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061e4a303675d409325c02012b64887ecd5c721a | (CNN) -- Jennifer Tyrrell dislikes public speaking so much that when she was in high school, she almost failed marketing because she didn't want to speak in front of the class. But when the Boy Scouts of America made a decision that hurt her little boy Cruz, she did what any mother would do -- set aside her own fear, spoke up and, with the help of family and friends, is fighting back. "I've never been involved with any kind of activism or anything like that before, so this is all new to me," the mother of four said. "All I know is this has got to stop." And by "this," she is referring to the Boy Scouts' policy of banning gays and lesbians from being members or serving as leaders. Earlier this month Tyrrell was forced to resign as den leader of the Tiger Cubs for Pack 109 in Bridgeport, Ohio, because the national office learned she is a lesbian. So even though everyone in the local chapter loved her, she was forced out by the discrimination that is woven into the organization's bylaws. The cubs of Pack 109 are upset. But none more than Cruz, who is being forced to be away from his friends and is too young to fully understand why. He's only 7. He wasn't brought up to dislike people because they are different. He's too young to understand bigotry. Which is why Tyrrell is not taking any of this lying down. She started a change.org petition, in protest of the Boy Scout policy, that has amassed more than 120,000 signatures in a matter of days. I met Tyrrell and her beautiful family at the 23rd annual GLAAD Awards this past weekend. Numerous celebrities took the stage that night, but only Tyrrell managed to hush the crowd, save for a few sobs. I can remember sitting there wondering: What in the hell is wrong with them? The Girl Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, as well as the 4-H Club all welcome gay kids and adult leaders, and none of those organizations bursts into flames. Needing answers, I reached out to the Boy Scouts and Deron Smith, the organization's director of public relations, sent me an official statement that in part read: . "Our focus is on delivering the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. Our mission does not include teaching young people about sex or sexual orientation, and we do not believe it is Scouting's role to introduce this topic in our youth development program." Fair enough. So I asked Smith via e-mail if the group had received complaints that Tyrrell was attempting to turn the Scouts into an unofficial sex ed camp. He didn't answer that question. When I asked if heterosexuals were banned for being heterosexuals, Smith said, "Heterosexuality does not conflict with Scouting's policy and is not a reason for removal from the program. However, if a leader chose to make it a focus of his or her time with youth they could be removed from the program." Now I've never sat in one of Tyrrell's meetings, and so I can't speak as to what she did or did not do. So I asked some folks who would know, the parents of Pack 109. "I'm not a city person," said Robert Dunn. "I'm just a backwoods hick, and I don't think anybody around here have an issue with homosexuals. She did a wonderful job, and what they did to her was just horrible. "When I told my son Jen was kicked out because she is gay, he didn't know what was wrong because he thought gay meant happy. He's just devastated." Don Thomas, who has a grandson in Pack 109, e-mailed me, saying either he or his wife has been to "every cub scout meeting my grandson has attended, also to every function, community event, Salvation Army ringing bells, collection of food for the needy....etc. I do not know where you are getting your information, but never ever has sex been brought up, not in any way shape or form. In fact, I was not aware of Jen even being gay for quite some time.....wasn't an issue or concern." My favorite response came from Crystal Sabinsky, who said, "the boys knew her as Tiger Leader Jen, not Gay Tiger Leader Jen. They are only first graders. Most don't even understand what 'gay' or 'lesbian' mean." So again, I sit and wonder: What in the hell is wrong with them? While it's commendable that Tyrrell is fighting, I'm ticked off that she has to. It's 2012, for heaven's sake. Who, after the zoo-like Casey Anthony trial, still believes being straight automatically makes you a good influence to have around children? Tyrrell is clearly just a good mother, trying to invest in her son. She didn't ask to be den leader a little over a year ago -- she was selected because the pack loves her. She was chosen to be treasurer because everyone trusts her. Maybe being loved and trusted conflicts with the values of the Boy Scouts, because according to the folks who were actually around Tyrrell, sexual orientation was never added to the handbook. It just doesn't make sense. Then again, bigotry never does. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson. | An Ohio mother who is gay has been kicked out as a Cub Scout den mother .
LZ Granderson says she was a model leader, admired by scouts and parents .
He asks why her sexual orientation is an issue for the Boy Scouts . |
061e7aac886e1f657f24ae546f7ede502781b24a | Staind frontman Aaron Lewis launched into a ferocious expletive-laden rant mid-song at fans who were allegedly groping a crowd-surfing teenage girl. The band were performing at Kansas City's Rockfest over the weekend when the Something to Remind You singer pointed into the masses and told them to stop passing the young girl around or he would get the crowd around them to beat them up. 'Listen up you f*****g a**h***s, that f*****g girl over right there is like 15 f*****g years old and you f*****g pieces of s**t are molesting her while she’s on the f*****g crowd,' screamed father-of-three, Lewis. Scroll Down for Video (Warning: Graphic Language) Song interrupted: Aaron Lewis was in full flow before he noticed what he thought was a girl being molested by male fans as she crowd-surfed . Outraged at what he believed to be their lack of respect towards the girl, the rockstar then proceeded to physically threaten them if they didn't curb their behavior. 'You should all be f*****g beaten down by everyone around you for being f*****g pieces of s**t,' the singer continued. 'If I f*****g see that s**t again I swear to God I will point you out in the crowd and have everyone around you beat your f*****g ass.' The angry rant lasted for around one minute before Lewis said, 'Now, girls, feel free to crowd-surf safely'. Which was met with thunderous applause. Anger: Aaron Leiws makes his feelings known to the male members of his audience who were acting inappropriately . You: The Staind frontman was pointing (left) at those he believed were responsible and told the men that the crowd would be enlisted as enforcers in case they touched the girl again . Calmer: The Staind singer and guitarist in a more serene moment on tour . The band resumed playing and Lewis tweeted on Monday, 'Not sure how anyone in my shoes would've reacted differently. Just did what my gut told me to do. ALWAYS GO WITH YOUR GUT!' Music blogger Cassiopia Demers told KCTV5 she witnessed the incident from just a few rows away. 'I think she was a little bit uncomfortable because she didn't really know what was going on,' she said. Allen Roach, another music blogger said that despite Lewis' threat to cause violence, he did the right thing. 'It shows a lot of character. And I think the fans will see that," he said. "We're starting to see these things as being frowned upon.' The Kansas City Police Department is aware of the reported molestation, but the girl or her family have not come forward to file a police report. | Staind frontman stopped his band playing at Kansas City's Rockfest over the weekend .
Threatened to get the crowd to attack any men who touched the girl again .
Received thunderous applause for his impromptu rant at the crowd . |
061efe1739b2f6a6e5e9192c68b5e8347841567f | Liverpool are prepared to pay an increase on the £10million fee they have agreed with Lille to accelerate Divock Origi’s release in January. The Belgium forward, whom Brendan Rodgers believes will be a ‘world-class striker’, joined Liverpool in August but was immediately loaned back to Lille to continue his development before heading to Anfield next summer. But such is Liverpool’s keenness to bring Origi in, they would be ready to pay a premium to get him in the new year. Rodgers’ side have been desperately short of goals, with Daniel Sturridge missing 14 games through injury and Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini struggling. Belgium's Divock Origi, second left, scores the second goal against Iceland on Wednesday night . Origi (right) celebrates with team-mates after his goal against Iceland at the King Baudouin stadium . Lille, however, have given no indication that they would be willing to re-jig the original terms of the deal, which meant he would stay the full season in France, and hand Origi to Liverpool early - even if the 19-year-old has admitted he would be happy to move in January. ‘It is not me who makes the decisions but if the club choose to let me go in January I would go, I would like to join Liverpool then,’ said Origi, who scored for Belgium in their 3-1 win over Iceland on Wednesday. ‘I said I would stay for the whole season and I wish to remain honourable in that, of course. But if there was a decision by the clubs, I would not say I wouldn’t like to go to Liverpool in January. Brendan Rodgers is in contact, he (speaks) regularly, he wants to know how I am feeling. ‘It makes me feel very good and wanted. Also the medical staff, they stay in touch for the same reason – to keep me involved, telling me that they are looking forward to me coming to the club. If there was that chance of joining Liverpool sooner I would take it. Liverpool bought Origi from Lille for £10million but loaned him back to the French side for the season . ‘I would love to move to Liverpool sooner rather than later. I am here at Lille. It’s fine, they are a good club and they have helped me. But I can’t wait to be playing in the Premier League because I can now see that it will suit me better. I think there are good things waiting for me with Liverpool.’ Origi, who has scored five goals in France this season, played for Lille in both their Europa League matches against Everton recently. He has made a point of watching how Liverpool have fared and believes their current position in the Barclays Premier League does not reflect their capabilities. ‘I have been following Liverpool closely, the events of what has been going on and I think they have had a difficult time,’ said Origi. ‘They have a team with a lot of talent, with a lot of good players. They also have a very, very good coach. ‘But they have had a lot of injuries and this has not helped them. It is difficult when you do not have a player like Daniel Sturridge, for instance. What I believe is that they just have to be more efficient but I also believe that it is only a matter of time before it comes.’ Like MailOnline Sport's Facebook page. | Divock Origi joined Liverpool for £10m in the summer .
He was immediately loaned back to Lille for the whole of this season .
Liverpool are struggling for forwards and could try to recall him in January .
The Merseyside outfit are prepared to pay an increase on their original fee .
No Liverpool striker has scored a Premier League goal this season . |
06204b90d5319edaedf9994a5ea664f327e54dee | More than 20 years after a major study said there is no evidence that people who live near nuclear power plants face an increased risk of dying from cancer, the federal government will look anew at the subject, starting with seven nuclear facilities from Connecticut to California. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday it is pushing forward with the study because an oft-cited 1990 study is dated and because more modern methods of analysis and information sources are available. In a briefing paper, the NRC staff says that given the known amounts of radiation released from nuclear reactors, researchers would not expect to observe any increased cancer risks for nearby residents. Nevertheless, the staff says, the studies would be "helpful to address public health concerns" and could be a tool for allaying public health concerns. While some civic groups have supported the study, the top industry trade group had argued against it, saying the study is "unlikely to produce scientifically defensible results." In a pilot project to begin in the coming months, the NRC is commissioning the National Academy of Sciences to conduct cancer risk studies at six nuclear power plants and one nuclear fuel facility. If successful, the study would likely be expanded to the rest of the nation's 104 commercial nuclear reactors. The six nuclear power plants in the initial study are: . -- San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, San Clemente, California. -- Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Morris, Illinois. -- Millstone Power Station, Waterford, Connecticut. -- Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Forked River, New Jersey. -- Haddam Neck, a decommissioned plant in Haddam Neck, Connecticut. -- Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant, a decommissioned plant in Charlevoix, Michigan. In addition, the pilot study will look at Nuclear Fuel Services in Erwin, Tennessee. The pilot study will take two to three years to complete and will cost about $2 million. For the past two decades, the NRC has relied on a National Cancer Institute's report, "Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities," published in a 1991 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association. That study showed no general increased risk of death from cancer for people living in 107 counties containing or near 62 nuclear facilities. When compared with control counties, some of the study counties had higher rates of certain cancers and some had lower rates. None of the differences could be linked to the presence of nuclear facilities, according to a synopsis of the study on the cancer institute's website. "From the data at hand, there was no convincing evidence of any increased risk of death from any of the cancers we surveyed due to living near nuclear facilities," John Boice, chief of NCI's Radiation Epidemiology Branch at the time of the survey, is quoted as saying. But he cautioned that the study had limitations, saying, "If any excess cancer risk due to radiation pollution is present in counties with nuclear facilities, the risk is too small to be detected by the methods used." Several years ago, the NRC staff started efforts to update the study because of the ongoing public interest in the issue, said NRC spokesman Scott Burrell. When the National Cancer Institute indicated it could not perform the work, Congress directed the NRC to work with the National Academy of Sciences. The academy developed methods for assessing radiation near nuclear plants and for assessing cancer rates in nearby communities. The academy recommended performing two types of epidemiology studies -- a geography-based study of people with various cancers leaving near nuclear facilities, and a study of cancers in children born near nuclear facilities. The academy selected the six nuclear power plants because they were a "good sampling" with different operating histories and population sizes. Of the 74 individuals or organizations to comment on the proposed study, 44 encouraged the NRC to proceed. But the Nuclear Energy Institute did not support the study, saying an epidemiological study "will likely involve an outlay of significant resources without much expectation" it would advance scientific understanding of potential risks. Other cancer risk factors, such as smoking or exposure to medical radiation, may surpass the effect from power plant releases and "overwhelm the actual effect attributed to the releases," the group said. | NRC is pushing forward with the study because an oft-cited 1990 study is dated .
Seven nuclear facilities from Connecticut to California will be involved in the pilot study .
Researchers wouldn't expect any increased cancer risks for nearby residents, NRC says . |
0620ff5fa324a35b4be54bbd2de49b42bdd0d7c0 | When Callie Martin suffered an ectopic pregnancy following three miscarriages, she thought her dreams of having a baby were over. But six months after having emergency surgery to remove the embryo, she gave birth to a little girl – after doctors realised she had been carrying twins. Unbeknown to the 26-year-old and her medics, she had conceived both normally and ectopically at the same time. And at odds of just 50,000 to one, her daughter Emmie survived in the womb – despite the trauma of an invasive operation. 'When doctors told me I was still pregnant I thought they must be wrong,' the customer service adviser said. Scroll down for video . Emmie survived in the womb – despite the trauma of an invasive operation - and was delivered by caesarean section in August weighing 6lb . Callie Martin and partner Kailan Broughton with baby Emmie aged four months who beat 50,000 to one odds to be born after mum Callie had emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy . 'But when they showed me the scan and I saw her heart beating, I was just overcome with joy.' Miss Martin and her partner Kailan Broughton, 24, were 'simply devastated' when she began to miscarry at eight weeks pregnant last year. They were told their baby had begun developing in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus – a potentially fatal condition which meant Miss Martin needed urgent surgery to end the pregnancy and save her life. 'We'd already had three miscarriages,' Miss Martin said. 'It felt as if I'd never be a mother.' Yet four weeks after the operation, she felt pain in her stomach and was rushed to hospital for an ultrasound scan. It was then that astounded doctors discovered a tiny second embryo developing normally in her uterus and realised she had what's known as a heterotopic pregnancy. '[It] is so rare that although doctors said they'd heard of it, no one had ever actually seen it before,' Miss Martin added. Four weeks after the operation Miss Martin felt pain in her stomach and was rushed to hospital for scan. Doctors discovered a tiny second embryo, which developed normally, pictured is Emmie after the birth . Emmie survived in the womb after surgery for the ectopic pregnancy at odds of just 50,000 to one . Miss Martin and her partner Kailan Broughton, 24, were 'simply devastated' when she began to miscarry at eight weeks pregnant last year, but their daughter Emmie was born in August . The condition is usually associated with IVF, making Miss Martin's case even more unusual as she had conceived naturally. Knowing his partner had been to hospital, Mr Broughton rushed back to their home in Greenwich, South East London, to be with her. 'He saw me crying and was sick with worry. But I was crying with joy,' she said. After an otherwise healthy pregnancy, Emmie was delivered by caesarean section in August. She was born six weeks early and weighed 6lb. 'My consultant said the surgery usually would have killed the other embryo and induced a miscarriage,' Miss Martin added. 'So it is truly miraculous that Emmie is alive.' When Callie Martin suffered an ectopic pregnancy following three miscarriages, she thought her dreams of having a baby were over, but Emmie survived, pictured after the birth . After an otherwise healthy pregnancy, Emmie was delivered by caesarean section in August . | Callie Martin, 26, suffered ectopic pregnancy following three miscarriages .
But six months after surgery doctors realised she had been carrying twins .
Ms Martin conceived both normally and ectopically and one baby survived .
Emmie was delivered by caesarean section in August weighing 6lb .
She beat 50,000 to one odds to be born after mother had invasive surgery . |
06213614f3d78e341e3c891a036b825a0c65eeb9 | Frank Warren has revealed he has hit a wall of silence in efforts to make a world-title fight between Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko, with Fury all but giving up hope that the bout will happen. The veteran promoter has written to Klitschko’s representatives to make a fight in March between the Ukrainian world champion and Fury, the mandatory challenger for his WBO world title. But there has been no reply to the email and Warren confirmed there have been no positive indications that the younger Klitschko will fight Fury. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Tyson Fury: I'm convinced Wladimir Klitschko won't fight me . Tyson Fury, who destroyed Dereck Chisora, may not get his chance to fight Wladimir Klitschko . Frank Warren and Fury were at the Landmark Hotel in London to promote his next fight on February 28 . Klitschko is scheduled to fight in March and will then have to fight Fury or vacate the WBO portion of his collection of world titles. Warren said: ‘We wrote to klitschko’s people, “Why don’t we cut to chase and do the fight in March?” They have not even responded to say “s** off” or “not interested”. ‘I’ve heard nothing at all. The fight will be mandated by the WBO after his next fight. They will then have to sit down with us.’ Should Klitschko vacate it will validate a prediction unbeaten Fury made three years ago. Warren said he had written to Wladimir Klitschko's representatives but not heard anything back . He extended his record to 23 wins from 23 fights against Dereck Chisora last month and is due to fight again on February 28 at the O2 Arena – a card that will also feature Chris Eubank Jnr. But his target is Klitschko, though he doesn’t believe the fight will happen. ‘I have said for three years that I don’t think he will ever fight me,’ Fury said. ‘That is my opinion. I can’t see that happening. I would like to fight for the title and take it off him rather than fighting for a vacant title. ‘It is OK (Klitschko) fighting bums, but a guy who can change tempo and style? That is different. I don’t think he is ready for that.’ | Tyson Fury has been chasing a world title bout with Wladimir Klitschko .
Frank Warren said he wrote to Klitschko's camp but hasn't heard back .
Fury is back in action at London's O2 Arena on February 28 . |
06216c8d97c13839190943e2d9fe17cf9478a6b1 | Whether you're a three-pack-a-day smoker who doesn't like being lectured to about the health risks, or you're a person who doesn't touch cigarettes and wouldn't smoke one if you were offered a Ferrari in exchange, picture this: . Imagine, for a moment, that cigarettes had never been invented. And that in 2013 an eager entrepreneur went to the Food and Drug Administration seeking approval for a new product -- cigarettes -- that he wanted to sell to the American people. Imagine that the Food and Drug Administration, taking its time and doing its homework, came up with all the currently available medical evidence about the dangers of smoking. Whether you're a smoker or not, you know what the FDA's response would be to that hypothetical entrepreneur: . They'd laugh him out of the room. They'd ask him why he was wasting their time. They might, if they were feisty enough, point out the deadly impact of what he was asking them to authorize, and say to him: . "There's a legal term for knowingly causing death to people. In asking us to approve your product, sir, are you not setting us up to become accessories to murder?" But cigarettes are not a new product. They are perfectly legal in all 50 states, and they're going to stay that way. Which is why two cigarette-related events last week are so instructive. The federal government gave up its highly publicized battle to make every package of cigarettes carry large, gruesome-looking illustrations. FDA changes course on graphic warning labels for cigarettes . The proposed illustrations -- they included images of a diseased lung, of a tracheotomy hole in a man's throat, of rotting teeth -- were rolled out with great fanfare in 2010. The government wanted the illustrations to cover the entire top half -- front and back -- of every pack of cigarettes sold in the United States. Last week, faced with arguments from the tobacco industry that the mandatory images violated free speech rights -- the cigarette companies said the images were "intended to elicit loathing, disgust and repulsion" -- the government backed down. Attorney General Eric Holder wrote that the government will not fight the case in the Supreme Court. The FDA will instead reevaluate the proposed labels. Last week's second event took place in New York, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked for a law that would force merchants to hide cigarettes on sale in their stores. "Hide" in a literal sense. The legislation would mandate that any cigarettes sold in a store would have to be concealed in a drawer, or in a cabinet, or behind a curtain -- it would be unlawful for the packs of cigarettes to be visible to anyone visiting the store. Bloomberg's point is that the more difficult it is to purchase cigarettes, the fewer packs will be sold, and the healthier citizens will become. Bloomberg: Nanny-in-chief or health crusader? Bloomberg's proposal, and the case of the ghastly illustrations, both underline America's bizarrely bifurcated relationship with cigarettes: . The country -- smokers and nonsmokers alike -- realizes the dangers involved. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that around 443,000 people a year die because of cigarette use. But the product is as legal as a loaf of bread or a jar of pickles. So the cigarette manufacturers have a point when they say the government is overstepping by demanding nauseating images on their packages. Free speech does not only refer to our right to say anything we choose; it also refers to our protection from having the government force us to say things against our will. Even convicted killers, when speaking in court before sentencing, are not required to say they are guilty. The government has a right to create, publish and broadcast the strongest anti-smoking campaigns it can come up with, but the cigarette companies make a compelling case in saying that, as long as their product is legal, they should not be forced to print repellent images on their packages. (And -- who knows? -- the federal government, in deciding not to fight the package illustrations battle in the Supreme Court, may be wary of what could happen there. What if the Supreme Court not only ruled against the proposed graphic illustrations -- but additionally, on similar grounds, opened up the question of whether the text-only warning messages on cigarette packs, the ones that have been there since the 1960s, also are an incursion on free speech?) In New York, Bloomberg's heart may be in the right place, but merchants who want to sell cigarettes should be justifiably puzzled: If any product is not legal, then they should be barred from stocking it, but as long as it is, how can anyone presume to tell them where to display it -- or, more to the point, that they can't display it? It all comes down to this: . While well-intentioned attempts to curb smoking may appear bold and decisive, they are in the end timid. The big and most effective step -- outlawing cigarettes on the grounds that they undeniably, in the long run, sicken and kill the people who smoke them, and those around them -- is not going to happen. Politicians would be terrified to do it -- there are an estimated 45 million smokers in the United States, and no one is going to risk alienating them by completely cutting them off from cigarettes. In an already shaky economy, the repercussions from shutting down the tobacco industry -- the jobs suddenly lost -- would be, to put it mildly, highly problematic from a political and real-world standpoint. The memory of Prohibition would undoubtedly be on lawmakers' minds. The government once tried to take from people something they had been accustomed to, something that had been legal: alcohol. The outcome was anything but pretty. If there really were the political will to end cigarette use, there are ways. Each state sets its own laws for the minimum age to purchase cigarettes -- in most states, it's 18. If states decided to raise the age to, say, 80, that would do it. But the chances are zero. Like it or not, the country has painted itself into a corner. Cigarettes kill. They will continue to. If they were a new product, they'd never make it to market. Don't bet against them still being here a century from now. | Bob Greene: Cigarettes would never be accepted if they were just now being introduced today .
The FDA has given up efforts to show grim disease photos on packs .
Bloomberg wants merchants to hide cigarettes. U.S. has tense relationship with cigarettes .
Greene: Painted into a corner, the U.S. makes timid moves . |
062185c983a3e4b6d1a1b8a4232c3a41fe612223 | By . Katie Nicholl . The Duchess of Cambridge will use the Royal tour of New Zealand and Australia to champion the cause closest to her heart – the children’s hospice movement. The Duchess is its most high-profile ambassador and she plans to use the tour, which starts tomorrow, to highlight the importance of palliative care for sick children. It’s a movement that’s hardly recognised in Australia, where there are just two children’s hospices. Sources close to Kate say her visits to Rainbow Place in Hamilton, New Zealand, and Bear Cottage in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, mark a decisive new step in her philanthropic work, as well as a touching acknowledgement of the mother-in-law she never met. Scroll down for video . The Duchess of Cambridge with youngsters in Grimbsy last year during an official visit to the town . Diana charms children in Korea in 1992, cutting a strikingly similar figure to that of Kate . William’s mother, whose unofficial title became Diana, Queen of Hearts, dedicated much of her life to caring for sick children, a legacy that Kate has now resolved to continue. Since her marriage to Prince William, Kate has become the public face of a growing campaign to highlight the work of hospices, and wants to use her fame to raise the international profile of care for dying children and to make hospices happier places. The 18-day visit, which begins in Wellington, New Zealand, is the Cambridge family’s first official overseas trip together and Kate and William’s first major journey with eight-month-old Prince George. Kate with 6-year-old Diamond Marshall in Calgary in 2011, as she toured Canada with Prince William . Diana with Alexandria Zoriana, 11, at a hospital in Chicago in 1996. Both woman made children their mission . There will be many echoes from the past when the Cambridges’ plane touches down in New Zealand at 11.45am (almost midnight in Britain). This is the country that played host to Charles and Diana when a nine-month old Prince William accompanied them on his first official tour in 1983. In a breach of Royal protocol, sanctioned by the Queen, the Cambridges are travelling together. Heirs to the throne normally fly separately for safety reasons. There is already huge excitement in both countries, particularly at the prospect of Prince George’s arrival. But all eyes will be on Kate, just as they were glued to Diana during her six-week visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1983, a trip that transformed the young Princess of Wales, who had just turned 22, into an international celebrity. Not that the Duchess is looking for the limelight. Rather, she wants to make it clear she has a serious charitable role as well as that of a wife and mother to the heirs to the throne. According to a Royal aide, out of the 51 engagements in the next three weeks, it is the visits to two children’s hospices that are especially close to the Duchess’s heart. Kate meeting wheelchair-bound Riley Oldford, 6, at Yellowknife airport during 2011's Canadian tour . Diana meets a youngster in a wheelchair, also in Canada, in 1991 . The Duchess intends to share her experiences of hospices in Britain with the centres she is visiting. She may also choose to use one of the visits to give her second overseas speech about the importance of the hospice campaign. Kate is already patron of the East Anglia Children’s Hospices (EACH), based in Cambridge, which now works closely with Rainbow Place and Bear Cottage. Campsite near Ayers Rock where they are to stay . ★The Duke and Duchess – minus George – are expected to spend a night of their Australian tour under canvas, ‘glamping’ in a luxury tent at a resort at the edge of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the shadow of Ayers Rock. ★25-year-old Kate Kauri, a media-savvy reporter, will document the New Zealand tour on her iPhone and stream it live to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. ★Kate has had a spray tan to ensure she looks bonzer next to the surfers. Each of her 32 outfits has been tried on and photographed. The hems will contain tiny lead weights to prevent Marilyn Monroe-style ‘wardrobe malfunctions’. ★The 11-strong entourage includes Sir David Manning (one of the Queen’s most trusted advisers), George’s nanny, two private secretaries, four press officers, two PAs, an orderly – and Kate’s hairdresser. ★Prince George will make his first appearance on Wednesday on the lawns of Wellington’s Government House, the spot where a nine-month-old William crawled for the cameras on a visit with Charles and Diana in 1983. ★George will be taken to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo on Easter Sunday to meet Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats and other locals. ★The Cambridges will chillax on April 23 at a trendy Adelaide recording studio. The Duke and Duchess will also get a display of skateboarding from the local yoof. Totally rad. The Duchess will conduct the first hospice visit by herself on Saturday at Rainbow Place. She will meet children, parents and staff, and watch a play therapy session. On Good Friday, April 18, the Duchess will accompany William to Bear Cottage, which is set on the beach at Manly in Sydney. Here Kate will meet six-year-old Kaiya Miller, who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Kaiya will present the Duchess with a bunch of flowers. Kaiya said: ‘I’m most excited about meeting her. I think she’ll be nice and fun.’ One of the senior nurses, Narelle Martin, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The Duchess’s visit to Bear Cottage is extremely exciting for the palliative care movement within Australia and the world. Little is known of children’s hospices in Australia and how they function. ‘The Duchess’s visit will showcase to Australia and the world that children’s hospices are happy places, filled with love, care and positive memories.’ The Duchess gave her first public speech at a hospice in 2012 when she opened The Treehouse in Ipswich, which is run by EACH. It was there that she met eight-year-old Tilly Jennings, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, who suffers from Ebstein’s Anomaly, a rare heart condition in which only half the organ functions properly. It was day none of the Jennings will ever forget. ‘Kate did everything she could to make Tilly feel at ease,’ said Tilly’s mother, Jeanette. ‘She’s so natural with all the kids. Tilly calls her Princess Kate and that’s definitely how she seemed.’ According to Jeanette, the Duchess’s support was invaluable both on a personal and practical level. She said: ‘Tilly can get very down, but when she met Kate she was on a high for weeks. She still talks about it now. ‘As for the hospice, the Duchess’s support has lifted our profile and in turn that has led to so many more opportunities with all sorts of different people offering help. I can’t tell you what a difference it makes.’ And according to Graham Butland, chief executive of EACH, the Duchess’s support has boosted the campaign internationally. He said that EACH is now working closely with a number of hospices around the world. ‘There can be little doubt that the Duchess is raising the awareness of the need for children’s palliative care services across the world,’ he said. ‘It has received a huge boost, nationally and internationally, since she started to champion it.’ In 2012 Kate launched the first palliative care programme in Malaysia at the Hospis Malaysia. Since the Royal visit, the country plans to open more hospices in different states and the Duchess is being closely consulted about the developments. It is a sign of the movement’s importance to her that last year the Duchess gave her first and only televised address in a video message to support Children’s Hospice Week. Her interest dates back more than a decade, well before she married Prince William. Her parents’ business, Party Pieces, worked closely with the children’s charity Starlight and Kate found herself helping to organise parties and party bags for sick children. While she was still plain Kate Middleton she made private visits to Naomi House, a hospice in Hampshire. A Palace spokesman said: ‘The Duchess is going to Bear Cottage and Rainbow Place to learn about the work of palliative care teams in Australia and New Zealand. She is there to learn and discuss and to share experiences.’ | The Duchess of Cambridge will visit two children's hospices during the tour .
Kate is already known for her work to raise awareness of hospices .
Supporting sick children was also a cause close to Princess Diana's heart .
The tour will be Prince George's first extended trip with his parents .
Diana's tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1983 made her a global celebrity . |
0624701392dd7dbd5cf03bd4151830153dce351e | (CNN) -- In Texas, 33-year-old Marlise Munoz's body is being maintained with technology after being reportedly declared dead based on neurologic criteria, meaning her brain can no longer keep her body alive and functioning. Her husband said she wouldn't want to be kept alive by medical technology. But state law requires that her body be sustained because she is 19 weeks pregnant. The issues surrounding Munoz's case are not isolated. In California, 13-year-old Jahi McMath's body is also being maintained with technology. Her family wants to continue keeping her alive even though her doctors consider her legally dead. There are families all over the world who have faced similar wrenching decisions. For the medical community and families affected in these cases, thorny ethical issues remain unanswered. Conventional wisdom says that the patient has the right to make a decision, but when he or she is unable to, the legal surrogate decides. With Munoz, there are two lives at stake: hers and that of her unborn child. Some believe that the life of the mother is directly linked to the life of the infant. They are viewed as an inextricable unit; they live and die together. For others, the mother and fetus are viewed as separate beings with independent interests. As a nurse and clinical ethicist, I have witnessed firsthand the anguish of family members who must make a choice about continuing pregnancies under such uncertain circumstances, or the aggressiveness of treatment for their extremely premature infants. Generally, under conditions where there is great uncertainty about outcome for either the mother or the infant, we defer to the family to make an informed decision. Do Munoz's preferences become nullified because she is pregnant? Should Mr. Munoz's request that his wife be allowed to die in a way that is consistent with her wishes be disregarded? What is the ethical justification of mandating continued treatment that is contrary to the patient's and surrogate's wishes? Does the fetus become a ward of the state and the woman's body merely a biologic incubator for the fetus? Who then is responsible for the ongoing costs and care of the woman's body and the fetus should it be sustained to the point of viability (24 weeks)? Keep in mind that there are significant unknowns. How would the lack of oxygen or other treatments impact the developing fetus? Even if the fetus could be sustained to the point of viability, complications resulting from dependence on technology, severe disabilities or premature death are quite possible. Another ethical aspect of this tragic case is the impact on Munoz's medical personnel, who are providing treatments that are not desired by the patient or her surrogate, and who are perceived to sustain death rather than life. Clearly, the first priority of doctors, nurses and other clinicians is the well-being of their patients. Their mandate is: First, do no harm. They want to help patients and avoid or remove their suffering. Whose interests are they obliged to promote when they have a patient like Munoz? But medical personnel are not merely mindless robots who implement the decisions of others. They, too, have moral stakes in the process and outcomes of their care. In order for them to do their work with competence, respect and compassion, they must preserve their own sense of integrity. When doctors and nurses begin to view their actions as causing physical, emotional or spiritual harms to their patients, it causes them moral distress. They begin to wonder: How can I see myself as a good doctor or nurse when I am participating in actions that I perceive as wrong or ethically unjustified? The result is that clinicians can burn out. They become cynical, detached or numb. There are no easy answers. Cases like Marlise Munoz are always heartbreaking. There are many things that technology in medicine cannot cure or repair. We cannot know whether attempting to sustain her biologic function to support her pregnancy will yield a healthy infant. Using technology is always a double-edged sword; the very technology that creates hope can also create suffering. It is time to pause to examine again our "technology default." We must engage with our communities about the boundaries of using technology, and what the appropriate interventions are when a person's life is sustained with technology. Some would argue that the Texas law rightly protects the interests of the developing fetus and restricts the family's choices. Is the state a better guardian for the fetus than his or her biological parents? We should always have a reverence for life and the ending of life. If there is uncertainty about the degree of brain damage a person has suffered, then it is ethical to use medical technology to keep him or her alive until a better determination can been made. However, as in the case of Marlise Munoz, we must consider whether keeping her alive by invoking a state law honors her and her memory. We need to find ways to make decisions that are respectful, fair and promote integrity. We also need to accept the limits of what medicine can and cannot do. The time has come for a new paradigm for ethical practice in health care. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Cynda Rushton. | The husband of a pregnant brain dead woman asks she be taken off of life support .
Cynda Rushton: But Texas law says she must be kept alive because of her unborn fetus .
She asks: Is it ethical to keep her body alive against the wishes of her family?
Rushton: Technology can be a double-edged sword, it can create hope or suffering . |
06254d21e94c9c0b027629a1df90298887c31f14 | Britain is to propose an ‘emergency brake’ that could be applied to prevent large numbers of immigrants arriving from Europe. A system that would allow the UK to impose a block on incomers from particular countries if numbers become too big is being backed by senior ministers. Initial negotiations are already under way over what would be a fundamental reform of the EU’s founding principle of free movement of people between countries, Government sources say. Proposals: Britain is to propose an ‘emergency brake’ that could be applied to prevent large numbers of immigrants arriving from Europe . The idea is winning support in Germany and France, which have also seen large influxes of migrant workers from poorer states that have joined the EU. Senior figures in some of the newer EU states are also said to be open to reform, having seen their economies ‘hollowed out’ by the departure of better educated workers to richer countries. The ‘emergency brake’ on inflows from European countries would be applied if numbers exceeded expectations. The proposal will be a central demand of David Cameron’s plan to renegotiate Britain’s membership of the EU if he wins next year’s general election. It would allow the UK or other countries to bar any further arrivals for a fixed period. Plan: The proposal will be a central demand of David Cameron’s plan to renegotiate Britain’s membership of the EU if he wins next year’s general election . This could prevent a repeat of what happened in 2004, when Labour opted not to impose transitional controls on EU migrants from countries, including Poland, which had joined the EU. The Home Office predicted the decision would lead to around 13,000 additional immigrants a year coming to Britain. But that year, net migration leapt by nearly 130,000. More recently, the UK has seen a surge in arrivals from southern European countries still mired in economic misery. Conservative ministers are understood to be prepared to use Britain’s veto to prevent any further expansion of the EU bloc unless free movement is reformed. They also want new rules to apply to all new member states stipulating their economies must reach a certain level before free movement of their citizens is allowed. Suggestion: Home Secretary Theresa May said she and Mr Cameron have suggested that new EU countries should not enjoy full free movement rights until their economy is at a certain level . This is designed to prevent the overwhelming incentive for people to move from poor countries to richer ones. Home Secretary Theresa May, speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, said: ‘We can control far more of the immigration from outside the EU than inside it. ‘But this is an area where David Cameron and I have said we need to look to the future to talk about the rules, particularly for countries coming into the EU in the future, and putting some sort of brake on their access to full free movement. ‘For example, one idea we’ve suggested is they shouldn’t have full free movement rights until their GDP, their economy, is at a certain level compared to other economies within the EU.’ | Negotiations said to be underway over reform of free movement principle .
Idea is winning support in Germany and France .
Senior figures in newer EU states are also said to be open to reform .
Their countries have been 'hollowed out' by departure of educated workers .
Plan to be demand of David Cameron's plan to renegotiate EU membership .
Tory ministers 'prepared to use Britain’s veto' to prevent further expansion . |
0625984e432c014ef31f6e45f9f3eb01a37eb5c7 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:34 EST, 8 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:13 EST, 8 November 2012 . A microlight pilot killed minutes into his first solo flight had had no formal training, air accident investigators reported today. Adrian Paterson, 49, from Clackmannan, Scotland, died when his craft plunged to the ground, probably after stalling following a steep climb, the Department for Transport's air accident investigation branch (AAIB) has revealed. The investigation concluded the crash, in which he is believed to have plummeted up to 300ft in his Gernini Flash IIA, happened because Mr Paterson had attempted a solo flight without the required training. The scene: Adrian Paterson, 49, from Clackmannan, Scotland, died when his craft plunged to the ground, probably after stalling following a steep climb . The investigation concluded the crash happened because Mr Paterson had attempted a solo flight without the required training . Microlight pilots are required to hold a licence that takes a minimum of 25 flight hours to achieve. The crash, in a field in the Carse of Clackmannan near Kennet on April 12, happened after Mr Paterson took off, leaving two friends on the ground. One of them was an experienced microlight pilot, although not an instructor, who helped taxi the aircraft into position. The AAIB said Mr Paterson had bought the microlight last autumn, but the Civil Aviation Authority was not notified and it was deregistered in December. The 23-year-old aircraft was in good condition, despite not having been officially inspected for three years. The AAIB also found no record of Mr Paterson taking a formal flying training course and he did not have the required medical declaration for flying a microlight. The AAIB said: 'There was some anecdotal evidence that the owner had taken lessons, but the provider was not traced and it is not known how many lessons were undertaken or if the person delivering them was a| qualified instructor.' Mr Paterson was also not a member of a microlight club. The AAIB said he may have had 'only limited experience of flying as a passenger'. He had flown in another microlight before buying his own, but had not operated the controls. The AAIB report stated: 'Immediately after takeoff, the weight-shift microlight entered a steep climb. 'The nose then dropped (probably as a result of a stall) and the aircraft struck the ground in a steep nose-down attitude. 'It is probable that the owner did not vise the correct takeoff technique and allowed the wing to remain in a high angle of attack. 'The rapid nose drop probably occurred as the result of a stall, which may have been exacerbated by the reduction in power. 'The resulting nose-down attitude, with the possible subsequent addition of power so close to the ground, would have made recovery difficult.' The investigation also found no ballast on the rear seat, which is recommended by the aircraft manufacturer when the micro-light is flown solo. The report said a post-mortem examination found Mr Paterson died of multiple injuries, but there was no evidence of drugs, alcohol or natural disease. An ambulance spokesman said at the time of crash: 'Paramedics at the scene estimated that the microlight had come down from a height of between 200ft to 300ft.' | Adrian Paterson, 49, plunged 300ft to ground as he flew craft alone .
The Scot had no record of taking a formal flying training course .
But microlight pilots must have licence that takes 25 flight hours to achieve . |
0628f5382d6db2f174002f55db5b68c7638d9683 | By . Damien Gayle . Villagers in Cameroon are living in fear of Boko Haram militants who have been launching raids across the border from Nigera to snatch children, a report claims. Hundreds of troops have been dispatched to the country's north, which shares a long border with Borno, the Nigerian state at the heart of the group's Islamist insurgency. But despite the deployment of some of Cameroon's most-elite units, whole villages have been cleared out and schools torched by Boko Haram raids. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in a video he sent taunting the Nigerian government over the kidnapping of the girls from their boarding school dormitory in April . Villagers told Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford that Boko Haram fighters made daylight raids to snatch young boys to force them to take up arms as child soldiers. One boy described how he was confronted by militants while out working in the fields. After he refused their invitation to join them the situation became tense but he was able to run away. Cameroon shares a 1,243-mile border with Nigeria that is mostly unmanned. Nigeria has accused Cameroon of failing to stop Boko Haram using its territory as a safe haven. But Cameroon's Defence Ministry spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Badjeck, rejected the claim. 'They are not in Cameroon. Why would we allow that? This is bad for Cameroon,' he told Sky New. 'We are suffering too at the hands of Boko Haram.' Cameroonian army soldiers deploying in Dabanga, in the country's north, as part of a reinforcement of its military forces against Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, which has been making sorties over the border . Members of Cameroon's army elite Brigade d'Intervantion Rapide (Quick-Response Brigade) patrol the border town of Amchide as part of operations against Boko Haram, who locals say are snatching young boys . A Cameroon Air Force Alpha Jet parked following a surveillance flight over the northern border . A military pilot checking a map following a surveillance flight over the northern border . Founded in 2002, Boko Haram was a more or less a peaceful political group that sought the establishement of an Islamic government in Borno state, an area ruled by the Islamic Bornu Empire before colonisation. It turned to violence in the face of a Nigerian government crackdown in 2009 and, in April, soared to worldwide notoriety after kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, a town in Borno. Hundreds have been killed in attacks by the group this year alone. On Tuesday, at least 14 people were killed in the bomb attack in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, which struck football fans watching the World Cup. Witnesses said a tricycle taxi was driven into the outdoor area before the bomb went off. Cameroon shares a 1,243-mile border with Nigeria stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Chad and including Borno State, the region of Nigeria which is at the heart of the Boko Haram insurgency . Some of the victims killed by a bomb explosion targeting football fans watching the World Cup in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, lie in the morgue in the town's government hospital . Police said the death toll was 14, with 26 people wounded. One hospital worker told the BBC however that he had counted 21 bodies. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Boko Haram was suspected. Police assistant superintendent Nathan Cheghan said rescue workers were being careful for fear of secondary explosions, often timed to kill people who rush to the scene of a bomb blast. Last month an attack on a market place in the city of Jos, Plateau State, which used precisely that tactic to kill 118 in car-bomb blasts timed 30 minutes apart. Other recent attacks include the slaughter of at least 200 civilians in three remote communities in Borno on June 2, a bombing at a football field in Mubi, Adamawa state, which killed at least 40, and attacks on the Borno towns of Gamboru and Ngala, in which as many as 336 are thought to have been killed. | Cameroonian military rejects claims country is a safe haven to terrorists .
Nigeria and Cameroon share 1,243-mile border from the ocean to Lake Chad .
Elite battalions have been sent to Cameroon's north to fight Boko Haram . |
06295a278a50c12ab2fea2ba86aa4cd96d2e7613 | Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- Vote counting began here Monday after largely peaceful elections in which millions of voters stood in line to choose their next president in a tightly contested general election. The Elections Commission said some of the nation's 30,000 polling stations would remain open late to accommodate those still in line and to make up for having opened late. "Definitely, there is going to be some hiccups here and there, but I think, when you assess the whole, then we think the work, so far, is very good," said Abdullahi Sharawi, a commisssioner of Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. "I think all Kenya, it looks like they have faith in the system, in the new constitution." Though some people waited in the sun for more than eight hours to cast their ballots, there was "no reporting at all" of intimidation, said John Stremlau, the Carter Center vice president for peace programs. The center, at the invitation of Kenyan authorities, placed 60 observers in all 47 counties. In Nairobi, some lines stretched for more than a kilometer (0.6 miles), he said. But the observers' initial reports were "universally complimentary to the citizens of this nation in showing their determination to have their votes counted," Stremlau said. Those glitches that did occur appeared related to a new system of computer-based biometric identification of voters, he said. "Sometimes a couple of computers would get kind of out of whack and would slow the process down," he said. Residents were eager to avoid a repeat of the last election, in December 2007, when the nation plunged into ethnic violence after results were disputed. Some 1,200 people were killed and 600,000 displaced. "There have been so many steps and safeguards put into the system so far to prevent that kind of cataclysmic event that we're kind of encouraged that that is not going to happen," said Stremlau. Carter Center observers were not in the country during the 2007 vote. Hours before the polls opened, a group of heavily armed men attacked a police post in the port city of Mombasa, killing at least 10 people, including two police officers, officials said. David Kimaiyo, inspector general of Kenyan police, said a group of men approached police officers manning a post between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. and refused to comply with orders to stop. Police fired on the men, who fled into a nearby slum, he said. When police called for backup, about 200 men ambushed them on a road, Kimaiyo said. Prime Minister Raila Odinga blamed the attack on the Mombasa Republican Council, a separatist group that wants Mombasa, the second-largest city in Kenya, and its surrounding coastal area to secede. Stremlau said the violence may have been unrelated to the election. Party agents representing the two main coalitions contesting the elections will let observers and everyone else know if they have concerns about the violence being linked to the election, Stremlau said. "They can be adjudicated by the courts, as needed," he said. Elsewhere, ETV correspondent Soni Methu told CNN that her crew came across the bodies of five people at a polling station in the coastal town of Kilifi. Two of the bodies were wearing police uniforms; one had on a Kenya Wildlife Service uniform, Methu told CNN. In Mandera -- near the border with Somalia and Ethiopia -- witnesses said bombs exploded at two polling stations. Red Cross Mandera Coordinator Abdi Ahmed said three people were slightly wounded. And in the Kenyan town of Kitengela, south of Nairobi, at least 20 people were hospitalized after a stampede at a polling station, CNN affiliate NTV reported. But voting in the rest of the country was largely peaceful. "We want a leader who would be mindful of people who are living below the poverty line," one enthusiastic young man told CNN as he waited for his turn to vote. "You see, the majority of Kenyan people live below the poverty line, so we want a leader who will be mindful of these people." Read why this election is important . The stakes are high. After the 2007 election, the government boosted security and set up an ambitious new constitution, making this election one of the nation's most complicated polls since the country gained independence from Britain in 1963. Eight contenders are vying for the presidency, including front-runners Odinga, the prime minister; and his deputy, Uhuru Kenyatta. Read about the main players . Polls show a tight race, raising the possibility of a second round of voting. Kenya's constitution calls for a runoff within a month of the results if no candidate gets more than half of the vote. Reforms, changes . After the last election, the nation also revamped various political systems, including the constitution, the electoral process and the judicial system. The new system aims to empower citizens and local governments, thereby ensuring a peaceful election. "It is one thing to change the constitution, but we have to change our underlying issues of ethnic sentiments that have dated years," said Mark Kamau, who lives in the capital, Nairobi. After the last election, Odinga disputed results that declared the winner to have been the incumbent president, Mwai Kibaki. Odinga alleged the election had been rigged. Protesters took to the streets, where supporters of both camps fought one another. More than 1,200 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced -- the worst violence since the nation gained independence. Optimistic, but prepared . Leading up to this election, the candidates declared they would settle any election disputes in court. Candidates have implored their supporters to avoid bloodshed, no matter the vote's outcome. But some citizens remained wary. "I don't know what possessed people last time," Kamau said of the violence. "I hope there will be no violence. I'm waiting for Kenya to restore my faith this time." But as he waits, he is prepared. His refrigerator is stocked and his car is filled with fuel. "Just in case," he said. "You never know." 'My main issue' The economy, security and the fight against corruption, which is rampant in the country, are among voters' top concerns in the election. The election also poses a challenge: Kenyatta has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for allegedly inciting a local militia to conduct reprisal attacks in the last election. He has denied the charges. His running mate, William Ruto, also faces ICC charges. Though Kenyatta nevertheless enjoys widespread popularity, some voters expressed fear that the international community will isolate the nation if a candidate facing ICC charges is elected. Dominic Muia, 35, was in line at 5 a.m. to cast his ballot in the town of Nakuru. "My main issue is the economy," he said. "I'm voting for Uhuru (Kenyatta) because he is younger and has a better vision to move the country forward." At 51, Kenyatta would be the youngest Kenyan president ever. Odinga is 68. 'Things an average citizen worries about' Harrison Mario, 37, said his vote is based on issues and policies, and will go to Odinga. "Basically, he has been fighting inequality." he said. "He has been campaigning for the less fortunate. His manifesto focuses on security, education and food -- things an average citizen worries about." Both leaders are campaigning on almost the same policies, leaving the more than 14 million registered voters to choose based on criteria that include personality, ethnicity and links to political parties. "I don't know that much about their differences, so I'm voting for the candidate of my favorite political party," said Susan Kamau, who lives in Nairobi. "In short, I'm voting on loyalty to my party, not issues." In addition to the presidential race, the nation will also pick governors, senators and a slew of other local candidates under the new constitution. Dynasty . Whoever wins, the race evokes memories of a political dynasty. Kenyatta's father was the nation's founding president, while Odinga's father was his vice president in the 1960s. Both started out as allies in the fight for independence from Britain, but they had a falling out that led Jomo Kenyatta, a member of the Kikuyu tribe, to force out Jaramogi Odinga, a Luo tribe member, as his vice president. Their history has strained relations for decades between Kikuyus and Luos. Nima Elbagir and Lillian Leposo reported from Nairobi, Nic Robertson reported from Mombasa, Faith Karimi reported and wrote from Atlanta. | NEW: "The work, so far, is very good," says elections commissioner .
Monday's sporadic violence follows a Sunday night attack on a police post .
Voting, the first since a disastrous 2007 election, is peaceful in most of Kenya .
A candidate must win at least half of the vote to avoid a runoff . |
0629e52253bea372f63a5da007eca7f7c221c242 | Police have released video footage of the moment a teenager endangered the lives of a Florida law enforcement helicopter crew by shining a laser light at them. The clip shows a green laser blinding Alert 2, a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, for several seconds. The teen was then filmed by the helicopter walking around the swimming pool of a residence in Longwood and dashing to the front of the property as the helicopter hovers close by. Police said the flight crew reported a green laser light flashing through their cockpit on Saturday as they flew at around 800 feet. Patrol: Footage shows the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office helicopter flying at around 800 feet . Danger: Then a laser light, circled, flashes several times through the cockpit . Bright: The laser shines several times right into the helicopter's camera . The crew then homed in on the person responsible using Forward Looking Infrared. They directed deputies on the ground to the residence of suspect Trevor Ragno, 19, and he was arrested outside it. A police statement said: ‘Shining a light into an aircraft creates a glare on the windscreen and generates a temporary flash of blindness, similar to a camera flash. Tracked: The police helicopter found the suspect standing by an indoor swimming pool at a house in Longwood . On the run: The suspect, Trevor Ragno, then dashed round the side and out to the front of the residence . ‘It is highly dangerous for pilots and flight crew who can experience blurred vision or become disoriented. ‘At the time of Saturday night’s laser strikes, Alert 2 was flying at approximately 800 feet. The FBI Task Force and FAA were also notified of the incident.’ It added: ‘Ragno was transported to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility and charged with a felony for pointing a laser light at a pilot and culpable negligence. ‘He posted the $1,100 bond Sunday morning and was released from the facility.’ | Clip shows a laser blinding a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office helicopter .
Footage shows a green light hitting the aircraft at 800 feet up .
The crew found the person suspected of shining the light using infrared . |
062a23166f2c39f8d339ea52d46bb4ca48c67e80 | A Russian tourist has been hospitalised with severe lacerations to his leg, after being hit by a speedboat while swimming in Phuket. Sergey Kuzennyy, 55, was swimming outside of a dedicated swimming zone when he was struck by the blades of a parasailing speedboat's propeller on Wednesday, said Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut. Mr Kuzennyy suffered five deep lacerations to his left leg and remains in Mission Hospital in Bangkok. Sergey Kuzennyy, 55, was hit by a parasailing speedboat's propeller near Kata Noi in Phuket . Speaking on behalf of Mr Kuzennyy, Maria Lukashevich said: 'I was contacted by Mr Kuzennyy and his wife to help them translate, but I was not there when the accident occurred' 'Mr Kuzennyy said that he was swimming at about 5pm on Wednesday at Kata Noi and that he had no idea that he was in an area that swimming was not allowed. 'I would personally like to ask Phuket officials to take action and prevent any further accidents. Incidents like this might prevent tourists from coming here.' The incident coincides with new rules for jet-ski and parasailing operators being rubber stamped by Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong. The Russian tourist was hit five times by the propeller and was taken to Mission Hospital in Bangkok . Kata Noi beach in Phuket Thailand where My Kuzennyy was stuck is a popular spot with holidaymakers . However, the plans, which were pushed through last week, create clearly designated swim zones and jet-ski/boating zones only in Patong, although there are plans to roll the rules out to other areas of Phuket too. 'The new rules will first be enforced in Patong. We will later introduce them at Kata-Karon and other beaches in Phuket,' Governor Nisit said. Marine Office staff concluded that Mr Kuzennyy was swimming in a speedboat zone but Mr Phuripat said that he would look at what safety measures could be taken in addition to those that were implemented earlier this month. Incident coincides with new rules for jet-ski and parasailing operators being rubber stamped in Phuket . Marine Office staff concluded that Mr Kuzennyy was swimming in a speedboat zone . Included in the new set of rules to eventually be applied at all provincial beaches is that boats and jet-skis not approaching or departing from the beach must be operated 300m from shore. Mr Phuripat did not elaborate on whether or not Mr Kuzennyy was swimming beyond the swim zone, or if he was swimming in a beach-approach zone. The victim and speedboat owner are planning to settle compensation outside of the legal system and nobody is pressing charges, Lt Col Ason Jiraksa of the Karon Police told the Phuket Gazette. The safest place for swimmers to enjoy themselves is on sections of beach marked with red-yellow flags said Kata-Karon chief lifeguard Uten Singsom following the accident. More than three million people visit Phuket every year and it is the largest island in Thailand . In the past decade, tourism has become the biggest earner for the area with more than three million people visiting every year. Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. At 540 square kilometres, it's about the same size as Singapore. Just over an hour by jet from Bangkok or Singapore, and with daily connections to most major Asian airports, Phuket replies on holidaymakers and has seen a swell in the number of jet-skis and speedboats being used off the island as a result. | Sergey Kuzennyy, 55, was outside of swimming zone when hit by blades .
Russian suffered five deep lacerations to his leg and was taken to hospital .
A week earlier Phuket governor rubber stamped new jet ski guidelines . |
062a332e78a407802aaff4bd846720c9b661c771 | (CNN) -- What is jazz? This is an impossible question, and one with many answers. Having spent more than a decade as a jazz artist, I've garnered some insights. As a youngster growing up in New Orleans, surrounded by the city's sounds and rhythms, I was influenced by a wide variety of music: brass bands, blues, ragtime, R&B, soul, rock 'n' roll, Dixieland and more. I played the percussion in my family's band, switching to piano at age 11. Since then, music has been a part of my everyday life. I've had the good fortune to play with inspiring artists across many genres -- Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Busta Rhymes among them. What's given me the foundation to be able to join such varied musicians is my jazz training. Jazz is subtle, emotional and accommodating. It is intellectual and sometimes even scientific. Most genres of music are not nearly as multidimensional, which in part is why the art form has such a small audience. In stark comparison to pop music, contemporary jazz seems too circuitous for most listeners to enjoy casually. The challenge for the contemporary jazz musician, as I see it, is making this subtle and complex art palatable to the greater public. Jazz is complex. Some of the greatest musical minds of all-time were jazz artists. They were able to master their instruments, redefine music theory and repeatedly innovate the already formidable body of work present before them. Many of them did so while navigating through the tumultuous social climate from which the music was birthed. John Blake: Dave Brubeck, ambassador to a new America . As a performer, part of my job is to take the audience on a musical journey to somewhere they've never been. The Stay Human movement I've started is about experiencing music -- not about it being on a stage and untouchable, but something that you viscerally experience on the subways and streets. Stay Human has grown to be more than a band, and has become a local movement that is expanding and shifting the way people experience jazz. We're trying to harness all of the musical elements that I grew up absorbing in New Orleans, and couple them with contemporary mainstream sounds. I want people to feel and hear jazz as they never thought it could be played. In the midst of the "plug in/tune out" nature of modern day society, we believe that the human interaction of a live musical performance can uplift humanity. Stay Human can happen anywhere. Not only in a music hall or official venue, but on streets and subways or among unsuspecting (and often pleased) patrons at a restaurant. We refer to these moments as a #loveriot and anyone can join. Keeping the Jazz Fest alive . At the core of the experience is the band, a group of my friends who are all world-class, Juilliard-trained musicians in their 20s. The music is central to the experience, but it isn't just about the music. Ultimately, it's about people from all walks of life coming together to share an authentic and transformative moment through the power of music. Maya Angelou once said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Jazz is a tradition. The way jazz musicians walk, talk and greet each other, and the way they play is very distinct. To be a jazz artist is to be a part of a lineage. To play jazz is to contribute to world history. To be a part of this tradition means that you are challenged to transform other people with the sound of your instrument. You are challenged to swing. You are challenged to contribute to the body of work established by some of the greatest artistic minds of all time, work that includes these treasures: . • A performance of "Fine and Mellow" by Billie Holiday, Lester Young and others from a CBS television broadcast in New York on December 8, 1957. It is generally considered one of the greatest moments for jazz ever broadcast on live television. • "It Don't Mean A Thing" by Duke Ellington features catchy vocals, hard swing, jazz violin and awesome horn section parts that epitomize what the jazz tradition is all about. • "Every Time We Say Goodbye" Ray Charles and Betty Carter from their album together. Exquisite! • "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" from the album by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. It is a supreme example of the blues with utmost sophistication and feeling. The way Duke accompanies Satchmo is masterful, and the personality of the two of them signifies what jazz is all about. Gene Seymour: Brubeck, jazz master with a big heart . As an artist, it is exciting to explore the sound of your identity. Jazz music teaches you about who you are by exploring the humanity of others. It accommodates who you are. The inimitable genius Charlie Parker stated it best when he said, "Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." Jazz is an experience. Jazz is wonderful because it's all about the moment, and I firmly believe in creating unforgettable experiences. With the Stay Human band, it's never only about the stage. What we love is taking the music to the people in the streets -- jumping off stage into the audience, performing in moving vehicles, New York subways, streets and, yes, unsuspecting restaurants. For me, jazz is all about transformation in the moment. It is the most immediate form of musical expression in existence, and the language that we use to state our deepest, truest feelings. It is the American art form that is globally owned. What is jazz? Jazz is now! The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jonathan Batiste. | Jonathan Batiste: Jazz is the musical language used to state our deepest, truest feelings .
Batiste says it's complex and traditional but also contemporary .
Performers aim to take listeners on a journey to someplace new and different, he says . |
062d002236cc6c2cedd512964136d1d294ba54c5 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 09:48 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:54 EST, 4 November 2013 . What started off as an innocent student tradition where upperclassmen men would present freshman women with a red rose and peck on the cheek at midnight has turned into something more debauched and, in some ways, dangerous. Full Moon on the Quad is a Stanford University tradition started in the late 1800s that went out of style for many years before being resurrected in the 1980s with the addition of binge drinking. On the first full moon on the school year, students get drunk and many dress up in costume or body paint to lock lips with as many people from midnight to 1am. This year it was held on October 22 instead of the full moon because of a conflict with homecoming. Welcome to college: On the first full moon of the school year, students at Stanford University participate in a 120-year-old tradition where freshman make out with upperclassmen on the quad . 'If you are single and want to make out with people, you just go up and kiss them,' senior Molly Vorwerck told ABC News. 'Usually they are people you know or know of - rarely a stranger. A lot of people are pretty tipsy and have a really good time.' Modern additions to this 'orgy of interclass kissing' (as it's been described in the New York Times) include a same-sex area and a bingo game where different kinds of students make up the different boxes: a pair of twins, a red head, someone who got a 2,400 on the SAT. The goal of the game is to get five in a row or all of the boxes for a blackout. The middle box is always the Stanford mascot - the Tree. This year's mascot, Calvin Studebaker, estimated that he kissed 566 people - a new record. 'Never kiss the Tree,' alumna Amanda Ach warned in the Times. 'He's like Patient Zero.' The number one issue for administrators is that the tradition occurs during flu season and that the mass exchange of saliva could spark an outbreak. Every year they attempt to educate the students on proper safety measures to ward off the cold or something worse like meningitis. 'We tell them, "Don't floss beforehand, don't brush, don't do anything that could create microabrasions in your gums for germs to get in."' said Michelle Lee Mederos, an educator who graduated in 2011. 'And we have tables where we offer mints and little Dixie cups of mouthwash.' Modern spin: Full Moon on the Quad has become much more debauched since being revamped in the late 1980s. This year's event happened on October 22 due to a conflict with homecoming. Students kissed outside the school's old student union building, right . But for Dr William Schaffner, professor and chair of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University, the real problem is not the spread of disease. 'The . emphasis on permission and mutual consent is absolutely critical. The . actual health hazard is probably very, very small and would be difficult . to measure,' Dr Schaffner said. 'Certainly if we have impaired males, who tend to get more aggressive, and females tend to get more submissive or accommodating, that's where the issues come up with the drinking and morning after regrets. ' The school has only cancelled the event once - in 2009 when many East Coast schools were dealing with an outbreak of swine flu. The tradition continued on an unofficial basis. Francisca Gilmore was a freshman that year and attended the event. She says she's gotten strep throat twice from participating. 'The repercussions were brutal, and I wish I had done better on the Econ 1A final I took later. But I think in the long run, getting to tell people I've kissed over 50-plus people in a night is worth it,' she said. | Full Moon on the Quad started in the late 1800s when upperclassmen men would present freshman women with a red rose and peck on the cheek .
The tradition went out of style but was resurrected in the 1980s reflecting modern sexual mores .
Today's tradition occurs on the first full moon of every school year when students gather to drunkenly make-out with each other for an hour .
The school sanctions the event to control it and try to prevent the spread of disease . |
062efdb1e1637442ba9555d52cccf9054e3f3909 | Ed Miliband needs to get real about trying to cut the deficit by hiking tax on the rich, a Blairite former Cabinet minister has claimed. Alan Milburn said bringing back the 50p tax rate would be ‘absolutely incidental to the state of the public finances’. The former health secretary said it was important not to ‘kid ourselves’ about the scale of the deficit and what was needed to balance the budget. Former Cabinet minister Alan Milburn said Labour needed more 'realism' over the state of the public finances . Mr Milburn’s remarks emerge after Labour called a Commons debate on the reintroduction of Gordon Brown’s 50p tax rate on salaries over £150,000. The coalition scrapped the rate in 2012 – bringing the top rate of income tax down to 45 per cent. Chancellor George Osborne claimed the higher rate ‘raised just a third of the £3billion that we were told it would raise’. But the Shadow chancellor Ed Balls announced in January that Labour would restore the 50p rate if the party wins power next year. Mr Balls has insisted the hike would be temporary and used to plug the country’s budget deficit. But Mr Miliburn said Labour’s spending plans were ‘big bunts’ which could not be paid for by simply raising taxes on the wealthy. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has pledged to reintroduce the 50p top rate of tax on those earning more than £150,000 . Mr Milburn - pictured with Mr Balls - was Labour's election co-ordinator in the 2005 general election, won by Tony Blair . Speaking at a Progress event at Labour conference Mr Milburn was asked if it was the job of left-wing parties to redistribute wealth. He said: ‘I gather that we are going to do that through a 50p tax rate which I mean, whether or not I agree with it, will be absolutely incidental, by the way, to the state of the public finances. Incidental, so let’s not kid ourselves. ‘This is big bunts if you're talking about a Scandinavian style early years system which is what people want, if you're talking about the best performing schools in the world, which people want, if you're talking about protecting pensioners, investing in infrastructure, doing all those things, even in the height of the good times not all of that was possible. ‘In the bad times it's certainly not going to be possible. ‘So all I’m saying to you as fellow party members is that we need a note of realism and we need a note of edge as we go into the next General Election.’ Labour's shadow Treasury minister Chris Leslie said the 50p tax rate was necessary to balance the books fairly . Treasury minister David Gauke claimed the remarks by one of Labour’s 'big beasts' showed Labour did not have 'a credible economic plan'. He said: 'They bust the economy and left us with the highest deficit since the war - everyone knows they would do it again. Ed Miliband just isn’t up the job.' The Institute of Fiscal Studies has said the ‘raising the top rate of tax would raise little revenue and make, at best, a marginal contribution to reducing the budget deficit an incoming government would face after the next election’. Labour peer Digby Jones has also attacked the policy as ‘lousy economics’. But Labour has insisted the tax crucial to its 'fair plan to balance the books'. Chris Leslie, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: “While millions of working people have seen their taxes go up, millionaires have been given a huge tax cut by David Cameron’s government. “The top one per cent of earners have been given a £3 billion a year tax cut – worth an average of £100,000 for those earning over £1 million. “But at the same time families will be on average almost £1,000 a year worse off by next year as a result of tax and benefit changes since 2010. “How can a tax cut for millionaires be the right priority when working people are still not feeling the recovery and the deficit remains high? “Now the Tories want to cut tax credits again for millions of working families while keeping their huge tax cut for top one per cent of earners. As we’ve seen time and time again, the Tories always stand up for a privileged few rather than hard working people. “We know their real economic plan is to cut taxes at the top and hope that wealth will just trickle down. That’s why David Cameron and George Osborne still won’t rule out cutting the top rate of tax again for earnings over £150,000 from 45p to 40p. “Working people who are worse off under David Cameron can’t afford more of this same old failed Tory economics. “As part of our plan to balance the books in the next Parliament in a fairer way Labour will reverse the Tory tax cut for millionaires and introduce a lower 10p starting rate of tax for 24 million working people.” | Ex health secretary said it was important not to 'kid ourselves' over 50p tax .
He said the tax would be 'absolutely incidental to state of public finances'
Labour holding a debate on the reintroduction of tax rate in Commons today . |
0633b1c55f0613ccb7ddf5de8169f459d88e0fba | He’s proved that electric cars can be sexy and has designed his own spacecraft. Now Elon Musk is setting his sights on satellites and wants to use them to connect remote parts of the world to the internet - an aim shared by other tech companies. The billionaire entrepreneur is reportedly exploring ways to create small and cheap satellites. High flier: Elon Musk (pictured) is setting his sights on satellites and wants to use them to get remote parts of the world online. The billionaire entrepreneur is reportedly exploring ways to create small and cheap satellites in a project that would pit him against Google and Facebook . He is working with Greg Wyler, a satellite expert and former Google employee who was involved until recently with developing Google's bid to get less developed parts of the world online, The Wall Street Journal reported. The race is on to connect the two-thirds of the planet without internet access, with Google and Facebook both announcing grand plans to roll out access using satellites, drones and even giant balloons. Mr Wyler founded WorldVu Satellites, based in the Channel Islands, which controls a large block of radio spectrum and is said to talking to industry executives – along with Mr Musk – about plans to launch around 700 satellites, each weighing just 250lbs (113kg). The satellites would be half the weight of the smallest kind used at the moment and the constellation would be 10 times the size of the largest commercial fleet. The duo may build a factory to make the satellites, either in Florida or Colorado. Two-thirds of the world still remain without internet access. Google is planning to change this by launching a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online and now Elon Musk and an ex-Google employee plan to launch around 700 satellites in an even larger project . Elon musk wants to use satellites to provide internet access to remote parts of the planet. He said to be involved in developing cheap and small satellites with expert Greg Wyler, of WorldVu Satellites. The duo plan on launching 700 satellites which would be 10 times the size of the largest commercial fleet. They would each weigh just 250lbs (113kg) - half the weight of the current lightest commercial offering. The duo is considering opening a factory in Florida or Colorado to build their creations for a cost of at least $1 billion (£600 million). Any satellites produced would likely be launched by Mr Musk’s firm Space X but there are many obstacles in the way. Any satellites produced would likely be launched by Mr Musk’s firm Space X, which has 48 launches planned by 2018. Last month, the company won a $2.6 billion (1.6 billion) contract to develop, test and fly ‘space taxis’ for Nasa in order to put US astronauts into orbit. However, there are many obstacles that need to be overcome before the satellites are deemed a success. They are predicted to cost $1 billion (£600 million) to develop and may be able to be launched until the end of the decade, depending on Space X’s schedule. Mr Musk’s involvement in the long-term is not certain and WorldVu risks losing its spectrum in 2030 too. The company currently controls a block of radio spectrum in the Ku band, communicating in the microwave range of between 12 and 18 GHz. In June, it was announced that Google is planning on launching a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online. According to sources close to the company, it plans on spending more than $1 billion (£600 million) on the technology. Mr Wyler was working at Google on the final design of the satellites, which are thought to be small, high-capacity and intended to orbit the Earth at 'lower altitudes than traditional satellites'. Before Mr Wyler left Google, there were reportedly plans to make small, high-capacity satellites designed to orbit the Earth at 'lower altitudes than traditional satellites'. There is also a project in the world to launch giant balloons to connect remote regions to the internet . Google: The internet giant is said to be planning the launch of a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online. The project was led by Mr Wyler. Google is tipped to spend $1 billion (£600 million) on the technology and is also planning on using balloons and drones. Google's Project Loon aims to launch high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote locations below. The helium-filled balloons are designed to inflate to 49ft (15 metres) in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed internet to remote regions. In April, the company also acquired Titan Aerospace, which is building solar-powered drones to provide similar connectivity. Facebook: Mark Zuckerburg revealed solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries. Small satellite manufacturers: Sierra Nevada and Britain’s Surrey Satellite Technology are both adept at making increasingly cheap small satellites and have a good track record. He only stayed for around one year before leaving to work with Mr Musk. Sources close to him told The WSJ that Mr Wyler’s relationship with Google broke down because he doesn't think Google has the manufacturing experience needed for such a commitment. Google did not comment. If the ambitious project goes ahead, Mr Musk and Mr Wyler will be competing with established firms such as Sierra Nevada and Britain’s Surrey Satellite Technology. They will also be going head-to-head with Google and Facebook too. Google's Project Loon aims to launch high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote locations below. The helium-filled balloons are designed to inflate to 49ft (15 metres) in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed internet to remote regions. It's hoped that it could save developing countries the high cost of laying fibre cables to get online and lead to a dramatic increase in internet access for the likes of Africa and south-east Asia. In April, the company also acquired Titan Aerospace, which is building solar-powered drones to provide similar connectivity. Facebook, meanwhile, has its own drone plans. In March, Mark Zuckerberg revealed solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries. In April, Google acquired Titan Aerospace and is building solar-powered drones to provide connectivity. Facebook has its own drone plans. Mark Zuckerberg said solar-powered drones, satellites and lasers are all being developed in the firm's labs to deliver the internet to underdeveloped countries . He has pledged to work on technology to deliver the internet to 'the next 3 billion people' - and revealed the firm has hired experts in solar power that can keep drones flying for months at a time. The Institution of Engineering and Technology's president, Professor William Webb, said: 'The idea of using aerial platforms to deliver connectivity is one that is many decades old, from low-orbital satellites to balloons and more recently unmanned aerial vehicles.' 'The difficulty has always been one of keeping the aerial platform in the right place in the sky for weeks or months at a low enough cost. As technologies mature we get ever closer to achieving this and Facebook's intervention in this space is a welcome boost to the area.' Companies such as Facebook and Google have a checkered . history with privacy, and many have voiced concerns about how the site could . use drones to collect data about people. In theory, the drones could be . used to take aerial images, or collect details about wireless networks and . individuals. As Facebook and Google's drones will be . used to provide internet to people home's, there will need to be a limited . amount of data collection to connect the homes to the network. With this in mind, they are . likely to be subject to strict regulation. In the U.S, for example, the . Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) guidelines state private operators are . allowed to fly their drones ‘recreationally’ and commercial drones are . 'prohibited.' However, earlier this year Judge Patrick Geraghty, from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dismissed a fine, which the FAA had placed on a drone photographer. Geraghty said Raphael Pirker’s . camera drone was ‘not subject to [federal regulation] and enforcement,’ and . therefore the fine wasn't valid. It is unsure exactly what this . ruling will mean for companies such as Amazon, and now Facebook, but it could . see the restrictions relaxed. The FAA is appealing. Facebook and Google are also . planning to use these drones in areas outside the U.S., and it will depend on . the individual country's laws on unmanned aircraft and surveillance. Mr Musk and Mr Wyler both want to cut the cost of the technology, not least because WorldVu needs a lot of satellites. Mr Musk has an enviable track record of reducing the cost of space travel by simplifying the design of rockets and building components in-house and it is hoped he will help to develop satellites that cost under $1 million (£629,008), instead of several million as they do at the moment. | Tesla entrepreneur is said to be working with a satellite expert to develop cheaper and lighter technology with plans to launch a constellation of 700 .
Satellites would be half the weight of the smallest kind used at the moment .
Plans to provide internet access to two thirds of the world without the web .
Ambition puts him in competition with Google and Facebook . |
0633cbbf5b56debebad5a831f424052f549774ef | By . Eddie Wrenn . A 100 kilometre-wide crater has been found in Greenland, the . result of a massive asteroid impact a billion years before any other . known collision on Earth. The previously oldest known crater on Earth formed two billion years ago . and the chances of finding an even older impact were thought to be . astronomically low. Now, a team of scientists from the Geological Survey of . Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) in Copenhagen, Cardiff University in Wales, Lund . University in Sweden and the Institute of Planetary Science in Moscow has upset . these odds. Explosive: This simulated image shows how the impact would have looked - it would have wiped out all forms of higher life if it happened later in Earth's history . Hidden in the runes: Evidence came in the form of broken-up, contorted, melted and hydrothermally altered rocks affected by the impact and influx of sea-water during the impact . The spectacular craters on the Moon formed from impacts with . asteroids and comets betweenthree3 and four billion years ago. The early Earth, with . its far greater gravitational mass, must have experienced even more collisions . at this time - but the evidence has been eroded away or covered by younger . rocks. Following a detailed programme of fieldwork, funded by GEUS and the . Danish ‘Carlsbergfondet’ (Carlsberg Foundation), the team have discovered the . remains of a giant three billion-year-old impact near the Maniitsoq region of West . Greenland. 'This single discovery means that we can study the . effects of cratering on the Earth nearly a billion years further back in time . than was possible before,” according to Dr Iain McDonald of Cardiff . University’s School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, who was part of the team. It is possible or even likely that the meteorite hit the sea, for the . preserved rocks have been intensely altered by circulating hot aqueus . fluids. These fluids were likely derived from sea water that would have . been able to penetrate deep into the Earth's crust through the numerous . fissures and crush zones generated by the impact. Boris A. Ivanov at the Institute of Planetary Science, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, has carried out a series of provisional model calculations, which suggest that the impacting meteorite at Maniitsoq may have had a diameter of more than 30 km, i.e., about twice the size of the Vredefort meteorite and with a mass about ten times larger. If this meteorite had hit the Moon, the final crater structure would have had a diameter well above 1000km and easily visible from Earth. However, due to the much stronger gravity of our planet, the Maniitsoq structure may have had a diameter of 'only' some 500-600km . Clues: Finnefjeld mountain, which is around 1050m high, is believed to be the crushed core of the structure . The dull grey rocks were crushed to fine powder by the impact, and then cut by white melt sheets . Making an impact: The asteroid is believed to have hit close to where the town of Maniitsoq in Greenland . If an impact of this size hit the Earth today, it would not only be . able to pulverise a medium-sized national state but its global effects . would also kill all higher life. Then, three billion years ago, there was not . much life to extinguish, but as yet no depositional rocks of matching . age have yet been identified that could enlighten the effects of the . Maniitsoq impact such as extreme tsunamis, deposition of re-condensated . atmospheric glass particles from the evaporated meteorite or other signs . of global atmospheric and marine effects. Finding the evidence was made all the harder because there . is no obvious bowl-shaped crater left to find. Over the three billion years since . the impact, the land has been eroded down to expose deeper crust 25km below . the original surface. All external parts of the impact structure have been . removed, but the effects of the intense impact shock wave penetrated deep into . the crust - far deeper than at any other known crater - and these remain . visible. However, because the effects of impact at these depths have . never been observed before it has taken nearly three years of painstaking work . to assemble all the key evidence. If you look at the Moon on a clear night through a pair of ordinary, . hand-held binoculars, you'll see a multitude of meteorite craters. Some are larger than 1000 km in diameter and readily visible with the naked eye. Through the first 500 million years of Solar System history, both the . Moon and the Earth were constantly bombarded with a multitude of small . and large meteorites and comets. Some scientists even think that life was brought to the Earth by comets. The Moon has preserved the remains of thousands of impacts, but on . Earth only about 180 such impact structures are known, and most of them . are very small, young and repidly decaying. Contrary to the Moon, the Earth is a dynamic planet with plate . tectonics, mountain belts and erosion, which means that most impact . structures are eroded away, destroyed by mountain building processes or . buried by younger deposits over geological time. Until recently, the 2.02 billion years old and 300 km wide Vredefort . crater in South Africa was considered to be both the oldest and largest . impact structure on Earth. It is estimated that the impacting meteorite had a diameter of about . 15 km. During the development of the final crater structure, a . kilometre-thick layer of sedimentary rocks containing the World's . largest gold deposits collapsed into the cavity excavated by the . meteorite and in this way became protected from erosion and preserved . until today. Also the second largest impact structure on Earth, the 1.85 billion . years old Sudbury crater in Canada, hosts world-class mineral deposits - . in this case nickel-rich minerals that were melted and concentrated by . the extreme heating caused by the impact. 'The process was rather like a Sherlock . Holmes story,' said Dr McDonald. 'We eliminated the impossible in . terms of any conventional terrestrial processes, and were left with a giant . impact as the only explanation for all of the facts.' Only around 180 impact craters have ever been discovered on . Earth and around 30 per cent of them contain important natural resources of minerals or . oil and gas. The largest and oldest known crater prior to this study, the 300 . kilometre wide Vredefort crater in South Africa, is 2 billion years in age and . heavily eroded. Dr McDonald added that 'It has taken us nearly three . years to convince our peers in the scientific community of this but the mining . industry was far more receptive. A Canadian exploration company has been using . the impact model to explore for deposits of nickel and platinum metals at . Maniitsoq since the autumn of 2011.' The international team was led by Adam A. Garde, senior . research scientist at GEUS. The first scientific paper documenting the . discovery has just been published in the journal ‘Earth and Planetary Science . Letters’. | 100km (62mile) wide crater discovered in Greenland - and it is possible crater is more than 500km in size .
The research was supported by the Carlsberg Foundation. |
0633df8d2fc4439802485e3be908da41f8dd8022 | It is the scourge of schoolchildren up and down the country. Classes can often be heard letting out a collective groan when the teacher mentions homework, ruining plans for a night watching films or playing out with friends. However, this will not be a concern for pupils attending a pioneering new secondary school in Norfolk - because it has decided to ban all homework. Good news: Homework will not be a concern for pupils attending a pioneering new secondary school in Norfolk - because it has decided to ban it. This picture is posed by models . Instead, the 1100 children who will attend the Jane Austen Academy in Norwich will do longer days at school. The mixed free school for 11-18-year-olds - which will specialise in English and the humanities - is set to open in September 2014. The school yesterday unveiled its prospective principal, Claire Heald, who said that city children would do extra study at school as part of the extended day, which could last until about 5pm. She said: 'Rather than setting homework that pupils could go home and struggle with at home, and where there may be limited access to computers, they will do that as independent study in the day. 'We are saying that when they go home they should enjoy quality family time. 'There will not be any traditional homework - and that has been really well received by parents who respect the fact that family time will be family time.' New approach: The 1100 students who will attend the Jane Austen Academy will do longer days at school. The school's prospective principal, Claire Heald, is pictured . But Ms Heald said the school would still expect youngsters to study at home ahead of crucial exams. She's ready to create a new dramatic template in the UK after French president Francois Hollande called for the end of homework in primary schools last October. The French leader insisted independent learning at school would enhance equality because kids who get help with homework from parents have a huge head start. Since their introduction by the Coalition, dozens of free schools have opened - with many others in the pipeline. But they have proved controversial, with many providing alternative methods of teaching and education. At the Tiger Primary School in Maidstone, pupils have all-singing and all-dancing curriculum. Pupils have specialist teachers for Mandarin, music, gym, dance and games lessons. They also have access to a school farm and ecology woodland. Pupils at the Greenwich Free School in London spend a third more time learning than most school children. The school day lasts from 8am to 5.30pm. There are only 100 pupils in each year, which the school says means teachers get to know each pupil as an individual. The exciting initiative has already sparked keen interest from other headteachers in Norfolk. Peter Devonish, headteacher of Neatherd High School in Dereham, said: 'My initial thought is that it's really compelling. 'It sounds like a really good idea. 'Having the children on site a bit longer to consolidate their learning is a really good idea. 'The children can finish work and they can have their time with the family.' But he warned: 'I have got two stumbling blocks. 'One is our rurality and getting children home at that time, and the other is changing staff contracts so they can be here until 5.30pm. 'If you are a free school you do not have to conform in the same way.' Mr Devonish said they set pupils project-based homework, such as looking at an energy efficient house, which allowed them to combine independent study with working with their parents. Craig Morrison, principal of King's Lynn Academy, agreed that the whole prickly issue of homework should be looked at. Mr Morrison said: 'I can understand why people want to experiment with this because it is one I would not say anybody can say they have got definitively right over the years. 'And if they are starting a new school then it gives them the chance to try out new things.' He added: 'A large problem with homework, which we have tackled, has been that not enough is done with it. 'With homework, a lot of effort can go into it, so it's about celebrating what children do rather than processing it in terms of marking it and handing it back.' | Pupils at the Jane Austen Academy in Norwich will do longer days at school .
When pupils go home they 'should enjoy quality family time' says head . |
0633ec78f001601b76ad45e9c78c30593d16d423 | CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama said "a very affectionate thanks" to the people of Illinois in a letter published Sunday in the Chicago Sun-Times and other newspapers across his home state. Obama announced on Thursday that his resignation from the U.S. Senate is official as of Sunday. "Today, I am ending one journey to begin another," Obama's letter said. "After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate -- one of the highest honors and privileges of my life -- I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation's next president." Obama wrote about moving to Illinois two decades ago "as a young man eager to do my part in building a better America." "On the South Side of Chicago, I worked with families who had lost jobs and lost hope when the local steel plant closed. It wasn't easy, but we slowly rebuilt those neighborhoods one block at a time, and in the process I received the best education I ever had," he wrote. Obama followed his years as a community organizer and lawyer with a successful bid for the Illinois state Senate. "It was in Springfield, in the heartland of America, where I saw all that is America converge -- farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. It was there that I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised, and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst," his letter said. His letter recalled people he met in his travels around the state during his run for the U.S. Senate four years ago. "I still remember the young woman in East St. Louis who had the grades, the drive and the will but not the money to go to college. I remember the young men and women I met at VFW halls across the state who serve our nation bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I will never forget the workers in Galesburg who faced the closing of a plant they had given their lives to, who wondered how they would provide health care to their sick children with no job and little savings," he wrote. Obama said his memories of the people of Illinois "will stay with me when I go to the White House in January." "The challenges we face as a nation are now more numerous and difficult than when I first arrived in Chicago, but I have no doubt that we can meet them. For throughout my years in Illinois, I have heard hope as often as I have heard heartache. Where I have seen struggle, I have seen great strength. And in a state as broad and diverse in background and belief as any in our nation, I have found a spirit of unity and purpose that can steer us through the most troubled waters," he wrote. Obama then quoted Abraham Lincoln -- "another son of Illinois" who left for Washington. "To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything," he quoted Lincoln as writing about Illinois. "Today, I feel the same, and like Lincoln, I ask for your support, your prayers, and for us to 'confidently hope that all will yet be well,'" Obama wrote. His letter concluded: . "With your help, along with the service and sacrifice of Americans across the nation who are hungry for change and ready to bring it about, I have faith that all will in fact be well. And it is with that faith, and the high hopes I have for the enduring power of the American idea, that I offer the people of my beloved home a very affectionate thanks." Obama's Senate office will close sometime within two months. His Senate staff will spend that time coordinating with his replacement, advising constituents with open requests, and archiving documents for Obama's presidential library. Several Illinois Democrats, including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, a former congressional candidate who now serves in Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration, have been mentioned as possible Senate replacements for Obama. Blagojevich, a Democrat who will appoint Obama's successor, announced last week that he was assembling a panel to look over likely candidates. Obama's replacement would be up for re-election in 2010. Vice president-elect Joe Biden, who was also re-elected in Delaware to his Senate seat on November 4, told an interviewer several weeks ago that he would resign when he's sworn in as vice president in January. | President-elect Barack Obama thanks Illinois residents as he resigns from Senate .
In letter, Obama recalled moving to Illinois, people he met during his U.S. Senate run .
Jesse Jackson Jr., Tammy Duckworth among names mentioned to fill vacant seat . |
06352019a19ae31e527f37f7571c6dd7f0c5da37 | By . Joe Bernstein . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was drenched in champagne after ending his nine-year trophy drought with the greatest FA Cup final comeback since 1966 to beat Hull City 3-2. And after the celebrations were over, the Frenchman ended speculation about his future by signalling he would sign a new contract to extend his 18-year reign at the club. ‘This should normally happen — and we are in very normal circumstances,’ he smiled as he toasted his record-equalling fifth FA Cup triumph. ‘It was never a question of leaving, only doing what is right for this club.’ Going nowhere: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he will be staying on as manager . Shower time: Lukas Podolski of pours beer over Wenger after their FA Cup win . Wenger, . cruelly dubbed a ‘specialist in failure’ by Jose Mourinho earlier this . season, watched first in horror and then ecstasy as his team fell 2-0 . down but hit back to win with an extra-time strike by Aaron Ramsey. It . was the manager’s 512th game since his last trophy in 2005 and England . manager Roy Hodgson will hope the comeback is an omen. The last time a . similar FA Cup final recovery occurred, when Everton beat Sheffield . Wednesday, Bobby Moore went on to lift the World Cup. Arsenal . were initially stunned as underdogs Hull, chasing the first trophy in . their 110-year history, struck twice inside eight minutes through James . Chester and Curtis Davies. Silver service: Manager Arsene Wenger pictured lifting the FA Cup much to the delight of his Arsenal players . But . a fantastic free-kick by Santi Cazorla and an equaliser by Laurent . Koscielny took the game into extra-time during which Ramsey scored after . 109 minutes following Olivier Giroud’s backheel. Per Mertesacker tipped . champagne over Wenger who was given ‘the bumps’ by his players. Hull boss Steve Bruce said: ‘We showed tremendous courage.’ 'I couldn't ask more from my players. The vast majority are ones that got us out the Championship,' Bruce said. 'It could have been a memorable season. In terms of effort and . determination you couldn't fault them, we didn’t have enough but I'm . proud, they were magnificent. 'Their . first goal wasn't a free-kick, the second one wasn't a corner. But now . is not the time to whine. We had a wonderful opportunity. Match winner: Aaron Ramsey scored the crucial goal which saw Arsenal win the FA Cup . Relief: Jack Wilshere celebrates winning the FA Cup with Arsenal . Pride: Hull boss Steve Bruce praised the efforts of his team, despite losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup final . | Arsenal end their nine-year trophy drought with FA Cup win over Hull .
Arsene Wenger confirms he will stay at the club afterwards .
Match-winner Aaron Ramsey struggles to keep emotions in check .
Jack Wilshere admits to feeling sick after Hull's blistering start . |
063565b3c83431a26d7e6e5942b2ca9bbe179957 | By . Stephen Mcgowan . Ronny Deila watched Celtic crash out of the Champions League in dismal fashion on Wednesday night – then vowed to build a completely new team. The Norwegian suffered humiliation in his first major European test after Legia Warsaw followed their 4-1 first leg mauling with a 2-0 win in Edinburgh. The final 6-1 aggregate defeat equalled the margin of the club’s previous worst loss to Juventus two years ago. VIDEO Scroll down for Celtic manager Deila's first training session with the squad . Dejected: Celtic's Nir Bitton and manager Ronny Deila (right) leave the field after crashing out of the Champions League . Shock: Michal Zyro scores the opener for Legia Warsaw to extend the Polish champions' aggregate advantage . Down and out: Celtic keeper Fraser Forster glances at the Murrayfield turf after Celtic fell behind . One for the fans: Legia supporters go wild following Zyro's opening goal at Murrayfield . Deila admitted his team are not good enough but must now negotiate a do or die Europa League play-off in a fortnight to salvage any hope of European football this season. Speaking after supporters vented their anger in the direction of club directors at Murrayfield, Deila appealed for time and support to rebuild his squad saying: 'I will need to built up a new team. 'That’s two years in the Champions League for Celtic - but this year we’re not good enough. Not by far. 'That’s our goals as a club and we have to do everything we can to make it a different situation next year when we try and qualify for the Champions League.' Chasing a miracle after a thumping defeat in Warsaw, the game was up for the Scottish champions after the opening goal from Michal Zyro after 35 minutes. A second for Michal Kucharczyk after an hour prompted anger from some Celtic fans in a 30,000 crowd. Doubling up: Michal Kucharczyk scores Legia's second goal past Celtic keeper Fraser Forster . Heading for the play-offs: Kucharczyk celebrates his strike which effectivley killed the tie . Easy street: Legia Warsaw's Michal Kucharczyk (right) is hailed on his goal by fellow scorer Michal Zyro . Concern: Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell (centre) with chairman Ian Bankier and director Eric Riley (right) 'Today we lost to a better team,' added Deila. 'We have to say that over two matches, Legia were better than us. 'I think the players were fighting all they could but we didn’t have the quality to break them down. 'The second goal was poor defending also so we have a lot to work on. 'But also I have to accept that it is our level right now and we have to work from here. I have a big job to do to improve us as a team. 'We can still win the league and get into the Europa League as well this season which would be a very good achievement. 'Then I hope we can stand here next year and talk about happier things than this.' Celtic’s board of directors face a furious inquest into their failure to spend substantial sums on new players, with free transfer keeper Craig Gordon and loan signing Jo Inge Berget the only new arrivals of the summer. Heading through: Legia boss Henning Berg celebrates with his assistant following their shock victory . Nightmare: Celtic's Mikael Lustig picks the ball out of the net following Legia's opening goal . Foot loose: Celtic's Callum McGregor (left) and Legia Warsaw's Tomasz Jodlowiec battle for the ball . Keeper's ball: Celtic's Anthony Stokes (centre) is beaten to the ball by Legia Warsaw's Dusan Kuciak . Goalkeeper Fraser Forster is likely to be the latest departure after handing his jersey to a supporter after Wednesday night’s game. Southampton are now set to submit a fresh £7million bid for the England World Cup star after Celtic lost £15m in Champions League revenues last night. 'I came here to do a job and work with the club,' added Deila. 'I have only been here for six weeks but right now it’s not good enough. That’s what I can see. 'We need to make the squad better by getting new players, which we are working on. 'But also we need to get more from the players here – and there are a lot of skills and a lot of quality.' Asked if Forster has played his final game, Deila was non committal. 'I don’t think so, we will see. 'But things have happened so quickly this last month you never know what’s happening. 'If that is happening we have to deal with that and that’s a position where we have good cover and opportunities.' Glum: Ronny Deila looks on from the touchline in front of his Celtic substitutes pitchside . Calling the shots: Ex-Blackburn boss Henning Berg shouts out tactical instructions to his Legia Warsaw team . Trip: Celtic's Mikael Lustig goes to ground following a tackle from Legia's Ondrej Duda . Running the line: Emilio Izaguirre (right) fends off pressure from Zyro during the first half . Heads up: Jakub Rzezniczak (left) battles with Celtic's Stefan Johansen in an aerial challenge . Foot loose: Legia's Michal Kucharczyk (right) slides in on Celtic's Adam Matthews to win possession . Heat is on: Deila (left) sitting beside assistants John Collins and John Kennedy has suffered a horrendous start as Celtic boss following the Hoops failure to reach the group stage . Talk a good game: Legia Warsaw boss Henning Berg addresses the media before the match at Murrayfield . Hoping for a comeback: Celtic fans gather before their side's Champions league qualifier at Murrayfield . In full voice: Legia Warsaw supporters were in good spirits as their team went into the clash with a 4-1 lead . Home from home: With Parkhead out of use due to the Commonwealth Games, Murrayfield hosted the qualifier . | Celtic knocked out of the Champions League in third qualifying round .
Hoops lost 6-1 on aggregate following 2-0 defeat at Murrayfield .
Ronny Deila's side went into home clash having trailed 4-1 from the first leg .
Michal Zyro gave Polish champions lead in 36th minute .
Michal Kucharczyk doubled advantage on night 16 minutes after half-time .
Scottish champions now drop into Europa League play-off round . |
0635b7c46f699542d7beee30bd015e942f8bdc68 | Vero Beach, Florida (CNN) -- Enough with the texting, a Florida judge told Kaitlyn Hunt after hearing testimony about thousands of text messages -- some of them explicit -- the Florida teenager reportedly sent to her underage girlfriend after being ordered not to while awaiting trial on charges of having sex with the girl. Judge Robert Pegg sent Hunt, 19, to jail Tuesday, ordering her held on bond pending trial. She'll also be limited to communicating with her lawyers, guards, fellow inmates and perhaps a few choice visitors. Hunt was 18 when she was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery after allegedly having sexual relations with the girl, who was 14. Pegg made his ruling after an Indian River Sheriff's Office detective testified about the contents of an iPod that Hunt had given the younger girl -- including more than 20,000 text messages, "explicit" videos and nude pictures -- despite a court order that the two not communicate, electronically or otherwise. "It's overwhelming that Ms. Hunt has chosen to violate the conditions of her bond deliberately and willfully on several occasions," Pegg said in explaining his decision. In addition to the extensive exchange of messages since March -- which began days after the no-contact order was issued -- Detective Jeremy Shepherd further testified that he'd learned the two had secretively met as recently as a few weeks ago. Under cross-examination, Shepherd noted that in some cases, the younger girl initiated contact, though he emphasized that Hunt had given her the iPod on which they illicitly communicated. And the detective added, the younger teenager "has not told me the full truth in a couple of my interviews." After Shepherd left the stand, Hunt's lawyer, Julia Graves, did not dispute that there "has been some contact with the victim" and her client. "We're not going to contest all the evidence," Graves said Tuesday in court. "But what we would ask for is that the defendant (be able to be) bonded out, to be placed on house arrest without any electronic communication of any kind. ... We think that would keep the judicial process safe." The judge, though, thought differently. "She simply can't be trusted to abide by the court order," Pegg said of Hunt. The court hearing Tuesday was graphic and, for Hunt, emotional. She held a tissue in her handcuffed hands that she repeatedly used to wipe tears from her eyes. The proceeding marked the latest turn in a story that first captured the nation's attention months ago. In a written statement Wednesday, Graves slammed the prosecutors for disclosing sordid detail. Hunt's family says the relationship was consensual, with their lawyer claiming authorities wouldn't have gone after her if it had involved a male and a female instead of two teenage girls. In Florida, a person under the age of 16 is not legally able to consent to sex. Hunt's parents went public with their story after their daughter was charged. They essentially accused the alleged victim's family of going after their daughter because she is gay, while Hunt spoke out about her fears of paying for a relationship that she didn't think was wrong. "I'm scared of losing my life, the rest of my life," she said earlier this year, "not being able to go to college or be around kids, be around my sisters and my family." The younger girl's family, though, said that wasn't true and insisted that they were only trying to protect their own daughter. "We had no other alternative but to turn to the law, use it basically as a last resort," the victim's father, Jim Smith, had previously told CNN affiliate WPEC. Sheriff: Teen sex case is about age, not gay rights . This debate has been playing out publicly since Hunt was charged, during which time prosecutors offered her at least two plea deals. The most recent one -- offered in July, according to Bruce Colton, the state attorney for Florida's 19th judicial circuit -- would have led to Hunt being subject to a curfew and having to do community service, but avoiding jail time and not having to register as a sex offender. But Hunt's defense team didn't accept either plea deal. Then, on August 6, the victim's father alerted authorities to the iPod and its contents, Shepherd said. He interviewed the underage girl the next day, when she told him she'd given Hunt her locker combination and found the iPod in her locker on the last day Hunt was in their school. This type of iPod allows people to exchange text messages and other media. On some of those texts, Hunt indicated that she understood that such communications violated the court order. "No matter what, if they find out that we talked, I'm going to jail until the trial starts," she wrote, according to Shepherd. Pictures on the iPod showed the young couple together and a nude Hunt. There was also video of a naked Hunt touching herself in a sexual manner, the detective testified. Authorities determined these images originated at Hunt's home in the weeks and months after the no-contact order had been issued, said Shepherd. Graves, in her Wednesday statement, upbraided prosecutors for using frank and graphic detail in a court filing. "What happened to a (statements) like 'numerous texts and inappropriate language' without details?" she wrote. With the school year starting, she said, "I can only imagine the chatter at the school." In the end, Graves wrote, two teen students were "involved in a consensual relationship." "Yes one that under the current law is a crime, but still consensual. It was brought to an abrupt end and the older 'adult' teen faces up to 30 years in prison." She said the younger girl "cannot comprehend the seriousness of the matter because it was something she consented to." "Her opinion is ignored by the State," Graves said. The girl has been "interrogated by the Sheriff's Department, taken to a church that labels being gay a sin, has the Bible thrown at her, all of her things in her room boxed up and taken from her, is apparently hit by her parents, and clearly yelled at for lying by her father in the presence of Detective Shepherd at the school in a subsequent interview." Under the circumstances, she's been confused, scared, and feels no one is listening to her, Graves said. "She already tried to speak to Kaitlyn's mother Kelley who shut her down. So she turns to the only person who could (possibly) understand in her eyes and a person she clearly does not want to see hurt and that is Kaitlyn. She wants to try to save her and in doing so she just causes the walls to continue to tumble down." Hunt, who turned 19 last week, was booked into detention Monday night after her bail bond company declined to secure her $5,000 bond any longer and picked her up. Her family has not commented on the latest developments in the case. The original charges against Hunt carry a maximum of 15 years in prison upon conviction. Based on the newly revealed evidence, prosecutors filed a new charge against Hunt for "transmission of material harmful to minor by electronic equipment." CNN's Sara Ganim contributed to this report. | NEW: Kaitlyn Hunt's lawyer upbraids the prosecutors for disclosing graphic detail .
Her lawyer argued for house arrest, pointed out victim has lied to authorities .
Kaitlyn Hunt was 18 and the girl was 14 when the girl's parents went to authorities .
Authorities say she exchanged over 20,000 texts with girl, in violation of court order . |
0635da088935b67a391fb8ac618697c14dcf38c1 | By . Deni Kirkova . An obese mother-of-one has shed almost half her body weight to land her dream job as a PE teacher. Amy Richardson, 29, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, felt her ambition was slipping away because of her weight, which had rocketed to over 19 stone. Although she had studied sports development at university, Amy always felt a fraud because she was so big she had to wear men's sportswear, and couldn't walk up two flights of stairs without getting out breath. Amy pictured before the weight loss, left, and now, right, as Slimming World's Miss Slinky 2014 . Amy, who said she had always been a 'chubby child', often felt self-conscious when wearing a leotard for her favourite hobby of trampolining. But by going on a life-changing diet she managed to lose 7st 11lb, and slimmed from a size 24 to a slender 12. Now 11st 4.5lb, Amy finally teaches sports at a secondary school and feels full of energy, enjoying exercise and eating healthy home-made meals with her 17-month-old daughter Emily. She said her weight began to effect her everyday life when she went to university. 'It was the first time I'd lived away from home, I was eating all the wrong things and going out with my friends most nights. 'At the time I didn't think about what I . was eating and drinking at all, but looking back it's no wonder my . weight went up to more than 19 stone.' Amy Richardson lost almost 8 stone to achieve her childhood dream of becoming a PE teacher . She continued: 'My joints ached, I got out of breath . easily and I lost all my confidence. On nights out I'd just sit in the . corner while all my friends were on the dance floor. 'I felt like a fraud. I was doing sports development at . university, yet I found it difficult to climb the two flights of stairs . to my lectures and had to wear men's sportswear because of my size. 'I couldn't imagine any school wanting to employ an overweight PE teacher and I knew I needed to do something.' Her mother Lynne joined Slimming World in 2005, and a few months later Amy went along too, after a friend agreed to go with her. The effect was almost immediate. She cooked recipes from their website, and ditched takeaways and microwave meals in favour of making food from scratch. Her favourite things to cook include home made burgers with extra lean mince, homemade chips, and jacket potatoes with beans and salad. 'I taught myself how to cook lots of healthy meals and found things that I'd thought were bland before tasted so much better when I made them myself. 'I could still have treats like chocolate or alcohol too, so I didn't have to miss out on nights out, and lots of my friends didn't even realise I was slimming.' She added: 'Before I went to the . group I was scared, I worried what people would think of me and though I . might be the biggest person there. 'After a few weeks I saw how well it worked - I was even Slimmer of the Month - and I was hooked.' As the pounds melted away, Amy's energy and fitness levels improved, along with her confidence. Amy celebrates her weight loss at the Ritz Hotel in London today . After leaving university five stone slimmer, she successfully got a job as a PE teacher in 2008. 'I couldn't believe I'd achieved my dream and had the job I'd always wanted. There's no way I'd have been able to do this job at 19 stone. 'Now I can keep up with the kids, demonstrate things I want them to do, and I don't have to worry about my size at all. 'I've lost another 2st 11lbs since I've been at the school, and I think it's good for my students to see that I haven't followed some silly fad diet, I've lost weight sensibly and kept it off.' Amy, mother to 17-month-old Emily, has lost another 2st 11lbs since teaching at the school . Amy, who lives with fiance Chris and their daughter, has carried on with the classes every week, even during her pregnancy. She said: 'I always joke that I've taken the scenic route to my weight-loss journey. Right from the start I was determined that I didn't want a quick fix, I wanted to make a change for life, and I know I've definitely done that. 'I've never felt like I was missing out, and eating healthily and being active are just part of my life now. 'I know I'll be able to pass everything Slimming World's taught me onto Emily so she'll never have to struggle with her weight like I did, which is an amazing feeling. 'I've got the figure I always wanted, my dream job, the perfect fiance and a beautiful baby girl. Being named Slimming World's Miss Slinky 2014 is just the icing on the cake.' | Amy Richardson from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, lost 7st 11lb .
Dropped from 19st 2lb to 11st 4.5lb, and slimmed from size 24 to 12 .
Studied sports development at university but felt a 'fraud' because of size .
Lives with fiance Chris and their daughter Emily, 17 months .
She is today named Slimming World's Miss Slinky 2014 at the Ritz, London . |
0635f6decd89e9f5d90cbe2e8ab5ad95207fd26a | By . John Drayton . Robbie Williams has been left red-faced after boasting about a chance meeting with World Cup star Diego Maradona - only to find he was just a lookalike. The singer, 38, was tricked by 49-year-old German Abi Atic, who has been impersonating Maradona for 20 years, into thinking he had bumped into one of the world's best ever up a mountain. Williams then posted a picture online of himself and the impersonator with the message: 'The Hand of God meets God. I wish he was playing this year's Soccer Aid! £Maradona'. Fooled: Robbie Williams has been tricked by Germany's most famous Maradona double after he spotted him in the ski resort of Ischgl in the southern Austrian province of Tirol . He also posted on his Twitter profile the message: 'How random, just bumped into Maradona on the mountain. RW x.' But 12 days later it was revealed the man was in fact Germany's most famous Maradona impersonator. The pair met in the ski resort of Ischgl in the southern Austrian province of Tirol. Williams had performed at the Top of the Mountain Concert in Ischgl on May 3 at 2,300m altitude on a giant open air stage. Mr Atici, who is well known in his home country, said: 'I am Maradona's double. I work in a sports shop and come from Bad Dietzenbach, but for the last 20 years I have been making appearances as Diego Maradona. 'I was discovered when I went to a football game between Bayern Munich and Napoli in 1989 - the next day there was a picture in the local paper saying that Maradona had been in the stadium. Spot the difference: The real Diego Maradona celebrating a goal against Nigeria during the 2010 World Cup . Up high: Williams before performing live on stage during the 'Top Of The Mountain Concert in Austria . Tricked: Robbie Williams performs live on stage during the Top Of The Mountain Concert in Ischgl, Austria . 'When I looked I realised I was that person.' He added: 'When I was in Ischgl, Robbie was playing a concert. I was waiting to take the ski lift to the top of the mountain. Suddenly Robbie jumped out of a van, gave me a hug and said: "I love you." 'I answered "I love you too!". Robbie then gave me a kiss on the cheek. You know I now can't wash my cheek as all women want a kiss on the same spot he kissed me. I don't just have the hand of God, I now have the cheek of God. Trickster: Abi Atici, Germany's most famous Maradona double in the southern Austrian province of Tirol . Convincing: Atici, 49, has been making doubles appearances for the last twenty years . Good company: The real Maradona poses with his 23-year-old Rocio Oliva (right) 'Robbie really didn't realise I was not the real thing. I was chatting with his wife Ayda who also speaks Turkish. She was really nice. 'Both Robbie's dad and Ayda took their phones and snapped pics of us together. I never thought such a world famous star would fall for my double act. It is sensational. It all happened so quickly. I will never forget that day!' Williams met the real Maradona in 2006 . in a charity football match in aid of Soccer Aid which raised over £6 . million for UNICEF. Williams captained the side which beat a World XI . 2-1 at Old Trafford. Both teams fielded seven celebrities and four former footballers, including the World Cup winner for the world side. Argentina's Diego Maradona scores his 'Hand of God' goal against England goalkeeper Peter Shilton in 1986 . | The singer posted a picture of him and 'Maradona' at the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl in the province of Tirol .
Williams jumped out of a van, gave the man a hug and said: 'I love you'
It later emerged the Maradona look-alike was called Abi Atic .
The 49-year-old German has impersonated the star for 20 years .
Williams said he wished Maradona was playing at this year's Soccer Aid . |
0636b07ad9bd495794acf5cfde96f3abc9ab431e | For decades Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles has been home to the largest display of human misery in the United States - but now the area is facing its greatest challenge - gentrification. Since the Fall of 2006, the Los Angeles Police Department has been steadily clearing Skid Row of vagrants and homeless by stepping up the search and arrest of the down-and-outs who line its street corners. And for the past 20-years, photographer Camilo José Vergara has been documenting the slow metamorphosis of the iconic neighborhood of LA as it evolves from hosting the lowest dregs to even welcoming a brand new Whole Foods store. Cleaning the streets: An officer with the LAPD arrests a man who has been found on the corner of a Skid Row avenue - as they begin a process which started in 2006 . 'I started documenting the area in 1995. Derelict people-- mostly African Americans and Latinos--numbering in the thousands, —are concentrated in Skid Row,' said Vergara to MailOnline. 'The missions came to the area first. The Fred Jordan Mission is over forty years old, and the Union Rescue Mission, now in a new building on San Julian Street, has been in the community for ninety years. Rounded up: A police officer with the LAPD surveys a disabled homeless man on the streets of Skid Row who is showing no signs of waking from his sleep . Cuffed: Another homeless individual who is living in a neat tent on a Skid Row sidewalk is arrested by police and presumably taken away from the gentrifying area . What's this? An officer with the LAPD searches a man who he has arrested on Skid Row and is questioning him about what he has found on him . 'Many of the hotels built long ago to accommodate travelers arriving by train became single room occupancy hotels providing cheap places to live. After the missions came the soup kitchens, health facilities, and methadone clinics.' From short-term workers and migrants feeling the hardships of the Great Depression, to servicemen shipping out during the Second World War and Vietnam, Skid Row has always had a transient nature. Its most recent inhabitants have been those who find they have nowhere else to turn as drug addicts and alcoholics come to its streets to try to fight their demons. 'However, in recent years Skid Row has been transformed,' said Vergara. 'In addition to the museums, corporate offices and government buildings, many old industrial and commercial buildings in the area are being transformed into lofts, galleries, restaurants and luxury hotels. As Los Angeles’ old downtown is transformed into a new city center, officials have necessarily declared that the old Skid Row and the new downtown cannot coexist.' I'm only sleeping: This woman has taken a nap ontop of her worldly possessions as she rests on a stretch of Skid Row in Los Angeles . Work to be done: City sanitation workers move in to clear up Skid Row after decades of neglect during which the area became a mecca for vagrants and homeless people who needed somewhere to stay . Passed out: This man seems to have laid himself out on the sidewalk of Skid Row in a rather slap-hazard fashion - which is presumably one of the reasons why the LAPD are trying to clean up the streets of the notorious area . Witness to what amounts to a virtual clearing of the streets by the LAPD, Vergara recounts how he was watched the tactics of police first hand. 'Over the years, I have witnessed many such incidents along Skid Row, but none impressed me more than the one I saw in May of 2007 when a police car arrived, siren blaring and its loudspeaker screaming 'Wake up!, Wake up!' 'Startled—and thinking a violent crime must have occurred—I saw a policeman standing over a sleeping figure on the sidewalk at South 4th Street. It was nine o’clock in the morning and apparently the destitute person under the blanket had overslept.' Shoe and a home: This person has neatly laid out shoes to sell or that they own on the sidewalk of Skid Row - however, while this display is controlled - other's have not been so lucky and have been moved on by the LAPD . Community: Three men chat away the day in the afternoon Los Angeles sun on Skid Row as one of them animatedly makes his point . Sad and lonely: For decades Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles has been home to the largest display of human misery in the United States - but now the area is facing its greatest challenge - gentrification . Life goes on: Since the Fall of 2006, the Los Angeles Police Department has been steadily clearing Skid Row or vagrants and homeless by stepping up the search and arrest of the down-and-outs who line its street corners . 'Many of the hotels built long ago to accommodate travelers arriving by train became single room occupancy hotels providing cheap places to live. After the missions came the soup kitchens, health facilities, and methadone clinics.' Wit and art: From short-term workers and migrants feeling the hardships of the Great Depression, to servicemen shipping out during the Second World War and Vietnam, Skid Row has always had a transient nature . No hope: Its most recent inhabitants have been those who find they have nowhere else to turn as drug addicts and alcoholics come to its streets to try to fight their demons . Indeed, these people are homeless, and while a Whole Foods may be a symbol of downtown LA's gentrification, the former residents need somewhere to go. 'When I asked who was pushing the homeless out of Skid Row a woman explained 'the city, the police, the maintenance people,' said Vergara. 'I asked: Where are they going? She replied: 'They are going to jail. They are going under the bridges, by the LA River. They are going to the missions, but some don’t want to go there.' Feeling as if he is watching the end of Skid Row as we have known it, Vergara, who has published a new book entitled, Harlem, The Unmaking of a Ghetto, knows how impoverished neighborhoods can change. 'As the police gradually gain control over Skid Row, I feel I am witnessing its last days. In a decade or so Skid Row will perhaps become LA’s equivalent of New York’s Greenwich Village.' Camilo José Vergara is a photographer and . writer, a MacArthur fellow, and the author of many books. In 2013 he was . awarded the National Humanities Medal. To see more of his work, visit: http://invinciblecities.camden.rutgers.edu/intro.html . and Camilojosevergara.com. | Photographer Camilo Jose Vergara has watched the streets of LA's notorious Skid Row be cleaned up as gentrification takes hold .
The vagrants and homeless are being moved elsewhere in the city as downtown LA booms . |
0636feb4797bd5b7e17d60f50978986e79e9243e | Toro Rosso teenage prodigy Max Verstappen has earned lavish praise from all within the team following his first proper day behind the wheel. The 16-year-old, announced as a driver for next season by the Faenza-based squad last month, was left embarrassed a few days later when he crashed the car on a demonstration run in his native Rotterdam. On Wednesday, in a bid to earn his superlicence necessary to compete in F1, Verstappen did not put a wheel out of place around the Adria International Raceway in north-eastern Italy. 16-year-old Max Verstappen completed his first day behind the wheel of a Formula One car . Verstappen completed 148 laps of the circuit, clocking up just over 395 kilometres in a two-year-old car, enough to gain the superlicence, but more importantly earning the respect of his future employers. Sporting director Steve Nielsen said: 'In his first real test in a Formula One car, Max did a very competent job. 'He gave the impression he has been driving a Formula One car for quite a while, not like someone on their first day behind the wheel. 'He made no mistakes all day, seemed confident, and once he was told something he remembered it. In general, he coped very well with this first test.' Toro Rosso teenage prodigy Max Verstappen has earned lavish praise from all within the team . Race engineer Xevi Pujolar added: 'We worked through various procedures that make up a race weekend. He was very focused and precise and learned quickly, without having to ask many questions. 'Once we were able to fit slicks (tyres), he got used to the car in the dry and built up his speed, while we tried various fuel levels, replicating both qualifying and race trim, doing a mix of short and long runs. 'For a first day, it was very impressive.' As for Verstappen, he naturally savoured his experience, and is now itching to drive again, with the team planning a couple of runs in Friday practice sessions in the remaining grands prix this year. Race engineer Xevi Pujolar was impressed with the youngster, particularly considering it was his first day . Verstappen said: 'I was looking forward to my first drive in a Formula One car on a proper track and I really enjoyed it. 'It was a good opportunity to work with Xevi, who will be my race engineer next year, as well as having a chance to get used to all the buttons on the steering wheel. 'I think it went well and I can't wait to get back into a Formula One car as soon as possible.' | Max Verstappen will be a driver for Toro Rosso next year .
Verstappen is just 16-years-old and has just earned his superlicence .
Superlicence necessary for drivers to compete in Formula One . |
0637288851e857d6633367addd87fbb4502109fa | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:23 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:41 EST, 1 November 2012 . A basset hound was doused with petrol and burned alive before being left to die from the gruesome injuries in a ravine near his home. A neighbour spotted a small fire in a ravine in Camarillo, California on Sunday morning and alerted firefighters, who were horrified to discover the severely burned three-year-old hound, Buddy. The dog died from his injuries hours later. Reward: Local police are offering $1,000 to those who help bring those responsible for Buddy's (not pictured) grisly death to justice. The dog was doused with lighter fluid and set alight near his California home . Police have interviewed the dog’s owner, James Delgado, who also owns two other basset hounds, , according to the Los Angeles Times.. Mr Delgado said the family was upset, and were trying to move on from the incident which occurred on Saturday. ‘We are sad it occurred, and we are trying to get past it right now,’ Mr Delgado told the Ventura County Star. The incident occurred in the early . hours of Saturday morning behind the Delgado family’s home, according to . local sheriff Sgt Eric Buschow. Buschow noted that there was evidence . the dog had been doused with lighter fluid and set on fire, but it . remains unclear how the dog got out of the home and into the ravine. Horrific: It remains unclear how Buddy got out of his home in Camarillo, California and into the ravine on Saturday morning . One of three: The Delgado family, who were left upset by the death of their beloved pet, have two other basset hounds (pictured) ‘There was evidence at the scene that . made it apparent that someone had poured lighter fluid on this dog and . set the dog on fire,’ Buschow said. ‘There have been cases of animal . cruelty, but I've never heard of someone pouring fluid on an animal and . lighting it on fire,’ Buschow told the Ventura County Star. ‘It's a horrible, . horrible crime.’ Arson investigators and the Ventura County Sheriff's bomb squad have been called in to assist in solving the crime. Gruesome: Buddy (not pictured), a three-year-old basset hound similar to the one above, was doused with lighter fluid and burned in a ravine behind his California home . A reward of $1,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest but no suspects have yet been named. Jolene Hoffman, shelter director of . the Ventura County Human Society, told the Ventura County Star: ‘The . torture that poor animal suffered — it makes you sick. ‘The cruelty that goes on — it still completely blows you away no matter how much you see or how much you witness.’ | Three-year-old basset hound found on Saturday with severe burns in a ravine behind home in Camarillo, California .
Dog later died from injuries .
Ventura County sheriff described it as 'horrible, horrible crime' |
06377ff6feb69ff82e415b2aa7e2026260113462 | Listening in: UK spy agencies want to install . 'black box' surveillance devices to . monitor citizens' use of online services. Picture posed by model . UK spy agencies want to install 'black box' surveillance devices across the country's communications networks to monitor internet use, it emerged today. A report by an influential committee of MPs tells how spooks are keen to implement a nationwide surveillance regime aimed at logging nearly everything Britons do and say online. The spy network will rely on a technology known as Deep Packet Inspection to log data from communications ranging from online services like Facebook and Twitter, Skype calls with family members and visits to pornographic websites. But civil liberties and privacy campaigners have reacted with outrage, saying that the technology will give the government a greater surveillance capability than has ever been seen. The report by Parliament's . Intelligence and Security Committee, published on Tuesday, gives UK . intelligence agencies' perspective on the government's draft . Communications Data Bill, which is intended to update surveillance . powers. The government . argues that swift access to communications data is critical to the fight . against terrorism and other high-level crime, but it has been delayed . after the Liberal Democrats dropped support for the bill. MI5 . chief Jonathan Evans told the committee: 'Access to communications data . of one sort or another is very important indeed. It’s part of the . backbone of the way in which we would approach investigations. 'I . think I would be accurate in saying there are no significant . investigations that we undertake across the service that don’t use . communications data because of its ability to tell you the who and the . when and the where of your target’s activities.' The Bill has encountered stiff . opposition, but authorities have been at pains to stress that they're . not seeking unfettered access to the content of emails or recordings of . phone calls. Instead, they . claim, what they are after is what many have described as 'outside of . the envelope' information: Who sends a message, where and how it is . sent, and who receives it. For . example, while the email addresses of senders and recipients would be . available to agencies, they would still need to obtain a court order for . access to the contents of the emails. A . similar situation would apply in the case of mobile phone calls, with . the callers' identities and locations available to agencies, along with . the time of the call and its duration, but agents restricted from listening without authorisation from the courts. The Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) on the west of Cheltenham: Spooks say swift access to communications data is critical to the fight . against terrorism and other high-level crimes . Critics have said that in effect . there is no way to reliably separate such communications data from the . content of messages and calls, and that giving easy access to the former . would also open the way to access of the latter. Campaigners also challenged the . government over how it could criticise totalitarian regimes overseas which . may be using similar systems to crack down on dissent. Spymaster: MI5 Director General Jonathan Evans said access to communications data is 'very important indeed' to UK security . Emma Carr, deputy director of privacy . and civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: 'Using . highly intrusive technology to monitor how people use the internet is . not something that a civil society should be using on every citizen. 'The danger is that the whole . communication, including content, is inspected and potentially stored, . intruding on people’s privacy in a dangerous and unprecedented way. 'This sends a highly dangerous signal . to regimes around the world who are looking for justification to use . similar equipment on their populations. 'The fact that at no point does the . Government need court approval, either to install, use or look at data . gathered is a major concern and if it is to be used as a last resort . should only be done so on the highest judicial authority.' Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, which campaigns for freedom online, said the real threat was posed by the addition of what the report calls the 'filter' to the surveillance system. He explained that this would work as a kind of search engine for everyone's private data, linking it together from the various online and telecoms accounts people use to communicate. 'The really worrying part of this is the "filter" the government wants to build,' he told MailOnline. 'This would put data from your mobile phone, email, web history and phones together, so the police can tell who your friends are, what your opinions are, where you've been and with who. 'It could make instant surveillance of everything you do possible at the click of a button.' A key challenge for the government . has been extracting that information from overseas service providers - . companies based in Silicon Valley or elsewhere that might not feel . obliged to comply with a British spy agency's request. While the government has insisted that it will not invade the privacy of citizens' communications without a court order, there are fears that installing deep packet inspection across the UK will nevertheless give them the capability. Luckily, there is a range of software for both computers and mobile devices, much of it free, that can encrypt communications to keep it secure. 1) iSafeguard Freeware 6.2: This program will secure emails and files using strong encryption and syncs with most popular email clients. 2) HushMail: This web-based email service uses a Java applet to encode emails with 1024bit public key encryption. 3) GnuPG: This Linux-only application is an open-source replacement for PGP (Pretty Good Privacy). PGP was one of the first military-grade encryption products available to the general public. It was in those cases, the committee's report said, that the surveillance devices would come in handy. 'It . is important for the agencies that there is some means of accessing . communications data from uncooperative overseas communications service . providers,' the report said. The report said the probes would . work using 'deep packet inspection,' so-called because it allows those . intercepting packets of data to comb through their content. The . services that might be targeted by the probes weren't identified, . although Facebook, Twitter, Hotmail, and Google Chat are all popular in . Britain and were among the services named elsewhere in the report. Britain's surveillance plans remain in draft form, and the report carried several critiques of the government's proposals. But in general it rejected opponents' claims that the surveillance regime was unworkable or oppressive, warning that the pace of technological change would soon 'have a serious impact on the intelligence and security agencies' unless the new surveillance powers were introduced. The report also appeared to reject suggestions that encryption might allow those trying to maintain the privacy of their communications to baffle government monitoring. 'We have heard that the government has (redacted) options in dealing with the challenge encryption poses,' the report said. The next two paragraphs were completely blanked out. Mr Killock of the Open Rights Group said it was unlikely that the government had the capability to crack advanced digital encryption. | MPs' report outlines spooks' take on the draft Communications Data Bill .
It shows they are keen to implement nationwide surveillance regime .
They want ISPs to install 'black boxes' that can inspect all internet traffic .
Spies claim they are only interested in 'communications data'
Campaigners warn it will give spies unprecedented surveillance powers . |
0637be7a55aba1caeae93f9bd8b39841d8296d76 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Kenny Ortega, the director of Michael Jackson's aborted comeback show, began his testimony Monday about what AEG Live executives did and said in Jackson's final days. His first hours on the stand Monday afternoon were spent discussing Jackson's creativity, saying his voice, songs and dancing were "like no one else in his generation." He will return Tuesday to resume his testimony. Lawyers for Jackson's mother and children argue in the wrongful death trial against AEG Live that those executives ignored warning signs about his health and mental condition that, if heeded, could have saved his life. The lawsuit contends the promoters hired, retained or supervised Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's propofol overdose death. AEG Live lawyers argue that Jackson -- not their executives -- chose and controlled the doctor, who was giving him nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic in a desperate search for sleep in his last two months. Ortega, who knew Jackson well and worked with him closely preparing his "This Is It" shows, sounded a warning to AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips in an e-mail on June 20, 2009 -- five days before Jackson's death -- that Ortega did not think the entertainer would be ready for the shows. He described seeing "strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behavior" with Jackson. "I think the very best thing we can do is get a top psychiatrist to evaluate him ASAP." Tabloid report on Jackson 'FBI files' questioned . Expert: MJ was 'drug dependent,' not addicted . AEG says Jackson was secretive about his drug use, which the company contends was an addiction, so there was no way of knowing what treatments Murray was giving Jackson in his bedroom. But a drug addiction expert testified last week that there was "not a lot of evidence to support" the belief that Michael Jackson was addicted to drugs. If he was an addict, Jackson "would be taking drugs that were not prescribed by a medical professional, taking larger amounts than prescribed and have drug-seeking behavior," Dr. Sidney Schnoll testified. There was no evidence Jackson ever took drugs that were not given to him by a doctor or that he took more than prescribed, Schnoll said. The bottles of sedatives found in his home after his death had more pills remaining in them than he would have expected if Jackson was an addict, Schnoll said. This "indicated these were not being taken on a regular basis," he said. Evidence shows Jackson sought drugs from a number of doctors, but that was not inappropriate because he needed them "to treat a legitimate medical problem," including back pain, scalp pain and dermatologic issues, Schnoll testified. While not addicted, Jackson was dependent on drugs, he said. The painkillers that forced Jackson to end his 1993 "Dangerous" tour early so he could enter a rehab program were taken to relieve the pain from scalp surgery needed to repair burns suffered when filming a Pepsi commercial, Schnoll said. The burns left scars on damaged nerves in his scalp, which becomes "excitable tissue" that "can be firing just like the nerve," he said. The result "can be every painful, like a burning kind of pain -- persistent, sharp, shooting kind of pain," he said. "It's very uncomfortable and one of the most difficult to treat." Pain relief is a legitimate use of opioid drugs and a person can function normally if they are taken under a doctor's care, he said. Prince, Blanket Jackson celebrate dad's life amid death trial . President John Kennedy was opioid dependent to relieve "very severe back pain" while in the White House, he said. "He did alright as president?" Jackson lawyer Michael Koskoff asked. "It depends on your political affiliation," Schnoll answered. The Demerol injections Jackson got during frequent visits to a Beverly Hills dermatologist between April and his death in late June 2009 were given for legitimate medical reasons, Schnoll testified. If he were addicted to Demerol -- which is a powerful opioid -- he would not have gone 43 days between injections, which medical records show, he said. Jackson also went roughly 13 years -- from 1993 until 2008 -- without the drug, he said. The doctor conceded under cross-examination by an AEG Live lawyer, however, that a gap in available medical records may be misleading. Jackson's use of sedatives was an effort to treat his chronic insomnia, Schnoll said. If the underlying sleep problem could be resolved, the chances of ending Jackson's use of the drugs would have been good, he said. There was no indication that Jackson was addicted to propofol before Murray began giving him nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic for 60 days leading up to his death, he said. Nephew: Jackson was murdered . Unheeded warning signs? Ortega, in his e-mail to AEG Live CEO Phillips on June 20, wrote that "I honestly don't think he is ready for this based on his continued physical weakening and deepening emotional state." He said Jackson was having trouble "grasping the work" at rehearsals. Production manager John "Bugzee" Hougdahl wrote in an e-mail to Phillips hours earlier that Ortega had sent Jackson home from a rehearsal that night because of his strange behavior. "I have watched him deteriorate in front of my eyes over the last 8 weeks. He was able to do multiple 360 spins back in April. He'd fall on his ass if he tried now," Hougdahl wrote. "He was a basket case and Kenny was concerned he would embarrass himself on stage, or worse yet -- get hurt. The company is rehearsing right now, but the DOUBT is pervasive." Phillips replied to Ortega: "Please stay steady. Enough alarms have sounded. It is time to put out the fire, not burn the building down." By "burn the building down," he meant pulling the plug on the tour that was set to begin in three weeks, Phillips testified last month. "In a highly charged situation like this, I just wanted to keep things calm until we could have the meeting." Phillips met with Murray, Jackson and Ortega at Jackson's home later that day. While Jackson lawyers argue that meeting was intended to pressure Murray to make sure Jackson was ready for rehearsals, AEG lawyers contend Murray assured producers nothing was wrong. Phillips testified that he remembered little about the conversation at the meeting and Murray has invoked his constitutional protection against self-incrimination to avoid testifying in the trial. This makes Ortega's testimony crucial for both sides. 'They're going to kill me,' Jackson told son . Hand over evidence or face jail . A related drama could unfold Monday in another courtroom as a judge in Ohio decides if he'll carry out a threat to throw the widow and daughter of a former Jackson manager in jail for refusing to hand over a laptop computer subpoenaed by Jackson lawyers. Frank DiLeo, who served as Jackson's manager decades earlier, reappeared in his life in his last months. He died in 2011. Jackson lawyers want to search his laptop for evidence to support their contention that DiLeo was beholden to the concert promoter and not to Jackson. His daughter, Belinda DiLeo, refused a judge's order last week to disclose where the computer was, prompting the contempt of court order. The judge gave the DiLeo's until Monday to hand it over or face jail. A hearing will be held Wednesday to determine of the women complied with the order. Jackson changed managers twice in the last three months of his life. In late March 2009, he hired Leonard Rowe -- one of his father's friends -- to replace Tohme Tohme, the manager who initially negotiated the deal with AEG for his "This Is It" tour. Jackson lawyers argue that AEG Live forced Jackson to take DiLeo, who had worked for him off and on for decades, as his manager in May 2009 because they did not want to work with Rowe. A cache of 5,000 e-mails has already been recovered and a lawyer in Ohio is reviewing them to redact non-relevant and personal information before handing them over to Jackson lawyers. | Kenny Ortega worked closely with Michael Jackson in his last weeks .
Ortega wrote of Jackson's "strong signs of paranoia ... and obsessive-like behavior"
An expert testifies Jackson was drug dependent, not addicted .
Widow, daughter of former Jackson manager face jail unless laptop is handed over . |
0638529f249e90aff50e902c25bcb42fa8036583 | By . Ian Drury, James Tozer and Nazia Parveen . PUBLISHED: . 11:07 EST, 17 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:31 EST, 18 September 2012 . He signed up to serve his country aged just 16 and was deployed to Afghanistan weeks after his 18th birthday. But now Private Tom Wroe is dead – murdered by one of the Afghan policemen British forces have been sent to train. The . recruit had begged for help, claiming he had hurt his foot on a patrol – . then slaughtered Private Wroe and Sergeant Gareth Thursby with an . assault rifle when they went to offer first aid. Today Nato announced that they are scaling back operations with Afghan forces in the wake of the so-called 'green on blue' shootings - where allied troops are . killed by the Afghan soldiers or policemen that they are trying to train . or are working alongside. Tributes: Married father-of-two Sergeant Gareth . Thursby, 29, and Private Thomas Wroe, 18, were shot dead in the south of . Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province . The move, which could jeopardise the . U.S.-led coalition's key goal to get Afghan forces ready to take over . security from foreign forces by the end of 2014, is intended to lower . the risk of insider attacks and reduce local tensions over an anti-Islam . video that prompted protests in Afghanistan. Sergeant Thursby, 29 – who leaves a . wife, Louise, and two children, Joshua, ten, and Ruby, four – and . Private Wroe were due home within days. The deaths prompted a furious reaction from . MPs and relatives yesterday – who demanded that troops were brought home . from an ‘unwinnable war’. Special: Thomas Wroe was a much-loved young man who was tragically killed in Afghanistan . Heartbroken: Thomas's parents Claire and Mick display photographs, cards and flowers in their home in rememberence of their much loved son . Family: Thomas Wroe with his mother Claire, father Mick and sister Demi . Prince Harry was moved to a guarded location during a recent Taliban attack on Camp Bastion, the Defence Secretary has revealed. Philip Hammond had earlier told the Commons that Captain Wales - as Harry is known to the Army - was never in danger although he was present during the assault on Bastion last Friday. He later explained that the 28-year-old is being protected by 'additional security arrangements' as he carries out his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Speaking on BBC 2's Newsnight last night, he said: 'Clearly there are fall-back plans and I can't go into the detail of them - but once we knew on Friday night that the perimeter at Bastion had been breached he would have been moved to a secure position under effective guard.' Asked by presenter Jeremy Paxman if that meant Prince Harry was not treated the same as every other soldier, the Defence Secretary said: 'You asked me whether he was at any greater risk. 'And I've told you that in combat he's at the same risk as any other Apache pilot. 'Clearly if we had a VIP in theatre and frankly if I was there or, Jeremy, if you were there in Camp Bastion and there was a breach of the perimeter security, anybody who might, by nature of who they are, be a target, they would be put in a secure location.' He added: 'He is serving there as an ordinary officer but clearly there are additional security arrangements in place that recognise that he could be a target himself specifically as a result of who he is.' Rogue security forces have carried out . 37 attacks this year, killing 51 coalition troops. The toll includes . nine British servicemen – a quarter of the 35 killed in 2012 – and part . of an overall UK casualty toll of 430. Last night it was claimed the gunman . in the latest case was related to a Taliban leader – again highlighting . gaping flaws in vetting Afghan recruits. As tributes were paid to the latest victims: . Yesterday Sergeant Thursby’s stepfather Brain Whitaker, 58, said UK troops were fighting a ‘losing battle’. Mr Whitaker, who lives with Gareth’s . mother, Caroline, 49, in Padiham, Lancashire, added: ‘We just feel numb . at the moment but it is absolutely ridiculous that our troops are still . out there. ‘Gareth’s death just shows that these . people don’t want us there and as soon as we leave the Taliban will be . back in power. This war is totally and utterly pointless.’ Sergeant Thursby is from Skipton, . North Yorkshire, and his young comrade is from Holmfirth, West . Yorkshire. Both belonged to 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment. Building up the ANSF to a strength of . 370,000 is the key plank of Nato’s strategy for withdrawing combat . troops from the conflict. Tough to take: Proud British soldier Gareth . Thursby, left, who has had many glowing tributes including from his step . father Brian Whitaker, right . Past memories: Wroe (right) is pictured aged 14 with his best friend and fellow army cadet, Tim Carter . Tragic loss: Sergeant Gareth Thursby's children Joshua and Ruby . Tribute pictures: Wroe, who died at the age of 18, photographed (left) as a schoolboy and (right) as a baby . International soldiers are training . and mentoring Afghan forces so they can assume responsibility for the . country’s security by the end of 2014. To build bonds between the . forces, they live, work and sleep together in small bases. But the danger has increased as . insurgents have infiltrated the Afghan ranks and the Taliban has . encouraged them to kill their international mentors to undermine the . mission. In March six 3 Yorks soldiers died . after a roadside bomb blew up their Warrior armoured vehicle – the . Army’s worst single loss of life in the war. Horror: Two British soldiers were gunned down by a man in an Afghan police uniform (file photo) Guard: Earlier this week, two Marines were killed and several more wounded at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan . Other fatality: Lance Corporal Duane Groom, 32, from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, died on Friday after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb . Private Wroe’s family said he was . ‘buzzing’ to deploy to Afghanistan. His comrades in 3 Yorks had arrived . there in the spring but he had to remain in the UK until he turned 18. His mother Claire, 39, a care home . deputy manager, said: ‘He couldn’t wait to go. He wanted to go and join . all his mates, he was so excited.’ His father, Mick, 48 – who served 22 . years in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, which became 3 Yorks – said: . ‘He was a proper little soldier. He just wanted to be in the Army. It’s . all he ever wanted to do.’ In a statement to the Commons, Mr . Hammond admitted the rapid expansion of the ANSF meant vetting ‘might . not have been entirely adequate’. All Afghan soldiers and policemen are . undergoing a stringent re-screening programme when they return from . leave, said Mr Hammond. But he acknowledged it was impossible to . ‘eliminate the risk entirely’. Former Labour minister Denis MacShane . said: ‘Why are we still allowing our soldiers to be sacrificed to no . evident purpose?’ He said UK forces were dying in ‘an unwinnable . conflict for an unobtainable end, to no strategic benefit for our . country’. Colonel Tim Collins, a former . commanding officer of the 1st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment, said: . ‘We have expanded very rapidly the Afghan National Security Forces and . the net effect is that people who would not otherwise have been put in . uniform, the undesirables, have been admitted.’ VIDEO: International Security Assistance Force confirms insider attacks . | Afghan recruit had begged for help, claiming he had hurt his foot on a patrol .
He shot the two soldiers with an assault rifle as they went to offer first aid .
Pte Wroe and Sgt Thursby were from 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment .
Fresh claims that the gunman was related to a Taliban leader .
Latest deaths bring total UK forces dead in Afghanistan to 430 since 2001 .
Sgt Thursby's stepfather: 'Ridiculous that our troops are still .
out there'
Defence Secretary: Prince Harry was moved to a guarded location during a recent Taliban attack on Camp Bastion .
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond .
admitted checks on Afghans joining the police and army had been .
‘inadequate’. He acknowledged Taliban had infiltrated the Afghan .
National Security Forces to carry out attacks; .
Security has been stepped up at Camp .
Bastion, where helicopter pilot Prince Harry is based, after Friday’s .
attack by gunmen which left two US Marines dead and five British troops .
injured.
The term green on blue refers to a .
colour-coding system used by the US military. Nato forces are blue and .
Afghans are green, hence the term for friendly-fire incidents as ‘blue .
on blue’. The enemy is usually denoted as red. |
063960595d3280d4b75321ec11adb337259b1fca | By . Associated Press . Last updated at 7:09 PM on 4th October 2011 . A Nigerian man accused of trying to . bring down an international jetliner with a bomb in his underwear . walked into the start of his federal trial today and declared that a . radical Islamic cleric killed by the U.S. military is alive. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's outburst came as jury selection got under way for his federal terror trial in Detroit, where the 24-year-old is acting as his own attorney and has previously told reporters they should stop reporting that Osama bin Laden was dead. 'Anwar is alive,' Abdulmutallab . said today, referring to American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who . was killed last week by a joint CIA-U.S. military air strike in Yemen. Outburst: Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab claimed his 'mentor' American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed last week in Yemen, is not dead . 'The mujahadeen will wipe out the U.S. — the cancer U.S.,' he added. Abdulmutallab, . a well-educated Nigerian from an upper-class family, was directed in . the attack by al-Awlaki and wanted to become a martyr when he boarded . Northwest Airlines Flight 253 in Amsterdam a Christmas 2009, according . to the government. Abdulmutallab, . who complained loudly at a previous hearing about having to wear prison . clothes, came into the courtroom today wearing an oversized prison . T-shirt. U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds called a brief recess to . allow him to change into clothes more appropriate for court, after . acknowledging and denying his apparent request to wear a 'Yemeni belt . with a dagger.' The judge has denied several of Adulmutallab's requests for the trial, including that the case be judged under Islamic law. Abdulmutallab . has pleaded not guilty to eight charges, including conspiracy to commit . terrorism and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Bomb in his underpants: The slightly charred and singed underpants, allegedly worn by Abdulmutallab, with a packet of explosive powder sewn into the crotch is seen in government photos . Moment of arrest: Alleged plane bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab being taken into custody on board Delta/Northwest Airlines Flight 253 . The . government says he wanted to blow up the plane by detonating chemicals . in his underwear, just seven minutes before the jet carrying 279 . passengers and a crew of 11 was to land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. But the bomb didn't work, and passengers assisted by crew members saw flames and pounced on Abdulmutallab. The . failed suicide attack, the first act of terrorism in the U.S. during . the Obama administration, revealed the rise of a dangerous al-Qaida . affiliate and al-Awlaki's growing influence. The . government says Abdulmutallab willingly explained the plot twice, first . to U.S. border officers who took him off the plane and then in more . detail to FBI agents who interviewed him at a hospital for 50 minutes, . following treatment for serious burns to his groin. Abdulmutallab . told authorities he trained in Yemen, home base for Al-Qaida in the . Arabian Peninsula. He said he was influenced by al-Awlaki, who was . killed Friday by an air strike that President Barack Obama called a 'major blow' to al-Qaida's most dangerous franchise. Good upbringing: Abdulmutallab, a well-educated Nigerian from an upper-class family, was directed in the attack by al-Awlaki . Following . the strike, a U.S. official outlined new details of al-Awlaki's . involvement against the U.S., including Abdulmutallab's alleged mission. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss . intelligence matters, said al-Awlaki specifically directed Abdulmutallab . to detonate an explosive device over U.S. airspace to maximise . casualties. Osama bin Laden . appeared in a video declaring Abdulmutallab a 'hero.' Abdulmutallab . also has been lauded by al-Qaida's English-language Web magazine . Inspire, whose editor was killed along with al-Awlaki. After . the outburst about al-Awlaki and flap over Abdulmutallab's clothes, . jury selection got under way in earnest, with most questioning done by . the judge and attorney Anthony Chambers, who has been appointed to . assist Abdulmutallab. Abdulmutallab, . who had suggested he would interview some prospective jurors and could . give his own opening statement, calmly questioned one woman who . indicated she had concerns about retaliation for serving on the jury. The woman remained in the jury pool, but several others were immediately dismissed after saying they could not be impartial. | Nigerian 24-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab also called America a 'cancer'
Arrives in court wearing oversized prison t-shirt after judge denied request to wear 'Yemeni belt .
with dagger'
Jury selection under way with Abdulmutallab acting as his own attorney . |
06397d8d59ee391acfc8bedff8847749c7901619 | By . Louise Cheer . A Western Australian woman got a special delivery when she gave birth to her baby girl at a Coles supermarket. Agnes Achan, 35, went into labour at Perth's Lakes Shopping Centre where a stranger helped bring her fourth daughter and seventh child, Emily, into the world. The Yangebup woman said she got a shock when she realised what was happening. Scroll down for video . Agnes Achan and her baby, Emily, who was delivered at a Coles supermarket in Perth . 'I didn’t know I was going to give birth that day,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'When I started shopping I felt a little bit of pain starting but not much. 'Then I went to the counter and put things up the counter and it got worse.' This was when Ms Achan knew she was going to labour and asked her friend to go to the bathroom with her. 'I told her I thought the baby was coming and she said "Are you sure?"' Ms Achan said with a laugh. 'I was like "Yes I’m not lying."' With help from staff at Coles, the mother-of-seven gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 11.40am on the Tuesday. The incident happened at Lakes Shopping Centre's Coles supermarket in Perth, Western Australia (not pictured, stock image) 'One of the women who worked there named Linda took me to the staff room and held my hand throughout the birth,' Ms Achan said. 'There was a woman at the shops who was a midwife named Ellen - she didn’t know me and I didn’t know her - but she helped me give birth. 'Then the ambulance arrived...the birth didn’t take long, it only took about five minutes.' Lakes Shopping Centre's Nick Magro said Emily's birth was an unusual situation to happen at the supermarket. 'We’re pretty happy to share the moment with [Ms Achan] and congratulations to her,' he said. 'It doesn’t happen every day.' | Agnes Achan gave birth to her daughter, Emily, on July 8 at 11.40am .
The Yangebup woman went into labour at Perth's Lakes Shopping Centre .
A staff member and a shopper helped Ms Achan give birth to her baby .
Emily was Ms Achan's fourth daughter and seventh child . |
0639a8a05e2afdf1f31395212db4b6671c275f75 | Fukushima, Japan (CNN) -- Takashi Suzuki peels on his wet suit and looks out to sea. The waves are good and the water's not too crowded, with only a dozen or so other surfers riding the waves. Suzuki has been surfing these waters since he was in his 20s -- he's now 59. Not even the fact this beach is only 31 miles (50 kilometers) south of the crippled Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant deters him. "The radiation levels here are low," he says. "The data says so, so all I can do is believe it. But I won't let my children or grandchildren go in the water." Tokyo Electric Power Company, the plant's operators, have been struggling to contain leaks from tanks holding toxic water, with dangerously high levels of radiation detected at the site. TEPCO also revealed that hundreds of tons of radioactive water seeps into the Pacific Ocean every day. On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit the site less than two weeks after announcing that the government would be spending US$470 million to try to tackle the emergency. Read more: Why Fukushima is worse than you think . The crisis began in 2011, when three of the plant's reactors suffered a meltdown after a devastating earthquake and tsunami. But the world's worst nuclear disaster in 25 years has had a lasting impact -- it has evicted people from their homes and destroyed livelihoods, including Suzuki's fishing business. He doesn't believe he'll be able to fish these waters again in his lifetime. And now he's trapped here. "Everything came to a halt and it is very bad for us, in a business sense and mentally. I have a family business but don't think I can ever go back to work. "Lots of people want to leave this area. I want to leave as well but I can't because my life and money are all tied up here." Half an hour's drive away is one of the temporary housing estates that sprung up after tens of thousands of people were evacuated from the vicinity of the plant. Residents here know the word "temporary" is misleading. Many moved in more than two years ago and assume they will be here for years to come. In an attempt to restore some normality to their lives, small gardens have been planted on the meter of rocky ground that surrounds the small plot and satellite dishes have been attached to the side of some of the modest wood cabins. Yoshikatsu Matsumoto moved here with his wife shortly after the disaster. All of their money was invested in their dream retirement home -- a house he doubts they will ever live in again. He knows even if he and his wife can move back, his children and grandchildren are unlikely to even visit. He says that's no way to live. "We need to draw a line at some point rather than decontaminating," he says. "I think residents of towns close to the nuclear plant should migrate to a new place and start a new life. It's a highly sensitive issue that angers some residents and local politicians who refuse to give up hope of returning home. But Matsumoto is tired of waiting for his life to begin again. Read more: Fukushima officials looks for outside help . "Everyone wants to go back but can't. We know the younger generation is increasingly deciding they are not going back. The older generation is thinking 'if their children don't go back why should they?' Now is the time to decide what to do," he says. "This can never be home sweet home," he adds, referring to their temporary housing. "If it is ever possible for us to go home, the government needs to do everything to make that happen and accept the help of the world. This accident killed the dreams of 150,000 people. They must do everything they can to try and salvage some dreams." The government has been trying to decontaminate the outer parts of the original 12.4-mile (20-kilometer) exclusion zone. By the end of this fiscal year, the clean-up bill will have reached $1.5 billion. It's painstaking work. On any given day, an estimated 8,000 people work to clean up the area, carefully removing the top layer of soil and grass to try and remove as much absorbed radiation as possible. Only on the outskirts of the evacuation area are residents permitted to return home for short periods. But the evacuation order remains at night, a sign that the government remains concerned about accumulative radiation exposure. | Takashi Suzuki surfs in water near crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan .
Says he believes the risk is low but wouldn't allow his children to swim in the water .
He lost his fishing business in the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami and reactor meltdowns .
Many people in the region are in limbo after being denied the chance to return home . |
063b6ef7bfae428fd92fdfd0b80b68e15b4e27d9 | Denver, Colorado (CNN) -- When the sun dips below the Rocky Mountains and the streets of Denver go dark, Lokki, his girlfriend Magic and their friend Tripp head home. They climb in between the rafters of a highway overpass, crouching as they sit under the concrete structure that rumbles with every car that crosses overhead. It is where they will sleep tonight. It is where they say they can live safely after escaping from abusive homes. "It's pretty hard," says Magic, 18, when asked about living on the streets. "But most of the time it's just life, you know. Life's not going to be easy." She refuses to talk about what caused her to leave home. Her boyfriend Lokki has a different outlook: He says he enjoys the fun and freedom of life on the streets. "I don't really have to worry about anything," says Lokki, 20. "I get some food and kick back with the homies." Out of the three friends, Tripp seems to be the most concerned about the future. He says he began living on the streets two years ago, after escaping a violent relationship with his stepfather. "If I defended myself against him, I always got looked at badly," he said. "So when I turned 18, I left." He stops talking as he watches a homeless man walk by. "I'd hate to think that's the way I'm going," says Tripp. "That I'm going to end up being 40 years old and on the streets." Getting off the streets is a daunting challenge for these young adults and others like them, who have no address, no job, very little education, and many times drug addictions and mental health issues. "We see a lot of kids really since age of 7 or 8 [who] haven't had any real roots to call their own," according to Tom Manning, spokesman for Covenant House, which helps those who are young and homeless. "Those are the 18-year-olds who [have] very limited education and really need to start from square one." Manning, who has worked with homeless youths for 20 years, said a key goal is reaching these young adults before they "disappear into the streets." "It sounds like a movie, but it's true: Pimps and traffickers, they spot these kids and go after them," Manning said. "If we don't get to them, many will end up on drugs or in prison." The youths can be helped, he said, if they can learn to establish healthy relationships with others. "It's a trust issue: Most of these kids have been abused and taken advantage of by every adult they've met," Manning said. Trust is at the heart of the family that Lokki has created for a small group of his friends living on the streets of Denver. They call themselves "Juggalos" -- the name for fans of the rap group Insane Clown Posse. But now, the name has a more important meaning. "Juggalos started as a family for people who feel like they don't have family," Lokki explained. "Other people see it as a gang, but we just look out for each other any way we can." They mostly hang out, swimming in the Platte River or -- if they manage to panhandle a few dollars -- buying beer or marijuana. Most days, they eat lunch at Sox Place, which was set up in 2002 by Doyle "Sox" Robinson. He got his street name after spending a year handing out clean socks to street kids. Every day, about 100 young people come by to eat lunch, use the computers, watch movies and also pick up a fresh pair of socks. "They are just like any other kids out there, they have the same struggles, the same issues," Doyle said. "They still want love, they want acceptance, they want protections, they want rules, they want to be held accountable." Robinson said his goal is simply to provide a stable place where they can be loved for who they are. "I don't try to change them," he said. "If they want to change, we're here for them. If they don't want to change, we're still going to love them." Robinson, 55, says his Christian faith motivates him to help these kids, although he doesn't try to push religion on anyone at Sox Place. He says he lies awake at night after hearing their stories of abuse and neglect. "It shakes my faith in people," he said. "How can we allow this to happen in our own country?" Read more about Robinson's perspective on faith . The Obama administration recently unveiled a plan to end homelessness in the United States over the next decade. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness will "harness public and private resources to build on the innovations that have been demonstrated at the local level nationwide," according to council chairman Shaun Donavan. Robinson is skeptical about whether the government can adequately address the root causes of homelessness. "We need less government and more grass roots," he said. "We need taxes not to go to renovating parks, but renovating lives." All the government can really do is put a roof over someone's head, he said. And that doesn't necessarily constitute a "home." "They don't have a home, the sense of family," Robinson said. "All we're doing is pushing them to the sides, we're not dealing with the real issues." Belle wandered into Sox Place one afternoon in June, a pretty young woman with an air of confidence that contrasts with the cuts across her cheek and the brace on her knee, injuries she said were inflicted by her pimp. "People think it's a choice to be on the streets, but it's never a choice," said Belle, 18. She said she has been sexually abused since she was 6 years old and was in and out of foster care until recently. Now, she is living in a camp with other homeless kids, hiding from her pimp. "Yeah, it's not a house, but a house isn't everything," she said. "Family. Love. Friends. This is my family. All I ever wanted was a family." She wants to go to college to study psychology and help other street kids, but she knows the odds are against her. "I don't have the building blocks to get up in life, to be able to do what I need to do, because I never learned it," she said. "I have to learn that on my own." The odds were against Liz Martinez, who left home at age 12 and eventually became a member of the Juggalos. "They were better than my own biological family," said Martinez, who is now 21. "They didn't put their hands on me, they fed me, they kept me safe, they cared about how I felt." After nearly a decade on the streets, she has just gotten her first apartment with her boyfriend and is looking forward to a more stable future for her 5-month-old daughter. "I have almost $1,000 saved up from selling plasma and doing day labor, and hopefully in the next month and a half to three months, I'll have my GED," she said. Martinez has drawn strength from living on the streets, and she thinks others can do the same: . "If you can survive off of living on the street and sleeping on cold concrete or behind a Dumpster when it's snowing, you know you have the strength to do just about anything." | Hundreds of homeless teens and young adults live in Denver, Colorado .
Many fled abusive families or foster parents .
Doyle "Sox" Robinson has opened a drop-in center for homeless youths .
"They are just like any other kids out there," Robinson says . |
063b9d1fadd67b8649716b09a0d173940fd3354d | By . Matt Blake and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:24 EST, 15 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:29 EST, 15 February 2013 . They are the defining images of the world in 2012, each one reflecting a single, fleeting moment of a year gone by. Whether it is of the misery of a loved one killed by an enemy missile attack, the overwhelming joy at winning Olympic gold, or the intimate devotion of an elderly wife to her dying husband, each photograph provides a fascinating snapshot of life on Earth. The winners of the World Press Photo Awards, one of . photojournalism's most prestigious contests, were announced today, issuing awards in nine . categories to 54 photographers of 32 nationalities. The overall winner was Swedish photographer Paul Hansen for his picture of two Palestinian children killed in an Israeli missile strike being carried to their funeral. WARNING: This story contains images that some readers may find distressing. Scroll down for video . First Place: Henson's picture shows a group of men marching the dead bodies through a narrow street in Gaza City. The victims, a brother and sister, are wrapped in white cloth with only their faces showing . The photo shows a group of men . marching the dead bodies through a narrow street in Gaza City. The . victims, a brother and sister, are wrapped in white cloth with only . their faces showing. 'The . strength of the pictures lies in the way it contrasts the anger and . sorrow of the adults with the innocence of the children,' said jury . member Mayu Mohanna of Peru. 'It's a picture I will not forget.' Hansen’s November 20 shot won top prize in both the spot news single photograph category and the overall competition. It portrays two-year-old Suhaib Hijazi and her three-year-old brother Muhammad, who were killed when their house was destroyed by the Israeli attack. They are being carried by grieving uncles, as their father Fouad was also killed, and his body can be seen in the background of the picture. The children’s mother, whose name was not provided, was in intensive care. Torture: This image by Emin Ozmen, from Turkey, in July last year won second prize in the Spot News Single category. It shows Syrian opposition fighters torturing a suspected government informant in Aleppo . First Prize, Sports Action: This photo by Malaysian Wei Seng Chen shows a jockey, his feet stepped into a harness strapped to the bulls and clutching their tails, at the end of a dangerous run across rice fields during the Pacu Jawi (bull race) - a popular competition at the end of harvest season keenly contested between villages in Batu Sangkar, West Sumatra, Indonesia . First Prize, Nature Stories: Canadian Paul Nicklen took this for National Geographic magazine. It shows Emperor Penguins, tripling their swimming speed to 30kph by releasing millions of bubbles from their feathers. These bubbles reduce the friction between their feathers and the icy seawater, allowing them to accelerate in the water . Activist to action: Stefen Chow of Malaysia, of Smithsonian magazine, won the second prize in the People - Staged Portraits Single category with this picture of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, left. And Russian Sergei Ilnitsky, for European Pressphoto Agency, won second prize in the sports action category for this picture of Alaaeldin Abouelkassem of Egypt (top) in action against Peter Joppich of Germany during their Men's Foil Individual Round16 match at the London 2012 Olympic Games . 'This prize is the highest honour you can get in the profession,' Hansen said. 'I’m very happy, but also very sad. The family lost two children and the mother is unconscious in a hospital.' 'These situations are so visually complex,' he added. 'It’s difficult to convey the emotions, to translate what is happening. The light is harsh and there are a lot of people. 'But in the alley the light bounced off the walls, so I thought this is a place where you can see that it’s a procession. ... You get the depth in the image, and the bouncing light.' First Place, General News Single: This photo by Associated Press photographer Rodrigo Abd shows 'Aida' crying as she recovers from severe injuries after the Syrian Army shelled her house in Idlib north Syria. Aida's husband and and two children were killed after their home was shelled . First Prize, Contemporary Issues: This photo by American Micah Albert, for Redux Images, shows a woman taking a break from working as a trash picker in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2012 . First Prize, Daily Life Stories: Taken by Italian Fausto Podavini, this picture shows a 71-year-old wife taking care of her Alzheimer's stricken husband in Rome, Italy . Second Prize, Daily Life: Taken by Soren Bidstrup, of Denmark, for Berlingske, shows a young family waking up early on a summer holiday camping trip in Jeselo, Italy . Violence in the Middle East, and its effect upon civilians, was the dominant theme in the hard news categories. The Associated Press won eight awards in all, including top prizes for a spot news series for Bernat Armangue of Spain for photos he took in Gaza during November; and for Rodrigo Abd of Argentina for general news single photograph, with a picture of a woman with a bloodstained face weeping in Idib, Syria, on March 10. She was identified as Aida, and her photo of silent grief is in some ways a reverse image of Hansen’s winning shot. She received severe injuries when her house was shelled by the Syrian Army, killing her husband and two children. First Prize, Spot News Single: Palestinian schoolchildren walk between debris of a damaged school in Gaza City. The school was damaged when Israeli forces struck on a nearby building. This photo was one in a series of images by Associated Press photographer Bernat Armangue . Third Prize People - Observed Portraits: Taken by Ananda van der Pluijm, Netherlands, this shows the photographer's brother Martin. She says: 'After living with his dad for ten years and staying in a youth shelter, my half-brother Martin (18) returned home to live with his mother again. He arrived with some clothes in a bag, no work or graduation. I'm following him during this period to get to know him again and record his developments . Second Prize, Observed Portrait Series: Spanish bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla performs during a bullfight in the southwestern Spanish town of Olivenza. It is one of a series of images by Associated Press photographer Daniel Ochoa de Olza . First Place, News Series: Smoke rises after an Israeli forces strike in Gaza City. This photo was one in a series of images by Associated Press photographer Bernat Armangue . In other categories, Wei Seng Chen of Malaysia won in the sports singles category with a shot of what might be considered a local 'extreme sport': a man clutching the tails of two bulls as they pull him through a watery rice field in Batu Sangkar, Indonesia. The competition also includes portrait series, scenes from everyday life, and nature photography, among others. The contest drew entries from professional press photographers, photojournalists and documentary photographers across the world. In all, 103,481 images were submitted by 5,666 photographers from 124 countries. First Prize, Spot News Series: This photo is one of a series by Associated Press photographer Bernat Armangue shows a Palestinian man kissing the hand of a dead relative in the morgue of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City . Second Prize, Spot News: This picture by Italian photographer Fabio Bucciarelli a Free Syrian Army fighter taking up a position during clashes against government forces in the Sulemain Halabi district in October 2012, Aleppo, Syria . Third Prize, General News: This picture by Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak shows pine trees uprooted during Japan's tsunami in 2011 lay strewn over the beach . Spot News: This photo by Associated Press photographer Adel Hana shows Palestinian gunmen ride motorcycles as they drag the body of a man who was killed earlier as a suspected collaborator with Israel, in Gaza City . The photos were submitted anonymously to a panel of 19 jury members, chaired by AP Director of Photography Santiago Lyon, and judged in multiple rounds. The winners were all 'stellar examples of first-rate photojournalism,' Lyon said. Other judges came from Germany, Iraq, Peru, France, Sweden, China, Britain, Spain, Azerbaijan, South Africa, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.S. Honourable mention: This photo by Associated Press photographer Altaf Qadrin shows underprivileged Indian children attend a free school run under a metro bridge in New Delhi, India . First Prize, Spot News: Palestinian woman is helped after being injured during an Israeli forces strike on a soccer field next to her house in Gaza City. This photo was one in a series of images by Associated Press photographer Bernat Armangue . Second Prize, Sprorts Action: This picture by Russian photographer Sergei Ilnitsky Nicolas Limbach of Germany (L) in action against Jingzhi Wang of China (R) during their Men's Sabre Team Placement 5-6 match for the London Games . Third Prize, Contemporary Singles: This photo by Associated Press photographer Emilio Morenatti shows Mireia Arnau, 39, reacting behind the broken glass of her shop stormed by demonstrators during clashes with the police at the general strike in Barcelona . Second Prize, Contemporary Issues: This photo by Associated Press photographer Esteban Felix shows the bodies of Lesbia Altamirano and Wilmer Orbera lying on the floor of a pool hall after being attacked by unidentified masked assailants in Choloma on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula, Honduras . | Swedish photographer Paul Hansen won with .
a picture of two Palestinian children killed in an Israeli missile .
strike .
Others include riots in Spain, Olympic fencing, Indian slums, torture in Syria and penguins in Antarctica .
Although the overwhelming majority of winners came from various regions of the conflict-ravaged Middle East . |
063cb63da2dcb96d9c1ab8ba905aff3c2a8528bb | Mercedes boss Toto Wolff last night claimed that Lewis Hamilton’s victory in the Singapore Grand Prix was payback from a ‘racing god’ for his race-ending accident in Spa last month. It was there that Hamilton retired after a collision that the team blamed on Nico Rosberg, who went on to win the race. Although Mercedes have already fined Rosberg and made him apologise for the crash, the loose-tongued Wolff returned to the topic after an electrical failure ended the German’s race yesterday and allowed Hamilton to leapfrog him into a three-point lead in the drivers’ championship. Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Singapore Grand Prix but team mate Nico Rosberg can't force a smile . Hamilton (left) and Mercedes team-mate Rosberg collided on lap two of the Belgian Grand Prix last month . Mercedes boss Toto Wolff (right) has a tough task keeping Hamilton and Rosberg both happy at the team . ‘Lewis caught up a lot of points, ones he lost in Spa,’ said Wolff. ‘If there is a racing god maybe he was there today.’ Of more concern to Mercedes than spiritual matters are the nuts and bolts of providing a dependable car. They have suffered five retirements this season and further problems in qualifying and practice. Wolff admitted: ‘We have a missile of a car but are having reliability issues. Today Nico’s steering column broke. I said: “Sorry for letting you down”. At moments like that there is really nothing you can say.’ Nico Rosberg signals to the Mercedes crew as he retires from the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday . Rosberg was still stony-faced as he was commiserated by Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ non-executive chairman, more than an hour after his race ended. Asked if reliability would be a factor in deciding the title, Rosberg said: ‘Of course, but I’m still very optimistic. It is clear reliability is the point we need to focus on the most. ‘At the moment I’m just disappointed with today, and I want to dig in with the team to try to understand what went wrong. The team are working crazy hours. They just need to review their approach and try to improve in that area. It’s not a demand. Everyone in the team wants the same thing.’ Rosberg is less than impressed with the reliability of his Mercedes car as he was forced to retire in Singapore . | Lewis Hamilton won the Singapore Grand Prix to lead the championship .
Team mate Nico Rosberg had to retire and bemoaned car's relability .
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff hails win as payback for Hamilton's race-ending accident at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in August . |
0640cb771b53a3302769edba87cdb06ad104d618 | PUBLISHED: . 09:37 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:38 EST, 29 May 2013 . With hand washing rates astoundingly low in healthcare workers and costs related to hospital-acquired infections in the billions, some hospitals have turned to high-tech surveillance cameras and sensors to encourage better hygiene for their doctors and nurses. When healthcare workers at Long Island, New York's North Shore University Hospital enter an intensive care room, for instance, a motion sensor is triggered. A camera is then turned on and its video footage sent to a center in India where workers watch to ensure proper hand hygiene is taking place. Which is just to say, to make sure doctors and nurses are washing their hands prior to interacting with patients. As simple a task as it may seem in an environment where professionals are trained to make split-second, life-saving decisions, studies have shown hand washing rates in hospitals to be dismal. Shocking: Studies show hospital workers need encouragement to wash their hands, with compliance rates as low as 30 percent in some hospitals . The New York Times says that studies show rates of hand washing in hospital workers prior to any type of patient interaction are as low as 30 percent without some form of encouragement. The reasons for non-compliance are many. Philip Liang, who founded General Sensing, which provides sensor badges to hospital workers that track their hand washing, says an overburdened mind might be a chief reason. ‘Nurses have to remember hundreds—thousands—of procedures,’ he told the New York Times. ‘It’s really easy to forget the basic tasks. You’re really concentrating on what’s difficult, not on what’s simple.’ Liang’s product knows when a healthcare worker has neglected to wash his or her hands. A badge vibrates when the worker approaches a patient’s bed, gently reminding them to scrub up. Dangerous: Hospital-acquired disease kills up to 100,000 per year and federal regulations will soon punish hospitals where preventable transmissions occur . Studies have also found that doctors, more than nurses or any other workers, are most resistant to washing their hands. The reason, according to the studies, seems to be a resistance to authority. ‘There are still staff out there who say, ”How dare they,”’ said Columbia University school of nursing’s Elaine Larson. To root out non-compliance and avoid losing Medicare funding under new federal rules that punish hospitals where preventable diseases are transmitted, hospitals have begun instituting an array of hand washing encouragement techniques in addition to the high-tech surveillance. Encouragement: Among other techniques, Beth Israel in Manhattan has its workers wear pins like these and officials say they really encourage patients to ask about hand washing . They are training hand washing coaches, hiring monitors who dress like hospital personnel and secretly watch for hand washing compliance, and giving out coupons for things like pizza and coffee to those who meet certain levels of compliance. Subtle: 'You do not want to say, "You did not wash your hands,"' says Dr. Brian Koll of Beth Israel in Manhattan, where colleagues instead hand out red cards to non-complying workers, like a soccer match . Dr. Brian Koll of Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan trains compliance coaches. One of the techniques he uses, he borrowed from the sport of soccer. When one worker notices another has not washed his or her hands, they can be given a red card by their colleagues. ‘It’s a way to communicate,’ said Dr. Koll, ‘in a nonconfrontational way that also builds teamwork.’ Dr. Koll’s hospital also has its workers wear pins that read things like ‘Ask me if I’ve washed my hands,’ ‘Got Gel,’ and ‘Hand hygiene first’ and Koll said patients’ families, especially parents of pediatrics patients, aren’t shy about asking doctors about their cleanliness. At North Shore University Hospital, a . 2011 program saw the installation of digital scoreboards that record . hand washing compliance rates for each shift. The intensive care unit . saw a leap in hand washing rates. Prior . to the scoreboards, the numbers hovered around 6.5 percent compliance. With them, they reached into the 80 and 90 percent range. Workers . at places like Beth Israel who continue to exhibit bad hand hygiene can . be forced to take remediation classes. They must then, in turn, teach . other non-compliant workers what they learned. But for all the mild admonishments or coercion techniques, the real reasons for increasing hand washing rates is to save lives. A recent CDC report says drug-resistant superbugs are on the rise and nearly 100,000 patients die each year from infections acquired in hospitals. Effective: Some doctors are now under surveillance by observers in India who note hand washing non-compliance. Hospitals where workers know they're being observed have seen skyrocketing hand washing rates . | Hospital workers wash their hands as little as 30 percent of the time they interact with patients, studies show .
Efforts in New York hospitals and elsewhere seek to save $30 billion lost per year to hospital-acquired infections by installing surveillance equipment at hand washing sinks . |
06422affc0727239af6cafef605be0f0abb50400 | Alleged Sydney terrorists Omar al-Kutobi and Mohammad Kiad are being protected from other prisoners inside Silverwater Jail, after being subjected to threats since their arrival. Al-Kutobi, 24 and Kiad, 25, were arrested on terror charges on Tuesday and did not apply for bail during a brief video link hearing in Central Local Court on Thursday. Daily Mail Australia has learned that they are now being held in protective custody inside Silverwater, which has a long-held reputation for being among the toughest prisons in New South Wales. A police source revealed that 'these guys are typically cared for in a different way to the general population’. 'Anyone like them, who are accused of these sorts of offences, will come under particular attention (in jail).' Scroll down for video . Mohammad Kiad, 25 (left), and his Iraqi born housemate Omar Al-Kutobi, 24, were arrested on terror charges in their shared squalid granny flat at Fairfield in Sydney's south-western suburbs on Tuesday. They are believed to be in protective custody inside Silverwater Correctional Complex after being the subject of death threats . Kiad is said to be a keen weightlifter, the 25-year-old removalist sharing selfies of himself at the gym . Accused pair al-Kutobi and Kiad ham it up in a photo while relaxing at home. Prison officials would not be drawn if the pair are now 'under watch' in jail after threats from other inmates . Silverwater Jail - is considered one of the toughest correctional facilities in Australia - it's where alleged terror suspects Mohammad Kiad and his flatmate Omar al-Kutobi are being held until their March court appearance and are believed to have been subjected to threats by fellow prisoners since they were taken into custody . However, Correction Services refused to be drawn on the matter when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. ‘Due to legal advice we are unable to provide any detail because of privacy concerns, so we can neither confirm nor deny the claims.’ Nor would they comment on suggestions the pair had expressed concern for their safety behind prison walls or that a third party had made a request on their behalf to have them protected from harm from the general population. Kiad and his Iraqi born housemate Omar, al-Kutobi, were arrested in their shared squalid granny flat on Tuesday, where a police raid allegedly uncovered a machete, a hunting knife, an Islamic State flag and a video featuring both the men, with one recorded making threats of carrying out a terrorist attack. Commonwealth DPP prosecutor Kay Marenos said the brief of evidence against the men was four pages long 'but that is likely to change' and included photographs and a short video. The pair appeared briefly via video from Silverwater Prison, dressed in their prison greens, on Wednesday. Their legal aid appointed barrister, Deone Provera, said they will be seeking bail when the matter returns to court on March 16. Kiad was arrested on Tuesday with his flatmate al-Kutobi, just hours before an alleged plan to undertake a beheading attack in central Sydney . Kiad was granted a visa under the family and spousal visa arrangements and is believed to have been receiving welfare payments . Crown prosecutor Michael Allnut leaves Fairfield Local Court after the first mention on Wednesday of charges against Omar Al-Kutobi, 24, and Mohammad Kiad, 25. They have both been charged with one count of "do act in preparation/planning for terrorism act" and refused bail after being arrested in anti-terror raids in Sydney's south-western suburbs . Government investigations into how al-Kutobi and Kiad were able to reside in Australia and receive welfare payments continues. It's been claimed al-Kutobi, an Iraqi national, flew into the country on a fake passport and was given a protection visa. All this comes amid claims, by some lawyers, that statements made by Prime Minister Abbott in parliament could prejudice a fair trial. Adam Houda has told the ABC that 'he (the Prime Minister) wants to milk this situation politically for all it's worth'. 'He's poisoning the minds of potential jurors out there. We have rules for a reason, to ensure fairness in courts.' The PM's office, however, insists he revealed details surrounding their arrest, with the full knowledge and consent of the Australian Federal Police. During Question Time in parliament, Mr Abbott gave a graphic description of the disturbing video. He explained that one of the men made threats about carrying out an attack on Australia and stabbing victims in their 'kidneys' and 'livers', whilst 'kneeling before the death cult flag with a knife in his hand and a machete before him'. The PM also informed parliament that the man on the video said: 'I swear to almighty Allah, blond people, there is no room for blame between you and us. We only are you, stabbing the kidneys and striking the necks.' Their Fairfield home, a granny flat in Sydney's south-west (pictured). The pair was living in squalid conditions and al-Kutobi, it's been revealed, flew into Australia in 2009 as an Iraqi national using another person’s passport . The Prime Minister read from a statement in parliament, describing information surround the pair's arrest. 'Kneeling before the death cult flag with a knife in his hand and a machete before him, one of those arrested said this: 'I swear to almighty Allah we will carry out the first operation for the soldiers of the caliphate in Australia'," Mr Abbott said . However, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) has also issued a statement about Mr Abbott's comments, saying they would not affect their role. It reads: 'Given the concern for public safety that attaches to allegations of terrorism, senior government officials are often briefed on major counter-terrorism investigations.' 'They sometimes choose to provide additional information to the public as they see fit. 'The CDPP forms its own view about the evidence in any given case. In stark contrast to the images of him in gym gear and shiny pants, other pictures show Kiad wearing traditional white Islamic clothing and headpieces . 'The comments made by the Prime Minister in this case will not have any impact on the CDPP's role or function, especially as this is in the very early stages of the matter, and any jury trial is unlikely to take place until much later in the year.' Social media accounts of one of the two men charged with plotting a terrorist attack involving large knives revealed he was a fashion-loving weightlifter with a keen eye for expensive jewellery. Pictures of Kiad on his Facebook page, who was believed to be working as a removalist until his recent sacking, show him sporting expensive watches and suits as well as taking numerous selfies while at the gym. In contrast to the snaps of him in shiny sparkling tight pants, other pictures show him wearing traditional white Islamic clothing and headpieces. Al-Kutobi was granted citizenship in 2013 and was apparently studying to be a nurse. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Sydney terror suspects are being protected from other prisoners in Silverwater Jail .
Omar al-Kutobi and Mohammad Kiad have been subjected to threats since being taken into custody on Tuesday .
Daily Mail Australia has learned that 'they are being cared for in a different way to the general population'
Lawyers claim the pair may be denied a fair trial after Prime Minister revealed details of the alleged threats in parliament .
They will apply for bail when the case returns to court on March 16 . |
0643885948abc38a45438f624a0128990f2e10cf | Washington (CNN) -- The black-robed figure stares straight ahead, stalwart and silent, his head nodding appreciatively. He carries a big stick, which happens to have an American flag attached. And the man proudly stands on a toy truck and a pair of pizza boxes. Say hello to the Justice Clarence Thomas Annotated Bobblehead, about the closest thing a member of the Supreme Court gets to collectible immortality. The sought-after doll -- it's OK to call them dolls -- is the latest release in a pantheon of justices past and present honored in cold-cast ceramic. "We have fun doing this, but it is a respectful project," said Ross Davies, a law professor at George Mason University in Virginia and the creator of the series. "The rule of the bobblehead toy is that it's not a joke. There's a lesson here. We're trying, in some way, to portray the important work of the court." The 6-inch limited edition figures originated eight years ago with then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Davies arranged to have the bobblehead just appear on his desk blotter one morning. Court sources say the chief justice loved it so much, he kept it in his office. Seven other current or recent justices have since been immortalized in pop culture history. The Thomas doll will be released in the fall, tied to the 20th anniversary of his service on the high court. It is not sold in stores, available only to subscribers of Davies' engaging law journal The Green Bag (www.greenbag.org). Other legal aid groups also have been provided free copies, for nonprofit fundraising and promotion. They have become real collectors items for the small but influential constitutional and appellate law community. Former law clerks of the honored justices in particular have been known to use all influence possible to secure the keepsake. "We make them for the joy of it, and then we give them away," Davies said. Thomas is portrayed with the meticulous care that emphasizes his particular jurisprudence. In the 63-year-old justice's case, it's his views on federalism, the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted today as the founders had envisioned, rejecting calls by some progressives that the document should be considered in the current ever-changing social and political context. The flag Thomas is holding refers to a concurrence in a 2004 case over whether the Pledge of Allegiance should be recited by children in public schools. The jackknifed blue truck refers to a 1995 opinion written by Thomas dealing with whether individual lawsuits in state courts against a company over a pair of serious accidents would interfere with existing federal law. And the pizza box was inspired by his famous quote on a case over whether cable firms had to open their lines to high-speed Internet competition. "One can pick up a pizza rather than having it delivered, and one can own a dog without buying a leash," Thomas wrote in 2005. "By contrast, the (Federal Communications) Commission reasonably concluded, a consumer cannot purchase Internet service without also purchasing a connection to the Internet." "The hard part when designing the bobbleheads is to visually depict the court and its work," said Steve McAllister, a University of Kansas Law School professor who collaborated on the design. "The court is so serious -- big cases and controversial decisions. This is a more light-hearted approach, a way to illustrate their work in a fun but intellectually thoughtful way." McAllister also clerked for Thomas in his first year on the court in 1991. Court sources say the justice was especially impressed and amused with his image and the highlighted jurisprudence. Unlike the mass-produced bobbleheads, each justice is personally presented with just one of two handmade versions of their head-swiveling likeness. Next up for bobblefication is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, perhaps next year. But at least one other member of the court has received the pop memorabilia treatment: Sonia Sotomayor was the subject of a comic book last year -- "Female Force" -- chronicling her pioneering work as the nation's first Latina justice. Sadly, she was portrayed wearing her robe rather than a cape with a Superwoman-like "S" on it. Justices go on business trips too . Italy. Austria. Canada. Switzerland. Resorts in Lake Tahoe and Geneva. Summer means quiet days at the Supreme Court as the justices enjoy their nearly three-month recess. But away from the bench, few have time to laze around the house on a "stay-cation." Travel plans will take most of the court around the world on separate teaching and speaking stints. Justice Antonin Scalia may be the busiest. He will conduct several classes this month in the Swiss Alps at the Geneva Institute in Transnational Law, co-sponsored by Duke University. In September, he does the same for a Federalist Society seminar on "Separation of Powers" at a fancy resort in California's Sierra Nevada. Scalia and colleague Justice Samuel Alito will lead separate study-abroad stints in Rome for law students. Italy seems to be a popular destination. Chief Justice John Roberts conducts a law class in Florence, sponsored by Penn State University. And in neighboring Austria, Justice Anthony Kennedy continues his annual summer teaching symposium in quaint Salzburg. Justice Stephen Breyer will also rack up many air miles. He also goes to Toronto and Vermont for speeches and then to Fargo, North Dakota, where he'll dedicate a new high school. He also recently appeared with former colleague Sandra Day O'Connor at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Ginsburg also spoke at this gathering of newsmakers, and Justice Elena Kagan visits the Rockies resort town next month. Under federal guidelines, members of the high court can accept up to $25,000 or so in extra income for teaching and speaking engagements, in addition to their judicial salaries of $213,900. Roberts earns a little extra: $223,000. It is not known whether Sotomayor will be traveling to exotic locales. She will be busy this summer trying to finish her autobiography, after signing a lucrative book deal last year that included a $1.175 million advance. As for Thomas, he prefers to spend his free time tooling around the U.S. with his wife, Ginni, in their 40-foot recreational vehicle. You might spot them at a local Wal-Mart parking lot or a campsite. They have visited more than 30 states in recent years. | Seven current or recent justices have been made into dolls .
Thomas doll will be released this fall in honor of his 20th anniversary on court .
Justices rack up the airline miles with summer engagements . |
064396600b73dc4418ef783fc82f4fe1ff038f6d | (CNN) -- The new seven wonders of the world were named Saturday following an online vote that generated server-crushing traffic in its final hours. The Great Wall of China was among the top vote-getters of the "New 7 Wonders of the World" project. The final tally produced this list of the world's top human-built wonders: . • The Great Wall of China . • Petra in Jordan . • Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer . • Peru's Machu Picchu . • Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid . • The Colosseum in Rome . • India's Taj Mahal . Before the vote ended Friday, organizers said more than 90 million votes had been cast for 21 sites. Watch the contenders and controversy surrounding the 'new' seven wonders » . Voting at the Web site, www.new7wonders.com, ended at 6 p.m. ET Friday. Traffic was so heavy Friday that the site was crashing at times. One message urged voters to use text messages as an alternative form of voting. "Keep on voting, as it is your votes that decide the New 7 Wonders of the World," the message said. "We have traffic that is simply off the scale," Tia Vering, spokeswoman for the "New 7 Wonders of the World" campaign, told CNN.com. "Things are just going ballistic." The new wonders were announced at a star-studded event Saturday in Lisbon, Portugal, that featured performances by Jennifer Lopez and Chaka Khan. The event was hosted by Oscar winners Hilary Swank and Ben Kingsley as well as Bollywood star Bipasha Basu. Send CNN.com photos and video of your favorite "wonder" The top contenders for the seven wonders were last made public in early June. The oldest candidate was Britain's Stonehenge; the newest was Australia's Sydney Opera House. The U.S. Statue of Liberty also was among the choices. Voting nearly doubled after the June results, when organizers said about 50 million votes had been cast. A single user can cast multiple votes. To be considered for the competition, all structures had to be built or discovered before 2000. All are among top tourist attractions around the world. Of the seven ancient wonders of the world, only one remains standing today, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Some nations have enthusiastically endorsed the new wonders campaign. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Jordan's Queen Rania actively promoted their countries' hopefuls. But the new wonders campaign hasn't been universally recognized. The United Nations' cultural organization, UNESCO, issued a statement saying it has "no link whatsoever" to the vote. Egypt's top antiquities expert also objected to the list. He said Egypt's pyramids are a "symbol of the genius of the ancient people" -- and are above any sort of online poll. As a result, the organizers struck up a compromise. The pyramids have been assured honorary status, in addition to the new seven wonders. The new wonders project was the brainchild of Swiss businessman Bernard Weber. He said he wanted to invite the people of the world to take part in selecting the world's greatest wonders. "So that everybody can decide what the new seven wonders should be and not some government, not some individuals, not some institutions," he said. Vering said she believes the vote has accomplished that goal. "We've managed to bring culture out of the museum -- out of the dusty, dry academic corners -- and have people talk about it," she said. "That, we feel, is the greatest achievement of this campaign." E-mail to a friend . | NEW: .
Star-studded event in Lisbon, Portugal, unveils the new wonders .
Voting in the final hours so intense the Web site crashed at times .
Pyramids of Giza given honorary status as a "wonders" member . |
0643a1688fa524b0d54e63c0b40263c7b82f23c4 | TUOL SAMBO, Cambodia (CNN) -- Van Thy says the government evicted her from her home in the Cambodian capital and trucked her and others out to a town an hour away where she now lives in a hot green metal shed with no running water and dim prospects. Many Cambodian AIDS patients and their families have been relocated to this community outside Tuol Sambo. Before the move, she had a job as a dishwasher, but now the 36-year-old woman is unemployed, penniless and her health has taken a turn for the worse. She has AIDS like many of the others in the 40 AIDS-affected families that were resettled here. "We were called for a meeting and when I got there, a lot of trucks were already prepared. There was no meeting. They told us to prepare our stuff for moving out," she said, her voice trembling as she detailed her departure from the Phnom Penh shantytown she called home for nine years. "Everybody cried the day we left." As Cambodia emerges from the 1970s Khmer Rouge genocide and decades of conflict, evictions for development purposes have become a hot issue, with rights groups and upset villagers living on desirable land launching protests in recent years. But what sets the families apart at Tuol Sambo is that they have AIDS. "The problems that this community face are not unlike problems that people face throughout the country," said Kathleen O'Keefe, an independent consultant focusing on HIV/AIDS and land issues. "What has made these problems extreme is that they have been isolated and treated as a community" and their relocation has added "additional problems, like real health risks of many immune compromised people living far too close together. This place would be a health risk to healthy people." This is the second relocation for many of these families. They had been living in a shantytown in the Cambodian capital, an area called Borei Keila that was across the street from a hospital where they received medical care and where they could find jobs to earn $1.25 or $1.50 a day. O'Keefe said they had lived dispersed throughout the community but were forced to move into one building there in 2007 when the area started to undergo development. "They were segregated into a green building, which very quickly became known as the ... AIDS village," O'Keefe said. "This AIDS colony in Tuol Sambo is the second time they are being even further isolated ... it's been an extremely traumatic situation for them." O'Keefe said most of the families that were moved to Tuol Sambo told her they have lost their jobs, their health is worsening due to a lack of clean water and food, and they face discrimination from their new neighbors because of their illness. "We feel very ashamed to go outside, they look like they [are] discriminating against us," Van Thy said. Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun said those who were relocated got a plot of land, a house and $275. He also noted they were provided rice, electricity and said, "when the water supply can be connected to this area, then we can connect it for these people." Mann Chhoeun said the people were illegally squatting in the Phnom Penh shantytown, but they were not forcefully evicted. "They proposed to go ... because living in that area (their previous shantytown) they had floods and they have no proper business to do in there, so that's why they proposed to us to go there," he said. "They think that when they go there (to Tuol Sambo), they can own the land, they can own a house and they can make some business or something like that." He also said he did not believe there was discrimination in the area, "but there is some feeling when they (people) learn that someone has been living with HIV/AIDS." Van Thy said her new home has brought many challenges and a recent blood test showed that her CD4 count -- a marker of decreased immune function that is often used to demonstrate how well anti-HIV drugs are working, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- had gone down. She said the doctor told her she needed to eat more, but she said having little money means eating less: "It means that my health is getting worse," she said. The water in their new home is from a well and is undrinkable unless it is boiled or purified. "We are patients, we need some clean water," she said. "They said the water cannot be drunk, just for using to wash clothes and things like that." Another man, Chheang Toma, takes the temperature inside his green shed at noon every day. On average, it is 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) but one time spiked up to 50 Celsius (122). "This area is very difficult," he said. "I am always sick, and I always have a headache. The weather is so hot even my son has gone to the clinic two times already." Home care specialist, Oum Vicheth, has been working with this community since 1998 and holds a clinic at Tuol Sambo once a week. He said the move "has strongly affected them." "This is a long-term effect, not a short-term one, because medicine alone cannot help them. It combines with other factors like food, eating enough, sleeping enough and a good environment, so all this can help make their health stable," he said. "The problem is right now that what these people are facing is about their food, about their sleep and about the heat. It's very hot. Sometimes this affects the quality of the medicine they keep." Chheang Toma said his son, who is in first grade, heard that parents of local children told them not to play with him because he has HIV. "He just told me that he wanted to play with those children but when they saw him they just run away," he said. "I know right now some parents they just learning and understand about us, and they start to tolerate, but some others keep us in isolation -- like they still look at us, treating us very bad by not coming very close and not making friends with us." Oum Vicheth said he was providing health care to the villagers as a way to bring them closer to the group, and they have held meetings with them about how HIV is contracted. "There was very little thought given to integrating the community into the larger resettlement area of Tuol Sambo," said Tony Lisle, the UNAIDS country coordinator for Cambodia. "By basically settling the community in one contiguous place it opens the community up to discrimination." The U.N. team in Cambodia also "was disappointed that the relocation was carried out before the site was made habitable" and monitors would visit the site in late August, Lisle said. Teng Kunthy, secretary-general of the Cambodian government's National AIDS Authority, said the Tuol Sambo group's worries were about the housing, not their health care, since he said they still had good access to treatment, including home-based care, medicine and the help of charities. He said the housing situation could not be changed overnight, but it would improve "step by step," and he also noted Tuol Sambo was an area the municipality wants to develop. "The municipality has a plan for the future," he said. "I asked the government to explain to them (the Tuol Sambo residents), to provide more information to them." He also noted there was "no serious discrimination" in Cambodia against people with HIV/AIDS, but that the AIDS authority would try to ensure any such problems did not arise in the future. Back at Tuol Sambo, people think of the future and how they will make ends meet. One man in the community who has AIDS lost one job in the move but still has part-time work. He said things have improved with their new neighbors. "When we first arrived here, the villagers around the area just said look at AIDS people living here and so they did not allow their children or relatives to come and play in this area and they don't talk to us. But now after seeing the home care specialist," things seem to be getting better with them, he said. Still, he and his friends from the old shantytown are not happy with their new lives. "We are living with disappointment," he said. | Many of the people relocated by government to Tuol Sambo have AIDS .
They used to live in a shantytown near a hospital, their jobs .
Government says they were illegal squatters, they provided them money, services .
People say they have lost jobs, income, getting sick, lack clean water . |
064446c45681d0eb67a8fcc5a132b0c16bc5bbde | It occurs shortly before Holy Communion in a Roman Catholic Mass when the priest invites the congregation to offer each other a sign of peace. However, what began as a simple handshake has become in many churches an exuberant exchange of kisses or hugs and now the Vatican wants to stamp out the boisterous practice as it detracts from the solemnity of the service. Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, the leader of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has written a letter to bishops around the world expressing the church’s concern. The Holy Father prays during his inauguration Mass in St Peter's Square, Vatican City . In a move approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Llovera has asked bishops to draw up strict new guidelines so that the gesture can be performed with more sobriety and less ‘excess’. The Vatican said it would ‘offer some practical measures to better express the meaning of the sign of peace and to moderate excesses, which create confusion in the liturgical assembly just prior to Communion’. The Vatican would also like priests not to leave the altar to greet parishioners and to refrain from offering congratulations or condolences during the sign of the peace at weddings or funerals . Too much: The Vatican would prefer a simple handshake to hugging each at Mass . It would also like priests not to leave the altar to greet parishioners and to refrain from offering congratulations or condolences during the sign of the peace at weddings or funerals. Father Jose Maria Gil Tamayo, the most senior Spanish bishop, wrote: ‘If the faithful do not understand and do not show, in their ritual gestures, the true significance of the rite of peace, they are weakened in the Christian concept of peace, and their fruitful participation in the Eucharist is negatively affected.’ The move is also supported by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI previously called for ‘greater restraint in this gesture, which can be exaggerated and cause a certain distraction in the assembly just before the reception of Communion.’ | Head of Congregation for Divine Worship has written to bishops worldwide expressing church's concern .
Pope Francis approves move to make Mass more solemn .
The decision is also supported by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI . |
0644f27692b67af8f52f9518e29981de11684cd7 | Ban: Muslim teachers in the devoutly catholic Philippines have been ordered to take off their veils in the classroom . Women teachers have been 'strongly suggested' to remove their veils when teaching in the classroom in the majority Catholic country of the Philippines. It is the latest twist in the ongoing controversy over the wearing of the religious garment, that sparked a riot in the French capital Paris on Friday. An order was sent out by the Filipino Government yesterday instructing females who teach Arabic language and Islamic values to take off the religious niqab, which covers all of the face except the eyes. The Government believes this will lead to better relationships between teachers and pupils. Education secretary Armin Luistro said it was part of reforms designed to make schools more sensitive to religion. The ruling does not apply to the hijab - garments that cover the head only. Muslim schoolgirls will still be allowed to wear the veil in schools as well as 'appropriate clothing' in gym class. But while female Muslim schoolteachers can wear the veil outside class, they have been told to remove the veil during lessons so they can interact better with students. The order stated: 'Once the teacher is in the classroom, she is requested to remove the veil.' It added the move would help aid 'proper identification of the teachers by their pupils, thus promoting better teacher-pupil relationship'. It would also help the teaching of languages, where 'lip formation' plays a role in pronouncing certain letters. The Government’s Office of Muslim Affairs said it agreed with the education department’s measures, although it had not yet received a copy of the order. Roque Morales, an adviser to the office, claimed that while he did not know how many Muslim Filipinas were working as teachers, the practice of wearing veils, such as hijabs and niqabs, was widespread in the southern Philippines. Breaking down barriers: Education Secretary Armin Luistro believes the ban on the veil will lead to better relationships between teachers and pupils . Exempt: Schoolgirls, like this one, will continue to be allowed to wear veils around schools, but their teachers will have to remove full face niqabs similar to this one on the left . He said: 'You would almost see it everywhere.' So far there have not been any complaints from Muslim teachers, he added. The office said that Muslims make up about 15 per cent of the Philippine population, mostly based in the southern regions, which they consider their ancestral home. The hijab and niqab - a religious garment worn by some Muslim women to cover their whole face - continue to divide cultures around the world. Two years ago, France banned the niqab and the burqa from being worn anywhere in public in a move that sparked protests among Muslims. Protests: Muslims took to the streets when France banned the niqab and burqa from being worn in public places . On Friday rioting broke out in the Paris suburb of Trappes after police carried out identity checks on a Muslim woman who was wearing a full face veil, according to the Guardian. Her husband was arrested and taken into custody amid allegations he had assaulted one of the officers involved. Hundreds of people took to the streets, hurling stones and paving slabs and setting fire to cars, bins and bus shelters, demanding his release. Riot police tackled them with tear gas. The police station was said to have been under siege for about an hour. A second night of rioting followed on Saturday, when violence threatened to spread to nearby towns. The Collective Against Islamophobia in France released a statement . complaining of heavy handed policing. In 2004 France introduced a law banning state employees from wearing prominent religious symbols, such as Christian crosses and Jewish skullcaps, as well as Muslim veils. Current France President Francois Hollande now wants a new law that could extend this into the private sector. Plans: Current President Francois Hollande is now looking to extend the ban on wearing religious imagery to the private sector . | Muslim teachers asked to remove full face veil in front of pupils .
Muslim Office claims so far no complaints have been received .
It comes as France considers extending a ban on veils to private sector .
Paris still counting the cost of riots after woman ordered to remove veil . |
0646161a7ea03bfa7f256d948cfd4af64c92284f | A former police officer and his lover plotted to conceive a baby so they could abuse it and share it with other paedophiles, a court heard. Alexander McCracken, 35, shared fantasies of raping and murdering newborn babies with his then-girlfriend Sharon Campbell and said he would 'deffo rape a little baby girl'. Police found more than 500 hardcore child porn and bestiality images when they raided his home in Ayr, many of which were passed on to other paedophiles. The pair are now facing jail after admitting three charges of possessing and distributing indecent images of children at Ayr Sheriff Court. Former police officer Alexander McCracken, 35, (pictured) shared fantasies of raping and murdering newborn babies said he would 'deffo rape a little baby girl' McCracken, who has a 10-year-old son, spent nine years with Strathclyde Police before being exposed in 2010 as a swinger and a £400-a-night bisexual prostitute, the Daily Record reported. Police seized his computer and smartphone in last year's raid and found a string of sickening messages including one which suggests they breed a 'baby toy' and abuse it 'as soon as born'. One, from a user linked to McCracken's computer, says: 'Oh would deffo rape a little baby girl.' When asked if his girlfriend would let him, the reply was: 'It's the wife typing lol. I would help him lol.' The usernames 'sleazyperv79' and 'NepicoupleUK' were linked to the computer and mobile used by McCracken. During one exchange, 'sleazyperv79' wrote: 'Three month old getting molesting … I hope he snuffed her eventually.' John Bradford, prosecuting, said: 'The chat indicates that the user has a predilection to violently sexually abuse these infants to death, or allow others do do so. He exchanged sickening messages with his former girlfriend Sharon Campbell and they are both now facing jail . The pair are facing jail after admitting three charges of possessing and distributing indecent images of children at Ayr Sheriff Court (pictured) 'The communications include content of a paedophilic nature, comments on the rape and killing of newborn babies and what purports to be a couple trying for a baby so that they can sexually abuse her.' He revealed that cybercrime experts found 551 such images in Yahoo Messenger chat files after the raid in January last year. The majority of the images were category five, the most depraved possible and most were passed among paedophiles between July 2012 and October 2013. Mr Bradford said: 'The images are predominantly of young girls, with the majority being newborn, babies and toddlers with a few up to about the age of eight.' Police were alerted to the couple's actions by the National Online Child Abuse Protection service. Campbell, 39, who was a support worker for elderly people with mental health problems at a care home in Ayr, is no longer with McCracken. Her lawyer, Peter Lockhart, said: 'This is a frankly shocking and appalling offence and she recognises that. She has co-operated fully throughout and there is no getting away from it that a custodial sentence must be uppermost in your mind.' McCracken's lawyer Jill Malloy said he complied fully with strict bail conditions and had no unsupervised contact with females under 16 and no internet use where history could be hidden. She added that he had lost his job as a factory production worker. Sheriff Scott Pattison called for reports before sentencing next month. He said: 'These offences are of the utmost seriousness. You are fortunate you have been prosecuted in the sheriff court.' The usernames 'sleazyperv79' and 'NepicoupleUK' were linked to the computer and mobile used by Alexander McCracken. Computer experts found apps including Internet Relay Chat, Yahoo Messenger and Gigatribe had been used. One message, from a user linked to McCracken's computer, says: 'Oh would deffo rape a little baby girl.' When asked if his girlfriend would let him, the reply was: 'It's the wife typing lol. I would help him lol.' Another message suggested they would breed a 'baby toy' now and abuse it 'as soon as born'. During an exchange, 'sleazyperv79' wrote: 'Three month old getting molesting … I hope he snuffed her eventually.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Alexander McCracken, 35, said he would 'deffo rape a little baby girl'
Former policeman plotted to conceive baby with his lover Sharon Campbell .
They exchanged messages discussing raping and murdering newborns .
Pair facing jail after admitting possessing and distributing indecent images .
Police found 500 hardcore child porn and bestiality images at his home . |
0646e111b3e79677ebced15cc3a98cffdf84339e | England striker in Egypt for warm-weather training . United hope to have star fit again from groin problem to face Chelsea . By . John Drayton . PUBLISHED: . 01:55 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:55 EST, 13 January 2014 . Perhaps it was the win over Swansea on Saturday but Manchester United's star man Wayne Rooney raised a smile as he was pictured taking a break during his warm-weather training in Egypt. The England striker was sent to the hot African climate to speed up his recovery from a groin problem, resting him from the weekend Barclays Premier League victory at Old Trafford. And United manager David Moyes will be hoping his plan will have paid off with a trip to championship contenders Chelsea on Sunday. Raising a smile: Rooney (centre) poses with fans during a break from his warm weather training in Egypt . The Scot looks almost certain to be without Robin van Persie at Stamford Bridge, with the Dutchman's return date from a thigh problem that has kept him out for a month presently unknown. Rooney, who is joined in Egypt with a club fitness coach, happily posed for a picture with fans at his hotel and United will hope he has responded well to his training and have back Manchester this week. He hasn't played since the New Year's Day defeat by Tottenham. Normally, a trip to Stamford Bridge would not be an occasion to relish. However, having won there last year and . with present expectations so low, it might turn out to be the best test . United could be presented with. Out of action: Rooney has not played since the New Year's Day defeat by Tottenham . Missing man: Robin van Persie's return from a thigh problem could be weeks away . 'We will be all right,' said midfielder Darren Fletcher. 'Sometimes in bigger games you really come together. It brings out your best performances because you are really focused and really intent on proving people wrong. 'Going to Chelsea is a great challenge. 'We can take some confidence from beating Swansea and are fully confident of going down there and getting more of the same.' Doing the business: Danny welbeck has lead United's attack in Rooney and Van Persie's absence . | England striker in Egypt for warm-weather training .
United hope to have star fit again from groin problem to face Chelsea . |
0647205294c2f2241f01de151e403ea4bab7a8ed | Victoria Beckham has never been short on 'girl power' and now the pop star-turned-fashion designer has been heralded as one of the most inspirational woman of her generation. The mother-of-four topped an illustrious list of women who 'inspire, empower and game-change' within the fashion industry. She saw off style royalty including Kate Moss, Stella McCartney and Mary Portas, in the survey by Grazia magazine, to be voted most inspirational woman in fashion. Victoria Beckham was voted most inspirational women in fashion in the last ten years in a new poll . Harry Potter star Emma Watson fought of competition from Kim Kardashian to be voted most influential woman in entertainment in the Grazia survey which marks the magazine's 10th anniversary . In 2006 the former Spice Girl launched her own denim label, which she followed with a sunglasses range in 2008. After appearing in a Marc Jacobs campaign she launched her label to a handful of fashion insiders in New York, and won rave reviews from her most sceptical of critics. Since then her designs have been worn by Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Jessica Parker and Gwyneth Paltrow. The publication has released the results of its reader poll, published to celebrate the magazine's tenth anniversary. Editor-in-chief Jane Bruton said that Victoria's tenacity and hard work made her a worthy winner. She said: 'Ten years ago, we knew Victoria as a Spice Girl and one half of an A-list power couple. She made no secret of her love for fashion but was known for wearing, not creating it. Lena Dunham (left) topped the culture poll, while Malala Yousafzai is the most inspirational figure in politics . 'The thought of Victoria as a credible fashion designer seemed outlandish but boy did we underestimate her. 'Last year she won British Entrepreneur of the Year at the British Fashion Awards and opened her first store in London. Through sheer hard graft and business clout, VB has become a great fashion designer.' Fashion: Victoria Beckham . Culture: Lena Dunham . Entertainment: Emma Watson . Politics: Malala Yousafzai . Sport: Jessica Ennis Hill . Technology: Zoe Sugg (Zoella) The poll saw 1,250 Grazia readers listing their most influential female figures in a survey online to mark a decade since the magazine launched. Harry Potter actress Emma Watson came top in the entertainment category, ahead of Kim Kardashian and Beyonce, while GB athletic star Jessica Ennis-Hill topped the list of most influential women in sport. Girls' Lena Dunham was voted most influential woman in culture, beating off competition from the likes of JK Rowling, Hilary Mantel, Katherine Bigelow and Oprah Winfrey. The politics category saw 17-year-old schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai heralded; the UK-based student was the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her campaigning work for the rights of the education of girls in her native Pakistan. Self-made millionaire Zoe Sugg, 24, aka Zoella, was named most influential woman in technology. | Mother-of-four praised for 'sheer hard graft' and 'business clout'
Beat off competition from Kate Moss, Stella McCartney and Mary Portas .
Emma Watson and Jessica Ennis-Hill win in entertainment and sport . |
0647cb1cc9a98d8e0a8011a3e3bae8ce24674940 | By . Associated Press Reporter . California auditors found 39 cases where female state prison inmates may not have understood they were submitting to medical procedures that would leave them sterile, according to a report released Thursday. State law prohibits inmates from elective sterilizations as methods of birth control. However, prison officials allow sterilizations in cases deemed medically necessary. The audit was prompted by the Center for Investigative Reporting, which last year found that doctors sterilized nearly 150 female prisoners without obtaining proper consent. Unaware: California auditors found 39 cases where female state prison inmates may not have understood they were submitting to medical procedures that would leave them sterile . Auditors confirmed 144 cases between 2006 and 2013 in which inmates had their fallopian tubes tied or cut for the sole purpose of birth control. The report identified 39 'unlawful' cases with apparent violations of state rules requiring inmates understand the nature and permanence of the procedures. The Press-Enterprise reported that st least 11 of the 39 sterilized inmates were serving time at the California Institution for Women in Chino. Margarita Fernandez, a spokeswoman for the California State Auditor, said those 'tubal ligation' sterilizations involved 17 doctors and eight hospitals. The sterilizations were performed by private doctors at facilities outside the prisons, which is typical, she said. No names were released. The cases will be referred to California's medical board and the Department of Public Health, said Liz Gransee, a spokeswoman for the federal court-appointed official who controls prison medical care. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson called the findings shocking. She said she fears that inmates may feel pressure to undergo sterilization. 'The experience in and of itself is extraordinarily coercive,' Jackson said of obtaining health care behind bars. 'It's very difficult for a woman to exercise her free will under those circumstances.' Jackson, a Democrat from Santa Barbara, is the author of a bill that would make it clear that the state's prisons and jails are prohibited from sterilizing inmates for the purpose of birth control. The measure passed the Senate 36-0 last month and is before the Assembly. Auditors said there was confusion over the prison policy. High concentration: At least 11 of the 39 sterilized inmates were serving time at the California Institution for Women in Chino . The federal receiver's office took control of prison medical care in 2006, but said it didn't learn about the sterilization procedures until the legal advocacy group Justice Now raised the issue in January 2010. The receiver's office previously said it immediately took steps to stop the practice. The report found one sterilization since then, in 2011, but said the tubal ligation was medically necessary. But in 27 cases auditors found the inmate's doctor did not sign a required consent form saying the patient appeared mentally competent, understood the permanent effect and had waited at least 30 days and no more than 180 days to reconsider. Auditors were critical of the receiver's office, saying it failed to make sure its staff obtained necessary approvals from inmates and from two medical procedure review committees before inmates were sterilized. They recommended that the federal receiver adopt better procedures to monitor its medical staff and the medical providers who work under contract with the state. That includes improving medical record-keeping and making sure inmates give their informed consent to medical procedures. Gransee put a positive spin on the findings. 'We are glad to see that our efforts to stop the practice have been successful,' she said, adding the receiver's office will work with auditors 'to improve our process further.' | State audit found 39 cases where inmates may have been unaware they were undergoing procedure that would leave them sterile .
California law prohibits prisoners from using sterilization as method of birth control . |
0648ea21af679965872104f1c142c9c309360af3 | (CNN)Leonard Nimoy, whose portrayal of "Star Trek's" logic-driven, half-human science officer Spock made him an iconic figure to generations, died Friday. He was 83. Nimoy died this morning in Bel Air, California, his son Adam Nimoy told CNN. According to his granddaughter, Madeleine Nimoy, the cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His "Star Trek" co-stars, including William Shatner and George Takei, expressed sadness at his death. "We return you now to the stars, Leonard. You taught us to 'Live Long And Prosper,' and you indeed did, friend," Takei wrote. Fans honor Nimoy with tweets, Vulcan salute . Nimoy's career in show business spanned more than six decades and included stints as a stage actor, television guest star, series regular and movie veteran. He also directed a handful of films, including the box-office hit "Three Men and a Baby" in 1987. He was a singer (of sorts), a published poet and an accomplished photographer. But his lasting claim to fame remains Spock, a native of the planet Vulcan whose pointed ears, unemotional manner and frequently uttered "fascinating" endeared him to millions. Astronaut Chris Hadfield remembered him as an "inspiration." He felt a close connection to the character. "Spock is definitely one of my best friends. When I put on those ears, it's not like just another day. When I become Spock, that day becomes something special," he told Starlog in 1989. Still, as an actor, he wrestled with the typecasting that came with his close association with Spock. He titled a 1975 memoir "I Am Not Spock." Though the book was less a rejection of the character than what he went through to develop him, fans took umbrage. Twenty years later, he called another memoir "I Am Spock." He maintained a sense of humor about being confused with a 23rd-century space voyager. "I had an embarrassing experience once, many years ago," he told The New York Times in 2009. "I was invited to go to Caltech and was introduced to a number of very brilliant young people who were working on interesting projects. ... And they'd say to me, 'What do you think?' Expecting me to have some very sound advice. And I would nod very quietly and very sagely I would say, 'You're on the right track.' " To the stars . Leonard Simon Nimoy was actually born in Boston, far from Vulcan, on March 26, 1931. (His longtime "Trek" colleague, William Shatner, was born four days earlier in Montreal.) His parents were Russian immigrants, and he was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family. He incorporated some of his religious heritage into the "Star Trek" character, most notably the hand gesticulation accompanied by the phrase "Live long and prosper." It was adopted from a blessing given by a Jewish priestly class called the kohanim. Nimoy credited writer Theodore Sturgeon for the phrase "Live long and prosper," a variation of a spoken blessing. Nimoy continued to use the phrase long after his "Star Trek" days: On Twitter, he would close his tweets with the abbreviation "LLAP." Upon graduating from high school, Nimoy acted in small productions. After encouragement from other actors, he applied to the Pasadena Playhouse in California and was accepted. He moved to the West Coast when he was 18. His early years were bumpy; he found the Playhouse "disappointing" and left after a few months and, in between roles, served in the military and took jobs such as driving a cab. Nimoy eventually gained steady work as a character actor, taking parts on such series as "Bonanza," "The Twilight Zone" and "Dragnet." It was a 1964 appearance on a show about Marines, "The Lieutenant," that brought him to the attention of Gene Roddenberry, the show's producer. Nimoy in 2010: "I feel very fulfilled" with my work . Roddenberry had pitched a science-fiction series as " 'Wagon Train' to the stars" and liked the idea of casting Nimoy as the series' science officer, an alien originally with red-tinted skin. Nimoy got the part in the show, which was called "Star Trek." (Roddenberry drew several other "Trek" performers from "The Lieutenant," including Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett and future "Trek" guest star Gary Lockwood.) "Star Trek" was never a major hit during its original broadcast run. It lasted just three seasons and got the third partly because of an intense viewer lobbying campaign. But the characters became indelible: Shatner's gung-ho Capt. James T. Kirk; DeForest Kelley's wisecracking doctor, "Bones" McCoy; James Doohan's chief engineer, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott; and all the rest of a diverse and -- with the exception of the half-Vulcan Spock -- all-too-human crew. According to the Internet Movie Database, Nimoy made $1,250 an episode for "Trek's" first season. Though always popular with audiences -- Shatner remembered being disappointed that Nimoy got more fan mail than he did -- Spock wasn't a hit with network executives, at least at first. His pointed ears made him look satanic, the executives said, and his character was dry and logical, as opposed to the energetic Kirk. But Nimoy brought a much-needed humor to the character, with selectively raised eyebrows and deadpan delivery, and he quickly became a favorite of "Trek" fans. Nimoy even put out a few albums of songs. The character has entered the culture as an archetype of an unemotional intellectual; when New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wants to criticize President Obama as being distant, she refers to him as Spock. Opinion: Nimoy is Spock, Spock is Nimoy . Into the movies . After three years, "Star Trek" went off the air. Nimoy quickly rebounded by joining the cast of "Mission: Impossible" as Paris, part of Peter Graves' secret-agent team. In the '70s, he made a few movies -- the most notable being the 1978 remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" -- and a handful of TV guest appearances. He also hosted the syndicated show "In Search of ..." and appeared in a number of stage plays. But Spock was never far away. Despite its short original run, "Trek's" 79 episodes had become rerun gold after the show's cancellation, creating hardcore fans nicknamed "Trekkies" and bringing the voyages of the starship Enterprise to a new generation. The show was revived for a cartoon series in the mid-1970s. Then Hollywood came calling with a theatrical feature, 1979's "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which reunited the original cast. Though the film garnered mixed reviews, it was a box-office success and led to a series of sequels, under the "Trek" banner, that continue to this day. The "Trek" movie series also gave Nimoy a chance to direct. He helmed both the third and fourth films, 1984's "The Search for Spock" (which takes place after the Spock character dies in the second film, though he's eventually revived) and 1986's "The Voyage Home." Following "The Voyage Home," Nimoy directed the biggest box-office hit of 1987, "Three Men and a Baby." As a director, his other films include 1988's "The Good Mother" and 1990's "Funny About Love." Though Spock kept Nimoy busy and well-employed, he found plenty of time for other endeavors. He received an Emmy nomination for the TV movie "A Woman Called Golda," where he appeared with Ingrid Bergman. He lent his voice and appearance to one of the best-loved "Simpsons" episodes, "Marge and the Monorail," in 1993 (and later was in 1997's "The Springfield Files"). He narrated documentaries, provided voice-over for video games and sent up his image in some commercials, including Priceline ads with his old friend Shatner and an Audi commercial with his movie successor as Spock, Zachary Quinto. "My heart is broken," Quinto tweeted Friday. He also took roles in a few other TV series, notably in the paranormal series "Fringe" as Dr. William Bell. He lent his voice to Sentinel Prime in 2011's "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." Nimoy: "Fringe" cast impressed me the most . And he immersed himself in photography, a hobby he'd taken up as a teenager. His works include "Shekhina," a controversial series of female nudes, and "The Full Body Project." 'I would choose Spock' For all that, Nimoy knew how he'd be remembered. He hadn't left Spock behind, after all: He acted in the first two of the rebooted "Trek" movies, playing Spock Prime in 2009's "Star Trek" and 2012's "Star Trek Into Darkness." He and the character were now on very good terms. "I am not Spock," he wrote. "But given the choice, if I had to be someone else, I would be Spock. If someone said, 'You can have the choice of being any other TV character ever played,' I would choose Spock. I like him. I admire him. I respect him." Nimoy married his wife, Susan Bay, in 1989. She survives him, as do his two children by his first wife, Sandra Zober. People we've lost in 2015 . | Leonard Nimoy played Spock in "Star Trek" TV show, movies .
Actor was known for the half-Vulcan, half-human character .
Nimoy was fond of science, inspiration to many . |
06496987956f9178b802c3e14f1f6b262dc8680c | A study has revealed that up to ten million gallons of ‘missing oil’ from the 2010 BP disaster has been discovered at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion at BP's Deepwater Horizon rig killed 11 workers, injured 17 more and caused nearly 50,000 barrels of oil per day to spew into the gulf. Now a study has revealed that a huge deposit of the oil, the whereabouts of which had eluded the US government, is sitting on the sea bed. It is feared the discovery heralds long-term bad news for the environment in the area. Scroll down for video . Experts say up to ten million gallons of ‘missing oil’ from the 2010 BP disaster (pictured) has been discovered at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico . Between six and ten million gallons are thought to be buried in sediment on the Gulf floor – about 62 miles southeast of the Mississippi Delta, USA Today reports. The findings were revealed after a study carried out by oceanography experts at Florida State University. Cbsnews quotes the study’s lead researcher, Jeff Chanton, as saying: ‘This is going to affect the Gulf for years to come. ‘Fish will likely ingest contaminants because worms ingest the sediment, and fish eat the worms. It's a conduit for contamination into the food web.’ The website reports that researchers extracted 62 sediment samples from an area surrounding the Deepwater Horizon site covering 9,266 sq miles. The explosion at BP's Deepwater Horizon rig killed 11 workers, injured 17 more and caused nearly 50,000 barrels of oil per day to spew into the gulf . The well went unplugged for nearly three months after the explosion on April 20, 2010, damaging fishing and tourism as well as marine and wildlife habitats . Samples without the radioactive isotope carbon-14 show that oil is present. The information gathered was then used to create a map of the areas affected. Cbsnews says researchers found that an area of about 3,243 sq miles was covered with oil from the disaster. It is not yet clear how the crude deposits descended to the sea bed but one theory is that oil particles may have clumped together. This could have happened at the water's surface or in the plumes from the underwater leak, the researchers said. Another theory is that ash and black carbon created when cleanup crews were burning patches of oil may have sunk. The well went unplugged for nearly three months after the explosion on April 20, 2010, damaging fishing and tourism as well as marine and wildlife habitats. BP has questioned the researchers’ methods for calculating carbon derived from oil claiming ‘their estimates of the amount deposited on the sea floor are not supported by the data in their paper.’ A spokesman said: ‘Instead of using rigorous chemical analysis to identify oil in sediments, the authors used a tracer common to all sources of oil, including oil from the Gulf’s numerous natural seeps. ‘Further, only three of their 62 sediment samples had evidence of excess petrocarbon when compared to pre-spill sediment samples.’ The spokesman added that government experts had found that one per cent of sediment samples taken after August 3, 2010 ‘exceeded EPA aquatic life benchmarks for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and only those within 3 kilometers of the wellhead were consistent with Macondo oil.’ | Explosion at Deepwater Horizon killed 11 workers and injured 17 others .
Caused nearly 50,000 barrels of oil per day to spew into Gulf of Mexico .
Deposit of up to ten million gallons considered 'missing' has been found .
Study finds it's buried in sediment 62 miles southeast of Mississippi Delta .
Research was carried out by oceanographers at Florida State University . |
06497a347b752f50ed3970ae1c3cf23dc492685a | By . Eve Mcgowan . PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 8 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:02 EST, 8 February 2014 . It's just a couple of miles from Shepperton film studios - where movies such as The Third Man, The Omen, Alien and Shakespeare In Love were filmed - and Creek House has played its own part in showbiz history. The Canadian-born British TV personalities Bernard Braden and his wife Barbara Kelly once owned the 19th Century, seven-bedroom mansion - which is now on the market for a guide price of £3 million. Bernard and Barbara were household names in the 1950s and 1960s. Bernard is best remembered for ITV's On The Braden Beat - a precursor to Esther Rantzen's That's Life - in which he showcased his acerbic wit. Creek House, Shepperton, bought for £650,000 by Mr Barry and Mrs Jane Wilkinson . Barbara is remembered for regular appearances on the hugely popular BBC Sunday night panel show What's My Line? In the couple's heyday, House & Garden magazine devoted eight pages to an 'at home' interview with them and their three children. The couple spent nine years at Creek House, in Surrey, where the garden leads down to Millbrook Creek, which flows into the Thames. In 1959 they sold the house to actor John Gregson and his wife Thea, who lived there with their six children. Gregson starred in 40 films, including Ealing comedies Whisky Galore! and The Lavender Hill Mob. But he is renowned for the Bafta-winning 1953 picture Genevieve, in which he starred alongside Kenneth More. He died aged 55 in 1975. Earlier, the pub down the road from . Creek House was a focus of Hollywood gossip, as it was where trysts . between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were conducted while Taylor . was still married to Eddie Fisher. 'The Gregsons held parties here where they played host to stars such as Peter O'Toole, Peter Ustinov and Vivien Leigh,' says current owner Barry Wilkinson, 74. 'We feel very dull in comparison,' says his wife Jane, 67. While the central part of the house is Georgian in style, there are sprawling Arts and Crafts and Victorian additions that the Wilkinsons believe were added by an early architect owner. These include a stunning room at the top of the house with stained-glass windows and a vaulted ceiling - now Barry's study. Former resident John Gregson in a scene from the 1949 film Whisky Galore! The Wilkinsons bought the house 16 years . ago from a dentist who had bought it from Thea Gregson. She had stayed . on in the house for several years after John's death. Thea is still alive and living in the Cotswolds and until recently made twice-yearly pilgrimages to Creek House. A devout Catholic, she built a small - and unconsecrated - chapel in the grounds which still stands today on the acre of land across the creek which is included in the house sale. When the Wilkinsons bought it for £650,000, they had a teenage son and daughter and the house was in need of a lot of work. 'We were living in Woking and had no intention of moving, but a property magazine came through the letterbox and we couldn't resist coming to have a look,' says Jane, who used to run her own human resources consultancy. Three days later they had put in an offer, despite their home not being on the market. The couple spent £250,000 rewiring, installing a new roof, ripping out the dated bathrooms and moving the kitchen from a small anteroom to the middle of the house, where it now looks over the garden down to the creek. They kept one part of the house as a self-contained cottage, which they now let out. The couple retained original features, such as the stunning oak panels in the drawing room, and replaced some of the broken sash windows and doors. They uncovered original fireplaces, which had been painted or boarded over, and restored some stained-glass windows. They had the garden redesigned and landscaped and renovated stone balustrades on the patio. 'I love to restore things - it was a labour of love,' says Barry, a former accountant who retired a year into the three-year project. We hired a builder to do the work for us but I was his apprentice and learnt a lot from him.' The warm, comfortable sitting room at Creek House . According to estate agent Russell Gooden of Jackson-Stops & Staff, Creek House is so unique that there is little to compare it to in the vicinity, although he explains it's not uncommon to pay a 35 to 40 per cent premium for a waterside property in Shepperton. He says prices in the area have been pushed up because of a lack of stock, adding: 'Traditionally, the beginning of the year is a time to sell, but we haven't seen the usual influx. Mortgages are a little more difficult to get so perhaps people who want to move are unable to do so and a lot of people are still sitting on the fence.' Barry and Jane are now downsizing and plan to buy something smaller in the area. 'We feel very rooted here,' says Jane. 'Shepperton is very villagey and has a great sense of community. People tend to stay a long time.' Who do they expect to buy the house next? 'I've got an image of a young family who would really enjoy being at Creek House,' adds Jane. Jackson-Stops & Staff, 020 8943 9777 . | By Shepperton film studios, Creek House has its place in showbiz history .
Owners Barry and Jane Wilkinson bought it for £650,000 16 years ago . |
064ad686cac1dc30f3accf82853ad9a036cb08fd | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 05:41 EST, 22 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:17 EST, 23 October 2013 . The already remarkable life of Holocaust survivor George Horner is about to take another exceptional turn. The 90-year-old pianist will make his orchestral debut with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma tonight at Boston's Symphony Hall. They'll be playing music composed 70 years ago at the Nazi prison camp where Horner was imprisoned. Remarkable: Dr George Horner will perform songs composed in the Nazis concentration camps . 'It's an extraordinary link to the past,' said concert organizer Mark Ludwig. The performance will benefit the Terezin Music Foundation, an organisation dedicated to preserving the work of artists and musicians killed in the Holocaust. Led by Ludwig, the foundation is named for the town of Terezin, site of an unusual Jewish ghetto in what was then German-occupied Czechoslovakia. There, even amid death and hard labor, Nazi soldiers allowed prisoners to stage artistic performances. Horner played piano and accordion in the Terezin cabarets, including tunes written by fellow inmate Karel Svenk. On Tuesday, Horner will play two of Svenk's works solo — a march and a lullaby — and then team up with Ma for a third piece called 'How Come the Black Man Sits in the Back of the Bus?' Memories: Dr George Horner performs a song on the piano at his home in Newtown Square, Philadelphia . Legacy: Horner agreed to do the performance which he described as a 'noble' mission . Svenk did not survive the genocide. But his musical legacy has, due in part to a chance meeting of Ludwig, a scholar of Terezin composers, and Horner, who never forgot the songs that were written and played in captivity. George Horner will join Yo-Yo Ma tonight at Boston's Symphony Hall . Ludwig said he found it hard to ask Horner to perform pieces laden with such difficult memories. 'To ask somebody who played this in the camps, that's asking a lot,' said Ludwig. Yet Horner, now a retired doctor living near Philadelphia, readily agreed to what he described as a 'noble' mission. It didn't hurt that he would be sharing the stage with Ma — even if he thought Ludwig was joking at first. 'I couldn't believe it, because it's a fantastic thing for me.' The program features additional performances by Ma and the Hawthorne String Quartet. In a statement, Ma said he's glad the foundation is 'giving voice through music to those whose voices have been tragically silenced.' Horner was 21 when he was freed by Allied soldiers in 1945 after serving time at Terezin, Auschwitz and Buchenwald. His parents and sister perished in the camps. Although his back still bears the scars of a Nazi beating, he remains sprightly and seems much younger than his 90 years. When Horner found out about the duet with Ma, Ludwig said, 'he was so excited, to me he sounded like a teenager.' Terezin Concentration Camp in Czech Republic where Holocaust survivor George Horner was imprisoned . | George Horner to make orchestral debut tonight at Boston's Symphony Hall .
He will join cellist Yo-Yo Ma and will play music composed 70 years ago .
Horner played piano and accordion in the Terezin camp cabarets .
The 90-year-old is a retired doctor living near Philadelphia . |
064b6ba4b8d694645f5346512dc93a6938689f38 | Shortly after O.J. Simpson was charged with the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman, gruesome killings turned into a manhunt. Simpson -- a Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Hall-of-Famer and actor -- was missing. Police declared Simpson a fugitive, and hours later, the infamous low-speed chase began. Approximately 6:45 p.m. on June 17, 1994, police saw Simpson on the expressway in a white Ford Bronco driven by his best friend and former teammate, Al Cowlings. Simpson was riding in the back, and he reportedly had a gun. With the cavalcade of police cars in pursuit, TV helicopters swooped in to join the chase. The 60-mile, low-speed pursuit through southern Los Angeles would go down in television history. Nearly 20 years later, here are five things that might surprise you about the chase. Fast facts: O.J. Simpson . 1. The Bronco chase and subsequent "not guilty" verdict are among the most memorable TV moments in the past 50 years. The Simpson verdict was the third most "universally impactful" televised moment of the last 50 years behind the September 11, 2001, attacks and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to a survey by Nielsen and Sony. Big shift in attitude toward O.J. Simpson . Simpson's white Bronco chase came in sixth, behind the Challenger space shuttle disaster and the death of Osama bin Laden. The survey scored each big televised event based on how many people viewed the event live, how many could recall details about where they were during the event and how many people who could remember talking about it with other people. 2. The Bronco chase dominated sports coverage on a day with major sports news. On June 17, 1994, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer played his last round at the U.S. Open, the World Cup opened in Chicago, the Rangers celebrated winning the Stanley Cup, the Knicks played game five of the NBA finals against the Houston Rockets, and Ken Griffey Jr. tied Babe Ruth for the most home runs hit before June 30. ESPN covered the other big sporting news, but jumped back and forth for frequent updates on the chase. NBC continued coverage of the NBA finals, but the game appeared in a small box in the corner while Tom Brokaw anchored coverage of the Bronco chase. 3. Domino's Pizza reported record sales of pizza delivery during the chase. Presumably because people were glued to the TV set, not wanting to miss anything, they ordered pizza. "It was a record night at the time. It was dinner time on the West Coast and 9 p.m. on the East. People were fascinated and didn't want to miss it. It was as big as a Super Bowl Sunday up to that point," said Tim McIntyre, vice president of corporate communications for Domino's Pizza. 4. Robert Kardashian, father of Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Rob, was O. J. Simpson's friend. He read a note by Simpson on the day of the chase and served with his defense team during Simpson's murder trial. When Simpson failed to turn himself in on the day of the case, Robert Kardashian read a letter by Simpson to the media. This letter was interpreted by many as a suicide note: . "To whom it may concern, first, everyone understand I had nothing to do with Nicole's murder. ... Don't feel sorry for me. I've had a great life, great friends. Please think of the real O.J. and not this lost person. Thanks for making my life special. I hope I helped yours," he read. 5. O.J. Simpson said he was not running, but he had some interesting items with him when the chase ended. During the chase, on the phone with LAPD Detective Tom Lange, Simpson said, "...you let the police know, you let them all know, I wasn't running." When Cowlings pulled into Simpson's driveway, police were waiting. The sun set, and Simpson was still holed up in the car. Police didn't approach the Bronco. Simpson had a gun, and they wanted to avoid a potentially violent end. Finally, two hours after police first spotted him, Simpson emerged from the Bronco. Clutching family photos, he staggered out of his car and collapsed into officers' arms. In Cowlings' pockets, police found almost $9,000 in cash. In the Bronco, police found a fake goatee and mustache with a bottle of makeup adhesive and receipts from a beauty store, along with Simpson's passport and the gun. Where were you when the O.J. chase was going on? Tell us what you remember in the comments below. | O.J. Simpson car chase took place nearly 20 years ago, on June 17, 1994 .
The chase happened hours after O.J. Simpson was charged with double murder .
The chase and subsequent "not guilty" verdict are among the most memorable TV moments . |
064e8779934796d409cbd53593d93f8100d48ae1 | It has eight bedrooms, an indoor swimming pool and a private cinema, making it the family home of anyone's dreams - but only if you have £17.5m to spare. Furze Croft is a newly-built classical mansion in Weybridge, Surrey, and comes with 1.74 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, huge living spaces and a 1,700-bottle wine cellar. The developers say it 'has been designed to be a real family home', but it certainly goes far beyond what most of us are used to in our day-to-day lives. Scroll down for video . Coming in at a whopping £17.5m, Furze Croft, in Weybridge, Surrey, is a new build in a classical design. It has eight bedrooms, a private cinema and an indoor pool . The main drawing room area comes off the entrance hall and is centred around a large fireplace and has French windows which open out into the garden . The master bedroom has its own private balcony, as well as twin walk-in dressing rooms and ensuite bathrooms. It is one of six bedroom suites . The beautiful mansion has two wings and nearly two acres of landscaped gardens. Its developers say it was designed to be a 'real family home' Once you've made it through the grand gates and up the gravel driveway, complete with feature landscaped turning circle, you open the front door onto a huge double volume entrance hall, with a sweeping staircase and glass roof cupola. From the entrance hall you can reach the 18-seater dining room, plush double drawing room and the kitchen and breakfast room, which open right out onto the flagstone paved terrace and back garden through French windows. Furze Croft has also been designed for entertaining on an extra large scale. One wing contains a large VIP entertaining suite consisting of a custom-made bar and drinks lounge. Folding glass doors can be opened to merge this space with the outside terrace,which creates a space big enough to entertain 200 guests - more than most people are used to on their average weekend. The large, open entrance hall has a marble floor and opens out into the double drawing room, 18-seater dining room and kitchen and breakfast room . The bright entrance hall features a sweeping staircase and glass roof cupola, giving a suitably dramatic first impression of the house . The light-filled breakfast room is attached to the kitchen, has a breakfast bar and backs onto the huge expanse of gardens . There is an indoor swimming pool and hot tub for when it's time to relax, with space for loungers at pool-side and huge doors opening up to the garden . The house is located on East Road in St George's Hill estate, where former residents include Elton John, Tom Jones and a host of footballers including Frank Lampard and John Terry. As well as the indoor swimming pool, complete with pool-side loungers, it boats a hot tub, while the bathrooms have super-deep baths and giant power showers. Steve Glover, founding director of developers Consero London said: 'Despite its size, Furze Croft has been designed to be a real family home that pleases and impresses its occupants and visitors. We have carefully balanced its large entertaining rooms with cosy and intimate informal spaces where the family can relax and interact. Furze Croft has been designed for large-scale entertaining, with a reception area that can open up to hold more than 200 people . The kitchen is fitted out with top-of-the-range modern appliances and has a built-in island area and kitchen table, as well as French windows . When you walk through the grand gates and the entrance hall you reach the 18-seater dining room, perfect for dinner parties . 'The local housing market is lacking brand-new 21st century mansions of this quality and advanced specification. St George's Hill is one of the finest private estates outside of central London, making Furze Croft both a good turn-key investment as well an outstanding country retreat close to the capital.' The house took two years to build and is set over lower ground, ground and first floors. The developers are expecting interest from Russian and Middle Eastern millionaires. It has six bedroom suites, consisting of a master bedroom with a private terrace overlooking the gardens, twin walk-in dressing rooms and twin ensuite bathrooms. Four have walk-in dressing rooms and ensuites and the other also has an ensuite. The house's interior oozes wealth, and developers are hoping it gets snapped up by wealthy Russian or Middle Eastern buyers . There is an extra-large garage big enough for four limousines or large saloon cars, with access to the house via a side lobby . The massive walk-in dressing rooms mean you will never again have trouble digging out your favourite shirt . The top-of-the-range super-deep baths and power showers mean the spacious bathrooms are pure luxury . On the first floor of one wing there is also a two-bedroom staff apartment with self-contained kitchen and sitting room, which could alternatively serve as an annex. The other wing houses the 11-metre long, 2.1-metre deep pool, a gym, sauna and changing/toilet facilities. Folding glass doors in the pool room can be opened onto the garden, creating a large inside-outside leisure area. When you descend to the lower ground floor you find the private cinema, complete with customised wall panelling and tiered platform flooring just like the real thing. This floor also has a wine display suite with a glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine room capable of holding a whopping 1,700 bottles of fine wines and spirits. The mansion has been built using some of the finest materials and craftsmen from around the world. Botticino Fiorito marble flooring has been used across the house, while the design theme is evident in every room. The wine cellar is big enough for an incredible 1,700 bottles, meaning this family home is not short of entertainment facilities . The house, off East Road on the prestigious St George's Hill estate, took two years to build. The trees and plants were specially imported from Tuscany . The garage can accommodate up to four limousines or large saloon cars, with direct access to the house via a side lobby, while the grounds feature trees and plants specially hand selected and imported from Tuscany. Robert Osborn, Founding Director of Consero London said: 'Furze Croft sets a new benchmark for quality and luxury in the St George's Hill housing market. It is defined by its exceptional quality; architectural integrity and fine attention to detail. The house has involved hundreds of man-hours and a team of skilled artisans providing the very best of British, French and Italian craftsmanship amongst various other countries. 'Using centuries old techniques, stone carving, guilding, marquetry and cabinetry has been combined with state-of-the-art communications, entertainment and security technology. The result is an extremely special and unique residence of outstanding value.' The exclusive St George's Hill estate is a celebrity-spotting hotspot. It has golf and tennis clubs nearby, large water features and an abundance of manicured green spaces. | Weybridge, Surrey mansion Furze Croft is set among 1.74 acres of gardens with specially imported trees .
House is newly-built and features a hot tub, large, luxurious bathrooms and huge living areas .
Front door opens into giant marble entrance hall and has entertainment space for around 200 people .
Master bedroom has its own private terrace and twin walk-in dressing rooms and twin ensuite bathrooms .
Luxury developers say the extravagant mansion was designed to be a 'real family home' |
064f086f49fa410b664d59a0494367c421ed2f8a | Dunedin, Florida (CNN) -- Michael Dupre, his wife and his daughter made it out of their Dunedin, Florida, house after noticing its screened-in room plunging into a pit in the ground. His wedding ring did not. As the family stood outside early Thursday, a firefighter buckled herself up, smashed a window, then snatched the ring from a desk in Dupre's office. "And a few minutes later, the whole thing collapsed back down there," he said. Sinkholes like this one in Dunedin, a city of about 35,000 people just north of Clearwater, are hardly rarities in Florida. Hundreds pop up in the Sunshine State each year, like the one in August that gobbled a condo building in the town of Clermont. Dupre not only knew of the dangers, but he also was doing something about them. After spotting "a few little hairline cracks," he contacted his insurance company and, after a lot of back-and-forth about what to do, had workers come to his western Florida house over the last few days to start stabilizing the ground. Sinkholes: Common, costly and sometimes deadly . "We were actually planning ..., when the whole repair was done, to put a pool in the backyard," he said, noting he'd already gotten estimates. "That (hope) is over. "We thought it was going to get fixed. And unfortunately, it's not." All those plans changed after his daughter came into his bedroom before dawn Thursday, saying, "Daddy, somebody is trying to get our house!" Dupre said he first dismissed the thought, thinking it was the wind, but then he heard a loud crack. "I said, 'There's something wrong.'" After seeing what had happened to their screened-in room, Dupre told the rest of his family to grab some clothes and get out of the house, then called 911. They haven't been back inside, with Dupre saying he expects only firefighters -- like the one who rescued his wedding ring -- will go in, if it's even safe enough for them. As of Thursday afternoon, the sinkhole that enveloped Dupre's home and badly damaged another was 70 to 75 feet wide, 50 feet deep and growing, according to Dunedin Fire Chief Jeff Parks. Seven homes in total were evacuated. But the hole shouldn't be like that for long. "The plan now (is) to fill the hole tomorrow," Parks said, "before some rain is expected this weekend (that may) make it a lot worse." The Dupres won't be able to go back into their home at that point, however. They will be staying at a Holiday Inn Express that graciously put them up for two nights, then asking friends to let them stay over until they figure out what to do next. "It's all new for us," Dupre said. "... We're trying to do our best." Opinion: Florida, fix sinkhole policy . CNN's Greg Botelho and AnneClarie Stapleton contributed to this report. | A sinkhole pops up in the early morning hours in Dunedin, Florida .
A resident says he noticed his screened-in porch had fallen into the hole .
The sinkhole was at least 70 feet wide, 50 feet deep and growing .
It should be filled in soon, though some may not return to their homes . |
064ffd342e95f8d6c72c082cd74d5d32e1a3dad6 | Never one to shy away from telling people what he thinks of current technology trends, Steve Wozniak has now turned his attention to Google Glass. In a recent interview, the Apple co-founder said he admired Google Glass owners who are brave enough to try something new, but believes the technology 'makes no sense in terms of what it does.' He also labelled previous smartwatches disappointing, and said they should never replace a person's phone. Scroll down for video . In a recent interview, the Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said he admired Google Glass owners who are brave enough to try something new, but said the technology 'makes no sense in terms of what it does.' He also labelled previous smartwatches disappointing, and said they shouldn't ever replace a person's phone . But, the 64-year-old did praise Apple boss Tim Cook for breaking the 'dogma' that had come from Steve Jobs by releasing larger phones, in the form of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Speaking to the Australian Financial Review, after becoming an Australian citizen earlier this month, Mr Wozniak said: 'I feel like the coolest person in the world when I am wearing [Google Glass]. Experts predict 2015 will be the year when people forsake gadgets, social networks and other technology in favour of the simple life. Recent figures have already revealed that certain social networks are losing favour, and now a digital trends report believes we are entering the era of the ‘neo-Luddite’. The prediction was made by London-based communications agency Hotwire in its sixth annual Digital Trends Report. ‘While there are many early adopters out there scrambling around to get their hands on the latest smartwatch or iPhone, there are a group of much cooler kids working out ways to kill tech altogether,’ explained the report. ‘Welcome to the era of the neo-Luddite. They’re here to make sure you switch off.’ 'When I see people wearing it, I also think they are cool because they are brave enough to play with the future with a device. '[But], in my mind, it is a great product that will not succeed.' He added Google will need to find one great commercial application for it to appeal to the masses, but added he hopes the firm doesn't give up on the technology. Mr Wozniak co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs during the 1970s, and was responsible for designing the Apple I computer. He left the company in 1987. In terms of smartwatches, Wozniak told AFR that no company has yet been able to create a 'compelling' device, and he had been disappointed with early models of the technology. 'Like Apple did with smartphones, one company may point the right way to a smart and useful watch, but it shouldn’t be a replacement for what the phone does,' continued Mr Wozniak. 'And it should have an unbelievable and fun feeling when you use it.' Looking forward, Mr Wozniak said connected cars are likely to be a popular trend next year. Speaking to the Australian Financial Review , after becoming an Australian citizen earlier this month, Mr Wozniak said: 'I feel like the coolest person in the world when I am wearing Google Glass. In my mind, it is a great product that will not succeed' (Google's headset is pictured) In terms of smartwatches (Apple Watch pictured), Mr Wozniak said no company has yet been able to create a 'compelling' device, and he had been disappointed with early models. 'One company may point the right way to a smart and useful watch, but it shouldn’t be a replacement for what the phone does,' continued Mr Wozniak . Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus were the first devices to break away from the firm's typical 4-inch displays on previous handsets. They were unveiled at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts at De Anza College in Cupertino in September. Mr Wozniak recently told a conference in Texas that if Apple had released a larger screen, sooner, it would have been able to steal a larger portion of the smartphone market from its rivals over the past three years. Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus were the first devices to break away from the firm's typical 4-inch displays on previous handsets. Mr Wozniak praised boss Tim Cook (pictured) for breaking from the 'dogma' of smaller displays that had come from previous boss Steve Jobs . | Apple's co-founder made the claims to Australian Financial Review .
He said Google Glass owners are 'brave' for trying something new .
But admitted the technology 'makes no sense in terms of what it does'
Mr Wozniak also admitted he hasn’t been impressed with smartwatches .
He dubbed Apple’s model a ‘luxury fitness band’, but added it is more distinctive than others available on the market .
The 64-year-old praised Apple boss Tim Cook for launching a larger phone . |
065039e6fd299f083ed78e478e45a4a0f033d265 | When choosing an animal to protect your home, you might have thought that a dog would be enough to scare off any would-be intruders. But one pet-owner was perhaps hoping to give any burglars an extra fright by dressing their Dogue de Bordeaux up as a lion. In two pictures posted on Twitter, the animal can be seen proudly standing guard by his front gate, before looking confused while sitting on a bed. Scroll down for video . Pride of the pack: A Dogue de Bordeaux wearing a lion's mane costume stands guard outside a house . King of beasts: The confused canine sits on a bed while wearing the mane, which can be bought online for £5 . The image was posted online by user @cuteoverloads along with the caption: 'Ordered a lion off eBay & they sent me this.' It is not the first time that a dog owner has attempted to disguise their faithful friend as a lion. In August last year a Chinese zoo was mocked online after trying to pass off a hairy dog as the king of beasts after removing the exotic animal from its enclosure. The tourist attraction also placed a mongrel dog in the leopard enclosure, and exchanged their wolf for a white dog breed. Fearsome: The pet owner may have been hoping to scare off intruders by dressing their pet up as a lion . Dog in disguise: A Chinese zoo was caught attempting to disguise this hairy Tibetan mastiff as a lion last year . While the zoo groomed their animals in an attempt to make them appear wild, the owner of this Dogue de Bordeaux appears to have used a costume. Fancy dress lion manes, which are designed to fit both cats and dogs, are widely available online and cost around £5. Do you have any pictures of your pet dressed up in fancy-dress? We'd love to hear from you. Please send your pictures to [email protected] . | Dogue de Bordeaux pictured on Twitter dressed up in lion's mane wig .
Image posted with caption: 'Ordered a lion off eBay & they sent me this'
Chinese zoo mocked for trying to disguise hairy dog as lion last year . |
0650474fb4247e2e45d570eb7a6b61edcf0dd4c0 | Rio Ferdinand is to consider withdrawing his support from future FA initiatives in the wake of his three-match ban for using the word ‘sket’ on Twitter — slang for a promiscuous girl or woman. The QPR defender, 35, is still furious after an FA commission found him guilty of misconduct for abusing another user of the social media platform on September 30. Some people in football believe Ferdinand is the victim of a witch-hunt. Queens Park Rangers defender Rio Ferdinand has been given a three-game suspension by the FA . Ferdinand has been charged for this tweet, made on September 1, for using the slang term 'sket' Some people believe Ferdinand has been the victim of a witch-hunt, and he may never work for the FA . VIDEO Ferdinand banned for Twitter taunt . Ferdinand was a member of FA chairman Greg Dyke’s commission that was set up to safeguard the future of the national game and has previously stated a desire to become England manager one day. That is all in jeopardy after the FA commission banned him for three games, fined him £25,000 and ordered the former England defender to attend an education programme. Although Ferdinand accepts that his response on social media to a tweet about his performances in a QPR shirt was inappropriate, other players have escaped FA scrutiny. Five days ago his Rangers team-mate Joey Barton accused Barcelona forward Neymar of being ‘Messi’s fluffer’ on Twitter. A ‘fluffer’ is a slang term used in the adult entertainment industry, but the FA’s disciplinary team have yet to call the midfielder to account. Ferdinand is active on social media, with 5.9million followers on his Twitter page and over 14,500 tweets . Joey Barton has yet to hear from the FA after referring to Barcelona's Neymar as Lionel Messi's 'fluffer' Harry Redknapp criticised Ferdinand's ban and believes footballers would be better off without Twitter . Barton also claimed that Oscar Pistorius ‘definitely intended to kill her (Reeva Steenkamp)’ in yet another outburst that has escaped FA punishment. Ferdinand, who is scheduled to miss QPR’s games against Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle, is still considering whether to appeal against the verdict. His manager Harry Redknapp criticised Ferdinand’s ban, which was at the same level as a red card for a two-footed tackle. Redknapp said: ‘The same as a two-footed challenge? No. If someone slags him off and he goes back and slags them off. It doesn’t equate. I genuinely don’t know what goes on on Twitter. It would save all the hassle if no-one was on Twitter.’ | Queens Park Rangers defender Rio Ferdinand banned for three games .
He is alleged to have breached FA Rule E3(2) on 'reference to gender'
Ferdinand also fined £25,000 and ordered to attend education programme .
In the tweet, Ferdinand used abusive slang term 'sket'
Ferdinand was a member on Greg Dyke's FA commission and has stated a desire to become England manager one day . |
0650ac1fe9ccbdc84c6bbd81609a270ba3dc0665 | Lonely hearts looking for a mate have been known to go to extraordinary lengths to find the partner of their dreams. But for these people, captured in images posted on a Russian dating site, those lengths might be just a bit too far. The images provide a bizarre snapshot into the worlds of the people looking for love - and in some cases a weird and wonderful view inside their minds. This girl attempts to pose seductively by a microwave, complete with knife block and cat food box on top . This lady thinks that munching on an entire watermelon is a surefire way to attract the partner of her dreams . This lady thinks that a pair of rubber gloves make a seductive accessory . (left) and (right) a swordsman displays his softer side, and an array . of weaponry, in an attempt to woo an impressed other half . In one of the hilarious pictures a woman, who has fashioned a mermaid costume from what looks like an ironed tablecloth, gazes seductively at the camera. And in another, which is designed to find the subject a date, a woman takes a bathtime selfie complete with glass of wine... and yellow rubber gloves. Sometimes homemade isn't always best: This woman created her own mermaid costume for her picture . Musclebound: This man hopes that showing off his body on the dating site will bag him a potential love interest . Seductive? This lady thinks that pouring a can of Jaguar on her clothes on a riverbank creates a sexy look . Does this man think that posing with a gun in front of ornamental dogs will detract from his unusual hairstyle? Food also features in the saucy snaps, with one lady pictured pouring a fizzy drink over her clothes on a riverbank. Another woman goes all out, by donning a bikini to munch on a whole watermelon, an image which she hopes will attract a potential life partner. This Russian gentleman (left) hopes that showing how flexible he is in a children's playground will make a potential partner swoon. (Right) a man relies on a 'sexy' dead fox headpiece to entice an online love interest . A woman uses those tried and tested seduction tools, a banana and a newspaper, to help in her quest for love . The men don't spare any blushes when looking for love too. One of the pictures shows a topless man, complete with a lego-esque haircut and high-waisted trousers. In the image he is flexing his muscles in a room that looks like it is straight out ITV sitcom Rising Damp. Many people on the site seem to believe that a heavily patterned carpet is the perfect backdrop for a picture . Floral tribute: These guys seem to think that the way to a lover's heart is through snappy dressing and flowers . Another show a man in what can only be described as a shellsuit, performing a unusual backwards high kick in a children's play area. It is not just macho men on display, some . of the boys have got in touch with their feminine side in order to . attract a significant other. This pair like to show off their leisure wear, and think that it will inspire people to get in touch with them online . One man poses in a Halloween witch's hat, while another looks to be sporting an unusual peroxide blonde mullet. However, the fancy headpiece is actually a dead fox. Towels: This sexy bathroom selfie will surely bag this lady a meet-up with somebody from the dating site? Dinner time: This lady thinks her kitchen, and a tea towel are great props for a seductive dating site photo shoot . | From mermaids to swords, welcome to the world of Russian online dating .
Hilarious pictures posted by singles hoping to meet a potential soul mate . |
0650d43335d9a9bc6d6c3917c0737ed898dbbadc | By . Chris Greenwood . and Emine Sinmaz . and Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 19:44 EST, 17 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:49 EST, 18 November 2013 . A mystery corpse found at the bottom of a well was seriously assaulted before being put down there, police have revealed. Officers are still trying to identify the victim – who was discovered on Friday . by two gardeners clearing the grounds of a detached house in Surrey. They . found the body, which was partially clothed, at the bottom of an . 11ft-deep well covered with wire mesh and a concrete slab. The male victim could have been killed up to a fortnight ago, according to murder detectives. Scroll down for video . Probe: Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of a man was found down a well in Surrey . Grim task: Officers from the Underwater and Confined Space Search Team during the recovery operation . Results of an initial post-mortem examination did not prove conclusive in providing a cause of death and further tests will be carried out, Scotland Yard said. However, the examination did reveal injuries to the body consistent with an assault, said a police spokesman. One of the padlocks securing the wire mesh had been cut, allowing the culprit to drop the corpse down the well. Rory Mulholland, 21, who was working with 17-year-old Jack Duncan said: ‘There was quite a lot of trash in the garden. Cleaned: A police specialist diver being washed down after leaving the scene . ‘I assumed whoever owned the house was clearing the house out and getting it renovated and it was the end of their tenancy.’ He . added: ‘We spotted a big blue tarpaulin at the bottom of the well and . we were curious to see what it was. 'Jack turned the tarpaulin over with a . length of kitchen drainpipe and then we noticed the outline of a . person. 'You could see the shape of someone’s legs and a bottom. ‘Then . we flipped the tarp over again and I saw someone’s upper thigh. 'It was . definitely a man. I’ve never smelt anything like it.’ The . decomposing corpse was found in the overgrown garden of a property in . Warlingham, Surrey, which is currently the home of a group of Polish car . wash workers. All . seven men – who are aged between 21 and 27 – were arrested on suspicion . of murder over the weekend, but have now been questioned and released on . bail. One said: ‘I want to . clear my name. There has been a big mistake. 'We don’t know nothing. We . just live there. The police said nothing to us.’ And . George Anastasi, who is the owner of both the property and the car . wash, said he was ‘completely shocked’ when he heard of the discovery. Asked . if anyone who lived or worked there could be responsible, he replied: . ‘I would find it very hard to believe it’s one of them.’ Aerial view of the scene: The well was 2ft wide, 7ft deep and the water was approximately 4ft deep . Tents: The body was found in the narrow shaft of a well outside this house on Audley Drive in Warlingham . Gardeners working at the house, set within an acre of land, spotted the body in the well in Surrey . The . men have now all returned to work at the nearby car wash. But they are . staying at a hotel so police can search the property – which neighbours . say could fetch up to £1million if sold to a developer. Detective . Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons, who is leading the inquiry, said a . post-mortem examination was underway to try and identify a cause and . time of death. Specialist divers, pictured, were called to the scene and were assessing how to remove the body without destroying any evidence . Evidence found by the divers at the scene indicated that the body had been placed in the well, police said . And he stressed that officers are working around the clock to identify the victim, adding: ‘This is an unusual case. ‘I . would appeal for anybody who has concerns about a missing person or who . believes they may know something about this individual or incident to . call my officers. ‘Although I . cannot elaborate further at this time, I have reason to believe that . this body was placed into the well and we are treating the incident as a . murder.’ Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Body found by two gardeners at a house in Warlingham, Surrey, on Friday .
Police reveal the victim was seriously assaulted before being put down there .
The body of a white man was partially submerged in water in the 11ft well .
Homeowners, seven Polish car wash workers aged 21-27, were arrested .
Post-mortem to be carried out at East Surrey Hospital mortuary on Sunday . |
0653514e4bc5c97c37ba186fd44ef7188acfc6d2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:05 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:15 EST, 12 June 2013 . Burying treasure on a desert island, diving from a boat in the sea, and counting off the days inside a prison cell. These imaginative chalk drawings show a couple's baby boy 'transported' into different fantasy lands by his photographer parents. Anna Eftimie, from California, began taking pictures of her son Serban when he was just five days old. This adorable sleeping baby has been transported into different fantasy lands by his imaginative parents . Then her husband suggested using pictures drawn on a chalkboard to make the images more 'special'. The couple's first creation showed Serban wrapped in a blanket and being delivered by a stork - a reference to the myth. They then started to create new images they have now dubbed 'Blackboard Adventures'. The scenes include Serban at a disco, on a treasure island, on a hammock, and even in a prison cell. Pirate: this picture depicts baby Serban dressed as a pirate burying treasure on a desert island . Inmate: baby Serban is shown chained up and dressed as an inmate in a jail cell at Alcatraz prison . Gnarly: Serban is shown on a skateboard leaping over some cute animals while dressed in a hoody . Adventurer: Wrapped in a blanket and tied to balloons, Serban is blown across the skies by the clouds . Anna Eftimie, from California, began taking pictures of her son Serban (both pictured) when he was just five days old . Mrs Eftimie, 33, who runs Cute Moments Photography, said she had since been asked to create similar images for other parents. One father asked them to create an image of his daughter as the American President while another family wanted an image of their child on an African safari adventure. Mrs Eftimie said: 'Being a perfectionist I pay attention to very little details which is important to the final look of every image. 'If you combine that with my . husband's creativity and passion for creating cool looking set-ups, you . will get the photos that I really love working with - fresh and unique. 'It's . a certain type of client who request these images - often with a lot of . imagination and sense of humour in order to create a world around their . child. 'Most people are still looking for . the classic baby photos which is great but these are definitely . something unusual and good fun. 'What I enjoy most is the parents' reactions when they first see the finished product. One family wrote to . me telling me how they were still smiling from ear to ear.' Taking the plunge: baby Serban dives in to the sea from a boat full of cute animals . Snooze: As the birds are in song on the treetops above, baby Serban is shown asleep on a hammock . | Chalk drawings show couple's newborn son in different fantasy lands .
Images created by Anna Eftimie, a photographer from California .
Has since been asked to create similar images for other parents . |
06535229f47c2d3ed0eef2bbbce93871d4d2d94c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:14 EST, 9 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:18 EST, 9 May 2013 . Police investigating the disappearance of Jessica Heeringa, the Michigan woman abducted in late April during her shift at a gas station, have said that the suspicious substance found at the scene where she vanished is her blood. 'The substance has been confirmed as blood,' police said in a statement released today. 'Based on a subsequent DNA analysis, the blood has been confirmed to be from Jessica Lynn Heeringa.' Police said that there was only a small amount of blood located at the Norton Shores, Mich., Exxon gas station where Heeringa was working on a late shift. The 25-year-old mother of one was within moments of closing the station when she vanished. Police have revealed that Jessica Heeringa's blood was found at the gas station where she disappeared . Heeringa's family has been notified that her blood was found at the scene, police said. Last Tuesday police released a second video . in the hope that it will help lead to a breakthrough in the mystery of a mother . who went missing on April 26. The video, police say, more . clearly shows traffic in the area, including a silver minivan that . police have been in search of as they've continued trying to unravel . this mystery. A $15,000 reward has been pledged by Exxon Mobil to go toward a reward fund for Heeringa, who was working at an Exxon Mobil station when she disappeared. The . footage comes from a business a mile from the Exxon station, which had . no cameras, and show's the silver van passing around 11:04pm. Police believe Heeringa disappeared between 10:50 and 11:15 that night. New footage: Police say this latest video evidence released in the disappearnce case of Jessica Heeringa shows a suspect silver minivan . Clue: Christian Van Antwerpen, pictured, says he heard the van's driver flirting with Heeringa 'suspiciously' hours before she vanished April 26 . Do you know this man? Police have released this sketch, left, of a man seen driving away from the gas station in Michigan where young mother Jessica Heeringa, right, was last seen last month . Antwerpen said he did not see the man, but only heard his voice. The . tip is yet another among the hundreds police say have come in since . Heeringa vanished and will be added to the evidence . investigators have thus far been able to gather. The sketch of a wavy-haired man was released April 30, . based on an account given by a witness who saw a male drive away from . the gas station - and police hoped it would reinvigorate . their investigation. 'With the sketch, now we are retracing some of our steps' Norton . Shores Police Chief Daniel Shaw told WZZM. 'We are taking the sketch out to some . of those individuals we've already talked to, and are showing them the . sketch. Workplace: The Exxon Mobil gas station in Norton Shores, Michigan - from where Heeringa was snatched. the parent company has pledged a $15,000 reward . 'Someone knows this person. That is a very good drawing. Someone is going to know who that is.' Authorities . have also released previous video, shot from the nearby Old Homestead . Tavern, showing a minivan witnesses told police had been in the area . around the same time that Heeringa went missing. Norton Shores Police Chief Dan Shaw admitted that the video leaves much to be desired in terms of hard-hitting evidence, . but hoped releasing it, too, could help unlock the . mystery. Chief Shaw told WOOD-TV: . 'I wish I had the technology like you see on TV where you can blow it . up and I can see the driver inside, but that doesn’t exist for me.' He . told the station that the vehicle appears to match the Town & . Country minivan seen by witnesses in the area prior to Ms Heeringa's . disappearance. Authorities are now looking to question its driver, described as a 'heavyset' white male, between 30 and 40 years old. Police suspect that she may have been familiar with her abductor. 'There . is no sign of a struggle in the store, so it's possible she knew who . the person was as a customer or as an acquaintance,' Chief Shaw told ABCNews. Authorities were alerted on Friday night when a worried customer called about the unattended gas station at 11:15pm. Vigil: A friend hugs Shelly Heeringa, Jessica's mother, during a vigil at Pointes Mall in Norton Shores . That . customer, Craig Harpster, said he came to the gas station like he . normally does after work, and noticed that no one was there. After looking around and finding no one, he told WOOD-TV that he had a 'gut feeling that something bad had happened' and called police. Mr Harpster's 911 call was also released by authorities over the weekend. In the call, he tells the dispatcher: . 'There's nobody here. Um... it wouldn't allow me to pump gas. I just . walked inside, there's nobody. There's a car here. There's another car . out front. But it's just very suspicious why there's nobody here.' Ms Heeringa made her last sale at 11pm. The missing woman's family made a . heartfelt plea for information on Sunday as police reclassified her . disappearance as an abduction. Plea: Shelly Heeringa attended the vigil for her daughter on Tuesday as police released the sketch . In . a press conference on Sunday morning, Chief Shaw said officers were . treating the case as abduction after examining evidence at the scene. No money was stolen from the gas station and it appeared that Ms Heeringa had left cleaning supplies on the counter. Police described Heeringa as a white female, 5'1 tall, approximately 110 lbs., with blonde shoulder length hair, and blue eyes. Jessica is also known to wear wire rim glasses. She may be wearing a blue collared shirt saying 'Sternberg Exxon.' With no surveillance footage from the gas station, police are relying on public information for help in the investigation. 'I'm sure she was abducted,' Ms Heeringa's mother told Michigan Live. '[There was] no struggle. She was cleaning a machine, she left her car keys, [and] no money was taken from the gas station.' The . anguished family were praying for Jessica's safe return. 'She's loved . by everyone,' her mother said. 'She has a 3-year-old boy who is missing . his mom and wants her back.' Derek Antol, a regular customer at the station, told Michigan Live, that he was 'dumbfounded' by the incident. 'I didn't know her, I didn't even know her name until this,' Antol said. 'But she was always very sweet, friendly gal.' Missed: Heeringa was allegedly abducted at about 11pm on Friday from the gas station . Hope: Liz Lunsford of Muskegon releases balloons across the street from the Exxon Mobil gas station . | Police have confirmed that the suspicious substance found where Jessica .
Heeringa vanished was her blood .
A $15,000 reward pledged by Exxon-Mobil is now being offered for information about the case .
A .
new eyewitness has reported having seen the driver of a van .
flirting with Heeringa in a suspicious manner hours before she .
disappeared . |
065378e265a6d5ff38b2e6748ba66490cf8670a9 | By . Adam Shergold for the Daily Mail . It isn't quite the 44 damned days of Brian Clough's Leeds United reign 40 years ago, but it appears David Hockaday's time at Elland Road will not last a great deal longer. Just 65 days into Massimo Cellino's experiment with an unknown manager plucked from non-League, he has apparently already been given the Caesarean thumbs down. The unforgiving Italian owner, who famously got through 36 managers in 22 years at Cagliari, will pull the trigger once again unless there is an instant upturn in fortunes, starting with Wednesday's Capital One Cup derby with Bradford. Staying power: Dave Hockaday will not be sacked as Leeds manager despite recent poor results . Hockaday, hired from Conference side Forest Green Rovers in June, was understandably exasperated after his side finished with nine men in the defeat at Watford. But as he spoke of the 'green shoots and signs of recovery' Leeds are apparently showing, he did not come across as a man expecting to lose his job. 'I strongly believe that with the players I've got, I'm doing a decent job,' he said. 'Barring that moment of madness, we would have come away with something.' That moment came on 58 minutes when debutant defender Giuseppe Bellusci miskicked a clearance, allowing the livewire Fernando Forestieri through on goal. Bellusci dragged him down, was sent off and Troy Deeney scored from the spot to make it 2-1. He has apologised to the team — for what it's worth,' Hockaday said. 'It's something I can't legislate for.' Until then, Leeds had been just about a match for Beppe Sannino's in-form side. Afterwards, they lost the plot, conceding twice more — to Forestieri and Daniel Tozser — and saw Sam Byram sent off in stoppage time for stupidly lashing out at Daniel Pudil. Hockaday added: 'Even though it was 4-1 today, I don't really think anyone can go away and say they were that much better than you and they ripped the pants off you.' Yet Cellino deals solely in cold, hard facts and Hockaday has presided over three defeats from four, leaving Leeds a solitary point above the Championship drop zone. U-turn: Leeds owner Massimo Cellino had decided to sack the manager before changing his mind . The Italian was not amused and another defeat is likely to see time called on his experiment and Hockaday's contract ripped up. With hindsight, the writing has always been on the wall. The 2,000-strong travelling contingent at Vicarage Road reflected long-held frustrations when they sang 'We're s*** and we're sick of it' during the second half. It's been a long decade in the wilderness since Leeds dropped out of the Premier League and Hockaday was hardly the high-profile, proven appointment the fans expected when Brian McDermott left last season. Cellino admitted that Hockaday was working with an incomplete squad last week but some of those brought in don't look up to it. Bellusci endured a nightmare start and new striker Mirco Antenucci was badly off the pace. Slump: Leeds are perilously close to the relegation zone after losing three of their four opening games . When another, Billy Sharp, was subbed at 2-1 to avoid picking up an injury, the away fans jeered Hockaday. And this dismal performance was against a Watford side supposedly in a crisis of their own. When Lloyd Dyer scored at Rotherham in midweek, he celebrated by shouting abuse at Sannino, leading to rumours of a camp unhappy at the Italian's constant rotation. But he'll be sticking by his methods after this performance, which saw the Hornets soar to second in the table. Dyer was nowhere near the squad against Leeds but will return. Sannino said: 'I did not see that celebration. This belongs to the past. I need all of my players.' If only Hockaday could rewind history too. His troubles are very much in the present. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEKEND . Stuart Pearce has restored passion and purpose at Nottingham Forest and they're flying high in the Championship after a 4-0 thumping of Reading. Winger Michail Antonio scored twice and set up another against his former employers, while £5m signing Britt Assombalonga now has four in four League games. 'The new signings have really hit the ground running,' said a delighted Pearce. Delighted: Stuart Pearce has made an immediate impact at Nottingham Forest since becoming manager . ELSEWHERE... Felix Magath could get the sack if Fulham lose to Brentford in the Capital One Cup tomorrow. They are rock bottom after a 5-1 loss at Derby. 'The result was very bad and so now is the time to change,' he said afterwards. We presume he meant team selection, not his job. Jose Baxter scored maybe the goal of the weekend for Sheffield United against Crawley, picking out the top corner with a 25-yard cracker at Bramall Lane. Morecambe's perfect start continued with a 2-1 win at Cambridge in League Two. Teenage striker Paul Mullin grabbed both goals in another impressive display. Dogfight: Felix Magath could lose his job as Fulham manager if they continue their dismal form . It's not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There's £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There's £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | David Hockaday will remain as Leeds United manager despite speculation that he would be losing his job .
Owner Massimo Cellino decided to sack Hockaday before changing his mind .
Leeds are close to the Championship relegation zone after losing three of their opening four games .
Hockaday only joined the Elland Road side two months ago . |
06571a6ce9daa8972dccac023c4b1bd70fb6c635 | By . Tamara Cohen, Political Correspondent . MIchael Gove last night accused Nick Clegg of having a split personality over school reforms, veering between ‘Good Nick’ and ‘Nasty Nick’. The Education Secretary said the Deputy Prime Minister pandered to disaffected Left-wing voters by attacking the reforms he once backed. It escalates an acrimonious rift in the Government over schools policy since Mr Gove decided to sack Labour-supporting Baroness Morgan as head of Ofsted last week. Schools row: Education Secretary Michael Gove, left, accused Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg of pandering to disaffected Left-wing voters by attacking the reforms he once backed . Mr Gove said some Lib Dems wanted to ‘emphasise differences’ within the Coalition to appeal to former supporters ‘who don’t agree with the changes we are making now’. ‘Good Nick, the angel on one shoulder, is saying, “What Gove is doing is socially progressive, socially mobile, and in tune with good old Gladstonian principles”,’ he said. ‘Wicked Nick, sitting on his other shoulder, is saying, “Yes! But some of your more radical activists dislike it, so pander to them”. 'He will have to decide whether it’s the good or the bad Nick that he indulges.’ It comes after Lib Dem Schools Minister David Laws rekindled the Coalition row over education by confirming for the first time that he had opposed the sacking of Sally Morgan. In an interview, Mr Laws hit out at Mr Gove over his decision to axe Baroness Morgan from the schools regulator. He then opened a new rift by saying a system was needed to prevent cronyism in appointments, since any suggestion that a watchdog was pursuing a political agenda was ‘fatal’. Lib Dem Schools Minister David Laws rekindled the Coalition row over education by confirming he had opposed the sacking of Sally Morgan . Mr Gove insisted the decision not to renew Baroness Morgan’s contract was not based on her politics – she is an ex-aide to Tony Blair – but because he wanted a ‘new perspective’. But he refused to rule out appointing a Tory donor, Theodore Agnew, who runs a chain of academies, to head the watchdog instead. Yesterday Mr Laws, who rarely speaks to the media, admitted he was not consulted about the move, and said he wished Baroness Morgan had remained in post. ‘I don’t think it is one of the best decisions Michael Gove has ever made,’ he told The Independent. ‘I personally think that Sally Morgan has done a fantastic job as chair of Ofsted. I would rather she had remained and had her term renewed. 'We just cannot end up in a situation where posts of this type are selected on the basis of which political party you are in rather than your competence for the job. ‘While no organisation is ever going to be perfect, it is important that there should be confidence in Ofsted and it should be seen to be arm’s length from politicians. 'Otherwise people [working] in schools or early years would be able to say it is pursuing an agenda that is not about educational standards. That would be fatal. It has got to be independent.’ Mr Laws was previously seen as united with Mr Gove on the schools agenda, but relations between them now appear strained. He said that when he was told of the decision to axe Baroness Morgan he demanded an equal say over the make-up of the panel to choose her successor. He also suggested the academies programme, vastly expanded by Mr Gove, could do with more scrutiny – and called for powers for Ofsted to investigate chains of academy schools. Academies now account for 54 per cent of state secondary schools after massive growth spearheaded by the Tories. | Row escalates an acrimonious rift in the Government over schools policy .
Follows sacking of Labour-supporting Baroness Morgan as head of Ofsted .
Gove said some Lib Dems wanted to ‘emphasise differences’ in Coalition . |
0657667e1d6737b449161e1d8f79930b3a4e4cbe | Ariana Grande has hit back at reports she left an Australian photo shoot in a huff on Tuesday, saying she actually went to change her clothes because she didn't like her top. Speaking to Mike E and Emma on 96.1, the 21-year-old popstar called the claims 'untrue'. 'It was just a photographer who got mad at me because I left to change my outfit mid photoshoot because I didn’t like my top,' she told the radio show. 'I was like, "Oh I’ll be right back!" and I came back and he had left.' Scroll down for video . The young star has been in the spotlight since she was 14 - as an actress in two Nickelodeon TV shows and with her music career. Ariana Grande has seemingly brushed off the controversy that followed her diva antics at a photo shoot on Monday with an energetic performance on morning television for her screaming fans . She's a confident performer: Ariana seemed to put on a playful show for the fans watching her in the window . Ariana was rumoured to have stormed off from her first photo shoot in Sydney on Monday after giving photographers an endless list of demands and telling journalists they couldn't ask certain questions. But she said a simple costume change was all there was to it. '[The photographer] said all these ridiculous untrue things about me,' she said. Weighing in was Justin Bieber's manager and Ariana's professional associate, Scooter Braun. Speaking up: Talent manager Scooter Braun - who discovered Justin Bieber - spoke out in support of Grande . Hotel hello: From her hotel window in Sydney she blew a kiss to her fans and gave a quick wave on Tuesday afternoon despite the controversy . 'That’s not real. That’s nonsense. 'My fans know who I am, my family know who I am, my friends know who I am. 'No matter what you do, no matter what your profession is, no matter how old you are, everybody deals with haters.' Talent manager Scooter Braun, who discovered and managed Justin Bieber as well as Ariana, also weighed in. Ariana performed her hit song Problem in a black one-piece paired with thigh-high boots and a pair of cat ears perched atop her head . The American singer is currently in Sydney to promote her album My Everything . Following her performance she spoke to the show's hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch as she kept an eye on her screaming fans outside the studio . Ariana, who confirmed she would tour Australian next year, said she had been looking forward to coming here for a long time . Her antics didn't seem to phase her or the hundreds of adoring fans that turned up to see the popstar as she performed live on Channel Seven's Sunrise program at Sydney's Martin Place early on Tuesday morningAriana, who is in Sydney to promote her album My Everything, performed her hit song Problem in a black one-piece paired with thigh-high boots and a pair of cat ears perched atop her head. Following her performance she spoke to the show's hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch as she kept an eye on her screaming fans outside the studio. 'I've been looking forward to coming to Australia for a long time - I haven't had enough time though,' she said. The American star, who collaborated with Iggy Azalea on Problem, also said she's a huge fan of the Australian rapper. 'I love Iggy, she's very talented I love her music and I was honoured that she wanted to do a song with me.' Just a day earlier Ariana was reportedly displeased with the way she looked on camera and she stormed out on a string of media commitments scheduled to promote her new album. The first photographer of the day had been handed a list of demands, including 'only to shoot the left side' of Ariana's face, and not to use 'natural light.' Media were also handed a no-go list, guiding the line of questioning, according to news.com.au. The list reportedly stated that Miss Grande could not be quizzed about topics including her love life, Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber and her recently-cancelled Nickelodeon program, Sam & Cat. Ariana's entourage then sent the rest of the snappers home empty-handed even though photographers and journalists had been left waiting in a hotel room for an hour. The popstar eventually re-appeared to answer questions wearing a short navy and gold sequined skirt and black top. When asked if she had any plans to work with Australian rapper Iggy Azalea again, her collaborator on global hit Problem, she replied: 'I just put out this album, slow down a little... I'm just kidding.' The young star has been in the spotlight since she was 14 - as an actress in two Nickelodeon TV shows and with her music career. Ariana stopped to get photos with as many fans as she could outside the studios at Martin Place in Sydney . 'I love Iggy': The 21-year-old opened up about Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, who she collaborated with on her hit track Problem . Ariana said she works hard to protect herself from negative comments. 'I've made it so I don't really have to deal with it. I've sort of created a very safe happy little bubble that I live in where I don't really hear about those things, or look at them, or read them or see them for that matter,' she said. And it seems she attempts to stay in this bubble. 'I've tried to make a very definite separation between my real life and, then, that other stuff. So I don't really let that into my bubble, for lack of a better analogy,' she said, flashing a nervous smile at her entourage. 'I feel like that's the safest route.' Ariana was reportedly displeased with the way she looked on camera and she stormed out on a string of media commitments scheduled to promote her new album . The young star has been in the spotlight since she was 14 - as an actress in two Nickelodeon TV shows and with her music career. Grande recently performed on the MTV Video Music Awards, collaborating with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj on the song Bang Bang. All the focus was on Minaj who spent the time on stage clutching her dress to her body having experienced a reported 'wardrobe malfunction'. Grande claims to have liked this supposedly off-the-cuff moment for the rapper. 'That's a true star. I mean you just go "OK, I'm naked, let's go." She killed her verse, she carried on and she went home and celebrated,' she said. | Reports say Ariana Grande stormed out of an Aussie photo shoot after ONE photo .
The star has hit back with her side of the story and says it's 'untrue'
21-year-old pop star arrived in Sydney on Monday to promote new album .
A list of topics were given to media, guiding their line of questioning .
The popstar appeared on Channel Seven's Sunrise program to perform in front of adoring fans early on Tuesday morning . |
0657bef1aee6dbd79369db4d76e8f04c073fe938 | Arsene Wenger may have raised an inquisitive eyebrow at this Brighton performance; he will know Arsenal are in for a proper game when they arrive here in the FA Cup on Sunday. It was a night not befitting a team who had won only three Championship games before the end of December and are still trying to haul themselves away from the relegation zone. But then again, in Chris Hughton the Seagulls have a manager who is already turning the tide on the south coast. With Liverpool loanee Joao Teixeira they have a diminutive figure who is able to unlock at will, and it was he who scored two stunning goals for which Ipswich had no answer. Joao Teixeira (centre) scores Brighton's second goal in the 3-2 win over Ipswich . Teixeira (centre) is congratulated after scoring his first goal of the night . Teixeira (right) celebrates with Sam Baldock after scoring Brighton's third goal . Brighton: Stockdale; Bruno, Greer, Hughes, Bennett; Holla, Ince; Calderon, Teixeira (March 86), Baldock; O'Grady (Bent 77) Subs not used: Walton, Rea, Chicksen, McCourt, Colunga . Goals: Baldock 18, Teixeira 38, 45 . Ipswich: Bialkowski; Chambers, Smith, Berra, Mings; Anderson (Sears 50), Skuse, Bru, Tabb (S Hunt 74); N Hunt (Bishop 65), Murphy . Subs not used: Kenny, Parr, Clarke, Ambrose . Goals: Murphy 22, Sears 78 . Referee: Keith Stroud . Attendance: 23,880 . ‘I’m delighted with the performance,’ said Hughton, who sees his side now six points clear of the drop. ‘Joao was excellent. He has quality and somebody who is prepared to work hard. You need to get him on the ball. He’s still young - today would’ve done him the world of good.’ Sam Baldock had given Brighton a lead - unstoppably lashing across Bartosz Bialkowski - before Daryl Murphy’s deft volley levelled for Mick McCarthy’s side three minutes later, his 18th of the campaign. It seemed the visitors, who could’ve gone top with a win, would then turn the screw but Teixeira had other ideas. Firstly he picked up possession from the impressive Rohan Ince 40 yards from goal, driving purposefully at five defenders, before jinking inside and smashing into the top corner via a deflection. And if that wasn’t enough, the Portuguese added a third in first-half stoppage time, arriving late to a clever Joe Bennett cut-back and leathering home. It is his first sustained spell away from Anfield, and Brendan Rodgers will like what he is seeing. McCarthy, meanwhile, did not. ‘I'm not happy about the goals - that isn't like us,’ he said. ‘Our first-half performance wasn’t what I’d expect. Maybe one or two of them are knackered. ‘They're all off until Monday. Go on holiday, have a beer with their mates, whatever.’ Chris Hughton has made an instant impact at Brighton since replacing Sami Hyypia . Brighton keeper David Stockdale rushes out of his area to claim a ball into the box . Chris O’Grady had chances to pile further misery on McCarthy but fluffed his lines on a number of occasions as Brighton quite rightly looked towards the flamboyant Teixeira for inspiration. They would be advised to do similar when Wenger and Arsenal come to town. ‘He’s just too good for you,’ they sang inside the Amex Stadium and that was no exaggeration. Ince had a header cleared off the line while Aaron Hughes saw his looping effort tipped over. And they could have been made to pay for those close calls after Freddie Sears slipped underneath David Stockdale in the 78th minute and Murphy almost squeezed in a late equaliser but the eventual difference was a little playmaker from Melwood. | Joao Teixeira, on loan from Liverpool, inspires Brighton to victory .
Ipswich could have gone top of Championship with a win .
Brighton host Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday . |
0657cfdfaaf0b1973dc08db7ae665468a76f15e7 | By . Katy Winter . It is not often a policeman has women throwing themselves at his feet begging to be cuffed. But then Grant Hazell is no ordinary policeman. The 35-year-old police officer, who hails from Suffolk but lives in Perth, Australia, is the doppelganger of Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Gosling. In fact, his incredible likeness to the film star has thrust him into the limelight, with strangers refusing to believe he is not the real deal. Handsome Grant Hazell, 35, makes £200 an hour as a Ryan Gosling lookalike . Ryan Gosling looking tough in the film Only God Forgives . With his trademark chiselled jaw and mesmerising smile, the resemblance sees him attract attention everywhere he goes - and even marriage proposals from women all over the world. One super female fan even refused to believe Grant was not the real life Ryan Gosling when she stopped him in the street. 'She told me she had seen all my movies and that she was in love with me. When I said I wasn't actually him, she didn't believe me. It was a surreal conversation,' Grant joked. 'He's a cool guy and a great actor. It's not a bad thing to look like one of Hollywood's most wanted men.' Grant re-enacting a scene from the film 'Drive', with his wife Caroline, 35 . Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan in a romantic scene from the 2011 movie Drive . Grant (left) has been signed by a US lookalike agency and has modelled for commercial brands and men's fashion magazines earning him up to £200 an hour . Grant was living a normal, albeit slightly charmed, life until May when he finally turned professional.. The handsome father-of-two was snapped up by a talent agency as a Ryan Gosling lookalike after his wife, Caroline, 35, sent off some photographs, convinced that he was a dead ringer for the star. Grant quickly realised his resemblance to the Notebook actor when Gosling burst onto the movie scene with the film Crazy Stupid Love and friends and family commented on the similarities. As Gosling's star rose, Grant too became more popular and has since landed modelling contracts and hundreds of followers worldwide. Grant, 35, said: 'Ryan Gosling has a very contemporary look which is very sought after in both the film and fashion industry. 'I don't find it hard impersonating him. I'm lucky that it comes quite naturally. I frown a lot which helps. Grant (right) started his career as a lookalike after his wife sent his pictures into an agency . 'I've really taken to modelling, it's such good fun and I hope I get to travel the world to do it. 'I'm a very lucky guy to have been given this opportunity.' The doppelganger has perfected Gosling's trademark poses and emulates the smouldering frown and tough guy exterior many people love about the movie star. He's lookalike work has been the talk of his friends and family - even his work colleagues now call him 'Ryan'. Grant added: 'My work mates think it's hilarious and one day when I went into work they'd put my picture up on the most wanted list, saying 'crimes against impersonating a celebrity'. 'I get quite a lot of joke emails from fellow officers and they have posters up of me and Ryan Gosling to show the comparison. 'They call me 'the most beautiful man in the cosmos'. They all find it quite amusing.' One American woman became so obsessed with Grant that she sent him more than 100 raunchy messages on Facebook. Grant says he has really taken to modelling: 'It's such good fun and I hope I get to travel the world to do it' Grant with his two sons Alex, 10 (left) and Sonny, 8 (right), who are very proud of their father . But to his swooning female admirers' disappointment, Grant is happily married to movie make-up artist Caroline and the couple have two sons, Alex, 10 and Sonny, eight. The couple met as teenagers and have been married for 13-years. After working as a mechanic in the army for six years and then a policeman for seven years, Grant opted for a change of scenery and emigrated with his family to Australia five years ago. Caroline, who has no complaints about being married to a hunky lookalike, said: 'At first Grant didn't seem interested in the fact he resembled Gosling and when I surprised him with a DVD of his film Crazy Stupid Love, he wasn't impressed. 'He refused to watch the film and was embarrassed that I suggested he looked like him. I loved the fact that he was the spitting image of Gosling.' Not wanting to see his natural talents go to waste, Caroline sent his photo to a lookalike agency in Melbourne without him knowing. To his surprise, they loved his look and signed him up on the spot. Since then he has been signed by a US lookalike agency and has modelled for commercial brands and men's fashion magazines earning him up to £200 an hour. He has even appeared in a magazine posing as Ryan as well as undertaking personal appearances as the Drive star. Police officer Grant has women falling at his feet begging to be cuffed, but insists he is just a normal guy . Caroline said: 'I've always thought Grant was gorgeous and women often fancied him. But since he's been working as a lookalike. the attention's gone through the roof.' 'The boys are so proud of their dad. 'Despite being a looker, he is very down to earth family man. 'Women propose to him on Facebook and girls even run up to him on the street, screaming with excitement wanting a picture.' Fortunately, Caroline isn't the jealous type and knows Grant only has eyes for her. Even though Grant receives hundreds of propositions from admirers he still keeps his feet firmly on the ground and doesn't let the attention go to his head. He said: 'People think I'm a heartthrob, but I'm not. I wash dishes, bath the dog. I'm a regular bloke. My family at home keep me grounded.' | Grant Hazell, 35, used to be embarrassed about his resemblance to the star .
Started lookalike career when his wife sent pictures into agency .
Works in Australia and America earning up to £200 an hour .
One obsessed fan has sent him more than 100 messages . |
0659210d79f3d5217bc62d01b0d9e97a698e8b00 | Salford maintained their slim hopes of qualifying for the play-off's with Kevin Locke notching 14 points as they beat Catalan 34-22. Full-back Locke scored two tries and kicked three goals, while Junior Sau, Niall Evalds, Theo Fages and Tony Puletua also touched down as the Red Devils moved four points behind Catalan and Widnes with three games left. The visitors managed to run in four tries of their own, with Thomas Bosc adding three goals, but it was not enough. Attempt blocked: Daryl Millard attacks the Salford defence during the Super League match in Manchester . Rangi Chase starred for Salford as he pulled the strings, but Sau was another a stand-out performer on a good night for the hosts at the AJ Bell Stadium. Locke was making only his third appearance since signing from New Zealand Warriors after recovering from injury, with Jason Walton reverting to the bench. Evalds also switched to the wing for Josh Griffin as the Red Devils aimed to avenge their 37-24 defeat at Catalan in May. Ian Henderson made his 100th appearance for the Dragons, who also welcomed centre Vincent Duport back from suspension. The visitors flew out of the blocks, pouncing on a spill from Evalds as Leon Pryce created the opening try for Michael Oldfield in the corner after seven minutes. Elliot Whitehead's crunching tackle forced Lama Tasi to lose possession, but Salford hit back with a surging run from skipper Adrian Morley before Locke took Chase's pass to go over after 11 minutes. Locke booted the difficult conversion to fire the Red Devils ahead 6-4 and they increased the lead when Sau charged through Jason Baitieri's tackle to power over under the posts for his 12th try of the season. Scorer: Tony Puletua (centre) managed to get himself on the scoresheet in Salford's win over Catalan . A touch of class from Chase almost brought another try shortly after, but the bounce just eluded Evalds. However, they were able to take full advantage of a high tackle by Greg Mounis on Chase to extend their lead, with Locke adding his second try on the half hour and his third conversion made it 18-4. Fages went close again for Salford, who were in rip-roaring form against a side that had only beaten Bradford and London on their travels this season. There was no stopping the Red Devils, who moved into a 22-4 lead at half-time, with sub Jason Walton putting Evalds over in the corner with a smart pass after Chase had sidestepped the dangerous Whitehead. Catalan needed a score early in the second half and Mounis obliged with Bosc adding the conversion. Chase forced the Dragons into successive drop-outs from under their own posts after teasing kicks on the sixth tackle. The pressure had to tell sooner or later and it was no surprise when Fages took Harrison Hansen's pass to plunge over and give Salford another 18-point cushion. Chase took over the goalkicking duties and made no mistake. Salford sealed the win on the hour with Tony Puletua crashing over from short range, with Tasi supplying the pass and Chase adding his second conversion. The Red Devils' sterling defence will have pleased coach Iestyn Harris but Whitehead would have scored had he not dropped a pass from Louis Anderson's impressive break. Mason Caton-Brown raced back to stop Morgan Escare - no mean feat - but Duport diCatd manage a third try for Catalan with Bosc booting his 500th goal for the club. Catalan finished the scoring with a late try from Henderson on his landmark appearance, with Bosc kicking the conversion but it was little more than a consolation. | Kevin Locke bagged 14 points for the Salford Red Devils against Catalan .
Junior Sau, Niall Evalds, Theo Fages and Tony Puletua also touched down . |
0659766a1c5da7f01942dbe1d523e73a58e79290 | By . Hayley O'keeffe . PUBLISHED: . 13:33 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:44 EST, 22 November 2013 . An electrician who died while repairing a faulty microwave at a Marks & Spencer store had not unplugged the device, an inquest heard this week. Grandfather-of-seven Philip Dodd was called to the store in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on November 3 last year to fix the microwave in the staff canteen. But when the 62-year-old, of Horley, Surrey, went to fix the microwave he did not unplug it from the mains, the inquest heard on Thursday. The Marks & Spencer store in Royal Tunbridge Wells where Philip Dodd suffered the electric shock . The court heard how Mr Dodd suffered as fatal electric shock as he tried to fix the microwave when he accidentally touched an uninsulated controller to a magnetron in the microwave. Staff at the store said they came to Mr Dodd’s aid after hearing a ‘terrific crash’ in kitchen - finding him dead on the floor and the microwave plugged in. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council environmental health officer John Broughton told jurors: 'It appears he was electrocuted when he inadvertently touched a live conductor to the magnetron he was trying to repair. 'The machine should have been disconnected from the power supply before he attempted that.' The inquest heard how Mr Dodd was working for engineer providers Millers Vanguard, part of the AFE group, and had been an electrician for 28 years. AFE chief executive Tim Smith said: “The company’s procedure states that microwaves should not be worked on live and our training mantra of the three D’s - disconnect from main supply, discharge and open the doors - had unfortunately not been complied with.” A jury returned a verdict of accidental death and coroner Roger Hatch expressed his sympathies to Mr Dodd’s family. The Kent & Sussex Courier reported that shocked staff who were 'directly affected' by the incident were given as much time off as they needed by Marks & Spencer. Mr Dodd's children paid tribute to keen photographer Mr Dodd, who lost his wife Christine to cancer in 2003. His daughter Tina Garner told the Gatwick and Horley Times: 'He was a person that would help anyone that needed help.' She added: 'He was the best dad you could have.'He wouldn't want to worry anyone; he always wanted the best for everyone else.' | Philip Dodd suffered a massive electric shock and died at the scene .
Traumatised staff given unlimited time off to cope with the tragedy .
Tragic electrician lost his wife Christine to cancer in 2003 . |
0659c27fdb8176f440787fb9d4bbadeea2f1d1a8 | Sprightly Ada Hostler is thought to be the oldest female employee in the UK - still working full-time at the ripe old age of 94. The great-grandmother has stunned family and friends by insisting she wants to continue putting in a 45-hour week despite breaking her hip last year. She has been an administrator for Portsmouth-based Storytime Nursery, run by her daughter Janet Storey, 63, for 19 years. Never wants to retire: Ada Hostler, 94, surrounded by staff, family and children at Portsmouth-based Storytime Nursery, where she works 45 hours a week as an administrator . 'The children keep me going': Ada with two of the nursery kids, Eleanor Hatley (left) and Oliver Goodenough . She works from 8am until 6pm five days of the week and has no plans to retire - ignoring doctors' advice to quit following her injury. Mrs Hostler, from Portsmouth, Hants, lives by the motto 'you're a long time dead' and even says she's irritated by weekends - because she wants to work. She added: 'I never thought I would still be working in my 90s, I take one day at a time. 'But I don't ever want to stop. I get cross when it's the weekend because I want to go back to work. 'Doing all the figures helps keep my brain active and makes me feel younger. 'It's the children that keep me going. I love being around them. They are great company.' Born to work: Ada (third left in white dress), pictured in 1926, started out as a teacher but had to move into office work after the outbreak of the Second World War . Ada was born in Naples, Italy, and trained as a teacher, but was forced to move in to office work after the outbreak of the Second World War. During the war she met and fell in love with her future husband Peter, a sailor from Portsmouth. The couple married in Italy after the war was over and moved to Portsmouth together in 1945 when Ada was 26. Janet said: 'My mother has always been very active, she never stopped when she was younger. 'She enjoys the hustle and bustle of a busy life and I think that's why she loves the nursery so much.' Romance: Ada, on her wedding day in Italy in 1945 with husband Peter Hostler, a Portsmouth sailor with whom she fell in love with during the war . Just last year Ada broke her hip and doctors said she would have to give up work as she would struggle to get around. But within months she was up and walking again, with the help of a frame. Widowed Mrs Hostler added: 'I want to make the most out of life. You are dead a long time and don't have much time to live in comparison. 'I want to make sure that I enjoy all the time I have left.' | Ada Hostler ignored doctors' advice to quit job as nursery administrator . |
065a6bb7146cd616dca6b33ae3976c08fc7da41c | A 'lost' painting sold last year for £3,500 as the work of a John Constable copycat has been snapped up for a whopping £3.5million after it was revealed to be painted by the celebrated artist himself. Renowned auctioneers Christie's of London thought a fan had painted the study of Salisbury Cathedral in homage to Constable's famous 1831 work, and so valued it at just £500. A collector snapped it up for £3,500 in June 2013 but after taking a closer look they suspected the original artwork had been painted over. London auctioneers Christie's thought a fan had painted the study of Salisbury Cathedral (pictured) in homage to British artist John Constable's famous 1831 work. Christie's sold it for £3,500, but the painting was found to be an original work after the buyer realised it had been painted over . Restorers were called in to remove the added brushstrokes, and to the new owner's delight the oil painting was confirmed by scholars to be an original work by the Haywain artist himself. Experts say the previously unknown painting is one of several preparatory sketches Constable did before creating the masterpiece 'Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows', which was bought by the Tate gallery last year for £23.1million. After being catalogued by one of the world's leading authorities on Constable, the painting was relisted with auctioneers Sotheby's with an estimate of £2million, 4,000 times the original estimate. But after an intense bidding war the painting was sold to an unnamed bidder who forked out a staggering $5million - around £3.5million - including the auction house's fees. A spokesman for Sotheby's said: 'It is a wonderful result.' Prior to its sale in 2013 the 18in by 24in painting had been in a collection amassed in the 19th Century by William Henry Smith, founder of the high street stationary chain. It hung on the walls of Hambleden Manor in the Chilterns, home to his descendants the Viscounts Hambleden, until the Elizabethan property was sold in 2007. Lady Hambleden, 83, sold off the contents of the house - including the Constable painting - in the Christie's auction which raised £1.17m. The 'lost' artwork of Salisbury Cathedral was found to be an original sketching by British artist John Constable (depicted in this painting right). The painting was owned by Lady Hambleden (left) until she decided to sell it via Christie's of London because she 'longer had room for it' Experts said the painting is one of several preparatory sketches Constable did before creating the masterpiece 'Salisbury Cathedral From The Meadows' (above), which was bought for £23.1million last year . But specialists apparently failed to spot that the painting of Salisbury Cathedral was an original, instead listing it as being painted by 'a follower of Constable'. It was valued at £500 to £800 and sold for £3,500 to the lucky, anonymous buyer who then realised the painting had been heavily retouched in what experts say was a 'misguided attempt' to 'finish' it. Industry specialists say Lady Hambledon will have a case to sue Christie's if it can be proven the auctioneers did not carry out due diligence when checking the work. Prior to the auction Anne Lyles, a leading authority on the artist and former curator at the Tate, said Constable paintings could be tricky to attribute to the artist but she stood by her view that it was an original. She said: 'The buyer in 2013 will have taken an well-informed punt on this painting, which had a very low estimate, and then got it cleaned. 'Not everyone who takes a punt is going to get it right but on this occasion they did.' The depiction of Salisbury Cathedral (pictured) was sold by Christie's on behalf of Lady Hambleden . The famous newsagents firm was founded in 1792 when the first news vendors was opened in Little Grosvenor Street, London. It was handed down through the family until 1948 when the third Viscount Hambleden died. As Viscount Hambleden owned all the ordinary shares and the death duties were so heavy, a public holding company was formed to buy up all the share capital of WHSmith & Son Limited. The shares of the holding company were subscribed by the family, staff and public and on September 1, 1949, WHSmith & Son (Holdings) Limited was formed. Its governing director, and later its first chairman, was the Hon. David Smith - brother of the third Viscount Hambleden. However, the Smith family's control later slipped away, and the last family member left the board in 1996. Although no family member now sits on the board of the high street stationers, the Smiths collectively own £23million of company stock. Lady Hambleden, born Countess Maria Carmela Attolico di Adelfia, moved into Hambleden Manor when she married William Herbert Smith - the fourth Viscount Hambleden - in 1955. Lord Hambleden, who liked to be known as Harry, was the great-grandson of William Henry Smith, the founder of W H Smith. Lord and Lady Hambleden divorced in 1988 but she remained in the manor - in the heart of the Chilterns - while her ex-husband moved to America, where he died last August, aged 82. In 2013, she decided to sell off a number of artworks at the Elizabethan property because she now lives in a cottage in the village and 'no longer has room for them'. Ivan Macquisten, the editor of the Antiques Trade Gazette, added: 'I would be surprised if the previous vendor was not considering taking the matter further.' Before the auction a spokesman for Christie's said: 'We are aware that Sotheby's are offering this work as by Constable. 'We took the view at the time of our sale in 2013 that it was by a "follower of". We understand that there is no clear consensus of expertise on the new attribution.' | Painting thought to be the work of a John Constable fan sells for £3.5m .
It was purchased in 2013 for £3,500 after being assessed as not an original .
But after restoration, it was revealed to be one of his preparatory artworks .
After being catalogued by world authority, it was listed at auction for £2m .
It has now sold at a Sotheby's auction to an unnamed bidder for £3.5m . |
065ab6ae5c0a0fd58d2648d53c2e764c41705a9c | By . Mike Dawes . They were fierce rivals on the cycling track for many years but Victoria Pendleton was quick to praise Australian Anna Meares on her gold-medal success in the women’s 500m time trial. Pendleton, who won two Olympic golds but lost her final race before retirement to Meares at London 2012, tweeted: ‘Congratulations on gold @AnnaMeares a class performance in the 500m tt.’ At the double: Australia's Anna Meares received a congratulatory tweet from Victoria Pendleton after winning gold . Nick's week of celebration . Defending squash men’s single champion Nick Matthew felt no after-effects from his late night carrying England’s flag at Wednesday’s opening ceremony as he thrashed Xavier Koenig, a solicitor from Mauritius, 11-3, 11-3, 11-1 in just 21 minutes on Thursday morning. And it’s been quite a week for Matthew — he also celebrates his 34th birthday today. Easy does it: England's Nick Matthew (left) took just 21 minutes to beat Xavier Koenig of Mauritius . Cricket’s absence from Commonwealth Games will continue at least until the 2018 Games in Australia after the International Cricket Council turned down an invitation from the Commonwealth Games Federation. South Africa won the gold medal when cricket, in its 50-over format, made its only appearance at the games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. Forget flowers, have a quaich... Successful athletes at Glasgow 2014 receive gold, silver or bronze medals featuring overlapping rings, which weigh 100 grams. The medals were designed by jeweller Jonathan Boyd and each took three days to make by hand at the Glasgow School of Art. Medallists also receive a shallow two-handled drinking cup, known as a quaich. Held aloft by Alistair Brownlee, they have been made from the wood of trees that have fallen in Glasgow parks. Special gift: Alistair Brownlee holds his quaich aloft after victory in the triathlon at Strathclyde Country Park . | Pendleton tweeted a message of support to Australian Meares after her win in the 500m time trial .
Defending squash champion Nick Matthew - who turns 34 on Friday - took just 21 minutes to win his first match .
Cricket will not be back at the Commonwealth Games until at least 2018 .
Glasgow medallists also receive a quaich - a wooden drinking cup . |
065ad7a8b56771c1ba6c039c5ad66311425bd42f | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- The Atlanta Falcons have "relinquished their contractual rights" to Michael Vick, one of the highest-paid players in professional sports before his conviction on dogfighting charges, the Falcons manager said Friday. Michael Vick will be confined to this Hampton, Virginia, house for the rest of his sentence. In a statement posted on the football team's Web site, General Manager Thomas Dimitroff said, "Michael remains suspended by the NFL [National Football League]. However, in the event NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decides to reinstate Michael, we feel his best opportunity to re-engage his football career would be at another club. "Our entire organization sincerely hopes that Michael will continue to focus his efforts on making positive changes in his life, and we wish him well in that regard," Dimitroff said. The quarterback was drafted by the Falcons in 2001, and played six seasons with the team. Vick, who will turn 29 on June 26, pleaded guilty in August 2007 to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia. He was freed from the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 20, and returned to his home in Hampton, Virginia, the following day. He will serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement, his publicist, Judy Smith, said after his release. Vick could have returned to professional football as soon as September if reinstated by the NFL, said the sports agent who negotiated Vick's 10-year, $140 million contract with the Falcons. Now, however, he has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A federal bankruptcy judge recently denied a plan presented by Vick and urged him to offer another plan to handle his debts. The original plan called for Vick to come up with $750,000 to $1 million in cash to be paid to creditors, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro said, but he said he saw no evidence Vick could come up with that much. Santoro suggested Vick's next plan not call for him to keep two houses and three cars, as did the rejected proposal. Vick, who acknowledged failing to handle his money well, told the judge he was earning 12 cents an hour as an overnight janitor in prison. He has offered to work with the Humane Society of the United States on anti-dogfighting campaigns, Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle has told CNN. He was to work on programs aimed at preventing youths from getting involved in dogfighting, and on programs to assist young people who have already been involved in the blood sport. In testimony before the bankruptcy judge, Vick acknowledged committing a "heinous" act and said he should have acted more maturely. | Manager: Team has relinquished contractual rights to suspended pro football player .
If Vick is reinstated, best NFL opportunity would be "at another club," manager says .
Vick pleaded guilty in 2007 to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation .
He will serve last two months of 23-month term in home confinement, publicist says . |
065b139cc3314cd150cb9859a4338c517c5ff926 | (CNN) -- Feted by Sean Penn and applauded by Quentin Tarantino at Cannes, Filipino filmmaker Brilliante Mendoza appears to finally live up to his name. Facing the press in Cannes, Brillante Mendoza went on to pick up the best director prize. Despite only directing for four years, Mendoza won the award for best director at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year for "Kinatay", beating off competition from filmmaking royalty including Tarantino himself. After picking up the award, Tarantino wrote to Mendoza congratulating him on his award and saying his film was "bold, daring and... the whole point of making movies in the first place." Making movies is something that the 49-year-old from San Fernando in the Philippines is relatively new to. He spent 20 years as a production designer before directing his first film in 2005, but since then he hasn't looked back and in just over four years has made another seven films. His style of social realism has attracted as much critical acclaim as it has baffled and alienated audiences. But if an artist's anathema is indifference, Mendoza has more than succeeded in avoiding that curse. Featuring explicit sex, his films have been faced with heavy censorship in his native Philippines, and while Penn and the other judges at Cannes loved his film "Serbis," it proved to be one of the most divisive; "Variety" magazine called it exploitative and veteran film critic Robert Ebert said it was the worst film at the festival. "I believe that my films will find their audience, probably not now but maybe in the future... I'm doing my job, by presenting some stories that normally a mainstream director or mainstream filmmaker won't tackle, won't show," he told CNN. "Serbis" was only the third ever film from the Philippines to be shown in Cannes, and while elevating Mendoza to a new level of attention, the man himself hopes it will give the whole country a higher profile. "Because now they will look at Filipino films in a different way, unlike before they only see... films from the Philippines like melodrama, about prostitution, about poverty," he said. Citing European neo-realist filmmakers like Francois Truffaut as inspirational figures, Mendoza has crafted his own style of Filipino realism on the screen. He shoots without additional lighting and often only gives actors an outline of the scene they will be filming, letting them improvise around their characters. "I don't want to limit them, I just want to give them the freedom. I don't even show my actors the script. I mean I just tell them you know the lines they're going to say in that day. So they don't know exactly what will happen," he told CNN. Using raw filming techniques, Mendoza hopes to expose the naked truth of life in the Philippines, but he's also aware that when directing, he reveals much about himself. "As a filmmaker you can't help giving something about yourself in your film. A friend of mine told me 'You should take it easy in exposing yourself because you expose yourself too much in your film.' "And I said, 'I can't help it.' I mean, I want to be honest with my films, that's why I'm showing how I feel, my emotions, what I'm going through. So that's why I would say, you can't help to have a huge responsibility as a filmmaker," he said. | Mendoza won the Best Director award at this year's Cannes film festival .
Filipino filmmaker lauded by Quentin Tarantino for his film "Serbis"
Mendoza has only been directing for four years; films have proved controversial . |
065ba076a806bc5eb423f2fd9971f1be47f9884b | By . Robert Verkaik . Tony Blair's Government allegedly lobbied against the release of material regarding prisoners' torture . Britain has tried to block the release of US ‘torture files’ that could prove how the Blair Government was complicit in the capture and ill-treatment of dozens of terror suspects, it was claimed last night. US Senators are within weeks of publishing a top-secret report on America’s torture and rendition programme carried out in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The 6,300 files will expose the horror of the CIA’s waterboarding and other tortures and could also reveal the extent of British co-operation in the programme. Claims that Britain has put pressure on the US to halt the release of the documents have emerged in legal correspondence in the case of Abdel Hakim Belhadj, a senior Libyan politician and former opponent of Colonel Gaddafi who is suing Britain over his kidnap and forced return to Libya in 2004. Mr Belhadj is relying on intelligence provided by the UK former ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, who says Foreign Office (FO) sources have secretly briefed him about Britain’s diplomatic lobbying against the release of the highly sensitive material. In a letter to the FO, Mr Belhadj’s lawyers say: ‘The report and its executive summary is likely to feature information about [Mr Belhadj and his wife] who in 2004 were held in a CIA black site in Bangkok and rendered in a joint MI6-CIA-Libyan operation to Gaddafi’s Libya.’ They add: ‘It therefore appears HM Government is seeking to dissuade the US Government from disclosing details about our clients’ rendition...’ The true extent of British complicity in torture and kidnap of dozens of detainees has never been fully disclosed. Plight: Abdel Hakim Belhadj is suing Britain over his kidnap and forced return to Libya in 2004 . Mr Murray says: ‘Britain has lobbied the US against the publication of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture and rendition. 'The lobbying has been carried out “at all levels” – White House, State Department and CIA.’ The FO declined to comment. | Details have emerged in legal case between Britain and Libyan politician .
Abdel Hakim Belhadj suing Britain over his kidnap and forced return to Libya .
Claims to have evidence Britain lobbied against release of sensitive material .
True extent of British complicity in torture has never been fully disclosed . |
065bee81e70d90250dcf752ae84035bce4bbbfae | By . Hugo Gye . and James Rush . and Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 20:55 EST, 4 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 21:49 EST, 4 January 2014 . The son of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has revealed plans to scatter the late criminal's ashes at the scene of the crime. Michael Biggs, 39, has said it was his father's wish that a third of his remains would be spread at Bridego Bridge in Ledburn, Buckinghamshire on the 50th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery. Brazilian-born Biggs-the-younger will also keep 'a few grains' which he will tattoo into his skin underneath an inking of his father on his arm. Father and son: Biggs with his son Michael who said it was his father's wish to have his ashes spread at the scene of the Great Train Robbery . One third of Ronnie Biggs' ashes will be sent to his ex-wife Charmian in Australia and the final third will be flown to Brazil, Michael Biggs told the Sun On Sunday. Charmian, . with whom Biggs was on good terms despite running off to Brazil and . marrying Michael's mother, will scatter his ashes on the grave of their . son who died in a car crash in 1971, aged ten. Father-of-two . Michael said that he will ensure that the final part . of his father's remains is left under the Christ the Redeemer statue in . Rio de Janeiro. When announcing his 84-year-old . father's death last month, he said: 'He was always present, very present . in my life. He was always there for me and when my mother left, he was . my mum and my dad all my life. 'I always knew about everything growing up but it was just part of my life.' Grief: Michael Biggs, pictured at the funeral this week, will tattoo in some of his father's ashes into his arm . 'I'm sad for all the family. Hopefully he will be remembered as a good father, and a gentle, generous and fine man,' he added. Biggs became a household name as a . result of his part in the gang which stole £2.6million (the equivalent . of £40million today) from a train that they forced to stop at a bridge . in Cheddington, Buckinghamshire. Biggs's . involvement in the Great Train Robbery has long been debated with some . suggesting he was only involved because he could recruit a train driver . to move the train once it had been stopped at a false set of signals. Others . suggest that he was the one who hit train driver Jack Mills around the . head causing injuries that he never fully recovered from. Taunting: Ronnie Biggs, died at the age of 84, pictured while on the run in Brazil . Defiant: Biggs flashed the V-sign at photographers at the funeral of Bruce Reynolds in March last year . Arrest: Biggs pictured after being apprehended by police in the wake of robbery . He . shot to legendary status a couple of years later, however, when he . escaped from prison and went on the run. Within . two years of being jailed, two of the robbers, Charlie Wilson and . Biggs, escaped from Wandsworth Prison - Biggs scaled a wall with a rope . ladder. Close bond: Biggs, pictured with Michael in 1981 . Three years before the robbery, Biggs had married his wife Charmian, with whom he had three sons. They joined him in Australia after his escape from prison, and began a new life together using fake new identities. When . police discovered who he really was, they raided the family home - but . Biggs had fled a day earlier, leaving his wife and children behind. The . fugitive ended up in Brazil while Charmian and the boys continued . living in Australia, where in 1971 son Nicholas died in a car accident . at the age of 10. While . living in Rio, Biggs began an affair with Raimunda de Castro, a . nightclub dancer 18 years his junior, and the couple had a son, Michael, . in 1974. The birth of . the boy meant that Biggs could no longer be extradited, as the parents . of Brazilian citizens cannot be deported from the country. Michael . - who later became a well-known musician in his homeland - tried to . dissuade his father from returning to Britain, and been one of his most . outspoken supporters. He . returned to the UK from exile in Rio de Janeiro in 2001 against . Michael's wishes, saying he wanted to go to a pub in Margate 'as an . Englishman and buy a pint of bitter'. He was eventually freed from jail in 2009 on 'compassionate grounds' by then Justice Secretary Jack Straw. In his final years, he was cared for at Carlton Court . Care Home in East Barnet, north London, after suffering several strokes . in recent years, and Michael moved to Britain to be close to his father. Courting notoriety: Biggs pictured in Brazil in 1992, when he was one of the world's most wanted criminals . Old age: Biggs shown launching his memoirs in 2011, when he was afflicted with illness . | Notorious criminal died at North London home last month, aged 84 .
Found fame as he taunted the authorities during his decades on the run .
Gang targeted a train in 1963 and made off with £40m in today's money . |
065c45c6244ae64ebf56118ae5116ed695d09d2e | This is the moment a group of Russians captured video footage of what they believed was a Yeti walking through the woods. The footage shows a 'bear-like' figure covered in hair emerging from an area of snow-covered trees in the south-western Adygeya Republic before disappearing again seconds later. A team had set out in search of the mysterious creature after local television reported that it had been sighted in a remote region an hour's drive away from the city of Adygeisk. Scroll down for video . Sighting: A team of Russians believe they have captured footage of the elusive Yeti in a remote patch of woodland . Footage shows a 'bear-like' figure covered in hair emerging from an area of snow-covered trees in the south-western Adygeya Republic before disappearing again seconds later . They said they had questioned residents at a mountainside lodge who claimed to have seen it - and on speaking to others in the area managed to secure reports of several independent sightings. The group claim they heard the crunching of snow as they headed out to investigate before capturing footage of the creature, which they describe as covered in hair. Afterwards, they took a plaster cast of a large footprint they said they found in the snow. Eyewitness Ludmila Hristoforova who spoke to local television said: 'The creature was big, looking like a bear, but not a bear. From the door we've seen something big and shaggy.' Homeowner Andrei Kazarian said: 'I heard footsteps and we were pretty sure there was no one else around because we knew for sure everyone else was inside the house. 'Although we didn't see anyone we saw its huge footprints. They were five to six centimetres deep and couldn't come from a human foot. The group claim they heard the crunching of snow as they headed out to investigate before capturing footage of the creature, which they describe as covered in hair . After capturing the creature on camera, the team claim to have taken a plaster cast of its footprint . The plaster cast and the footage have now been handed to local scientists and will go to the local council by the end of the month . Big foot? Some have suggested the video was just a stunt to bring in tourists while others are convinced this was the first proof that the yeti exists in the area . 'We took a plaster cast of them and we estimate that it probably would have taken about 200 kilos to press the snow down that much.' The plaster cast and the footage have now been handed to local scientists and will go to the local council by the end of the month. The footage has already sparked debate with some suggesting it was just a stunt to bring in tourists and others convinced this was the first proof that the yeti exists in the area. | The footage shows a figure covered in hair emerging from an area of trees .
'Bear-like' creature was on camera for just seconds before disappearing .
Creature was spotted in the Adygeya Republic in south-western Russia .
The Russian team believe they have captured footage of the elusive Yeti .
Others question its authenticity and say it was a stunt to bring in tourism . |
065cac7c47a18c97196392413272800417f76138 | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 09:53 EST, 23 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:28 EST, 23 April 2012 . The shopkeeper who inspired Ronnie Barker’s Arkwright character in the sitcom Open All Hours has died, his daughter revealed today. Dedicated Brian Meecham stocked everything from carbolic soap to homemade ice-cream. He ran Meecham & Sons in Crewkerne, Somerset, from 1965 until his retirement in 1998, becoming renowned for the lengths he would go to for his loyal customers. Brian Meecham in his shop, Meecham & Sons General store, in Crewkerne, Somerset (pictured with his wife, Doreen). He was the inspiration for Ronnie Barker's character in Open All Hours . Ronnie Barker as Arkwright and a young David Jason in the hit 1970s' show. Barker, who died in 2005, had a holiday home in nearby Beaminster and would often shop at Meecham & Sons to buy Bull's Sweets . The community stalwart passed away last week at the age of 78 after suffering from heart and kidney problems. But he has been immortalised by comedian Ronnie Barker who used Brian and his grocery store as an inspiration for the 1970s' sitcom Open All Hours. Barker, who died in 2005, had a holiday home in nearby Beaminster and would often shop at Meecham and Son to buy Bull’s Sweets. He was so impressed with the store’s . layout that he replicated it for his shop in Open All Hours, which was . based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The show became a nationwide hit and turned Mr Meecham into a local celebrity legend with residents nicknaming him Arkwright . Mr Meecham and his wife Doreen, 76, would often perform improvised impressions of miserly Arkwright and his busty fiancee, nurse Gladys Emanuel (centre), in front of amused customers . The community stalwart died last week at the age of 78 after suffering from heart and kidney problems . The show, which co-starred David Jason, became a nationwide hit and turned Mr Meecham into a Crewkerne celebrity legend with locals nicknaming him Arkwright. Mr Meecham and his wife Doreen, 76, would often perform improvised impressions of miserly Arkwright and his busty fiancee, nurse Gladys Emanuel, in front of amused customers. He took over the store from his father George who had first opened the doors in 1928 - running it until his death in 1965 at the age of 90. After retiring in 1998, great-grandfather Brian converted the shop into a sitting room, and lived out his years on the premises with Doreen. His youngest daughter, Debra Spurway, 48, said: 'My father was born in the shop and it was always his plan to die there too. 'He would say "I came in to the world headfirst here so I want to go out feet first’. 'We were hoping to get him back from hospital so he could pass away at home but unfortunately he died a few hours before. 'He loved Ronnie Barker and was known to make people laugh, entertaining customers every day in his shop. 'There was nothing he couldn’t get for people in the days he ran the shop. Brian Meecham's delivery van for the general store. His daughter said: 'He would go out in his van and deliver goods to people in other villages - everything from home-cooked ham to buckets' Brian took over the store from his father George (above) who had first opened the doors in 1928 - running it until his death in 1965 at the age of 90 . 'He would go out in his van and deliver goods to people in other villages - everything from home-cooked ham to buckets. 'Since his death, we’ve been inundated with messages from people we didn’t know saying how much they will miss him.' Mr Meecham will be returned to the store one more time on Thursday morning before he is transported to St Bartholomew Church in Crewkerne for the 11am service. Mr Meecham will be returned to the store one more time on Thursday morning before he is transported to St Bartholomew Church in Crewkerne for the 11am service . | Barker, who died in 2005, had a holiday home nearby and would pop into Meecham & Sons to buy Bull’s Sweets .
After show was a hit, owner became a local celebrity, nicknamed 'Arkwright' |
065cc49e4d8a7a97af2a978389ada46f8448a6cb | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 2:09 AM on 1st March 2012 . Labour was challenged to hand back donations from the Unite union yesterday after its leader called for civil disobedience during the Olympics. General secretary ‘Red Len’ McCluskey threatened illegal strikes and direct action to oppose changes to public sector pensions. Labour leader Ed Miliband joined the Trades Union Congress in denouncing Mr McCluskey’s outburst – but only after he had tweeted a mild rebuke earlier in the day. Clash: Labour leader Ed Miliband, left, was put on the defencive by David Cameron, right, over his party's links to Unite . Mr Miliband also faced calls to break the link with the union which remains Labour’s biggest donor. In the Commons, David Cameron said: . ‘Let us remember Unite is the single biggest donor to the party . opposite, providing around a third of their money, and had more role . than anybody else in putting the Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr . Miliband) in his place.’ Mr Cameron also attacked Mr Miliband for initially failing to condemn Mr McCluskey’s views in person. On Tuesday night when news of Mr . McCluskey’s views first surfaced, the Labour leader left it to his . spokesman to respond. Then yesterday morning he issued a tweet and sent . his deputy Harriet Harman to answer questions on radio and television. Disruption: 'Red Len' McCluskey threatened a year of industrial strife and said Unite would be prepared to break the law 'to defend our basic rights' But Mr Cameron said: ‘It’s not good . enough for them just to put out a tweet, they need to condemn this . utterly and start turning back the money.’ Downing Street earlier denounced the threat of strikes to disrupt the Olympics as ‘completely unacceptable and unpatriotic’. Rebuke: Nick Clegg said the public would be 'gobsmacked' and 'appalled' by Mr McCluskey's comments . Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg urged Mr Miliband to ‘rein in’ the union boss. ‘I just think people will be . gobsmacked, appalled, that someone thinks that at a time when we are . finally hosting one of the greatest events in the world, he is calling . for civil disobedience,’ Mr Clegg said. ‘I know he is the sort of paymaster of the Labour party but I hope Ed Miliband will rein him in.’ Stung into action, the Labour leader eventually broke cover to speak out as he met French Socialist leader Francoise Hollande. Mr Miliband said: ‘It’s completely . wrong to make any threat to the Olympic Games – I do condemn it. We as . the Labour government fought for the Olympic Games to be brought to . Britain as part of a cross-party effort – it is a moment of national . celebration. ‘The focus of the world will be on . Britain and it is totally wrong to make a threat to the Games.’ Since . the general election Unite has given £5million to Labour, making it by . far the party’s biggest donor. 'Chaos': Mr McCluskey said action during the Olympics would bring his 'grievances to the attention of as many people as possible' Countdown: The Olympic rings mounted on a barge pass under Tower Bridge as London counts down to the games . Mr McCluskey said no precise plans had . been drawn up for action during the games, but added that they . ‘absolutely’ could include strikes. Pugh's take . ‘The attacks that are being launched . on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that . the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful . Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is . unthinkable. Our very way of life is being attacked,’ he said. Labour MPs were also furious last night with Mr McCluskey. ‘This is just posturing but it doesn’t do us any good,’ said one. ‘This sort of thing is unpopular with . the public and damages by association. Ed needs to take a stand and show . that he’s not Unite’s man.’ TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘The TUC and Britain’s unions have been strong supporters of the London Olympics. Unions have engaged constructively . with the Olympic authorities throughout the whole project to ensure the . good working conditions that are helping deliver the Games on time and . on budget.’ VIDEO: Shadow Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell gives her opinion on Len McCluskey's comments . | PM calls on Labour to return the million of pounds from its largest financial backer .
'Red Len' McCluskey branded 'unpatriotic' and 'appaling' for calls to disrupt the Games .
Labour leader says action targeted against Olympics is 'totally unacceptable and wrong' |
065d0ca0f19402a29deef49f808411a7d2b11da5 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 15:12 EST, 26 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:03 EST, 27 June 2012 . Groundbreaking: Made by OraSure Technologies Inc, the $17.50 test is the only government-approved rapid HIV test that uses saliva . Would you go to a drugstore for an AIDS test? Health officials want to know, and they've set up a pilot program to find out. The $1.2 million project will offer free rapid HIV tests at pharmacies and in-store clinics in 24 cities and rural communities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday. Officials are hoping testing for the . AIDS virus will become a routine service at drugstores like blood . pressure checks and flu shots. 'By . bringing HIV testing into pharmacies, we believe we can reach more . people by making testing more accessible and reduce the stigma . associated with HIV,' CDC's Dr. Kevin Fenton said in a statement. He . oversees the agency's HIV prevention programs. The tests are already available at seven places, and the CDC will soon pick 17 more locations. The HIV test is a swab inside the . mouth and takes about 20 minutes for a preliminary result. The test . maker says it's correct 99 per cent of the time. If . the test is positive, customers will be referred to a local health . department or other health-care providers for a lab blood test to . confirm the results, counseling and treatment. When . the project ends next summer, CDC officials will analyze what worked . well and what didn't, said Paul Weidle, the epidemiologist who is . heading up the project. An . estimated 1.1 million Americans are infected with HIV, but as many as 20 . per cent of them don't know they carry the virus, according to the CDC. It can take a decade or more for an infection to cause symptoms and . illness. Pilot scheme: Walgreen's pharmacy manager Sarah Freedman stands in her store in Washington, which has put up prominent signs advertising the tests . Since 2006, the CDC has recommended that all Americans ages 13 to 64 get tested at least once, not just those considered at highest risk: gay men and intravenous drug users. But fewer than half of adults younger than 65 have been tested, according to the agency's most recent statistics. It's important to know about infection not only for treating the condition but also to take steps to prevent spreading it to others. An HIV diagnosis used to be a death sentence, but medications now allow those infected to live longer and healthier lives. On special occasions, health organizations have sent workers to some drugstores to offer HIV testing. This week, Walgreens — the nation's largest chain of pharmacies — is teaming with health departments and AIDS groups to offer free tests in 20 cities. Subtle: Sarah Freedman's pharmacy has put out stacks of special test request cards so that ustomer can very quietly request the test . But the CDC program is different: It's an effort to train staff at the pharmacies to do the testing themselves, and perhaps make it a permanent service. 'I'm excited. It's such a new and novel thing for us,' said Sarah Freedman, who manages a Walgreens in Washington, D.C., that is participating in the pilot program. Would you be prepared to take a free HIV test in your local drugstore? At her pharmacy, prominent signs advertise the test but the testing is done in a private room. They've also taken steps to make sure that a customer can very quietly request the test. For example, they've put out stacks of special test request cards — they look like business cards — at George Washington University and nearby businesses. Anyone seeking a test can simply hand the card to the clerk, she said. Only three or four customers have gone through with a test in the first few weeks. 'We get a lot of questions,' she said. 'Usually they get the information and they go and sit on it and think about it.' There's a second Walgreens in Washington offering the test, as well as branches in Chicago and Lithonia, Georgia. Other test sites include East Pines Pharmacy in Riverdale, Maryland, Mike's Pharmacy in Oakland, California and a federal Indian Health Service location in Billings, Montana. Other rapid tests on the market analyze a finger-prick blood sample and are used routinely in doctor's offices . Each location will get enough tests to check 200 to 300 people. Made by OraSure Technologies Inc, the $17.50 test is the only government-approved rapid HIV test that uses saliva. Other rapid tests on the market analyze a finger-prick blood sample. Rapid tests are used routinely in doctor's offices, hospitals and clinics. The OraSure test can also use a blood sample but the CDC drugstore program will use a mouth swab, said company spokesman Ron Ticho. The stick-like testing device is used to wipe the inside of the mouth, then it is put in a solution. If two lines appear, that indicates a positive test. The company is seeking government approval to sell it over-the-counter for home testing. A decision is expected later this year. The test is sold in about 40 countries. Ticho said he is not aware of another country where pharmacies routinely offer the testing. | An estimated 1.1 million Americans are infected with HIV but fewer than 20 per cent know it .
Project is costing $1.2 million and will offer testing in 24 areas .
The oral tests are accurate 99 per cent of the time and take 20 minutes .
All Americans aged 13 to 64 are advised to get tested .
Each location will get enough $17.50 tests for 200-300 people in the pilot scheme . |
065d4836be5ac806fa8792b7ab511359092c7963 | A tourist who joined in the search after a member of her bus party went missing was able to help track the woman down - when she realised it was herself they were looking forward. The woman was declared missing from a party touring the Eldgja volcanic region in south Iceland after getting off the party's bus to freshen up. She only hopped off the bus breifly, but had also changed her clothes - and her fellow travellers did not recognise her when she climbed back on again to continue the party's journey. The Asian woman had joined the search party for herself after being declared missing in the Eldgja volcanic region in south Iceland . Soon the search began for a woman described as Asian, around 160cm, in dark clothing and speaking English well, . When the details of the missing . person were issued, the woman reportedly didn't recognise her own . description and unwittingly joined the search party for herself. After a night-long operation . involving around 50 people, the 'missing woman' eventually realised she . was the source of the search and informed police. The search began on Saturday, but was . called off at around 3am on Sunday morning when the woman, who has not . been identified, realised she was the subject of the frantic efforts. | Asian traveller didn't recognise her own description and went looking for herself .
She was declared missing after changing clothes and not being recognised by fellow tourists . |
065d6a2e1471b6985c97d25a795a8f92ee7ddd4b | Washington (CNN) -- A compromise amendment intended to ease congressional passage of sweeping immigration legislation easily won Senate approval Wednesday. The 69-29 vote set up a procedural motion immediately afterward to limit debate on the roughly 1,200-page bill, which would provide an eventual path to citizenship for millions of immigrants living illegally in the country. While some further amendments still could be considered, the measure appeared headed to a final Senate vote by the end of the week after the procedural motion passed in a 67-31 vote. Backers of the bill want the Democratic-led Senate to pass it with a solid majority to demonstrate growing bipartisan momentum as the measure heads to the GOP-controlled House of Representatives. The compromise amendment by Republicans John Hoeven of North Dakota and Bob Corker of Tennessee would increase border security, a demand by conservative opponents of the immigration bill. Justices could put an end to hard choice for gay couples . "I hope our colleagues in the House of Representatives will follow the Senate's lead, and work to pass bipartisan reform that both Democrats and Republicans can support," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said before Wednesday's votes. Conservative GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, an opponent of the Senate bill, conceded it s likely to pass and called on House Republicans to make things right. "I expect the House of Representatives to fix this miserable failure," Grassley said. Republican leaders say the House will consider the issue in several smaller proposals instead of a comprehensive single measure, a process that would allow more debate and votes on specific provisions. Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker John Boehner reiterated to GOP members that he opposes having the House take up any Senate immigration legislation, according to Rep. John Fleming. Fleming, a Louisiana Republican, said Boehner told the weekly policy meeting that the House would work on its own immigration bills. If enacted, the bill would create a path to citizenship for roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants while enhancing security along the border with Mexico. Among other things, the compromise border security amendment would add 20,000 border agents, complete 700 miles of fence along the boundary with Mexico, and deploy $3.2 billion in technology upgrades similar to equipment used by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Opinion: Protect rights of immigrant whistle-blowers . The proposal also includes stronger worker eligibility verification standards and border entry-exit controls. Most undocumented immigrants would be eligible for permanent residency only after those five conditions have been met and verified by the Department of Homeland Security. Hoeven and Corker introduced the compromise amendment last week, saying it incorporated proposals from other senators to try to fix a broken immigration system. Grassley and other opponents argued the legislation amounts to an amnesty for immigrants who broke the law by living illegally in America. They argued the promises of increased border security before giving undocumented immigrants permanent residency would end up proving empty. "It does nothing to change the legalization-first philosophy and does little more than offer false promises that the American people can no longer tolerate," Grassley said. If eventually passed into law and signed by President Barack Obama, the bill would be the first major immigration reform since 1986, during the second Reagan administration. Grassley conceded he voted for the 1986 measure, which also called for increased border security, and called his support then a mistake he regrets. Farm bill failure portends problems for immigration in the House . The 2013 version was drafted by a Senate "Gang of Eight" composed of four Democrats and four Republicans motivated by political and policy needs. Both parties concede the nation's immigration system is broken, and some Republicans believe that GOP refusal to work with Democrats on the matter would mean a repeat of the 2012 presidential election in which Obama won a strong majority of the Hispanic vote. However, other Republicans fear that providing a path to legal status for millions of undocumented immigrants would bolster support for Democrats from the new voters. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the most prominent Republican in the "Gang of Eight," told CNN's Dana Bash last week that he understands "why conservatives are upset." "They've seen all these promises in the past that haven't been delivered," Rubio said. But the status quo on immigration "is hurting America," he added. "And if nothing passes, then this disaster that we have now, that's what's going to stay in place." Opinion: Why cops should back immigration reform . CNN's Alan Silverleib, Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report. | NEW: A separate vote limits further debate, setting up a final vote as soon as Thursday .
The Senate easily passes a compromise amendment to increase border security .
A final vote on the immigration bill could occur by the end of the week .
It would increase border security and provide an eventual path to citizenship for millions . |
065db32edfa265eac527dfa091b1569c93aede9f | (CNN) -- Fresh faced and pictured wearing a crisp military uniform, the photo of a young Jim Tuckwell looks like it was taken before he'd seen action. But in fact, at the age of just 22, he had already experienced the full horrors of war. World War II veteran Jim Tuckwell as a young soldier. Shot twice on Gold beach during the Normandy Invasion or "D-Day landings," Tuckwell was later deafened by a shell that blew off his friend's legs nearby. By the end of the war, the British soldier had been promoted to the rank of full sergeant, as he put it, simply because so many of his seniors had been killed. Now 86-years-old, he and many of his former comrades will remember the 65th anniversary of the landings Saturday at ceremonies along the French coast. It was a massive air and sea operation that marked the turning point of the war in Europe. And he knows how lucky he is to be alive. "My mate Jimmy went up the beach with two cases of bombs. I never saw him again. If I hadn't been hit, who's to say I wouldn't have been in the same position as he was when he was killed?" With bullet wounds to his chest and arm, Tuckwell collapsed unconscious on the beach. It was more than nine hours later that he was picked up by the stretcher-bearers. Incredibly, he was back fighting within six weeks. Watch Tuckwell tell his story » . So much time has passed since then, but the pain is still etched into his face. Sitting there in full military uniform, blazer adorned with half a dozen medals, his voice frequently cracks with emotion. He frequently tails off as he relives the past. "Every time I go back to Normandy I go to his grave, and it brings a tear to me eye even now. We were going do so much after the war ... but it never happened." Tuckwell, who saw action with the 1st Battalion, Dorset Regiment, has since formed a close friendship with Frank Rosier; they are members of the Normandy Veterans Association. Both men say their experiences were so commonplace among their generation that none were able to talk about it until 40 years later. Rosier told me that what he and the veterans discuss among themselves is very different to what is said in television interviews; but when pushed, he describes what it's like to kill another man. "We could never get our fathers to talk about the first World War, because they were involved in close combat. And twice in the second World War it happened to me. "I came face to face with a German, and I beat him to the draw. I killed him. I sat on the grass and was sick and I cried ... he was some mother's son." I get the sense that there was a great deal of respect between these soldiers and the Germans on the other side. Younger generations try to relate to the scale and the carnage of D-Day through movies like "Saving Private Ryan." The veterans talk of the noise, "big battleships firing, rocket ships firing, mortars landing, planes strafing, floating artillery and the Germans were totally unsociable about it, they were firing back at us, so there was a hell of a lot of noise there," recalls Rosier. They are lighthearted at times, citing the fact that British troops are renowned for their humor -- even in the darkest hours. But it is impossible to gloss over the horror and the danger they faced. Standing together in one of the landing crafts at the D-Day museum in Portsmouth, England, Rosier described what it was like to approach Gold beach. Watch Rosier's full interview » . He spoke of the bullets thundering into the sides of the craft, a ramp on one side hitting a mine and being disabled, and the knowledge that when the front ramp was dropped, the troops inside would be peppered with machine gun fire. He and his infantry were lucky that day - making it onto the beach with minimal loss. But as he told me later, of the 800 men in his infantry, only five survived the war unharmed, "the rest were killed, missing or wounded." Rosier, who fought with the 2nd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, bears the visible scars of battle. He lost an eye to a shrapnel wound -- a 'Blighty one,' meaning that he was taken home to recover in Britain -- and has had to live with the psychological trauma of facial disfigurement. But it's the pain of the ones they left behind that hurts the most. "There was no time to mourn, you didn't have time to mourn," said Tuckwell. "And the worst thing about later battles was that when you lost people, you normally had to bury them yourself. You couldn't leave the bodies on the ground, there was nowhere else to put them." Rosier added: "When your best friend gets killed it is surprising how hard you can become on a battlefield, I think you switch your mind off. My best friend, we called him Smokey Joe, Battersea boy, London boy, he was 18 years when he died. "At the time I just said 'oh Reggie is gone,' but ... I will be going back to Normandy and I will see his grave and cry. I have never figured out why I a mourn him now and not at the time. To lose a brother is a terrible thing and he was a brother. I lost two actual brothers in the war, but I miss Reg a lot." There was so much pain, so much suffering and such massive loss of life. Was it worth it? Rosier's response is emphatic. "Yes, every minute of it. We go back to Europe quite frequently, and even in Germany people say to us 'thank you for our freedom'. It is only in recent years that I have realized how important freedom really is, you can't taste it, you can't feel or hear it. But it is so important to be free." | D-Day soldiers remember the horrors of war and fallen comrades .
One tells how he survived despite being wounded storming Gold beach .
Another says he still mourns his best friend and cried after killing a German soldier .
President Obama attending 65th anniversary services in France Saturday . |
0660f53e772ffea60fab3008fc138080e842459d | The drugs were discovered by agents assigned to the El Centro Sector using a backscatter X-ray system on the truck, which uncovered something unusual with the tires, according to KESQ.com. Border Patrol agents in California show black tar heroin and meth wrapped up inside the tires of a truck on Sunday . The pickup truck seized at the California/Mexico border on Sunday where more than $650,000 of drugs were found hidden in its tires . The X-ray system is similar to those at airport passenger security checkpoints where they are used for full-body scans. The heroin alone has a street value of $575,600. The street value of the meth is estimated at $76,700. The truck's driver, a 43-year-old Mexican citizen, was arrested. He, along with the confiscated drugs, are in the custody of the Drug Enforcement Agency. Nearly 70 pounds of heroin and meth found in the tires of a pickup truck being weighed at a Border Patrol station in Calexico, California . Heroin and meth that was wrapped up inside a truck's tired on display by Border Patrol agents on Sunday . | 57 pounds of heroin and 11 pounds of methamphetamine seized from truck tires at border between Calexico, California and Mexicali, Mexico .
Agents used x-ray technology similar to body scanner x-ray machines at airports to find drugs .
Heroin alone has street value of more than $575,000 . |
06610d7243f07e8a9226414fae6538c1b6867f98 | Hundreds of red, white and blue LED modules are illuminating lower Manhattan as officials tested the lights atop One World Trade Center for the first time on Friday night. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said that the beacon is packed with nearly 300 lights and their glow can be seen for up to 50 miles. But the skyscraper faces a tense wait as a committee of building . experts met Friday to judge whether a design change that . affects the 408-foot needle disqualifies it from being counted as the . nation's tallest tower. Onward and upward: One World Trade Center towers above all other buildings in Manhattan's Financial District and has now been declared the tallest building in the U.S. From miles away: The beacon and spire of One World Trade Center are lit up, as seen from The Heights neighborhood of Jersey City . New look: The spire of 1 World Trade Center was lit up for the first time on last Friday . The group will announce its decision . next week and One World Trade Center faces some stiff competition from the Willis Tower in Chicago - coincidentally the city where the committee is based. Rising from the ashes of 9/11, the new World Trade Center tower has punched above the New York skyline to reach its powerfully symbolic height of 1,776 feet and become the tallest building in the country. Or has it? The committee of architects recognized as the arbiters on world building heights met to decide whether the tower in the Big Apple or the Windy City is the loftiest. But there's more than bragging rights at stake; One World Trade Center stands as a monument to those killed in the terrorist attacks, and the ruling could dim the echo of America's founding year in the structure's height. Without the needle, the building measures 1,368 feet. Tallest towers: Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, in Chicago on March 12, 2008 (left) and One World Trade Center in New York on September 5, 2013 (right) Topping out: The 104-floor One World Trade beats out 110-floor Willis Tower - now that its spire is deemed admissible . What's more, the decision is being made by an organization based in Chicago, whose cultural and architectural history is embodied by the Willis - formerly Sears - Tower that would be knocked into second place by a vote in favor of the New York structure. 'Most of the time these decisions are not so controversial,' said Daniel Safarik, an architect and spokesman for the nonprofit Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The 30 members of its Height Committee are meeting to render a judgment behind closed doors in Chicago, where the world's first skyscraper appeared in 1884. The committee, comprising industry professionals from all over the world, will announce its decision next week. Colorful: The new World Trade Center tower has punched above the New . York skyline to reach its powerfully symbolic height of 1,776 feet and . become the tallest building in the country. Or has it? To the point: A committee of architects recognized as the arbiters on world building heights is meeting in Chicago to decide whether a design change affecting One World Trade Center's needle disqualifies its hundreds of feet from being counted . The question over One World Trade Center, which remains under construction and is expected to open next year, arose because of a change to the design of its tower-topping needle. Under the council's current criteria, spires that are an integral part of a building's aesthetic design count; broadcast antennas that can be added and removed do not. The designers of One World Trade Center had intended to enclose the mast's communications gear in decorative cladding made of fiberglass and steel. But the developer removed that exterior shell from the design, saying it would be impossible to properly maintain or repair. Without it, the question is whether the mast is now primarily just a broadcast antenna. According to the architecture firm behind the building, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the needle will have a communications platform for radio and television equipment. Contention: The 110 story, 1,450-foot Willis Tower is in competition with the 104-story, 1,776-foot (including spire) One World Trade Center, a skyscraper built at the site of the 9/11 attacks . Safarik said the committee might consider amending its height criteria during the Friday meeting - a move with much broader implications that could force a reshuffle in the rankings of the tallest buildings in the world. If the matter weren't so steeped in emotion it might have set off some of the good-natured ribbing emblematic of the history of one-upmanship between New York and Chicago. But One World Trade Center is a monument to American resilience admired well beyond Manhattan. 'I don't think anybody's going to argue with the pride in building that new tower,' said 31-year-old software developer Brett Tooley, who works across the street from the Willis Tower. 'Not only is it going to be the tallest building; it's going to be one of the strongest buildings in the history of America. It's a marvel of engineering.' From great heights: Anna Kane, five, looks down from the glass balcony called The Ledge, suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jutting four feet out from the Willis Tower's 103rd floor Skydeck . 'We take our hats off to them out here in Chicago and the Midwest,' said Robert Wislow, chairman and chief executive of U.S. Equities, the firm that manages the Willis Tower. 'And we welcome the building to the elite club of the tallest buildings in the world. Nobody's looking at this like a competition.' Still, the Willis has a central place in Chicago's history, speaking to the city's own tradition of recovering from adversity ever since the 1871 Great Fire and its history of creating architectural marvels, said Peter Alter, an archivist at the Chicago History Museum. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, headquartered in Chicago, also designed the Willis, which opened as Sears Tower in 1973 and remained the tallest building in the world until 1996 when the council ruled that the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, had knocked it from the top spot. And the Willis can still claim to get visitors up higher: The highest occupied floor in the 1,450-foot (not including antenna height), 110-story Willis Tower is still higher up than that of the 104-story One World Trade Center. Rising from the ashes: One World Trade Center, built at the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York . At the Willis' 103rd floor thrill-seekers can step out into one of the glass boxes known as The Ledge that extend outside the building's steel frame and look straight down 1,353 feet. In New York, the debate was upsetting to Jim Riches, a retired fire department deputy chief who lost his 29-year-old firefighter son, Jimmy, in the terrorist attack. 'You know what? I think it's a ridiculous argument. It doesn't matter to me what height it is,' he said. 'You know, my son's not going to walk back in that door again. And that's the big thing. He's gone.' | Spire lit up for the first time on One World Trade Center on Friday night - and it can be seen from up to 50 miles away .
Chicago-based council on tall buildings also met on Friday to decide if the skyscraper will be named tallest building in US .
A design change to the building's spire may disqualify the building from competition .
Without the spire, it measures 1,368 feet - shorter than Chicago's Willis Tower at 1,450 feet. The council will announce its decision next week . |
0662336a6506d3c3de8ab0adcbc13b9a4a9ba88e | (CNN) -- A Florida jury awarded a 92-year-old man $1.9 million in compensatory damages for the death of his wife, a former two-pack-a-day Marlboro smoker who started when she was 16 and died in her 70s, attorneys said Thursday. A jury awarded a 92-year-old man $1.9 million in compensatory damages for the death of his wife. The jury of five women and one man deliberated for slightly more than a day before deciding on the amount, attorneys for both sides said. The jurors put the total award at $5.3 million but found that Philip Morris USA was only 36.5 percent responsible for the lung cancer that plaintiffs said killed Leon Barbanell's wife. Shirley Barbanell herself was deemed 63.5 percent responsible, the attorneys said. Plaintiff's attorney Jonathan Gdanski said the jury found a design defect and a breach of warranty. Philip Morris announced that it plans to appeal the case, one of thousands of "Engle progeny" cases, named after a 2006 Florida Supreme Court decision that decertified a class-action lawsuit against the tobacco industry. That case involved Dr. Howard A. Engle, a Miami Beach pediatrician and smoker who served as the lead plaintiff in the class-action suit. The decertification decision let former class members file lawsuits individually, and thousands did. The Florida Supreme Court also allowed some factual findings about smoking causing disease be taken from Engle case and applied to the progeny cases "so plaintiff's attorneys don't have to start from square one in each of these cases," said Ed Sweda, a lawyer for the Tobacco Products Liability Project in Boston, Massachusetts. The industry has balked at that. "Today's verdict is the result of a severely prejudicial trial plan," said Murray Garnick, Altria Client Services senior vice president and associate general counsel, speaking on behalf of Philip Morris USA, in a written statement. "From beginning to end, this case was marked by legal rulings that should be reversed on appeal, including allowing this jury to rely almost exclusively on findings by a prior jury that have no direct connection with the plaintiff in this case." So far, six of the eight Engle cases that have gone to trial have come back with a plaintiff's verdict, said Sweda. "Another bunch are in the pipeline ready for trial this year," he said. About Thursday's verdict, he said, "This is certainly a clear indication that tobacco litigation is alive and well." Gdanski said his firm has more than 150 Engle cases. "We're more than happy to keep trying them," he said. | Leon Barbanell's wife smoked two packs a day for more than 50 years .
Six jurors deliberated for a day, put the total award at $5.3 million .
Jury determined Philip Morris USA was only 36.5 percent responsible .
Anti-smoking advocate: "Tobacco litigation is alive and well" |
0662cec763c351dd393d2c4651cfc6dbe3a2d0d2 | A Brazilian man, his wife and his mistress have all been handed long sentences for killing two women and using their flesh to make meat pastries which they atea and sold. Jorge Beltrao Negromonte da Silveira was jailed for 23 years while his wife, Isabel Cristina Pires, and his mistress, Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva, each received 20-year terms. The defendants' lawyers told reporters they would appeal the sentences. Scroll down for video . Monsters: Jorge Beltrao Negromonte da Silveira, his wife Isabel Cristina Pires lured women to their house by promising them a job as a nanny. Then they killed them and ate their flesh in meat-filled pastries . Guilty: Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva, who lived with the couple, was Silveira's mistress . An official at the court in the city of Olinda, on Brazil's northeastern Atlantic coast, said the seven-person jury handed down the sentences on Friday night. The three were arrested in the city of Garanhuns in April 2012, and police said they confessed to the crimes. At the time, they reportedly told police they belonged to a sect that preached 'the purification of the world and the reduction of its population'. They were convicted of murder, desecration and concealment of a body. Gruesome: Police found the remains of two women in the back yard of the suspects' house (pictured) Officers said the trio lured women to their house by promising them a job as a nanny. It was said they then used the victims' flesh to make thick empada pastries, which were eaten by them and a child who lived with them. The pastries were also sold to some neighbours, schools and hospitals who were told they contained tuna or chicken, authorities said. Remains of the two women were found in the home's backyard. Shortly after the three suspects' arrest, police found a 50-page book written by Silveira entitled Revelations of a schizophrenic, in which he said he heard voices and was obsessed with killing women. Chilling: In chilling echoes of the film Sweeney Todd, authorities said the trio made thick empada pastries (stock image) with the flesh of their victims, which the three and a young child who lived with them ate . Tuna or chicken: They also sold some of the pastries to neighbours as well as to schools and hospitals claiming they contained tuna and chicken . Shortly after their arrest, police found a 50-page book titled Revelations Of A Schizophrenic, written by Silveira. In it, he said he heard voices and was obsessed with killing women . The G1 news site quoted Silveira as saying during the trial's opening: 'I committed a horrible, monstrous mistake. It was a moment of extreme weakness and brutality that I regret.' Their victims, believed to have been killed between 2008 and 2012, include Alexandra Falcao, 20, police said. Silviera also described the death of Jessica Camila da Silva Pereira, a 17-year-old murdered in 2008. Police were alerted to the murders when the trio attempted to use a credit card belonging to one of their victims. | Jorge Beltrao Negromonte da Silveira, Isabel Cristina Pires and Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva are all jailed for murder and desecration .
They were found guilty of luring young women to their deaths Garanhuns, Brazil, then using their flesh to make empada pastries to eat and sell .
The pasties were sold to neighbours, schools and even hospitals by the trio who said they contained tuna or chicken . |
0663460222ffbecae532b23f309d462a8a7fcdb7 | Her legendary character from Absolutely Fabulous once proclaimed that she hadn’t eaten a thing since 1973. And now Joanna Lumley seems to have taken a leaf out of Patsy Stone’s book – by giving up meals. Joanna no longer takes breakfast, lunch or dinner and, to maintain her slim figure, survives on nothing more than the odd savoury snack. Scroll down for video . Joanna Lumley seems to have taken a leaf out of her charachter Patsy Stone’s book – by giving up meals . Speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday, Joanna, 68, revealed: ‘I don’t eat any meals. I eat a bit throughout the day if I’m hungry, but not a big meal. ‘I’ll have some nuts or maybe some crisps and that’s enough.’ Joanna freely admits to being immensely similar to her alter ego Patsy, whom she has described as a ‘cartoon version’ of herself. Like Patsy, she became a dedicated smoker during her modelling heyday in the 1960s and still battles the habit, which is a well-known appetite suppressant. And at parties she prefers champagne to canapes – she passed on the nibbles as she enjoyed a glass of bubbly at a reception in honour of Grange Park Opera at Fortnum & Mason last month, which she attended with her conductor husband Stephen Barlow. She doesn’t exercise, and has said that being a vegetarian – and just keeping busy – helps her stay trim. The Great Comic Relief Bake Off: Jennifer Saunders, Dame Edna Everage, Lulu, Joanna Lumley . ‘I don’t go to gyms, but I do rush about. I do stuff with vigour, such as housework, gardening and going up the stairs two at a time. ‘I’m full of energy and never ill, and I haven’t eaten meat for 40 years. It’s no coincidence.’ Despite her aversion to food, Joanna spent a day surrounded by it when she reunited with her Ab Fab co-star Jennifer Saunders, who played Patsy’s fad-dieting friend Edwina, to film a Comic Relief version of The Great British Bake Off. It will be broadcast on Wednesday, but Joanna admitted her lack of interest in food makes her a terrible cook and a worse baker. ‘I have no idea how to cook because I don’t eat,’ she confessed. ‘I hate cake. I don’t remember the last time I ate a cake. I don’t like desserts and I don’t like anything sweet.’ Joanna and Jennifer will ‘Bake Off’ against singer Lulu – another Ab Fab regular – and Barry Humphries who will cook in full costume as Dame Edna Everage. Three more episodes of Celebrity Bake Off, featuring Jonathan Ross, Abbey Clancy, Alexa Chung, Victoria Wood, Chris Moyles, and YouTube blogger Zoella, will be broadcast in the following weeks. Then the contestants with the highest score from each episode will compete against each other for the Comic Relief Star Baker crown on Red Nose Day itself – March 13. Joanna admits that her baking efforts didn’t overly impress long-serving judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. She says: ‘I’m dreading the Bake Off for Red Nose Day being broadcast – I’ll be exposed. The public will see that I am a disaster. We’ve filmed it already. ‘I’m terrible, absolutely terrible.’ | Joanna Lumley, 68, never eats meals and instead has the occasional snack .
To maintain her slim figure she eats a handful of nuts or crisps instead .
The Absolutely Fabulous actress has also revealed she never exercises .
A vegetarian, she says she keeps trim through doing things 'with vigour'
Her legendary character Patsy Stone claimed she had not eaten since 1973 . |
066434e382fd3567927ce858b213b0b1338577a5 | (CNN)There is no evidence that anyone at the NFL saw or possessed a video showing Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée until it was made public, but the league should have known it needed to dig deeper into the incident, an external investigative report released Thursday concludes. The report wraps up an inquiry by former FBI Director Robert Mueller into how the NFL initially investigated the then-Baltimore Ravens running back's attack on Janay Palmer last February at the Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. "We concluded there was substantial information about the incident -- even without the in-elevator video -- indicating the need for a more thorough investigation," Mueller said in his report. "The NFL should have done more with the information it had, and should have taken additional steps to obtain all available information about the February 15 incident." The NFL asked for Mueller's report in September after a public outcry over NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of Rice's discipline. "While this investigation has now concluded, our focus on the underlying issues and our commitment to positive change remain as strong as ever," Goodell said in a written statement. "We have all learned a great deal in the past months and expect to be judged by how we lead going forward on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault." Here are some things we learned through the report: . No evidence of video at NFL office . In September, The Associated Press reported that a law enforcement official told one of its reporters that the source mailed a copy of a video from a surveillance camera inside an elevator at the now closed Revel casino showing Rice knocking out Palmer to a league executive in April. The report said a woman called from a league phone number to acknowledge receipt of the video. The report says more than 200 league employees were interviewed and found no evidence that happened. Among the employees questioned were the women whose ID badges indicated they were in the NFL office on April 9. All 188 said they made no phone call. "Each denied having seen the in-elevator video or even hearing a rumor that an in-elevator video of the Rice incident had been received by the league before it appeared on (celebrity news website) TMZ on September 8," investigators said. Also questioned were people in the mailroom, and no one there could remember a package sent to Jeff Miller, the league's senior vice president of security. Multiple emails from high-level NFL executives indicate they had not seen the video before it was posted on TMZ, the report says. Ray Rice's attorney had copy of video on April 1 . The prosecutor's office in Atlantic County wanted to wait until after a grand jury heard the case in late March before releasing the video to Michael Diamondstein, Rice's attorney. Diamondstein had asked for a copy from the casino on February 20. He was told by the casino's lawyer that police said not to turn over any evidence while an investigation was ongoing. Later Diamondstein was referred to the prosecutor. Rice was indicted on March 27 on a third-degree aggravated assault charge. His lawyer received a copy of the video from the casino on April 1 and from the prosecutor days later as part of the process of discovery. The report says Diamondstein chatted about the video with Ravens President Richard Cass and the lawyer said it was "terrible." The two disagree precisely when the call took place and how much of what was on the video was discussed. Diamondstein told investigators that if the league had asked for a copy of the video, he would have provided it. That was one of the league's missteps identified in the report. Others included not contacting police officers who investigated the incident, not attempting to get videos from the casino or the prosecutors, and not following up with the Ravens to see if the team had information the league did not. "Had the league undertaken a more substantial investigation, it may have gathered available information about the incident, possibly including the in-elevator video prior to its public release," the report says. Atlantic City Police called NFL in March . A private investigator who was working the case for the NFL had been in touch with the Atlantic City Police Department trying to get the arrest report and other documents. He was told twice the police wouldn't provide the information. He asked a supervisor in the records division, Ava Davenport, if he could get reports if he filed an Open Public Records Act request. She said everything in it would be redacted. On March 28, the day after Rice's indictment, someone using Davenport's work phone called the NFL office and spoke to an operator for 59 seconds. Police declined to discuss the nature of the call and the operator couldn't remember what was discussed. The call wasn't transferred, records showed. The incident was viewed live . A security officer at the casino watched Rice strike Palmer twice as it happened on a surveillance monitor. That employee called another security officer to the elevator. When a supervisor arrived Palmer couldn't remember what had happened. Two DVD copies of surveillance video were given to police that morning. The in-house copy of video was viewable by security workers for several days before access was restricted. One employee told Mueller's team as many as 40 people had access to the room where the video could be watched. Mueller calls investigation independent . Several media reports had called into question Mueller as lead investigator because his law firm has done work for the NFL. But Mueller writes he has never provided legal services to the league nor has any of his team. Mueller said he joined the WilmerHale firm in March 2014, years after the firm helped the league negotiate with two media groups. In the past four years, the firm has only provided advice on immigration issues. "Placing these relationships in context, I am quite confident that the ties described above have in no way influenced the conduct of this investigation," he says. Recommendations . Mueller says: "Our findings demonstrate the weaknesses inherent in the league's longstanding practice of deferring to the criminal justice system with respect to the investigation of facts and the imposition of discipline under the Personal Conduct Policy. Discipline should be imposed on the basis of the specific nature of the player's conduct, not solely or necessarily on the disposition of a criminal case." He recommend the NFL establish an investigative team for domestic violence and sexual assault cases, that the league expand its security department with a special counsel and other personnel, and clarify policies that assured teams the league shared information. "Investigations of domestic violence cases present unique challenges," the report says. | Report says league might have seen in-elevator video if it had done better investigation .
Rice's lawyer was given copies of the damning video in April, told Ravens about it .
Former FBI director calls for new special NFL team to investigate assault cases . |
066453907e4c78b7487f92a542e8a53ad6c6f57b | Atlanta (CNN) -- On Monday, I signed an online petition standing with President Obama, Warren Buffett and others to urge Congress to pass the Buffett Rule. It was a small gesture to stand for what is fair. The Buffett Rule, simply stated, requires the wealthiest Americans to pay taxes at rates not less than rates paid by middle-income Americans. Current loopholes that allow millionaires and billionaires to have unfairly low tax rates would be closed. It's only fair. So much has happened this year to focus our attention on what is fair: Obama's State of the Union address, the Trayvon Martin case, the rhetoric around the Supreme Court's review of the Affordable Care Act and Paul Ryan's proposed budget, with its cuts to services to middle- and low-income Americans. What has happened to the concept of fairness? I'll tell you: It's been retooled. No longer is it defined as my parents taught me. I hear their voices saying, "Play fair," "Share (my toys) and play fair," "Don't cheat. Play fair." "You'll have your turn at bat, play fair." "Don't fight, play fair." "Win fair." Even in the midst of segregation, with its pervasive lack of fairness on every front, they never wavered in their lessons about fairness. More important, there was clarity of meaning. Fairness was at the heart of being a good person. Fairness was about how I related to others, combined with how others related to me. Fairness was not one-sided. In my early 30s, I worked for someone who said, "Fair is when I win." It was his attempt to clarify inherent complexities in the term "fair." It was then I awakened to a definition of "fair" I had not known, definition in which the individual determined fairness by how the situation affected him and him alone. Fair had been retooled. Its meaning had shifted. In this year's State of the Union message, Obama said, "We can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot and everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same set of rules." I know what those words mean to me. I now know they may mean something very different to others. Some heard the same words and thought, "Fair is when I win." How else can we explain the person who got his job because of personal or family connections, now protesting another person getting a job because of government or corporate initiatives? How else can we explain cuts or freezes in salaries for workers and huge pay raises and bonuses for top executives? How else can we explain board members approving such bonuses, saying "it's only fair"? How else can we explain how those with the most financial resources pay the lowest tax rates? Fair? Over my 60-plus years of living, I have been close to people of varied socioeconomic levels and life experiences. The differences are often striking. Take health care. I was working as a corporate executive during the developmental stages of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Care Act, currently under review by the Supreme Court. There, I was with my peers in our good jobs with comprehensive health insurance. Some were indifferent to health care reform, while others were vehemently against it. For me, it was personal. Affordable, accessible, quality health care for every person was only fair. Was it "only fair" because I had more personal contact with poor people or sick people or people without health insurance? Was it "only fair" because I knew the challenges and outrageous costs faced by my mother, who struggled with multiple sclerosis, or my sister, who has sarcoidosis? Perhaps. But still today, as a retiree, I think it only fair. My peers, for the most part, were good people. Yet there were times I thought their attitudes and actions most unfair. It really scares me that "fair," as I know it, may have gone for good. The bright flames of innovation, hard work, and individual and collective achievement are snuffed out when people feel that they do not have a fair shot. Snuffed out when rules change to fit the whims of those in power. Snuffed out because people stop trying and give up on their dreams. As a teenager, I fell in love with the writings of the brilliant poet Langston Hughes (1902-67). In his "Dream Deferred," he asked: . "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore -- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over -- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?" God grant me strength to fight for what is fair. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Marsha Johnson. | Marsha Sampson Johnson: It's only fair that the wealthiest pay higher tax rates .
She says some have redefined "fairness" as "when I win"
Johnson: We have been taught that fairness is not one-sided; it's about others, as well .
She says the spirit of innovation and achievement is snuffed out when things are not fair . |
06648ea6776f85b1838224bdf2333c9891daa9cb | Glenn Boyce and his partner Kayleigh Andrews won four gold medals in the under 12 category . Also came first in the under 14 crown . Glenn has won 11 world titles at the age of 11 since taking up the sport six years ago . His grandparents were world champions in 1975 . By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 08:58 EST, 20 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:14 EST, 20 December 2012 . Move over Denise Van Outen and Louis Smith, two schoolchildren are the King and Queen of the dance floor after waltzing off with five world titles aged just 10 and 11. Inspired by TV’s Strictly Come Dancing, Glenn Boyce and his partner Kayleigh Andrews wiped the floor with the competition at the recent World Dance Championships. They won four gold medals in the under 12 category and then came first in the under 14 crown. Scroll down for video of the pair . Talented: Young ballroom dancers Glenn Boyce (11) and Kayleigh Andrews (10) have just won a whopping five titles at the World Ballroom Championships in Paris . For schoolboy Glenn he has now won an incredible 11 world titles at the age of 11 since taking up the sport six years ago. He is following in the quick-steps of parents Warren and Christie and grandparents Lynette and Glenn who were world championship dancers themselves in 2006 and 1975. He and Kayleigh wowed the judges with their performances of the Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Pasodoble and Jive in the Latin American section. The duo then went on to impress in the ballroom events with stunning renditions of the Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, slow Fox Trot and Quickstep. Wowed the audience: The pair are so good that they even triumphed in the under 14 class despite there lack of years . Glenn and Kayleigh have only been dancing together since February and are thrilled with the results of the competition held at Disneyland Paris. Their success is down to rigorous training sessions three times a week, held at the dance studio owned by Glenn’s family in Bournemouth, Dorset. When he was younger his parents held children’s birthday parties at the studio which encouraged them to join classes. Influence: Popular TV show Strictly Come Dancing had them rushing to the dance floor . As his friends started attending Glenn decided to take up the hobby, which quickly grew in popularity with his age group as Strictly Come Dancing aired on TV. Dad Warren, 32, said: “Glenn took part in his first world championship when he was seven and actually came last, but over the years he has won many times. 'He has now got 11 world championship titles, five of which he won with Kayleigh, four he won last year, and two when he was aged nine. Practice makes perfect: The schoolchildren train hard after school to perfect their skills . Team work: Kayleigh has been dancing since she was just two-years-old and tried a variety of styles including ballet and disco before settling on ballroom and pairing up with Glenn . 'He has so much enthusiasm and is always dancing, he was definitely inspired by Strictly Come Dancing but also the whole environment of it growing up. 'At the competition last week they won against couples from countries including Poland, Israel, America, Italy and China which is brilliant. 'He has only been dancing with Kayleigh since February and she has done very well.' Proud: The children's parents are incredibly proud of their achievements . Runs in the family: Glenn's grandparents Glenn and Lynette Boyce won the world title in 1975 . Kayleigh has been dancing since she was just two-years-old and tried a variety of styles including ballet and disco before settling on ballroom and pairing up with Glenn. Her mother, Katie Andrews, 31, from Yeovil in Somerset said: “We are still a bit shell shocked with the results of the competition. 'I am incredibly proud of her and can’t believe we’re the parents of a world champion, everyone is in awe of her.' | Glenn Boyce and his partner Kayleigh Andrews won four gold medals in the under 12 category .
Also came first in the under 14 crown .
Glenn has won 11 world titles at the age of 11 since taking up the sport six years ago .
His grandparents were world champions in 1975 . |
06653ab87654152700722b5071383976631f37ee | It was undoubtedly the most engaging weekend of the Premier League season so far and the 40 goals to fly in came within a whisker of breaking records. Defenders seemingly under little pressure - most notably Sunderland's Santiago Vergini - thrashed through their own net to aid already swashbuckling attacking oppositions up and down the country. Rather cruelly, it was a sight to behold. An average of four goals-a-game was just three short of the most scored during a 10-fixture set in the 20-team era. Graziano Pelle scored twice as Southampton thrashed Sunderland 8-0 at St Mary's this weekend . Saints were helped on their way enormously by the barbaric own goal of Black Cat Santiago Vergini . The weekend was three goals shy of February 2011's 43-goal record (as Cheick Tiote scored vs Arsenal) Tiote netted a late equaliser as Newcastle battled back from four goals down to draw 4-4 against Arsenal . Louis Saha heads home as Everton beat newly-promoted Blackpool 5-3 at Goodison Park on February 5, 2011 . Matchday 8 - 40 goals . Matchday 7 - 27 goals . Matchday 6 - 26 goals . Matchday 5 - 32 goals . Matchday 4 - 30 goals . Matchday 3 - 32 goals . Matchday 2 - 23 goals . Matchday 1 - 26 goals . That came in February 2011, with Everton, Arsenal, Newcastle and Wigan all scoring four goals or more on the Saturday as the weekend totalled an astonishing 43. The Toffees knocked five past gung-ho Blackpool after coming back from 3-1 down at Goodison Park. Events at St James' Park were even more surreal as the Gunners - home and dry four goals to the good at the break - somehow conspired to only leave the North East with a point. Cheick Tiote rifled in a stunning 87th minute equaliser to finish one of the most dramatic afternoons in British football. Roberto Martinez's Wigan had got in on the act, edging a seven-goal thriller with James McCarthy netting twice from midfield. The clashes on that weekend - February 5/6 - were far closer than some of the thumpings handed out this time. James McCarthy wheels away in delight on scoring for Wigan against Blackburn on the same afternoon . Sergio Aguero scored all four goals as champions Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 on Saturday . VIDEO Aguero one of the best strikers in the world - Pellegrini . Steven Caulker follows the ball in after scoring an own goal during QPR's last-gasp defeat against Liverpool . Harry Redknapp's side had looked like taking all three points after Eduardo Vargas' late goals off the bench . Southampton dazzled as much as Sunderland were dismal at St Mary's - Graziano Pelle notching two as Dusan Tadic pulled the strings for Ronald Koeman's side. Helped drastically by Vergini's moment of madness and Liam Brudcutt's bundled own goal, of course, but Saints offered reasons to believe they are capable of continuing their early promise. Four-goal Sergio Aguero had earlier swept Tottenham aside at the Etihad Stadium in the 4-1 win while Everton comfortably beat Aston Villa 3-0. Taking into consideration what had preceded it, the four swings in the final moments at Loftus Road as Liverpool somehow overcame QPR was as predictable as it was stunning. It meant - when taking Sunday's matches into consideration - that there were eight more nets bulging than any other matchday this campaign. | Southampton thumped Sunderland 8-0 at St Mary's on Saturday .
Manchester City had earlier beaten Tottenham 4-1 thanks to Sergio Aguero .
It almost beat the 43 goals scored in February 2011 .
That record stands from the inception of a 20-team league in 1995 .
Everton, Arsenal, Newcastle and Wigan all scored four times that weekend . |
06661e1036ea512b00ff04f06269b55e806391d4 | By . Sally Lee . A highly contagious gastric flu virus was the cause of two outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhoea at the restaurant of MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris. The celebrity chef was forced to shut his Hellenic Republic in Kew for 24 hours last Friday after two group of diners fell ill on Mother's Day and a few more last Wednesday. As one of the co-owners of the Melbourne restaurant, Calombaris said he was 'absolutely devastated by the recent events'. MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris (centre) was forced to close one of his Melbourne restaurants on Friday following allegations of a Mother's Day food poisoning incident. Pictured here alongside fellow judges Gary Mehigan (left) and Matt Preston (right) The judge on the hit Network Ten reality TV cooking show is one of the co-owners of Hellenic Republic in Kew, Melbourne, which was shut on Friday . 'I have an incredible team at Hellenic in Kew and we are all absolutely devastated by the recent events. I am so sorry for those poor people that have been affected and to those inconvenienced by us taking precautionary measures and closing down the venue,' he said. The spokeswoman for the restaurant said the Department of Health investigated both incidents and concluded that guests suffered from norovirus, which 'is currently sweeping through Melbourne'. 'A full deep clean has already taken place to ensure the restaurant is norovirus free and the Department of Health is happy for us to return to full and normal trading,' she said. They are still trying to identify how the virus entered the venue and are working together to avoid similar incidents from recurring in the future. Results are expected to be released in a few weeks. The Department of Health spokesman confirmed that they 'were advised late last Tuesday of illness among diners at that restaurant'. 'We are obviously taking samples from those who fell ill and also looking at samples of food.' A clean-up of the restaurant was conducted under Boroondara Council supervision. Department officials are contacting people who fell ill to piece together their food histories, the spokesman said. 'People who may have dined there on Sunday and who have come down with symptoms of vomiting or diarrhoea should seek medical attention,' he said. George shared this sweet snap with his own mother for Mother's Day last Sunday prior to his resturant shutting down for an alleged food poisining incident . Calombaris owns a 25 per cent stake in Made Establishment, which controls Hellenic Republic in Kew and Brunswick, along with The Press Club and Gazi in the central business district. The Made Establishment spokeswoman said resolving the cause of the illness was the business' highest priority. 'Although there is no evidence as to the cause of this, we are working closely together with Boroondara Council and health authorities to discover the cause,' she said. Calombaris makes up one-third of the judging panel on Masterchef alongside Gary Mehigan, and Matt Preston. Calombaris cooking up a storm alongside tennis player Andy Roddick at an event in Australia in 2009 . | Guests who dined at Melbourne's Hellenic Republic in Kew on two occasions reported they had 'gastro-like symptoms'
Department of Health investigation found the customers had caught a norovirus .
TV chef and co-owner George Calombaris said he was 'so sorry for those poor people that have been affected'
The Greek taverna closed last Friday but is open again for business . |
06665ff6dce169eb3616fec765d3d56c480f6741 | By . Paul Thompson . PUBLISHED: . 10:53 EST, 30 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:16 EST, 30 April 2012 . The woman accused of shooting a mother outside a clinic and snatching her newborn baby from her arms to raise as her own has spoken for the first time about the horror killing. Verna McClain, who had recently suffered a miscarriage and told her sister she was planning to adopt a baby, insisted she was not a 'monster'. The 30-year-old registered nurse said: 'One day, I’m a law abiding citizen, a mother who’s never done anything wrong. The next, I’m a monster. Scroll down for video . 'Don't judge me': Verna McClain, 30, has spoken out from jail for the first time. She is accused of shooting dead a new mother and snatching her three-day-old child to raise as her own . 'I'm nothing like what these people are making me out to be. I’m the same person everybody knows and loves.' Speaking to KHOU from behind a glass partition, she said: 'Don’t sit and look at me as if I’m some sort of monster. I’m not. Until you know the facts, don’t sit and judge.' She added: 'Right now, I’m so paranoid I don’t know who to trust. Mentally, I’m borderline.' McClain has been charged with the first degree murder of Kala Golden Schuchardt. She is alleged to have shot the 28-year-old mother-of-two and snatched her three-day-old baby Keegan as they left a doctor's office in Spring, Texas. The newborn baby was found safe with McClain's family after an amber alert had been put out. Victims: Kala Schuchardt (pictured left with her husband Keith) was shot as she left a clinic where she had taken her son Keegan (right) for a check up. McClain then allegedly stole the baby and sped off . Crime scene: Schuchardt's shoes and bag at the site where she was shot and left screaming, 'My baby!' Search: An hour after the shooting, police stormed a nearby apartment block after the suspect's car was seen outside. McClain told officers where they could find the unharmed baby boy . Prosecutors said McClain, who has three children other own, had been pregnant with her fiancé’s child. She had been planning to marry in May. But after she suffered a miscarriage she decided to find another child and convince her fiancé it was his, they said. McClain's sister also told authorities she had told her she was planning to adopt. She added that once . McClain had snatched Keegan, she said she had the baby and needed 'to do . the adoption'. Investigators believe McClain staked out the Northwoods Pediatric Center - where she had taken her own children in the past – looking for a woman with a baby she could kidnap. Ms Golden walked to her pick-up truck after a check-up with Keegan . around 2 p.m., when McClain, who was in a 2007 Lexus parked in the adjacent spot, . starting fighting with her, police said. 'Killer': Prosecutors said McClain, pictured left and right, had suffered a miscarriage and told her sister, centre, that she was going to adopt a baby. After she snatched Keegan, she told her sister she had the child . Fiance: But McClain told Kevin Carter (pictured), who she was due to marry in May, that she had given birth . After shooting the young mother at . close range, McClain allegedly placed the baby in her car and sped off, . hitting Kala as she shrieked 'my baby!' from the ground. She died . shortly after. Deputies stormed an apartment block less . than a mile away after the getaway car was seen parked outside. McClain . approached officers and admitted to the killing and kidnapping, police . said. McClain told detectives she had taken the boy to a home in northwest . Harris County. He was found there unharmed six hours after his mother . had died. A reporter from KHOU TV was allowed to witness the meeting between McClain and her fiancé Kevin Carter and ask her questions. Reporter Rucks Russell reported McClain had a 30 minute visit at Montgomery County jail with her fiancé and activist Quanell X. Mourning: Kala, right, was remembered at her funeral last week. Pictured left, Wilson 'Donnie' Golden sits as a family member comforts her husband Keith Schuchardt and her mother Linda Golden . Service: The family is escorted to the funeral in Willis, Texas. Kala also left behind an older child . Russell said McClain apologised to her fiancée for the trouble she had caused but Kevin Carter said he still planned to marry her. Shortly after the murder, Montgomery . County Sheriff's Detective John Schmitt said McClain does 'appear . remorseful for what happened', the Houston Chronicle reported. Baby Keegan was reunited with family members, who have been left distraught by the brutal killing. The baby's father Keith Schuchardt told KHOU after the slaying: '[Kala] was sweet, lovable. I loved her, and she loved me. Everything was going fine until today.' When asked by reporters what he would tell his wife now, Schuchardt, who had been married to Golden for three years, said: 'I wish you were here with me to get me through this.' Verna McClain's mother was distraught when she heard of the killing. 'I'm sorry for the family,' she said on KHOU. See below for video . | Verna McClain accused of gunning down Kala Golden Schuchardt and stealing baby son Keegan outside clinic as they left check up .
In her first interview from jail, she claims: 'Mentally, I'm borderline' |
0666ebe45b1405965312ffc121ae5469f76b3786 | A damning report from the Australian Human Rights Commission has found that hundreds of children threatened to or committed self harm in immigration detention. In a ten-month long inquiry, the Commission found that Australia's practice of holding children in detention violates human rights law, and recommended that they should be released as soon as possible into the community. The long-awaited report, titles 'The Forgotten Children', called for a royal commission into the treatment of children in immigration detention after concluding that prolonged detainment caused significant mental and physical harm. Scroll down for video . The Australian Human Rights Commission has found that hundreds of children threatened to or committed self harm in immigration detention . Hundreds of assaults against children were reported and 128 teenagers harmed themselves between January 2013 and March 2014. Commission President Gillian Triggs said that the Australian government's amendments to the Migration Act which redefined the term 'refugee' was of 'profound concern'. 'It is imperative that Australian governments never again use the lives of children to achieve political or strategic advantage,' she said. 'The aims of stopping people smugglers and deaths at sea do not justify the cruel and illegal means adopted,' she told SBS. 'Australia is better than this.' The report stated that 'there appears to be no rational explanation for the prolonged detention of children.' The report, released on Wednesday, stated that 'The mandatory and prolonged immigration detention of children is in clear violation of international human rights law.' A picture drawn by a 14-year-old detained at the Christmas Island Detention Centre . A picture drawn by a six-year-old detained at the Christmas Island Detention Centre . The commission called for the Federal government to ban indefinite detention, close the 'harsh and cramped' Christmas Island immigration centre, get children off Nauru and appoint an independent guardian for unaccompanied minors. However, Attorney-General George Brandis told parliament that the recommendations had been a longstanding point of difference between the government and the commission. 'The government does not accept the commission's findings,' he said. Mr Brandis said that the Federal government had made 'significant progress' towards changing the conditions of detention centres since the Commission's inquiry had started. 'In short, children in detention is a problem created exclusively by the former Labor Government, which has largely been solved by the current Abbott Government,' he told SBS. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton (left) took on the job in late December and said many of the recommendations reflected existing government policies and were superfluous . Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the report must be the turning point to end the cruel practice of locking children in detention camps . GetUp Campaigns Chief Erin McCallum said that the findings of the report were concerning. 'Whatever your political persuasion, locking up innocent kids in hideous detention camps is barbaric and it has to stop,' she said. Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said the report must be the turning point to end the cruel practice of locking children in detention camps. 'This vile, institutionalised child abuse has to end,' she said in a statement. 'No longer can we turn a blind eye to the sexual, physical and psychological abuse that these policies of indefinite detention are inflicting on children.' Immigration Minister Peter Dutton - who only took on the job in late December - said many of the recommendations reflected existing government policies and were superfluous. Activist group ChilOut said children must only be detained as a measure of last resort and only for the shortest appropriate period . 'Other recommendations would mean undermining the very policies that mean children don't get on boats in the first place,' he said in a statement. Numbers of children in immigration detention peaked at nearly 2000 in mid-2013 under Labor but now there are only 162 children still detained. Activist group ChilOut said children must only be detained as a measure of last resort and only for the shortest appropriate period. 'This report highlights our dramatic failure to uphold our obligations, by detaining children arbitrarily as punishment for seeking asylum,' it said in a statement. Opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles said Labor would work through the report findings and recommendations and respond appropriately. 'The best thing we can do for children in detention is to have refugee claims processed quickly so nobody has to languish in detention with no hope of settlement,' he said in a statement. | Ten-month long inquiry was conducted by the Human Rights Commission .
The report looked into the condition of refugees in mandatory detention .
It reported hundreds of children to have threatened or committed self-harm .
128 teenagers harmed themselves between 2013 and 2014 .
'Australia is better than this' said the Commission's President .
The Commission recommended all children be released into community . |
066724449eb5f339e6a2bdf59b30ee397302bbaa | By . Gareth Finighan . UPDATED: . 14:30 EST, 8 December 2011 . An American has been jailed for two-and-a-half years in Thailand after posting excerpts from a banned book about the country's monarch online - while living in the U.S. Joe Gordon, 55, who was born in the Southeast Asian kingdom but has lived in the U.S. for 30 years, translated pages from The King Never Smiles - a critical biography of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej - while living in Colorado five years ago. But when he visited the country of his birth in May to seek medical treatment for arthritis and high blood pressure, he was arrested and charged under Thailand's strict lese majeste laws. Rough justice: Joe Gordon (centre) is led into the Bangkok Criminal Court for sentencing earlier today . After being repeatedly denied bail, he pleaded guilty to defaming the monarch in October in the hope of obtaining a lenient sentence. Speaking after today's verdict in Bangkok, Mr Gordon said: 'I am an American citizen, and what happened was in America. 'This is just the system in Thailand. In Thailand, they put people in prison even if they don't have proof.' Washington has condemned Mr Gordon's sentence as severe 'because he has been sentenced for his right to freedom of expression'. And New York-based Human Rights Watch has urged authorities to amend the laws, saying the penalties being meted out were 'shocking'. Much loved: Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej pictured on his 84th birthday on Monday . Mr Gordon, a former car salesman, was . charged with translating excerpts from the unauthorised biography of the . king published by Yale University Press, into the Thai language and . publishing them in a blog. He also provided links to the translation to . other two web forums, prosecutors said. Thailand's lese majeste laws are the harshest in the world. They mandate that people found guilty of defaming the monarchy - including the king, the queen and the heir to the throne - face up to 15 years behind bars. Last month, 61-year-old Amphon Tangnoppakul was sentenced to 20 years in jail for sending four text messages deemed offensive to the crown. Opponents of the laws say that while the royal family should be protected from defamation, lese majeste laws have often been abused to punish political rivals in Thailand. That is especially true since the nation suffered a 2006 military coup. Thailand has come under increasing pressure to reform legislation that critics say is an affront to freedom of expression, and Mr Gordon's case has raised questions about the applicability of Thai law to acts committed by foreigners outside Thailand. Many had hoped that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's administration, which has some prominent supporters who have been accused of lese majeste, would reform the laws. The issue remains highly sensitive, however, and Yingluck's government has been just as aggressive in pursuing cases as its predecessors. Behind bars: Mr Gordon was arrested and detained while on a visit to Thailand in May . The rise of the Internet in recent years has given Thai authorities many more targets to prosecute. Last month, Information Minister Anudith Nakornthap said Facebook users who 'share' or 'like' content that insults the Thai monarchy are committing a crime. Anudith said Thai authorities asked Facebook to remove 86,000 pages between August and November because of alleged lese majeste content. King Bhumibol, who celebrated his 84th birthday on Monday, is the world's longest-reigning monarch and is profoundly revered in Thailand. Asked if he would stay in Thailand after serving his time, Gordon said: 'I would like to stay and see some positive Thailand. I want to see the real, amazing Thailand, not the messy Thailand.' | Car salesman arrested on a visit to Bangkok five years after committing his 'crime' |
066773f20244d00e0852d1dd6db8fb72d956da8a | By . Simon Walters . Rebekah Brooks faced fresh controversy last night, 12 days after she was cleared of all charges in the phone hacking scandal. The Mail on Sunday has learned of an alleged attempt to meddle in the appointment of Britain's top policeman – who was later forced to resign over his links to the former News of the World and The Sun editor. Sir Paul Stephenson stood down as Metropolitan Police Commissioner in July 2011, hours after Mrs Brooks's arrest on phone hacking charges. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson succeeded Sir Ian Blair . He admitted that he had employed former News of the World executive Neil Wallis as an aide and had enjoyed a free £12,000 stay at a health farm which employed Mr Wallis as a public relations adviser. An investigation by this newspaper has established that when Sir Paul was appointed by then Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a senior News International figure – not Mrs Brooks or Mr Wallis – secretly told No 10 that Mrs Brooks did not want Sir Paul's main rival, Sir Hugh Orde, to get the job. Sir Hugh's hopes of getting the role had been hit when the News of the World revealed he had an illegitimate child from an affair with an undercover policewoman. Rebekah Brooks was acquitted of all charges at the Old Bailey . They are the latest developments in a long-running controversy over Mrs Brooks's relationship with the police, including the loan to her of a Metropolitan Police horse, Raisa, which was also ridden by her friend and Oxfordshire neighbour, Prime Minister David Cameron. Mrs Brooks and her husband, the racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks, were cleared of all charges in the phone hacking trial, which ended nearly two weeks ago. No charges were ever laid against Mr Wallis. The new disclosures date back to the battle to succeed Sir Ian Blair as head of London's police in 2009, which came down to a contest between Sir Hugh and Sir Paul. Racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks was cleared of all charges in the phone hacking trial, which ended nearly two weeks ago . The Mail on Sunday has been told that shortly before Sir Paul was appointed, a News International representative contacted No 10 and said Mrs Brooks was opposed to Sir Hugh getting the post. 'The message was very clear. She did not want Hugh Orde to be the Met Commissioner, and she wanted that message conveyed to the PM,' said a well-placed source. Sir Paul got the job after he was backed by then Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, London Mayor Boris Johnson, and Mr Brown. There is no suggestion that his appointment was influenced by the News International approach. London Mayor Boris Johnson (left) stands with Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith outside New Scotland Yard after Sir Ian Blair stepped down as Commissioner in October 2008 saying that he did not have the support of Mayor Johnson . Sir Ian Blair and Boris Johnson. Sir Ian resigned after he said that Mayor Johnson did not have confidence in him . Sir Hugh had long been tipped as a future Commissioner after winning praise for his role in the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, improving police relations with ethnic minorities and his record as head of the Northern Ireland police force. But his hopes suffered a major setback in 2007 when the News of the World revealed that he had an illegitimate child. The story appeared two weeks after Andy Coulson, jailed last week for phone hacking, stepped down as editor following a previous phone hacking scandal. Mrs Brooks was News of the World editor until 2003 when she became editor of The Sun. She was chief executive of News International, which owned both papers, from June 2009 to 2011. Mr Wallis was News of the World deputy editor from 2003 to 2007 and executive editor from 2007 to 2009. In his resignation statement, Sir Paul said that he had known Mr Wallis since 2006 and that the Metropolitan Police hired him as an adviser from 2009 to 2010. The News of the World story in 2007 which revealed the extra marital affair involving Sir Hugh, then head of Ulster's police force, said: 'Loverat top cop Hugh Orde last night pleaded guilty to... adultery. His three-year affair with a pretty Detective Constable led to the birth of a secret son.' It said a 'pal' of the lovers had revealed details of the affair and added: 'What the news of his existence will do for Sir Hugh's career is anyone's guess. Sir Hugh Orde: News of the World ran a story about his illegitimate child . 'The fact he's got a secret son tucked away in the Home Counties does not look good on the CV.' In September 2007, the News of the World was also first to report the affair had led to the end of his marriage. It said: 'Sir Hugh, tipped to be the next Met Police boss, broke up with wife Kathleen months after she found out about his affair.' A source close to Sir Hugh said: 'It is staggering that anyone from News International might attempt to influence the appointment of the country's most senior policeman. Sir Hugh is fiercely independent and would have run the Met in that manner.' Mr Brown could not be contacted. Sir Paul and Mrs Brooks declined to comment. A source close to her denied that she urged Mr Brown to block Sir Hugh. | Sir Paul Stephenson stood down as .
Met Commissioner in July 2011, hours after Mrs Brooks's .
arrest on phone hacking charges .
A senior News International figure – .
not Mrs Brooks or Neil Wallis – secretly told No 10 that Mrs Brooks did .
not want Sir Paul's main rival, Sir Hugh Orde, to get the job .
News of the World exposed Sir Hugh Orde's love child . |
06689e12e2f0ae4c1073d4cdef2ac083f38d928f | Harry Redknapp is one of the game’s most colourful and outspoken characters. Here, in the latest extract from his fascinating book, he reveals the clamour for Kenny Dalglish's signature and charts the beginning of English football's influx of foreign talent. Where are Gazza's friends when he needs them most? My team of the 1970s . My team of the 1980s . I go back a long way with Kenny Dalglish. He came for a trial at West Ham in 1966 and I would drive him to training. The 15-year-old Kenny was with us for two weeks — everyone in the country was trying to sign him. I had a little green Austin 1100 and would collect him and another Scottish lad, Jimmy Lindsay, from digs. Harry Redknapp was playing for West Ham United as a youngster when Kenny Dalglish trialed at the club . Redknapp (seen playing for West Ham) used to drive the 15-year-old Dalglish into training . Redknapp used to give lifts to Dalglish and Jimmy Lindsay from their digs in an Austin 1100 . Dalglish (seen scoring against Partick Thistle) was a wanted man and went on to sign for Celtic soon after . Dalglish as a youngster coming through the ranks . One Saturday morning we had a practice match and manager Ron Greenwood played him with the first-team players. One of the lads laid a ball to him and it was like fast-forwarding through the next 20 years of British football — he took it perfectly, dropped a shoulder, turned and curled it into the far corner of the net. Our reserves didn’t know what had hit them. Both sets of players just stopped and applauded. I can remember talking to Ron about him after that game. ‘Will we get him?’ I asked. ‘No chance,’ he said. ‘We’ve tried. Everybody wants him, but he’s going to Celtic.’ I don’t remember him being very talkative then, but I’m not sure I would have understood a word anyway. The strength of Kenny’s Glasgow accent is legendary. When Liverpool wanted to sign my son, Jamie, Kenny rang up to speak to us about it. I could hear my wife, Sandra, on the phone but I didn’t know who she was talking to. ‘I’m sorry,’ she kept saying. ‘I can’t understand your Scouse accent.’ She must have said it about four times. In the end, I heard her say the name Kenny. I took the phone, just in time to hear Kenny saying in the broadest Scottish tone you’ll ever hear, ‘Can ye nae understan’ me?’ Dalglish enjoyed eight successful years at Celtic Park (pictured playing in an Old Firm derby against Rangers) Dalglish wheels away after scoring the winner for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in 1985-86 . That’s my missus. She’s got to be about the only person who doesn’t know Kenny Dalglish is from Scotland. ‘I thought he was from Liverpool,’ she said. ‘No, he manages Liverpool — he was born in Glasgow,’ I replied. We got there in the end. Kenny was just a fantastic player. Absolutely world-class. He could hold the ball as well as any man twice his size; he could bring team-mates into play or take it on himself. He didn’t have pace, but that didn’t matter. His pace was in his head. He was the attacking equivalent of Bobby Moore, in that he read the play better than anybody. He scored 30 goals in his first season for Liverpool, including the winner in the 1978 European Cup final against Bruges. It allowed them to maintain this fantastic period of dominance in the English game. Graeme Souness played a huge role in Liverpool’s domination, too. Souness’s transfer fee, £350,000, sounds like a snip — but it was a record for a move between two English clubs in 1978 when he signed from Middlesbrough. He had glorious talent. And, just like Billy Bremner and Dave Mackay, he was happy whatever way you wanted to play the game. A pure football match, and he was the best player on the field. A tear-up, and he would be nastier than anybody. Souness seemed to have a particular problem with Peter Nicholas, a Welsh midfielder who played for Arsenal. In one game, Nicholas went in high on Graeme, and soon afterwards Souness put him out of football for two months. He was feared. Players thought he was evil and he liked intimidating people. That was part of his job. The only person I know he’s scared of is his wife, Karen. Dalglish with Graeme Souness after winning the 1984 Milk Cup (left) and his iconic picture as a Red legend . Dalglish with manager Bob Paisley alongside the European Cup on the day he signed for Liverpool in 1977 . By the end of the 1970s, Ossie Ardiles, Ricky Villa (both Spurs), Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen (both Ipswich) had come to our game. It was the beginning of the thought process that foreign players were needed for the skilful jobs because our own players weren’t up to it. Much of the blame for that can be laid at the door of Charles Hughes. The former PE teacher became the assistant director of coaching at the Football Association and rose to a position of great power and influence in the game. Under him, we missed an opportunity, thinking that we could teach the Brazilians about football rather than the other way around. We told ourselves that Brazil were getting it wrong with all those passes! Ricky Villa (seen playing for Spurs against Aston Villa in 1978) was one of English football's first foreign imports . Tottenham also signed the mercurial Argentine Ossie Ardiles (pictured in the 1980s) in their ranks . Giggs would have solved England's problems... he was born to play left wing . Wenger heralded a change in English football... he introduced Prozone and scouting reports . Ravel Morrison has the class of Bale but his attitude is holding back his talent . Vieira and Keane are warriors... they were even prepared to do battle while working on TV! Why Redknapp fears that the English manager is in danger of becoming extinct . Vieira nearly crossed North London to join Spurs... and Suarez was close to signing too . Pies in the canteen and throwing teacups at players... the Premier League killed all that! Sportsmail's Head of Sport Lee Clayton interviews Redknapp about his new book . Even now, there are very few British coaches bold enough to try to play a very technical game. The long ball, the quick fix, will always be easier. All of the coaching courses back then were run by men like Hughes. There was no flair — it was football as taught by PE instructors. Some of them had even been to Brazil, but they returned with some madcap ideas. Brazilian footballers hone their skills on the beach, we were told. It was where they learned to control a football and, we were informed, that was how we should do it, too. Where the manager of, say, Derby County was going to find a beach when his training ground was about 70 miles inland, I don’t know. I will never forget there was a silence as we digested this brilliant insight. Some years later, I heard it repeated in the company of no-nonsense manager Jim Smith. ‘The beach?’ he said. ‘In that case, why aren’t Torquay, Southend and f*****g Brighton and Hove Albion top of the league?’ They had no answer to that. Rodney Marsh (right, playing against Derby County) was a maverick while playing for Manchester City . Marsh undermined City manager Tony Book by calling the rookie 'f****** useless' Alan Hudson (centre) only earned two England caps despite being one of the top players in the country . The rest of Europe was moving towards total football, and we were going into an era when we stopped trusting our most skilful players. Alan Hudson (two caps), Tony Currie (17 caps), Stan Bowles (five caps), Rodney Marsh (nine caps), Peter Osgood (four caps) — England had players that, technically, could have made any team in the world. We just didn’t pick them. I cannot think of a bigger waste of talent in English football than Hudson’s two caps or Osgood’s four. Players like Hudson and Marsh were brilliant, but mavericks. When full back Tony Book took over at Manchester City, Rodney was in open rebellion. It got back to Book that Rodney had described him as f*****g useless. ‘If you think I’m f*****g useless, this is never going to work. Do you want to take it back?’ Book said. ‘Actually,’ Rodney replied, unrepentant, ‘I don’t think you’re as good as that.’ Sportsmail can exclusively reveal Redknapp's greatest XI from the 1970s - to include Dalglish and Souness . 'A Man Walks On To A Pitch' by Harry Redknapp is published by Ebury Press, priced £20. Offer price £16 until October 21. Order at mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0808-272-0808 — p&p is free for a limited time only. | Harry Redknapp's latest book, A Man Walks On To a Pitch, is being serialised by Sportsmail this week .
Kenny Dalglish trained with West Ham for a fortnight in 1966 .
The striker became one of the best in Britain for Celtic then Liverpool .
Graeme Souness - signed for just £350,000, was huge for the Reds too . |
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