Sunday night from Gaza Strip .
96 Palestinians and three Israelis have died in conflict since Wednesday . |
03392835ea832d7940082c421a21778c70701ff0 | These stunning sculptures of heavy beasts have been fashioned from scrap metal. They are the work of artist John Lopez who welds the pieces from abandoned farm machinery. Based in the town of Lemmon, South Dakota, the 43-year-old has created full-size representations of creatures including a horse, buffalo and even a cowboy atop a triceratops. Mr Lopez had a successful career in bronze sculpting, but changed his working techniques after the death of his aunt Effie in a car accident. He moved to his widowed uncle Geno Hunt's ranch and set about making a family cemetery. But after completing a perimeter fence Mr Lopez ran out of material and, being 35 miles from the nearest town, had to search for usable scrap iron on site. It led on to working with the disused metal as an art material. He said: 'I am a sculptor and love to create. I started welding sculptures together using scrap iron after my Aunt Effie's death. I built a cemetery around her head stone on the ranch and it all started from there.' These stunning sculptures are the work of artist John Lopez who welds the pieces from abandoned farm machinery . Howdy: Based in the town of Lemmon, South Dakota, the 43-year-old has created full-size representations of creatures including a horse, buffalo and even a cowboy atop a triceratops . Mr Lopez had a successful career in bronze sculpting, but changed his working techniques after the death of his beloved aunt Effie in a car accident . Mr Lopex said: 'I am a sculptor and love to create. I started welding sculptures together' The 43-year-old added: 'I get my ideas from my life, the ranch, our history here, the animals around our area' Black Hawk is a scrap iron sculpture of a life-size plow horse pulling a single bottom plow . Black Hawk is a scrap iron sculpture of a life-size plow horse pulling a single bottom plow . John Lopez works on Black Hawk, a scrap iron sculpture of a life-size plow horse pulling a single bottom plow . Mr Lopex said: 'I collect the iron from local ranchers and farmers I knew as a kid. My family and friends are more than happy to help out' Mr Lopez moved to his widowed Uncle Geno Hunt's ranch and set about making a family cemetery . The man himself, John Lopez with his favourite creation, the steel stallion . | John Lopez, from South Dakota, has created full-size representations of creatures .
He had a successful career in bronze sculpting, but changed his working techniques . |
033a87088e242f15aeb422d7d0495c4c02bfd596 | A college in Texas has sent out letters to applicants from Nigeria telling them they will not be admitted to the school because of Ebola. Kamorudeen Abidogun said he received two rejection letters from Navarro College, near Dallas, saying that the school is not accepting international students from countries with confirmed Ebola cases. The mechanical engineer, who is originally from Nigeria but now lives in Richmond, has five relatives in Nigeria who were applying to the school using his home mailing address. Scroll down for video . Kamorudeen Abidogun said he received two rejection letters from Navarro College, near Dallas, saying that the school is not accepting international students from countries with confirmed Ebola cases . A letter Mr Abidogun provided to CNBC, and that has been posted on Twitter, carries the signature of Navarro College's international programs director, Elizabeth Pillans. After stating that the two-year community college is unable to offer the recipient acceptance for the Spring 2015 term, it quite clearly reads: 'Navarro College is not accepting international students from countries with confirmed Ebola cases.' 'I received, last weekend, two rejection letters...saying the reason why they were not giving admission was...Ebola,' Mr Abidogun told the news channel. He said he was 'disappointed' in the school's stated policy. Navarro's vice president for Access and Accountability, Dewayne Gragg, sent an email to CNBC after repeated requests from the station for comments on the situation. 'Our college values its diverse population of international students,' it read. 'This fall we have almost 100 students from Africa. Unfortunately, some students received incorrect information regarding their applications to the institution.' A letter Mr Abidogun provided to CNBC, and that has been posted on Twitter, carries the signature of Navarro College's international programs director, Elizabeth Pillans . 'As part of our new honor's program, the college restructured the international department to include focused recruitment from certain countries each year,' the email continued. 'Our focus for 2014-15 is on China and Indonesia. Other countries will be identified and recruitment efforts put in place once we launch our new honors program fall 2015. 'We apologize for any misinformation that may have been shared with students. Additional information regarding our progress with this new initiative will be posted on our website.' When CNBC asked for further clarification and whether there is or had been a policy to reject students based on the presence of Ebola in their countries, Mr Gragg said in an email: 'The prior email speaks for the college.' | Kamorudeen Abidogun said he received two letters from Navarro College .
They state that the school is not accepting students from countries with Ebola .
College responded with an email that does not appear to address the issue . |
033a9c61844bf25eab2e079d24eaa381f3a3feda | As the Everly Brothers, they rewrote the rock ’n’ roll rule book and became one of the most influential acts in musical history. But a heartbroken Don Everly last night said he wanted to mark the death of his brother Phil by remembering the man – not the legend. In an emotional tribute, Don said: ‘I loved my brother very much. I always thought I’d be the one to go first. The world might be mourning an Everly Brother, but I’m mourning my brother Phil Everly.’ Don, 76, revealed he was listening to one of Phil’s compositions just before he was told that his brother had died at the age of 74. He said: ‘It was one of my favourite . songs that Phil wrote. I took that as a special spiritual message from . Phil saying goodbye.’ In an emotional tribute, Don said: ‘I . loved my brother very much. I always thought I’d be the one to go first. The world might be mourning an Everly Brother, but I’m mourning my . brother Phil Everly’ Don said the love he felt for his brother survived any personal difference they had – including an acrimonious split that reportedly lasted a decade. He said: ‘Our love was and will always be deeper than any earthly differences we might have had. ‘My wife Adela and I are touched by all the tributes we’re seeing for Phil and we thank you for allowing us to grieve in private at this incredibly difficult time.’ Everly died on Friday night. He had been suffering complications from a lung disease and was being treated in hospital in Burbank, Los Angeles. His widow Patti, who blamed his death on a lifetime of cigarette smoking, said: ‘We are absolutely heartbroken. He fought long and hard.’ The Everly Brothers were best known for their steel-string guitar playing and close vocal harmonies and dominated charts on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1950s and early 60s. Their biggest hits included Wake Up Little Susie, All I Have To Do Is Dream and Bye Bye Love. Their unique vocal style directly influenced The Beatles – who even referred to themselves early in their career as ‘the English Everly Brothers’. 'He . fought long and hard': The rock singer and lifetime cigarette smoker - . who scored hits with All I Have To Do Is Dream, Wake Up Little Susie, . and Bye Bye Love - died due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . The pair broke up on stage in 1973 and reportedly did not speak to each other for a decade except at their father’s funeral. They got back together at a reunion concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1983 and three years later were among the first acts to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, a family source last night insisted relations between the pair had continued to be strained. Former model Erin Everly, who is the daughter of Don but says she considers Phil ‘a father figure’, also paid tribute last night, saying: ‘His voice was as pure as his heart. We are all devastated. Phil was a son, a brother, a father, a husband, a grandfather – and the glue that held us all together. He was a selfless man who was always laughing. He is the best man I have known.’ Phil Everly was married three times and had two sons, Jason and Chris, both singers and songwriters. Some of the world’s biggest stars have paid tribute. Sir Tim Rice, the Oscar-winning lyricist, tweeted: ‘Death of the great Phil Everly – one of the saddest musical exits of all time for me. He and Don were more influential than they ever knew.’ Brian May, the Queen guitarist, posted a tribute on his own website, saying he had learned his craft listening to the Everly Brothers. ‘I could probably write a book on the music of the fabulous Everly Brothers, but you’ll find echoes of their influence in a lot of our old Queen songs, and perhaps that is the best tribute,’ he said. He added: ‘I never met them. Wish I had. But they will always be my heroes.’ Legendary . duo: Along with his 76-year-old brother Don, the Everly Brothers still . hold the record for the most top 100 singles by any duo in history . Singing . in heaven: The country crooners' signature harmonies and steel-string . guitars influenced the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Neil . Young, Jack White, and Elliot Smith . Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet tweeted: ‘If you’re a Beatles fan you owe it all to Phil Everly. A pillar of modern pop music. RIP.’ One of the most poignant tributes came from singer Nancy Sinatra who toured with the duo. She said: ‘Phil Everly is gone. Touring with Phil and Don was one of the thrills of my life. I love you Philip – God speed.’ English guitarist Albert Lee, who was the musical director for the brothers’ reunion concert, paid tribute to their unique sound. He said: ‘There was nothing like it. It was a combination of their country upbringing, and when they became teenagers they fell in love with rock ’n’ roll.’ American guitarist Duane Eddy, who produced Phil’s first solo album, described his death as ‘a huge blow’. Lord Sugar tweeted his three million followers: ‘Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers dies at 74. To all youngsters: Classic example why you must not smoke. His wife said that’s what killed him.’ | Brother Don said: ‘I loved my brother very much. I always thought I’d be the one to go first .
The Everly Brothers .
dominated charts on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1950s and .
early 60s . |
033ac69e33d7d3cd4ccd3e489641fa92d52183f4 | By . Sean O'hare . PUBLISHED: . 10:13 EST, 20 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:22 EST, 21 December 2012 . Cider is fast becoming the drink of choice as traditional lager drinkers change their tipple. The fact was long ago predicted by master brewer Jean-Pierre Stassen who claims his brewery in Aubel, Belgium, was first to produce flavoured ciders, adding peach in 1987, later cherry, lychee and raspberry. 'At the time, other companies said it was crazy, it was sacrilege ... but people bought it'. Trips to the pub are becoming less . frequent, but consumers are willing to pay more for premium products, . such as independent craft beer and ciders such as Strongbow Gold when they do . venture out. Scroll down for video . Cider, like this bottle of Strongbow Gold fresh from the production line at the Stassen family brewery in Aubel, near the Dutch and German borders, promises growth in developed markets . Retail analysts Mintel said forty-seven . per cent of drinkers said they regularly enjoy a glass of cider compared . with 46 per cent who describe themselves as lager fans . 'Mass-produced beers have suffered due to the surge of craft beers, Spiros Malandrakis, senior drinks analyst at market . research group Euromonitor, told Reuters. 'Big brewers feel the threat. Cider could be the . escape hatch.' Cider's . rebirth in Britain has been going strong since C&C Magners took off . in 2005, and . resold the drink's image as a refreshing summer beverage poured over ice. As proof of the threat felt by traditonal lager producers, Stella Artois now sells its own cider, Cidre. New . flavours such as pear and elderberry have widened its appeal to the . point where it's considered an ideal all-year-round drink. Retail analysts Mintel said forty-seven . per cent of drinkers said they regularly enjoy a glass of cider compared . with 46 per cent who describe themselves as lager fans. The . fact it is sweeter – more like fizzy soft drinks – means it appeals to . young adults who might have bought alcopops in the past, said Mintel . Its surveys of drinkers . found 58 per cent thought cider more refreshing than lager. The . fact it is sweeter – more like fizzy soft drinks – means it appeals to . young adults who might have bought alcopops in the past, said Mintel. Cider also has ‘a strong appeal to women’. Mintel . said: ‘Half say it has a fresher taste, 44per cent prefer its sweeter . taste, 27per cent drink it for a change and one in five claim its less . gassy than lager - something which appeals to women especially. ‘Revealingly, . one in six consumers say that they like that it tastes less alcoholic . than lager, which reflects the desire among younger consumers, new to . drinking, to have a more palatable drinking option. ‘While cider is drunk mainly by men, . it also has a strong appeal to women and this gives it a considerable . advantage in the in-home-focused alcohol market where ‘shareability’ between the genders has become a key benefit. ‘Refreshment . and freshness in cider are especially popular among over-35 drinkers, . whereas under-35s have been most attracted by cider’s variety of sweet . flavours.’ While cider is drunk mainly by men, . it also has a strong appeal to women and this gives it a considerable . advantage in the in-home-focused alcohol market . Refreshment . and freshness in cider are especially popular among over-35 drinkers, . whereas under-35s have been most attracted by cider’s variety of sweet . flavours . While . Britain represents almost half of the 1.8 billion litres of cider drunk . globally last year, the United States is virtually untouched territory. In a country with five times more people, the U.S. drank 15 times less . cider but this is rapidly changing. Cider is being marketed as a healthier alternative - made from apples and free from . gluten - and appealing to the sweet-toothed of young America. 'Ten years ago, no one would have expected craft beer to have risen so . much. We think in cider similar things can happen,' said Joris Brams, . director of C&C's international operations. Cider was a mainstream drink in the United States before German . immigrants established large-scale lager production in the mid-19th . century, but it fell away after the prohibition era. Cider is being marketed as a healthier alternative - made from apples and free from . gluten - and appealing to the sweet-toothed of young America . Cider was a mainstream drink in the United States before German . immigrants established large-scale lager production in the mid-19th . century, but it fell away after the prohibition era . | Drinkers willing to pay more for premium products and flavoured ciders .
The drink is now marketed in America as 'healthier alternative' to lager . |
033b15876d0956eb98211bdb514ef0696d197956 | By . Annette Witheridge . The estranged husband of model Monica Olsen accused of offering to pay a hitman $80,000 to have her murdered has been placed in solitary confinement as he awaits trial, it emerged today. Dino Guglielmelli, 52, is in lock-down at the notoriously violent Men’s Central Jail, in Los Angeles. The millionaire vitamins tycoon is unable to receive visitors or make telephone calls. A source close to the alleged murder-for-hire plot told MailOnline that Guglielmelli was moved into solitary confinement last week. Working out through it: Monica Olsen claims she lives in fear after her husband was arrested when he was taped offering a would-be hitman $80,000 to kill her during an acrimonious divorce . Long stretch: Her husband has been moved to solitary confinement. It comes after a court was told that because of his wealth, other inmates have offered to take out the 'rat' hitman who recorded him . 'The sheriff deemed he was high-profile and had to go into solitary. He’s in lock down,' the source said. On the jail’s inmate webpage, a letter N has been placed next to Guglielmelli’s visiting arrangements. The site states that N means inmates are unable to receive visitors 'due to classification, discipline, security'. Guglielmelli claims he was set up by his friend and would-be hitman Richard Fuhrmann, who recorded the bitter husband apparently asking Fuhrmann to take out his wife. But sources close to the investigation tell MailOnline that both Monica and Furhmann are terrified he is trying to get at them from behind bars. According to court documents seen by MailOnline, other inmates have offered to 'visit' Fuhrmann for grassing up Guglielmelli when they get out. Army vet Fuhrmann, 47, is so frightened he has fled his home in California and has gone into hiding. Police claim he secretly taped Guglielmelli offering him $80,000 to kill Monica, who created the Skin by Monica Olsen beauty line when she retired from the catwalk. Guglielmelli and Monica were embroiled in an increasingly bitter custody battle over daughters Cienna, nine, and six-year-old Vandella when he allegedly tried to have her killed. Prosecutors say he had secretly wired $4.4 million abroad and was planning to flee the country with the children. Since his arrest seven months ago he has been held at the Men’s Jail, part of LA’s notorious Twin Towers correctional facility. Notorious: Guglielmelli, 52, is at the Men's Central Jail, part of the infamous Twin Towers correctional facility . Feuding: Guglielmelli is alleged to have turned to the hitman because he feared his wife and mother of his two daughters was winning the divorce battle - and particularly custody of their two daughters . Moving on: Olsen won the family Canyon Country ranch in a pre-divorce hearing. She has now put the six-bedroom mansion on themarket for $3.2million . Luxury: In happier times, Monica and Guglielmelli completely remodeled the property adding a children's wing, play area and guest quarters . Princesses: Monica’s divorce lawyer Ronald Lebow complained in court papers seen by MailOnline, that the children had been cared for 'by a series of 13 nannies' after Monica left . Spa: The six-bedroom, 7000 sq ft house sits on three acres with a 'magnificent' salt water swimming pool . The 9,500-prisoner complex was named as one of the 10 worst jails in the world in 2011 and according to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union violence by guards on inmates is widespread. Officers, who monitored 500 phone calls and numerous jail visits before Guglielmelli was put into solitary, say he offered to pay hardened prisoners 'protection' money, according to court documents. 'He is not a criminally sophisticated individual when it comes to street crimes,' Detective Mike Staley said at one of Guglielmelli’s court hearings. 'He has had some incidents in jail. He used the wrong toilet one time and was made to do a bunch of push-ups by African-American inmates. 'Right after that, he was approached by (what) we call shot callers, he called it the dorm manager. He offered to put money in the dorm manager’s books for protection. 'People like Mr Guglielmelli in custody are very quickly sized up as being rich. Whether he is or not, he has the appearance of being very wealthy. And with that comes power within the jail system. 'Often times we have had many, many incidents where people will leave, get released and go visit people on the outside for witness intimidation, assaults and murder.' The . detective said a taped visiting-room conversation between Guglielmelli . and his long-time employee Tracee Sidell revealed that 'sympathetic' inmates had offered to visit 'rat' Furhmann. Guglielmelli, . whose Creation’s Garden beauty supplements business had revenues of $48 . million a year, allegedly turned down one offer, then wrote a name down . on a piece of paper. Staley . admitted Guglielmelli could have been writing the prisoner’s name down . to report him but no piece of paper had been handed in to guards. He . told the court he believed he had written down Fuhrmann’s details. Furhmann is expected to be the star witness at Guglielmelli’s trial next month. His friendship with Guglielmelli turned sour after Monica slapped him with a subpoena to give evidence during a custody hearing. Furhmann . said he didn’t mention Guglielmelli’s threats then but after . Guglielmelli exploded in temper over his perceived disloyalty he feared . the former waste disposal entrepreneur would find another hitman, according to court papers. Model mom: Monica gave up her catwalk career to have children and has since launched her own brand of skin care products. Her business with Dino was thriving until their relationship fell apart . Hit: Fuhrmann alleged in court papers that 'What I heard extensively, most . continuously (from Dino), was when is this going to happen? Do we have a time frame? Is this going to be over soon?' 'We went into his office. He slammed the door and just kind of went on a tangent for a good five minutes,' Furhmann told investigators, according to court papers seen by MailOnline. 'He shouted: "That stupid bitch is going to get away with it (referring to winning the custody battle)." 'What I heard extensively, most continuously, was when is this going to happen? Do we have a time frame? Is this going to be over soon?' Fuhrmann said there were 'a number of conversations where he needed to know when this was going to be over, give me a date, give me a time. If no, I’ve got to take care of it. 'I was absolutely panicked that he would accelerate or move things along without me being in control of it anymore and he really would take things into his own hands. 'He absolutely had the means to do that. Dino is a smart man. He’s got money.' By . then Monica, who appeared in the Rachel McAdams movie The Hot Chick, . was demanding full custody of the children and half of his business . empire. Guglielmelli, 52, has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and solicitation to murder. His defense attorney Anthony Brooklier said: 'I think when you hear the tapes, when the jury hears the tapes,' Brooklier said, 'you'll understand he was manipulated by somebody who was trying to help himself.' Monica’s . spokesman Sean Borg said: 'Monica is still very frightened and jumpy. Her husband was very controlling throughout their 10-year marriage and . she fears he will continue to try to get at her from behind bars.' Monica is so traumatized she has put the ranch she shared with Gugliemelli up for sale. Friends . say she cannot stand being inside the sprawling Canyon Country mansion . and is jumpy is she hears even the slightest noise. Last . month - in a pre-divorce hearing - a matrimonial judge ordered that she . get the house, plus a couple of commercial buildings. Fear: Monica's spokesman, Sean Borg, said she's 'still very frightened and jumpy. Her husband was very controlling throughout their 10-year marriage and . she fears he will continue to try to get at her' The six-bedroom, 7000 sq ft house sits on three acres. There is a 'magnificent' salt water swimming pool and spa. In happier times, Monica and Guglielmelli completely remodeled the property adding a children's wing, play area and guest quarters. The property, which also includes a swimming pool and spa is now on the market for $3.2million. When the couple, who married in 2004, first split Guglielmelli stayed in the house. Monica’s divorce lawyer Ronald Lebow complained in court papers seen by MailOnline, that the children had been cared for 'by a series of 13 nannies' after Monica left. He also claimed that Gugliemelli’s girlfriend, business staff and household aides had periodically lived in the house. After his arrest, Guglielmelli handed over power of attorney to his older brother Gino who filed for bankruptcy on hisbehalf. He listed debts of just $1.5 million - despite business assets that included $8 million in beauty stock, a warehouse, factory equipment and company vehicles. Creation’s Garden, which once employed 250 staff, was sold off at auction. Monica is now trying to re-launch her arm of the business, which included 52 beauty creams and baby skin care products. | Dino Guglielmelli, 52, claims he was set up by would-be hitman Richard Fuhrmann .
Army vet Fuhrmann, 47, secretly taped Guglielmelli offering him $80,000 to kill model wife Monica Olsen, during a bitter custody battle over daughters .
Source told MailOnline that Guglielmelli was moved into solitary confinement at the Men's Central Jail, in Los Angeles, last week .
According to court documents seen by MailOnline, other inmates have offered to 'visit' Fuhrmann for grassing up Guglielmelli .
Source said: 'People like Mr Guglielmelli in custody .
are very quickly sized up as being rich. And with that comes power within .
the jail system' |
033b49281fae88dd8566a6acebc92d00309c134d | By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 09:37 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:56 EST, 29 March 2013 . The incredible moment a Good Samaritan fearlessly leaped onto live subway tracks to save a 63-year-old man who had fallen as others stood around helplessly watching has been captured on video. Christopher Knafelc, 32, was sitting several yards away at a North Philadelphia subway station on Thursday afternoon when he saw what appeared to be a man tumble off the platform. 'Out of the corner of my eye I saw a body fall,' Mr Knafelc told Philly.com. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Shocking sight: Christopher Knafelc, 32, was sitting on a bench, far left, at the North Philadelphia subway station on Thursday when he saw a man walk straight off the platform several yards away, right . Rescue: Without a moment's hesitation Mr Knafelc hurried to the platform's edge and jumped down after the man as a crowd began to gather above . Aware: The 32-year-old estimated having five to 10 minutes before the next train came but also was able to alert someone to stop all oncoming traffic . Of all the people standing around, some . just feet away, Mr Knafelc was the only one to not only rush to his aid, . but immediately jump down beside him - a man he didn't know. 'I jumped down. He was in pain. He was in agony,' Mr Knafelc said. 'I knew I had about five to 10 minutes until another train,' he said. 'I told the guy in the booth to suspend southbound trains. I already had a plan in mind if a train came to roll underneath.' As they waited for rescue crews to arrive, with the train traffic securely halted around them, he says he tried to keep the man's head and neck stable in the meantime. 'I kept him talking. I said are you all right? What hurts? He didn't thank me but I know he was thankful,' he told CBS Philadelphia. Septa police Chief Tom Nestel immediately called Mr Knafelc a hero. Under control: Mr Knafelc, seen standing on the tracks, says he tried his best to keep the older man's head and neck straight and to keep him talking until rescue crews arrived . Hero: Septa police Chief Tom Nestel called Mr Knafelc a hero after he braved live tracks for a man he didn't even know, a man seen here walking around with a slice of pizza above them . 'The line is energized which means there's an awful lot of electricity running through that track area and a passenger who doesn't even know that person that fell immediately runs and jumps onto the tracks to save that person. He's a hero,' he told CBS. It's still unclear why the man fell onto tracks. In the video surveillance he's seen almost absentmindedly walking straight off the platform. He was hospitalized complaining of pain but said to have not been seriously injured. Mr Knafelc says he was just in the right place at the right time. Timing: Mr Knafelc just says he was in the right place at the right time and would absolutely do it again . He was returning from a visit at nearby Temple University, placing him on the southbound subway bench at 12.44pm - exactly where he needed to be. 'I plan on going back to school in the future,' he told Philly.com of his trip. As for the daring rescue, he readily says he'd do it again. 'I can't imagine not helping someone in that situation,' he says. | Christopher Knafelc, 32, was sitting several yards away when he saw the man tumble off the platform .
Mr Knafelc was the furthest away but only one seen rushing to his rescue .
Hero estimated having 5-10 minutes before the next train came but said he had a plan if it happened sooner . |
033d2d71d856b243cf655abefa66dee1e59488d5 | Two Italian air force fighter jets have collided during a training mission - narrowly missing a village in eastern Italy. It isn't known whether the two pilots and two navigators managed to eject from the Tornado jets, and are now missing after the crafts crashed into a hilly, wooded area, near Ascoli. Witnesses reported seeing a fireball as the jets collided and erupted in flames. An air search is now being conducted for the missing crew, the air force said. Scroll down for video . This is the moment two Italian air force fighter jets collided during a training mission - narrowly missing a village in eastern Italy . The crash in a wooded area near the town of Ascoli Piceno in the Marche region sparked a forest fire. The Tg1 television footage showed flames and columns of billowing smoke at the scene . The pilots are presumed to have ejected before the collision - which sparked this forest fire - and survived, Ansa reported, although they have not yet been found and witnesses said they had not seen any parachutes deployed . A . Civil Protection official, Susanna Balducci, told Sky TG24 TV there . were no civilian casualties on the ground after the crash in woods near . the town of Ascoli. A witness told Sky Italia television he saw 'an enormous ball of fire that lasted about five seconds, and then (the planes) crashed into the hillside'. Balducci said a firefighting helicopter was trying to extinguish the blaze, whose flames and dark smoke were visible for miles. On the ground, firefighters battled various blazes in the wooded hills overlooking the Marche town of Ascoli Piceno, as the flames drew closer to the village of Casa Murana . Firefighters at work after the collision of two Italian Air Force jets over the Marche region. A search operation is also underway for the four crew members . Residents in the nearby villages of Olibra and Venarotta have reported hearing a bang. They said the fire broke then out on the ground. A search and rescue operation is now underway and Italian media has reported that parts of the crafts have been found . A Civil Protection official, Susanna Balducci, told Sky TG24 TV there were no civilian casualties on the ground after the crash Tuesday afternoon in woods near the town of Ascoli, but she had no details about the fate of those aboard the aircraft . A helicopter sprays water on the flames burning the bush as residents and reporters look on. Witnesses told Italian media they saw two military planes flying low near Ascoli, then heard a crash and saw flames . The two Italian Airforce Tornado fighters (stock picture) were based at Ghedi in north-west Italy. It has been reported that they were flying low at the time of the collision . Witnesses . quoted in Italian news reports said they saw two military planes flying . low near Ascoli, then heard a crash and saw flames. Residents in the nearby villages of Olibra and Venarotta have reported hearing a bang. They said the fire broke then out on the ground. A search and rescue operation is now underway and Italian media has reported that parts of the crafts have been found. On the ground, firefighters battled various blazes in the wooded hills overlooking the Marche town of Ascoli Piceno, as the flames drew closer to the village of Casa Murana . | The four crew aboard the crafts are missing after the jets crashed into a hilly, wooded area, near Ascoli .
Witnesses from nearby villages reported seeing a fireball as the jets collided and erupted in flames .
It isn't known whether the two pilots and two navigators managed to eject from the jets but a search is underway . |
033f31ac7c35a828ffe6cf98b2c4eb2988ae062d | (CNN) -- A federal judge denied a request in an order issued on Friday to immediately appoint defense counsel to a Libyan man captured last week in connection with the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya. Anas al Libi was seized by American commandos in Tripoli, then transferred to a Navy vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with other accused terrorists, he had been charged by the Justice Department with conspiracy to kill Americans and embassy personnel in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He is expected to be transferred from military to civilian custody in coming days or weeks to face prosecution in federal court. Separately on Friday, Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan condemned al Libi's capture, calling it a "kidnapping." He said Libyan officials are in touch with the U.S. government to try to ensure that al Libi's rights are respected and that he "be tried in a just way." David Patton of the Federal Public Defenders Office in New York asked a judge on Thursday to allow his office to represent al Libi's legal interests immediately even though he is not in the United States. The Justice Department opposed the motion, saying counsel cannot be appointed until the defendant officially appears in federal court. The Obama administration activated the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, a team made up of FBI, CIA and other intelligence agencies, to interview al Libi for intelligence purposes while he remains in U.S. military custody, according to U.S. officials. He is not yet in federal or civilian custody where the rules for treating criminal suspects are different. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who has been overseeing the broader judicial cases involving the bombing suspects, said counsel could not be appointed until al Libi actually is brought to the United States and is presented in court. Until then, the judge agreed with the government that al Libi is technically not under "criminal arrest." "There is no proper basis on which the court could conclude that the obligation to produce the defendant before it in this criminal case has come into existence. The decision whether to proceed with a criminal prosecution of this indictment in the first instance, at least, is an Executive Branch function. It remains to be seen whether such prosecution will go forward." The court order may be modified if and when al Libi is transferred to American soil. Federal public defenders are employed by the judiciary and provide legal representation to some indigent defendants. CNN's Evan Perez and Barbara Starr contributed to this report. | Judge rejects request for defense counsel for Libyan accused in 1998 Nairobi bombings .
Anas al Libi was captured by U.S. commandos in Tripoli and was placed in military custody .
He is expected to be transferred in coming days for prosecution in federal court .
Libyan Prime Minister called al Libi's capture "kidnapping," wants assurance he will be tried fairly . |
0340e9a4c00b83a9235d558da1a559e4ead32c72 | A bureau de change boss who recruited his wife and son to help clean up nearly £170 million-worth of criminal cash has been jailed for nine years. Ussama El-Kurd, 64, known as 'Sammy the Kurd' in underworld circles, was on bail pending an appeal for a previous money laundering conviction when he set up the business in 2006. He enlisted his wife Randa, 51, and son Husain, 22, to help run the Kensington Money Exchange in upmarket Notting Hill, west London. Ussama El-Kurd, known as 'Sammy the Kurd', was on bail for a previous money laundering conviction when he set up the business in 2006 . Their efforts allowed the proceeds of drug dealing, violent robberies and other major crimes to be spent freely by offenders. The Palestinian-born family ran their 'bespoke money laundering service' in Kensington Church Street. No records of the dodgy transactions were kept, but authorities say the business must have helped to wash at least £169m until it was shut down in 2010. They estimate just one-sixth of the trade carried out at the store was legitimate. Ussama El-Kurd wept as he was led away to the cells to begin a nine-year jail term after a judge told him he had caused 'harm on a truly major scale.' Mr Justice Irwin told him: 'That volume of money laundering represented the proceeds of no doubt drug dealing, no doubt extortion, no doubt robbery and violence and all the other aspects of major crime. Mother and son: Husain El-Kurd (left) and Randa El-Kurd (right) were convicted at Southwark Crown Court . 'You began this offending while on bail for an appeal and then facing a potential retrial for your previous offending. 'You defied the courts when you began this offence.' He was found guilty of a near-identical offence in 1999 and jailed for 14 years - though the conviction was later quashed on appeal. The new venture was set up following his release in April 2006. El-Kurd's wife Randa was jailed for ten months for turning a 'blind eye' to his deception while listed as a director of the firm. She claimed she had not attended court during the earlier trial and had tried to shield her family from publicity. But the court heard she was well-versed in the business world, having set up her own property firm in west London. Kensington Money Exchange where Sammy the Kurd recruited his wife and son to help money launder . The judge said he accepted she had played no part in the money laundering itself, but added: 'You turned a deliberate blind eye to what your husband was doing. 'He may have told you he was carrying on business legitimately but you didn't check.' Brunel University student Husain El-Kurd was recruited to work as a delivery driver and man the store while his parents were on holiday. He pleaded to be spared jail so he could continue his studies in international management. But he also received a ten-month jail term and was told he had played an 'active role' in the enterprise. He and his mother embraced in the dock as their sentences were read out. Ussama El-Kurd was banned from acting as a company director for ten years, his wife for five years and his son for three years. Annie Conway, specialist prosecutor for the CPS organised crime Division, said: 'Ussama El-Kurd was laundering criminals' money on a truly industrial scale. 'He made a considerable living cleaning dirty money and helping organised criminals go undetected. 'With the help of his wife and son, El Kurd ran what appeared to be an inconspicuous money exchange shop on Kensington Church Street. The shop was a magnet for criminals who changed up to £150million in Euros before spiriting it away . 'But the shop was a magnet for criminals who changed up to £150 million into Euros before spiriting it away. 'Today's sentencing stops not just these three criminals, but all those who relied on the El-Kurds to enjoy a criminal lifestyle.' Brendan Foreman, SOCA Regional Head of Investigations, said: 'This was no legitimate business venture, it was simply an enterprise designed to enable criminals to prosper while living lives of luxury in foreign jurisdictions both near and far. 'El Kurd has personally profited and the considerable assets he managed to accrue will now be pursued through the courts. 'This investigation will have had a significant impact on organised crime groups operating in the UK and overseas. 'Many have had their criminal proceeds seized whilst others have been denied access to a money laundering mechanism that operated under the guise of a legitimate business on a UK high street.' Usamma El-Kurd, of Lynwood Road, Ealing, west London, admitted conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer or remove criminal property from the UK. His son, of the same address, admitted failing to disclose suspicious transactions. Randa El-Kurd admitted neglecting her role as a company director, contrary to the 2007 Money Laundering Regulations. | Ussama El-Kurd was on bail for a previous money laundering conviction when he set up the business in 2006 .
He enlisted the help of his wife and son to help run the 'bespoke' service . |
0341492fd0a76a919c52a0bca7e0e700ac1578f5 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 05:50 EST, 19 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:02 EST, 19 October 2013 . It's hardly your average drive in the country and just watching footage of Peter Taylor racing around Mull is enough to make you feel car sick. The young rally driver broke the all time record on a stage around the island during its annual road race. Taylor, 22, made it road an 8.3 mile stretch of the picturesque island off the west coast of Scotland in just six minutes and 42 seconds. Scroll down for video: . White knuckle ride: Rally driver Peter Taylor broke a stage record on the Isle of Mull with a 'stunning' piece of driving captured on camera . Fast: Taylor broke the record despite facing the challenge of a series of challenging bends and a new chicane added to the course . Stunning setting: The breathtaking white knuckle ride was filmed on the picturesque Isle of Mull (pictured) Despite being faced with the challenge of a series of hair raising bends and even a new chicane on the island's narrow single track road, Taylor and his co-driver flew around the course, winning richly deserved praise from rally fans. One fan who viewed the record breaking lap on YouTube described it as 'stunning'. Martin Curtis added: 'It's why these boys get my respect above circuit drivers.' But the rest of the Cumbrian driver's race wasn't quite as successful despite his brilliant white knuckle ride. Bad luck: The 22-year-old driver didn't perform quite as well in the rest of the race - he lost out on winning the rally overall . Losing time: Taylor suffered a series of unfortunate bumps during the rest of the race - one of which saw him lose his bumper . He missed out on winning the overall rally, after a series of unfortunate mistakes left his Ford Focus rather battered by the end of the race. He lost time because of a series of minor bumps one of which saw him lose the bumper of his car. The rally was eventually won by John MacCrone in his M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta 82400. The Tunnock's Mull Rally was the first and remains one of only two rallies in the UK that is permitted to close roads in order for it to take place. The idea for the race was conceived by Brian Molyneux after he went on a family holiday to the island. The first race took place there in 1969. | Peter Taylor smashed a stage record during a rally on the Isle of Mull .
The driver completed an 8.3 mile stretch in under seven minutes . |
0341563e40bc965a37d391fd78b259f1b1f3ae7a | (CNN) -- Her almond-shaped brown eyes shine through her sunken face as a doctor lifts her sweater to reveal a tiny rib cage pushing against her skin. Little more than a year old, Israa al Masri wastes away at the National Hospital in the besieged Damascus suburbs just a few miles from the medical supplies needed to save her. Slowly, painfully, organs shut down one by one as her muscles atrophy until, barley breathing. On January 12, the toddler's heart stops. The cause of death: hunger. Starvation is the Syrian government's newest and cruelest weapon against opposition neighborhoods leaving infants with swollen heads and distended bodies, their mothers dry of breast milk, and their elders skeletal and dehydrated, according to activists and doctors. In one of the earliest cases, 1-year-old Farah Atout arrived at the Maliha medical center weak and whimpering as doctors struggled to find veins to feed her intravenously. "I remember this child very well she was about a year old and she weighed only 4 kilograms," said Dr. Mazin Ramadan, who treated Atout last November. Her destitute family fled their village with just the clothes on their back, leaving them with little access to food, Ramadan said. "They arrived and put this child between my hands and imagined with a shot or some medicine her strength would come back and the ordeal would be over," said Ramadan, one of the few pediatricians in the area. After just 48 hours, nothing remained of the baby but a skeletal frame with tubes bandaged to a yellowed face frozen in anguish. But what appeared at the time a unique horror, now repeats itself over and over in the Damascus suburbs, doctors and activists told CNN. Parents often risk death by sniper fire, simply to forage for nutrition. A nurse, who did not wish to be identified for fear of reprisal, in the besieged Yarmouk Palestinian Refugee Camp on the outskirts of Damascus told Amnesty International that around four people a day arrive with gunshot wounds from snipers targeting civilians as they pick plants and shrubs from nearby fields. Established in 1957, Yarmouk, an unofficial refugee camp, has been home for decades to thousands of Palestinians displaced by Arab-Israeli wars. At National Hospital South of Damascus, near Yarmouk, 43 people have died of starvation, 22 of them children, the youngest just 23 days old, with most of the deaths occurring this past month, a dramatic increase, according to hospital staff. "Sometimes I get a case due to malnutrition or lack of medicine and, I feel utter desperation because I cannot help the child. We have reached a state where this is normal -- that every two to three days a child dies. It just feels like there is no nutrition. What can we do?" said a doctor at the hospital who did not wish to be identified out of fear of Syrian forces. Parents sometimes crumble in the face of despair and very few options. "I had a 2-year-old patient just a few days ago, and she was diagnosed with a life threatening condition and when her father found out he said 'OK. I will take her home to die.' Just like that -- without hesitation. He said 'What am I to do? There is no food and no medicine,' " the doctor said. Infants are particularly vulnerable. "The first 1000 days of life, from conception to 2 years are absolutely critical as far as nutrition and the developmental foundations of life are concerned. If the child in the womb of a pregnant mother, and the mother isn't getting the food she needs and there is this obstacle in the way of getting access to this kind of vital nutrients they need to grow. They are not going to recover. That is a real tragedy," said Greg Barrow a spokesman for the United Nations World Food Programme. In a video widely viewed on YouTube of a skeletal 10-year-old named Bashar Kaboush in the eastern Ghouta town of Jisreen, a distraught man who CNN has confirmed is a relative of the child shouts: "Is this acceptable to God? Look at this child. Is this acceptable to world? Does the look like a human body? Is this the arm of a child? He is just 10 years old." Mohammed Abu al Rgaa an activist in Jisreen told CNN that residents fear Kaboush and dozens of others may soon die of hunger. Rgaa shared with CNN the case of 8-month-old Mohamad Faissal from the same town who recently died from lack of infant milk and proper medical care. Shocking online video of Faissal's lifeless body bore the hallmarks of starvation such as a swollen abdomen and protruding ribs, doctors said. The cause of crisis is clear. The once thriving agriculture belt to the east of the capital and the collection of towns and neighborhoods to the south wilted under a government siege blocking food staples from those areas. Opposition-controlled farmland lies desolate after nearly two years of warfare that has destroyed crops and livestock, leaving little more than stores of grain for thousands trapped behind government tanks. Many say the blockades are used by the Syrian government as collective punishment against opposition areas. Hostilities make it difficult to gain a clear view of the scope and scale of malnutrition in the area, but the WFP estimates at least 800,000 civilians remain under siege. "This underlines exactly why humanitarian agencies like the WFP have been calling for more access. To really see with their eyes: What is the scale of the problem? Who is most vulnerable? What kind of assistance do they need? And how can we get it in fast? That is absolutely critical," Barrow said. Amnesty International has been more direct: "The Syrian government is cruelly punishing civilians living in opposition-held areas. Starving civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime. The blockades must be lifted immediately and access to humanitarian aid must never be used to score military or political gains," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa director. Syrian officials failed to respond to CNN requests for comment on this story, but have said in general terms that "foreign-backed terrorists" catapulted the country into a spiral of violence that has triggered Syrian army efforts to expel opposition fighters from the Damascus suburbs. Perhaps most disturbingly, packed aid convoys ready and willing to deliver assistance to those in need are barred from doing so -- mainly by Syrian government troops. "The road to political stability and confidence building in Syria starts with an important step: ensuring no one dies because of a lack of food or medicine or from the cold when humanitarian workers are nearby but are not allowed in" said Ertharin Cousin, WFP's executive director. Geneva II peace talks secured an agreement for some aid to enter the Yarmouk Palestinian Refugee Camp this week, but several hundred food parcels and limited medical evacuations are simply not enough to stave off malnutrition. "To make any progress in addressing these needs, UNRWA's presence and humanitarian assistance work must be permitted to continue and expand over a period of months, not days," Chris Gunness, Spokesman for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees said in a statement. "If the siege does not end, I expect even I will be dead," Assaf said over a crackly Skype connection. "If the siege is not broken these cases will increase and there will be mass death. To be honest this is what I would expect: mass death." | Many are starving in suburbs south of Damascus, Syria .
Infants are particularly vulnerable, doctors say .
Many say Syrian government is purposely starving opposition areas . |
03423adfad42dbd180353de717814fc20af99b7a | By . Ryan Kisiel . PUBLISHED: . 16:58 EST, 3 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:05 EST, 3 June 2013 . Target: Presenter Clare Balding was the subject of a BBC radio show quiz . Comedian Bob Mills last night said BBC producers had ‘overstepped the mark’ for asking him on a live radio programme how lesbian presenter Clare Balding could be ‘turned around’. He blamed the production team for specifically giving him the ‘galling question’ in which he responded that women could be ‘cured’ of homosexuality. Dozens of listeners have complained to the Corporation about the comments accusing producers of promoting homophobic bullying. The BBC issued a second apology yesterday admitting it had ‘got it wrong’ before taking down the offending material from its internet iPlayer service. The media regulator Ofcom said it will now assess complaints before investigating whether the programme breached ‘generally accepted standards’. The offensive comments were made during Radio 5Live’s quiz show Fighting Talk, broadcast half an hour before the 9pm watershed on Saturday. Host Colin Murray asked contestants, during a section called ‘Defend the Indefensible’, to argue: ‘Give me 20 minutes with her and I’m pretty sure I could turn around Clare Balding’. Mr Mills then stated that the former jockey and racing presenter was a ‘horse woman’ who ‘appreciates power between her thighs’. He added: ‘And we all know, there is no woman that can’t be cured’. His response was met by loud groans from the large audience that was watching the show at the Liverpool Echo Arena as part of the station’s Big Day Out event. Mr Mills yesterday said he ‘regretted’ the comments and felt under pressure to answer the question in 20 seconds in front of a crowd of thousands. Show: Comedian Bob Mills (left) said he was pressured into answering an offensive question about Clare Balding on the Fighting Talk show hosted by Colin Murray (right) He added: ‘I sincerely regret any offence that was caused to people by my comments that was diametrically opposed to my beliefs. I will trust that people will understand that it was not meant to be taken seriously. ‘The production team tailor the . questions so they are galling for the person they are asking. I don’t . know who wrote that question and we are not told beforehand so we can . prepare. THE BBC is under fire for refusing to buy a retiring sports commentator a £36 bottle of bubbly because of a ban on the drink. After facing a storm over the amount it was spending on champagne – £100,000 between 2007 and 2011 – the corporation stopped buying it and imposed a ban in 2012. But this week the broadcaster was accused of taking the cutback too far when bosses refused to fund a bottle bought for staff member Brian Arrundale, who had commentated on Hartlepool United matches for BBC Tees for 33 years. ‘I think they have overstepped the mark and maybe this will stop it happening in the future. 'I don’t know why Clare Balding was chosen for the question but she had been on the show and knows the team.’ During a later episode of the same show broadcast at 11pm, Murray asked another tawdry question involving Miss Balding. He set as the subject for the same Defend the Indefensible debate that Channel 4 should get Miss Balding to ‘present the Derby topless’. Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: ‘Even as a joke, this is pretty crude and offensive banter. 'It panders to prejudice and isn’t clever or funny at all.’ Miss Balding, 42, who is the daughter of . the Queen’s former horse trainer Ian Balding, has been in a civil . partnership with Radio 4 newsreader Alice Arnold since 2006. Couple: Clare Balding with civil partner Radio 4 newsreader Alice Arnold . Yesterday, her agent said she would not be making a comment on the remarks. Colin Murray was contacted by the Daily Mail, but refused to comment about his remarks. A BBC spokesman said : ‘Fighting Talk is a live programme and on this occasion we got it wrong. The “Defend the Indefensible” item was inappropriate and as such we have removed this short section of the programme from iPlayer. We would again like to apologise to anyone who was offended by the programme.’ Nicole Scherzinger used the word 'effing' before the watershed on a live X Factor show . Nicole Scherzinger’s use of the term “effing” in a live edition of The X Factor results show was unsuitable for a pre-watershed audience, according to TV regulator Ofcom. The show judge used the word as she introduced her act - who went on to win last year’s contest - telling viewers: 'I’m so proud, this is James effing Arthur.' Ofcom - which received 52 complaints about the incident - said it considered the term to be an example of 'offensive language' in the context of the show. The body said a number of viewers considered it to have simply been used as a substitute for a swear word and 'as a result it was capable of causing a certain amount of offence'. Ofcom said the use of 'effing' went beyond audience expectations for the show - which started at 8pm - and was not appropriate for a pre-watershed show which appealed to children. | Star Bob Mills blamed production team for asking him question on air .
Said he was under pressure to answer in 20 seconds in front of audience . |
03428ef971d50cacab74e5f3315633a0bb78440b | Relive Sportsmail's coverage of the Champions League as Arsenal travelled to Istanbul for the first leg of their play-off against Besiktas. Both teams had chances in an open game, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the post late on. The visitors were playing the latter period of the game with ten men after Aaron Ramsey was sent off for two petulant yellow cards. Besiktas: TBA . Arsenal: TBA . Host commentator . Final whistle goes, sorry about the lack of goals... Arsenal probably had the best of the chances tonight, hitting the post late on, but after Aaron Ramsey's sending off will have to take a draw away from home. They'll be back at the Emirates next week, and will be eager to make the group stage. 90mins: Late sub for Arsenal, who will be happy with this scoreline now, despite that near miss. Credit to Mathieu Debuchy, who has been brilliant going forward, and in defence on the right. 88mins: That was absolutely brilliant from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Dribbling in from the right-hand side, the midfielder unleashes a shot on his weaker foot which the goalkeeper does well to tip onto the post. 83mins: Arsenal understandably sitting back now, its Besiktas' time to attack. Kerim Frei, formerly of Fulham, is on for Ozyakup who seemed to be losing his temper. 80mins: Well this makes things interesting... Aaron Ramsey picked up a cheap first yellow for tugging back his opponent, and he makes the same mistake. Tugs back Ozyakup after losing possession, and now the visitors have a real challenge on their hands. 72mins: Second sub for Arsenal, as the hugely promising Alexis Sanchez goes off. Like for like swap with the Ox coming on. 68mins: Finally Arsenal burst into life into the second half. Great passing down the right between Sanchez and Debuchy, and the right-backs pull-back finds Giroud... but his shot is blocked. Approaching the 70th minute, Wenger has the likes of Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joel Campbell available should he wish to change things up. 66mins: Monreal joins Ramsey and Flamini in the book for Arsenal as he catches Mustafa late as the midfielder tried to play Demba Ba through. 59mins: Neither team committing too much at the moment. Few shots from long range here and there, but little else. You would think Besiktas would have to come out and attack, being the home team. 55mins: It's almost like his job is collecting yellows. Mathieu Flamini goes into the book, a flurry of sorts at the moment. 53mins: Lots of challenges going in so I'm surprised that's the first booking of the game. Motta cynically takes out Alexis Sanchez on the halfway line as the Chilean broke past him. Minutes later Aaron Ramsey pulls back Ozyakup and earns himself a cheap yellow. 50mins: Worry for Arsenal with Everton up next, skipper Mikel Arteta hobbles off with a knock. Flamini replaces him, while Koscielny takes the captain's armband. Arsenal made it into half-time for refuge but the second-half has exactly the same feel. Besiktas quicker and sharper to the ball, more aggressive. Arsenal would probably take the 0-0 if it were on offer at the moment. 47mins: Arsenal carved open. Olcay is played in down the left with so much space to run in to - he cuts inside, opens up the shot into the far corner, but Szczesny will be relieved to see that one curl just wide. Away we go again. No shot from kick-off this time. So much for entertainment, Arsenal... Well that was different, eh? The Champions League is back, and it was so nearly back with a bang with Demba Ba's five-second shot off the bar from kick-off. It's been end-to-end in Istanbul, but both teams can't quite execute their final ball. Alexis Sanchez has looked lively for the visitors, while Olivier Giroud should really have opened the scoring. 45mins: Oh dear. It hasn't been Olivier's half. A beautiful chipped ball finds the Franchman but he misses his left-footed volley completely. 44mins: Rare lack of composure from Calum Chambers. The youngster attempts a crossfield pass to his centre-back partner, but it's intercepted by Ba. The striker twists and turns and his shot wrong foots Szczesny, but it's just wide. Athletic Bilbao have just taken a surprise lead away at Napoli, Iker Muniain with that goal. Seems to be a thriller in Copenhagen too, with Bayer Leverkusen leading 3-2. 38mins: Great effort from Jack Wilshere. The midfielder plays a one-two with Giroud, and after looking up to see no one in front of him, curls towards goal from 25 yards. The keeper does well to dive and save and hold. That was heading towards the top corner. 30mins: Slight appeal for a penalty there for Besiktas. Chambers tracks Veli and doesn't get the ball, but the player wasn't going for it himself. Right decision from the referee. Chambers so full of composure for Arsenal at the back. This is his first Champions League game and he is clearly enjoying himself out there. Everything about him is measured and controlled. 25mins: Plenty of whistles as Arsenal try and build attacks. Giroud, who has been somewhat sluggish so far, nearly picks out Alexis Sanchez with a dinked cross. Arsenal in the ascendancy as the hosts sit back. 18mins: This game settling down after a fast and frenetic start. Alexis Sanchez really does look in the mood, while Calum Chambers has started well at the back for Arsenal. Seems they just have to be patient. 13mins: But this is much better from Arsenal now. Sanchez again involved, his cut back finds Santi Cazorla, whose shot zips past the post from a tight angle. Arsenal have a holding midfielder on the bench in Mathieu Flamimi and it looks like they could do with him in the early part of this game. Arsenal’s midfield being over-run in the opening spell. 12mins: Seems to be so much space for Arsenal on the right. This time Aaron Ramsey tries to break clear but the referee doesn't play advantage after a trip on Sanchez. 10mins: Great ball from Ozyakup over the top of Calum Chambers to find Ba. The Senegalese striker connects well with his left foot on the volley, but the goalkeeper does well to palm it away. Looking really dangerous here, the hosts. But here's Arsenal on the break! Sanchez bursts clear but his cross is deflected and Giroud can't quite get it out of his feet. 5mins: All over the place at the minute Arsenal. The hosts are playing nice quick football on this 'questionable' surface. Arsene Wenger's side struggling to get going. Away we go! And off the bar immediately! A shot straight from kick-off troubles Wojciech Szczesny. What a start... Demba Ba with the effort. And the atmosphere is incredible in Istanbul. Arsenal will surely be happy enough with a draw here. Can they start on the front foot? Speaking to ITV before the game: 'It's windy and pitch is not the best at all, we will have to adapt.' Arsenal fans will hope they do that quickly... Worryingly also, he says Koscielny declared himself fit: 'Koscielny has inflamation but he has declared himself fit, you have to trust the player.' We know what Arsenal can bring, but what about Besiktas? One player to look out for is Oğuzhan Özyakup who is a former youth product in North London. Wenger said: 'I always thought he could make a career but at our club he had big competition in front of him and that is why we let him go. 'It is good to see he has made it to the top level and is now an important player in Turkey.' Arsenal have won all 12 of their previous Champions league play-off matches. That's some record. They have also scored eight goals in their last two games in Istanbul, against Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. It may be tough tonight though at the Olympic Stadium. Perhaps they should ask Liverpool for some advice... Demba Ba has spoken this week about how Jose Mourinho stopped his move to Arsenal last summer, and he now believes he didn't play for Chelsea as he wasn't a star name. ‘Sometimes when you are at a club with a lot of big stars, the name counts for more than the statistics. Unfortunately, it was like that in my case,’ he said. Time to prove your point! As expected Demba Ba starts for the hosts, looking to build on his two goals in five games against the Gunners. For Arsenal, Olivier Giroud comes in for the injured Yaya Sanogo, and similarly Nacho Monreal replaces Kieran Gibbs. Alexis Sanchez will be looking to score his first goal for the club, and don't forget about Aaron Ramsey... Szczesny; Debuchy, Koscielny, Chambers, Monreal; Arteta, Ramsey; Cazorla, Wilshere, Sanchez; Giroud. Subs: Martinez, Bellerin, Miquel, Flamini, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain & J.Campbell. Tolga, İsmail, Motta, Ersan, Pedro, Olcay, Veli, Necip, Oğuzhan, Mustafa, Demba Ba . Concrete information should arrive shortly, but we can gather certain aspects about Arsenal's line up. Calum Chambers is expected to make his Champions League debut after impressing in recent weeks, while it will be interesting to see whether Alexis Sanchez starts. The Chilean struggled somewhat in the 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace at the weekend, and could be rested for this weekend's trip to Everton. Hit them where it hurts! Lukas Podolski may not be here (though there is still Wojciech Szczesny), but Besiktas manager Slavan Bilic says his side will be battling on the pitch... not taking pictures. 'We are not here to take selfies with Arsenal on the pitch, we are here to battle to the end,' Bilic said at his pre-match press conference. Hello and welcome to Sportsmail's coverage as Arsenal travel to Istanbul to play Besiktas tonight. Arsene Wenger has become accustomed to experiencing the group stages of the Champions League, but faces a tricky first leg tonight. Team news to come, of course, and we will all have all the updates in the lead up to the big game. | Besiktas manager Slaven Bilic is sent to the stands in the closing stages .
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hits the post for the visitors late on .
Aaron Ramsey sent off in second half for Gunners for two bookings .
Hosts playing well in front of home fans .
Gunners finding it hard to break the Besiktas defence .
Demba Ba hits the crossbar straight from kick-off .
Besiktas starting XI: Tolga, Ismail, Motta, Ersan, Pedro, Olcay, Veli, Necip, Oguzhan, Mustafa, Demba Ba .
Arsenal starting XI: Szczesny; Debuchy, Koscielny, Chambers, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Wilshere, Sanchez, Giroud .
Arsenal play first Champions League game of the season at Besiktas .
Gunners travel to Ataturk Olympic Stadium for first leg of their play-off .
Winner of tie will advance to the group stages . |
0344589e5dd8ddb797109cdfe5849c41ff31ecfa | (CNN) -- A judge granted a temporary restraining order Friday to keep a 13-year-old girl on life support after she was declared brain dead following a tonsillectomy at a hospital in Oakland, California. Alameda Superior Court judge Evelio Grillo gave the family of Jahi McMath and hospital officials until Monday to appoint an independent physician to further examine the girl. Jahi was declared brain dead December 12, three days after she was to have surgery to remove her tonsils. Doctors at Children's Hospital & Research Center in Oakland had recommended the tonsillectomy and other procedures to treat Jahi's sleep apnea, weight gain, inability to concentrate, short attention span and other afflictions. Her surgery initially appeared to have gone well, said Sandy Chatman, Jahi's grandmother who is herself a nurse and who saw the girl in the recovery room. But soon after surgery, Jahi's condition quickly deteriorated and she went into cardiac arrest, her family said. A scan showed two-thirds of Jahi's brain had swollen. Doctors declared her brain-dead, and days later planned to take her off life support until receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the family's attorney, Christopher B. Dolan. Jahi's mother, Latasha "Nailah" Winkfield, who has maintained a constant vigil by her daughter's bedside, said her daughter has responded to touching and shows other signs of life. In a meeting Thursday night between Jahi's family and doctors, attorney Dolan said the girl's mother pleaded with doctors to insert a feeding tube, keep her on a ventilator through Christmas and give the family 48 hours' notice should doctors decide to take Jahi off of life-support. In their written response to the family's court motion Friday, attorneys for the hospital said Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland had "no duty to continue mechanical ventilation or any other medical intervention for its deceased minor patient Jahi McMath." "Ms. McMath is deceased as a result of an irreversible cessation of all functions of her entire brain, including her brain stem," the response said, adding, "Tragically, Ms. McMath is dead and cannot be brought back to life." Attorney Dolan said the family was told by hospital officials Thursday that it was "time to come to a consensus about terminating life support." The attorney said the family was told, in effect, "She is morally and legally dead, dead, dead." Hospital officials have publicly called on the family to allow them to discuss Jahi's case, citing patient privacy laws that currently prevent them from disclosing information. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Jahi McMath. This is a tragic situation," Dr, David Durand, the hospital's chief of pediatrics, said in a statement. "We want the public to know that the family has not permitted us to discuss the medical situation. We implore the family to allow the hospital to openly discuss what has occurred and to give us the necessary legal permission -- which it (the family) has been withholding -- that would bring clarity, and we believe, some measure of closure and deeper understanding of this medical case," the statement read. Jahi's uncle, Omari Sealey told CNN that the girl's mother wanted to keep Jahi on life support but hospital representatives informed them that long-term life support was not an option. Hospital spokeswoman Melinda Krigel said that the hospital has no policy about terminating life support. "We work with the family to determine when that will happen," she said in an e-mail. "There are instances when the coroner may request termination, but we always work with the family to respect their wishes." Attorney Dolan said McMath's family has repeatedly asked doctors for the release of Jahi's medical records so he can hire an independent physician to determine whether she is legally dead. "Their response has been, 'It's not our policy while providing care,'" said Dolan. In a statement, Children's Hospital denied the family's assertion. "Jahi's family has the same access to our medical records as the family of any patient at Children's. All families have the right to review the record while the patient is in the hospital, and have access to the entire record after the hospitalization has ended." Dolan said court intervention was the only remedy to prevent doctors from terminating the life support. CNN's Mariano Castillo, Tom Watkins and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report. | NEW: The family of Jahi McMath wins a temporary restraining order .
The 13-year-old is on life support .
Doctors declared her brain dead after undergoing a tonsillectomy . |
0345fe46168bdc93c24bd80bf8a7349c7732a834 | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 04:40 EST, 19 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:26 EST, 19 March 2013 . A Hollyoaks actress has been digitally recreated as part of a groundbreaking virtual head that could replace the text emoticons we use today. Researchers say the interactive computer face, based on 31-year-old soap actress Zoe Lister, can display six emotions including happiness, anger, and fear. The lifelike figure, which generates voice and facial expressions from typed text, can combine these basic emotions to create hundreds of others. Talking head: Hollyoaks actress Zoe Lister, 31, is the basis for the most expressive ever talking head, just developed by researchers at Cambridge University . And tests showed that the virtual head's emotions are so convincing that observers found it easier to read her emotions than those of the actress she is modelled on. Researchers spent several days recording Ms Lister's speech and facial expressions - best known as Zoe Carpenter in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks. The new system - also called Zoe - bears a striking resemblance to the ship's computer in the British sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf. Its inventors say it could be used as a digital assistant for smartphones - or even as a more lifelike equivalent to the commonly used emoticons. For example, users could write the text message 'I'm going to be late' and ask the computer to set the emotion to frustrated. Their friend would then receive a message with the computerised face repeating saying it in a frustrated way. Future generations of the technology could even be personalised with users' own faces and voices. It is hoped that the technology will also be used to help autistic and deaf children to read emotions and lip-read. Expressive: Researchers say the interactive computer face can display six emotions. Left shows Zoe making angry expression; on the right, she is showing a sad expression . Researchers say the face is the most . expressive controllable avatar ever created - replicating human emotions . with unprecedented realism. 'This . technology could be the start of a whole new generation of interfaces . which make interacting with a computer much more like talking to another . human being,' said Cambridge engineering professor Roberto Cipolla. 'It took us days to create Zoe, because we had to start from scratch and teach the system to understand language and expression. 'Now . that it already understands those things, it shouldn't be too hard to . transfer the same blueprint to a different voice and face.' Combinations: But the lifelike figure, which generates voice and facial expressions from typed text, can combine these basic emotions to create hundreds of others. Left is a happy expression; right, afraid . He added: 'Present day human-computer interaction still revolves around typing at a keyboard or moving and pointing with a mouse. 'For a lot of people, that makes computers difficult and frustrating to use. 'In the future, we will be able to open up computing to far more people if they can speak and gesture to machines in a more natural way. 'That is why we created Zoe - a more expressive, emotionally responsive face that human beings can actually have a conversation with.' The future of communication? Its inventors say it could be used as a . digital assistant for smartphones - or even as a more lifelike . equivalent to the commonly used emoticons . Tests showed the computer Zoe was an even better actress than the real Zoe, with 77 per cent of people recognising the virtual expressions compared to 73 per cent recognising the actress's expressions . The researchers created mathematical . algorithms which gave them the voice and image data they needed to . recreate expressions on the digital face from text alone. Zoe's voice has six basic settings - happy, sad, tender, angry, afraid and neutral. TV star: Zoe Lister, 31, plays the role of Zoe Carpenter in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks . The user can adjust these settings to different levels, as well as altering the pitch, speed and depth of the voice. By combining the levels it is possible to create a practically infinite amount of emotional reactions. Combining . happiness with tenderness and slightly increasing the speed and depth . of the voice, for example, makes it sound friendly and welcoming. And a combination of speed, anger and fear makes Zoe sound as if she is panicking. Zoe has performed well in tests with researchers getting a 77 per cent success rate of 20 volunteers recognising the emotion she was displaying. Bizarrely the recognition rate for the real-life Ms Lister was only 73 per cent. The program used to run Zoe is just tens of megabytes in size meaning it can be easily incorporated into even the smallest computer devices, including tablets and smartphones. The head is the result of collaboration between researchers at Toshiba's Cambridge Research Lab and the University of Cambridge's Department of Engineering. Futuristic BBC comedy Red Dwarf, starring Craig Charles, ran for eight series over an eleven year period before it was axed in 1999. But the series returned in 2008, with a three-episode production was commissioned by the digital channel Dave and a new series in October 2012. | System generates voice and facial expression from typed text .
Based on Hollyoaks actress Zoe Lister - and it's also called Zoe .
Can replicate wide range of human emotions with high level of realism .
Potential digital assistant for smartphones, 'face messaging' and more .
Next-gen software will allow users to personalize with own face and voice . |
0346149ea27954b0dc90121f99fd109692dd77f5 | (CNN) -- The race-conscious admissions policy at the University of Texas appeared to be in trouble on Wednesday after the conservative Supreme Court majority repeatedly questioned its continued application and effectiveness. The Justices heard oral arguments in an affirmative-action case that explores whether the flagship state university's admissions practices aimed at creating campus diversity violate the rights of some white applicants. Abigail Noel Fisher sued the school after her application was rejected in 2008 when she was a high school senior in Sugar Land, Texas. Opinion: Keep affirmative action but reform it . Fisher claimed the individualized, discretionary admission policies violated her rights, and favored African-American and Hispanic applicants over whites and Asian-Americans. Fisher just missed the opportunity of automatic admission to the main campus at Austin for in-state students finishing in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. So, she had to compete in a separate pool. It is that selection process that is before the court. The Supreme Court was clearly divided along ideological lines about whether affirmative action essentially has run its social and legal course, and should no longer be used in the way schools like Texas and others have done. Student voices differ on diversity . "You're trying to gut it," Justice Sonia Sotomayor said to Fisher's lawyer about the current legal precedent set in 2003. She suggested that a university deserves some flexibility to create the kind of diverse campus environment it wants. But Chief Justice John Roberts repeatedly asked, "What is the 'critical mass' of African-Americans and Hispanics at the university that you are working toward?" When the school's lawyer said there was no specific number, Roberts pressed, "So how are we supposed to tell whether this plan is narrowly tailored to that goal? What is the logical end point?" Justice Anthony Kennedy may prove the deciding or "swing" vote and could strike a compromise position -- possibly toss out the specific plan in question, while generally preserving the future use of affirmative action in more limited circumstances. The school, with a 52,000-student body, defends its "holistic" policy of considering race as one of many factors -- including test scores, community service, leadership and work experience. The Obama administration backed the school. "Everyone competes against everyone else. Race is not a mechanical automatic factor. It's an holistic individualized consideration," said U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli. African-Americans in Texas as a whole represent about 12% of the population, but comprise about 5% of students at the University of Texas. Much of the discussion during arguments surrounded the definition of "critical mass" -- how a university can use metrics to determine when it has reached the right mix of minority students to achieve diversity. Justice Stephen Breyer wondered why his colleagues were even debating the issue following 2003 high court ruling that found state universities could narrowly set up admissions policies to consider an applicant's race. The relevant high court case from nine years ago dealt with the University of Michigan's admission programs. The issue was divisive, with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor the swing vote upholding the law school's admissions criteria. O'Connor, who is no longer on the bench, predicted affirmative action would no longer be needed in 25 years, offering a gentle push to institutions to keep that timeline in mind. Nearly a decade later, however, the newly-configured court may be poised to issue a more dramatic statement on the use of race. The Texas school modified its admission policy to include race as one factor shortly after the 2003. The court's more conservative members seized the initiative during arguments. Roberts questioned how schools were to measure classroom diversity among students who come from mixed race families. Justice Samuel Alito suggested it was unfair to place Asian-Americans into one group, when they come from a wide range of cultures-- Filipinos, Chinese, and Afghans among them. "I thought that the whole purpose of affirmative action was to help students who come from underprivileged backgrounds, but you make a very different argument that I don't think I've ever seen before," he told Gregory Garre, representing the school. Garre said the school wants minorities from different backgrounds. "We go out of our way to recruit minorities from disadvantaged backgrounds," he said. Kennedy jumped in. "So what you're saying is that what counts is race above all," he said. "You want underprivileged of a certain race and privileged of a certain race. So that's race." Kennedy added later: "I thought that the whole point is that sometimes race has to be a tie-breaker and you are saying that it isn't. Well, then, we should just go away. Then we should just say you can't use race, don't worry about it." The young woman who is challenging affirmative action . Fisher graduated this year from Louisiana State University. A ruling is not likely before early next year. The current case is Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (11-345). Should affirmative action still exist? Share your thoughts on CNN iReport . | NEW: Justices raise previous affirmative action case, wonder aloud why they're hearing new one .
NEW: Conservative justices seize initiative in arguments on application of race-conscious policy .
University of Texas sued by student who was rejected for admission . |
03463fc8fc37d76b07dda08e10b7d206a04f0f3e | (CNN) -- Who's ready for a Caribbean vacation? Yes, that's what we thought. TripAdvisor has priced 20 beautiful, primarily Caribbean, island destinations with its TripIndex Caribbean, comparing the cost of a one-week trip for a group of four for the period from March 1 through April 30. Included in the price analysis is the average cost of round-trip airfare from the continental U.S., a seven-night hotel stay, six dinners and a half-day snorkeling excursion. Beach photos that will make you drool . Here are the top 10 value destinations, with the cost of a weeklong trip for four: . 1. Puerto Rico - $4,609 . 2. Jamaica - $4,631 . 3. Trinidad and Tobago - $4,771 . 4. Dominican Republic - $5,315 . 5. St Maarten-St Martin - $5,566 . 6. Bahamas - $5,815 . 7. Curacao - $5,833 . 8. Bermuda - $6,064 . 9. Aruba - $6,260 . 10. Grenada - $6,622 . Best affordable island hotels . By comparison, the cost of a weeklong stay at the most expensive destination TripAdvisor looked at -- St. Barthelemy -- is nearly $12,500. Here are priciest destinations, for travelers with deeper pockets: . 1. St. Barthelemy - $12,486 . 2. Anguilla - $10,709 . 3. British Virgin Islands - $9,712 . 4. Turks and Caicos - $8,812 . 5. St. Kitts and Nevis - $8,668 . 6. Cayman Islands - $8,082 . 7. Antigua and Barbuda - $7,972 . 8. St. Lucia - $7,627 . 9. U.S. Virgin Islands - $6,782 . 10. Barbados $6,710 . TripAdvisor used spots with the most visits from U.S. travelers on TripAdvisor between November and January to create its Caribbean TripIndex. 8 great Caribbean hotel perks . | TripAdvisor's TripIndex looks at the cost of vacations to the Caribbean in March and April .
Puerto Rico provides the most affordable getaway of the locations priced .
St. Barthelemy is the most expensive destination on the list . |
0346e8b4d9a82812a184804b954e58ab57dd4490 | Coca-Cola has been accused of supporting the regime of Swaziland dictator King Mswati III. The Swaziland Democracy Campaign, an organisation that aims to depose Africa's last absolute monarch, has called on the multi-billion dollar drinks giant to pull out of the country immediately. The U.S.-based beverage firm owns a manufacturing plant in Swaziland - its biggest facility in Africa. Dictator: Coca-Cola has been accused of supporting the regime of Swaziland dictator King Mswati III . Mswati, who presides over one of the poorest nations in the world despite a personal wealth of £64million ($100million), has even visited Coca-Cola's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. 'Coca-Cola must know they’re doing business with the wrong people,' Swaziland Democracy Campaign spokersperson Mary Pais Da Silva told the Guardian. 'At the end of the day it doesn’t benefit the economy in any way. Their profits don’t help the average Swazi, while the king is getting richer by the day. 'Nobody should do business with the regime in Swaziland.' Coca-Cola contributes up to 40 per cent of Swaziland's gross domestic product, according to activists. The company says that Mswati doesn't receive any profits from its factory in the country. Lucky Lukhele, a spokesman for Swaziland Solidarity Network, said there 'is no such thing as a middle ground' and compared cooperating with Mswati's regime to supporting apartheid in South Africa. The drinks behemoth set up its Swaziland base in 1987 after abandoning apartheid South Africa. Multi-billion firm: Mswati has even visited Coca-Cola's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia (pictured) A spokeswoman for Coca-Cola last night said the firm adheres to the 'highest ethical standards'. Sherree Shereni said: 'King Mswati III does not receive any profits or dividends from Conco Swaziland, Coca-Cola's concentrate production plant. 'Through the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, which was set up in Swaziland in 2001, the population of Swaziland has benefited from Coca-Cola's contributions to their social welfare in the areas of water stewardship, health, education and entrepreneurship.' Mswati's lavish lifestyle has come under fire in recent months from campaigners who have demanded democracy in Swaziland. The monarch currently rules his 1.2million subjects through informal discussion with the country's cabinet, who he appoints himself. But last year the authorities were forced to quell a string of protest against his autocratic rule. Mswati, who was educated at Sherborne School in Dorset, has repeatedly refused to consider reform. Political opposition parties in the country are banned and activists are routinely arrested or assaulted. Despite the criticism of his rule, Mswati enjoys backing from neighbouring South Africa, who recently propped up the economy of its junior neighbour with a £215million loan. Swaziland is a former British protectorate which gained independence in 1968. The vast majority of its citizens live in poverty. The population has also been ravaged by Aids and has one of the highest rates of infection in the world. Some studies have suggested that up to 40 per cent of the population could be living with the disease. | Coca-Cola own manufacturing plant in African nation .
Swaziland Democracy Campaign calls on drinks giant to pull out of the .
country immediately .
Mswati III accused of plundering Swaziland's wealth . |
0348c10a82121a6e2457cab40e08fd8d5483e0a8 | Cristiano Ronaldo has stated his intent to be remembered as one of football's greatest-ever players in history after he was crowned with the 2014 Ballon d'Or award. The 29-year-old beat Manuel Neuer and perennial rival Lionel Messi to the gong after a stellar 12 months which saw him win the coveted prize for a second successive year. Ronaldo has now been voted world footballer of the year three times, one short of four-time winner Messi, and the Real Madrid star stressed his determination to win more awards in the years to come. VIDEO Scroll down for Cristiano Ronaldo wins the 2015 Ballon d'Or . Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned with the 2014 Ballon d'Or award after a stellar 12 months . FIFA President Sepp Blatter (right) congratulates Ronaldo on winning the award . Ronaldo shows his emotions after beating Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer to the coveted gong . Ronaldo (right) celebrates with his son Cristiano Jr on stage after winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2014 . The maverick forward (left) poses with his award with FIFA Women's Player of the Year Nadine Kessler . Ronaldo was looking to win the award for a second successive year and the third-time in his career . Ronaldo (left) enjoys a selfie with Marta before the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala on Monday evening . The Portugal superstar shakes hands with UEFA President Michel Platini before the gala . The 29-year-old played an integral role as Real Madrid won the Champions League last season . Ronaldo scored a staggering 56 goals in 51 appearances for Real as they won four trophies in 2014 . 37.7 per cent of the votes went to Ronaldo - a figure double the amount of Messi and Neuer . Ballon d'Or: Cristiano Ronaldo . Women's world player of the year: Nadine Kessler . Puskas award: James Rodriguez . World coach of the year for men's football: Joachim Low . World coach of the year for women's football: Ralf Kellermann . World XI: Neuer; Lahm, Ramos, David Luiz, Thiago Silva; Di Maria, Iniesta, Kroos; Messi, Ronaldo, Robben . FIFA presidential award: Hiroshi Kagawa . FIFA fair play award: FIFA volunteers . 'It's been an unforgettable year,' he said after collecting the prestigious award from Thierry Henry. 'To win this trophy, a trophy of this kind, is something unique and all I can say is I want to continue working as I have so far, trying to go on to more titles - individual and as a team - for my mother, my father who is up there looking at there any my son. 'I can see my mother, my family. I would like to thank all those who voted for me. My coach, my fellow player, the President of my club. 'I want to get better as the days go by. I want to say to all the Portuguese that I never thought I could win this trophy on three different occasions. 'Of course it is something that is always with me, I want to become one of the greatest players of all time, and this requires a lot effort so I would like to thank you for all this evening. BOOM!' Ronaldo played an integral role for Real as they won four trophies during the previous calendar year, scoring a stunning 56 goals in 51 appearances along the way as the Spanish giants collected the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup. Messi (right), who finished second, arrived on to the red carpet with his partner Antonella Roccuzzo . The diminutive superstar is mobbed by fans on the carpet as he signs autographs . Messi (centre right) captained Argentina to the World Cup final where they lost to Germany after extra-time . The 27-year-old (centre) scored 50 goals in 52 appearances for Barcelona last season . His feats saw him named a clear winner among his peers for the Ballon d'Or with 37.66 per cent of total votes cast by a panel made up of captains, coaches and media members from all FIFA affiliate associations. Messi took second with 15.76 per cent, just ahead of Neuer on 15.72. England manager Roy Hodgson left both Ronaldo and Messi out of his own top three, voting instead for Argentina's Javier Mascherano ahead of Germany pair Philipp Lahm and Neuer. Earlier, Messi responded to continuing transfer rumours by stressing he would like to end his career at Barcelona - but conceded that outcome was far from certain. Having denounced talk of a move to the Barclays Premier League as 'lies' earlier this week, Messi added on Monday: 'I'm not sure where I'm going to be next year. 'I've always said I would like to finish my career at Barcelona... nobody knows what the future holds, much less so in the case of the football world, where so many things can change overnight.' Third-placed Neuer (left) signs autographs on the red carpet ahead of the Ballon d'Or Gala on Monday . Neuer (left) was a mainstay in the Bayern team that won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal Cup last season . The 28-year-old's brilliant year was completed by helping Germany to win the World Cup last summer . The trio were all included in the FIFPro World Team of the Year which is selected by their peers . 61 - Number of goals scored in 2014 for club and country . 9 - Ronaldo’s major honours in 2014, including the Champions League, Copa del Rey, La Liga top scorer and the Ballon d’Or . 142 million - Ronaldo’s social media following...more than the population of Japan . 62 - Number of minutes per goal scored in La Liga . 1st - The Portuguese attacker is the first Real Madrid player to win the Ballon d’Or in two consecutive years . 22 - Number of assists he provided in 2014 . | Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned as the 2014 Ballon d'Or winner .
Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer were also on the three-man shortlist .
The trio were all included in the FIFPro World Team of the Year .
Click here for the action as it unfolded .
James Rodriguez wins Puskas award prize for his spectacular volley .
Joachim Low scoops FIFA World Coach of the Year award .
FIFA Team of the Year: FIFPro World XI includes Angel di Maria . |
0348d801af4fe698256c15e04e4fcccd228c86b9 | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama's plan to review U.S. surveillance programs has validated fugitive NSA leaker Edward Snowden's role as a whistle-blower, the head of the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said Saturday. The statement came a day after Obama outlined steps to reform intelligence gathering measures, saying the classified leaks by Snowden created a public distrust in programs meant to safeguard Americans. "As Snowden has stated, his biggest concern was if he blew the whistle and change did not occur," Julian Assange said in a written statement. "Well, reforms are taking shape, and for that, the president and people of the United States and around the world owe Edward Snowden a debt of gratitude." Obama has refused any characterization of Snowden as a "whistle-blower" or "patriot," telling reporters there were "other avenues" the former National Security Agency contractor could have taken instead of leaking national security surveillance information. The president said Snowden's leaks came in "dribs and drabs," giving a false general impression that "we are somehow out there willy-nilly sucking information from everybody." At the same time, Obama sought to assure the public that there are safeguards in place, while acknowledging the need for transparency. Among the steps being taken, according to the president: Working with Congress to pursue appropriate improvements of the telephone data program; reforming the secret court that approves that initiative; improving transparency to provide as much information as possible to the public, including the legal rationale for government collection activities; and appointing a high-level, independent group of outside experts to review surveillance technologies. Snowden stepped forward publicly in June to claim responsibility for leaking to the media that the NSA had secretly collected and stored millions of phone records from accounts in the United States. The agency also collected information from U.S. companies on the Internet activity of overseas residents, he said. Snowden fled first to China and then to Russia before Moscow granted him temporary asylum despite pressure from the Obama administration to return him to the United States to face charges. He has been charged with three felony counts, including violations of the U.S. Espionage Act, for the leaks. If Snowden believes his actions were right, "he can appear before a court with a lawyer and make his case," the president said. Snowden and others have contended that he did America and the world a service by revealing information on secret programs, which they say wrongly impinge on people's right to privacy in furtively giving too much information to the U.S. government. "The simple fact is that without Snowden's disclosures, no one would know about the programs and no reforms could take place," Assange said. Assange released the statement from Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he sought refuge to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning over alleged sex crimes. CNN's Jessica Yellin contributed to this report. | Julian Assange says the world owes Edward Snowden a debt of gratitude .
"Reforms are taking shape," Assange said in a statement released Saturday .
President Obama has rejected characterizations of Snowden as a whistle-blower .
Snowden, who has temporary asylum in Russia, faces felony charges in the U.S. |
03490ea56fa71cc5c6f6767d6f77fa4abaf76a6b | A man charged at four New York police officers with a metal hatchet Thursday, hitting two of them at a time of high alert for authorities concerned they might be targeted in the United States and Canada. The man was hiding behind a bus shelter as if he was waiting to attack the officers, according to a law enforcement official, who said it almost appeared as if he was stalking them. The officers were posing for a photo when the man pounced, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said. He struck one officer in the right arm and another in the head, according to the commissioner. The two officers who weren't hit then shot at and killed the attacker. The law enforcement official identified the suspect as Zale H. Thompson, who had a criminal record in California and had been discharged from the Navy for misconduct, according to the source. The police officer who was struck in the head remains in critical but stable condition. The other officer, who is 24, was struck in the arm and was expected to be released soon. A 29-year-old bystander who was struck by a bullet in the lower back was also taken to a hospital. Her condition was not known. When asked if the unprovoked attack was tied to terrorism or to recent calls by radicals to attack military and police officers, Bratton said, "there is nothing we know as of this time that would indicate that were the case," and a senior law enforcement official told CNN on Friday that investigators do not believe that Thompson, a Muslim convert, was driven by any radical Islamic views. Nevertheless, Bratton acknowledged concern because of recent attacks on uniformed officers. "I think certainly the heightened concern is relative to that type of assault based on what just happened in Canada," he said. On Wednesday, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was shot and killed as he stood guard at Canada's National War Memorial before shots erupted in the halls of the country's Parliament minutes later. The Ottawa gunman had "connections" to jihadists in Canada who shared a radical Islamist ideology, including at least one who went overseas to fight in Syria, multiple U.S. sources told CNN on Thursday. And on Monday, another Canadian soldier -- this one in Quebec -- was run over and killed by another man who the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Martine Fontaine said had been "radicalized." New York put its officers on alert after Thursday's attack, urging them to "maintain a heightened level of awareness against random attacks," several law enforcement officials said. It's not the only city so affected. Washington's Metropolitan Police Department has also "increased security levels and visibility, so the public should expect to see an enhanced presence" of officers in light of the Canada and New York attacks, spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump told CNN. | There's no indication the attack is tied to radical Islam, official says .
Officials: New York police told to be on alert "against random attacks"
The man rushed four police officers in Queens, New York, police commissioner says .
Two were hit; the two who weren't shot at the attacker, who was killed, commissioner says . |
03494673a2a643e281abda44b79c3dfb2cc5c587 | By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 11:29 EST, 9 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:39 EST, 9 October 2012 . A U.S. Marine who lost both his legs in Afghanistan just three weeks after being deployed and suffered from crippling depression as a result has managed to heroically complete the Chicago marathon this weekend . Using a hand bike, ultra-competitive Ben Maenza, 24, finished the 26.2 mile race only two years after he lost both limbs and credits his recovery to a religious experience during which he came to know that he could not give up despite wanting to end it all. 'People think you can’t do stuff like that without your legs, so being out there and proving that you can and making it happen, it’s really gratifying,' said Maenza before he completed the 26.2 mile race in one-hour 48 minutes. Scroll Down for Video . Lance Cpl. Ben Maenza rides his specially designed bike that has allowed him to compete in two marathons and cross the country since an accident two-years ago robbed him of his legs . Lance Cpl. Maenza, from Nashville, Tennessee, had not yet completed a full month of his deployment working as a combat engineer in the Marine Corps, when he lost his legs in a horrific accident. 'We were walking through a cornfield and came to a river we needed to cross,' said Maenza to ABC News. 'I felt it was a bad idea, but we did it anyway. It was my job to clear the trail. 'I was standing on the riverbed, and the guy behind me stepped off my trail and hit a pressure plate that was offset from an improvised explosive device (IED) that I was standing on top of. 'The bomb detonated underneath me.' Marine Ben Maenza, who lost both legs when he was injured in Afghanistan in 2010, bicycles through the Florida as he makes his way across the country in June of 2012 . Runners leave the starting line during the 2012 Chicago Marathon on Sunday . The explosion caused Maenza to instantly lose both his legs and to suffer deep gashes, burns and nerve damage to his arms in addition to nasal and skull fractures. Technically dying in the field, the quick actions of a medic ensured that Maenza was resuscitated, after which he was rushed to a military hospital in Germany where he began an 18-month rehabilitation process. However, despite surviving the explosion, Maenza entered into a deep depression. 'You don’t know where you’re going to go – you just know you lost your legs and emotionally, mentally, life’s over,' said Maenza to Fox News. 'There’s nothing to live for.' The 24-year-old Lance Cpl. spent 18-months in recovery after his October 2010 accident and has since taken part in two marathons . Lance Cpl. Maenza, from Nashville, Tennessee, had not yet completed a full month of his deployment working as a combat engineer in the Marine Corps, when he lost his legs in a horrific accident . Stuck in a terrible rut for six-months, Maenza started to pull through after he had a religious experience. 'I had a divine intervention with God,' said Maenza. 'This wasn’t what my life was going to be like. Losing my legs was not going to determine who I was going to be. 'I died – they had to bring me back to life – I got this second chance, and I wasn’t going to settle for mediocrity.' It was while hospitalised at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Maenza was introduced to representatives from Achilles International, an organisation which helps people with extreme disabilities compete in mainstream athletics. 'Achilles came in and said, 'Hey, we don't feel sorry for you because we know you can do better than this, you are not just a patient in this hospital, you are an athlete; you are a competitor,' said Maenza. Achilles International, an organisation which helps people with extreme disabilities compete in mainstream athletics. has helped Ben to recover his drive to live life and to compete . The non-profit organisation was founded in 1983 and funds the Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans - and encouraged Maenza to compete in two marathons and to cycle across the nation from Florida to California. 'It was exactly what I needed at that point in my recovery,' said the injured veteran to WKRN. 'I was at a crossroads. They came in and gave me a way to get a sense of accomplishment. 'It gives you something to work towards, the knowledge that you are capable and you can do it.' 'I never really was a runner or a cyclist before, but when Achilles approached me and asked me to do it, it kind of lit a fire in me and, quite frankly, I’m pretty good at it.' Ben Maenza still keeps in contact with his U.S. Marine Corp friends - and is pictured here with two in the gym . Despite finishing the race in under two hours, Maenza was not totally happy with his performance. 'Obviously, I was a little slower than I intended, but I’ve got a good excuse, my wheel was broken,' said Maenza. 'Now I’m going to continue to train harder and push to the limit. I can use it as motivation for my next race.' Now studying for a college degree, Maenza takes inspiration from his progress over the past two years. 'The message is, with the right attitude and determination, you can succeed anything that’s put in your way,' said Maenza. 'Life’s not over if you lost your legs, or you have diabetes, or you’re overweight, whatever. 'No matter what you’re faced with, you can do great things. I just want people to know if we can do it, they can do it.' | Lance Cpl. Ben Maenza lost both his legs in October 2010 after less than a month through his first tour .
Recovered to compete in marathons and completed the Chicago marathon on Sunday . |
03496ea71c83fccf5c36e46d857b9feb8ec70c1d | (CNN) -- In April 2007, UEFA's executive committee voted to accept a joint proposal from Poland and Ukraine to host the European football Championships in 2012. Poland faces a struggle to upgrade many of its venues, such as Tenth Anniversary stadium in Warsaw. The decision to award the tournament to Poland -- a former communist country -- and Ukraine -- a former Soviet Republic -- was viewed with surprise by many in the world of sport as they had defeated a rival bid from established football powerhouse Italy. In addition to providing economic benefits -- hosting Euro 2008 was worth over $450 million to the Austrian economy according to its government -- staging such a high-profile international event would cap their remarkable transformation into credible democracies in the eyes of the world. However, both countries have had to address a number of problems. Watch more about Poland's bid » . Political instability remains an issue in Ukraine -- the fragile ruling coalition recently collapsed -- while Poland's national team narrowly avoided a suspension after football's world ruling body FIFA said its federation had done little to stamp out corruption. A match-fixing scandal in the domestic league in 2005 led to about 70 people being arrested, though no one has been prosecuted. Significantly, neither country has hosted a major sporting event and concerns remain about the shortage of adequate stadiums, high-quality hotels and poor transport infrastructure in both Poland and Ukraine. With the proposed semi-final venues in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk and the Polish capital Warsaw, fans would currently be faced with a 30-hour train journey to attend both games. Although there are plans to expand and improve the highway linking the nations. The opening match is scheduled to be staged at a new 70,000-capacity National Stadium in Warsaw when construction work is completed in 2009 at a cost of $800 million. The final will be held at Kiev's redeveloped Olympic Stadium, however all 12 proposed venues need considerable work in order to comply with international standards. The remaining games will be held in the Polish cities of Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw, Chorzow and Krakow, as well as the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk. Concerns about the readiness of the co-hosts led to a warning in June this year from UEFA President Michel Platini that they risked losing the right to stage the tournament if stadiums in their capitals were not ready. This prompted a defiant response from the prime minister of Poland, who vowed to prove the skeptics wrong and make the 2012 European Championship an organizational triumph. "We are aware that there are countries interested in us failing and the only successful rebuke to that will be better coordination and solidarity in our actions," Polish premier Donald Tusk told reporters at the time. Bizarrely, the head of Poland's Football Association, Michal Listkiewicz, offered Uefa an alternative option for 2012 after voicing his concerns about Poland's ability to overcome its transport issues. "If the European Championships took place in 2016, we would have no problems about being ready then," Listkiewicz told Germany's Die Zeit Online. "But realistically we are looking at having no good roads in time for 2012," he said. "From Gdansk (in Poland) to Donetsk (in the Ukraine) is more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles). This is not like in Austria and Switzerland where everything lies close together." Both countries were given a partial reprieve in September this year after UEFA's executive committee met in Bordeaux to discuss a progress report on preparations for the tournament. "The executive committee reconfirmed UEFA's commitment to organize Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine," Platini told uefa.com. "At the same time, the committee stressed a number of conditions must be met in order to bring forward the whole project." "If we don't have the stadiums in Kiev and Warsaw, that's a problem. Ukraine can't afford to send everyone to a country where there is no capital city (ready),'' Platini said. "They are working very hard and we have confidence in them. The president and the prime minister tell me it will be ready. What am I supposed to say? That I don't believe them?'' He added that the committee would review the progress again in May 2009. UEFA will then confirm the cities that will host matches. Meanwhile, the Scottish FA has offered to step in to host the tournament if UEFA decides to look elsewhere. Failure to host Euro 2012 is not an option in both Kiev and Warsaw. It would be viewed as a national embarrassment. | Doubts persist about Poland and Ukraine's ability to stage tournament in 2012 .
Polish FA fighting corruption claims within its domestic league .
Other issues include inadequate stadiums and a poor transport infrastructure .
UEFA warned both countries to speed up its progress . |
0349ba6df4004d4de5d33de322c70f931eaf5780 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 13:26 EST, 23 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:49 EST, 23 September 2013 . BlackBerry has agreed to sell itself for $4.7billion, marking the end of the smartphone giant following years of devastating losses. BlackBerry said Monday that a letter of intent has been signed with its largest shareholder, a Canadian group called Fairfax. As part of the deal, each of the company's shares will be paid $9 in cash for each of their holdings. Scroll down for video . Going private: In spite of Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins' efforts to relaunch the smartphone company, they reported losses over $1billion and now have decided to sell to one of their largest shareholders . Losing hold of the market: Research In Motion RIM (which owns BlackBerry) has been controlling a declining portion of the smartphone market as competitors like Apple's iOS and Android phones become more popular . Fairfax head Prem Watsa is a former board member who owns 10 per cent of BlackBerry. 1985- Research in Motion founded as a electronics and technology company in Ontario1999- RIM releases their first handheld phone that uses the email and data network technology that they have been building for over a decade2001- Blackberry phones were extremely popular with business people and many inside the World Trade Center use the Blackberry networks to communicate when cell service failed during the September 11 attacks2004- The company reports having more than one million users2007- Steve Jobs releases the Apple iPhone and it is heralded as the next big thing in technology but RIM still marks milestone months later by reporting 10 million subscribers2008- Blackberry launches their first touch-screen, keyboard-less model (called BlackBerry Storm) and it tanks2010- RIM releases the BlackBerry Torch that has both a touch screen and a keyboard2011- Company shares drop to between $5.25 and $6 2013- RIM CEO Thorsten Heins reveals the latest model- the BlackBerry 10- but it fails to impress as the company reports first quarter losses and later an additional billion-dollar loss . Watsa stepped down when BlackBerry announced it was considering a sale last month. The billionaire is one of Canada's best-known value investors. ‘We can deliver immediate value to shareholders, while we continue the execution of a long-term strategy in a private company with a focus on delivering superior and secure enterprise solutions to BlackBerry customers around the world,’ Watsa said in a statement. Trading of the company's stock was halted ahead of the news. BlackBerry shares plunged after the company announced Friday a loss of nearly $1billion and layoffs of 4,500 workers or 40 per cent of its global workforce, as it tries to slash costs by 50 per cent and shift its focus back to competing mainly for the business customers most loyal to its brand. Blackberry phones, which first hit the tech scene in 1999, were once so addictive it inspired the nickname 'CrackBerry'. President Barack Obama confessed to . being among the millions of devotees who couldn't bear to stop tapping . feverishly away on its tiny keyboard and Madonna once said she slept . with hers under her pillow. Then came the iPhone. This . year's launch of BlackBerry 10, its revamped operating system, and . fancier new devices - the touchscreen Z10 and Q10 for keyboard loyalists . - was supposed to rejuvenate the brand and lure customers. Massive drop: The company stock (seen here from 2006 to present day) has declined dramatically, most notably after 2007 when the iPhone was first released and came in as major competition to BlackBerry smartphones . New leadership: Prem Watsa (pictured), who heads a Canadian investment group called Fairfax, is a former board member who owns 10 per cent of BlackBerry and now he is buying the company . But the much-delayed phones have failed to turn the company around. At their peak in the fall of 2009, BlackBerry's smartphones enjoyed global market share of over 20 per cent, says Mike Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity. Their piece of the pie has since evaporated to just 1.5 per cent. | Smartphone giant being bought by their biggest shareholder and will payout shares at $9-a-piece .
Announcement comes days after Blackberry reported losses of nearly $1billion and a plan to fire 40 per cent of their workforce to cut costs . |
034aa3f5c0dd2a495017644045164623931922d2 | A dispute over the fate of a missing pig has landed one Missouri man in jail and another in the hospital with 23 stab wounds. Joshua Finke, 22, of St. Charles, was charged Tuesday with felony assault for allegedly attacking a 38-year-old neighbor with a screwdriver. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says Finke was accused by three roommates Monday night of stealing a 200-pound pig, and what started as a verbal spat between the men quickly turned physical. Skirmish sparked by a swine: Joshua Finke, 22, of St. Charles, was charged Tuesday with felony assault for allegedly attacking his 38-year-old roommate during an argument over the victim's missing pig . Court documents obtained by Stltoday.com indicate that the victim and his two roommates had been fattening up the pig for seven months for slaughter in their backyard east of Highway 79 in Winfield. Two weeks ago, the animal vanished from its pen and the pig's owners have come to suspect Finke of being the thief. When the roommates confronted Finke about the missing animal at around 10.30pm Monday, the 22-year-old allegedly lunged at the 38-year-old man, plunging a sharp object believed to be a screwdriver into his back 22 times and stabbing him once in the head. Pignapped: Finke was accused by three men of stealing a 200-pound pig (not pictured) that had been raised by one of them for meat . The unnamed victim was rushed to a local hospital for treatment and was released Tuesday morning. Finke is being held on $100,000 cash bond. The pig that sparked the bloody attack remains at large. | Joshua Finke, 22, of Missouri, charged with felony assault for allegedly attacking a 38-year-old man .
The victim and his two roommates had been fattening up the pig in their backyard for seven months . |
034abb2af752570df6660ec9ad1076af814f418d | London (CNN) -- Over two-thirds of Britons believe the £9 billion ($13.8 billion) bill for the London Olympics was worth it, but economists and business leaders argue it could take years to see the economic benefits. According to a poll by research consultancy ComRes, released on the first anniversary of the Games, 69% of participants said it was a good investment of public money. But only 22% of the public feel the Games have had a positive impact on the local economy in their area, with 67% saying the Olympics had no impact at all. Samuel Tombs, an economist at Capital Economics, said there was an obvious boost to UK economic growth during the Games but it was too early to see a legacy benefit. He told CNN: "I think there are question marks over whether the £10 billion of public money spent on the games could have been better used... for example infrastructure projects such as transport, that could have yielded a higher economic return." In the second-quarter of 2013, the U.K. grew by 0.6% -- double the rate of expansion for the first three months of the year -- suggesting Europe's third-largest economy is on track for a recovery. Tombs said the figures also showed growth in all areas of the economy, which he noted was was a first in recent years. The UK contracted for five consecutive quarters from the second quarter of 2008, and failed to grow for another nine months in late 2011 and early 2012 as the eurozone debt crisis raged. Although the cultural heritage of the Olympics is important, it could take years before we see its true economic value, according to Tombs. He said: "You often fail to see a boost in tourism for the years after the Games and obviously it's very hard to reuse the facilities that have been built." Director of Economics at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mark Ambler, said the benefits may not be evident for at least another 10 years. He told CNN: "On this basis, the evidence I have been involved in generating and that I have seen from others suggests strongly that the UK will get a good return on its investment, although I think important parts of it are still to come." Investment boost . On Thursday, Mayor of London Boris Johnson said that the success of the Olympics and Paralympics has spurred investment in the U.K capital. Speaking at a press conference, he said: "Remember the fate of the Olympo-sceptics is all I would say to anyone tempted to doubt the legacy." But according to Matthew Jaffa, spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses, not enough is being done in the wake of the Olympics to promote "Brand London" as an exporter. He added: "The Games have had more of an impact on London than the rest of the UK. 55% of the companies that won contracts, directly related to the Olympics, saw growth within the turnover of their business, which is positive." Despite skepticism from some quarters of the business community, the ComRes poll -- which surveyed over 3,200 people -- also showed that nearly three-quarters of Britons would welcome the Olympic Games back given the opportunity. Andrew Simms, political economist and and co-author of the book 'London 2012 - How Was it For Us?' said the Games were "a triumph of public endeavour... it's a very good example of what a very dynamic and focused public sector can do." | ComRes poll: 22% of the public feel the Games have had a positive impact on the local economy .
In the second-quarter, the U.K. grew by 0.6%, double the rate of expansion for the first three months of 2013 .
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said that the success of the Olympics and Paralympics has spurred investment . |
034b08d387a4a03cfb1f43342721d3620f24fea3 | New York (CNN) -- As a powerful mix of weather converged on the U.S. East Coast, residents across the region seemed to take the warnings with varying degrees of seriousness. "It started yesterday afternoon when we started to see a rush from consumers for supplies like flashlights, hand-held radios and batteries," said Tom Collins Jr., a hardware store owner in Atlantic County, New Jersey. "And starting this morning, we've started selling plywood to contractors to help board up homes." In Manhattan, where forecasts of a direct hit from Hurricane Irene last year left the city largely unaffected, many residents seemed relatively confident about Hurricane Sandy and its aftereffects. "Most seem to take the attitude of 'whatever happens, happens,'" said Jason Covell, who works at Nuthouse Hardware on Manhattan's East Side. "I don't think anybody's going crazy and buying sandbags." Still, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday declared a state of emergency in every county in expectation of the storm, while placing the National Guard on standby. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city's Metropolitan Transportation Authority would begin suspending service "before the arrival of sustained winds of 39 miles per hour or higher." "A major concern given this type of storm is the possibility of prolonged power outages, as you know," he said. As Sandy churned northward, forecasters warned of high winds, strong tides and heavy rain, as well as potential snow, saying the storm would be strengthened by its collision with a wintry storm moving from the west. Early forecasting models show the tropical weather could make landfall in the Washington region as early as Monday, though it will more likely push farther north and slam the New York metropolitan area by Tuesday. Eastern portions of Ohio and Pennsylvania could get snow, while heavy rains are expected to blast the Eastern Seaboard. In Maryland, Gov. Martin O'Malley declared a state of emergency in advance of the storm. "I urge all Marylanders to review their family emergency plans, make sure their emergency supplies like batteries and water are fully stocked and to stay informed," he said. Meanwhile in Connecticut, Avon Town Manager Brandon Robertson recalled the perils of last year's storm, which knocked out 90% of the town's power grid around Halloween. "The town was in pretty tough shape," he said. "I don't think anyone expected the level of devastation." Robertson said he had his first emergency preparedness meeting Friday and that power companies, which were criticized for a slow response last year, have already started to prepare. "We are stronger and better prepared to respond now," said Connecticut Light & Power spokeswoman Theresa Gilbert. Federal authorities warned those in the densely populated area that is the storm's predicted path to fill up on prescriptions, nonperishable foods, cash, bottled water, flashlights, extra batteries and first-aid kits. Farther south, Virginia's National Guard was authorized Friday to bring up to 300 personnel for possible recovery operations. Last year, Hurricane Irene inflicted major damage from North Carolina to New England, though largely spared New York, where Manhattan restaurants and bars hosted hurricane specials and parties. But in neighboring states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the storm had harsher effects, knocking out power for thousands and causing flooding. "While Sandy's exact track is still uncertain, New Jersey has the potential to experience a major impact from high winds, heavy rain, flooding and power outages," said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. "I encourage all of our families to stay informed, get ready and reach out to those you know who may be isolated or in need of extra assistance during adverse conditions." Floods are considered the most frequent natural hazards in New Jersey and residents across Atlantic County could be seen Friday filling up sandbags in preparation. Meanwhile, utility companies across the region were also in preparation mode in the hopes of reducing the numbers of power outages brought on by a rush of inclement weather. "We're bringing in all of our field people," said Rena Esposito, a spokeswoman for Public Service Electric and Gas Company, New Jersey's largest utility firm. "We're also making arrangements with other utility companies to be able to get support from other states if needed." Last October, a powerful snowstorm left more than a million residents without power across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states. CNN's Eden Pontz contributed to this report . | New York's MTA will start suspending service before sustained winds of 39 mph .
Virginia's National Guard authorized to activate to 300 personnel .
Early models show the hurricane could make landfall in D.C. region as early as Monday .
Forecasters say it will more likely push farther north and hit the New York area by Tuesday . |
034bc18083ed56ac411b4337326c8a6b26fc066b | A man who was finishing his cup of coffee got more than just a caffeine buzz when he discovered what was lurking in his coffee cup. Ron Morais of Fredericton in New Brunswick in Canada removed the lid from his McDonald's morning brew to discover a dead mouse laying at the bottom. 'I always take the lid off to get my last sip of coffee. And when I took the lid off, there was a little bit of a surprise in my coffee cup,' he told CBC. 'It was a dead mouse.' Scroll down for video... Unwelcome surprise: A dead mouse was found at the bottom of a McDonald's coffee cup in Canada . Yuck: Ron Morais from New Brunswick said the mouse 'left a few presents in his drink'! The customer added that it looked as though the mouse had been in the cup for a while and left 'a few little, shall we say, presents' in the drink. His co-worker, Jennifer LaHaye was with Mr Morais at the time of the shocking discovery. ''Oh my God, there's a mouse in my coffee,' is what he says. I turn around and look at him,' she told the station. 'The first time I looked, I actually looked and it's real, he's not joking.' Morais said the idea of drinking an entire cup of coffee with a mouse in it made him feel a little ill. 'I kind of had a little queasiness in my stomach,' he said . McDonald's have issued a statement explaining that the local public health company and a pest control company investigated the franchise and found no evidence of a pest problem. McDonald's issued a statement to the station that the local public health company and a pest control company investigated the franchise and found no evidence of a pest problem . The company said it would investigate further and cautioned people not to jump to conclusions. Mr Marais has kept the cup in his possession for further analysis . The company has it will investigate further cautioning people not to jump to conclusions. Jason Patuano, the communications manager for the eastern region for McDonald's Canada, issued a corporate statement that underscored how seriously the chain takes food safety. 'We take allegations involving cleanliness and sanitation very seriously,' the statement said. 'Upon learning of this situation, the local franchisee immediately began an investigation, including working closely with the local public health authority who conducted an inspection this [Tuesday] morning following receiving a complaint.' A Department of Health restaurant inspection record on Tuesday said there was 'no evidence of pests,' and all food items were sealed. The restaurant was not given any warnings in the report. Morais said he wants to talk to McDonald's officials to discover how the mouse appeared in the coffee . McDonald's Canada also said a pest control company found no evidence of any rodent issues in the building. 'We are continuing to investigate this isolated incident and have reached out to the customer to obtain the product sample,' the statement said. Mr Morais has said he wants to talk to McDonald's officials to understand how the mouse appeared in the coffee. Incredibly, rather than planning lawsuits over the affair he is happy to joke about it all. 'I mean, hey, you know. I'm here. And I'm in better shape than the mouse,' he said. Positive outlook: I'm in better shape than the mouse,' he told CBC . | Ron Morais, of Fredericton, ordered a cup of coffee from his local restaurant .
He found the dead rodent after removing the lid to take the last sip .
The fast-food company, which just launched a campaign to promote the quality of its food, said it will launch an investigation . |
034be992869166c0b70adcb7b171f779fc3d02d7 | By . Peter Rugg . A Georgia Waffle House employee faces a murder charge after allegedly killing a customer in the middle of an argument Friday. Quintavius Martin, 25,is charged with murder, . possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and carrying a . concealed weapon without a permit. Police say he is being held in the Fulton County Jail. Quintavius Martin, 25,is charged with murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit . 'The preliminary investigation has determined . that a verbal altercation occurred between an employee and a customer,' Fulton . County police Cpl. Kay Lester told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. 'At some point, the male employee retrieved a weapon and . fired upon the customer. That male customer was deceased at the scene.' The victim has been identified as Adrian Mosley, 33. Witness Ontray Haley said he was eating when two men and a woman arrived at the diner. 'The girl got into it first with the security guard and they told her she had to leave the property,' he said. 'So she left but the other two guys hung around . and they told them they had to leave. The cook refused to serve them . because they were getting unruly.' The men then 'got into it with the cook and the guy that got shot, he threatened . the cook. He told him, you come outside and I’m going to fire you up, . which basically meant he wanted to shoot him.' Witnesses said as many as four shots were fired after an argument broke out with an unruly couple . It was then the shooting started. '“It . occurred right at the counter,' Haley said. 'It was just chaos; I was . ducking for cover like everybody else. I looked up and I saw the guy in . the floor, dead.' While he believed he heard three or four shots he could not be certain. 'I was too busy ducking,' he said. | Quintavius Martin, 25,is charged with murder, .
possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and carrying a .
concealed weapon without a permit .
Allegedly gunned down customer Adrian Mosley, 33 .
Witnesses said as many as four shots were fired . |
034c096518e949eb207d14af18dffd39549eb084 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 16:47 EST, 12 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:49 EST, 12 April 2012 . Predator: Alberto Flores Ramirez, 36, was charged with rape after luring a woman to a California motel room to perform a raw egg cleanse . A spiritual healer has been charged with rape and sexual assault after luring a woman to a motel room to perform a raw egg cleanse treatment. Alberto Flores Ramirez, 36, allegedly met his victim through a chat and dating website. Ramirez, of Santa Clemente, California, embarked on an online relationship with the 33-year-old woman from Mexico who is in the U.S. on a tourist visa with her son. Her two daughters remained in Mexico with a man who is not her husband but has custody of the children. Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told MailOnline that Ramirez had convinced the woman he could 'spiritually cleanse her', making it possible for her two girls to come to America. After chatting to Ramirez on the website Badoo, she agreed to meet him at a McDonald's restaurant in Santa Ana on April 3. They then drove to the Aloha Motel around 6pm to begin the treatment - a healing art which cleanses a person's spiritual aura by running an egg over the body to release negative energies. Egg cleansing is common throughout central and south America, but is not widely known in the U.S. After performing the cleanse once, Ramirez told the victim she still had 'bad vibes' and to remove her clothes. He then reportedly rubbed raw eggs on the victim’s body and fondled her, according to a report by the District Attorney's office. When the victim attempted to cover herself with the comforter from the bed, Ramirez is accused of jumping on top of the victim and restraining her. He then raped the woman and threatened her life. After she escaped, she contacted police and took part in a sting to catch Ramirez - who is believed to be in the U.S. illegally. Cultural practice: Although it is not widely known in the U.S., the raw egg cleanse is commonly used as a spiritual healing treatment in Latin America . He was lured to a meeting point after text messages were sent by the woman and detectives were able to make an arrest. Ramirez has been charged with one . felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, and sexual . penetration with foreign object by force. If convicted, he faces a . maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison. Ramirez is being held on $100,000 bail and was expected to be arraigned today at 3pm local time. Attack: Ramirez took the 33-year-old woman to the Aloha Motel to perform the spiritual treatment and then allegedly raped and threatened to kill her . | Alberto Flores Ramirez, 36, lured Mexican woman with promise to cleanse her aura .
Victim is on U.S. tourist visa with her son - while two daughters remain in Mexico .
Raw egg cleanse is a healing practice common in Latin America . |
034e9094ee8c20d69ab53f4d1d33efb6b7267bfa | A Labour politician has spoken out about losing his virginity at the age of five to an alien holographic. Simon Parkes, a councillor in Whitby, North Yorkshire, says he has been visited and taken by extra-terrestrials ever since being in his mother's womb, and has no fear of them. The 53-year-old added that anyone who felt his beliefs made him an unsuitable representative for Stakesby should not worry, as he is never taken by the aliens during meetings since they do not like large gatherings of people. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Simon Parkes said he is visited by green aliens called Mantids, who are seven feet tall and wear cloaks, and produced a drawing he had done of one . The Councillor and driving instructor appeared on ITV's This Morning today to explain to Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield that he wished to destigmatise alien visitations and encourage others like him to come forward with their stories. He said that only by thousands of people coming forward every day would the media's attitude change. Cllr Parkes explained that he had been visited by aliens ever since being inside his mother's womb, when he has 'a very clear . memory of a face with no real distinguishing features', and then 'suddenloy being . aware that there was much more to this world than i knew'. He describes it as 'a spiritual experience'. He said that the type of alien he was most frequently visited by were Mantids - green, seven feet tall - and produced his drawing of one who frequently comes to visit him wearing a cloak. Simon on This Morning with Holly and Phil, showing them a picture of the alien who visits him . Cllr Parkes then described losing his virginity to one of the aliens in 1965, when he was five or six years old. He said: 'It was a holographic sexual experience so I didn't exactly lose my virginity... it was using much more advanced technology than anything we have on Earth, or anything the army think they have. To aliens it's not about age, it's about experience and souls.' Aware that 'some people can't handle the truth', Cllr Parkes suggested that anyone who felt he was unsuitable for the role of Councillor in Whitby instead 'vent your angry spleen on those members of parliament who stole money, . who defrauded the country, who got others to take penalty points for . them, on those great tycoons and bankers who nearly destroyed Britain'. Holly and Phil interviewing Cllr Parkes about his beliefs this morning . He added: 'When i was elected I'd already gone public. What people want is someone . to fights and defend Whitby. My policies are very strong and very clear. Nobody has asked me to resign because this is a private matter.' When Philip wondered if being taken by aliens might clash with his duties, Parkes said: 'I am not taken during meetings. These creatures do not want attention . drawn to themselves. And they don't have an agenda or oppose me discussing this, otherwise i wouild have . been stopped.' Cllr Parkes has already spoken publicly about rowing with his wife after revealing he had a child called Zarka with an alien he refers to as the Cat Queen. The driving instructor said he has sexual relations with the alien about four times a year. Whitby Town councillor Simon Parkes, who believes he has had 'hundreds' of encounters with aliens throughout his life and (left) a drawing he made of his alien mother . 'What will happen is that we will hold hands and I will say "I'm ready" and then the technology I don't understand will take us up to a craft orbiting the earth,' he explained. 'My wife found out about it and was very unhappy, clearly. That caused a few problems, but it is not on a human level, so I don't see it as wrong.' Cllr Parkes, who also claims his 'real mother' is a 9ft green alien with eight fingers, said people only claim he is mad because they have not shared his experiences and that the encounters don't affect his work on behalf of Whitby residents. 'I can understand how you would say that because you have not seen anything yourself and that's your immediate fall-back position, but you come and spend some time with me and follow me around for a day and you will actually walk away shaking your head because you will think actually he's not mad. 'There are plenty of people in my position who don't chose to come out and say it because they are terrified it will destroy their careers.' He told Channel 4 documentary Confessions Of An Alien Abductee his first recollection is of being lifted out of his cot by an alien. Married Labour councillor Simon Parkes, 53, who represents Stakesby on Whitby Town Council, has defended his beliefs in extra terrestrial life, after he made outlandish claims on national television that he has fathered a child with an alien . Councillor Parkes, who spends hours . drawing his extra-terrestrial experiences as it helps him to comes to . terms with them, said: 'The only thing I can remember after that is it . saying to me you will never be hurt, your will never be harmed. 'I think I am fairly clear in my head that I am being monitored [by aliens] very closely and if there is anything that's seriously about to happen or does happen then I am fairly confident in my own mind that they will intervene, they have in the past.' He said he is also often followed by the security services and that he and a female passenger in his car were recently abducted by aliens in Cloughton, near Scarborough, before being returned to the vehicle as it moved.' | Whitby councillor Simon Parkes is a married father-of-three .
Appeared on ITV's This Morning to talk about his visitations .
The Stakesby representative also says he has had a lovechild with an alien .
His mistress is called the Cat Queen, the child named Zarka .
The 53-year-old said he has sex with an alien about four times a year . |
034f46b2e694cce3e2624a4daf397cc8a3d0d012 | A grandmother and her four-year-old granddaughter have drowned after they went to a lake to feed the ducks. Relatives suspect that Laura Zulema Fleming, 59, jumped into the water at Silver Lake, a gated community in Miramar, Florida, on Sunday after her granddaughter Leila fell in, WSVN reported. But neither could swim and they both drowned. Family members called police around 11pm on Sunday to say the duo were missing. Their bodies were recovered from the water shortly before midnight. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Leila Fleming, pictured left and right, drowned in a lake near her father's and grandparents' home on Sunday evening. Her grandmother, Laura Fleming, also drowned after they went out to feed the ducks . Heartbroken: Relatives comfort each other the day after Laura and Leila were found drowned in the lake . 'We saw them bringing out a person with their arms up,' neighbor Andy Casteneda told WSVN. 'Then two or three minutes afterwards, they bring out a baby.' Autopsies were carried out on Monday and they were both found to have drowned, Miramar police spokeswoman Tania Rues said, the Sun Sentinel reported. 'Unfortunately, it appears they had been deceased for a period of time,' she said. 'Based on accounts from family members, neither the grandmother nor the 4-year-old knew how to swim.' Fleming had taken her granddaughter out to the water around 7pm on Sunday. 'The information that we gathered from the family is that she was a very doting grandmother, was always with the grandchild and they would go out on occasion,' Rues said. 'It was not something the family thought was unusual for them to do.' Missed: Leila is pictured with her father George, left, and mother Ashli, right, who does not live with the family. Relatives said they think Leila's grandmother jumped into the water after the girl fell in . Scene: The duo went to the lake in the gated community early on Sunday evening but never returned home . 'Doting': Mrs Fleming often took her young granddaughter down to the water to feed the ducks, police said . The youngster lived with her grandmother in the gated community. They shared a home with Leila's father - Laura's son - George Fleming Jr. and her grandfather George Fleming Sr. Her mother, 23-year-old Ashli Rodriguez, does not live at the address. Leila's cousin called her 'an adorable, sweet girl' and added that her aunt was 'a very wise woman - very caring, very loving'. Miramar Police said no one witnesses the drowning but no foul play was suspected. They continue to investigate, Rue said. See below for video . | Laura Fleming and granddaughter Leila failed to return home 4 hours after they went to feed the ducks in their gated community in Florida on Sunday .
Their bodies were recovered from the water around midnight .
Relatives suspect that the child had fallen in the water and then Laura - who could not swim - tried to save her . |
034f72b65977882f5b5f315af9f1615f77961c6a | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 05:07 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:26 EST, 6 November 2012 . The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall received a rapturous welcome as they attended the famous Melbourne Cup on the latest leg of their Jubilee tour. Despite the drizzle, Charles and Camilla went on a brief walkabout, shaking hands and waving at the crowds as they made their way into the main grandstand at Flemington racecourse. The Royal couple were guests of honour at the prestigious sporting event that attracts tens of thousands of punters from across the country. High spirits: Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, smile each other after the presentation of the Diamond Jubilee Plate . Fashion forward: Camilla's favourite milliner Philip Treacy was at the event and for the Duchess he had created a wide brimmed cream hat that matched her flowing coat and dress by Bruce Oldfield . Winning streak: Camilla hands the Melbourne Cup to the Nick Williams, son of Lloyd Williams, the owner of Irish horse Green Moon, after it won at Flemington race course . Thunderous: The pair pulled amused faces when a clap of thunder rang out while they were waiting to present the Diamond Jubilee Plate . Fashion is as much a part of the event . as the horse racing and the women racegoers were dressed in summer . dresses and wore hats and fascinators. Among the guests was Camilla's . favourite milliner Philip Treacy. He said: 'It's a great honour to . design hats for the future Queen of England and I'm very excited to be . here on a day when the royal couple are in Melbourne.' For the Duchess he had created a wide brimmed cream hat that matched her flowing coat and dress by Bruce Oldfield. She held a clear umbrella over her head when rain started to spit down, although Charles was happy to brave the elements. Bright crowd: Fashion is as much a part of the event as the horse racing and the women racegoers were dressed in summer dresses and wore hats and fascinators . Up-close: As the royal couple watched the running of the Melbourne Cup Prince Charles pulled out a pair of binoculars, but Camilla was happy to watch from a distance . Honoured: The Royal couple were guests of honour at the prestigious sporting event that attracts tens of thousands of punters from across the country. It was almost 27 years to the day that Prince Charles and Diana visited the racecourse. Today the royal couple met some of the . leading jockeys from the race in the weighing room including Ryan Moore . from the UK, the three-times champion jockey who has only recently . returned to flat racing after breaking his wrist in August. He was riding Mount Athos and was quizzed by the Duchess about whether he was suffering any jetlag. Weather prepared: Camilla held an umbrella over her head but Charles was happy to brave the elements on a walkabout . Enthusiastic cheer: Prince Charles, centre in blue suit, and Camilla, left, (only her white hat is visible) greet the crowd after arriving to watch the running of the Melbourne Cup . Meet and greet: Charles and Camilla went on a brief walkabout, shaking hands and waving at the crowds as they made their way into the main grandstand at Flemington racecourse . Warm reception: Racegoers wave to Prince Charles, as he arribes in the mounting yard during 2012 Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse . Camilla, who is a keen horse rider . and equestrian fan, told jockey James McDonald, riding Fiorente, that . "it's a treat for us" to be at the Melbourne Cup. Billed as the race that stops the . nation the Duchess presented the winning trophy for the event that has a . total prize money pot of around £4 million. The Prince also took part in proceedings awarding the prize for a Diamond Jubilee race. Royal visit: Race-goers were excited to meet Prince Charles as he went and greeted them . Grey skies: Prince Charles looks skyward as his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, holds an umbrella . Dressed for the occasion: Prince Charles looked dapper in a blue and white pinstripe suit . Earlier in the day the Prince of Wales tried his hand at the ancient art of tapestry weaving today - and proved to be a natural. Charles worked on a large textile . piece that will have pride of place in a hospital during a visit to the . Australian Tapestry Workshop in Melbourne. Despite being famed for his "sausage . fingers", the heir to the throne, under the direction of senior weaver . Sue Batten, added a few threads to the tapestry depicting a rural scene . complete with horses and cows. Engagements: The Royal couple are in Australia on the second leg of a Diamond Jubilee Tour taking in Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand . Back in time: Charles and Diana visited the event 27 years ago to the day . What a difference a few decades makes: Charles at the races nearly three decades ago . The large artwork was fitted to a . frame and the Prince pulled a few vertical threads, known as leashes, . forward and threaded a bobbin, tied with pale blue thread for the sky, . through the gap. Turning to the banks of cameramen and photographers the royal joked, 'having a good laugh.' Ms Batten said later: 'He was good, . but the thing about the Prince is that he does value the arts and . crafts, he thinks they should be recognised and maintained as part of . our culture. Good luck wishes: Camilla speaks with jockey Tommy Berry before the running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington race course . Words of wisdom: Prince Charles, right, speaks with British jockey Ryan Moore as the royal couple meet jockeys before the race . Making an entrance: The royal couple arrive to watch the race in a white estate car . 'In the world everything is about business and money and these things get neglected.' During the visit Charles met children working on a joint project between . the Australian Tapestry Workshop and his Prince's School of Traditional . Arts. Charles sat down amongst the local . youngsters who had made a large geometric piece of artwork and spent a . few minutes listening to them explain how they produced their work. Creative side: Earlier in the day the Prince of Wales tried his hand at the ancient art of tapestry weaving today - and proved to be a natural . Exploration: During the visit Charles met children working on a joint project between the Australian Tapestry Workshop and his Prince's School of Traditional Arts . Getting involved: Despite being famed for his 'sausage fingers', the heir to the throne added a few threads to the tapestry depicting a rural scene complete with horses and cows . The Prince then went on to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground to learn about the Harmony in Cricket programme. The initiative brings together . different communities through sport and the royal watched as youngsters . practised their throwing and catching skills. One little boy, 10-year-old Chien . Mayoum, hit a single plastic stump with a ball time after time, but when . Charles had a go he missed by metres and joked: 'I have broken my arm . in two places so I can't do it.' | Royal couple went on a brief walkabout as they made their way into the main grandstand at Flemington racecourse .
Duchess of Cornwall's first visit to Australia .
For the Duchess Philip Treacy created a wide brimmed cream hat that matched her flowing coat and dress by Bruce Oldfield . |
034fa2c23db5bebe8d13c4928e220fc1fdfc0f4c | (CNN) -- Eight Florida teenagers -- six of them girls -- will be tried as adults and could be sentenced to life in prison for their alleged roles in the videotaped beating of another teen, the state attorney's office said Thursday. The teenagers seen in a video assaulting a 16-year-old could face life in prison. The suspects, who range in age from 14 to 18, all face charges of kidnapping, which is a first-degree felony, and battery, said Chip Thullbery, a spokesman for the Polk County state attorney. Three of them are also charged with tampering with a witness. Everyone involved in the case was under a gag order imposed by a judge. The only attorney for the teens who has been publicly identified did not return calls from CNN, and his assistant cited the gag order as the reason. The teens are scheduled for their first appearance in court Friday. The video shows a brutal scene: The 16-year-old victim is punched, kneed and slapped by other girls. She huddles in the fetal position, or stands and screams at her attackers, but the assault continues. Authorities say the eight teens said they were retaliating for insults posted on the Internet by the attack victim. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the March 30 attack "animalistic." "I've been involved in law enforcement for 35 years, and I've seen a lot of extremely violent events, but I've never seen children, 14 to 18 years of age, engage in this conduct for a 30-minute period of time and then make these video clips," he said. Police say the teens planned to post the video on YouTube. Watch the disturbing video » . The victim, a 16-year-old from Lakeland, Florida, was hospitalized, and still has blurred vision, hearing loss, and a swollen face, her mother told CNN on Wednesday. The video shows only girls doing the beating; Judd said the boys acted as lookouts. The idea of girls administering a vicious beating so they can post the video online may seem shocking, but it's becoming an increasingly common scenario, according to experts and news reports. Watch why more teens are putting fights online » . A search for "girl fight" on YouTube gets thousands of results, and a suggestion to also try "girl fight at school, boy girl fight" and other search terms. There's at least one Web site devoted exclusively to videos of girls fighting. In 2003, 25 percent of high school girls said they had been in a physical fight in the past year, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (The figure for boys was 40.5 percent.) A Justice Department report released in 2006 showed that by age 17, 21 percent of girls said they had assaulted someone with the intent to cause serious harm. Frank Green is executive director of Keys to Safer Schools, a group that studies and tries to prevent school violence. He said he's not sure whether girls have actually become more violent, or whether there's just more awareness of their fights. "In one respect, girls have always been more vicious than boys," Green said. "Their violence is of a personal nature." He said boys usually have some focus and a concrete goal when they fight. "But girls want to cause pain and make the other girl feel bad," he said. Judd, the Polk County sheriff, said an important part of the plan in the Lakeland attack was to post the video of the beating on YouTube to humiliate and embarrass the victim. "It's the next stage of cyberbullying," psychologist Susan Lipkins said. "They want to show what they're doing." "Our kids are being peer pressured, in another sense of a trend, to put these shock videos out there at other peoples' expense," said Talisa Lindsay, the victim's mother. "And I hope that it doesn't come to the point where there's more people's lives that are being affected by having to take a beating for entertainment, or possibly being killed." Watch mother describe how the victim is doing » . The suspects didn't have a chance to post the video online before police moved in and seized it, Judd said. The Sheriff's Department made it public, and it wound up on YouTube anyway. Judd recognizes the irony. "In a perverted sense, we were feeding into exactly what the kids wanted," he said. "But according to Florida law, [the video] is public record, and it's going to be in the public domain whether we agree with that or not." Judd said the suspects showed no remorse when they were arrested and booked. "They were laughing and joking about, 'I guess we won't get to go to the beach during spring break.' And one ... asked whether she could go to cheerleading practice," he said. Lipkins, the psychologist, says there's a "disconnect between their actions and their thoughts." "They think the entire society is doing it, and they think it's funny. So they put it on YouTube. And I don't think they expect kids to get really hurt, and they also don't expect to get really caught." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Rich Phillips contributed to this report. | Eight Florida teens to be tried as adults in videotaped beating case .
Video shows 16-year-old girl punched by other girls .
21 percent of girls age 17 say they've assaulted someone, the Justice Dept. reports .
The teens have "disconnect" between thoughts and actions, psychologist says . |
034ff7e35f4499f321e2439aa48f902c26f5136e | By . Richard Arrowsmith . Raheem Sterling has admitted that he would prefer if Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez was not playing when England meet Uruguay in their decisive Group D clash on Thursday. The 19-year-old was a revelation after being selected to start against Italy in England's opening 1-0 defeat in Manaus, where Roy Hodgson's gamble paid off handsomely with an electrifying display from the Liverpool forward. Reflecting on the game, Sterling said: 'I wanted to show the world what I can do. I was a bit nervous at first.' Fear factor? Raheem Sterling has admitted he would prefer if Luis Suarez didn't play against England . Take a bow: Raheem Sterling revealed he wanted to 'show the world what I could do' against Italy . Red hot! Raheem Sterling was a revelation in England's opening 1-0 defeat to Italy in Manaus . Sterling was central to most of England's attacking moves and briefly had the nation celebrating when he appeared to score in the first-half before the realisation that his effort had hit the side netting. The youngster has staked his claim to start against Uruguay where he could line up against his club teammate and current Premier League Player of the Year Luis Suarez. While Sterling would prefer if the Uruguay striker wasn't playing, he insists that England should not concentrate all of their energies on trying to stop Suarez. 'I'd rather not see him on the pitch. We know he can score some spectacular goals.' Will he won't he? Luis Suarez is set to return from injury for Uruguay's make or break clash with England . 'But, we can't just think about Luis Suarez, they have other players. He is a great player and most of our defenders have played against him before.' Meanwhile, Frank Lampard has admitted that, despite their encouraging start, failing to get a result was not good enough from the squad. 'Steven (Gerrard) and I spoke to the squad, the moment we are happy with losing but playing well is not good enough. It is do or die, just like it was in 2010.' We go again! Frank Lampard has labelled England's game against Uruguay as 'do-or-die' | England face Uruguay in their second Group D clash on Thursday 19 June .
Raheem Sterling has admitted he would prefer if Luis Suarez didn't play .
Liverpool youngster was a revelation in England's opening defeat to Italy .
Suarez is set to return for Uruguay following knee surgery .
Frank Lampard has labelled the game 'do or die... just like 2010' |
03508fefab7828edff48c0feaf8a475cc0fa2ff3 | (CNN) -- As rockets fly in Gaza and Israel, a shareable and ready-to-retweet version of the violence is playing out online. Official military accounts for the Israel Defense Forces and the military wing of Hamas have been posting slick-looking, social-media-friendly graphics in an effort to sway public opinion. Here's one example from Israel, retweeted some 2,600 times: . And another from Hamas, retweeted more than 350 times: . Notice that both sides want Internet users to "share this" or "share now." That's a new concept for militaries that are engaged in active conflict, writes Matt Buchanan for BuzzFeed. "Unlike any propaganda machine before it, it's inherently viral. It's designed to spread," he wrote. The IDF's tweets "are a mixture of documentation, saber rattling, sober reminders of the reality of war, and upbeat updates on the advanced state of its technology. All delivered direct to you. Please RT." But as both sides seek to distort the reality of a conflict that has killed three Israelis and more than two dozen Palestinians, they could have taken a lesson from social media history: Online marketing campaigns tend to backfire, at least in part. "On one level, it makes sense for the military to use the internet to provide useful information and possibly even explain its mission to the public. (They have Spanish and French-language versions of the account too, for added global reach.)," writes Dashiell Bennett for The Atlantic Wire. "But the odd tone of the writing, has taken some people aback and left the IDF open to mockery and charges of insensitivity regarding a very sensitive subject." The people of the Internet have started using the same tools as Israel and Hamas to mock the idea of a military broadcasting live information about itself on social platforms. "IDF announced the war on Twitter, warned Gazans thru SMS & troops showed us action on Instagram." wrote one Twitter user, @THE_47th. "Israel is the Kim Kardashian of nations." In response to Hamas' death toll image, one Twitter user wrote: "so be *real* heroes for your people - stop firing back. Restraint is what requires real courage." The jabs -- some humorous, some serious -- show how difficult it can be to control the conversation in an era of real-time media. Here's one of the more-discussed critiques of Israel's social media campaign, in which a writer for the site BuzzFeed created a fake tweet from the Israel Defense Forces: . That post, in which the author appears to mock use of social media, also raised questions about humor during a violent conflict, and the authenticity of information on social networks. "Does a journalist faking a tweet from an official govt account cross a line?" asked Alex Howard, a writer at O'Reilly Media. BuzzFeed's co-founder came to the defense of that tweet's author: . Some criticism takes a more serious tone. "The Twitter/BuzzFeed friendly media strategy of IDF this time -- big infographics, tweets made to go viral etc -- scares the hell out of me," Tom Gara wrote on Twitter. And others fear the tit-for-tat could actually escalate the conflict. "This is a new reality of war," Heather Hurlburt, from the National Security Network, told the Los Angeles Times. "And I worry that it's going to make it harder to stand down." There already have been some efforts to quantify who is winning the war on social media. Hamas wins when it comes to the use of its hashtag, writes a blogger for the Washington Post. Israel is winning the follower count battle, says BuzzFeed. But there are also, of course, voices in the middle. Andy Carvin, a senior strategist at NPR, has been aggregating and retweeting people in both Israel and Gaza. Those posts, and others from journalists on the ground tend to show a grittier reality of the violence in the Middle East: . Let us know what you think of the social media tactics in the comments. | Israel and Hamas release shareable images on social media .
In some ways, that's backfired, with the Internet mocking the posts . |
03518da252e88ebffb3841fa3ffeaa9eaa9d9acd | Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Thirteen people were killed and 90 wounded in clashes between Coptic Christians and Muslims in Cairo, state-run Egyptian television reported Wednesday. The clashes broke out Tuesday after Copts took to the streets to protest last week's burning of a church. Earlier, Egypt's health minister, Dr. Ashraf Hatem, said the death toll was at nine. Coptic Church spokesman Father Abdelmaseeh Baseet reported six deaths previously Wednesday and said all the victims were Christians. The Egyptian military has launched an investigation into the violence, said Mohamed Askar, armed services spokesman. Those involved in "the incitement of sectarian hatred or involved in the acts of violence" will be held accountable "to the full extent of the law," he said. A feud between a Muslim and a Coptic family is said to have led to the church burning in Helwan province last week. In recent weeks, tensions have been high between Egypt's Muslim majority and its Coptic minority. A Coptic church in the town of Alexandria was bombed on New Year's Day, killing 23 people. The Palestinian Islamic Army, which has links to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for what was the deadliest attack on Christians in Egypt in some time -- but far from the only one. Ten days later, a gunman killed a Christian man and wounded five other Christians on a train in Egypt. Also in January, a man was sentenced for his part in an attack on another Coptic church a year ago, Egypt's state-run Al Ahram newspaper reported. About 9% of Egypt's 80 million residents are Coptic Christians. They base their theology on the teachings of the Apostle Mark, who introduced Christianity to Egypt, according to St. Takla Church in Alexandria, the capital of Coptic Christianity. The religion split with other Christians in the fifth century over the definition of the divinity of Jesus Christ. | NEW: The death toll is at 13, according to state-run television .
The Egyptian military is launching an investigation .
Egypt's health minister says 90 were wounded .
The clashes break out after Copts protest a church burning . |
0351b2dc584560ae062f548bb6d6c2ff4f6a2017 | By . James Chapman, Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 08:53 EST, 16 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:30 EST, 16 October 2012 . Britain’s top law officer yesterday paved the way for new inquests to be held into the 96 deaths at Hillsborough. Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC said he was taking the ‘exceptional’ step of applying to the High Court to have the original verdicts of accidental death quashed. His announcement came after a report into the 1989 disaster revealed last month that 41 fans could have been saved if the response of emergency services had been swifter. Ninety-six Liverpool fans died in the crush at the Hillsborough ground in Sheffield, but only this year has new evidence confirmed the need for fresh inquests . It also revealed a vast cover-up by . police and paramedics designed to blame Liverpool fans for the tragedy. Families of the victims hope new inquests will record verdicts of . corporate manslaughter. Mr Grieve said he was still . considering the new evidence, but would apply for fresh inquests to be . held on the basis of what he has already read. He said he was making the announcement early to ease the ‘anxiety’ of victims’ families. ‘My view is that I will apply to have . every one of those 96 inquests quashed,’ he told MPs. ‘I believe that . these deaths, arising as they do from a common chain of events, should . all be considered afresh.’ It was clear there were ‘significant . issues over the original inquest’, he added. But he admitted the new . legal process ‘will take some time’ and acknowledged that ‘the wait for . truth and justice has been long and unspeakably painful for a great many . people’. Attorney General Dominic Grieve said he would go to the High Court to quash the original 96 inquests into the deaths of the Liverpool fans killed in the Hillsborough tragedy . The report into the Hillsborough . disaster, headed by the Bishop of Liverpool, rejected the findings of . the original inquests that no lives could have been saved after 3.15pm . on the day. Pat Joynes, whose son Nicholas, 27, . was killed, said: ‘I’m highly delighted. We want the accidental death . verdicts quashed so we can get manslaughter verdicts. ‘I have spoken to different families . over the weekend. That seems to be the opinion and it is what I would . want as well – corporate manslaughter and manslaughter verdicts. ‘Ninety-six people can’t die and hundreds injured without someone being held responsible. ‘The truth, in my opinion, is finally . coming out, I’m very pleased. We want to see justice. If that means . police officers have to stand trial, well they should stand trial in a . criminal court.’ Mrs Joynes, who lives near St Helens, Merseyside, added that she hoped any new inquests would be held in Liverpool. Former Labour Justice Secretary Lord . Falconer, who has advised the victims’ families, said David Cameron had . made a ‘huge difference’ to the campaign. ‘You have a government, led by a . prime minister, saying, “This is a huge injustice, let’s sort it out” – . and that makes a real difference,’ he said. Liverpool MP Steve Rotheram said the . move ‘marks one of the biggest steps forward in the fight for justice . for the families in 23 years’. Liverpool fans have spent 23 years campaigning for justice, including new inquests into the events of April 15 1989 . ‘The undeniable fact is that the . original inquest was unsound and this application, if successful, will . mean that evidence will be able to be heard after the 3.15pm cut off . imposed by the original coroner in the 1989 inquests,’ he added. ‘For the first time in over two . decades, all the evidence can now be reviewed into the disaster and . potentially a new verdict recorded on the death certificates of the . deceased. ‘At long last, the full horror of . Hillsborough will be on the public record alongside the names of the . people and the organisations that are accountable for what happened.’ He went on: ‘The families’ heartache . has been well documented but what is less well known is that some . families have refused to pick up the death certificates of their loved . ones who died on that day.’ Last month’s report concluded police . officers had tried to smear the dead by checking them for criminal . records and medics had tried to prove they were drunk. Hundreds of statements were doctored to remove criticism of the authorities. | Dominic Grieve takes 'exceptional step' to confirm he will have the 96 verdicts of accidental death overturned .
Liverpool MP Steve Rotheram says move is one of the biggest steps in the fight for justice for 23 years . |
0351f2bd770f0da7d9f2718a01619c8f963d8b09 | A Florida woman who allegedly stole a credit card and willingly posed for a photo with the pocketed plastic was arrested on Tuesday. Mashana Harris, 26, was nabbed by police at an Ocala motel and has been charged with felony fraud for stealing a card belonging to 74-year-old Josephine Lupo. The Smoking Gun reports that back in July Harris allegedly stole a card from Walmart and used it to rack up a $500 bill. Practicing for a mug shot?: Alleged thief agreed to pose with credit card after the store clerk was wary of her making a $430 transaction at Looking Good Beauty Supply and not presenting ID . Harris supposedly illegally bought goods at Family Dollar and Looking Good Beauty Supply shop. After seeing a hefty false transaction, Police contacted Looking Good Beauty Supply and spoke with the clerk Addel Kassem who 'did not feel comfortable' with the $430 purchase when it occurred so he asked Harris to take a photo with the credit card. She obliged. The credit card scam was reported after the 74-year-old victim saw several false transactions on her credit card and went to the police. This is not the first time Harris has been arrested. Her record points to arrests for larceny, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. New hairdo?: Mashana Harris, 26, allegedly used a stolen credit car to buy $430 worth of beauty supplies . | Mashana Harris, 26, has been charged with felony fraud for allegedly stealing a card belonging to 74-year-old Josephine Lupo from Walmart .
A clerk at Looking Good Beauty Supply was suspicious of a $430 transaction and asked to take a photo of her because she didn't have identification .
Harris has also been arrested for larceny, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest . |
0354cc81d146d557dfce82bb1fb328adc33c2ea7 | All signs indicate Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will likely veto politically-charged legislation that supporters say promotes religious freedom and opponents contend discriminates against gays and lesbians. Brewer did not signal her intention either way in an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington. "I can assure you, as always, I will do the right thing for the state of Arizona," she said. But some Arizona Republicans who know her well say they are confident those comments mean Brewer will almost surely reject the bill that is generating nationwide controversy. The Republican-led measure would allow Arizona business owners to deny service to gay and lesbian customers as long as they assert their religious beliefs. Brewer is scheduled to return to Arizona on Tuesday, and a source tells CNN those familiar with her thinking say she will likely spend at least one full business day in the state before acting. "I'm going to go home, and when I receive the bill, I'm going to read it and I'm going to be briefed on it. We have been following it. And I will make my decision in the near future," Brewer told CNN. She has until Saturday to sign or veto the bill. If she does nothing, it automatically becomes law. Arizona GOP sources say Brewer considers herself a pro-business governor -- someone who above all else wants to protect and promote Arizona's economic interests. They say she knows full well there will be economic consequences for the state if it has a law on the books perceived to effectively codify discrimination. "I have a history of deliberating and having an open dialogue on bills that are controversial, to listen to both sides of those issues, and I welcome the input, and information that they can provide to me. And certainly I am pro-business, and that is what's turning our economy around, so I appreciate their input, as I appreciate the other side," Brewer said. Business leaders in Arizona and around the country, including the chief executive of American Airlines, have urged Brewer publicly and privately to veto the bill. Approval also is likely to trigger lawsuits. The bill was pushed by the Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative group opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. The group argues the proposal protects people against increasingly activist federal courts. Brewer vetoed a similar bill last year, arguing that the state legislature should focus on more pressing issues, such as a Medicaid expansion plan she was promoting. Sources say she is concerned about this bill taking away from other issues she is now pressing, such as overhauling Arizona's child protective services system. Freedom or oppression? That's the question for Arizona's SB1062 . | Bill would allow business owners to deny service to gay and lesbians based on religious objections .
Some lawmakers who know Gov. Jan Brewer believe she'll reject the measure .
Businesses pressure her to reject the bill pushed by group opposed to abortion, same-sex marriage . |
03559446c96de710ae8d4b1bb904e6d74a24234c | By . Ashley Collman and Reuters . PUBLISHED: . 12:36 EST, 1 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:06 EST, 2 November 2013 . The parents of three children were arrested in Daytona Beach, Florida yesterday after police discovered the family living in a dead woman's house - all while the woman's body was decomposing in a bedroom. Police conducted a well-being check at the home in Holly Hill after being contacted by the Department of Children and Families who hadn't been able to contact the home's owner since early September. When officers forced their way into the home, they discovered the body of a woman - believed to be 33-year-old Tiffany Kain - in the late states of decomposition lying in a bedroom. Kain had spina bfida and was wheelchair-bound. Scroll Down for Video . Grim living: Todd Christopher La Duke, 38 (left), and Nicole Scalise, 32 (right), were arrested yesterday and their three children put in protective custody after police found them living in a house with a decomposing body . 'It was like a house of horrors for Halloween,' said Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker. 'It was awful. You could smell the body from 150 feet away.' But it was the presence of living bodies in the home that unsettled police the most. Across the hall in another bedroom, they found Todd Christopher La Duke, 38, and Nicole Louise Scalise, 32, with their 4-year-old child. La Duke and Scalise had been living with Kain on and off for years. Apparently they had been living in the house with the decomposing body. Two of their other children, ages 6 and 11, lived there as well but were at school at the time. Making themselves at home: La Duke, Scalise and their three children were discovered living at this house in Holly Hill. The woman's body is believed to be that of 33-year-old Tiffany Krain who the family lived with on and off . Gruesome: In addition to the decomposing body, police found the house littered with dog feces and urine and evidence of drug abuse . In addition to the awful odors from the decomposing bodies, police also found dog feces and urine in the home and evidence of drug abuse in the form of bath salts. 'This is one of the worst cases of child neglect and child endangerment that I've seen in my 31 years here,' Barker said. Both La Duke and Scalise admitted that they had been cashing in the dead woman's food stamps and Social Security benefits. However, they say they didn't know that Kain had died and assumed she left the home. Both were arrested on charges of child neglect and failure to report a death to the medical examiner. La Duke is also being charged with theft of utility services since he illegally connected electrical and water service on the residence when it had been cut off. Their three children are now in protective custody. Kain's death has been deemed suspicious by the police and an autopsy and toxicology report were ordered today. | Todd La Duke, 38, and Nicole Scalise, 32, were arrested yesterday after police found them living in a home with a decomposing woman's body .
The couple have three children under the age of 11 who were placed with protective custody .
Police are investigating the woman's suspicious death . |
03560f42a66d2fbb6e5020e425d559815c58fdde | When the air-raid sirens ring out across Israel, hundreds of thousands of people scramble to the safety of shelters. Taking cover in safe rooms, bomb shelters, and stairwells can be a terrifying experience for many Israeli citizens, but dozens of teenagers and adults have posted smiling selfies on Facebook to document their experiences. Sara Eisen, a resident of Beit Shemesh in central Israel, set up one of the group's called 'Bomb Shelter Selfies.' Hundreds of Israelis have documented their experiences when they take cover with a bizarre set of smiling selfies which they have posted on Facebook . One image shows a pair of teenagers who were forced to go to the air raid shelter in the middle of a pamper session - one of them is wearing a face-mask while the other is dressed in just a towel . In one snap a young woman is shown standing next to an elderly man in his towel with the caption 'Meet other neighbours in the shelter' 'There’s a selfie for everything so I figured why not bomb shelters?' Eisen told the newspaper Haaretz. She explained the group is a way of 'showing the world that we weren’t letting this get to us.' At first, she recalls 'I wanted to call it ‘Bomb Shelter Bombshells’' - but her husband told her it was over the top. The group has hundreds of photos taken from across the state during the past fortnight - many of them showing Israeli citizens smiling and laughing as they pose for the photos. A girl poses for a photo with her pet dog that she has taken into the shelter . Another image shows a group of teenage girls smiling, waving and poking their tongues out for the camera . Lots of the photos in the group show Israeli's with their pets which they have taken into the shelter . In one snap a young woman is shown standing next to an elderly man in his towel with the caption 'Meet other neighbours in the shelter.' Another image shows a group of teenage girls smiling, waving and poking their tongues out for the camera. A family pose for another jovial photo next to the wording 'Lovin this ceasefire.' One image shows a pair of teenagers who were forced to go to the air raid shelter in the middle of a pamper session - one of them is wearing a face-mask while the other is dressed in just a towel. Lots of the photos in the group show Israeli's with their pets which they have taken into the shelter. As well as posting photos users have shared tips on how to keep children entertained during the long hours in the shelters as well as Jewish people from across the the world posting messages of support. The group has hundreds of photos taken from across the state during the past fortnight - many of them showing Israeli citizens smiling and laughing as they pose for the photos . People cram into a photo which was posted on the Facebook group . A girl looks somber as she takes a selfie in a basement - most of the photos show smiling Israeli citizens . A pair of women smile for the camera after taking cover during an air-raid siren . The photos were taken in safe rooms, bomb shelters, and stairwells across Israel . One user wrote: 'Love how you are keeping safe and finding the wonderful positive attitude and smiling. The Jewish community in the Washington DC area had a rally to support Israel. Be well!!' But the group has been criticised by internet users who feel it makes a mockery of the rising Palestinian death toll. One user wrote: 'Guess who has no shelters or any safe spot to be in? Children of Gaza. The little charged phones are saved for emergencies rather than taking selfies... Because guess who controls electricity? Israel.' Another wrote: 'Meanwhile, Palestinian women and children don't have the luxury of running to bomb shelters when Israeli bombs fall from the sky.this is not war.this is ethnic cleansing.' But Ms Eisen wrote on the group: 'There are those who allege that the fact that we are smiling / not dead proves that Israelis are not suffering. I will not apologize for being alive, protecting my children.' The 16-day conflict has claimed the lives of 718 Palestinians, most of them civilians, Palestinian health officials say. Israel has lost 32 soldiers, all since July 17, when it widened its air campaign into a full-scale ground operation aimed at halting rocket fire from Gaza and destroying a sophisticated network of cross-border tunnels. | Hundreds of Israelis have documented their experiences on Facebook .
'There’s a selfie for everything so why not bomb shelters?' said creator .
Many show Israeli citizens smiling and laughing as they pose for the photos .
16-day conflict has claimed lives of 718 Palestinians and 32 Israel soldiers . |
03574037c48b8016eee986f097c62f7f1eb30ecf | Long Beach, California (CNN) -- "The great question that has never been answered and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my 30 years of research into the feminine soul, is, 'What does a woman want?' " This was Sigmund Freud's response in 1925 to a female protégé, Marie Bonaparte, who sought his guidance. Bonaparte, then in her early 40s, suffered in her own words, from "frigidity." His question is alive today: Last week, a Food and Drug Administration panel reviewed the efficacy and safety of a new drug to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder -- lack of sexual desire. (The panel did not recommend approval.) I'll come back to this in a minute. Why does Freud's question persist? Well, one reason may have to do with who is asking the question, when, and why. In the early decades of the 20th century, for example, a Manhattan, New York-based gynecologist named Robert L. Dickinson was preoccupied with what made women unhappy in their marriages. So many had complained to him that they didn't enjoy sex. This prompted the doctor, an early advocate of birth control devices and a passionate promoter of women's sexual pleasure, to conduct research -- loosely defined -- on some of his thousands of female patients. He studied their bodies and sketched their contours, looking for clues to their sensitivities and habits. Female genitals were texts for the doctor to read. But so were the tales of erotic misery -- or just plain indifference -- that his patients would tell him. The doctor compiled his years of clinical observation in two weighty tomes, "A Thousand Marriages" (1931) and "The Single Woman" (1934). Dickinson had a hunch that the growing presence of lesbians in New York and other cities was a symptom of a larger problem with heterosexuality. Women were turning to each other for sexual relations because men were bad lovers. Egads! Maybe the answer to the nagging question could be answered only by women. Dickinson thereafter proposed to write a book he never published -- one that would be addressed to men, husbands in particular, to teach them how to give pleasure to women. Waves of research on female sexual response followed throughout the 20th century, a time when Western society attempted to regulate pleasure by studying it in metric forms and through tortuous interviews and searching questionnaires. "What's wrong with me?" became a commonplace. And through this complex process, lacking desire has become, in many ways, regarded as just as dangerous as having too much desire -- maybe even more so, actually. Here we must turn to money and to the current news of the FDA panel's hearings last week to decide whether to approve the new pharmaceutical pill flibanserin. The drug joins a plethora of pleasure-enhancing drugs and devices that in one way or another are premised upon variations of Freud's nagging question. Developed by the German drug company Boehringer-Ingelheim, the "little pink pill" ("little blue" Viagra's sister?) is meant to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder. How? By increasing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine (libido boosters) and decreasing seratonin (libido downers) in the brains of its sufferers. If the drug were approved, The New York Times reported, annual sales might reach $2 billion in the United States alone. Boehringer-Ingelheim had run a marketing campaign that consisted mainly of convincing women of a certain age and wealth strata that they lack sufficient sexual desire and that they deserve a remedy. In a market-driven society, convincing people that they lack something they need is what advertising is all about. "Do I lack sexual desire?" If you answer yes to this question -- and Boehringer-Ingelheim reports that 1,323 premenopausal women they studied did -- you become a member of the target market for flibanserin. The company's success or failure in the marketplace rests in large part on women realizing they don't have enough mojo. The company limited its subject sample to women living in the U.S. and Canada who were otherwise healthy, well-educated and mostly married -- "normal" but for their deficiency of desire. Studied in a double-blind trial over 24 months, women taking the pill reported that "sexually satisfying events" increased to about 4.5 a month, while those taking a placebo reported about 3.7 such events. Incidentally, according to the framework of the study, these events need not include orgasm. Q: What does a woman want? A: Flibanserin. Things just got so much easier! Or did they? For starters, "hypoactive sexual desire disorder" rests upon such vague criteria that the American Medical Association plans to remove it from the next edition of its authoritative diagnostic manual and replace it with "desire-arousal disorder." And, even if we grant its existence, studies that estimate at least 10 percent of American women suffer from HSDD were paid for by drug companies, The New York Times says. Boehringer-Ingelheim offers online medical education courses for health practitioners to get them involved in diagnosing HSDD. Doctors taking the courses are quizzed on how to diagnose the condition of various kinds of women. In one exercise, the test-taker is asked to figure out what is wrong with a 42-year-old working woman who cares for three children and an ailing mother, and lacks sexual desire. Her husband is a very minor character in the test's scenario. Dr. Dickinson may be spinning in his grave now. Psychologist Lenore Tiefer, who testified before the FDA panel Friday, put it well when she remarked that if the drug had been approved, it would have given women the false impression that they can take a pill to get "the sex life they read about, the one they think everyone else is having." One is tempted to ask whether the alleged upward trend in cases of HSDD in women can be correlated to the "little blue pill's" market debut in 1998. With all the talk of erectile dysfunction in men, maybe what women want now, sexually speaking, is a little less pressure to perform through pharmaceutically prolonged sexual encounters and a little more emotional support for their efforts, in and out of the bedroom. So what's next now that the FDA panel said no to flibanserin? An online course for male partners to teach them how to make love to women diagnosed with HSDD? That would be a start, but my guess is that what women want, particularly those who have come of age in an era of abstinence-only education, is knowledge about their bodies (for themselves and their partners) and respect for how their bodies work. Such knowledge may help them/us question whether a daily dose of yet another "brain drug" will give us what we have come to suspect we need. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jennifer Terry. | Jennifer Terry: Freud asked what women wanted; "female Viagra" raises question again .
Early 20th century doctor studied women, concluded men needed sex training, she says .
Drug company can profit from women worried they have sex problem, she says .
Terry: Women want better understanding of their bodies -- for themselves, partners . |
0357f3d1a3a403fbbb1904f170e3e1582e8eb919 | (CNN) -- A Utah military facility that tests chemical and biological weapons was opened Thursday after a nearly 12-hour lockdown that officials said was prompted by a missing vial of "nerve agent." "On January 26, during a routine inventory of sensitive material in the chemical laboratory, Dugway officials discovered a discrepancy between the records and the agent on hand," said a statement issued by the U.S. Army's Dugway Proving Ground. "As a precaution, the commander immediately locked down the installation and began efforts to identify the cause of the discrepancy." The facility was put on lockdown about 7:25 p.m. ET on Wednesday, spokeswoman Paula Thomas said. Authorities said only that the move was "to resolve a serious concern within the Test Area." The discrepancy was found to be less than a milliliter, or less than one-fourth of a teaspoon, of VX "nerve agent," the statement said. A vial containing 1 ml was located about 3 a.m. Thursday (5 a.m. ET), the statement said. As of about 6:15 a.m., authorities said personnel had been allowed inside and would be allowed to go home shortly. "All personnel are uninjured and safe," the facility said in a news release. "The public is safe as well." VX is an amber-colored, odorless and tasteless oily liquid that does not evaporate easily unless temperatures are high, officials said. "It evaporates very slowly, almost like motor oil." People can be exposed to the agent through skin contact -- the most toxic way -- or through eye contact or inhalation, the statement said. VX affects the body's ability to carry messages through the nerves. About 1,500 employees and contractors are stationed at the proving ground, which covers 798,214 acres and is located in the Great Salt Lake Desert, around 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. "Testers here determine the reliability and survivability of all types of military equipment in a chemical or biological environment," according to Dugway officials. | NEW: The lockdown was prompted by an inventory discrepancy .
NEW: The missing vial was found about 5 a.m. ET .
NEW: No one was ever in danger, authorities say .
The base is 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City . |
035825382b436e3b00e3637221cfa0341f524e61 | By . Sean Poulter . Campaigners are calling for a ban on the E numbers that give children’s medicines such as Calpol their bright colours. They have identified 52 products – including teething gels and painkillers designed for babies as young as two months – which contain additives linked to hyperactivity. The artificial colours have effectively been banned from children’s food following research at the University of Southampton in 2005. The E number medicines: There are 52 remedies that make children hyperactive, campaigners claim . But the ‘Southampton Seven’ additives – six artificial colours and one preservative – still appear in medicines aimed at youngsters. Calpol, for example, gets its distinctive pink shade from carmoisine (E122). Now health campaigners at Action On Additives are calling for the use of the additives in medicines to be outlawed. Co-ordinator Lizzie Vann Thrasher said: ‘Some of our most trusted children’s medicines contain unnecessary colourings that have been linked to hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders. ‘Manufacturers should follow the example of the food and drinks industry and remove these colourings from children’s medicines.’ The suspect colours are tartrazine (E102); quinoline yellow (E104); sunset yellow (E110); carmoisine (E122); ponceau 4R (E124); and allura red (E129). The seventh additive is the preservative sodium benzoate (E211). The campaign group’s study, released today, reports that four of the six E numbers were found in 19 children’s medicines, including Calpol Paracetamol Infant Suspension, Boots Paracetamol Oral Suspension, Anbesol Teething Gel and some prescription drugs. Food colourings linked to hyperactivity should be banned from children's medicines, the charity Action of Additives has warned . The Calpol product is designed for babies as young as two months, the Boots product for those three months and up and the Anbesol for teething babies. The preservative was in 37 children’s medicines, including a Boots cough syrup, Tixylix and six different Benylin cough mixtures or syrups. Four medicines contained both a colouring and the preservative. Vyvyan Howard, professor of bio-imaging at Ulster University and an expert on child brain development, backed the call for a ban, while public health nutritionist Dr Helen Crawley urged manufacturers to remove the additives from medicines ‘as a matter of urgency’. Currently, under EU law synthetic colourings are banned from food and drinks targeted specifically at children under 36 months. Separately, Britain’s Food Standards Agency has successfully put pressure on manufacturers to remove the artificial colours identified in the Southampton research from food for older children. But there is no law stopping their use in medicines. Action on Additives said 19 children's medicines sold in the UK contain colourings linked to hyperactivity . Industry watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says it is encouraging firms to remove the colours from medicines but has no legal powers to go further. Action On Additives said it is time for a legal ban on use of the E numbers both in food and in medicine. It is calling on parents to protest directly to the manufacturers and the MHRA to demand action. Johnson & Johnson, which makes Calpol, confirmed it contains carmoisine and sodium benzoate, but said both had been approved by the MHRA and insisted there was ‘no evidence to suggest additives … are associated with hyperactivity when present in children’s medicines’. It added: ‘The consumption of food and drink is very different to the consumption of medicines. Over-the-counter medicines are only intended for occasional use in small quantities over a very short period of time.’ It argued the colours are important because they allow patients and healthcare professionals to identify a medicine on sight. Alliance Pharmaceutical, which makes Anbesol Teething Gel, said it complied with MHRA and European Commission guidelines. | Action on Additives said 19 children’s medicines sold in the UK - including Calpol infant suspension - contain colourings linked to hyperactivity .
The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency said the medicines are intended to be taken infrequently so additive intake from them is low .
The charity is worried about chronically ill children who need regular doses . |
035846dc4391e13e048dbe4b15048c521656b88d | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:29 EST, 7 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:39 EST, 30 August 2013 . Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne has said lots of people 'feel they pay an awful lot more in than they ever get back' as suggestions emerged that Labour was planning a shift in its approach to welfare . Labour is planning a significant shift in its approach to welfare, suggestions have emerged. Detailed work is under way on possible policy proposals that would mean the amount of benefit payments to those out of work or on low incomes would depend on their previous contributions, it has been reported. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has said . foreign migrants will have to live in Britain for a year before they . can claim civil legal aid as part of reforms to save £300 million a . year. Labour was . looking to revolutionise the system and address concerns it promotes a . 'something-for-nothing' culture, according to The Observer. The paper has quoted a Labour party source saying: 'The problem at the moment is that you have a person aged 50 who has worked all his life and then becomes unemployed getting much the same as the person next door who has never worked. It is about linking what you take out to what you have put in.' One idea under consideration is the . creation of a payments system which provides higher benefits to those who . have made more national insurance contributions after being in . employment for longer. Party . sources have said the reforms would introduce greater fairness and . create stronger incentives for people to work. In an article for the newspaper shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said: 'There are lots of people right now who feel they pay an awful lot more in than they ever get back. That should change.' He also said councils will be allowed to prioritise housing 'to those who work and contribute to their community'. Nobody would be able to be unemployed for more than two years - or one year for young people - under Labour's plans. After this time they would be offered . a job funded by taxing bankers' bonuses and restructuring pension tax . relief for the wealthiest. Those who did not take a job would lose their . benefits. Labour's deputy leader today said it was understandable that workers felt 'resentful' about benefits claimants that do not want a job as the party attempted to reposition itself on welfare. Labour is currently working on possible policy proposals that would mean benefit payments to those out of work or on low incomes would vary according to their past contributions, according to reports . Harriet Harman said it was 'not surprising' that people were concerned about the system but claimed the government's failure to install a proper work programme was letting some people 'off the hook'. Ms Harman told BBC 1's Andrew Marr Show: 'The difficulty is for people who are in work, seeing their standard of living pressurised, understandably, they feel very resentful for people who are not working. For people who are looking for a job and can't find work it's deeply frustrating and then of course the small minority who don't want to work - well they are let off the hook by the fact there isn't a proper work programme.' Ms Harman said the party was working up three principles on welfare ahead of the general election.She added: 'One, that work should pay, secondly, there should be obligation to take work and thirdly that there should be support through a contributory principle for people putting into the system as well as taking out.' Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has said foreign migrants will have to live in Britain for a year before they can claim civil legal aid as part of reforms to save £300 million a year . Announcing changes to the civil legal aid available for foreign migrants, Mr Grayling said some migrants were using the system to settle custody cases despite being in the country for 'extraordinarily short periods of time'. He said the measures would be 'difficult but sensible' and insisted the move was 'not about denying people access to justice'. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph Mr Grayling said: 'There are a number of areas where somebody who comes to this country even on a tourist visa can access civil legal aid. We are going to change that. 'There have been examples of people who have come to the country for extraordinarily short periods of time who have had a relationship breakdown and then they end up in our courts at our expense to determine custody of the children. 'This will exclude people who enter the country illegally, who up to now have been able to access our legal aid system in a way I don't think should ever have happened.' Mr Grayling also said he wants to curb the criminal legal aid bill, telling the newspaper nobody whose earnings came from the public sector 'should reasonably expect' to top the Prime Minister's £142,000 annual salary. The package of measures being unveiled next week will stop prisoners using legal aid for cases that do not relate to the length of their sentences, according to the newspaper. 'I am proposing to take legal aid away from prisoners who don't like the prison they are in, or don't like the cell they are in, or don't like a part of the regime,' Mr Grayling told The Sunday Telegraph. Meanwhile, Coalition benefit reforms are 'putting fairness back at the heart of Britain', David Cameron has insisted in a staunch defence of the controversial shake-up. As the welfare state overhaul continues to fuel an increasingly bitter political row, the Prime Minister said the Government is on the side of 'each and every hardworking person in our country'. Writing for The Sun, he suggested it was 'crazy' that claimants could have a bigger income on benefits than work and argued it is 'fair that we all play by the same rules'. Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured last week visiting a swimming pool manufacturer in Witney, Oxfordshire) has said the Government is on the side of 'each and every hardworking person in our country' Mr Cameron pledged to 'always help' the most vulnerable but insisted 'those who can, should' as he warned that the system was causing 'resentment' across the country. In his article for The Sun he wrote: 'We are putting fairness back at the heart of Britain. We are building a country for those who work hard and want to get on. And we are saying to each and every hardworking person in our country: we are on your side. An opinion poll has found six out of 10 voters believe benefits are too generous and 79 per cent back the Government's plan to cap a family's benefit at £26,000 a year. The figures revealed most people believe at least half of claimants do not deserve any help and are not in genuine need. The YouGov poll for The Sun today also suggests they believe families on low incomes are suffering at their expense. According to the poll, 67 per cent of people think the system needs urgent reform. 'This is a Government for hardworking people: and that's the way it will stay.' Over the last week widespread welfare and tax changes have come into force including a below inflation 1 per cent cap on working-age benefits and tax credit rises for three years. Around 660,000 social housing tenants deemed to have a spare room will lose an average £14 a week in what critics have dubbed a 'bedroom tax' and trials are due to begin in four London boroughs of a £500-a-week cap on household benefits. The welfare state debate became further inflamed over recent days after Chancellor George Osborne linked the case of child killer Mick Philpott to the coalition's benefit shake-up. Mr Cameron said the system had 'lost its way' and had become a 'lifestyle choice for some'. He wrote in The Sun: 'It was designed to bring us together, but is causing resentment. I think the British people are about the most fair and generous people on the planet - but no-one wants to work hard every day and see their hard-earned taxes being used to fund things they themselves cannot afford or keep generations dependent on welfare. 'So this month we are making some big changes. They are changes that have a simple principle at their heart: we are restoring the fairness that should lie at the very heart of our tax and welfare systems.' | Labour planning policy proposals which would see significant welfare reform .
Liam Byrne MP says 'lots of people' feel they pay in more than they get back .
Harriet Harman says it is 'understandable' some are resentful about benefits .
Justice Secretary announced civil legal aid changes for foreign migrants .
Cameron insists benefit reforms 'putting fairness back at the heart of Britain' |
035872e4597967022e60ef8006edf10e58e3219e | David Cameron today admits he is 'paid handsomely' as Prime Minister amid a row over whether he publish his tax returns before the election. The Prime Minister insisted he was 'relaxed' about the idea of releasing details of his earnings so voters can see if politicians paid the right tax. But Chancellor George Osborne, who first floated the idea in the Cabinet, admitted at the weekend that there are 'no plans' for it to go ahead. David Cameron insisted he was 'relaxed' about the idea of publishing his tax returns but Chancellor George Osborne says there are 'no plans' to do so . Mr Cameron and other members of the coalition have faced intense pressure to say whether they benefited from a decision in the 2012 Budget to reduce the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p. Two years ago Downing Street said senior Tories were willing to publish their tax returns, but stressed the election was a long way off. Now, with four months until polling day, the plan has been thrown into doubt. Mr Osborne told theSunday Times: 'There are genuine issues around taxpayer confidentiality and how it would work in practice. 'You see it as a feature of some American campaigns but I think there would be quite a lot of practical difficulties. There are no plans at this point. The income I receive is publicly declared.' Speaking at an event in Ipswich today, Mr Cameron, who earns £142,500 a year said: 'On the issue of my tax returns, nothing has changed. I am very relaxed about publishing these things. 'There's no secret about my status. I am paid very handsomely as your Prime Minister and that's my main source of income, and I have a house I used to live in before I moved into Downing Street and I rent that out and I get income from that. 'I don't have other sources of income. There will be no surprises in terms of my tax affairs. 'But I am very relaxed as I've always said - nothing has changed about that issue.' He declares income from renting out his former family home in Notting Hill where he lived with wife Samantha and their children before moving into Downing Street. The register of MPs' interests does not include the amount he receives, but as a family it is almost certain to be more than £7,500, pushing Mr Cameron into the threshold for paying the top rate of tax. Mr Cameron earns £142,500 as Prime Minister and rents out the Notting Hill home where he lived with wife Samantha and their children before moving into Downing Street . Mr Osborne earns £134,565 as Chancellor and also declares shares in his family's wallpaper firm, Osborne And Little Ltd, which is said to be worth £4million. When the idea of publishing tax returns was first floated, Labour leader Ed Miliband said he would be happy to do so 'if that's the way things are going', and Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, said he had 'no objection in principle'. In April 2013 government ministers in France began releasing details of their financial records in the wake of a tax fraud scandal involving a close ally of President Francois Hollande. Andy Silvester of the Taxpayers' Alliance, told the paper: 'Politicians must keep their word if they are to be trusted, so having said they would publish their returns, those in the highest offices should do just that.' Margaret Hodge, Labour chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: 'My view is that they should stick to what they said they would do.' | PM and Chancellor were 'relaxed' about making tax affairs public in 2012 .
But George Osborne has now said it would violate 'taxpayer confidentiality'
Pledge made when Boris Johnson and Ken Livingston released tax return . |
03598a846a2093da1dcc95c785bf6fc8542a9d43 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:08 EST, 8 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:08 EST, 8 June 2012 . Though most of Congress is likely looking forward to the summer recess, the Federal Reserve chairman offered a grim warning as the Bush-era tax cut expiration date looms. ‘If you all go on vacation,’ Ben Bernanke said, ‘(Taxmaggedon is) still going to happen, so it’s important to be thinking about that and working with your colleagues to see how you might address that concern at the appropriate time.’ He spoke urgently of the Bush-era tax cuts that will cost taxpayers $130billion in increases if nothing is done to extend them. Grim warning: Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Congress Thursday to make a decision on the Bush-era tax cuts that are set to expire . Arms crossed: Bernanke is pictured before testifying at a Joint Economic Committee hearing on economic outlook and policy on Capitol Hill in Washington . Speaking at the Joint Economic Committee, Bernanke painted a grim warning. ‘If allowed to occur…(it would) pose a significant threat to the recovery,’ he said. ‘If no action were taken and the fiscal cliff were to kick in its full size, I think it would be very likely that the economy would being to contract or possibly go even into recession.’ He also added that unemployment would again rise from its current high at 8.2 per cent. However, he said the Fed is prepared to take steps to boost the U.S. economy if it weakens. But he said Fed officials still need to study the most recent economic trends, including job growth. For now, Bernanke said he foresees moderate growth this year. He said he's mindful that all that could change, if Europe's crisis quickly worsened or U.S. job growth stalled. 'As always, the Federal Reserve remains prepared to take action as needed to protect the U.S. financial system and economy in the event that financial stresses escalate,' he told the Joint Economic Committee. The Fed could buy more bonds to try to further reduce long-term interest rates, which might encourage more borrowing and spending. Or it could extend its plan to keep short-term rates near zero beyond late 2014 until an even later date. Don't let it happen: He said that the tax cuts cannot expire, as more unemployment and even another recession could result . But most economists don't expect a major announcement at the Fed's next policy meeting June 19-20, despite signals this week from some other Fed members in favour of considering further action. For one thing, long-term U.S. interest rates have already touched record lows. Even if rates dropped further, analysts say they might provide little benefit for the economy. ‘If allowed to occur (Taxmaggedon) would pose a . significant threat to the recovery. If no action were taken . and the fiscal cliff were to kick in its full size, I think it would be . very likely that the economy would being to contract or possibly go even . into recession.' They say it's unlikely that many businesses and consumers who aren't borrowing now at super-low rates would do so if rates declined a bit more. And Bernanke could face pressure not to pursue further stimulus before the November election because such steps could be perceived as helping President Barack Obama win re-election. 'The Fed simulative effects have really run their course,' Obama's Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, argued in a television interview last week. John Ryding and Conrad DeQuadros, economists at RDQ Economics, said there was nothing in the testimony to 'tip Bernanke's hand' before the June meeting of the Fed's policy committee. 'Yes, the Fed chairman said the Fed stands ready to act if Europe poses a threat to the U.S. financial system or the economy,' they wrote in a note to clients. 'However, he gave no specifics.' An early rally on Wall Street faded after Bernanke signalled no immediate further steps from the Fed to help the economy. The Dow Jones industrial average had been up as much as 140 points. It closed up about 46 points, or 0.3 per cent. Presiding: Bernanke presides over a meeting of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, from second left to right, Federal Reserve Board of Governors: Janet Yellen; Elizabeth Duke; Daniel Tarullo; Sarah Raskin; Jeremy Stein; Jerome Powell . Many analysts are worried that the U.S. economy is suffering a midyear slump just as in 2010 and 2011. They're concerned in particular about the job market. From December through February, the economy added an average 252,000 jobs a month. But since then, job growth has slowed to a lacklustre 96,000 a month. In May, U.S. employers added just 69,000 jobs - the fewest in a year. Bernanke said the Fed is still assessing the most recent employment data. Like many economists, Bernanke suggested that a warm winter might have prompted some hiring that normally would have occurred later. That could have weakened hiring temporarily in the spring. If that's true, hiring might bounce back. Still, Bernanke said some of the winter hiring might have made up for excessive job cuts during the recession. If so, and if those companies have completed such 'catch-up' hiring, then stronger economic growth might be needed to boost hiring, Bernanke said. 'That is the essential question we will have to look at,' he told the panel. The government said last week that the economy grew at a sluggish annual rate of 1.9 per cent in the first three months of 2012. Paul Edelstein, an economist at IHS Global Insight, said he thought Bernanke didn't seem alarmed by the weak hiring in May. 'His view is that it isn't a sign that the economy is falling apart,' Edelstein said. Options: The Fed could buy more bonds to try to further reduce long-term interest rates, or it could extend its plan to keep short-term rates near zero beyond late 2014 . Bernanke's message to financial markets, Edelstein said, was, 'Don't expect anything drastic from the Fed at the June meeting.' That said, if the Fed does announce some new action at its meeting later this month, Edelstein said the most likely step would be to extend a program, known as Operation Twist, that will expire at the end of June. Under Operation Twist, the Fed sells shorter-term securities and buys longer-term bonds. As with other Fed bond purchases, the idea has been to drive down long-term rates so that mortgages, auto loans and other consumer and business loans become more attractive. The Fed's policy committee has been split between those who favor doing everything possible to strengthen the economy and reduce unemployment, and those more concerned about inflation risks. On Wednesday, Janet Yellen, the vice chairman of the Fed, Dennis Lockhart, the head of the Atlanta regional Fed Bank, and John Williams, president of the San Francisco Fed bank, all suggested that the Fed might need to do more to provide support. But Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, warned at Thursday's hearing against more bond buying. He and other critics worry that ever-lower borrowing rates could eventually ignite inflation. 'It is my belief that the Fed has done all that it can do and has perhaps done too much,' said Brady, vice chairman of the committee. | Chairman of the Fed Ben Bernanke offered grim warning to Congress if they do nothing over Bush-era tax cuts that will expire .
Will cost taxpayers $130billion in additional taxes if nothing is done .
Spoke at Joint Economic Committee . |
035a968aae45dfceb81e12dc504f39a7544b3ef0 | Tottenham welcome Arsenal to White Hart Lane on Saturday and both teams have already got the competitive juices flowing with derby 'throwbacks' being posted on their youtube accounts. The in-form teams go head-to-head in the north London derby with only two points separating the sides. Sportsmail looks at these 'throwbacks' and discusses some of the best goals. Tottenham . Jermain Defoe v Arsenal (November 2004) - White Hart Lane . The Sunderland striker scored a memorable individual goal when the home side were 3-1 down, as he glided past Cesc Fabregas and Patrick Vieira and curled a shot past the helpless Jens Lehmann and into the to corner. Jermain Defoe (left) had a fine Tottenham career but is now in the north east at Sunderland . Danny Rose v Arsenal (April 2007) - White Hart Lane . The left back had a debut he would never forget after scoring thunderous 30-yard volley. Gunners keeper Manuel Almunia cleared the ball from a corner and Rose hit it first time - giving Almunia or his defence no chance of stopping it. Danny Rose (left) has now established himself as Tottenham's first choice left back this season . Gareth Bale v Arsenal (November 2010) - Emirates Stadium . The Real Madrid star burst through from a devastating counter-attack involving Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart before slotting home past Lukas Fabianski and helping Tottenham fight back from 2-0 down to come away with all three points from the Emirates. Gareth Bale earned his record-breaking move to Real Madrid after being in blistering form for Tottenham . Kyle Walker v Arsenal (October 2011) - White Hart Lane . Walker scored a spectacular winner at White Hart Lane back in 2011, when he picked up a loose ball from Luka Modric's blocked shot and his swerving drive deceiving the helpless Wojciech Szczesny. England international Kyle Walker has since scored a number of long range efforts for Tottenham . Arsenal . Thierry Henry v Tottenham (November 2002) - Highbury . The Arsenal legend scored arguably the greatest ever goal in the north London derby when he picked the ball up in his own half, beat three Spurs defenders and slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give the home side the lead. Thierry Henry (centre) scored arguably the most memorable goal of the north London derby . Theo Walcott v Tottenham (November 2012) - Emirates Stadium . Arsenal fought from 2-0 down to beat Spurs 5-2 and winger Theo Walcott sealed the victory after controlling an Alex Song through ball and slotting home past the helpless Hugo Lloris. Theo Walcott's (right) return from injury is a welcome boost and he scored against Aston Villa on Sunday . Tomas Rosicky v Tottenham (March 2014) - White Hart Lane . The Czech midfielder scored the only goal in a tense affair but it was one he is unlikely to ever forget, after arrowing a shot from the corner of the box into the top corner, following a swift counter attack. Tomas Rosicky scored one of his best goals for Arsenal in the same fixture last season at White Hart Lane . Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain v Tottenham (September 2014) The England international scored a late equaliser at the Emirates Stadium to hand Arsenal a deserved draw. The winger smashed home from close range after the ball fell to him from a goalmouth scramble. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (left) has had an injury-hit season but the England star is beginning to find his form . | Arsenal and Tottenham exchange pre-derby blows by posting videos of the most memorable goals scored in the clubs previous clashes .
Sportsmail has narrowed down the best goals from both teams .
Danny Rose's piledriver and Thierry Henry's wonder goal make the cut .
Tottenham vs Arsenal combined XI: Sportsmail picks its team .
Christian Eriksen vs Mesut Ozil: Who has been a bigger hit? |
035ac860ea101c3562b8068052ffd8f453f3b3e6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:07 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:21 EST, 10 January 2014 . Michele Bachmann has released a family portrait styled like the poster for Downton Abbey. The former Republican presidential candidate posted the picture of her family on her Twitter account but gave no explanation for why they were dressed in black tie attire or when the photo was taken. And considering the acclaimed series' fourth season premiered last Sunday, the reference is either five days too late for the first episode or two days too early for the second. Best guess: Congresswoman Michele Bachmann posted this family portrait on Thursday . The Bachmann's imitation of the Crawley family looks like a fair interpretation but two key components are missing: any staff and a grand manor house in the background. Instead of taking their unusual portrait in front of their Minnesota home, the politician's family apparently decided that the January temperatures were not befitting the bare arms that the ladies had as a result of their sleeveless gowns. Mrs Bachmann stands next to her husband Marcus and is flanked by their five children- Lucas, Harrison, Elisa, Caroline, and Sophia. The eighth person in the photo is Christine Griffin, who is dating Lucas. Inspiration: A large staff and massive estate were two of the missing parts in the Bachmann's version . Though Mrs Bachmann shared the photo on Twitter yesterday, it was actually her daughter Sophia who posted it originally to her Facebook profile with the caption 'Bachmann Abbey'. Many commentators praised Sophia's posting, saying that it was 'fantastic' and hilarious, while the comments were much more harsh on Mrs Bachmann's Twitter post. Some likened it to the promo photos for Keeping Up With The Kardashians, RuPaul's Drag Race, My Strange Addiction, Will & Grace, and American Horror Story. | Congresswoman Michele Bachmann shared this family portrait on Thursday .
Features her husband Marcus, their five children and one of their son's girlfriends all in black tie formal wear . |
035cafbff331e22783d933598c38e78edd85098c | Runaway grapes have been blamed for two of the three women suing Woolworths after slipping over on the floors at three of the supermarket chain’s stores in Queensland. Following Andrea Downie filing a $320,000 claim last month alleging she slipped on a grape and injured her back last year at the Tewantan store, another two women are now claiming for injuries. The two most recent claims, filed by Turner Freeman Lawyers in Ipswich on September 3, said Woolworths failed to keep the supermarket floors clean, Channel Nine reported. Redbank Plains resident Melissa Ann Haidle, 32, claims also she slipped on a grape as she walked down the bread aisle at Plainland on March 10 last year, causing her to fall backwards and injure her right knee. Her claim covers past and future loss of income from earnings and medical expenses. Melissa Ann Haidle claims she slipped on a grape as she walked down the bread aisle at Plainland on March 10 last year . While Ipswich woman Silvana Jevtic says she slipped on a 'green leafy substance' on the floor opposite the ice machines at the Yamanto Shopping Centre on March 31, 2012. Ms Jevtic alleged as she began to fall, her right foot jarred while she was holding onto her shopping trolley and her body twisted forcefully. Ms Jevtic 's District Court claim said although she did not hit the floor, she still injured her lower back. Daily Mail Australia is yet to have heard back from Woolworths about the two most recent claims. Andrea Downie says she slipped on a grape while shopping and can no longer work . This comes as Ms Downie claims the fall injured her back and caused an existing condition of post-traumatic stress disorder to flare up, meaning she could not return to work, reported the Courier Mail. Ms Downie is suing Woolworths claiming that the supermarket failed to keeps its floors clean. She also claims the grape was 'in clear view' of staff and that the supermarket chain failed to have an 'adequate system of inspecting floors'. Ms Downie claimed Woolworths staff failed to be alert to hazards and spills, or warn her about loose grapes on the floor. She also said Woolworths should place mats on the floor of the produce section to stop loose grapes from 'escaping' onto the floor. Woolworths defended itself against the claims saying that Ms Downie did not complain to staff about the fall when it occurred and that it is 'uncertain' of the truth of her claim. Scroll down for video . Ms Downie allegedly slipped wile shopping at the Tewantin story. The company says it is 'uncertain' if Ms Downie really did slip and fall, but if she did the damages she is claiming are 'excessive' 'If the fall occurred as alleged by [Ms Downie], it was not reported to anyone at Woolworths on the day,' the company states in its defence, reported the Courier Mail. Woolworths stated that if the incident did occur, the damages claimed by Ms Downie were 'grossly excessive and unreasonable' and any loss of income results from her pre-existing physical and psychiatric conditions. Woolworths offered to settle the case in April and the case will go to trial on November 17. Woolworths declined to comment further on the matter. Lawyer Sam Macedone told Today that the case was 'very interesting' because the incident was reported after the event. He advised anyone involved in a slip-and-fall incident to report the accident to management immediately. 'If you fall over and you believe it’s their fault, you’ve slipped on something that’s on the floor, make a report of it straight away… Make sure it's on the record,' he said. | Andrea Downie claims she slipped on a grape at Woolworths last year .
Ms Downie says she injured her back in the fall and cannot go to work .
Woolworths is fighting the accusations, saying they are 'uncertain' the fall even took place .
Redbank Plains resident Melissa Ann Haidle, 32, claims also she slipped on a grape as she walked down bread aisle at Plainland on March 10 last year .
While Ipswich woman Silvana Jevtic says she slipped on a 'green leafy substance' on the floor at Yamanto Shopping Centre on March 31, 2012 . |
035d19e567a5dea62ee20060b1f998e259c0ab44 | (CNN) -- The death toll from a massive landslide that struck in Washington state's Cascade Mountains rose Tuesday to 35, the Snohomish County medical examiner said. Eleven people are still missing after a rain-saturated hillside along the Stillaguamish River gave way on the outskirts of the rural town of Oso on March 22. The news came as the White House announced President Barack Obama will visit the area on April 22, the one month anniversary of the slide, and meet with search crews. "First and foremost our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who lost a loved one and those whose friends and family remain missing as a result of this devastating incident," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters. Asked during the briefing if it would be a routine visit, Carney said "the pain of the family members who loved ones is not routine." "It's unique in each case and each instance," Carney said. "And I think the President is as heartbroken by this event, as he has been on each occasion that something like this has happened in the country, where he traveled to participate in ceremonies or services that commemorate those lost and celebrate their lives." Search crews continue to dig through deep, gelatinous mud and debris, which is 70 feet thick in some places, to search for the missing. Of the 34 recovered bodies, 30 have been identified, the medical examiner said. CNN's Carma Hassan contributed to this report. | NEW: Of the 35 bodies recovered, 31 have been identified, the medical examiner says .
NEW: 11 people are still missing, authorities say .
President Barack Obama will visit the area on April 22, the one-month anniversary .
He will meet with search-and-recovery crews, the White House says . |
035e27799a0875eb7bfefa20d4b3036cd66887bb | A NASCAR driver was forced to withdraw from a Sprint Cup series race this weekend after his car was stolen early Friday morning from a hotel parking lot. Travis Kvapil was supposed to drive the $250,000 Chevrolet race car for the small-budget Team XTREME but had to drop out of the race after missing a mandatory inspection. The No. 44 car was inside a trailer hitched to a black 2004 Ford pickup truck parked outside the team's hotel in Morrow, Georgia. The truck and trailer were driven out of the parking lot around 5:30am, just 15 minutes before the team was scheduled to leave for the Atlanta Motor Speedway, according to police. Travis Kvapil was forced to withdraw from a Sprint Cup series race this weekend after his car (pictured) was stolen early Friday morning from a hotel parking lot . Kvapil (pictured outside the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday) was supposed to drive the $250,000 Chevrolet race car for the small-budget Team XTREME . A crewman had been outside smoking a cigarette just a few minutes before the theft. In addition to the race car, the trailer also contained a spare engine valued at $100,000 and racing equipment valued at $17,500, according to a police report. Team Xtreme Racing owner John Cohen estimated the total value to be somewhere between $350,000 and $400,000. Kvapil said he was crushed that he now wouldn't have the opportunity to race in what would have been his first track appearance of 2015, calling it a 'big setback'. 'You can handle maybe getting a flat tire, or getting caught up in a wreck, or a blown engine, something that actually happens on the race track,' he said. 'Or you don't qualify, because you don't have enough speed. But to not even get a chance ... that's pretty disheartening.' The theft hit the small Team Xtreme Racing even harder, especially after they had wrecked a car in a Daytona 500 qualifying race just last week. Not only did the team have to work overtime to get a new car prepared for this weekend's race, the stolen car was Cohen's favorite. 'I just feel bad for my guys, they were really proud of this car,' he told ESPN. 'I called that car Old Faithful, because you could run that car anywhere and it would do good.' Kvapil said he was crushed that he now wouldn't have the opportunity to race in what would have been his first appearance of 2015, calling it a 'big setback' The car was inside a trailer hitched to a black 2004 Ford pickup truck (pictured) parked outside the team's hotel in Morrow, Georgia. The team's owner estimated it was carrying almost $400,000 worth of equipment . Kvapil tweeted about the theft, asking his followers to 'let me know' if they saw his car around. He also wrote: 'I bet when whoever has it, opens the trailer and is going to be like 'oh snap' The white trailer had no markings and Kvapil believes the person who stole it probably had no idea what they were really nabbing, he told ESPN. 'There's a lot of money inside that little trailer right now,' he said. 'For the team's sake and John Cohen's sake, hopefully the parts and pieces can be recovered or it will be a really huge setback.' Kvapil tweeted about the theft, asking his followers to 'let me know' if they saw his car around. He also wrote: 'I bet when whoever has it, opens the trailer and is going to be like 'oh snap''. Kvapil doubts the thieves would be able to make any money off of the car. 'There's really no use for it out in the general public. I don't really know what you can do with it.' 'I hope they realize that and will leave it somewhere where police can find it.' But even more than just the money, Kvapil told ESPN missing the race will hurt the team as the Sprint Cup series is determined by points per race. 'The beginning of the year, it's so important to establish yourself in the points, and they did a good job with a decent finish last week,' he said. 'Missing this race will be a big setback for this little team.' Kvapil driving at the Daytona International Speedway on February 20. Kvapil said missing the race this week will especially hurt team XTREME because the Sprint Cup series is determined by points per race . | The $250,000 Chevrolet race car was inside trailer hitched to a Ford truck .
Both trailer and truck were driven out of parking lot at 5:30am, just 15 minutes before the team was set to leave for Atlanta Motor Speedway .
Also held a spare engine and equipment at a total value estimated to be around $400,000 .
Car belonged to small-budget Team XTREME which didn't have a backup .
Kvapil missed a mandatory inspection and had to drop out Spring Cup series race . |
035eabc0c4de9c76f09acf2325a2cfedeed1ffa2 | By . Matthew Barbour . PUBLISHED: . 16:00 EST, 24 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:17 EST, 25 August 2013 . Survivor: Eleanor, two, lost her fingers and a leg to meningitis B . It is a devastating disease that can kill in hours and leaves victims with severe disabilities or brain damage. Yet while the repercussions last a lifetime, meningitis can strike suddenly and without warning – as mother-of three Alison Coneybeare learnt to her terror. When her gorgeous daughter Eleanor fell ill, she could only watch helplessly as doctors fought to save her. Tragically, Eleanor, now two, lost a leg and fingers and the family is still discovering the lasting impact of her illness. But last month NHS advisers refused to introduce a vaccine that could protect children such as Eleanor from meningitis B, the deadliest and most common form. Each year it infects about 1,870 people – one in ten of whom will die. Those who survive suffer side effects ranging from deafness and blindness to amputations. Yet the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said the jab – licensed for use in infants by the European Commission in January – was not cost-effective and should not be provided on the NHS. Alison, 43, is sharing her story to highlight just how important the vaccine is. ‘I wouldn’t wish on anyone the harrowing days and weeks we spent with Eleanor fighting the disease,’ says the accountant, who lives in Reading with husband Duncan, 44, and their children. ‘We were told to prepare for the worst several times and thought we’d lose her – so although the side effects were devastating, we’re just so grateful she is still with us. Meningitis is an awful disease and I hate to think of other children suffering.’ Eleanor was just eight months old when she suddenly became ill. She had cold-like symptoms – a high temperature that paracetamol didn’t bring down and she was vomiting and refusing milk and food. Alison was staying with her parents in Cheshire with Eleanor and her sons Ben, now ten, and Nathan, five. When Eleanor didn’t improve, she took her to a GP. ‘He suggested it was nothing more sinister than a viral throat infection,’ Alison says. ‘I questioned him about the vomiting, which didn’t seem to tally with his diagnosis, but was told that was probably just because of the high temperature.’ But the next evening Eleanor’s breathing became laboured, her skin turned grey and her eyes became ‘spacey’. If only: Eleanor, pictured at home with her mother Alison, 43, and father Duncan, 44, could have been saved had the vaccine been provided for her . ‘My mum phoned her on-call doctor and held the phone by Eleanor’s mouth so he could hear her breathing. Then we were told to call 999 right away,’ says Alison. Paramedics rushed Eleanor to Macclesfield hospital, with Alison following behind the ambulance. ‘At one point the ambulance screeched to a halt and the driver ran round and into the back. I thought it was all over then – I still don’t know what that paramedic did, but they got her into A&E alive.’ Alison waited in the parents’ room with a nurse, ‘utterly terrified and shaking uncontrollably’, then was taken to see Eleanor, finding her with countless lines going into her tiny body, half her head shaved and surrounded by an array of medical staff. Alison was told she had a severe bacterial infection, to get Duncan to the hospital straight away – and prepare for the worst. ‘Duncan didn’t know if he’d see his daughter alive. I asked if she was going to die, and all they would say was that she was very, very poorly. I went into shock and started vomiting.’ The decision of the vaccine committee to reject the meningitis B jab is truly disappointing. We are lucky enough in the UK to vaccinate our children against other forms of the disease, including meningitis C and pneumococcal meningitis, but meningitis B is still the UK’s leading cause of bacterial meningitis and the one doctors fear most: it can kill within 24 hours. Of course the committee must weigh up the safety and the financial implications of the vaccination before allowing it to become part of the national immunisation schedule. But the safety has been verified as the vaccination now has a licence for use from the European Medicines Agency. And I question how the cost-effectiveness has been evaluated – it is difficult to put a price on saving a child’s life or protecting them from lifelong disability. After the introduction of the meningitis C vaccination in 1999, it is estimated that 9,000 cases of meningitis were prevented, as well as 1,000 deaths. How can these benefits be evaluated in terms of money? The UK has one of the highest rates of meningitis B, affecting 1,870 people a year. One in ten of those who become ill will die, and one in three of them will be left with a life-changing injury such as brain damage or limb loss. The impact of the disease is immense. So it is extremely frustrating to know there is a safe vaccine that we cannot give our children. If it is made available, I will be first in the queue with my children. Hours later, at 3am, the tell-tale meningitis rash finally appeared, as Eleanor was transferred to a paediatric intensive care unit at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool . . She had meningitis B, which accounts for about 90 per cent of cases. The meningococcus B microbe usually lives harmlessly at the back of noses and throats of one in ten people, mainly older children and adolescents. But for reasons not fully understood, it can invade the blood and brain, affect the lining of blood vessels, inflame the membranes round the brain and spinal cord, and overcome the immune system. Eleanor was severely affected; on arrival at Alder Hey a consultant said she was as ill as it was possible to be. ‘We went into intensive care and could hardly recognise her,’ Alison says. ‘She was very swollen from all the fluids being pumped into her and had a ventilator mask on. My main memory is how noisy it was, all the machines beeping and whirring and so many staff coming and going. 'I wanted to pick up my precious little girl and hold her tight, but I was too frightened to go near her.’ The next day the family was told that, while Eleanor wasn’t deteriorating, a pulse could not be felt beneath her elbows or knees so she might lose all four limbs. ‘It was devastating, but we just wanted her to survive as we’d thought we were going to lose her,’ Alison says. ‘We were offered a blood-thinning drug that might reduce the chances of her losing her limbs but could result in a fatal bleed. We chose not to go for it. It’s the kind of decision I never imagined taking as a parent.’ Over the next few days Eleanor’s condition slowly improved, but she had to lose her right leg from the knee down. The family assumed it would then be a gradual process of steady recovery, but learnt that that doesn’t happen with meningitis. Days later an infection in Eleanor’s back needed emergency surgery, and four weeks on some of the fingers of her left hand had to be removed. Finally, after seven harrowing weeks, Duncan and Alison took Eleanor home. Alison says: ‘We were as open and honest with the children as we could be. Duncan and I have had counselling, as has Ben, and it will be available for all of us, including Eleanor, as she grows up.’ A team of plastic surgeons, physios and other medics are ready to help in future. They found out this year that Eleanor has profound hearing problems in one ear. ‘Hearing her laugh and watching her take her first steps with her prosthetic leg, I just feel so incredibly lucky to have her with us,’ says Alison. ‘And to know there’s little in life she won’t be able to do is beyond my wildest dreams. We just hope more parents know the warning signs of meningitis – and that the vaccine will one day be introduced for all children.’ For more information on the warning signs of meningitis, or to donate to research, go to meningitisuk.org. | Eleanor Coneybeare, two, lost a leg and several fingers to meningitis B .
New vaccine licensed by EU which could have saved her .
However, the NHS has ruled the meningitis jab is not cost effective . |
035ef21dc1c4d949a248607c193900b493d2b711 | New York (CNN)A pair of New York police officers shot and wounded while responding to an armed robbery in the Bronx were going off-duty and probably not wearing their bulletproof vests, police officials said Tuesday. In fact, Andrew Dossi, Aliro Pellerano and three other officers were changing clothes at the end of a dangerous anti-crime detail when they ran out of a Bronx station house to search for two robbery suspects, officials said. The suspects were arrested Tuesday. "Chances are they weren't wearing their vests," Chief of Department James O'Neill told reporters. "They were going home. They jumped into a car and they ended up getting into this fierce firefight." The alleged shooter was identified as Jason Polanco, a 24-year-old boxer who was charged with five counts of attempted murder of a police officer and was said to have posted anti-police and anti-government statements on social media, police said. His alleged accomplice, Joshua Kemp, 28, was arrested on robbery charges. The wounded officers spent Tuesday at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. One of them, Dossi, who is 30 and has eight years on the job, was in stable condition following surgery after being shot in the arm and lower back, according to police. The other, Pellerano, who is 38 and has nine years as an officer, is in stable condition with gunshot wounds to the chest and arm. "Last night a team of our officers displayed extraordinary bravery, going above and beyond the call to protect their fellow New Yorkers," Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has found himself at odds with some in his police force in recent weeks, said in a statement Tuesday. "We thank these officers for their commitment to serving our city, including answering the call after their shift had ended. ... This incident was yet another reminder of how profoundly important the work of our police officers is, as well as the seriousness of the dangers they face every day in the line of duty." De Blasio also thanked New Yorkers who provided more than two dozen tips that helped identify the gunman. Police said 10 of the tipsters identified Polanco by name. Monday night, authorities located the white Camaro that two suspects carjacked a block from the shooting, as well as a .44-caliber revolver, but no one was inside the vehicle. Before Polanco was arrested, police offered a $12,000 reward for information leading to a bearded man pictured in a surveillance video from inside a take-out Chinese restaurant moments before the shooting. Police said he was the man who shot at the officers. Polanco entered the restaurant and bought a bottle of iced tea before coming out firing at the officers who stopped his alleged accomplice outside, police said. 'Extraordinarily brave' The call about an armed robbery at a Bronx grocery store came in around 10:30 p.m. Monday, as five plainclothes officers were coming off their shift. Rather than going home, the police went to look for the criminals, something de Blasio described as "extraordinarily brave and ... part of their commitment." The officers exchanged gunfire with Polanco, police said, but the suspects got away, fleeing on foot for one block and then carjacking the Camaro. At tense time for police in city . Sometime after the shooting, Kemp checked himself into a Manhattan hospital with a gunshot wound to the back, officials said. The man who drove him to the hospital was also taken into custody. Kemp, who has been arrested multiple times for robbery and was on parole, gave an account of how he was shot that didn't add up, police said. "He told a story that didn't seem factual, to be honest with you," Robert Boyce, chief of detectives, told reporters. "He was not credible. ... So, quickly the story didn't add up and then we saw his background, that he was a Bronx guy and we started breaking the case." The incident happened just south of Fordham University, an area hardly unfamiliar to violent crime. John Cardillo, who patrolled the area when he was a police officer, called it "a rough neighborhood in the '90s, and it still is today... (It had and has) armed bad guys with the propensity to shoot someone." The shootings have gotten heightened attention given when they happened -- at a time of large-scale anti-police protests after a grand jury decided not to indict a white New York police officer in the death of Eric Garner, an African-American man. Even if it's too early to tie it to this incident, experts in the law enforcement community have expressed concerns that such sentiment -- views supported in some respects, according to some police, by de Blasio -- will encourage violence against police. That's what happened, they say, when Ismaaiyl Brinsley fatally ambushed NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu last month as they sat in their patrol car. "When the rhetoric turns anti-police, the police are concerned that people on the street, it's going to increase the already existent lack of respect in certain segments of the society -- including armed robbers ... and other violent criminals," said CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes, a former FBI assistant director. De Blasio has become a focal point for supporters of law enforcement, with some police even turning their backs on him at Ramos' and Liu's funerals because of their perception that he has been overly supportive of protesters and critical of police. "The relationship is toxic (and) almost irretrievable in some respects," CNN political commentator Errol Louis said of the mayor-police dynamic. "This is not a good atmosphere." On Tuesday, Patrick Lynch, the president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, who has accused de Blasio of having "blood on his hands" after the two officers were killed in December, said in a statement: "New York City police officers, who could have closed their lockers and gone home after their shift ended, chose to respond to a robbery in progress and, sadly, were shot in the process. Our members are out there doing their jobs and putting themselves in danger to keep this city safe just as they always do." CNN's Shimon Prokupecz and Ray Sanchez reported from New York and Sanchez and Greg Botelho wrote this story. CNN's David Shortell and Dave Alsup contributed to this report. | Two men arrested, another in custody, in connection with shootings of two officers .
Wounded officers are Andrew Dossi and Aliro Pellerano, according to police .
NYPD officers responding to armed robbery are shot; 2 are hospitalized . |
035f52b143b924f0e5bbc702a83ddac85b9cd9f1 | Editor's note: CNN agreed not to use the full names of the family in this article due to concern for their safety. Youssif is able to smile again, and his scars are healing well. Doctors are monitoring the swelling on his right ear. WOODLAND HILLS, California (CNN) -- Youssif happily pulls off his plastic face mask and pats his cheeks, which were once covered by horrific burns. "No hurt," the 5-year-old Iraqi boy says in English. "No hurt." He then shows off his right hand. It too had been marred by hardened scar tissue after he was attacked by masked men outside his central Baghdad home January 15, 2007. Now, his hand is smooth. Youssif flashes a proud grin. A few moments later, he darts off and comes back toting his kindergarten portfolio. In less than a month of schooling, he's now writing the alphabet in upper- and lowercase. See photos of a transformed Youssif » . He reads a book, repeating each word after the narrator. When he gets to the word "you," he gets tickled. He points at the name "Youssif" and then covers the final four letters. "You," he says. Youssif began attending an American school just last month, one year to the day after he was so savagely attacked in Baghdad. In a recent letter to those who have helped his son, Youssif's father described the anniversary as a "very hard day" to endure but one that also brought joy. "But this year, it was the day for another miracle, Youssif's first day of kindergarten. It was a very happy day," Youssif's father said. Youssif begins each day with his father strapping him into a bike trailer. Dad then pedals him to school. On one recent outing, his dad's mobile phone blared Arabic music as Youssif quietly sat in the back, a helmet securely strapped to his head, the wind whirling past. As soon as they reached the school, Youssif's slow walk away from his father, his head held down, quickly changed into a sprint toward his classroom, and all you could see was the big red "S" on his Superman backpack flying away. "Harry," Youssif says in a small, muffled tone, reading the writing on the dry-erase board after receiving a little help from some classmates seated on the rug. Watch Youssif-inspired music video » . He then receives a congratulatory high-five from one of his kindergarten teachers. Youssif is adjusting well to school, able to write out the alphabet and count to 12 without hesitation. He always finishes with an accomplished sigh, wide eyes and a smile so big, it's as if he is making up for the 10 months he was not able to smile. He is quick to show the pencil box on his desk, pointing to his name written on it and then pointing to himself with the same tiny finger and nodding his head, letting you know that it is his. "The kids love Youssif. They get more excited than he does when he learns a new word in English, and they brag about it for hours," the mother of a classmate says. Youssif is attending the school thanks to help from the Children's Burn Foundation, the Grossman Burn Center and hundreds of thousands of dollars donated by you, the CNN.com user, to help bring him and his family to the United States for treatment. Youssif has undergone more than half a dozen surgeries. One removed the most massive scarring, which stretched about half a foot, from one of his ears to below his chin. See how doctors removed Youssif's scars » . He could undergo as many as 12 more procedures, his doctors say, mostly to tweak scars. His right ear has swelled, and doctors are monitoring it to figure out the best way to keep it in check. He wears a clear plastic face mask for much of the day to keep his skin tight and to allow it to heal correctly. But the young boy's transformation -- both in looks and in spirit -- is nothing short of remarkable. Back at his apartment, Youssif peels a clementine. He uses exaggerated motions as he plops each section in his mouth. At one point, he places his hand on his hip and taps his foot, waiting for an acknowledgment of this feat. When he came to America in September, he couldn't eat -- or at least not like this. He smiles again. "Now, Youssif eats anything he wants, because he can open and close his mouth," his father said in the letter. "I have begun to see my son's lively spirit return. The surgeries have removed more than just external scars, they are also beginning to remove his internal scars. "A few weeks ago we went to the park and Youssif rode on the merry-go-round. Every time he passed by, he shrieked and laughed and waved wildly to me. I thought my heart would burst with happiness." E-mail to a friend . | Youssif began attending school in metro LA one year to the day of his attack .
Boy burned in Iraq is already writing the alphabet and counting .
Dad says, "I have begun to see my son's lively spirit return" |
036022b2c47abbfd725c4276a9dfb8f9d997020f | By . Rob Cooper and Richard Hartley-parkinson . PUBLISHED: . 16:32 EST, 9 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:45 EST, 10 May 2012 . A major search for a baby feared lost at sea has been called off after police said they believe initial reports that an infant fell from a ferry were incorrect. The land and sea operation, costing tens of thousands of pounds, at the mouth of Belfast Lough was triggered after a woman plunged from the Stena Line boat as it made its way into port from Cairnryan in Scotland last night. The 37-year-old Belfast woman was rescued within 15 minutes and taken to the city's Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment, where she remained in a stable condition today. At the time of the incident it was reported that a baby had also entered the water with the woman, prompting extensive searches that began last night and continued this morning. Hunt: Coastguards and police today hunt for a nine-day-old baby who fell into a Belfast Harbour with his mother off a ferry last night . But after a complex police . investigation, which included interviewing the woman's family, officers . said they no longer believe a child was in her care at the time. A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: 'Police have called off the search operation in . Belfast Lough which began yesterday evening after a report that a baby . had gone into the water with a woman who was later rescued. 'Following an extensive search . operation involving several agencies and volunteers and after enquiries . with the 37-year-old woman and her family, police now understand the . report of a baby going into the water was incorrect. 'Police do not believe there was a baby in the woman's care on the ferry. The woman, who is from Belfast, remains in a stable condition in hospital. Police enquiries are continuing.' Coastguard . rescue teams launched an urgent hunt for the infant last night but . called it off after almost four hours as darkness fell. This morning helicopters, boats and divers continued to scour a large area of Belfast Lough, close to Holywood, County Down, as they resumed their search for the child. A spokesman for the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: 'It's very difficult to put a figure on the rescue because we have volunteers and people sitting in operations as well. 'Generally speaking it would have been thousands of pounds, but generally we would never put a value on a human life and we would put in all the resources we thought were necessary for a given situation.' The mother, who was from Northern Ireland, was traveling on a Stena Ferry when she fell into the water. Hunt: Coastguard continue with their major search today for a missing nine-day-old baby who fell from a ferry . Probe: Coastguard search for a baby who fell into the water from a ferry. However, the investigation is expected to take some time as they have such a large area to search . She was in the water for around 15 . minutes before being rescued and is being treated at the Royal . Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The ferry, which had travelled from . Cairnryan on Scotland's western coast, was preparing to dock when the . incident happened at around 6.15pm last night. Coastguards received a call from the ferry reporting that two people were in the water in Belfast Lough. One person was recovered by the pilot . boat and taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast at 6.25pm, 15 . minutes after the alarm was raised. John McPoland, a spokesman for the . Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, said two ambulance crews treated the . woman who was in a stable condition. The spokesman added: 'She . had been in the water for a while so you can understand that with the . coldness of the water she would have been hypothermic.' Last night four lifeboats searched the water alongside a police craft and two helicopters, with . the rescue co-ordinated by Belfast coastguard. Police Service of Northern Ireland officers boarded the ferry, which is docked in Belfast Port. Lookout: Coastguard officers scour the water for traces of the baby who fell into the harbour shortly after 6pm last night with his mother . | Search for baby called off after interviews with woman and her family .
Stena Ferry from Scotland was preparing to dock when the drama unfolded . |
03602d3a510410e4cf2c7630116b2aaeb4bced49 | A 29 -year-old man is in a critical condition after being shot in the head and arm by police at a property in Brisbane. The man was shot on Priestdale Road at Rochedale South on Tuesday morning after two patrol officers were called to the property to investigate a stolen ride-on mower. Police have confirmed that the officers were 'confronted' by the man who was driving a four-wheel-drive, and towing a mower on a trailer, when the officers opened fire. It has been reported that the man was shot once in the head and four times in the arm, however police have not confirmed the extent of his injuries other than to say he was in a critical condition at Princess Alexandria hospital in Brisbane. A male passenger was in the car at the time of the shooting, but was not injured in the shooting and is currently in police custody. Scroll down for video . Officers responded to an incident involving a man at the Rochedale South property at 8.30am on Tuesday which resulted in officers firing shots at the man . Police confirmed officers shot the man on Priestdale Road at Rochedale South on Tuesday morning . The Police Ethical Standards Command and the Crime and Corruption Commission are investigating the incident . Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hollands would not comment in a press conference at the scene on how far the car was from the officers at the time. 'It is certainly concerning that police were in a situation where they had to resort to that use of force,' he said. The Police Ethical Standards Command and the Crime and Corruption Commission are investigating the incident. The Courier-Mail has reported that a senior constable from Springwood shot the man after officers went to the property to track a stolen trailer. Local resident Blaze Greene told The Courier-Mail she heard the shots. 'There were four to five shots, really quick,' she said. A male passenger was in the car at the time of the shooting, but was not injured in the shooting and is currently in police custody . Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hollands (pictured) would not comment in a press conference at the scene on how far the car was from the officers at the time . A man is in a critical condition after being shot in the head and arm at the Brisbane property . It has been reported that officers were called to the Rochedale South property to investigate a stolen trailer . | Man shot in head by police on Priestdale Road at Rochedale in Brisbane .
Police have confirmed officers wounded the man from opening fire .
29-year-old was driving a four-wheel-drive at officers before being shot .
The man was in a critical condition at Princess Alexandria hospital .
Male passenger was in the car at the time but is uninjured and in custody .
Paramedics said the man was shot in the head and forearm . |
036047b69d7ae954d5159a245254dd28ec1450da | If you want to join the latest celebrity selfie trend, not only can you go make-up free, you can have messy hair too because nobody will be looking at your face. This season, the celebrity selfie is all about the nails. In the last few weeks everyone from Beyonce, Lily Allen, Mel B, Jessie J, Kim Kardashian and Nicole Scherzinger has posted a 'nailfie'. Some star talons are spectacularly bejeweled but the big trend among the nailfie posters is the nude look. Scroll down for video . Mel B posted a 'nailfie' on Saturday (right) with the caption 'tonight's nails' ahead of the X Factor (left) Kim Kardashian (left) posted her nude pointed talons as did sisters Kylie and Kendell Jenner (right) Lily Allen steals the 'nailfie' show with her blinged-up manicure . Mel B posted her eye-catching manicure ahead of Saturday night's X Factor and managed to straddle both styles by jazzing up her nude manicure with a bit of bling. Her gem encrusted forefinger added some razzle-dazzle to the otherwise subtle look. But one celebrity who definitely wasn't going for subtle is Lilly Allen, who posted her colourful, glitzy manicure on Instagram two days ago. Left: Beyonce's 'nailfie' last week was a little more cultured than most; Right: Jessie J goes for bright red . Left: Kesha's pretty 'nailfie'; Right: Rosie Fortescue from Made In Chelsea also went for the nude look on her post yesterday . Ferne McCann posted these plum nails on Instagram . Sporting an uncharacteristically low-key look, Kim Kardashian 'nailfie' showed her rocking the nude nail look too. In a cute nod to her child and hubbie, she wore a ring on each finger spelling out 'North' and 'West'. Never one to miss a trend, sister Kendell Jenner also posted a snap of her and sister Kylie's hands intertwined with the caption 'reunited'. The celebrity 'nailfies' have also confirmed that pointy claws are definitely in. The scarier looking, it seems, the better. Beyonce's 'nailfie' featured her pointy claws in a deep shade of plum. Whereas Jessie J opted for bright blood red. So forget the face creams and the makeup - get preening those nails. | Jessie J, Kim Kardashian and Nicole Scherzinger also among celebs to post .
Mel B posted her blinged-up manicure ahead of Saturday nights X Factor .
Nude nails is a favourite look of the season among the 'nailfie' crew . |
0360c77264d94920b6b456dc54cd548ef3f850ee | James Haskell admits he will be inspired by Lawrence Dallaglio when he leads Wasps throughout the 2014-15 season. Haskell's first taste of captaincy will be Saturday's opening match of the traditional Aviva Premiership London double-header against Saracens at Twickenham. England great Dallaglio presided over the most successful period in Wasps' history, a reign that included four league titles and two Heineken Cup crowns. Stand and deliver: James Haskell will be the Wasps captain ahead of the 2014-15 Premiership season . Haskell played alongside Dallaglio for six years and while determined to forge his own path, he knows he will be influenced by a man he regards as the complete skipper. 'To me Lawrence was everything you want in a leader,' Haskell said. 'When he spoke you always felt he cared about what he was saying and he always backed it up, leading by example. 'He had the respect of the guys around him and that is all you can ask for. 'I'm not trying to be Lawrence and I won't copy him, but you can't help but be inspired by a guy who was a natural leader and had respect from people.' Haskell is one of the game's more colourful personalities, but he understands the need to be economical with his words when required. 'The last thing you want is to be someone who just talks,' he said. 'The boys find out pretty quickly if you are covering for your inefficiencies by putting great Churchillian speeches together. If that happens, you'll fall flat on your face. 'As long as I perform on the field and get the respect of the guys, then that is key.' It's mine to keep right? Haskell poses with the Aviva Premiership trophy before the start of the season . Wasps have been lifted by the return of Christian Wade - a potential solution to England's problems on the wing - from the foot injury that has kept him sidelined since November. Will Fraser's own injury problems are over, so he is restored at openside by Saracens as he begins his quest to challenge for Chris Robshaw's England jersey. Robshaw's load in World Cup year has been lightened by Harlequins' decision to relieve him of the captaincy after four seasons and give it to Joe Marler, who will lead the side against London Irish on Saturday. Tough act to follow: Lawrence Dallaglio won the Heineken Cup as Wasps captain in 2007 . Marland Yarde makes his debut following his summer move from the Exiles and despite the England wing's arrival, Quins have been widely tipped to miss the play-offs this season. 'We want to be the best we can be individually and collectively. If we manage that, we'll be hard to beat,' director of rugby Conor O'Shea said. 'Anyone can finish in the top four. We've been written off as the team that will drop out this season, but we were written off last season but still got in. 'Anyone who writes us off is deluded if you look at the quality of the team we can put out.' Fly-half George Ford returns from shoulder surgery to pull the strings for Bath against Sale and will duel with England rival Danny Cipriani at the AJ Bell Stadium. Freddie Burns makes his Leicester debut against Newcastle and with Ed Slater in the treatment room, Ben Youngs leads the Tigers. | James Haskell to captain Wasps in the 2014-15 Aviva Premiership .
Haskell admits to being inspired by former team-mate and skipper Lawrence Dallaglio in run up to Saracens clash at Twickenham .
Wasps boosted by return of Christian Wade from foot injury . |
036130814b66404cf433579266ca8d82202f4d3d | By . Peter Allen and Lyle Brennan . PUBLISHED: . 11:35 EST, 27 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:59 EST, 28 March 2012 . Fanatic: Gunman Mohammed Merah, who is said to have recorded the footage sent to Al-Jazeera . A disturbing video showing the killings of three French soldiers and four people at a Jewish school was sent to a TV network - but not by the gunman who filmed it, police said. The revelation raises the possibility of an accomplice to the crimes. Arabic TV network Al-Jazeera has said it will not air the footage of the Toulouse shootings after the video arrived at its office in Paris. It appears to have been recorded during Mohammed Merah's deadly attacks earlier this month. The decision not to broadcast the video, which was sent on a USB memory stick along with a letter to the station, came after French president Nicolas Sarkozy and family of the victims had asked for it not to be shown. Police believe it was filmed by the gunman himself, who was killed last week after a 32-hour stand-off with police at his apartment. Merah recorded all of his murders, which began on March 11 with the shooting of a French soldier. Before the rampage ended, two more soldiers, three Jewish children and a rabbi were killed. Al-Jazeera's announcement came as it emerged that Merah's convicted criminal father plans to sue the French government for ‘murdering’ his son. In what is likely to be one of the most controversial legal actions in criminal history, Mohammed Benalel Merah wants an apology and compensation. This is despite the fact that he is a convicted drug dealer who had next to nothing to do with his son from the age of six, and now lives in Algeria. Mr Merah, who is in his 60s, said that his son, who murdered seven people in total, stood ‘no chance’ against the police. Meanwhile, it has been claimed that the killer had spied for the French secret service before his ten-day spree. Italian . newspaper Il Foglio alleges that the Muslim fanatic acted as an . informer to the DGSE intelligence agency while travelling to Israel, . Jordan and Afghanistan in 2010. In return for information about Islamic terror cells, the paper said, French agents allowed Merah to travel freely. Il Foglio claims details of this arrangement were leaked by French and Israeli spies. Respect: President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers a speech today before magistrates and policemen who investigated the shootings. Earlier he joined calls for the gunman's footage not to be aired after it was sent to broadcasters . Elsewhere . on the continent, police in Spain arrested a suspected Al Qaeda member . who is thought to have been key to the terror cell's internet . operations, spreading propaganda and working to recruit jihadists. Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz . said the arrest was not connected to the murders in France, adding that . the Jordanian-born Saudi citizen had 'administered one of the world's . most important jihadist forums'. The letter sent to Al-Jazeera said Merah's killings were carried out in the name of Al Qaeda. Zied Tarrouche, the network's Paris bureau chief, said the note was written in poor French with spelling and grammatical errors. The . images it accompanied appear to have been taken from the point of view . of the killer, he said, perhaps from a camera hung around Merah's neck. They were shaky but of a high technical quality. The video had clearly been edited with . religious songs and recitations of Koranic verses laid over the . footage, Mr Tarrouche said. He added: 'You can hear gunshots at . the moment of the killings. You can hear the voice of this person who . has committed these assassinations. You can hear also the cries of the . victims, and the voices were distorted.' Earlier Mr Sarkozy had asked that the images not be broadcast. 'I . ask the managers of all television stations that might have these . images not to broadcast them in any circumstances, out of respect for . the victims - out of respect for the Republic,' he said. Family: Police arrest Abdelkader Merah, the gunman's older brother. The killer's father has now spoken out in public, vowing to sue the French government for shooting his son dead . There has been no indication that other stations received the footage. Mr Tarrouche said: 'We are not a . sensationalist channel. We're not looking to broadcast images without . weighing the risks and the consequences. That's why the management will . decide today after meeting at headquarters in Qatar.' The decision not to broadcast the images came a few hours later. As . France tries to come to terms with the attacks shown in the video, the . gunman's estranged father says French special forces could easily have . ‘taken my son alive’. Mr Merah said: ‘They could have used gas to capture him, but they preferred to kill him. ‘I’m . going to hire the biggest named lawyers and work for the rest of my . life to pay their costs. I will sue France for killing my son.’ Siege: A hooded policeman looks out of a window at the bullet-ridden apartment where Merah made his last stand. The killer's father claims police could have taken him alive . His move was immediately condemned by . Mr Sarkozy’s government, who revealed that Mohammed Benalel Merah spent . four years in prison in Toulouse before returning to his homeland of . Algeria. In 1999 he was arrested for drug . dealing on the Toulouse estate where Mohammed junior grew up, and in . June 2000 he was sentenced to five years in prison. The term was . increased by nine months for witness tampering. Alain . Juppe, France’s foreign secretary, said: ‘If I was the father of a . monster like that, I’d shut up out of shame’, while a spokesman for Mr . Sarkozy said the legal action was ‘abhorrent’. Anti-terrorist prosecutor Francois Molins, meanwhile, said police did ‘everything they could to arrest Merah alive’. The French authorities' activities prior to Merah's killings have also come into question. Security chiefs were today refusing to comment on Il Foglio's claim that they may have been working with the killer before his attacks in south-west France. The Italian newspaper said: 'Merah was considered to fit the profile of the kind of young man who could infiltrate terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and provide crucial intelligence to western countries.' Prime Minister Francois Fillon last week defended the state's intelligence agencies and insisted France had had 'no grounds' to detain Merah before he went on his rampage. He told French radio: 'There was no single element to allow for the detention of Mohammed Merah. France mourns: Hundreds of people gather in Toulouse's Capitol square for a minute's silence in memory of Merah's victims . 'Intelligence agents had watched him for long enough to come to the conclusion that there was no indication that this was a dangerous man who would one day pass from words to acts. 'Merah was interrogated, watched and listened to, and appeared to be a man living a normal life.' The self-styled Islamic warrior, who was shot dead by police marksmen, is said to be buried in Algeria, so that his grave will not be desecrated in France. Merah’s brother, 29-year-old Abdelkader Merah, has been charged with aiding and abetting the terrorist. Both brothers are thought to have been members of radical Islamic groups in Toulouse, and Merah was known to security services in both France and America. Spanish police today arrested a suspected member of Al Qaeda who was key to the terror group's internet propaganda and recruiting operations, officials said. The suspect arrested in the eastern city of Valencia 'administered one of the world's most important jihadist forums', dedicated to recruiting and indoctrinating Islamic terrorists, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said. The name of that forum and the suspect's name were not given, only his initials, MHA. He is Jordanian-born with Saudi citizenship. 'He was known within the organisation as Al Qaeda's librarian,' Mr Fernandez Diaz said, without specifying what that term meant in this case. The suspect worked at home for '8 to 15 hours a day' for Al Qaeda and for two offshoots, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the minister said. 'He spread jihadist ideas and worked to recruit and arrange transportation of possible jihadists to Afghanistan and other countries where terrorism is very active,' Mr Fernandez Diaz said. The Interior Ministry said in a statement he was arrested as part of a probe that determined the man used the Web to distribute videos designed to encourage terrorist acts, the ministry said in a statement. The minister said the raid in which he was arrested was not linked to the recent killings in Toulouse, France. However, he added that gunman Mohammed Merah became indoctrinated thanks to the work of people like the Valencia suspect. Spanish authorities said today's arrest stemmed from a probe that began in February 2011. The suspect was arrested at home on orders from an investigating magistrate in Madrid. | Arabic broadcaster says it will not air the disturbing footage after plea from Nicolas Sarkozy .
'I will sue France for killing my son,' says gunman's estranged father .
Italian media claims Mohammed Merah had spied for France before his rampage .
Arrest of Al Qaeda suspect in Spain today was not connected to attacks in south-west France . |
03621df4c7986c84d985d0664c60cc0eccfd38c6 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 10:40 EST, 18 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:40 EST, 18 April 2013 . Costumes from The Great Gatsby went on display in London today. Twenty pieces worn by cast members of the film - including Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan - will be showcased in the Regent Street store of menswear brand Brooks Brothers. The brand, which made the menswear costumes worn in the film, collaborated with the film's costume designer Catherine Martin to host the exhibition. Men's clothing label Brookes Brothers hosts The Great Gatsby costume exhibition in London today . Catherine - who is married to the film's . director Baz Luhrmann - said: 'Brooks Brothers is mentioned numerous . times in Fitzgerald's writings as a representation of the ultimate . gentleman's purveyor of fine clothing to the American man of . distinction. 'It is this most basic and fundamental connection that has made our collaboration so authentic.' In addition to their work on set, Brooks Brothers have also worked with Catherine on a limited-edition Gatsby collection to mark their involvement in the movie. The costumes were designed by Catherine Martin, wife of director Baz Luhrmann and feature in his forthcoming film . The exhibition will see 20 pieces worn by cast members including Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan showcased in their Regent Street store . The art-deco inspired range, which includes everything from three-piece check suits to straw boaters and wingtip shoes, channels the same 'dreamlike world of pristine green lawns and lavish parties' depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald's original 1925 novel. Catherine pointed out that Brooks Brothers is mentioned numerous . times in Fitzgerald's tome, and he himself was a customer, making the project completely authentic. Brooks Brothers is the ultimate gentleman's purveyor of fine clothing to the American man of distinction . She added that the brand was considered to be 'the ultimate . gentleman’s purveyor of fine clothing to the American man of . distinction' during the Roaring Twenties. Catherine said: 'It was a pleasure to research and design menswear of this period and see it realised with such panache by Brooks Brothers. 'It is a reflection of the immediacy and modernity of Fitzgerald's work in this new collection.' The clothes worn by the cast were intended to channel the same 'dreamlike world of pristine green lawns and lavish parties' depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald's original 1925 novel . | 20 pieces worn by cast members showcased in Brooks Brothers Regent Street store . |
03624e0f73b20592d74adcd8b447350b137f29d6 | A 17-year-old girl who was obsessed with the Columbine High School massacre wrote about 'picking off' her classmates 'one by one' and blowing up the cafeteria, police have said. Administrators at Radnor High School in Pennsylvania alerted police after learning the senior had allegedly been scrawling the terrifying plans in her notebooks. The girl wrote about killing a teacher and other students before injuring herself, said Radnor Township Police Superintendent William Colarulo, as he shared the journal excerpts on Monday. 'I could be the first female shooter,' the student, who has not been named because she is a juvenile, wrote in her journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. 'I'm homicidal, and I'm fine with that.' Scroll down for video . Terrifying: Police shared pages out of a teenager's notebook that allegedly detail how she wanted to attack the school in a Columbine massacre-like attack. She is now undergoing psychiatric evaluation . Sick: The journal described how she wanted to 'pierce kids around me' and 'flood the halls with corpses' Colarulo said that the teenager was obsessed with serial killers and read a lot about torture, ABC6 reported. Her journal excerpts detailed her alleged plan of attack on the school. 'I want to trap them, pick them off one by one,' she wrote. 'Blow up the cafeteria, shoot everyone in classrooms. 'Imagine the power, the bullets leaving the gun with a loud bang, piercing kids around me, the way they collapse, their blood splattering the floor... the screams.' Another page was filled with large capital letters reading: 'I am fire, I am flames. I exude danger, you should fear me, I am dangerous, you better believe me, you have no idea what I can do.' Concern: Radnor Township Police Superintendent William Colarulo said the girl's locker and home had been searched and no weapons had been found. He said she is 'getting the help she needs' 'Obsessed': She also wrote a letter to the parents of one of the Columbine shooters, Dylan Klebold, saying she had read his journal and 'I connected very strongly with your son emotionally' 'I could be the first female shooter... I'm homicidal, and I'm fine with that' 'I am about to get very violent... So close to exploding' 'I want to trap them, pick them off one by one. Blow up the cafeteria, maybe. Shoot everyone in classrooms, but how do I trap people. Leave survivors? Or nah? I kinda want to' 'Imagine the power, the bullets leaving the gun with a loud bang, piercing kids around me, the way they collapse, their blood splattering the floor... the screams' 'I am fire, I am flames. I exude danger, you should fear me, I am dangerous, you better believe me, you have no idea what I can do' Other pages showed letters she had written to the parents of one of the Columbine killers, Dylan Klebold. Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, killed a teacher and 12 students before taking their lives during the shooting in Littleton, Colorado in April 1999. They also injured 21 people. In the letter, the girl wrote that she had read his journal and 'connected very strongly with your son emotionally'. 'We would be remiss if we didn't take these threats seriously,' Colarulo said at the press conference. 'There are always warning signs. If you want to go back and reference the Columbine incident, there were numerous warning signs that went ignored, that went unnoticed and nobody took the proper action and made the report.' He added that students were not in any danger. After receiving the call from the school, police searched the student's home and her school locker and no weapons were found. Scene: The girl was a senior at Radnor High School, pictured, but students are not in danger, police said . Columbine killers: She was 'obsessed' with Eric Harris, left, and Dylan Klebold who shot dead 13 in 1999 . The girl has a history of treatment for 'psychological issues' and is undergoing psychiatric evaluation but will remain in custody, he said. Her parents are cooperating with police. 'She is getting the help she needs,' he said. Debbie Singer, a parent of a junior at Radnor High, said that students were terrified about returning to school. 'It's very said and it's sad for the girl,' Singer said. 'The rumor was this was going to happen at the pep rally.' See below for video . | The unidentified girl is undergoing psychiatric evaluation and will be charged as a juvenile with making terroristic threats .
Police were called to Radnor High School in Pennsylvania after administrators received reports that she was writing about an attack .
'I could be the first female shooter,' she wrote. 'I want to pick them off one by one. Imagine the power - the bullets piercing kids around me'
She also wrote letters to the parents of the Columbine shooters .
Police searched her home and her locker and found no weapons . |
0362e48414e7c868f0db15a9886c090c99f16b40 | Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has decided to go against the grain by suggesting neither Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi should not win this year's Ballon d'Or. Van Gaal instead believes one of the six Germany players nominated should take the prestigious award due to their World Cup triumph in the summer. The Dutchman, who himself has been named on the FIFA World Coach of the Year award, told Manchester United's official website: 'Most of the time it is always the well known players [who win the Ballon d'Or]. Six German World Cup winners have been nominated for the 2014 Ballon d'Or, including Philipp Lahm (centre) Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal believes a German player should win the 2014 Ballon d'Or award . Van Gaal does not believe Cristiano Ronaldo (left) or Lionel Messi (right) should win the Ballon d'Or . Gareth Bale (Wales), Karim Benzema (France), Diego Costa (Spain), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Angel di Maria (Argentina), Mario Gotze (Germany), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Toni Kroos (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Paul Pogba (France), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland), James Rodriguez (Colombia), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast). *German players in bold . 'I don't think you can compare players in different positions. 'It is more for the football world and outside world than for other things I believe. I think it will be Ronaldo or Messi but I want to say that you have to win something. 'And the best thing to win is the World Cup so I hope it will be a German player because they deserve it. 'In Germany, the level of the Bundesliga matches is also very high so I think it should be a German player.' Toni Kroos (right), a Ballon d'Or nominee, celebrates scoring the winner for Germany against Spain . Six of Germany's World Cup-winning squad are in contention to win the award with Mario Gotze, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Bastian Schweinsteiger all included on the 23-man shortlist. The 63-year-old joked on his own nomination: 'When you see the results of Manchester United it is unbelievable that I'm on the Coach of the Year shortlist.' Manchester United go into Saturday's clash against Arsenal having won just four of their 11 Premier League games under the Dutchman. Meanwhile, three Premier League bosses - Manuel Pellegrini (City), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) and Louis van Gaal (United) - are on the 10-strong shortlist for the manager of the year award. The award ceremony takes place in Zurich on January 12. THE SHORTLIST IN FULL . Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Antonio Conte (Juventus/Italy), Pep Guardiola (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klinsmann (USA), Joachim Low (Germany), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City), Alejandro Sabella (Argentina), Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Louis van Gaal (Holland/Manchester United). VIDEO Del Bosque backs German for Ballon d'Or . | Current holder Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time winner Lionel Messi are the favourites to win 2014 Ballon d'Or .
However Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes a German 'deserves' to win award .
Germans Mario Gotze, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Bastian Schweinsteiger have been included on shortlist .
Van Gaal nominated for Coach of the Year but jokes: 'When you see Manchester United's results it's unbelievable I'm on shortlist' |
03650bdd66fb068829c5475bd025978a5326489c | (CNN) -- In the violent bedlam that has engulfed Gaza, not even the hospitals are immune from attack. Such an attack happened Monday afternoon to the Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza, where several artillery shells slammed into buildings there. Video from the scene shows doctors frantically bringing hospital workers and patients to the relative safety of the ground floor. One patient and four people visiting the hospital, three of them children, were killed in the strike, according to health workers. At least 30 were injured, they said. Despite the risks, Eloise Bollack, a freelance French journalist, made her way to the hospital. The latest reports from Gaza and Israel . "The road to Deir Al-Balah [the neighborhood where the Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital is located] was really dangerous and exposed," she said. "At one point, when we arrived near the hospital ... a bomb fell 50 meters away from us." Bollack said that she decided to leave because "it was too dangerous to stick around." But on the way back to Gaza City, her team saw a convoy of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society making its way to Deir al-Balah. She did a U-turn and followed the vehicles. "All the hospital staff were on the ground floor when we arrived. They were waiting for the ICRC convoy so they can evacuate the patients" to other hospitals. "We started walking around to the other floors to see the damage. One side of the third floor was bombed several times; we saw a lot of impact hits from tank shells on the walls," she said. Operating theaters and the maternity ward were among the rooms damaged. "Some walls and rooms were totally destroyed, covered with dust and debris. Everything was upside down. The shock was so strong that a pillow in one of the rooms was hanging on the fan on the ceiling. "The tank shells fired not only penetrated through the exterior wall but managed to go through several walls inside the hospital, shows the power of the impact these shells did on the hospital." The hospital is one of three in Gaza to have been damaged during nearly two weeks of conflict. Last week, the al-Wafa hospital in northern Gaza was hit by an airstrike. Israel: Hamas was storing weapons there . Israeli officials say that Hamas has deliberately used hospitals and buildings around them to store weapons or build launching sites for their rockets. In the case of the Shuhada al-Aqsa, the Israeli Defense Forces said that their "initial investigation suggests that a cache of anti-tank missiles was stored in the immediate vicinity of the hospital. This cache was successfully targeted by IDF forces." In a statement, the IDF added: "Civilian casualties are a tragic inevitability of the brutal and systematic exploitation of homes, hospitals and mosques in Gaza. While the IDF takes every possible measure to minimize civilian casualties, Hamas and its deliberate tactic of embedding terrorist activities within the urban environment is ultimately responsible." For the patients and the medical staff trying to save their lives, the consequence is the same. Hospitals are running out of rooms to cope with admissions and running short of medicine and other essential supplies. Patients lie in corridors. The United Nations has arranged for truckloads of medical supplies to cross into Gaza from Israel, but some are delayed because of the conflict. Paramedics pay the ultimate price . Paramedics have been among the casualties as they have raced through Gaza's crowded streets to collect the injured. On Sunday, one paramedic died and four injured yesterday when their ambulance was hit during Israeli shelling of the Shujaiya neighborhood. The Gaza Health Ministry says 24 ambulances have been destroyed or disabled since the conflict began. Bollack is based in Ramallah in the West Bank and has long been sympathetic to the Palestinian people. But she says she is committed to nonviolence and is committed to documenting the suffering of civilians. She says Gaza's hospitals are gradually being reduced to ruins. "You can see around the [Shuhada al-Aqsa] hospital that there is water running in the street because the water tanks were bombed and the water system that feeds the hospital was destroyed by the shells." But even if the hospitals themselves are unsafe, they continue working, she says. "They are planning to evacuate the entire hospital because it's too dangerous, but for now, they want to keep the hospital running because it's the only hospital around." Israel finds Hamas are no longer amateur fighters . Deaths mount in Gaza and Israel as U.S. pushes cease-fire . Caught in the violence, it's the hardest question in Gaza . Mother finds wounded son in hospital where she works . | Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza is slammed by artillery shells .
Video of the attack shows hospital staff scrambling to move patients to safety .
One patient and four visitors, three of them children, were killed, Palestinians say .
Israeli Defense Forces says Hamas was storing weapons there . |
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