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07e6833d71988b38ef7f65a62599d6706954c4a8 | (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Ana threatened the Caribbean on Saturday, but it was too early to know how much trouble the first named storm of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season might cause. Forecasters expect Tropical Storm Ana to hit the Leeward Islands on Monday. Ana formed overnight and was expected to gain strength as it moved west toward the Leeward Islands, where forecasters expect it to hit on Monday. The Dutch Antilles issued a storm watch for St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected in the islands within 36 hours, according to the Miami, Florida-based National Hurricane Center. For now, the center has advised the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to monitor the storm's progress. As of 8 p.m. ET, Ana was about 730 miles (1,180 km) east-southeast of the Leeward Islands, according to the hurricane center. Ana, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), was moving west at about 17 mph (28 kph), the center reported. The storm is expected to turn west-northwest over the next few days, the center said. Ana may eventually hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic, but forecasters can't say whether Ana will strike the continental U.S. Further east in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Bill has developed and is expected to become a hurricane Wednesday. Forecasters say Bill could evolve into a Category 3 hurricane as it approaches the Leeward Islands by Wednesday or Thursday. Bill was about 820 miles (1,320 km) west-southwest of the Cape Verde islands at 5 p.m. ET. | NEW: Ana is 730 miles east of Leeward Islands, moving west at 17mph .
Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico advised to monitor storm's progress .
Storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, hurricane center says . |
07e703d351a5568a8802c59ce417f6c87731d84c | (CNN) -- Some 518 days after she first set off alone in her sailboat, 16-year-old Laura Dekker glided into a Caribbean port on Saturday to complete her historic, and controversial, voyage around the globe. The Dutch citizen arrived in Sint Maarten around 3 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), her spokesman Anton Van de Koppel told CNN. And a picture linked from Dekker's official website Saturday shows her standing behind a group of children holding a sign, "Congratulations Laura Dekker ... Welcome back to St. Maarten." While other teens have made similar sea voyages -- some of them without stopping, as Dekker did -- the Dutch girl unofficially appears to be the youngest to do so sailing alone. In 2010, Australian Jessica Watson finished a non-stop, unassisted solo circumnavigation days before her 17th birthday. But sailing journalists have said, and her team didn't dispute, that her route was less than 21,600 orthodromic (or, in the same direction for a great circle) nautical miles, which is the length of the equator and the distance generally used for round-the-world sailing records. Dekker states on her website that she traversed about 27,000 nautical miles on her own solo voyage aboard her 38-foot yacht, which she has dubbed Guppy. She was 14 when she began August 21, 2010, in Gibraltar and then headed west across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific, through the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope, and ultimately to her final destination in the Caribbean. The trip almost didn't happen -- not because of problems at sea, but rather due to a high-profile legal fight by Dutch authorities to prevent the teen from setting sail, for her own safety. 14-year-old attempts world record . In August 2009, Dekker was put under state care for two months, following her parents' refusal to prevent her from undertaking the voyage. Then, in October 2009, a Dutch court ruled the girl couldn't sail around the world because she was not considered experienced enough to do so. But it left the door open for a future trip, deciding that she could depart if she fulfilled certain requirements the court had established for her. "As a 13-year-old girl, it was never my intention to be the center of world news," Dekker wrote on her blog three days before docking in Sint Maarten. "Now, after sailing around the world, with difficult port approaches, storms, dangerous reefs, and the full responsibility of keeping myself and the Guppy safe, I feel that the nightmares the Dutch government organizations put me through, were totally unfair," she added. 16-year-old circumnavigates the globe . Dekker made stops in numerous coastal sites during her trip, in places such as the Galapagos Islands, Bora Bora and Cape Town, South Africa. According to multiple published reports, including in the St. Maarten newspaper Today, she had once planned to return to Gibraltar by going through the Suez Canal, but altered her route and headed around South Africa toward Sint Maarten to avoid pirates. The day before docking for the last time, she reflected on the early days of her voyage, including her initial time in the Caribbean more than a year earlier. "It feels like it was just yesterday but at the same time it seems like it was an eternity ago," wrote Dekker, who was actually born on a boat in port in New Zealand. "Back then I had no idea I would be back now with a life load of new experiences and 27,000 nautical miles under Guppy's keel. "But here I am having almost circumnavigated the whole world. Yes, that idea is slowly sinking in... But I don't really believe it." CNN's Sherri Maksin contributed to this report. | Laura Dekker was at sea or in port for 518 days, her website states .
She traversed 27,000 nautical miles before docking in Sint Maarten .
The teen fought efforts by Dutch authorities who didn't want her to sail . |
07e77cc41796fd226b369a43a2b38b1742114d2e | Kearney, Missouri (CNN) -- A controversial gun measure won't become law in Missouri after a push to override the governor's veto fell one vote short of approval in the state's Senate on Wednesday. The measure, HB 436, would have essentially nullified federal gun laws in the state. Senators voted 22-12 in favor of overriding Gov. Jay Nixon's veto, but the vote fell just short of the two thirds majority required to pass. Earlier Wednesday, the state's House of Representatives voted 109-49 in favor of overriding the veto. If it had passed, the law would have technically not only let residents own a machine gun but also arrested federal agents if they tried to take it away. The bill also would have made it illegal for anyone to publish any information about a gun owner. The legislation passed earlier this year in Missouri's Republican-led House and Senate but vetoed by Nixon, a Democrat. Nixon argued that the legislation violated a provision in the U.S. Constitution called the Supremacy Clause. The Supremacy Clause gives preference to federal laws over state laws. Lawmakers had argued that what they were proposing was not only constitutional but essential to protect the rights of gun owners. "There are people saying this is the same as seceding from the Union," said gun owner Kevin Jamison. "Missouri did not secede from the Union in 1862, and it does not do so by passing this law." Colorado recall a proxy in national gun control debate . What the bill said . "This bill doesn't put one new gun on the street," said State Rep. Doug Funderburk, a Republican. "It strictly says that Missouri is going to protect the Second Amendment rights of Missourians." By superseding federal regulations, House Bill 436 would have made it a criminal offense to enforce background checks or to publish the name and address of a gun owner in the state. It would also have technically allowed citizens to own a machine gun, which is banned under federal regulations, according to the governor's office. And it would have nullified federal gun laws and allowed citizens to take legal action against officers who try to enforce them. Gun permits for the blind? Iowa grants them, stirs debate . Opponents worry . Ohio, Minnesota and Texas have pursued similar bills in recent months in reaction to attempts at federal gun control legislation after the December shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Opponents worry such laws could all but end any joint operations between local and federal law enforcement agencies when it comes to taking guns off the streets. St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson has been one of its most vocal opponents. "(We are) basically saying to criminals, 'OK criminals, it's OK to come to Missouri. We won't prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,' " he said. CNN's George Howell reported from Kearney, Missouri; Leslie Bentz from Washington. | NEW: Missouri Senate's vote falls one short of the two thirds majority needed .
Missouri's House voted to override the governor's veto .
St. Louis police chief is against the bill .
Author of the bill says it protects Second Amendment . |
07e7d473a8a36bafff8fb21e4f84374a8600a4c1 | U.S. and Arab war planes launched 29 air strikes against Islamic State fighters and buildings across both Iraq and Syria overnight, according to military chiefs. Syrian targets included he Islamic State's defacto capital of Raqqa, and Kobane where Kurdish Peshmerga and YPG forces have been involved in street battles with extremists for months. The city of Dayr az Zawr, which contains 600,000 people and is the largest in Syria's east was also among the cities hit. In Iraq targets were hit around the town of Mosul, which contains an important dam, Fallujah, which is located just to the east of Baghdad, and Sinjar, which thousands of Yazidis were forced to flee after ISIS fighters took the town earlier this year. Scroll down for video . U.S.-led coalition warplanes hit 29 targets in Iraq and Syria yesterday destroying buildings, vehicles and units, including in the town of Kobane (pictured) where ISIS are still fighting Kurdish forces . In total 17 bombs were dropped over Syria and another 12 over Iraq, though the exact split between the target cities has not been announced. Chiefs of the Combined Joint Task Force said buildings, fighting positions and units were all hit during the bombing runs, but did not give information on exactly what was destroyed or how many casualties there were. ISIS has been engaged in street battles with Kurdish Peshmerga and YPG units in Kobane for months, as airstrikes attempt to weaken the opposition . The latest round of bombings against ISIS targets in the Middle east takes the number of strikes since Christmas above 100, as the U.S.-led coalition attempts to weaken the radical group. As well as key towns such as Raqqa and Kobane, strikes have also hit Al Asad, Al Qaim, Baiji, Kirkuk and Tal Afar in Iraq. As the bombing runs were carried out last night Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad went to deliver a New Year's message to troops in the east Damascus district of Jobar last night. State TV showed the despot having dinner with soldiers and pro-government gunmen during the rare appearance. The news came as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that the death toll from the four-year civil war topped 76,000 in the last year alone. An estimated 17,790 were civilians, including 3,501 children, making it the deadliest year of the war. Heavy fighting in the strategic neighbourhood killed at least 25 Syrian soldiers and pro-regime militia on Wednesday before the visit, the observatory said. Assad was shown sharing a meal of baked beans, boiled potatoes and tomatoes with soldiers and pro-government gunmen known as National Defense Forces. The fresh wave of bombings brings the number of coalition strikes since Christmas above 100, as forces loyal to Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad also hit targets in Damascus yesterday . A child is treated for head wounds at a medical centre in Damascus as Assad's forces launched strikes. More than 76,000 people died in the civil war last year . Last year was the deadliest of the four-year conflict in Syria, with 18,000 civilians killed after being caught in the fighting with 3,500 of those being children . 'On New Year's Eve families gather but you decided to be here to protect your country,' Assad told the troops as sporadic shooting could be heard. 'I like to be with you on this occasion.' Assad described rebels who use underground tunnels as 'rats', adding 'we fight them above the ground'. The footage, aired today, showed Assad shaking hands and kissing troops, walking into fortifications and climbing onto a tank. Syrian troops have been fighting against rebels in Jobar since 2013 and according to state media, government forces have been advancing in the area. Assad's visit came as rebels fired nearly two dozen mortar shells on Damascus, residents said. It was not clear if there were casualties. Assad has rarely made public appearances since the country's crisis began in 2011. Just hours after Assad's forces carried out bombing missions against residential neighbourhoods in Damascus he paid a visit to troops in the area to eat food with them . Shell-shocked residents of Damascus look up as debris falls from a building in the city following artillery attacks from Assad's forces yesterday . Smiles: Assad (right) enjoyed a midnight meal with soldiers and pro-government gunmen in Damascus . The last time he visited the frontline was in August 2013, when he went to the former opposition bastion of Daraya outside of Damascus. The war began in March 2011 with peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad's government, but quickly escalated into a full-blown civil war after a brutal regime crackdown. In addition to civilians, more than 15,000 rebel fighters were killed, as were nearly 17,000 militants from jihadist groups, including the Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate. At least 22,627 government forces - both soldiers and members of pro-government militias - were killed, the Britain-based group said. Last year's figure compared with 73,447 in 2013, another 49,294 in 2012 and 7,841 in 2011. More than 200,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-regime protests that spiralled into a war after a government crackdown. Frontline: The Syrian president (centre) talked to troops during his New Year's Eve visit . Sporadic shooting: Amid the sound of war, Assad (right) told troops: 'On New Year's Eve families gather but you decided to be here to protect your country' 'Rats': Assad (left) described rebels who use underground tunnels as 'rats' during the New Year's Eve visit . | In total 17 bombs were dropped on Syria and another 12 on Iraq targets .
Raids destroyed vehicles, building and units belonging to Islamic State .
Onslaught brings number of strikes since Christmas to more than 100 . |
07e831cbdd8ce5534f42db53b374c588caffa17a | An empty piece of land on the world-renowned Sandbanks peninsula has gone on the market for £6.25million – more than the price of a 38-bedroom castle in the Scottish Highlands. The muddy plot, the latest in the so-called Millionaires' Row to go on the market, is now priced at £2m more than when it came with two houses. Despite being empty, the plot is the same price as an entire estate on the south shore of Loch Rannoch, Perthshire, which includes a castle, a swimming pool, 12 extra villas or bungalows, a sports hall, a golf course, a shooting range and an army assault course. If it sold at the asking price, the plot - which measures 27m by 18m - will equate to a staggering £1,161 per square foot. Scroll down for video . This narrow empty plot of land in the world-renowned Sandbanks area has gone on the market for a staggering £6.25million . The plot, the latest in the so-called Millionaires' Row to go on the market, is now priced at £2m more than when it came with two houses . The area, which measures 27m by 18m and already has planning permission, will equate to £1,161 per square feet if it sells for the asking price . But looking at it from another point of view - literally - it's perhaps easy to see why the small area has gone on the market for such an eye-watering sum. The reason that the sliver of land is set to fetch such an eye-watering sum is because it backs onto the beach and is located on the narrowest part of the peninsula, meaning that it boasts two-way views, including over Poole Harbour. A property two doors down holds the record for the most expensive house on the peninsula per square foot. The detached house sold last year for £3.45million, which worked out as £1,725 per square foot. Sandbanks is said to be the fourth most expensive place in the world - behind London, Manhattan and Tokyo - to buy property and counts Harry Redknapp and his son Jamie among its residents. Prices in the area have soared in the past few years, with prospective buyers even able to get more for their money in the exclusive London neighbourhood of Mayfair. At the moment, £6.75million could give buyers a two-bedroom flat, within spitting distance of Hyde Park. The latest plot in the exclusive resort has gone on the market after the owner decided to stay put in the house he currently rents. The owner initially bought the land, which included two 1960s houses, with the intention of building his dream home in their place. But while the planning application was being considered, he fell in love with the property he was living in and decided to remain there. He went ahead with knocking down the two houses on the Sandbanks plot, later securing permission for two four-bed houses, complete with their own gym and swimming pool. The planning permission stipulates that the twin properties would be 4,370 sq ft and 4,023 sq ft respectively and would be set over four floors with a terrace running all the way around. But whoever buys the land could face spending an additional £1million on building the new homes. When the existing owner bought the property, it consisted of two houses (pictured) which he knocked down to make way for his dream home . The site, situated in the sought-after resort of Sandbanks, backs onto the beach and boasts two-way views, including over Poole Harbour . Whoever buys the plot will face spending about £1m each on building the two new homes, which will be four-storey and four-bedroom . The owner intended to build his dream home on the plot but decided to stay in his current property, despite obtaining planning permission . The properties would be 4,370 sq ft and 4,023 sq ft respectively, set over four floors with a terrace running all the way round to enjoy the views . Sandbanks is said to be the fourth most expensive place in the world - behind London, Manhattan and Tokyo - to buy property . The prospective buyer will also count Harry Redknapp among their neighbours. The QPR manager bought his ultra-modern property with his wife Sandra for £3million in 2001 and commutes daily from his waterfront home to QPR's London-based ground Loftus Road. Troubled footballer Paul Gascoigne also reportedly moved to the exclusive resort earlier this year, where he is said to be renting a flash penthouse apartment. Other notable residents include a number of well-known names in football such as Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis, former player and manager Graeme Souness, and Mr Redknapp's son Jamie. Computer magnate Sir Peter Ogden also has a home there. Adrian Dunford, of Tailor Made estate agents which is selling the empty plot, said: 'This is one of the few plots left along that section, most of the houses have now been replaced with new properties. 'A lot of those have been turned into apartments so they're unlikely to change again. A property in that particular area, two doors down from this one, holds the record for cost of a house per square foot. 'One of the reasons why the properties on that section go for so much is because of the two-way views. Historically that section has always been sought-after and the most expensive. Every home in the Sandbanks community (pictured from above) is within just a few minutes' walk of the beach, with most enjoying stunning views over the harbour or out to the English Channel . The property market on the peninsula has shot through the roof in the past few years, with many houses being demolished and replaced with cutting-edge new properties to meet demand (pictured) 'On the peninsula the houses are much larger, 13-14,000 sq ft, they will change hands for £8million, but this bit is the narrowest part of Sandbanks so the houses there can only be about 4-5,000 sq ft.' He added: 'Generally they are second homes on that stretch but we are seeing a change in fashion. Historically everybody wanted large homes but we are seeing more people very happy to live in something smaller and easier to manage. 'A lot of people are using them as their main home in the UK but then also have another home in France, Barbados or Monte Carlo. It means they don't have a huge maintenance bill when they're away. 'In that area people are only going to move when they pass away, because where do you move from there? You've got a nice plot, with two-way views, waves crashing on the beach - it's a great place to live.' The empty plot is more than the price of an entire estate on the south shore of Loch Rannoch, Perthshire, which includes a 38-bedroom castle . The £6m estate, which has this view, includes a swimming pool, 12 extra villas or bungalows, a sports hall, a golf course and a shooting range . Located on a small peninsula stretching across the mouth of Poole Harbour in Dorset, Sandbanks - nicknamed 'Britain's Palm Beach' - is known for both its picturesque beach and the high value of its sought-after property. By area, Sandbanks and surrounding Lilliput, Branksome Park and Canford Cliffs boasts the fourth highest land value in the world and the UK's largest concentration of expensive properties outside London. Sandbanks's popularity is attributed to its seclusion, and every home in the community is within just a few minutes' walk of the beach, with most of them enjoying stunning views over the harbour or out to the English Channel. Houses were first built on Sandbanks in the late 19th century, but it was not until the 1960s when a property boom saw the peninsula - measuring less than half a square mile - become more and more built-up, turning into a Millionaires' Row filled with luxury beachfront mansions. The property market on the peninsula has shot through the roof in the past few years, with many houses being demolished and replaced with cutting-edge new properties to meet demand. In July 2009 a 14,990 sq ft (1,393-square-metre) empty plot of land on the peninsula was put up for sale for £13.5million – the equivalent of nearly £10,000 per square metre. In May, a bungalow bought for just £1,000 almost a century ago (around £40,000 in today's money) and now a luxury holiday home was reported to be now worth £5million - a 500,000 percent increase in value. Earlier this year a tatty 1950s three-bedroom Sandbanks bungalow which would be worth just £200,000 in most other parts of the country went on sale for an eye-watering £2.25million. Prospective buyers could even get more for their money in Mayfair, where £6.75m could buy you this two-bedroom flat . In March, an empty plot on the exclusive enclave went on sale for £3million - double what it had sold for before its old bungalow was knocked down. Last year, 15 homes were sold for a combined total of £80million as Sandbanks' reputation has continued to grow. Mr Dunford added: 'The land is worth more without the old houses on it because it's all about the potential use of the land. 'Generally you can get more square footage in a modern build than you could just ten years ago. Properties now can build one or two floors higher so you get a larger house and a more popular layout. 'Most of the older properties are only two storeys and generally don't take full advantage of the two-way view. Construction now with no pillars or internal walls means you can sit in your kitchen and look both ways with no obstruction. You just can't get that in a 1970s build. 'The key thing that drives the value is we're surrounded by water. What you have got in Sandbanks is all you have, it's not like a rural place where you can expand and build a new village. And the more popular it becomes the more in demand plots like this are. If you want to be here you have to pay the money and people selling know that.' | The area, which measures 27m by 18m, will equate to £1,161 per square foot if it sells for the huge asking price .
Land has planning permission for two four-bed houses with their own gym and swimming pool, set over four floors .
Owner bought land and demolished the two 1960s homes with intention of building his own dream property instead .
Plot is same price as an entire estate in Perthshire, which boasts a 38-bedroom castle, 12 villas and a golf course .
Sandbanks and surrounding areas boasts fourth highest land value in the world after London, Manhattan and Tokyo . |
07eaca8b87dc6b8a82c12618471dcda577531128 | By . Mark Bryans . Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo has hit out at suggestions Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will leave the team at the end of the season. Both former world champions have reportedly claimed they could depart the Italian marque following a largely disappointing year. Raikkonen, who rejoined the team from Lotus in September, has amassed just 27 points but speculation around a potential retirement has been quashed. On his way? Fernando Alonso is rumoured to be leaving Ferrari at the end of a struggling season . For two-time world champion Alonso the question is whether he will remain loyal to Ferrari despite that lack of competitiveness at the front of the field but Di Montezemolo has praised both men and insists they will honour their contracts next season. 'We are lucky to have two great champions, who are working with the whole team to get back to being competitive again,' he told the official Ferrari website. 'Of course, as is the case every summer, there is unfounded gossip about alleged problems with senseless rumours bandied about, such as the ones relating to Alonso's contract. We know that the summer heat always produces silly stories. Disappointing: Kimi Raikonnen has collected just 27 points on his return to the Italian race team . 'Our drivers must now relax in order to return in top form. The season is still long and we need Fernando and Kimi to be in great shape.' Alonso has finished in the points in every race so far this season but has yet to record a victory and sits fourth in the drivers' standings - 87 points behind leader Nico Rosberg. Ferrari have not won the constructors' championship since 2008, with Raikkonen the last driver to win the title for the team a year earlier. But Di Montezemolo believes the right steps are being taken to put the team on a more even keel with the likes of Red Bull and Mercedes, who have dominated the previous five seasons. Prancing pony: Ferrari currently sit third behind Mercedes and Red Bull in the constructor's table . 'We are making in-depth changes on both the organisational side, in our approach and culture,' he added. 'We have taken important decisions and have made significant progress, even if, at the moment, the results of all this work are not always visible. 'The aim is to get back to being as competitive as we were before in the shortest possible time, while at the same time putting everything in place so that we can embark on another winning cycle.' CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen have reportedly claim they would leave Ferrari at the end of the season .
Italian F1 team president Luca Di Montezemolo has dismissed rumours .
Raikkonen has only collected 27 points in a disappointing season .
Alonso is yet to record a Grand Prix victory in an uncompetitive car . |
07eb90d05a94b8c8dbc68c435c5b0560b2a089e4 | A drug has been shown to be highly effective in reducing symptoms of depression without having a negative effect on libido, according to research. Agomelatine acts on the hormone melatonin, which is thought to play a part in mood disorders. It has also been found to cause fewer of the other side effects associated with many conventional drugs, including weight gain. No effects: The new drug Agomelatine does not affect the patient's libido . Its therapeutic effects can kick in earlier too – within the first week in some cases – compared with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which can take weeks to work. Depression affects about one in ten adults at some point, and many sufferers are prescribed antidepressants. The drugs change the levels of a group of brain chemicals, including serotonin and norepinephrine. Making more of these chemicals available can improve mood and emotion, although how and why is not fully understood. Common illness: Depression affects one in ten adults at some point in their lives . However, common side effects of SSRIs include low sex drive or erectile dysfunction. There is increasing evidence that the body’s circadian rhythm system, which governs the release of hormones, is also heavily involved in depression. This led to the development of agomelatine. It mimics the activity of melatonin, helping to regulate the circadian rhythm. Melatonin is produced at night and is involved in the sleep-wake cycle. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Ken Checinski says: ‘This is an important addition to the range of drug treatments for depressive disorder and should be considered where side effects with SSRIs have been a problem for the patient.’ | Agomelatine has been found to cause fewer side effects than normal drugs .
Research showed less weight gain and no negative effect on libido . |
07ec8384e16d0e4153eb9b52c1e9bb97ab6da71c | By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 04:28 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:11 EST, 19 November 2013 . A two-year-old grandson was the sole survivor of a horrific hit-and-run in Dallas that left his grandmother and her two daughters dead. On Friday they were travelling in the Pleasant Grove area of the city when their car was hit by an SUV travelling over the speed limit, according to one witness. The grandson, Saith, was pulled from the wreckage by passers-by and taken to Children’s Medical Center Dallas where he was treated for two broken legs, His condition was described as critical. Tragic: Araceli Romero, who was killed in the hit-and-run, and her grandson, Saith, who survived with two broken legs . Those killed in the crash were named as Regina Romero, 45, and daughters Acraceli Romero, 26, who was driving, and Judith Romero, 28. The driver of the SUV fled the crash scene on foot, police told The Dallas Morning News - but there are conflicting reports about whether he tried to assist victims first. The paper reports some witnesses seeing the driver trying to pull the women from the mangled wreckage before he ran off. One witness told police the car as travelling at around 80mph. Sisters: Acraceli (right) pictured here with Judith, who was also killed in the crash . Rafael Romero, the son and brother to the three women and uncle to the boy told The Dallas Morning News: ‘I have a lot of stuff on my mind. I don’t know what to think.’ Asked what he would say to the driver of the SUV, he replied: ‘I wouldn’t say anything to him. It was an accident. God is going to judge in the end.’ Police are still searching for the SUV driver and no arrests have been made. They are looking for a white male in his late 20s. Wreckage: The crash left car parts strewn all over the road . The crash took place in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas on Friday . | They were hit by an SUV one witness said was travelling at around 80mph .
The driver fled on foot and has not yet been identified by police . |
07ecb59767f10217e2d684e697195fb5021781f8 | By . Michael Zennie . and Associated Press Reporter . The father of a teenager who was allegedly shot dead at a Florida gas station over his loud rap music has testified about his shock and horror after learning of the fatal shooting. Ronald Davis took the witness stand today against Michael Dunn, 47, who is claiming self defense in the shooting of 17-year-old Jordan Davis. Jurors also learned that Jordan died from a single bullet wound to his chest that severed his aorta. Dunn fired nine times after getting into an argument with Jordan and his friends over the rap music the teen was blasting from his SUV at a Jacksonville, Florida, gas station in November 2012. The racially-charged case has sparked comparisons to the killing of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Jordan was black; Dunn is white. Dunn is charged with first degree murder. Shocked: Ronald Davis, the father of 17-year-old Jordan Davis, testified Monday that he was horrified to learn his son had been gunned down . Too loud: Michael Dunn (left) is facing a . first-degree murder charge for fatally shooting 17-year-old Jordan Davis . (right) in an argument about speaker volume in November 2012 . Mr Davis, Jordan's father, said he told detectives days after his son's death that he was horrified to learn of how the boy had died. 'I think I said at the time that I was shocked that my son was killed,' Mr Davis said. Prosecutors had hoped Mr Davis could testify about a conversation he had with the three other teens who were in his son's SUV at the time of the shooting. However, legal wrangling by Dunn's defense meant Mr Davis was able to make only that statement. Prosecutors rested their case on Monday. Their last witness was an associate medical examiner as their last witness in direct testimony in the first-degree murder trial of Michael Dunn, who is pleading not guilty. He said he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot Jordan Davis, 17, of Marietta, Ga., outside the store in Jacksonville in November 2012. According to authorities, an argument began after the 47-year-old Dunn told Davis and his friends to turn the music down they were listening to in an SUV outside the store. One of Davis' friends lowered the volume, but Davis then told him to turn it back up. Officials say Dunn became enraged and he and Davis began arguing. Dunn, who had a concealed weapons permit, pulled a 9 mm handgun from the glove compartment of his car, according to an affidavit, and fired shots into the SUV. Nine bullet holes were found in the car. Dunn grinned slightly in court on Monday as his legal team began its case by calling character witnesses . Riddled with bullets: Evidence markers on the shot up SUV show where nine bullets entered the vehicle . Associate medical examiner Stacey Simons testified Monday that the first bullet that hit Davis in the abdomen likely killed him. The bullet went from his lower right abdomen, into his diaphragm, through his liver and hit his aorta, she said. 'I believe it would have been fatal within a matter of minutes,' Simons said. Under cross-examination, Simons said it was unlikely Davis was standing up when he was shot. Dunn's defense attorney, Cory Strolla, had argued in opening statements that Davis had threatened Dunn with a 4-inch knife. Simons said the bullet appeared to have struck something hard, like a car door, before hitting Davis. Florida Department of Law Enforcement analyst Sukhan Warf said toxicology tests on Davis showed no signs of drugs or alcohol in his body. No gun was found in the SUV. Another law enforcement department analyst, Maria Pagan, testified earlier in the day about the steps Dunn took before shooting the teen, bolstering prosecutors' contention that he acted with premeditations. Florida Department of Law Enforcement firearms analyst Marie Pagan shows the 9mm pistol Dunn used to kill Jordan Davis. He fired nine shots . Dunn would have had to remove the gun from its holster, load the chamber with a bullet and then apply six pounds of pressure to fire it, Pagan said. Dunn fired the gun 10 times, hitting the SUV nine times, and he would have had to pull the trigger every time using more than six pounds of pressure each time, Pagan said. Pagan answered affirmatively when prosecutor Angela Corey asked, 'Does that take a conscious effort of the shooter to have a second-round come out?' The first witness to testify for the defense was Randy Berry, a friend of Dunn. He said he never knew Dunn to be violent. Berry's wife, Beverly Berry, also testified that she had never seen Dunn with anything but a calm demeanor. Dunn had been at his son's wedding before the shooting. Dunn's ex-wife, Phyllis Molinaro, and son, Chris Dunn, told jurors that Dunn didn't appear drunk and was in good spirits at the wedding. The defense attorney also called Davis' father to ask him what he recalled in the days after the shooting. 'I think I said at the time that I was shocked that my son was killed,' Ronald Davis said. At the end of the day, Strolla told the judge he expected to call only one or two more witnesses on Tuesday before wrapping up the defense presentation. | Ronald Davis says he was 'shocked' to learn his son Jordan Davis has been killed .
The unarmed teen was killed by a single bullet that severed his aorta, a medical examiner testified .
Prosecutors rested their case against Michael Dunn on Monday . |
07eeb110d529451a31a463d93f4b8097f7e79017 | Alfreton Town were made to pay for not having a recognised goalkeeper available for selection as midfielder Anthony Howell conceded five goals in his side's FA Cup tie against Lincoln City. Howell was unable to stop his side from crashing out of the fourth qualifying round of the famous cup competition after agreeing to go in goal. Manager Nicky Law, whose side were thrashed 5-1 in their replay against Lincoln at the Sincil Bank Stadium, went into the game without a goalkeeper after James Severn and Cameron Dawson picked up injuries. Midfielder Anthony Howell watches the ball fly into the net as his side concede their first goal . Howell was forced into going in goal as goalkeepers James Severn and Cameron Dawson were out injured . Stand-in goalkeeper Howell punches clear during his side's encounter with Lincoln City . Alfreton's night was made even worse when former Notts County striker Karl Hawley was shown a straight red card for a foul on Tom Miller in the 70th minute. Law asked the FA for special dispensation to sign a goalkeeper on an emergency deal but their request was declined. Lincoln City will play fellow Conference outfit Eastleigh in the next stage of the competition as they look to progress past round one of the FA Cup. Lincoln City scored five goals against Alfreton Town to book a place in the first round of the FA Cup . Howell, pictured playing for Mansfield Town, is more accustomed to playing in midfield than in goal . | Anthony Howell acted as an emergency goalkeeper as Alfreton Town's two goalkeepers were out injured .
Nicky Law's side were thrashed 5-1 in their replay against Lincoln City .
Alfreton's request to sign a goalkeeper was turned down by the FA . |
07ef1d74392c67ca32807277f20037a163a0bb46 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 10:55 EST, 12 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:38 EST, 12 November 2012 . Jailed: Tang Ge, 38, of Irlam, Greater Manchester, had met the woman after putting an advert on an online community forum asking for domestic help . A ‘conniving and dangerous’ Home Office interpreter has been jailed for nine years after drugging a 24-year-old college student and raping her at her home while she was asleep. Tang Ge, 38, of Irlam, Greater Manchester, had met the unidentified woman after putting an advert on an online community forum looking for someone to do domestic chores, police said. She took a coffee from him not realising he had secretly slipped a sleeping pill into it, before he clinked his cup against hers and told her: ‘drink your coffee, it’s getting cold’ and ‘bottoms up’. The woman began to feel faint before Ge slipped tablets into a glass of water. He was heard stirring it with a spoon before he suggested she drink that too, Manchester Crown Court was told. The student woke up in bed 10 hours later with some of her clothing removed but no memory of what happened. Tests revealed she was raped. Ge - who translated Mandarin at police stations, detention centres and courts - was today starting a nine-year prison term after being convicted of rape and perverting the course of justice. The incident occurred in September 2009 after Ge - also known as 'Tony' - had befriended the foreign student via the advert he placed a few weeks before, Manchester Crown Court heard. Ge turned up at her home at lunchtime and asked if he could come in to eat some food he had bought from a cafe. She let him in and was given the takeaway coffee he had also just bought. Hearing: The incident occurred in September 2009, Manchester Crown Court (pictured) was told . The woman started to feel dizzy so Ge went to get her a glass of water. She heard the sound of him stirring the glass and when he returned she saw that it was cloudy. Mugshot: Ge used to translate Mandarin at police stations, detention centres and courts . She pretended to drink the water before hiding it, but then passed out. She later woke up and called police. Forensic officers arrived and recovered items including the glass of water. Two days later Ge was arrested and interviewed. Forensic analysis of the victim’s blood revealed traces of Temazepam and Oxazepam, both of which are sedatives. The cloudy liquid in the glass from the victim’s home was found to contain Temazepam. Forensic tests also confirmed Ge had raped her. In February 2012, Ge stood trial but a jury failed to reach a verdict after he insisted the woman was lying. Police probed some of his defence evidence and discovered it had been deliberately falsified. His medical records revealed that he had been prescribed the sedatives used in the attack. He was convicted following a retrial. Detective Constable Dave Ogden of Greater Manchester Police said today: ‘Once Ge had gained the confidence and trust of the victim he wormed his way into her flat where he drugged and raped her. ‘The victim only started to piece together her awful ordeal when she regained consciousness some nine or 10 hours later. I cannot even begin to imagine the horror she experienced when she realised that she had been raped by Ge. ‘To make matters worse he has failed to acknowledge what he has done throughout, trying to make the victim out to be a liar and forcing her to sit through two trials. ‘I am pleased he has been exposed as the conniving and dangerous sex offender he is and I hope the victim can feel some sense of justice now he has been jailed.’ | Tang Ge, 38, of Irlam, Greater .
Manchester, met woman after placing advert .
Said on community forum that he wanted someone to do domestic chores .
Put sleeping pill in her drink, saying: 'Drink your coffee, it's getting cold'
Student woke up in bed 10 hours later with some of her clothing removed . |
07efbd055258a0a5a452875cddf81145b2805e8f | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 10:42 EST, 4 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:14 EST, 4 August 2013 . The mother of a convicted armed robber has been arrested for helping orchestrate her son's audacious daylight bolt from jail in Garland County, Arkansas. Glenda Estell, 54, was taken into custody on Friday for helping Derrick Estell, 34, escape from Garland County Detention Center where he was being held on armed robbery charges. Following the escape, officers listened to more than 40 phone conversations that had taken place between mother and son in the month leading up to Derrick Estell's break, including the call he was on moments before he made a run for it. Motherly love: Glenda Estell (left) stands accused of orchestrating son Derrick Estell's (right) jailbreak . Jailbreak: Glenda Estell is now being held in prison accused of helping her son escape... from prison . 'The phone conversations between Derrick and Glenda Estell all have random mentions of the plan for Derrick to escape custody, just at various intervals between normal conversations,' according to the police report. The elder Estell is accused of being part of a network of family and friends that helped orchestrate the getaway. Derrick Estell, who is still on the run, appeared to be having a regular phone conversation on the inmate phone at 1:40pm on Sunday July 28. 'It's all good': According to police, Estell's mother gave him the go-ahead to run over the phone . Brazen: As the two officers in charge are distracted, Estell dives through a sliding glass window . Distracted: As Estell lands in the waiting area of the facility, other people's backs are still turned and he goes unnoticed . Following: Moments after Estell leaves the frame, an officer dives through the window in pursuit of him . Bolting: Estell runs towards the getaway car driven by his girlfriend Tamara Upshaw. Neither has been seen since . On the other end of the phone was Glenda Estell, who told her son, 'It's all good,' according to the police report. CCTV shows him crouching on the floor speaking on the phone before he suddenly drops the phone and dives through a window into the prison waiting room and runs out the door. Close: Glenda Estell (left) with her son's girlfriend, Tamara Upshaw (right), who has been on the run with Derrick Estell since last Sunday . Wanted: Authorities seeking Derrick Estell say he is likely to be 'armed, dangerous and extremely aggressive' Bonnie and Clyde: Derrick Estell and his girlfriend Tamara Upshaw are now on the run after she helped him escape from prison last week . More footage shows him running across the road towards a getaway car that was allegedly driven by Tamara Upshaw, Derrick Estell's girlfriend. Another close acquaintance accused of involvement in the plot is Upshaw's stepfather, William Harding, 58. He is charged with creating a diversion by trying to deposit money in the account of an inmate who didn't exist at the jail while Estell bolted. It's not the first time Derrick Estell, whose rap sheet includes aggravated robbery, burglary, theft, and breaking and entering, has broken out of prison. In March, the felon escaped from a different jail, but was recaptured hours later. | Glenda Estell, 54, has been arrested for helping her son escape prison .
Derrick Estell, 34, was being held on armed robbery charges when he escaped last Sunday .
Police say Glenda Estell orchestrated the escape with other family members and friends . |
07eff063109dd5e0c1d3dd175eb05f1c746b8c91 | (CNN) -- An alleged terrorist leader suspected of plotting the bombing of a Philippine superferry more than four years ago, killing at least 116 people, has arrived in Manila after his arrest in Bahrain, a Philippine justice official said Saturday. Authorities suspect Ruben Pestano Lavilla Jr. was behind the 2004 superferry bombing. Authorities in Bahrain arrested Ruben Pestano Lavilla Jr. last month, said Ricardo Blancaflor, undersecretary at the Department of Justice. Lavilla was deported Saturday to Manila, where police arrested him and briefly paraded him in front of local media crews before locking him inside police headquarters, Blancaflor said. Lavilla is one of the top ideologues in the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a group of former Christians who converted to Islam and claim affiliation with the al Qaeda-linked regional terrorist groups Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf, Blancaflor said. Blancaflor said authorities suspect Lavilla helped plot the bombing of a superferry near Manila on February 27, 2004, in which at least 116 people died. They believe Lavilla also helped plan the bombing of a bus behind the Intercontinental Hotel in Manila on February 14, 2005, an attack that killed at least four people and came to be known as the Valentine's Day Bombing. The bus bombing was part of a trio of attacks that happened that day. The two other blasts, both fatal, happened in the southern cities of General Santos and Davao. Blancaflor said he suspects Lavilla was also involved in the planning of several bomb attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Manila, all of which were thwarted by Philippine police. In describing Lavilla's arrest in Bahrain, Blancaflor said only that police there arrested him as they were enforcing U.N. Security Council resolution 1276, which imposed air travel and financial sanctions on the Taliban. Jemaah Islamiyah aims to create a Muslim "superstate" across much of Southeast Asia. Authorities blame the group for the Bali, Indonesia nightclub bombings of 2002, which killed more than 200 mostly Western tourists. The group is also suspected of subsequent attacks on the Australian Embassy and J.W. Marriott hotel, both in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. The Abu Sayyaf group is one of several Islamic militant groups fighting the government in and around the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. CNN's Rory Suchet contributed to this report. | Alleged terrorist leader accused of plotting superferry bombing held in Manila .
Ruben Pestano Lavilla Jr., arrested in Bahrain, arrived in Philippines Saturday .
Lavilla allegedly belongs to group claiming affiliation to al Qaeda-linked network .
Authorities believe Lavilla plotted 2004 superferry bombing in which 116 died . |
07f06da3d674827a185d15facb7ceb4473343fc3 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Don't get Jason Mraz talking about his avocado farm. You'll never get around to speaking about his music. Jason Mraz isn't just a singer and songwriter -- he's also a proud avocado farmer. When the San Diego singer-songwriter was in Los Angeles promoting his new album, "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things," he couldn't hide his excitement about his five-acre orchard. "I do sell my avocados," he told CNN. "I mean, they don't have a sticker on them that say that these are from the Mraz Farms, but I moved into an area that all of us are avocado farmers. My trees are 25-30 years old and, two or three times a year, [workers] come through and they pick 'em all. Believe me, our kitchen is just like decked out with them. We're constantly washing them, we're eating them and we're giving them to all our friends." Mraz says he makes a great guacamole. But he's even prouder of his "Chocomole" -- a healthy chocolate mousse made with avocados. Watch why Mraz is happy if you steal his music » . He says the creamy texture of the avocados will trick your tastebuds into thinking it's a traditional dessert. "You will freak when you try this chocolate mousse. There's no sugar in it, there's no soy products in it, there's no tofu. You're just eating a raw chocolate mousse," he said. All around the world, vegans are salivating. Here's the recipe -- straight from the secret recipe file in Jason's avocado-shaped noggin. Mraz's Chocomole Recipe: . Note: This will make a huge bowl big enough for a family of four. You'll want to share this with friends. Mash up 5 ripened avocados . Add 1 - 2 cups of chopped or blended dates . 1 soft cup of raw cacao . 1 easy cup of raw carob powder . 1 tbsp. vanilla . Add a few long pours of agave nectar to sweeten to liking . Then add half cups of cocoa and keep adding until chocolate taste is right. Careful not to overdo it -- if you add too much, it can get bitter. You will love. Enjoy, Jason . | Jason Mraz's new album: "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things"
Mraz also owns an avocado farm near San Diego, California .
Mraz has a recipe for a "chocomole," a mousse made with avocados . |
07f28e0d0cad209a69c4443622bea4a0680d58df | By . Lydia Warren . and Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 15:27 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:27 EST, 24 January 2014 . A newly-released 911 tape from the Florida movie theater shooting reveals that the alleged shooter sat and watched the victim die from a gunshot wound to the chest. A frantic call was made from the movie theater in Wesley Chapel, Florida at 1.29pm on January 13 after a shot rang out. A caller is heard on the tape telling the dispatcher 'there’s been a gunshot... it looks like it broke his sternum' with a 'shotgun or pistol'. He also frantically alerts the dispatcher to the fact that the shooter, 'an older gentleman', is still present. Scroll down for audio tape of the harrowing call . Suspected Florida movie theater shooter Curtis Reeves was led away in handcuffs wearing a white jumpsuit after police removed his clothing for evidence. A 911 call released today revealed he had watched as his alleged victim died from a gunshot wound . The dispatcher, from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, asks: 'Do you know who shot him?' The caller said: 'I don’t know…it looks like an older gentleman in the movie theater.' 'Is he still in there?', says the sheriff's office responder. 'Yes, he is,' comes the callers whispered response. Meanwhile married father-of-one Chad Oulson, 43, was lying on the floor of the movie theater with a gunshot wound to the chest. The 911 caller, who explains that he is a trained nurse, says: 'Looks like there’s blood going through his lungs, so we need someone here fast.' A woman then takes the phone asking: 'Where are they? The pulse is really slow…I can’t feel it anymore.' The dispatcher tries to calm the callers, telling them that help is on the way. At 10 minutes, 11 seconds after the call is placed, police arrive - but it is too late to save Mr Oulson. Devastated: The killing of Chad Oulson, center, has left 22-month-old Lexy, right, without a father and Nicole Oulson a widow . Florida Police Captain Curtis Reeves, Jr., suspected of fatally shooting Chad Oulson, 43, and wounding his wife, Nicole, 33, appears in court wearing a suicide-prevention gown . Curtis Reeves, 71, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of the married father. He is being held without bail at Land O' Lakes jail in Florida. Chad Oulson's widow Nicole . struggled to contain her emotions as she spoke on Thursday about the . day that her husband was shot dead. The couple had gone on a rare date to watch the movie Lone Survivor, leaving their 22-month-old daughter, Lexy, with a babysitter. As Mr Ouslon checked his phone for . any word on his daughter during the previews, another cinema-goer, . retired police officer and father-of-two Curtis Reeves who was sitting behind the couple with his wife, asked him to put it away. An . argument ensued - with some witnesses saying Mr Oulson threw popcorn - . and Reeves shot the father once in the chest. Mrs Oulson was shot . in her hand as she tried to protect her husband. She said that she wants his 'senseless' killer locked up for life. 'He brought an unfair life sentence to me to have to raise our daughter alone,' Nicole Oulson, 33, told Good Morning America in her first live interview. 'To . have to live without the love of my life, for my daughter to have to . grow up without her daddy by her side for graduation and marriage. 'It was so unnecessary. It was for no reason, so I want him behind bars and to be punished for his senseless act.' Heartbroken: Nicole Oulson spoke to Good Morning America on Thursday about the loss of her husband, Chad, who was shot dead in a movie theater last week. She said she wants his killer locked up forever . Lawyers representing the Oulson family . have confirmed that Lexy was unwell and that Chad was keeping a close . eye on his phone in case he and Nicole had to leave early and go to pick . her up. Mrs Oulson said her husband was 'absolutely not' threatening the shooter. 'I . never expected it,' she said. 'I never could have imagined it. There . were a couple of words, no threats, no harm, no nothing.' Her attorney, TJ Grimaldi, joined her . on Good Morning America and said that Reeves might try to use the . controversial 'stand your ground' law for his defense. 'There's just no way that this can stand up in this case,' he said. 'In my opinion it doesn't matter if it was . popcorn, Twizzlers, a hot cup of coffee - there is absolutely no reason . that it should have to escalate like this.' Torn apart: She said the killer left her without the love of her life, Chad, center, and Lexy without a daddy . Now Mrs Oulson said she is just trying to be there for her young daughter. 'She's luckily at a young age... she doesn't know what's going on,' she said. But she knows there are things her husband did she will never be able to replace, such as putting Lexy to bed. 'The . last thing he would say before tucking her in was, "You make me so happy," and she would say, "Me happy . too, Daddy". And those are the times I'll never be able to replace, and that's when it's hard.' Mr Oulson's colleagues at Sky Power Sports have set up a Facebook page to raise money for Nicole and Lexy. Visit the page here. Loss: Mrs Oulson looks at a photo of her husband Chad and their daughter Alexis, along with her husband's helmets and motocross gear, on display during a memorial service on January 18 . | A frantic call was made from the movie theater in Wesley Chapel, Florida at 1.29pm on January 13 .
Caller frantically alerts the dispatcher to the fact that the shooter, 'an older gentleman', is still in the theater while they give victim Chad Oulson CPR .
He tells dispatcher: 'Looks like there’s blood going through his lungs, so we need someone here fast'
Emergency services arrived in 10 minutes - too late to save Mr Oulson, 43, who leaves a wife Nicole and 22-month-old daughter Lexy . |
07f2a97dab5a31e368f3b46a47f27610e0e74372 | Two suspected U.S. drone strikes killed seven al Qaeda militants and eight civilians in the southern part of Yemen on Tuesday, three Yemeni security officials said. It was the latest of several U.S. strikes in Yemen, which is home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, described by U.S. officials as the al Qaeda affiliate that poses the most serious threat to the United States. At least seven civilians were injured in the Tuesday strikes, the officials said. Across Yemen, at least 49 people were killed, including 31 militants, according to a security official. The dead also included eight civilians, five troops and five pro-government local resistance fighters, according to the official. The United States has increased the pace of airstrikes in Yemen in the last few years. At least 24 of 31 such strikes conducted since 2002 have happened in the last two years, according to the Long War Journal, which analyzes how the U.S. conducts its fight against terrorism. According to the security officials, one of Tuesday's strikes targeted a militant hideout in Jaar district, a militant stronghold. Another strike targeted a home believed to be harboring militants in the same district. Three senior al Qaeda leaders were among those killed, the officials said. Jaar district residents said civilians were killed after they rushed to the site of the first strike. "Our lives are valueless in the eyes of our government, and that is why civilians are being killed without a crime," resident Ali Abu Abdullah said. One of the security officials expressed regret for the civilian casualties and injuries. "The targets of the raids were not the civilians, and we give our condolences to the families of those who lost a loved one," the official said. U.S. and Saudi authorities recently foiled an al Qaeda plot based in Yemen to bomb a U.S.-bound airplane. Elsewhere in Yemen, in Lowder district, at least 17 al Qaeda fighters were killed when tribesmen loyal to the government clashed with militants and took over three strategic locations in the district. Three security officers were killed in Lowder. At least 400 tribal fighters backed by hundreds of troops participated in the Lowder raids. Mohammed Aidaroos, a local leader, said the fighting erupted early Tuesday morning in Lowder, and government-supported fighters forced al Qaeda fighters to evacuate the area and leave behind huge caches of weapons. The tribal fighters took back control of Yasoof Mountain, which al Qaeda had controlled for more than a month. There was also a state of alert in the Yemeni capital. The Interior Ministry warned on Tuesday that al Qaeda is planning to conduct suicide operations in Sanaa. Tight security presence was noticeable near Western embassies and in the diplomatic zone of the capital. "The ministry has been given intelligence information warning of a possible attack in the heart of the Yemeni capital and we are on high alert," one Interior Ministry official told CNN on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Yemeni Information Minister Ali al-Amrani told CNN he was targeted Monday when a grenade was thrown near his home in Sanaa. The grenade landed about 100 meters from his home, al-Amrani said, and he was not injured. In January, Al-Amrani escaped an assassination attempt unharmed when at least 10 shots were fired in the direction of a vehicle he was entering. Witnesses said there were at least two gunmen. Al-Amrani's spokesman said following that attack in January that al-Amrani was being targeted in a hate campaign by pro-revolution groups. | Yemeni capital on high alert over warnings of possible attack, an official says .
Seven al Qaeda militants, eight civilians killed in Jaar district, Yemeni security officials say .
Clashes between al Qaeda fighters, tribesmen reported in Lowder district .
17 al Qaeda fighters, three security officers reported killed in Lowder district . |
07f2fd11849a0d47d64b2fc892b100bbc8a345d9 | (CNN) -- A killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando died Sunday while giving birth, the theme park said. The calf was stillborn. The father of the calf was Tilikum -- the killer whale involved in death of a trainer in February. SeaWorld canceled two shows on Sunday, but all shows were expected to resume Monday. "We are very saddened by this loss," said Chris Dold, vice president of veterinary services for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. "Although we understand that complications with pregnancy can occur here, just as they do in the wild, the loss of any animal affects all of us at SeaWorld." Taima, a 20-year-old killer whale, died from complications associated with the birthing process, SeaWorld said. Taima had successfully given birth to three calves previously. "Preliminary indications suggest that her death was caused by a condition in which the placenta is delivered before the fetus, as well as an unusual position of the fetus in the birthing canal," SeaWorld said. "She was not able to deliver the stillborn fetus naturally; SeaWorld's veterinarians attempted to assist, but her complications were too severe." SeaWorld has had 26 successful births of killer whale calves in captivity, according to Dold, who said the birthing success rate is about 50 percent in the wild and 85 percent in a "zoological situation." A necropsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death. | Killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando dies giving birth .
Calf is stillborn .
Father of calf was involved in death of a trainer in February . |
07f313a84eaa657e73dad1a1b61105ded67f6fd7 | By . Mike Dawes . Stuart Broad took a hat-trick in England's second Test against Sri Lanka - but he didn't even know it! The 27-year-old bowler began with the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara and then sent Dinesh Chandimal and tailender Shaminda Eranga packing with first two balls of the next over. Stunned: Stuart Broad discovers he has taken a hat-trick after dismissing Nuwan Pradeep . Ha-trick hero: Broad celebrates with captain Alastair Cook after learning of his trble . Agony and ecstacy: Kumar Sangakkara swings his bat in frustration after being sent packing by Broad . However, Broad, his team-mates and the crowd, were unaware of his treble due to the change of ends. 'I was listening to the guy that came on the tannoy there and I was thinking "why is he mentioning the last ball of the over before?", and it clicked that that might be a hat-trick' he told Sky sports. He became the 13th Englishman to take a hat-trick and only the fourth player to do so twice. Liam . Plunkett's five-wicket haul had put England in the driving seat as . Alastair Cook's side went on to dismiss Sri Lanka for 257 runs at . Headingley. Broad added: 'It was an excellent bowling performance all round, Liam's got the five wickets and Jimmy (Anderson, two for 49) tied an end up really well. 'There's always pressure when you win the toss and bowl, you sort of think it should be 200 all out, but we're pleased with 270 and to get off 15 overs early. 'We had an awkward hour or so there and I think that Sangakkara wicket was the big one.' Job done: Broad and his England team-mates leave the pitch after dismissing Sri Lanka for 257 . Billy Bates v Australia, at Melbourne, 1883. Johnny Briggs v Australia, at Sydney, 1892. George Lohmann v South Africa, at Port Elizabeth, 1896. Jack Hearne v Australia, at Headingley, 1899. Maurice Allom v New Zealand, at Christchurch, 1930. Tom Goddard v South Africa, at Johannesburg, 1938. Peter Loader v West Indies, at Headingley, 1957. Dominic Cork v West Indies, at Old Trafford, 1995. Darren Gough v Australia, at Sydney, 1999. Matthew Hoggard v West Indies, at Barbados, 2004. Ryan Sidebottom v New Zealand, at Hamilton, 2008. Stuart Broad v India, at Trent Bridge, 2011. Stuart Broad v Sri Lanka, at Headingley, 2014. | Broad became the first English bowler to take a Test treble .
Bowler was unaware he made history as haul was spread over two overs . |
07f388a7cc70c658e7b954984dfed448cfd80524 | By . Leon Watson . A football player accused of beating a former teammate into a coma left custody today as it emerged that he allegedly kicked the man in the head because he was enraged that a bouncer had kissed his girlfriend's hand. Rutgers University quarterback Philip . Robert Nelson, who once played at the University of Minnesota, was . charged with one count of first-degree assault and one count of . third-degree assault. He left custody on Tuesday with a towel over his head less than 48 hours after the alleged attack took place in Mankato, Minnesota. Isaac Kolstad, a 24-year-old married father, was 'sucker-punched' by an unknown attacker before Nelson allegedly kicked him in the head 'like a soccer ball' in the early hours of Sunday following a graduation celebration. Scroll down for video . Former Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson leaves the Blue Earth County jail with a towel on his head . Nelson posted $20,00 bail in his assault case stemming from a fight outside a bar that left another former football player in critical condition with head injuries, in Mankato, Minnesota . Authorities say Nelson kicked Isaac Dallas Kolstad, 24, in the head after another man punched and knocked him to the ground early Sunday as bars were closing in Mankato . Unfortunately for Nelson, the towel blew off his head as he left the Blue Earth County jail. He did not want to speak to reporters . According to a criminal complaint seen by NJ.com, 20-year-old Nelson was angry because a bouncer at a bar had hit on his girlfriend and he is extremely protective of the young woman. Nelson's girlfriend told police that as they left the bar, they saw Mr Kolstad outside. The bouncer and Mr Kolstad are different people. Nelson and Mr Kolstad got into a verbal dispute before Kolstad threw a punch that hit Nelson in the back, causing him to fall to the ground, according to a police officer who had seen surveillance tapes. Police had released surveillance video of events surrounding the altercation and they are asking for the public's help. Graduate student Steph Stassen, 25, told the Star Tribune that . a man in a black shirt came 'out of nowhere' and punched Mr Kolstad in . the head after he had left a bar in the early hours of Sunday. She said: 'He [Kolstad] was knocked out on his feet. He fell straight back and smoked his head on the pavement.' Attack: Isaac Kolstad, pictured with his wife Molly, was a former linebacker celebrating his graduation on Saturday night with friends before the alleged assault took place . Rutgers quarterback Philip Nelson allegedly assaulted a former teammate from the University of Minnesota on Saturday . Isaac Kolstad, 24, pictured on the football field last year. He is fighting for his life in hospital today after being attacked by two men on Saturday night . She added that the sound of Mr Kolstad hitting the concrete was so loud because he didn't catch himself. Kolstad, a former linebacker at Minnesota State-Mankato, had surgery to relieve swelling in his skull at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato. It . is yet unclear if he has suffered permanent brain damage. According to . the criminal complaint, a neurosurgeon said that he was unsure Mr Kolstad will survive the attack. He has bleeding of the brain, skull fracture, brain swelling, brain shifting, and deterioration of lungs from lack of oxygen, according to the criminal complaint. Kolstad's skull fracture was on the left side of his head where he was kicked. Nelson, with his hands and feet shackled, was arraigned earlier in the . day on first-degree and third-degree assault charges, NJ.com reported. A judge set . Nelson's bail at $20,000. He then left the . Blue Earth County jail less than 48-hours after the attack trying to . mask his identity, but failed when a gust of wind blew the towel up. Rutgers announced Tuesday that it has dismissed quarterback Philip Nelson from its football program. Mr Kolstad is married to Molly, a nurse, who is pregnant with their second child. The couple already have a three-year-old daughter. He graduated in December with a degree in business management and works in sales at Fastenal, an industrial distribution company. His father Blaine told WCCO that his son had been out with friends on Saturday night celebrating his graduation when he was attacked in a busy downtown area. Booked: Rutgers quarterback Philip Nelson pictured in his booking photo on Sunday. He has been charged with assault . He was found at an intersection around 2am on Sunday by police and taken to hospital in an ambulance. On a CaringBridge . fundraising page, the father wrote: 'He had one surgery today to put a . pressure gauge in his skull. He may need additional surgeries in the . coming days. We do know that his brain did sustain permanent damage.' Witnesses . said that Mr Kolstad, who was described by a friend as 'a quiet, young . man' who was not a big drinker, was with a group of football players in . the South Street Saloon in the downtown area just before closing time. Mr Kolstad was found by police half a block from the bar. The . family said in a statement: 'We are extremely grateful for the . outpouring of support we have received during this difficult time. Victim: Isaac Kolstad, seen here with his wife and daughter, was listed as being in critical condition after he was allegedly beaten by Philip Nelson . Attack: Isaac Kolstad, pictured with his wife Molly, was a former linebacker celebrating his graduation on Saturday night with friends before the alleged assault took place . 'Isaac . is a very strong and determined young man, who is dearly loved by his . family and friends. We would respectfully ask for your continued . prayers.' His . sister Rebekah also tweeted: 'Please everyone who reads this pray for . my big brother Isaac he is in critical condition and needs your prayers . to help him survive.' 'We are in the process of gathering information on the situation and reserve comment until the legal process is complete,' Rutgers Senior Associate Athletic Director Jason Baum said in a statement, NJ.com reports. A vigil was held on Sunday night for Kolstad. Police were looking for a second suspect and reviewing surveillance camera footage in the area. Nelson, 20, was taken to the Blue Earth County jail, according to a police statement. A message left with Nelson's parents Monday was not immediately returned. Vigil: Friends, teammates and community members hold a candle light vigil on Sunday for Kolstad . Hope: Minnesota State-Mankato head football coach Todd Hoffner lights a candle held by former team member Sam Thompson, who said a few words at a candle light vigil held for former Minnesota State-Mankato, linebacker Isaac Kolstad . Golden Gopher: Philip Nelson is seen in this November 2013 file photo looking to throw a pass when he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers . | Philip Nelson, 20, was charged with assault in Minnesota on Monday .
The alleged attack came after Nelson became angry at a different man, who was a bouncer at a bar, because he 'hit on his girlfriend'
Linebacker Isaac Kolstad is being treated at Mayo Clinic in Mankato but doctors are not optimistic that he will survive .
He suffered bleeding of the brain, skull fracture, brain swelling, brain shifting, and deterioration of lungs from lack of oxygen .
Rutgers announced Tuesday that it has dismissed quarterback Philip Nelson from its football program .
Unknown assailant allegedly 'came out of nowhere' and punched him .
Mr Kolstad was knocked unconscious, causing his head to hit the concrete .
Mr Kolstad has a pregnant wife Molly and a three-year-old daughter . |
07f3fbe0b1ea808eb223d4f24bc01336647f1545 | (CNN)Ahmed has joined Charlie in the social media tributes to victims of the Paris terrorist attack this week. The hashtag #JeSuisCharlie -- "I am Charlie" -- became an international rallying point for people expressing solidarity with the victims of the slaughter carried out by gunmen at the offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday. But another hashtag, #JeSuisAhmed, has become a poignant way of honoring Ahmed Merabet, a 40-year-old police officer who was killed by the terrorists. During the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo offices, the gunmen claimed that they were avenging the Prophet Mohammed by attacking a magazine that had repeatedly lampooned Islam and other religions. But by killing Merabet, they took the life of a man who was reported to be a Muslim. Like the parents of the two main suspects in the attack, Merabet's mother and father are believed to have moved to Paris from North Africa. 'I died defending his right' "I am not Charlie, I am Ahmed the dead cop. Charlie ridiculed my faith and culture and I died defending his right to do so," wrote the Twitter user Dyab Abou Jahjah. By Friday morning Paris time, his tweet, using the #JeSuisAhmed hashtag, had been retweeted more than 17,000 times. Many more tributes to Merabet poured in on the hashtag. Alongside it, some people tweeted a quote attributed to the French philosopher Voltaire: "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Others simply said thank you to the fallen officer. 'It was his job, it was his duty' Even before Merabet's name and background became public, many people knew how he died because of a widely circulated video from Wednesday's attack. He was on patrol near the Charlie Hebdo offices when the attackers burst out. "He was on foot, and came nose to nose with the terrorists. He pulled out his weapon. It was his job, it was his duty," Rocco Contento, a police union representative, told the Guardian. The video from the scene shows Merabet twisting in pain on the ground after already being shot once. As the gunmen move toward him, he raises his hands, indicating surrender. French media reported that one of the gunmen asked the wounded officer, "Do you want to kill us?" Merabet is heard in the video crying out, "No! It's OK, boss." That's when one of the gunmen shoots him at point blank range in the head. Likable, always smiling, colleague says . Contento described Merabet as a quiet, conscientious man -- likable and always smiling. A photo shows him grinning into the camera. He had a girlfriend, according to Contento. Merabet had reportedly been a police officer for eight years, assigned to the 11th arrondissement, where the attack took place. He was working as a bicycle cop, but French newspaper Le Figaro reported that he'd recently qualified to become a detective. Other slain officer was protecting editor . Merabet wasn't the only police officer killed in the attack. The other was Franck Brinsolaro, who had been assigned to protect Stephane "Charb" Charbonnier, the editor of Charlie Hebdo, for the past several years, according to Le Figaro. Brinsolaro, 48, was killed inside the magazine's offices with Charbonnier and other cartoonists. Le Figaro reported that the police officer had just got married to a woman with whom he had a 1-year-old daughter. "The whole of France needs to take action," said Brinsolaro's twin brother, Philippe, according to the newspaper. "You can't attack freedom of expression and the authority of the state like that." On social media, Franck Brinsolaro, like Ahmed and the staff of Charlie, was also being remembered -- through the hashtag #JeSuisFranck. CNN's Randi Kaye contributed to this report. | Ahmed Merabet is reportedly a Muslim whose parents came from North Africa .
The Charlie Hebdo attackers shot him in the head as he lay wounded in the street . |
07f47d35563a43cb0c0968855986fa02d10902d4 | A 56-year-old Long Island man caught driving in a carpool lane alone with a fake passenger told police he has been using dummy for at least a month so he could get to his new job on time. Furthermore James Campbell, who was pulled over Friday on the Long Island Expressway at Dix Hills at 6.30am, said he intends to use the wooden creation again - and did on his way home later that day. Suffolk County Highway Patrol officer Jonathan Abrams noticed the fake, and when he approached Campbell's car he said that he needed to see the passenger's identification. 'I saved my chuckling for after I walked away from their car, and they’re not going to believe this one back at the office,' the officer told CBS New York. Scroll down for video . Sorry not sorry: James Campbell, 56, was caught in the HOV lane of the Long Island Expressway using this wooden dummy (right) as his second passenger, and says he's not afraid to do it again . Solid: The prop was made by the driver out of wooden panels, dressed up in a grey hoodie . Defiant: Campbell, who drives a two-seat pickup truck, said he created the dummy to get to his new job on time, and intends to keep using it for that very reason . Abrahams added: 'He didn’t want to be late to work, so he had assembled this thing and kept it in his car so he could use the HOV lane to get to work faster.' Campbell was issued summonses for speeding and occupancy violation. However police did not confiscate the dummy. And, speaking with media Friday night, defiantly said he has not been deterred from using it. 'I used it on the way home!' he laughed to CBS. 'I’ve been using it for months. I think it's fun. I'll change the outfits (for next time).' Having a laugh: Despite being issued summonses for speeding and occupancy violation, Campbell said he is not afraid to pull a similar move - and did on his way home on Friday . Could be better: Police said they noticed straight away the dummy was not an actual person . Officer Abrahams recalled Campbell's behavior different. 'He was definitely ashamed,' Abrahams said. Abraham's reitered what Campbell was caught doing is illegal, and patrol will remain on the lookout for him after the comments. Using dummies in HOV - high-occupency vehicle - lanes has been a problem for police all over the country for years, as dressing up dummies in order to drive in the less-populated corridors became popular. | James Campbell, 56, pulled over 6.30am Friday on Long Island Expressway .
Police noticed his 'second passenger' for HOV was fake .
Issued with summonses for speeding and occupancy violation .
Officers did not confiscate the dummy .
Campbell said he used it for his trip home and will again . |
07f4998992545f0c9e586e7b6faaccfe13ce9051 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . and Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . and Ian Drury . and Jack Doyle . UKIP were accused of scaremongering by a Home Office minister yesterday after the number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in Britain fell slightly. Those in jobs from the two countries dropped by 4,000 in the three months after employment restrictions were lifted on January 1 compared to the three months before. But despite the surprise dip the total number working here was up by 29,000 – nearly 26 per cent – in the first quarter of this year compared to the equivalent period in 2013. There were 140,000 Romanians and Bulgarians working in Britain in January-March, down from 144,000 at the end of 2013 . The . Office for National Statistics said there were 140,000 people from the . two eastern European countries in jobs in the UK between January and . March this year. Ukip's Nigel Farage was roundly attacked today for stoking fears that Britain would be swamped by Romanians and Bulgarians. Figures showed that the number of migrants arriving in the UK from the two countries actually fell in the first three months of the year . That was . down from 144,000 in the three months to December, before Romanians and . Bulgarians gained the same rights to work in Britain as other EU . citizens. The figures do not include dependent family members of immigrant workers or the unemployed. Before . employment restrictions were lifted ministers repeatedly refused to . estimate how many Romanians and Bulgarians would arrive in the UK, . leading Ukip to raise concerns that a ‘massive influx’ would place extra . demands on public services and depress wages. Amid . growing worries the Government introduced measures to prevent EU . migrants from claiming unemployment benefits for their first three . months here, while those found begging or sleeping rough could be . deported. Yesterday, after . the figures were published, Tory Police Minister Damian Green hit out at . the rhetoric from Nigel Farage’s party. He said: ‘They started . scaremongering in the run-up to January 1. They have been proved wrong . and they have decided to carry on scaremongering.’ Tory . minister Anna Soubry said: ‘These figures just show that Ukip preys on . people’s fears, it preys on prejudices in many people. And they make . these wild, actually rather offensive claims, and hey, what happens? It . was all a load of nonsense.’ Employment minister Esther McVey said the predicted influx had not happened . Lib . Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable added: ‘This idea of waiting for . tens of thousands of people pouring off the planes from the Balkans was . just a scare story.’ Labour . MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, . said: ‘Those, including Ukip, who promised the end of the world on . January 1, now owe the public and those from Romania and Bulgaria a full . apology.’ But critics . pointed out that the number of workers from Romania and Bulgaria had . increased by 43,000 – or 44 per cent – since the first three months of . 2012. They also suggested that the December peak meant many arrived in the UK in time for the lifting of employment restrictions. Sir . Andrew Green, chairman of MigrationWatch, said: ‘The latest annual . figures show an increase of 29,000, in a period when restrictions were . in place for nine months. We believe they are consistent with our . estimate of a 50,000 population increase from Romania and Bulgaria for . each of the next five years.’ Dr . Carlos Vargas-Silva, senior researcher at the Migration Observatory at . the University of Oxford, said: ‘Until we have complete data for 2014 it . is impossible to achieve any definite conclusions about the impact of . the end of restrictions.’ Ukip . head of policy Tim Aker said: ‘We never said it would just be about . Romania and Bulgaria. We are looking at the massive influx from the EU.’ The number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK is up by almost 26 per cent year-on-year, compared to 1.8 per cent for people born in the UK. There are a record 30.430million people in work, up by 283,000 on the end of last year . Unemployment has fallen by more than 300,000 over the past year, giving jobless rates of 7 per cent for men and 6.4 per cent for women. The number of people in a job rose 283,000 in the last three months - the largest quarterly increase in 43 years. The number of unemployed young people has been falling for the last eight months. Employment minister Esther McVey said: 'As the recovery takes hold, more people are able to get a job or set up their own business and become the employers of tomorrow. 'Each and every person who has made a new start or hired someone new is helping to make Britain a more prosperous and confident place to be. 'We will continue to support those in and out of work who want to get on and fulfil their ambitions for a more secure future.' The number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance last month fell by 25,100 to 1.12 million. Danny . Alexander, Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Tresury, said: ‘This further . big rise in employment shows again that our jobs rich recovery is . becoming firmly established. 'It follows strengthening economic growth figures and positive news on inflation. The . very modest numbers of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to work in . Britain this year is in stark contrast to the inflammatory rhetoric of . earlier this year. 'Overall . today's figures are good news for the people of Britain, and bad news . for those who would threaten our recovery by turning the clock back.' Mr Cameron yesterday insisted his promise to get immigration below 100,000 a year is still 'achievable'. But Mr Cameron insisted: 'The target remains. I think it is absolutely achievable'. Appearing before the House of Commons Liaison Committee, he declined to discuss the figures for Romanians and Bulgarians before their publication, but said that his administration had brought net migration down by one-fifth since coming to office. He also wants to stop millions of pounds being sent abroad each year in child benefit for children who live elsewhere in the EU. There are around 24,000 families claiming for 40,000 children, with two-thirds of the children based in Poland. Total pay is up by 1.7 per cent, while the CPI rate of inflation is at 1.6 per cent . Mr Cameron said he had not made 'anybody who thinks that is sensible' but admitted that under existing EU rules 'it seems impossible to change that'. He told BBC One's Marr Show: 'We are very clear about what we want to achieve. Let's end benefit tourism, let's make sure the single market is properly safeguarded. 'Let's make sure that Parliaments can get together and block unwelcome proposals from the European Commission. 'Let's make a series of changes to make Europe more flexible, more competitive. Those are the sorts of things I want to see.' | Anna Soubry says Ukip made 'wild, rather offensive' migrant predictions .
But admits Cameron unlikely to honour pledge to slash net migration .
There were 140,000 Romanians and Bulgarians in work in January-March .
Down from 144,000 at the end of 2013, but up 28,000 year-on-year .
More than 30.4 million people are now in work, a new record high .
More than 280,000 find work in three months, biggest increase ever . |
07f4fb18ad19b2ebff94b971fede316bbccc2864 | By . Harriet Arkell . A cat's grey and white fur was dyed pink after it got covered by dye when it walked through an industrial estate. Casper the cat was left looking just like Bagpuss when he came home after his run-in with the dye at an estate near his owner's home in Eastwood, Essex. His owner, Jayne Richardson, 40, said her pet looked just like the 1970s children's TV star when he came home shamefaced, and covered in dye, on Saturday. Snap! Casper the cat looked like 1970s children's TV favourite, Bagpuss, right, after his run-in with red dye . Covered: Casper's owner managed to catch him before he trailed red ink through their home in Eastwood, Essex . Jayne Richardson washed Casper in her bath but then had to take him to the vet for a more professional clean . She followed a trail of red dye on bushes which led her to puddles of the 'gloopy liquid' on the nearby Progress Road industrial estate. A scrub in the bath only removed some of the dye, so Casper was taken to the vet for a £50 power wash. But a pink tinge still remains, leaving her pet, whom Mrs Richardson describes as 'a bit dumb', looking more like Bagpuss than ever. Mrs Richardson, a shop assistant, said: 'He's an amazing sight - he looks just like Bagpuss. 'We were very upset about what happened - he ingested the ink, too, and it made his poo go read. 'We're very lucky that our house wasn't ruined - my husband managed to contain Casper before he got the ink all over our carpets and furnishings. 'I'm very worried about him in case he's been poisoned, but he's okay at the moment.' She added: 'I don't believe in keeping animals indoors but I can't let him out now. It's all very traumatic.' Mrs Richardson's cat is still pink despite being professionally cleaned; a trail of dye shows where he'd been . Beloved cat: Bagpuss starred in the children's TV show of the same name, which also featured squeaky mice . Mrs Richardson says fly tipping is to blame, and says other cats and foxes have been seen locally with the ink on them. Kitchen designer Lisa Goldsmith, 45, came home to find her black-furred cat, Pepsi, covered in a bright red liquid. Pepsi spread the colour throughout her house and onto their eight month-old kitten Daisy. Residents claim business owner Mohammed Hussain, who has a food factory on the industrial estate, is to blame for the liquid, but he denies he is at fault. Mr Hussain said: 'There were building materials in our yard while we had work going on, but all that has gone now. 'Health and hygiene is a big priority for us as we are a food distribution business.' A Southend Council spokesman said they always investigated reports of environmental hazards. The children's TV show Bagpuss was created by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate in 1974 but remains one of Britain's best loved programme to this day. Only 13 episodes were ever made, which were broadcast from February 1974 to May that year, but they were repeated on television for the next 13 years. In 1999, Bagpuss topped a BBC poll for the UK's favourite children's TV programme. Each episode always started with Bagpuss asleep among lost toys displayed in a shop window owned by Emily, played by Firmin's daughter. Only 13 episodes were ever made of the show, voted the children's favourite TV show ever in 1999 . When Emily left the shop, Bagpuss - an 'old, saggy cloth cat, baggy, and a bit loose at the seams' - woke up and would tell a story centered on one of the broken items in the shop window. Various toys in the shop came to life, including Gabriel the toad, a rag doll called Madeleine and mice on the side of the 'mouse organ' (a small mechanical pipe organ that played rolls of music). The toys discussed what the new object was and then the mice, singing in high-pitched squeaky harmony to the tune of Sumer Is Icumen In, mended the broken object. The newly mended thing was then be put in the shop window, so that whoever had lost it would see it as they went past, and could come in and claim it. Then Bagpuss would start yawning again, and the show would end as he fell asleep. Beloved cat: Bagpuss starred in the children's TV show of the same name, which also featured squeaky mice . Bagpuss has now retired to the Rupert Bear Museum in Canterbury, part of the Museum of Canterbury, together with other characters from the show and Emily's shop window. Most of the stories and songs used in the series are based on folk songs and fairy tales from around the world. In 1987 the University of Kent at Canterbury awarded honorary degrees to Postgate and Firmin. In his speech, Postgate stated that the degree was really intended for Bagpuss, who was subsequently displayed in academic dress. In 1999 the series came first in a BBC poll selecting the nation's favourite children's show. It also came fourth in the 2001 Channel 4 poll The 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows. | Casper the cat was dyed pink like Bagpuss after accident with red ink .
Even after a £50 power wash at the vet, he was still a pretty shade of pink .
His owner, Jayne Richardson, 40, followed trail of dye to industrial estate .
The shop assistant from Essex says her cat's excrement also turned red .
Other cats and foxes have been spotted locally, also dyed red or pink .
Owner of food business on nearby industrial estate says he is not to blame . |
07f94bc6d8021c6888c323fffb72ed3cbdd8e1ef | West Bromwich Albion chairman Jeremy Peace is considering his options on head coach Alan Irvine, but the club is not expected to make an announcement on Monday. Irvine came in for fierce criticism from Albion fans at the end of the 2-0 loss to Stoke City and could pay with his job following a run of seven defeats in nine matches. The Scot is still scheduled to face the media on Tuesday afternoon, however, in a press conference ahead of the New Year’s Day clash with West Ham. Alan Irvine is facing increasing speculation that his job is under threat as manager of West Brom . Joleon Lescott (centre) says that Irvine has always had the backing of the West Brom players . Defender Lescott looks dejected after West Brom concededed the second goal to Stoke on Sunday . Peace has acted decisively in the past when results have been in decline and is understood to be concerned at the club’s slide down the table to one point above the relegation places. There has been a desire, though, to make what was a bold decision last summer work if possible. Irvine, while under huge pressure, still retains support from players for his training methods and works fastidiously within West Brom’s structure as head coach. But a vocal number of supporters have never been in favour of an individual who was sacked from Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday in his two previous managerial roles – and that could ultimately tip the balance. Travelling fans chanted ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ and ‘Sacked in the morning’ at Irvine during the defeat at the Britannia. Peace will mull over whether there is a candidate available who would meet the club’s standards. Tim Sherwood, who came close to the job last summer, is likely to emerge once again. Irvine's team have been on a bad run and they were beaten 2-0 by Stoke in the Premier League on Sunday . West Brom are not in talks with Liverpool about selling in-form striker Saido Berahino . Irvine retains the support of his players and defender Joleon Lescott insisted he has their full backing despite their desperate run. 'Yes, of course, and that has never, ever been in question,' said Lescott, who worked with Irvine at Everton. 'It's wrong that he is under pressure because it is the players out there who have put in performances like that and are not getting results. 'They (the West Brom fans) are entitled to their opinion. Some of it is harsh, but they paid their money and travelled up to Stoke, so they are entitled to their opinion. 'But hopefully they understand we are trying, and we are behind the manager and want to win games.' | West Brom's miserable run continued with a 2-0 loss at Stoke on Sunday .
Alan Irvine accepted afterwards that scrutiny surrounding his role will grow .
Chairman Jeremy Peace is considering his options .
Defender Joleon Lescott backs Irvine and understands fans' discontent .
Alan Irvine: I can turn things around at West Brom... we're in this together . |
07f9cfad434664c9de16f46e1a63fc7fb55a0355 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 05:41 EST, 11 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:43 EST, 11 May 2013 . A woman who woke from a coma to learn she was four months pregnant has told of her joy after giving birth to a 'perfect' baby boy. Doctors discovered car crash victim Gemma Holmes, 26, was four weeks pregnant when she was rushed to hospital after colliding with a parked car while driving a scooter last September. Ms Holmes - who has been confined to a wheelchair since the accident because her pregnancy prevented her from undergoing vital surgery - was given the shock news when she awoke from a coma around three months later. 'My little miracle': Car crash victim Gemma Holmes was confined to a wheelchair after doctors discovered she was pregnant - preventing them from operating on her injuries . Five months on, Ms Holmes, from Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire, has given birth to baby son Ruben. 'I couldn’t stop crying when they first . showed him to me, because he is my little miracle baby,' she said. 'I was just so . happy to see him after everything we’ve been through.' Not only did Ms Holmes have no idea she was expecting when she awoke from the coma, the amnesia she suffered as a result of the crash meant the three years leading up to it were wiped from her memory - including any recollection of baby Ruben's father Luke Dicks. To add to her ordeal, the new mother has been in a wheelchair since the accident because doctors refrained from performing vital surgery to her back upon learning she was pregnant. But now Ruben has arrived doctors have told the 26-year-old she will learn to walk again, with her operation set to take place in six months time. Baby steps: The brave 26-year-old, seen cuddling baby Ruben, will be able to learn to walk again following her surgery in six months time . 'The doctors have said they will operate on my back after Ruben is six months old, because I’m breast feeding and they want to give me time to bond,' Ms Holmes said.'The doctors will have to break my back again and put metal plates in. I will then have up to two more years in the wheelchair before they think I may be able to walk and run with my baby.' Ms Holmes suffered severe head and neck injuries in the horror smash in September last year and was airlifted to hospital in a coma. She initially woke in October before being placed back into an induced coma until December. Ruben . was born on Thursday at the Royal United Hospital in Bath and is being . looked after by his mother and his grandmother, Julie Brown.Ms . Holmes, who split from Mr Dicks, 31, two weeks before her accident, . said: 'The nurses at the hospital were all absolutely brilliant, which . helped put me at ease.'My . mum has been amazing and helps me out a lot, but I can feed him and I . also changed his nappy for the first time the other day.' Horror smash: Gemma, seen with her mother Julie Brown and baby Ruben, awoke from a coma to learn she was four months pregnant . Her mother added: 'Gemma is so happy and so excited about the baby. It’s amazing he is here after everything that has happened. 'We had some scares during the pregnancy but he is beautiful.' While Ms Holmes says she won't be getting back together with Ruben's father, Mr Dicks has been visiting both mother and baby. 'When I woke up and I was told I was pregnant I remember thinking, “What? how did that happen?” she said'I have been told recently that I said some time before the crash I didn’t want kids before I was 30.'I was just in shock. Ruben’s dad was not around while I was in hospital but now he has said he wants to see him everyday,' she said. 'It is just great for my son. There is no chance we will get back together but I am glad he will be part of Ruben’s life.'Ruben is just gorgeous, he is perfect. He is so good we have to wake him up for feeds.'Ms Holmes' mother Julie, a grandmother-of-six said: 'I was told Gemma was pregnant a week after the accident. It is all a blur that time.'I didn’t tell anyone for a month because they didn’t think she would make it through.'It was such a shock for her when the hospital staff told her she was pregnant – she had lost three years of memory. It has just been very emotional.' | Gemma Holmes, 26, was left in a coma after horror crash in September .
Gave birth to 'little miracle' Ruben this week .
Ms Holmes has been confined to wheelchair since the accident .
Surgeons can fix her back now that she has given birth . |
07fcb833939546928ffa81daf5917b455be9254e | An army veteran who served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia for almost 10 years and became homeless claims he was told he is not on a council's 'priority list' because 'he doesn't have a drink or drug problem'. Matthew Dennis, 39, has already been forced to sleep rough once and is now concerned he could end up having to sleep on the streets again. The former Lance Corporal claims he was told by Bournemouth District Council that as he does not have a drink or drug problem he is not on their 'priority list' for accommodation so has been left homeless. In failing to find him a home the authority also is not following the armed forces covenant, which was introduced by the Ministry of Defence, to ensure service personnel are not disadvantaged by being in the army. Scroll down for video . Army veteran Matthew Dennis has been left homeless after he claims Bournemouth District Council said he was not on a priority list for housing in the area because he does not have a drink or drugs problem . Under the covenant authorities are required to give priority to help former service personnel find housing. Bournemouth District Council claimed this did not apply after veterans had been out of the army for five years - but the Ministry of Defence said there is no time limit on the covenant. Mr Dennis said: 'I do feel let down.' 'I went to the council for help. They said since I don't have any problems with drugs or alcohol, I am not a priority.' Mr Dennis was evicted from his rented flat last week after losing his job as a kitchen fitter which he worked as since leaving the armed forces in 2000. He lost his job after the company went into liquidation. He is currently being put up in a bed and breakfast, at a cost of £95 a week - which is being paid for by Homes4Heroes. David Wood, a co-ordinator for the charity said: 'Matthew spent a few days sleeping rough before coming to us. He doesn't know the benefits system. He has worked all his adult life and has served his country for nine years and this is the first time he has needed help. 'At first a guy in the housing office said there was a place available but he had to go and check with his supervisor. When he came back 10 minutes later he was told he was not a priority case as he was not vulnerable. 'There was no more assistance offered. I was disgusted. David Wood (left) from Homes4Heroes said Bournemouth District Council should help the ex-serviceman . 'The Armed Forces Covenant outlines a duty of care our society owes our armed services, who have represented the country. 'Part of that duty is to ensure they are a priority for housing when they are vulnerable, as they are when they are on the streets exposed to the elements and attacks by others.' Mr Wood said the charity only has limited resources to pay to help ex-servicemen and women with housing. He said he believes Bournemouth District Council should be following the Armed Forces Covenant to help the 39-year-old. Mr Dennis claims he was told he was not a priority for housing by Bournemouth District Council . Bournemouth council claimed Mr Dennis was provided with advice and offered the option of applying for supported housing and refused, although he denies this, saying little useful information was provided. Kelly Ansell, the council's senior strategic housing manager, said the homeless were assessed on a case-by-case basis. She said: 'When specifically dealing with former HM Forces personnel our decisions take account of the military covenant and homelessness legislation which was applied in this case. 'Mr Dennis has the right to request a review of the decision made and we would be happy to re-visit the discussion on his housing options with him.' A spokesman for the council said the officer has considered vulnerability according to the homelessness legislation, and specifically considered whether the applicant is a ‘Vulnerable former members of the armed forces’. They said he would not have been told he was not considered a priority because of a drink or drug problem. | Matthew Dennis served in army for nine years becoming Lance Corporal .
But he lost his job after his company in Dorset went into liquidation .
Was evicted from flat in Bournemouth in Dorset and slept rough for 2 days .
Mr Dennis asked the council for help but claims he was refused support .
He was told 'because he doesn't have drink or drug problem not a priority'
Ex-serviceman is being temporarily housed by military charity .
Under MOD covenant ex-servicemen and women should be given support .
Council said it offered advice about supported housing, Mr Dennis denies . |
07fec4ffdcb7e5901c9d1ab0467c76741ffa5fe2 | Researchers found those with a spiritual understanding of life were more likely to suffer from mental illness . Being spiritual may give life deeper meaning, but it can also make you more susceptible to mental illness, new research suggests. A study found that people professing to be spiritual, but not conventionally religious, were more likely to suffer from a host of mental challenges. They suffered problems including abnormal eating conditions, drug abuse, anxiety disorder, phobias and neurosis. They were also more likely than others to be taking medication for mental health problems. Professor . Michael King, from University College London, and his fellow . researchers wrote in the British Journal of Psychiatry: 'Our main . finding is that people who had a spiritual understanding of life had . worse mental health than those with an understanding that was neither . religious nor spiritual.' The . study was based on a survey of 7,403 randomly selected men and women in . England who were questioned about their spiritual and religious . beliefs, and mental state. Of the participants, 35 per cent . described themselves as 'religious', meaning they attended a church, . mosque, synagogue or temple. The vast majority of this group were . Christian. A further 19 per cent claimed to have spiritual beliefs or experiences without following a specific religion, while 46 per cent were neither religious nor spiritual. More than nine out of 10 were white British, with an average age of 46. Of the different groups, spiritual people were 50 per cent more likely to have a generalised anxiety disorder and 72 per cent more likely to suffer from a phobia. Spirituality was also associated with a 40 per cent greater likelihood of receiving treatment with psychotropic drugs . They also had a 77 per cent higher chance of being dependent on drugs and were 37 per cent more at risk of neurotic disorder. Spirituality was also associated with a 40 per cent greater likelihood of receiving treatment with psychotropic drugs. Individuals of religious faith and those with none experienced equal levels of mental problems, the study found. But there were fewer problems with drugs or alcohol among the faithful. Unlike some American studies, the new research found no clear relationship between religious belief and happiness. One recent large internet study in the US reported that non-religious people with spiritual beliefs were emotionally less stable than other groups. However, they made up only 2 per cent of the study sample. The researchers wrote: 'We conclude that there is increasing evidence that people who profess spiritual beliefs in the absence of a religious framework are more vulnerable to mental disorder. 'The nature of this association needs greater examination in qualitative and in prospective quantitative research.' | Researchers at University College London say spiritual believers are more likely to suffer problems such as eating conditions or an anxiety disorder . |
07fed885cfb82a096a7f0eb5cbe16800d608cfa7 | By . James Rush . Spanish police have arrested a man for allegedly throwing a banana at Barcelona defender Dani Alves during a football match at the weekend. The arrest comes as it was revealed the anti-racism campaign which followed Alves picking the banana up and eating it had been planned by footballers before the racist abuse even took place. So common is racial abuse for black footballers in Spain, players had agreed one of them would pick up and eat the next banana thrown at them during a match. Brazilian international Alves just happened to be the first victim - and ate the banana during the match at Villarreal on Sunday. His actions were backed by footballers . and celebrities across the world as support flooded in from fellow . professionals posting pictures of themselves with bananas on to the . internet. Scroll down for video . A 26-year-old man has been arrested after a banana was thrown at Barcelona defender Dani Alves . The banana was thrown during a football match at Villarreal on Sunday . The Brazilian international made headlines after he picked up the banana and ate it . Police confirmed 26-year-old David Campayo Lleo was arrested, with Spanish media reporting he had been fired from his role on the coaching staff of one of the club's youth teams. Villarreal would not confirm nor deny the reports about Campayo Lleo's role with the club when questioned about their authenticity by The Associated Press. Villarreal has banned Campayo Lleo from the team's El Madrigal Stadium for life. Campayo Lleo faces up to three years in prison if found guilty of charges related to racist provocation. The news comes as Spanish newspaper AS reported the anti-racism campaign had been planned after Alves and teammate Neymar had been abused at Espanyol in March. According to the report, the pair contacted marketing firm Loducca following the earlier incident. The anti-racism campaign which followed Alves (left) picking the banana up and eating it had been planned by the footballer and his teammate Neymar (right) after they were racially abused in March, according to reports . Guga Ketzer, partner at the marketing company, told AS: 'The idea was for Neymar to eat the banana, but in the end it was Alves, and that works just the same. 'The best way to beat prejudice is to take the sting out of the racist action so it isn’t repeated. 'We created #somostodosmacacos and #weareallmonkeys, with the gesture of eating a banana, and it has been turned into a movement.' Alves meanwhile has hit out at Spain . for being 'very backward' in its approach towards racism and believes . the fan who hurled a banana on the pitch should be publicly shamed. 'If I could, I would put a photo of the fan on the internet so that he would be shamed,' Alves told Brazil's Radio Globo. Sergio Aguero and Marta show their support for Alves by eating bananas . Italian premier Matteo Renzi, left, and Italian national football team coach Cesare Prandelli share a banana in solidarity with Alves . 'There is racism against foreigners. They sell the country as being first world but in certain things they are very backward.' Alves admitted he did not expect his actions to receive so much attention. 'I have been surprised by everyone's support. I did it without thinking. The world has evolved and we must evolve with it.' FIFA president Sepp Blatter was among those who backed the player and tweeted that racism cannot be tolerated. Alves said that the world governing body should be more proactive. 'FIFA must concentrate on things more important than La Masia. They need to give their attention to more serious things,' he said, referring to the recent verdict that Barcelona were guilty of breaching regulations over the transfer of underage players. | Banana was thrown at Barcelona's Dani Alves during match at Villarreal .
Brazilian international made headlines after he picked banana up and ate it .
A 26-year-old man is now facing three years in jail after he was arrested . |
07fee7a53172060675d0de9ea09c54ed81bb781b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 7:30 PM on 27th October 2011 . Brigadier General Tadeusz Sawicz, who has died at the age of 97, is believed to have been the last surviving Polish pilot from the Battle of Britain . A World War Two airman, believed to be the last surviving Polish pilot from the Battle of Britain, has died at the age of 97. Brigadier General Tadeusz Sawicz, credited with shooting down three German aircraft and much decorated for his valour, died on October 19 at a nursing home in Toronto, Canada. He is believed to be the last surviving pilot from the Polish Air Forces in Britain during World War Two. He fought in the 1940 Battle of Britain and served with the RAF until early 1947. A spokesman for the RAF paid tribute, saying: 'There . is widespread admiration for the major contribution that the Polish . aircrew made to the Allied victory in World War Two and their commitment . in the face of significant losses, especially those who so bravely . fought in the Battle of Britain. 'Their vital contributions will be long . remembered.' Historian . Adam Zamoyski — author of 'The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in . the Second World War' — told reporters that if Sawicz were the last . surviving Polish pilot from the 1940 battle it would bring an important chapter to a close. RAF fighter pilots go into battle in 1940 during the Battle of Britain . However he cautioned that there is no exact record of the pilots, who scattered around the world after the war. Sawicz moved to Canada in 1957 . and worked there in aviation. When war broke out in 1939 Sawicz fought in Poland's air defence against the invading Germans. At one point, he flew under German fire to carry orders to troops . defending Warsaw. Fighter aircraft in London's Horse Guards parade to mark the Battle Of Britain Anniversary in 1953 . Following the German invasion of Poland, many Polish pilots - a great number of whom had fought the Luftwaffe - escaped and made their way to France and Britain. In June 1940 the Polish Government in Exile formed a Polish Air Force in the UK, with two . fighter squadrons - 302 and 303 - composed of Polish pilots and ground crews, with British . commanding officers. The two fighter squadrons went into . action in August. Most of the Polish pilots had . hundreds of hours of pre-war flying experience and were among the most . experienced in the battle. They had learned from combat experience to . fire from close range. Between them the Polish pilots claimed 201 aircraft shot down. 303 Squadron, in which Brigadier General Tadeusz Sawicz served, claimed the highest number of kills - 126 - of all Allied squadrons in the Battle of Britain. The Polish War Memorial on the . outskirts of RAF Northolt was dedicated in 1948 as a commemoration of . the Polish contribution to Allied arms. Following . the collapse of the city's defence on September 17, he joined Polish . pilots fighting in France. After the surrender of Paris in July 1940 he made . his way — along with tens of thousands of Polish airmen, soldiers and sailors — . to Britain, where they made up the largest foreign military force in the . country. Mr Zamoyski said that some 17,000 Poles — . pilots, mechanics and ground staff — served in the Polish air force in . Britain at the time. In the . summer of 1940, General Wladyslaw Sikorski — the head of Poland's . Government in Exile in London — signed an agreement to form a Polish Air Force in Britain. After . training on Hurricane fighter aircraft, Sawicz was incorporated into RAF . Polish squadron 303 and later into squadrons 316 and 315. On and off, he . served as a commander of the Polish wing. Sawicz was among the 145 Polish pilots . who fought in the Battle of Britain, 31 of whom died in action, and is credited with shooting down . three German aircraft. He was awarded Poland's highest . military . order - the Virtuti Military medal - and was also given the . Distinguished Flying Cross by Britain, the United States and the . Netherlands. Other . foreign pilots — from New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Czechoslovakia, . South Africa, the United States and Ireland — also flew with the RAF. A few British pilots from the battle are still alive, but it is not known how many of the international . aviators remain. In thanks: The Polish War Memorial at Northolt in west London was dedicated in 1948 . The . Battle of Britain pilots became known collectively as 'The Few' after . Winston Churchill said of them: 'Never in the field of human conflict . was so much owed by so many to so few.' Sawicz is survived by his wife Jadwiga. A service is planned for him at a later date in Warsaw. | Brigadier General Tadeusz Sawicz shot down three German aircraft .
He received Poland's highest honour and Britain awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross . |
07ff7d998922ba02b56fe9753768bbf7041f7bc0 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 08:56 EST, 23 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:58 EST, 23 April 2012 . A mother of two young children was killed in a car crash just days before her husband was due to receive a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Eileen Petters, 31, died in hospital on April 7 following a head-on collision. Her daughter Autumn, two, and six-month-old son Marley were strapped into the back seat of the car and suffered minor injuries but it was not believed that Mrs Petters was wearing a seatbelt. Mrs Petters' husband Ryan had been diagnosed with leukaemia for the second time in February and was due to receive a bone marrow transplant on April 19 at Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Unbearable: Eileen Petters was killed in a car crash in South Carolina on April 7 which injured her son Marley and daughter Autumn. The tragedy occurred days before her husband Ryan was due to undergo a bone marrow transplant for terminal cancer . In her last Facebook post on March 27, Mrs Petters . wrote about the glimmer of hope her family had been offered. She wrote: 'WE ARE . HAVING A TRANSPLANT!!!!! WE ARE HAVING A TRANSPLANT!! EVERYTHING IS . WORKED OUT WITH MEDICAID, AND THE TENTATIVE DATE IS .... DRUMROLL . PLEASE!!! APRIL 19!!! HOORAY! HOORAY!' After losing his wife, Mr Petters' life-saving surgery has been pushed back until May 2 - although his family believe her death has not really impacted him yet. His father told Nj.com: 'Emotionally he is doing well, but he has his times just like everybody else.' Destruction: Mrs Petter was driving her two children when they had a head-on collision with a van on Easter Saturday. She later died in hospital . Horror crash: Autumn Petters is carried away from the accident where her mother died by her grandfather Mike Griesemer as emergency worker . Tylen McCullen looks on . Ryan Petters has been unable to tell his two-year-old daughter Autumn that her mother has died. His sister-in-law Kim Petters told the paper: 'Autumn doesn’t even know yet. She is used to her mom not being there for weeks at a time because she would have to visit daddy at the hospital.' Mrs Petters' 2009 Honda collided with an Astro . van at 4.30pm on Easter Saturday in Anderson. She was cut from her car . by firefighters and flown to hospital where she later died from her . injuries on the operating table. The driver of the van, Perry . Sutherland, was released from hospital the following day. Battle: Ryan Petters, pictured with his late wife Eileen and their two young children, was told he his leukaemia had returned in February . Mr Petters was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia last . year while his wife was pregnant with their second child. He beat the disease after being treated . with aggressive chemotherapy at the Medical University of South Carolina, traveling four hours for treatment from his home in Belton. Although he had been given the all clear, the cancer returned in February - and the father-of-two's best hope of beating the disease again was with a bone marrow transplant. Tragedy: The Petters family had been offered a glimmer of hope when a bone marrow match was found for Mr Petters after an 18-month battle with cancer . Mr Petters, who is originally from . Harrison Township in New Jersey but moved to South Carolina with his . wife, still has only a 50 per cent chance of survival. After . several setbacks, including a donor who backed out of the transplant, a . match was found last month and the operation scheduled for April 19. The surgery has now been postponed until May 2. Following the surgery, Mr Petters must be kept in isolation for three months to lower the risk of infection on his weakened immune system and will be unable to see his children to help them come to terms with the loss of their mother. Family life: Mr Petters, with his daughter Autumn (left), faces a long recovery from transplant surgery after losing his wife Eileen (right) The Petters family have struggled under the financial burden and various fundraisers have been organised to help them pay the mounting medical bills of the grieving father. Kim Petters, who is caring for Marley and Autumn, added: 'When he gets out, we have faith he will make it. We cannot lose him because his kids need him.' To donate to the Petters family, follow the link here. | Daughter, 2, and 6-month-old son injured in head-on collision .
Father Ryan Petters has 50pc chance of survival as he fights leukaemia for second time . |
07ffed9b29fd3469797d5f1b021cd49d13b39eae | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 20:22 EST, 10 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:45 EST, 11 December 2013 . Football fans who braved the bitterly cold weather to attend Monday night’s football game between the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys had more to content with than just the frigid conditions when their beer started to freeze. Chicago has a well-earned reputation for brutally cold winters, but Monday night set a new record as temperatures plunged and the Windy City experienced its coldest December night in 18 years. Players as well as spectators had to suffer the bone-chilling conditions, but while pitch side they used heaters to thaw out their Gatorade buckets, fans in the stands weren’t so lucky. Football fans, such as Ruby, right, who braved the bitterly cold weather to attend Monday night’s football game between the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys had more to content with than just the frigid conditions when their beer started to freeze . Players as well as spectators had to suffer the bone-chilling conditions, but while pitch side they used heaters to thaw out their Gatorade buckets, fans in the stands weren¿t so lucky . Several bear-drinkers posted photos on social media sites of their frozen beverages, including one person whose drink had so completely turned to ice that they could turn their cup upside down and not spill any. Bears fans could at least enjoy the result, a convincing 45:28 win which puts them right back in the playoff race, but spare a thought for the poor Cowboy’s fans who sat through what is officially the coldest regular-season game in teams' history. Of course the coldest game in franchise history is the Ice Bowl, the 1967 NFL Championship when it was minus-13 at kickoff and the Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers 21-17 at Lambeau Field. The official game-time temperature on Monday was a frigid eight degrees and wind chill conditions made it feel below zero, but it doesn’t come close to the coldest days ever in Chicago. Would you like ice with that sir? Football fans amused themselves at Monday's nights game by posting photos on social media sites as their drinks quickly turned to ice . The Chicago Bears enjoyed a convincing 45:28 win over the Dallas Cowboys which puts them right back in the playoff race . The coldest day ever in Chicago happened nearly 30 years ago on Jan. 20, 1985, when the temperature was 27 degrees below zero. The coldest December day ever was Christmas Eve in 1983, when the temperature dropped to 25 below. The last time Chicago had subzero temperatures this early in the season was Dec. 9, 1995. | Chicago experienced its coldest December night in 18 years on Monday .
Football fans had to content with their beer freezing as a result of the frigid conditions .
Pitch side the teams used heaters to thaw out their Gatorade buckets .
The official game-time temperature was a frigid eight degrees and the wind chill made it feel below zero .
The Bears enjoyed a convincing 45:28 win over the Cowboys which puts them right back in the playoff race . |
08000367c5b76dfa602d61ed01f8ffff41f977d4 | A domestic abuser murdered his girlfriend with a kitchen knife then told police he 'enjoyed' being Tasered and they needed 'more volts', a court heard. Andre Bright, 30, is accused of stabbing Victoria Adams to death while their baby daughter slept in her home in Oldham, Greater Manchester - just two days after she voiced fears he would kill. The 22-year-old told friends Bright had thrown a bottle at her, spat in her face and talked about having sex with her friends, a jury heard, prompting her to flee tearfully in her dressing gown. Relationship: Andre Bright, 30 (left) is accused of stabbing Victoria Adams (right) to death while their baby daughter slept in her home in Oldham, Greater Manchester - just two days after she voiced fears he would kill . Bright denied murder as a trial began today at Manchester Crown Court, where the public gallery was packed with relatives of Miss Adams and her alleged killer. The pair met in 2007 when Bright was 23 and Miss Adams was just 16, and entered into an on-off relationship before she had his daughter in August 2013. But the jury heard Bright had a number of girlfriends and other children, would only meet Miss Adams late at night and they never did things as a couple. When his girlfriend took a pregnancy test in January 2013, she sent a text to Bright telling him she was pregnant - to which he allegedly told her to delete his number and never speak to him again. Their relationship reconvened, but events came to a head on December 5, 2013, when the college graduate went on her first night out with friends since giving birth. Bright called at her home in the early hours of the next day, and his alleged behaviour was said to have led his tearful girlfriend to flee in her dressing gown and bare feet to a friend's house. Bright was said to have begun calling other girls in front of her and putting them on loudspeaker. Fears: Miss Adams had been in an on-off relationship with Bright since she was 16 and he was 23 . Mark Kellett, prosecuting, said: 'She told them that she had run from her house fearing that Andre Bright would kill her.' Then on the night of December 7, Bright was out drinking in Oldham with friends when he was refused entry to a bar. Said to be a known troublemaker, Bright - who was barred from a number of nightspots - confronted a bouncer and then attempted to urinate on him, said Mr Kellett. Party: The court heard Miss Adams was on her first night out since giving birth to Bright's daughter . CCTV footage showed Bright pulling an Afro comb from his hair and repeatedly stabbing the bouncer's face and head, causing cuts and grazes, jurors heard. Bright also denies a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to this incident. Miss Adams left her home for a second time when he arrived in the early hours, and did not return until she knew he had gone. But he later arrived at about 9.35am drunk and high on cannabis and cocaine, prosecutors said. Nearly 30 minutes later he rang the emergency services and told the operator: 'Someone is dying in front of me... someone has stabbed her, I don't know what's happened. She's dying.' But he allegedly became angry as the call handler asked for more information, and when asked for the third time how the stabbing had happened he replied 'shut up' and put the phone down. Miss Adams died two hours after the attack at Manchester Royal Infirmary . Post-mortem results showed she had been stabbed once to the chest, causing a wound 8cm deep, and once to the abdomen. That wound was 12cm deep and had penetrated her kidney. When police arrived Bright was allegedly standing with a 'fixed, almost vacant gaze', with his hands in his tracksuit pockets while Miss Adams lay dying on the floor near the front door. Fearing he may still have a knife, police Tasered him and warned they would do so again - to which he replied: 'I enjoyed that. You need more volts in your Taser', the jury heard. One female officer said Bright looked directly at her and smiled as he was put in a police van. Mr Kellett said: 'The Crown say this defendant knowing what he was doing was seeking to ridicule and intimidate the officers. 'A paramedic with the North West Ambulance Service saw Victoria Adams lying in the hallway of the property on her back with her legs facing into the sitting room. 'She was bleeding heavily to the chest and officers were administering first aid. 'He tried to question her, but she kept asking where the baby was. The baby was upstairs, safe, where the officers could take control.' Aftermath: Dozens of floral tributes were laid at the scene of the killing in Oldham, Greater Manchester . Bright, from Oldham, denies murder, saying it was a combination of an accident and psychotic incident . The court heard Bright accepts that he killed Miss Adams, but will argue that it was a combination of an accident and a psychotic incident. But Mr Kellet told the jury: 'The Crown say that you will be sure that stabbing Victoria twice was not an accident, it was a deliberate intentional act. 'Moreover, in terms of his intention to cause really serious harm at least, what other intention could the defendant have at the point of stabbing her? 'The Crown say that he was fully aware of his actions and their consequences.' Bright, from Oldham, denies murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The trial, which is expected to last around two weeks, continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | 'Abuser' Andre Bright, 30, accused of killing girlfriend Victoria Adams, 22 .
Court heard he stabbed her with kitchen knife, drunk and high on cocaine .
When police Tasered him at her home in Oldham, he said: 'I enjoyed that'
Miss Adams voiced fears she'd be murdered two days earlier, jury heard .
He denies murder, and assault on bouncer 'he stabbed with afro comb' |
0800b141574242688e7459f59db5b69f4afb2114 | Paul Lambert had just finished holding court when he spun on his heels and made his way out of Anfield’s press auditorium. Aston Villa’s manager grabbed at the handle of the first door he saw and immediately marched through it before he had to abruptly halt. The door in question led into a pantry and, with a wry smile, he was forced to double back. It was the only wrong move he made all day. In the moments beforehand, Lambert had conducted himself with class and dignity. There was no boasting or revelling in a triumph over Liverpool but it was clear from spending time in his company that this was a man bursting with pride at a job well done. Paul Lambert's young Aston Villa side beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield thanks to a Gabby Agbonlahor goal . No wonder. Lambert enjoys visiting Anfield — in five trips with Celtic (as a player), Norwich and Villa, he has yet to be beaten — but there was more to this than merely savouring Gabby Agbonlahor’s solitary strike. Here, he felt, was a performance to show his side are coming of age. ‘These young players have become men this season,’ said Lambert, extolling the displays in particular of Nathan Baker and Ashley Westwood. ‘If they can grow together and we get one or two back from injury we’ll be really strong.’ The last few years have been fallow at Villa Park and Lambert has had to ride some punches but, suddenly, things appear to be falling into place. Paul Lambert has yet to be beaten at Anfield either as a player or manager despite making five trips there . Liverpool might have dominated possession but Lambert had Villa immaculately drilled. Baker, for one, marshalled his defence, Westwood held the midfield together with exemplary passing and, around him, Tom Cleverley, Kieran Richardson and Andreas Weimann buzzed with intent. ‘It is early days but the chairman’s come out and said what he’s said (about selling),’ Lambert continued. ‘Everybody knows the situation and that’s helped. It’s galvanised the supporters who’ve been brilliant since I’ve been here. Andreas Weimann (left), Ashley Westwood, Keiran Richardson and Tom Cleverley impressed against Liverpool . ‘Since the start of the season we have been fantastic. This is another clean sheet. But it’s a long road. ’ Retaining perspective won’t be an issue. Lambert deals in pragmatism, while his assistant, Roy Keane, emerged from the dugout at key moments, growling at Villa’s midfielders to retain their focus. If all was right in the world for Lambert, the same could not be said for Brendan Rodgers. Liverpool’s defending continues to alarm and questions persist over the suitability of Simon Mignolet and Mamadou Sakho to this project. Gabby Agbonlahor's goal early in the first half was enough to give Aston Villa a well-deserved victory . The goal Liverpool conceded was wretched, a sequence of errors — first from Sakho conceding a corner, then from Dejan Lovren — allowed Philippe Senderos to cause havoc before Agbonlahor pounced. If they are to progress domestically and in Europe, they must be more robust. ‘We have to defend better,’ said Rodgers. ‘Just defend — don’t try and be clever. The worst-case scenario when we have days when we are not creative we get a point and move on. It’s disappointing we didn’t.’ Super Stat: This was a rare victory for Villa’s defence in front of the Kop — the first time in 14 visits that they have kept a clean sheet. Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mignolet 5.5; Manquillo 6, Lovren 5.5, Sakho 5, Moreno 5.5; Henderson 7.5, Gerrard 6.5; Markovic 7 (Lambert 71mins, 5.5), Coutinho 6, Lallana 6 (Sterling 62, 6); Balotell 5.5 (Borini 71, 5). Subs not used: Jones, Enrique, Toure, Lucas. Booked: Lallana, Moreno. Aston Villa (4-5-1): Guzan 7; Hutton 6, Baker 8, Senderos 7.5, Cissokho 7; Weimann 7 (N’Zogbia 72, 6), Westwood 7, Delph 7.5, Cleverley 7 (Sanchez 86), Richardson 6.5; Agbonlahor 7. Subs not used: Given, Bacuna, Bent, Okore, Grealish. Booked: Hutton. Scorer: Agbonlahor 9. Referee: Lee Mason 6. Man of the match: Nathan Baker. | Aston Villa beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield .
Villa currently sit 2nd in the Premier League with 10 points .
Paul Lambert said ‘These young players have become men this season’
Gabby Agbonlahor scored the winner . |
080231d8973d59979dcc1d5ec381c94daf7feffc | By . Louise Boyle and Rachel Quigley . UPDATED: . 01:06 EST, 4 April 2013 . A survivalist suspected of burglarizing Utah cabins and evading law enforcement for years had this to say to police finally caught up with him on Wednesday: 'Good job, you got me.' Troy James Knapp, 45, made the remarks Wednesday as he threw his rifle on the ground, ending a 50-man operation to capture him in the mountains outside of Ferron in central Utah, the Sanpete County Sheriff's Office said. Knapp was finally apprehended after allegedly firing shots at a police helicopter, pointing his gun at a sheriff, and leading authorities on a snowshoe chase, according to ABC News. Trapped: 'Mountain Man' Troy James Knapp is taken into custody by the Emery County Sheriff's Office on April 2 outside of Ferron in central Utah . Tracked down: The elusive survivalist was captured by police on Tuesday after spending five years allegedly robbing cabins in the wilderness and leaving taunts for officers . Knapp has long been suspected of hiding . out in the mountains of southern Utah, shooting up and robbing dozens . of cabins over the past six years. Police say he's been living off the . comfort of cabins in winter and retreating to makeshift summer camps . deep in the forest with stolen guns and supplies. The operation to apprehend him was launched after two hunters ran into him on a trail last Friday. 'He was asking how much snow was up the trail further,' Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis told ABCNews.com. 'Their dog was acting nervous and growling, and he said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to shoot you guys."' Knapp didn't identify himself, but called himself a 'mountain man.' After the encounter, the hunters alerted authorities. Finally caught: Troy James Knapp was arrested today, left, after evading cops for years. He was last arrested in 2001, right . Prior to last Friday, the last known . time Knapp was spotted was on October 1 last year by a surveillance . camera in Sanpete County. He had a gun slung over his shoulder and was using binoculars to scope . for an alarm system at a cabin near Gooseberry Reservoir before breaking in. Iron, Kane and Garfield counties have all issued arrest warrants for Knapp on burglary and weapons charges. While there have been no violent confrontations with Knapp, authorities had feared he was a ticking time bomb. In custody: Snow-mobilers pass the sheriff's truck carrying the 45-year-old suspect . In 5th District Court in Iron County, . Knapp is facing four counts of burglary, a second-degree felony; theft, . a second-degree felony; and three counts of theft, a class B . misdemeanor - all charges for incidents spanning June 2009 through . September of 2011. He is suspected of leaving some . cabins riddled with bullet holes, defacing religious icons and writing . taunting notes for cabin owners and authorities. 'Hey Sheriff...Gonna put you in the ground!' one note said, according to court records. Records . indicate Knapp fell off the radar in 2002 when he apparently left . California in violation of his parole for a burglary conviction. He was charged with theft in 2000 in California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to records. Mountain mystery: A man believed to be serial burglar and expert survivalist Troy James Knapp was caught on CCTV last year in Sanpete County, Utah . Roaming: The 'mountain man' was spotted on CCTV in Sanpete County, Utah last week but once again police have failed to track down the expert survivalist . As . a teenager, Knapp was convicted in Michigan of breaking and entering, . passing bad checks and unlawful flight from authorities, according to . court records in Kalamazoo County. His . most serious arrest for felony assault in Michigan was reduced in 1994 . to a charge of malicious destruction of property after he agreed to . plead guilty. He has been compared to Davy . Crockett, the 19th century Tennessean known as 'King of . the Wild Frontier', and he remains somewhere in 1,000 sq miles of . wilderness. Knapp has family members in Moscow, Idaho, but they have not commented. One hunter, who is believed to have bumped into Knapp in June, asked him his name and was simply told: 'The Mountain'. Long search: Troy James Knapp, 44, pictured in December 2011. It is believed that he is responsible for a series of burglaries at holiday homes in the Utah wilderness . Mysterious: Investigators have found abandoned camps in the Utah wilderness, like the one pictured, dozens of guns, high-end outdoor gear stolen from the homes and rubbish strewn around the forest floor . ‘This guy is probably about as true a . survivalist as Davy Crockett,’ U.S. Marshal Michael Wingert said at the time. Comparison: Authorities say Knapp is like Davy Crockett, a 19th century survival expert portrayed by Fess Parker in the 1955 Disney film given his name . Anyone with information has been asked to contact authorities. In December 2011, photos were taken of a sandy-haired man in camouflage on snowshoes, a rifle slung over his shoulder, believed to be Knapp. It is thought that the expert woodsman has spent around seven years breaking into cabins in winter, living off hot food, . alcohol and coffee before stealing provisions and vanishing away with guns and supplies. In . February, it took detectives an entire day to reach a remote cabin . after getting a report that lights had been seen on inside overnight. It . turned out they were solar-powered lights on the porch, and the cabin . was empty - another dead-end. But their break came in January 2012 with the . fingerprint match. Early on, investigators thought his . unattended camps they came across during their search were left . behind by ‘doomsday’ believers preparing for some sort of apocalypse. This . was because of the remote locations and supplies like dozens of guns, . radios, batteries, dehydrated food and camping gear. They now have a . name, but the man remains in the mist. Discoveries; Cabin owners are increasingly scared and carrying guns themselves in a protection attempt . | Troy James Knapp, 45, was last spotted in Sanpete County, Utah Oct. 2012 .
Police tried to track him down repeatedly but he has evaded them for years .
The armed recluse has been burglarizing cabins and eluding capture .
Knapp told one hunter who came across him that his name was 'The Mountain' |
0802b972bf6857522c4181da9af54851ed032bd4 | (CNN) -- In its first week on sale, Walter Isaacson's biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs sold 379,000 copies in the U.S., making it by far the top-selling book in the country. The book, titled simply "Steve Jobs," also achieved the biggest week of sales for any book in the U.S. for almost a year. That's according to data from Nielsen's BookScan service, as reported by TheBookseller.com. Published by Simon & Schuster on October 24, the book outsold the next bestselling book of the week, John Grisham's "The Litigators," by more than three to one. After only six days of sales, the Jobs biography is already the 18th-bestselling book of the year, according to BookScan's figures. Simon & Schuster's decision to move up the book's publication by a month after Jobs' death October 5 appears to have paid off. Fueled by intense interest in the late tech visionary's life and career, the biography arrived on a wave of publicity, including appearances by Isaacson on CBS's "60 Minutes" and CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." The 656-page book traces Jobs' 55 years of life, from his hippie youth and co-founding of Apple in his parents' Silicon Valley garage to his ouster from the company, triumphant return 11 years later and remarkable successes in the past decade with the iPod, iPhone and iPad. The book has already produced plenty of headlines, including how Jobs regretted waiting too long after his cancer diagnosis to get surgery that might have saved him. It retails for $35, although many sellers are pricing it closer to $20. | Biography of Apple co-founder sold 379,000 copies in the U.S. its first week .
That's the biggest week of sales for any book in the U.S. for almost a year .
Publisher moved its release up by a month after Jobs' death . |
08049e48493a9aeb69f058467b4565146ada45a8 | A hunter has been mauled by an enormous black bear after shooting it with a bow and arrow in Minnesota. The man, who has not been named, was hunting in dense woodland near Duxbury with a group of friends on Friday night when he fired at the 525lb animal . Fearing the bear's meat would spoil in the evening heat, the group then waited four hours before using its blood trail to track it several miles in the darkness. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . Scroll down for video . Attack: A hunter has been mauled by an enormous black bear after shooting it with a bow and arrow in Minnesota. Above, the man's friends are pictured with the bear, which they dragged out of the woods . Killed: The man, was hunting in dense woodland near Duxbury with a group of friends on Friday night when he fired at the 525lb animal. Above, the bear is seen in chains after it was stabbed to death during the attack . But after they found the bear lying injured on the ground in the early hours of Saturday morning, it suddenly charged and pounced on the victim. The man started screaming as the bear clawed and bit him, before fatally stabbing the animal around 20 times with a hunting knife, according to Kare11.com. Fellow hunter Craig Lindstrom, from Wyoming, said: 'I heard him screaming - felt like 10 minutes, but was probably two minutes - literally screaming, and you knew he was being mauled. 'He made that thing die because he stabbed it about 20 times while it was chewing on his arm. He kept stabbing it and it was pounding on him, a quarter of a ton - a 525 pound bear pounding on him.' Location: Using first aid skills he had learned as a Chicago City firefighter, hunter Craig Lindstrom led his friend half a mile out of the woods near Duxbury (pictured), where he was able to call Pine County Sheriff's Office . Using first aid skills he had learned as a Chicago City firefighter, Mr Lindstrom then led his friend half a mile out of the woods, where he was able to call the Pine County Sheriff's Office. 'I thought he was dead 10 to 15 times. He would fall down and he told us about telling his parents, his fiancée, his kids — tell them I love them, said Mr Lindstrom. The man, who suffered two broken arms and wounds to his face, jaw, stomach and legs, was then flown to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale. He is said to be in a stable condition. Hospital: The hunter was flown to North Memorial Medical Center (pictured) in Robbinsdale after the attack . Hunted: Black bears are typically around four to seven feet from nose to tail. Males tend to weigh between 130 to 350lbs, but some can be as large as 600lbs (file picture) Meanwhile, the bear, which died around 50 yards from where it was stabbed, was later dragged out of the woodland by the remaining 10 hunters. Despite the incident, Mr Lindstrom said he, the victim and their group of hunters are licensed to hunt bears and will not hesitate to do so again in the future. He added that he hopes his friend will recover in time for deer hunting season from September to December. Black bears are typically around four to seven feet from nose to tail. Males tend to weigh between 130 to 350lbs, but some can be as large as 600lbs. | Man shot black bear with bow and arrow during hunting trip near Duxbury .
Fearing animal's meat would spoil in heat, he waited four hours to track it .
But after finding it lying injured on ground, bear suddenly charged at him .
Hunter suffered two broken arms and facial wounds before stabbing bear .
He is in a stable condition at Robbinsdale's North Memorial Medical Center .
Bear, which died from stab wounds, dragged out of wood by 10 hunters . |
08050e5513d1e6ba566fabba58dfa0f752065569 | DMG Media, the global media brand which owns DailyMail.com, today announced that it has acquired US-based news website Elite Daily. The online publication, which boasts 74 million monthly unique browsers around the world, was founded in 2012 and has since become one of the world's leading news websites for millennials - people aged between 18 and 34. ‘We are delighted to announce this deal. Elite Daily has a unique and engaging voice on a diverse range of topics and we expect them to be the perfect complement to DailyMail.com,’ Martin Clarke, Publisher and Editor in Chief of DailyMail.com, said of the announcement. Scroll down for video . Millennial movers and shakers: Elite Daily is one of the world's leading news websites for people aged between 18 and 34 . Jon Steinberg, CEO Daily Mail North America added: ‘This gives us the opportunity to invest in and grow two different but complementary media brands which together will have a reach that few can match.’ With more than 70 per cent of its audience aged between 18 and 34, Elite Daily offers a host of unique and innovative content which is specifically targeted at the younger generation, a group that is so sought-after by advertisers. Meanwhile, DailyMail.com, the world's largest English language newspaper website, is read by 19.3 million American millennials every month, meaning that more than half of the country's 18 to 34 year old visit at least one of the two sites each month. David Arabov, Chief Executive Officer of Elite Daily said: ‘We’re excited about joining the DMG Media family. 'This is the next step in our development as a media company for and by millennials and will position us to deliver millennials the content they desire on an international scale.’ Social media success: Earlier this week, DailyMail.com was unveiled as one of 11 media brands to partner with messaging app Snapchat on its newly-launched Discover feature . Mr. Clarke noted that the two editorial teams would remain entirely separate to allow for the brands to continue developing their own unique voices, however added that there would be plenty of collaboration between the two sites. The news comes just days after DailyMail.com was unveiled as one of 11 media brands to be signed up to partner with messaging app Snapchat on its new Discover feature, which allows users to access a selection of the world's top stories with just one swipe on their smartphones. The app's new feature, which launched on Tuesday, features 12 unique news channels, one for each media partner, plus a dedicated Snapchat channel which will include original content from the app's creators. All of the app's media partners will handpick up to 15 different news stories and videos to feature on their own channels every day. 'Every day DailyMail.com will offer Snapchat users 10-15 of its best news stories,' Mr. Clarke said of the company's channel. ‘Stories are either full length articles or the best video stories of the day. It will encompass a collection of breaking news, showbiz, lifestyle and all of the stories that DailyMail.com is famous for.’ | Elite Daily is one of the world's leading news sites for millennials, people aged between 18 and 34 .
Martin Clarke, Publisher and Editor in Chief of DailyMail.com, praised Elite Daily's 'unique and engaging voice'
He described the site as the 'perfect complement' to DMG Media's globally-successful news site DailyMail.com . |
08055f9643d999396a98b4a05bdd1a79208c7394 | LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant was in the crowd for the Brazil v Mexico match last night. The basketball player is a huge football fan was seen watching on from the VIP seats at the Castelao de Fortaleza. While Neymar was set to be the star of the star, the American, 35, directed all his praise towards goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa who pulled off some wonder-saves in the 0-0 draw. VIP seats: Basketball star Kobe Bryant watches the action at the Castelao Stadium . Bryant tweeted 'OCHOA!! Incredible #mexico #worldcup'. Wearing a white T-shirt it’s not clear which team he was supporting last night, however during a recent interview he said he plans to watch the ‘best teams’ during his time in Brazil. He said: ‘Football is my favourite sport. I grew up in Italy and from the age from six to 14 I played soccer every day. 'I wanted to see some great matches. I want to see the best teams and to see one of the best players. It is a great opportunity to be able to see that here. Tweeting his views: Kob Bryant was impressed by Mexico's goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa . Brilliant performance: Brazil and Mexico drew 0-0 after 90 minutes of phenomenal goalkeeping by Ochoa . Denied: Brazilian striker Neymar failed to get on the score sheet against Mexico . On who will win, he added: ‘It is hard to go against the home team in Brazil. It would be nice to see a Brazil versus Argentina final. 'Germany looks very, very strong too and it is hard to go against them as well.’ Brazil's Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo was also watching from the VIP box, as was the national president of the Football Confederation José María Marín. | LA Lakers star was in the crowd for the entertaining 0-0 draw .
Basketball ace full of praise for Mexcio goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa .
Bryant says football is his 'favourite sport' and plans to watch many matches . |
080642f15f5e0575b6383b6d85e1156870f3b2dd | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 03:36 EST, 27 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:37 EST, 27 August 2013 . Enjoyed by millions of consumers worldwide every day, many of our favourite food and drinks claim to be steeped in a tradition that saw generations before us savoring the same unmistakable tastes. Coca Cola claims to use the same secret recipe as it did when the fizzy drink was first created some 127 years ago and fast food chain KFC says it sticks to Colonel Harland Sanders' original 1940 method for frying chicken. But are the most famous brands in our cupboards really true to their roots? The Real Thing? Coca-Cola's 127-year-old recipe, which manufacturers claim is still used today, sits in this overstated secure vault at the World of Coca-Cola museum, in Atlanta . Secret: A security guard stands outside the Coke vault - a popular tourist attraction . Photo opportunity: The vault is bathed in swathes of colourful lasers as tourists flock to have their picture taken outside it . Arguably the most famous soft drinks brand in the world, Coca Cola says that its flagship drink uses the same secret formula as creator Dr John S Pemberton in 1886. It even goes as far as keeping the original formula in a high security vault at its Atlanta World of Coca-Cola museum - perhaps a sales gimmick argue some. But a 1994 book called Secret Formula claimed that there have been a variety of changes to the Coke recipe over the generations and even claimed that it once contained cocaine in trace amounts, derived in the coca plants used to make the product - a claim that Coca-Cola has since dismissed as untrue. Similarly, PepsiCo also celebrates the roots of its flagship drink Pepsi-Cola invented by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's drink in 1893. But the drink was made sweeter in the 1930s when a new owner bought the firm and didn't like the taste and both Coca-Cola and Pepsi switched from sugar to high-fructose corn syrup in the 1980s. It was widely reported last year that both firms changed their U.S recipes to avoid having to put a cancer warning on the label. Steeped in tradition: Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi herald their long history . History: Pepsi's first home office and bottling plant is shown in this 1906 file photo in New Bern, North Carolina . But a Coca-Cola spokesman told MailOnline at the time that rather than altering the recipe, the firm was merely changing the way it makes one of its ingredients to reduce the amount of 4-MEI in the caramel. In fact when Coca-Cola tried to make the drink slightly sweeter in 1985 and relaunched it as 'New Coke' in the US there was a public outcry. Less than three months later the company announced it was reverting back to the original recipe. Its origins are also a big part of the way fast food chain KFC markets its fried chicken with inventor Colonel Sanders still featuring in cartoon form on the brand's signs. According to Yahoo News, the Colonel even dyed his beard white to achieve a more grandfatherly look in the early days. Origins: KFC still uses a picture of Colonel Sanders on its logo . Same taste: Even products which have been added to the KFC menu use the same seasoning recipe says the company . In a similar move to Coca-Cola, KFC also gave security surrounding the original formula an upgrade by installing a 770-pond safe to guard it. Although the recipe might still be the same as Colonel Sanders', the production method is said to have changed. The founder is said to have been unhappy with the way chicken was handled after new owners bought him out in 1964. His friend Dave Thomas, founder of the Wendy's chain, said that he was angry that the new owners drained grease off chicken by putting it on wire racks rather than spooning it off by hand. Old favourite: Twinkies has relaunched with a seemingly new recipe . But KFC say that the integral parts of the recipe - using fresh on the bone chicken, hand breading, frying under pressure and the recipe for the seasoning itself - remain exactly the same. Even new introductions to the chain's popular menu which include filleted chicken use the same seasoning, say the chain. When popular U.S snack Twinkies parent company ran into financial trouble in recent years the product was removed from the shelves. But the snack is back - albeit with a different recipe to that which millions of Americans enjoyed since its 1930 launch. Hostess, which makes the product, said that the primary three ingredients remain the same, but the product has a noticeably longer shelf life and more ingredients listed on the packaging. It remains to be seen whether sticking to the original recipe really is a winning formula or whether a change will do Twinkies good. Classic: Coca-Cola . The exact recipe of Coca-Cola has always been a mystery and today's official recipe is guarded 24-hours a day in a vault in Atlanta. The list of ingredients below are meant to be those used by pharmacist John Pemberton, who created the drink in 1886. | Coca-Cola claims to use the same 127-year-old recipe in its current drink .
KFC says it uses the same seasoning recipe as created by Colonel Sanders .
While the recipe might remain the same, things are done differently today . |
08072fa913ad8cf95f3cf55e34118a612f8bf50a | (CNN) -- More than 11 years after the start of the war in Afghanistan, there is some cause to celebrate and some reason to worry. But more than anything, maybe, there are questions. Those questions were on display Friday as Presidents Barack Obama and Hamid Karzai met in Washington to discuss the future of Afghanistan and the United States' role there. Some celebration is justified. Osama bin Laden is dead. Al Qaeda in Afghanistan is gasping for air. Before the United States invaded in 2001, the Taliban forbade women to even come out of their homes. Now women have more freedom -- more than 2 million girls are going to school. More than 300,000 Afghan children who live in the country are on Facebook. But it's not all good news. Military and civilian deaths continue. Contributing on the military side is the phenomenon dubbed "green-on-blue" or "insider" attacks. Of the more than 2,000 American deaths since the 2001 invasion, an increasing number have come at the hands of the Afghans they trusted and trained. It's worse for Afghans. Afghan National Security Forces are victims of a greater number of these insider attacks, a Department of Defense spokesman told CNN Friday. And consider some of the events of 2012: The year began with a video showing Marines urinating on dead Afghans. Published photos showed U.S. troops posing with corpses and U.S. soldiers burned Qurans at Bagram Air Force Base, apparently an act committed out of ignorance that it offended Islam. Protests ensued. Presidents agree to speed transition . Then there's U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, accused of rampaging through an Afghan village, murdering 17 Afghan civilians, including women and children. On Friday, the two presidents agreed to accelerate the military transition in Afghanistan. Afghan forces will take the lead in combat missions throughout the country starting in spring, instead of midyear as was previously expected. Even though Obama and Karzai agreed on some issues, others remain. Who's in control? First, Karzai isn't eligible to run for reelection in 2014. Because the country has a constitution and a working government, it's likely that at least some of the points he and Obama agree to could be carried out when he's out of power. But no one can say for sure, analysts note. So far, who would run for president after Karzai is unclear, though some intriguing names have been bandied around. On the ground, U.S. officials have said anywhere between zero to 9,000 U.S. forces could remain in Afghanistan past 2014. Not only will they perhaps have to operate in the tense green-on-blue environment, U.S. trainers who are teaching Afghan military enlistees how to fight say they are under enormous pressure to meet numbers at the sacrifice of quality, experts say. Gayle Lemmon, an American journalist who has spent years off and on in Afghanistan, most recently in December 2011, said a U.S. contractor who is training Afghan recruits complained to her that he doesn't have to thoroughly do his job. "There has been a huge amount of pressure to put as many bodies in Afghani uniform as possible to meet 2013 deadlines," she said. "He thought he had OK people but he didn't have time to pick out who was best and train the ones who needed extra help." The "overwhelming majority" of them are coming from "ordinary Afghans signing up for the military," experienced war correspondent Dexter Filkins has reported. What's the tab? This week, Karzai gave the Pentagon a wish list of hardware such as drones and helicopters that he said would help him continue to fight terrorists. No dollar amount has been decided. Estimates range from $1 billion to $10 billion a year -- and that includes military expenses, hardware and training, the whole deal that Afghanistan couldn't afford on its own. "These are really funny numbers because no one knows the extent of what the U.S. is willing to offer," Lemmon notes. Whatever amount Obama administration floats will have to win approval from Congress. Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann told CNN Friday that he thinks the total bill is going to depend on military presence. At a minimum, he figures, the United States will spend $5 billion in aid and military, not counting what would be spent for embassy costs. Those numbers cannot be calculated in a vacuum, either. As a discussion at the Brookings Institute involving the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan noted, Afghanistan is facing a major economic downturn after 2014. A lot of money that has gone into Afghanistan has been wasted, numerous reports have shown. In 2011, one nonpartisan group told Congress that the United States was wasting $12 million a day among contracts issued to support American efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, CNN reported. Even Karzai, prompted by a question from a reporter, said Friday "We have corruption." Opinion: Abandon Afghanistan? A dumb idea . Who is the U.S. talking with and why? Last May, Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, where he gave a speech about the end of the war. He said, "We're pursuing a negotiated peace" with the Taliban. To be clear, al Qaeda and the Taliban are two different entities, though there are ties. Al Qaeda is a terrorist group created by Osama bin Laden. The Taliban has provided shelter and support to al Qaeda. In its newest incarnation, the Taliban has new, and some younger-generation, members who say they want to find peace with the United States. In short, this is a complicated topic, as Foreign Policy detailed in December. Former Ambassador Neumann said it's wrong to call it a negotiation. Instead, he said, it's "a group of multiple players we are only talking to. We are trying to see if there's negotiating room." On the Afghan side, a November poll by the independent San Francisco-based group Asia Foundation found that more than half of Afghans felt that their country was moving in the right direction. That includes agreeing with the negotiation of government officials and those trying to work toward peace to talk with and find common ground with militants. Will the U.S. public stay interested? There were complaints during the U.S. presidential election that Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney did not talk enough about Afghanistan. But polls have shown that most Americans are tired of the war. A CNN/ORC International poll in September showed that only 3% named Afghanistan as one of the most important issues facing the United States. Earlier in 2012, CNN polling indicated that only 25% of Americans favored the war, and 55% said the United States should remove all of its troops before 2014. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta pushed back against that figure at the time, saying polls don't fight wars. And this week he reiterated his opposition to taking the number of troops in Afghanistan down to a paltry sum, and said zero is out of the question for him. If the United States military doesn't have a strong presence there, the chances of talking -- or negotiating -- with the Taliban is diminished, he argued. Neumann said he thinks the American public is disinterested in a war that has dragged on for so many years. That's a hurtful thing to hear for military families who have endured so much. Rebekah Sanderlin, a journalist and longtime military culture blogger, is disheartened by such talk. Her husband has done multiple tours in Afghanistan and is preparing to go back. "It's offensive to me to hear that from people who haven't had skin in the game, that they are weary," she said. "We still have troops fighting, sacrificing time with their families. All of that is much harder when you don't feel like your country is behind you." Opinion: Obama should be honest with Karzai . Read more: Defense officials to press Karzai on what he needs . Read more: Karzai visit a time for tough talk on security, corruption . CNN's Mike Mount contributed to this report. | NEW: The two presidents agree to accelerate the military transition .
The White House has floated the idea of leaving no troops in Afghanistan after 2014 .
Questions include who will follow Karzai and how much it will cost .
Polls show a low level of interest in the war among Americans . |
08076270b6be36a7aade74565e4e2055df190550 | By . Emily Crane . These are the images that capture Australian life in just one moment... and they're all proudly posted on Instagram for the world to see. Photographers from right across the country take a shot at success in the Art & About Sydney's photography competition every year, but for the first time in 2014 organisers have included a Instagram category. More than 15,000 photos have already been submitted via social media using the hashtag #Australianlife. The competition invites people to submit images taken from across the country that give a unique glimpse into Australian life. Twenty two finalists will be chosen and exhibited in Sydney's Hyde Park in September, with the winner set to take home $10,000. The mobile photographer who takes out the Instagram category will win $5,000. Here's a sample of what has already been submitted... This Kangaroo was photographed at Lucky Bay, Esperance, WA. Photo by @janinacerna . Diving deep at the Great Barrier Reef, QLD. Photo by @ella__winfield . Sunrise dip at Cronulla, NSW. Photo by @william_patino . Bondi Icebergs Club, Sydney, NSW. Photo by @amaurytreguer . Cooling off at Coogee Beach, NSW. Photo @markolfzimmer . Man's best friend. These farm dogs were captured at Narromine, NSW. Photo by @sap_photos . Wentworth Falls Lookout, Blue Mountains, NSW. Photo by @harrisondunwell . Riding the waves. Photo by @gioiavin . These children reach for the sky in unison . The Simpson Desert, QLD by @Kellytheobold . They say you should always look up in Melbourne and this shot of Hosier Lane is proof why. Photo by @russellcharters . Artist's impression in Hosier Lane, Melbourne. Photo @orla_anne_h . Jurien Bay, WA. Photo by @sap_photos . House by the sea: This photo was taken at Crawley, Perth, WA. Photo by @mynameisjosim . Tennant Creek, NT. Photo by @bookhopper . Byron Bay, NSW. Photo by @shelleykay . | Art & About Sydney competition has included an Instagram category for mobile photographers in 2014 .
More than 15,000 photos have already been submitted using the hashtag #Australianlife .
Twenty two finalists will be chosen and the Instagram category winner will take home a $5,000 cash prize . |
0807898c12a479e365d49f5744ca42d337ae38ad | Gordon Strachan compared Scotland's bruising, euphoric victory over the Republic of Ireland to a heavyweight title fight. Shaun Maloney's sublime goal 15 minutes from the end of a tight, nip-and-tuck qualifier with the Irish completed a memorable and crucial Euro 2016 victory. Drawing level with the Republic on seven points after Poland's emphatic 4-0 win in Georgia, the Scots secured all three points in a frenetic clash. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Shaun Maloney (left) celebrates as Steven Naismith (centre) gives chase after Scotland open the scoring . Strachan will now ring the changes for Tuesday's friendly with England after admitting the game wrung every ounce of effort from his men. 'I think so,' confirmed the Scots boss. 'They put so much into that game tonight. That was like one of those big heavyweight boxing matches. 'I absolutely wouldn't second-guess the outcome of this group now.' The Scots had some sterling individual displays in goalscorer Maloney and man-of-the-match Charlie Mulgrew, called into midfield after an illness to James Morrison before the game. 'Charlie was immense, absolutely immense,' said Strachan. 'Normally we would come in here and say: 'What a game Scott Brown has had'. But Charlie has actually taken the mantle tonight and ably backed up by the people round about him. Scotland manager Gordon Strachan celebrates on the touchline at full-time as his side win 1-0 . 'I am really pleased with Shaun as well, as I am with Steven Naismith, Ikechi Anya and others but Charlie was the best man on the pitch I think — ably backed by the others. 'But the smaller ones like Andrew Robertson, Maloney, Naismith and Anya showed brave play when the ball was flying about and there were tackles everywhere. 'They showed bravery on the ball.' Poland's triumph in Tblisi ramped up the pressure on the Scots before kick-off. Strachan had dismissed talk of a 'must-win' beforehand, but the joyous celebrations of the Tartan Army afterwards told another tale. 'People have been telling me since the Georgia game it is must-win,' the Scotland boss said. 'They said it before Poland and this one. Every game seems to be a must-win. 'I said before the game that one goal had decided all of the previous games in the group, apart from the one involving Gibraltar. It has happened again. 'We did say set plays were going to be vital and it happened. 'As for a pure footballing spectacle, it wasn't that great. Maloney curls a low strike into the far corner as Scotland take the lead in Glasgow on Friday . 'But as a spectacle of two groups of players not wanting to give an inch, it was mesmerising. They all wanted to jump higher than each other, run quicker and battle harder.' The Scots blew a raft of chances in both halves and survived a moment of anxiety in injury time when Grant Hanley's defensive header almost spun into his own net, crashing off the bar. Insisting his team now believe in themselves after one defeat in four matches — to world champions Germany in the opener — Strachan added: 'When we've played we've believed we can play football. Tonight it was a more physical duel. Charlie Mulgrew (centre) celebrates the victory as Scotland move up to third in Group D . 'We dealt with that as well because the players trust each other. 'They know fine well if they're not having a great night the guy next to him will help them out. 'And I think that's what happened tonight.' Asked what his over-riding emotions were ahead of an England friendly at the same venue, Strachan said: 'There are lot of emotions chucked in there, every emotion possible. But the good thing is I can go home, get to my bed and chill. That's what I'll do, go home and watch a bit of telly and fall asleep. I'm looking forward to that.' Steven Fletcher will miss the England game after limping off in the second half with an ankle injury. | Scotland beat the Republic of Ireland 1-0 at Celtic Park on Friday night .
Manager Gordon Strachan compared it to a heavyweight title fight .
Scotland now sit third in Euro 2016 qualifying Group D . |
08078c19b9ecf03a47d7373df8685638dae2c80b | On September 18, date of the Scottish referendum, something infinitely less seismic is happening that is nonetheless of quiet importance to the parish of British tennis. As Scottish residents cast their votes, the draw for next year's Davis Cup World Group will take place and, for the domestic game and its key player Andy Murray, those two things could be very much interlinked. In response to a question about the Rio Olympics Murray said last week that, in the event of the Yes vote, he 'assumed' he would be playing for Scotland, but a deeper look into the matter shows it may be less straightforward than anyone – including Murray himself – might think. Team GB: Murray has an impressive Davis Cup record for Great Britain, winning 19 of his 21 singles matches . In fact, such are the uncertainties that tennis and other sports are trying to grapple with, that one many eventual scenarios if separation happens could even be that he continues to play for GB in the Davis Cup while turning out for Scotland in Rio. Such is the confusion associated with the increasingly likely outcome of a Yes vote that, in tennis, it has become the subject that nobody wants to talk about. Murray's endorsement may be the glittering prize for either side of the independence argument but, understandably in some ways, he continues to tiptoe around it as the implications are considerable for the reigning Sports Personality of the Year. It is not just him anxious to avoid discussion. Lawn Tennis Association Chief Executive Michael Downey is another to have stayed determinedly uncommitted on the issue. Tennis Scotland are desperate to remain neutral, despite it being massively important to the future of the game north of the border. Broader governing body The International Tennis Federation restricts itself to setting out procedural elements in the event of a Yes vote. Option? Davis Cup captain Leon Smith (right) might not be able to pick Andy Murray for his side in the future . Part of the reason is that there would be no meaningful precedent if Scotland breaks away. According to one official, the only comparable scenario is the recent secession of South Sudan from Sudan (the former Yugoslavia is not an equivalent as, unlike GB, it ceased to exist). While Sudan does have a national tennis association, and competed in the Davis Cup up to 2001, war-torn South Sudan has got infinitely more important things to consider than setting up sporting administrations in the new country. In the UK tennis, a completely integrated sport with no meaningful history of Scotland competing separately, is an interesting study of the difficulties and fears affecting sports north of the border with the possibility of independence, especially those that supply Olympic teams. Scotland is affiliated to the LTA in the same way that, say, Yorkshire or Lancashire are, and Tennis Scotland receives a basic grant of £800,000 annually from the centre plus support for athletes and facilities. The Independence white paper is thin on detail about how and when this kind of money would be replaced. In the seductive Socialist utopia promised by the SNP, in which public spending will go up while things like corporation tax goes down, there are assurances that funding levels for world class sport will survive a schism with the south. Big question: LTA Chief Executive Michael Downey must formulate a plan to find the next Andy Murray . David Marshall, Chief Executive of Tennis Scotland, is among those reluctant to be drawn about the myriad implications, but admitted 'The honest position just now is that there will be a lot of negotiations and decisions in the event of a Yes vote that are impossible to predict, and sport is unlikely to be at the top of the pile. 'There are a lot of unknowns which make it impossible to have a clear idea of what is going to happen. It seems a waste of money to get legal advice about what could be when there are so many unknowns in the situation. It will be different for each sport.' One possible outcome that has been discussed among various Olympic sport is that what may emerge for some is a compromise along the lines of what happens for some sports in Ireland, which have remained united even though Eire is a separate sovereign nation. Gold: The Scot represented Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, winning a Gold and Silver medal . Some governing bodies are extremely sceptical about whether legal and constitutional issues could be solved in time to allow a separate Scotland to compete at Rio 2016, something that would affect the ex Wimbledon champion among others. Sir Craig Reedie, vice-president of the IOC, is the latest to point this out. A tennis team is logistically far easier to organise than, say, rowing or sailing. Yet an idea of how complex Olympic entry could be in the case of tennis comes with the dry-as-dust response of a spokesperson for the ITF (which runs the sport at the Olympics) to inquiries about how an independent Scotland would proceed after a theoretical split from the LTA. Here goes: 'In order to take part in any ITF team competition a nation has to be a 'Class B' member. A National Tennis Association may apply for membership of the ITF in accordance with the ITF Constitution. In order to apply for membership a National Association must first be a member of the Regional Tennis Association (a low profile body called Tennis Europe in Scotland's case) and in the case of Class B members, a member of the National Olympic Committee or a member state of the United Nations. All memberships must be approved at the ITF Annual General Meeting.' Doubles triumph: Murray teamed up with Laura Robson to win Silver in the mixed doubles at London 2012 . To summarise, that suggests a tricky number of hurdles would need to be cleared in a short period for Olympic participation, at a time when sport would hardly be at the top of a new Scottish government's in-tray with so many more important matters to be sorted out. It is also ITF policy that a player can represent who he or she wants providing they have the requisite passport from that nation – and who gets to hold which passport will be among the thorniest issues to sort out in the event of a Yes vote. You can see why highly focussed athletes do not want to get involved in this kind of minutiae, and also why potential Olympians north of the border might be concerned, given all the possible outcomes and funding implications. It is also easy to understand why Murray, his family and the likes of close friend Sir Chris Hoy are very keen not to become embroiled in a campaign getting more heated and unpleasant the nearer polling day comes. They are part of what might be termed the fearful undeclared. If they were to come out on the No side they will be subject to the vicious attacks of the 'Cybernats' and other pro-independence supporters. If they were to express a view in favour of a Yes vote it would open them up to charges of being anti-English, and doubtless unsettle commercial sponsors as well. This is a particularly sensitive time for the former Wimbledon champion in that regard, as his main apparel contract with adidas is due for renewal on January 1. Negotiations are ongoing with them and others who might wish to sign him with its worth likely to be in the region of £3 million per year, give or take performance clauses. Breakthrough: The Scot's straight sets win over Roger Federer handed Murray the 2012 Olympic Gold medal . The Wimbledon champion has reason to be particularly cautious, given the hysterical reaction to some harmless joshing with his friend Tim Henman about supporting football teams eight years ago that is still held against him by some to this day. The day after his triumph as SW19 last year, when he would have been feeling indestructible, Murray declared that he would have to say something on independence. He has subsequently thought better of it, given the highly emotive reactions the subject draws, but anyone who knows him will be sure that he will have a view, given his intellectual curiosity and fondness for a debate about most things. The nearest he has come to publicly expressing a view was in March last year, when he said in an interview with the Times magazine: 'I don't think you should judge the thing on emotion, but on what is best economically for Scotland. You don't want to come to a snap decision and then see the country go tits up. 'I am proud to be Scottish, but I am also proud to be British. I don't think there is any contradiction in that.' Passionate: David Cameron and Alex Salmond celebrate Andy Murray winning Wimbledon in 2013 . More recently he has pointed out that his view has little relevance because, as a longstanding resident of Surrey, he does not have a vote. But there have been hints of his thinking, such as criticising Alex Salmond for unfurling a Saltire in Wimbledon's Royal Box last year. In the past expressed his admiration for staunch 'No' supporter Gordon Brown, and does not give the impression of being a great enthusiast for independence. His private and professional connections make a nonsense of any suggestions that he is in some way anti-English, and he has never shied from wrapping himself in the Union Jack or made a secret of his pride in representing Great Britain. Patriotic: Murray returned to his hometwon Dunblane after his successes at the London 2012 Olympics . It was notable that after London 2012 he declined to appear at the parade of Scottish Olympians in Glasgow but made his own personal visit to his hometown of Dunblane. Yet it should be stressed that none of the country's first tennis family have publicly made their views clear, including brother Jamie and mother Judy. In the case of the latter, who is Captain of Great Britain's Fed Cup team, a few clues can be gleaned from her highly active Twitter feed. She used to follow the SNP account, although stopped doing that prior to getting the GB job. Last week she retweeted a picture of her holding a Saltire-patterned fan that was accompanied by a (lighthearted) suggestion that she was a fan of independence. Like everything else connected with this very complex issue, it will all most likely become clearer after September 18, although perhaps not for some considerable time, possibly not for years. Decisions: Andy's mother Judy Murray (centre) is the Captain of the Great Britain Fed Cup team . | Scottish referendum takes place on September 18 .
On the same day the Davis Cup World Group draw for 2015 takes place .
Andy Murray at centre of complicated implications for British Tennis in the event of a Yes vote in the Scottish referendum .
World number eleven won Olympic Gold at London 2012 for Great Britain . |
0807b672dd1a7ee6f8038649f70a66cfa3ba4fed | Stock markets have endured another . roller-coaster day as brokers digest details of a rescue plan for the Eurozone being drawn up by finance ministers - and there are signs that the markets are improving. Reports . from the weekend suggested a £2.6trillion plan was being drawn up to allow Greece to escape . repayment on half of its towering debt and to quadruple the size of . Europe's bailout fund. The . International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been co-ordinating talks with . leaders in Washington and has reportedly drawn up a plan aimed at . providing a way for Greece to manage a default on its debt, which now . stand at 160 per cent of its GDP. And Banks rallied on hopes that a deal may be near with Barclays the biggest FTSE 100 riser, up 7 per cent. The FTSE 100 index of leading shares opened down 2 per cent this morning but by the end of Monday there was a 22 point rise . It . is thought the plan will include a 50 per cent write down to those debts, . with private investors, notably eurozone banks, suffering huge losses on . the Greek government debt they hold. This morning the . FTSE 100 Index opened below 5000, after a drop of more than 90 points, . but later recovered to stand 52 points higher at 5118.7 - however by . closing, the market was up 0.45 per cent or just 22.5 points. European markets also moved forward . with both the CAC-40 in Paris and Dax in Frankfurt posting gains of more . than 2 per cent despite a closely watched survey of German business . confidence sinking again in September. Louise Cooper, markets analyst at BGC . Partners, predicted a roller-coaster ride for markets while details of . the plan are thrashed out. She said: 'A sufficiently credible . plan to solve the eurozone crisis will necessitate changes to treaties, . laws, and not least the German constitution. 'There will be wobbles and . uncertainty at every vote and stage of political implementation.' According the BBC's Robert Peston, the deal could involve a write-down of half of Greece's massive government debt. But Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos dismissed reports that he has discussed a scenario of an orderly default by Athens with International Monetary Fund Chief Christine Lagarde and European Central Bank head Jean-Claude Trichet. 'We have reached a point where there are reports about what has been said in a closed door meeting with the participation of only Mrs Lagarde, Mr Trichet and myself,' he said in a statement. 'What is absolutely sure is that there hasn't been and couldn't have been any discussion about the so-called scenario of an orderly default.' However the International Monetary . Fund last night issued an extraordinary warning that it might not have . enough cash to stem the crisis engulfing the Eurozone, prompting fears . that Britain could be forced to find billions more to bail out . debt-stricken economies. Chancellor George Osborne has refused to put British funds on the line for a new EU rescue scheme but he would be unable to resist a call from the IMF to do more. Time for action: Chancellor George Osborne (left) will be under pressure to help fund the new scheme, but his predecessor Alistair Darling (right) says decisive action is needed . The dramatic development came as . France was forced to deny speculation that it is on the brink of having . to bail out its banking system. Emergency plans are being drawn up for a . £2.6trillion deal aimed at saving the euro by allowing Greece to default . on its massive debts. The funds would be used to create a . ‘firewall’ around the most indebted Eurozone countries, allow for an . ‘orderly’ Greek default on its towering debts, and bail out those . European banks most at risk. Traders saw a further fall in the price of gold today as the traditional safe haven in times of economic turmoil continued its surprise descent. The precious metal is down by more than 300 U.S. dollars per ounce in the last three weeks, from a record peak of 1921 U.S. dollars an ounce on September 6 to less than 1600 U.S. dollars today. Experts are at odds as to why gold and silver prices have fallen, with some citing a drop in global price pressures and others saying the commodity has been overbought. CME Group, the world's largest futures market, has also increased the minimum investment value to cover itself amid market uncertainty. The recent dive in economic confidence should inspire a flight to gold - as the metal tends to outperform other commodities in times of crisis and also acts as a hedge against inflation. Julian Jessop, chief global economist at Capital Economics, said two of the pillars that supported investors' confidence in gold have been 'knocked away' - namely fears of a surge in inflation and a collapse in the U.S. dollar. He said: 'The 300 US dollar fall in the price of gold has caught most commentators by surprise - including us. 'Demand for gold as an inflation hedge has fallen as the global economy has slowed and other commodity prices have tumbled.' Former . Chancellor Alistair Darling warned yesterday that the world is facing a . bigger economic crisis than it did three years ago. ‘The Greek crisis has been allowed to run on and on and on,’ Mr Darling said. ‘Only this weekend it appears the governments have realised it is only a matter of time before Greece defaults. ‘It is imperative the Eurozone . countries take action now and not let it drag on for the next few weeks . because the risk is it will bring down other countries with it.’ He added: ‘The situation today is more . serious than it was three years ago. There are lessons to be learnt and . they are not being learnt by those responsible at the moment.’ In . a bid to head off a wave of selling when stock markets re-open today, . France’s central bank insisted the country’s besieged lenders were . strong enough to withstand a Greek debt default. Bank of France governor . Christian Noyer described as ‘preposterous’ claims that French lenders . are facing a run on their deposits because of concerns over their . £36billion exposure to Greece. And he rejected reports that the French government was planning to use taxpayers’ cash to shore up the beleaguered banks. Mr . Osborne has warned that Europe’s political elite have just six weeks to . tame the debt storm engulfing the 17-nation single currency – or risk . pitching the global economy back into recession. Following . its meeting in Washington, the IMF warned that it could run out of cash . if contagion spreads beyond the crippled periphery of the Eurozone. Its . £248billion bailout fund may not be big enough if the global economy . plunges into the mire because of the debt crisis, according to IMF chief . Christine Lagarde. The . watchdog’s current emergency fund ‘looks comfortable today but pales in . comparison with the potential financing needs of vulnerable countries . and crisis bystanders’, Mrs Lagarde warned. Global . leaders are in a race against time to shore up the Eurozone and . prevent a Greek default from triggering a full-blown financial meltdown. ‘We need a big bazooka,’ said one senior official at the IMF. World Bank chairman Bob Zoellick said: . ‘[There is] the looming danger that failure to take decisive action in . Europe and the United States may shake the entire global economy, . throwing developing countries off track – and they are today’s engine of . global growth. The key message is that we are closer to the edge.’ Nerve centre: International Monetary Fund's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Greek tragedy: Students and teachers march during a protest in central Athens last week. Greece is swept by strikes amid new budget cuts imposed in the face of bankruptcy . The expected default by Greece on its £305billion of sovereign debt will be a huge blow to the credibility of the Eurozone and send shockwaves through the banking systems of Germany, France and Italy. It will also add fuel to the debate about the viability of a single currency. German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble was highly critical of rescuing those countries that had been foolish enough to build up mountains of sovereign debt, arguing they should not be rewarded for their profligacy, saying: ‘You cannot cure an alcoholic by giving him alcohol.’ | Greek finance minister denies talks with IMF despite speculation . |
080b5e433c62201fde1221066f4d723e3ef427dd | Ofsted is unfairly targeting Jewish schools because of a 'hodge-podge of Left-wing ideals', one of its inspectors has claimed. Rabbi Nessanel Lieberman said the watchdog had an agenda to criticise the faith schools because they did not conform to its ideology. The inspector, registered with Ofsted since 2009, said Jewish schools were increasingly falling foul of new rules on British values. Ofsted is unfairly targeting Jewish schools because of a 'hodge-podge of Left-wing ideals', one of its inspectors has claimed . It comes after two Christian schools were downgraded after inspectors branded children intolerant for failing to give the right answers to questions about lesbians and Muslims. In October, the Jewish Beis Yaakov secondary school for girls in Salford was also downgraded from good to inadequate and placed in special measures. The school's management complained that pupils felt bullied by inspectors' questions about homosexuality and whether they had friends from other faiths. A growing number of faith schools believe they are falling victim to the Government's drive for British values, devised to combat extremism. Since the Trojan Horse row last year, in which Islamic extremists were accused of infiltrating schools, all have been required to teach tolerance of other faiths and lifestyles. In October, the Jewish Beis Yaakov secondary school for girls in Salford (pictured) was downgraded from good to inadequate and placed in special measures . Rabbi Lieberman said Ofsted was unwilling to send Jewish inspectors to Jewish schools, even though they might understand the ethos better. He added the watchdog had 'an agenda to knock down our schools' and described its aims as a 'hodge-podge of Left-wing ideals' designed to clamp down on institutions 'that don't conform to their ideology'. He told the National Jewish Education Conference for Primary School Teachers in London that Kodesh studies, covering Jewish life, were largely ignored in reports. He added: 'Non-Jewish inspectors go into Jewish schools with an interpreter. They write a report that doesn't reflect Kodesh studies, even though they may take up to 50 per cent of the school day.' His comments, reported in the Jewish Chronicle, came as delegates questioned the British values drive at a conference held by Brighton College in London yesterday. Historian David Starkey (pictured): 'Ofsted is being asked to do things it simply shouldn't be asked to do' Historian David Starkey said: 'We shouldn't be using inspections to correct political cowardice or political misjudgement. 'Ofsted is being asked to do things it simply shouldn't be asked to do. The politicians are franchising out their errors of policy.' Dr Shuja Shafi, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: 'We have muddied the water when it comes to British values and have landed ourselves in a mess.' He added that the country was in 'dangerous times' when society 'turns in on itself, suspicious of others and constantly paranoid'. He said: 'We must be firm in tackling extremism and terrorism, but this is not the way to go about it.' An Ofsted spokesman said the watchdog 'is not systematically targeting Jewish faith schools', adding: 'Maintained schools and academies with a religious character are inspected under the same framework, criteria and timeframe as all other maintained schools and academies. 'Ofsted inspectors cannot comment on the content of religious worship or on denominational religious education in maintained schools and academies with a religious character. 'However, they can comment on the contribution of assemblies and teaching (in any subject with the exception of RE) to pupils' personal and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and their behaviour and safety.' | Rabbi Lieberman said the watchdog had agenda against faith schools .
He said Jewish schools were falling foul of new rules on British values .
In October, Jewish Beis Yaakov school in Salford put in special measures .
Faith schools believe they're victim to government's drive for British values . |
080bbc74debfe87281f2e3466d18a4634044aa3f | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:42 EST, 28 December 2012 . Appeal: Jo Swinson co-founded the Campaign for Body Confidence . Magazines have been urged to ditch New Year ‘miracle diets’ that promise to help readers shed the pounds they have piled on over the festive season. Jo Swinson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, claims such diets – which offer tips on how to lose up to a stone in a matter of days – encourage ‘dangerous’ behaviour and ‘self-hate’. In an open letter to women’s, men’s, health and celebrity magazines, she implored editors to stop focusing on short-term solutions and instead encourage sustainable healthy lifestyles. The Lib Dem MP said: ‘As editors you owe more to your readers than the reckless promotion of unhealthy solutions to losing weight. ‘If your aim is to give practical, sensible advice about losing weight – not how to drop a stone in five days – you should encourage reasonable expectations, instead of dangerous ones, along with exercise and healthy eating.’ Speaking on Five Live yesterday, Miss Swinson, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image, said: ‘There’s a real difference between having a crash diet and getting healthier.’ She added: ‘It is irresponsible for magazines to offer “tips, tricks and simple steps” so that people can be thin. Not healthy or vibrant, just thin.’ 'Magazines should reflect ‘real diversity’ rather than showing only slim, young models.' Editors, she added, ‘need to be updating the type of January article that they’re putting in their magazines to have a more positive body image rather than the sort of self-hate perpetuated by the fad diet articles’. Ms Swinson co-founded the Campaign for Body Confidence in 2010 with fellow MP Lynne Featherstone. It promotes diversity of women's bodies in the media, as well as body confidence education in schools and honesty in advertising. The group's founders believe the 'pressure to conform to impossible stereotypes' is damaging to both men and women and increases low-self-esteem, depression and eating disorders. Weight Watchers, which was recently named the NHS' most effective weight loss provider, welcomed the letter. A spokeswoman said: 'We’re delighted that the government is taking measures to prevent the promotion of irresponsible and unhealthy fad diets. Weight Watchers is not a diet, it’s a healthy lifestyle.' She said they encourage a 'healthy and sustainable weight loss' of no more than 2lbs a week. | MP Jo Swinson urged magazines to ditch fad diets in new year editions .
In an open letter she said editors should encourage 'reasonable expectations' about weight loss . |
080c4286a1d1c5096b27d497c880118841c567dc | By . Tom Mcghie and Nick Craven . PUBLISHED: . 17:08 EST, 3 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:11 EST, 3 November 2012 . Britain is sitting on a £1.5 trillion shale gas bonanza that could be worth more than the remaining North Sea gas. The amount is bigger than previously thought and would potentially bring energy price stability and independence from imports for decades. Although only about ten per cent of the gas is in unpopulated areas suitable for extraction, it would still be worth £150 billion. Boost: Britain is sitting on a £1.5 trillion shale gas bonanza that could be worth more than the remaining North Sea gas. It is hoped shale gas can transform the economy in the way North Sea oil did in the Eighties and Nineties . The level of untapped shale gas will be confirmed next month in a study by the British Geological Survey, commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, according to industry sources. Ministers are then likely to give the go-ahead for drilling, hoping the enormous economic benefits can win over environmental concerns. But critics say the environmental cost is too high for ‘fracking’ – or hydraulic fracturing, the controversial method of extracting gas by forcing water, sand and chemicals at high pressure 6,000ft underground. Pilot wells caused two earthquakes in Lancashire last year and green campaigners warn the method could contaminate the water supply. US research also says that homeowners within two miles of a fracking site can expect property prices to plummet by almost a quarter. Sources close to Energy Secretary Ed Davey said he was ‘quite excited about the prospect of a new domestic resource and probably wants to be able to exploit it, but it is quite a disruptive process and we need to go in with our eyes open’. Although the shale gas reserves are unlikely to mean a fall in gas prices, there could be enough to prevent expected big increases for years. Oil and gas experts are also hopeful about the high concentration of gas in UK rocks, which is richer than even US shale deposits and would require fewer wells. The Coalition hopes that shale gas can transform the economy in the way North Sea oil did in the Eighties and Nineties. David Cameron has chaired a seminar to which he invited shale gas experts to come to Downing Street. Meanwhile the Chancellor is considering a ‘generous new tax regime’ for drilling companies. Energy Minister John Hayes is expected to give the go-ahead for drilling, which has been suspended for the last year because of safety and environmental concerns. Last year, Cuadrilla Resources suspended its drilling operations after fracking caused two small earthquakes near Blackpool. A senior industry source with intimate knowledge of the BGS survey said: ‘When the survey announces the size of the reserve, it will be an enormous figure. The potential is that it will be a bigger number than the total recovery from the North Sea.’ Hopeful: Sources close to Energy Secretary Ed Davey said he was 'quite excited' about the prospect of a new domestic resource . Substantial recoverable gas could enhance Britain’s energy security, offset declining North Sea output and reduce import dependence. About 70 per cent of the North Sea gas and oil reserves have been used up and in 20 years Britain will be dependent on gas from abroad – mainly Norway and Qatar. However, only about ten per cent of the shale gas is available for commercial exploitation because much of it has been found in heavily populated areas, such as the North West, North Wales, Isle of Man, South Cumbria, East Midlands and the North East. Many of these areas have already suffered a property price collapse, and so fracking would be likely to provoke fierce opposition. An ICM poll last month showed 67 per cent of homeowners would rather have a wind turbine near their home than a fracking well. But Cuadrilla claims the estimated 200 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the Bowland Basin in the North West could create 5,600 jobs. Pro-frackers say the landscape is disturbed for a few months during initial drilling and that the ground can be returned to its former use. But Friends of the Earth claims that the longer-term effects below ground could be catastrophic. Andrew Pendleton, of the charity, said: ‘Our objection to shale gas is there are risks of water contamination by methane and chemicals, and the process involves very high use of water anyway. Then there’s the risk of earth tremors. ‘We don’t think shale gas would even stop the rise in gas prices anyway and it is another fossil fuel creating carbon. Plus there is the risk methane will leak out, and it is a very powerful greenhouse gas.’ | Although only about ten per cent of the .
gas is in unpopulated areas suitable for extraction, it would still be .
worth £150 billion .
The level of untapped shale gas will be confirmed next month in a study by the British Geological Survey .
Ministers are then likely to give the .
go-ahead for drilling, hoping the enormous economic benefits can win .
over environmental concerns . |
080cc919d3c4b7a4ba73f9cd56c2eec48f40a84f | This panda didn't want to go back into its enclosure at all. As its trainer tried to leave the panda pen at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, this animal decided it still wanted some human company. Latching on to the trainer's leg, the panda can be seen giving the man a hug hug and refusing to let down. The 41 second video filmed in China's southwestern city of Chengdu has gone viral as animal lovers around the world enjoy watching the adorable scene. The research base was established in 1987 and it carries out a range of research and conservation work to protect the endangered species. During the video the first panda grabs the right leg of the keeper just below the knee and the animal holds onto it for about 25 seconds while a second giant panda watches on. The man finally manages to extricate himself and leaves the enclosure shutting the gate behind him. But the pandas appear somewhat distressed as they clamber up the bars of the cage and watch the handler leave. Grip: The panda has a tight grip of the keeper's right leg during the initial stages of the video . Struggle: The research base employee manages to loosen the grip of the panda slightly . Gate: Finally the man gets his leg free, however, the panda is still making it difficult for him to close the gate . Almost there: The pandas appear very agitated as they watch the keeper lock the gate . Escape: The keeper manages to lock the pandas in the enclosure after his unexpected struggle . | Incident occurred in southwestern city of Chengdu .
Research base worker was on his own when giant panda grabbed him .
Man eventually shakes panda off but then has a struggle to close gate . |
080d17b9a5629efc29f366ebf34a3c686768fdaf | There can be no doubt that 2014 has been a stellar year for George Clooney, with the sworn bachelor finally tying the knot with international lawyer Amal Alamuddin. And, now, topping off a triumphant 12 months, George's decades of unfaltering style have been acknowledged as he is crowned Male Grooming Icon of 2014. Ever since setting hearts aflutter in ER in the Nineties, George has championed a suave, clean shaven look, setting the standard for silver foxes everywhere, which saw him claim an impressive third of the total votes. George Clooney has been awarded the title of Male Grooming Icon in this triumphant year for the star which saw him finally walk down the aisle with lawyer Amal Alamuddin . George even managed to topple David Beckham from his usual place atop all UK stylish men charts. David, who sits at the number two position, who has long led the way when it comes to grooming, championing the hair quiff, fake tan and eyebrow threading over his career. James Bond himself, Daniel Craig takes third place, championing the traditional British look. The dapper actor most recently showcased his rugged charms at the press launch of the forthcoming Bond epic Spectre. Prince William, so often overlooked in favour of his wife the Duchess of Cambridge - who topped Superdrug's annual Beauty Icons survey from 2011 to 2013 - comes in at number four, while the evergreen Johnny Depp rounds off the top five. The quintessential metrosexual David Beckham may have been knocked off the top spot but he hasn't fallen far, taking second place for his high level of grooming -with or without beard . Other names included in the top ten include noted smoothies Michael Buble and Gary Barlow, at seven and nine respectively, with Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch closing the top ten. Younger stars to make an high appearance on the list include Strictly star Mark Wright at number 15, Robert Pattinson at 19 and Brooklyn Beckham at 22. Romeo Beckham makes an appearance at number 26, showing that at 12 years old it's never too early to start making an effort. David Cooke, head of men's grooming and personal care at Superdrug, which conducted the survey, said: 'Mr Clooney is a perfect example of modern male grooming, polished and sophisticated without compromising his masculinity. Daniel Craig and Prince William take third and fourth place respectively for their traditional looks . 'What's interesting about this list is that it's older male celebs that lead the charge, with the youngest in our top ten being Prince Harry and Olly Murs both aged 30, and George the oldest at 52. In fact the combined age of our top ten in 399 years old, which perhaps substantiates the old adage about men getting better with age.' Dave Cooke added: 'Male grooming has really taken off in the last few years, with UK seeing a predicted increase in sales of men's products of more than £20million in the last two years. 'We're predicting 2015 to be the Year of the Man as more and more male shoppers wake up to the long term benefits of looking after their skin and hair. Who wouldn't want to look like George Clooney at his age?' | George is followed by Beckham and Daniel Craig in list .
Prince William steps out from Kate's shadow to claim the fourth spot .
His brother Harry, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olly Murs also in top ten . |
080dfbb14a6c9c977c2612525830c6e1f07dda12 | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 07:40 EST, 23 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:37 EST, 23 January 2013 . Over the past few years, Japanese consumers have, as in markets the world over, abandoned their old phones for newer, shinier smartphones like the iPhone. But one particular demographic subset have remained faithful to their old flip phones - and, ironically, it's Japan's philanderers. Those who like to play away are snared in an enduring love affair with one particular series of Fujitsu mobiles which feature a range of privacy features to hide calls and texts. Fujitsu's F-06D, in 'Innocent White': The F-series range of Fujitsu smartphones has been dubbed the 'infidelity phone' for a range of features that love cheats use to hide their affairs . Fujitsu's ageing F-Series flip phones - nicknamed the 'uwaki keitai' of 'infidelity phone' - are the mobiles of choice for customers who believe newer versions are not as discreet at hiding their affairs. They feature a nearly invisible 'privacy mode' that hides missed calls, emails and texts from any contacts that are designated as private. The only indication that such a person has got in touch is a subtle change in the colour of shape of how the battery level icon of the network signal antenna bars are shown. A secret combination of keys is needed to turn off the privacy mode, revealing the concealed calls and messages and making voicemail available. Secrets: The phones feature a nearly invisible . 'privacy mode' that hides missed calls, emails and texts from any . contacts designated as private . A Japanese pick-up artist and blogger . who goes by the name Bakanabe, said he uses the phone because women he's . seeing might try to check his phone for strange calls or emails when . he's not around. 'With Fujitsu's "privacy mode", they can't see that information at all. The key is to give off the impression that you're not locking your phone at all,' he told the Wall Street Journal. Another Japanese blogger, nicknamed Poza, who claims to carry on various dating site romances while stringing along three girlfriends, said he uses the privacy features to avoid getting caught. Although he has had the Fujitsu phone for nearly five years and owns an iPhone too, he told the Journal giving up his stealthy flip phone entirely is 'unthinkable'. 'In terms of keeping my cheating hidden, this does more than enough,' said Poza, who declined to give his real name but said he worked for a design company in western Japan. It was more stringent security requirements for all phones offered by NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile network, that first prompted Fujitsu to include the privacy mode in 2002. Former senior DoCoMo executive Takeshi Natsuno said he insisted on tougher security after hearing of couples splitting up because unfaithful lovers left their phones unguarded. 'If Tiger Woods had this Japanese feature in his phone, he wouldn't have gotten in trouble,' said Mr Natsuno. When contacted by the Journal, Fujitsu refused to comment on its devices infidelity phone nickname. Tokyo's Kabukicho red-light district: Former senior DoCoMo executive Takeshi Natsuno said he insisted on tougher security after hearing of couples splitting up because unfaithful lovers left their phones unguarded . The enduring appeal of the Fujitsu infidelity phones has continued despite the launch of a range of so-called cheater apps that are meant to bring similar features to Android and iOS. These, and even Fujitsu's own attempts to bring privacy features to its smartphone range, have been derided by the F-Series loyal cheater fanbase. Fujitsu's offering in particular needs customers to use a separate proprietary mail and address book app rather than the carrier's default programs - giving the game away. 'It's totally useless,' Watanabe said. 'I hold out hope that Fujitsu adds the real privacy mode with its next smartphone.' But other app designers are already racing to fill the gap, with software such as the Call and Text Eraser, available on Android, which hides messages and calls from people on a 'blacklist'. The popularity of the $4.99 app is such that it has already been downloaded more than 10,000 times. | Fujitsu flip phones come with unrivalled privacy features .
They can hide calls and texts, with subtle alerts shown on battery icon .
Japanese pick-up artist says it 'does more than enough' to hide cheating .
Newer smartphone apps not up to the job, bloggers say . |
080e93d3d49a5b308c7b7048c5b316d7311e3c09 | (CNN) -- There are seemingly millions of smartphone apps out there designed to make traveling easier, but not all of them are very good. Every company seems to think that it needs an app to be cool, but not every app is worth the effort. Here are some of the apps that I find to be most helpful while on the road: . FlightAware . I'm one of those guys who always thinks that more information is better, and that's why I like FlightAware. You can see exactly where your flight (or any other flight) is at the moment. I've used the FlightAware website for years to see near real-time flight tracking, and now there's an app as well. Were you told your airplane is coming from Wichita, but it's still not there and you should be boarding? Go to FlightAware to see where the airplane is right now. FlightAware is hardly the only one in this space. Other frequent fliers swear by FlightTrack Pro, for example. GateGuru . When I was in Atlanta recently, my wife was looking for something before our next flight. Trying to find the right store in an airport the size of Hartsfield-Jackson is a mind-numbing experience. GateGuru, however, gives the rundown on which stores and restaurants are in each terminal and it pulls in reviews as well. If you're in an airport looking for a particular product or service, this will make your task much easier. Hotel Tonight . Have you ever been somewhere and realized you needed a room for the night? Maybe your flight was canceled or perhaps your meetings ran long. This company negotiates deals with hotels for last-minute rooms in many big cities. Within seconds, you can have the room reserved for a low rate. Taxi Magic . If you don't know a city well, the taxi scene can be confusing. Where is the best place to hail a cab? How much should you pay? Taxi Magic makes it a lot easier. If there's a participating cab company in your city, Taxi Magic will have a cab sent right to you. You can pay directly through the app so you don't have to worry about whether credit is accepted or not. The app and booking services are free, and there's a $1.50 documentation fee for using a credit card through the app. If there isn't a participating cab company in the area, Taxi Magic will give you phone numbers for local companies so you can call and arrange for a cab yourself. TripIt . If you've ever used TripIt online to manage your travel, you know it's a great tool for keeping all your travel plans in one place. Of course, there's also an app for that. See and manage all your travel plans in the TripIt app so you never lose your details. Beyond the basics of flights, hotels and cars, you can also put in things like appointments and meals. Your airline app . This isn't one app; it's dependent upon which airline you fly. If you fly a different airline every time, then it's probably not worth downloading every single airline app. But if you're a loyalist, you should absolutely have it. There are some excellent apps out there that allow you to check flight status, see the standby list, book flights and even check in. Apps will store a mobile boarding pass so you can just flash your phone to get on the airplane (not in all airports, but it's getting there). Some airlines have better apps than others. I've heard rave reviews about the new United Airlines app, but get the apps for the airlines you fly frequently. What would you add to the list? | Hotel Tonight connects travelers with last-minute rooms at discounted rates .
The Taxi Magic app dispatches cabs directly to you .
Frequent fliers should have airline apps for their preferred carriers . |
08102a4509565732289f843007d08cfa72ea5456 | (CNN) -- Traveling the world playing professional tennis isn't as lucrative as it appears. If you're outside the top 100, the consensus is that making a profit is difficult. Russia's Dmitry Tursunov, currently ranked 30th, told CNN last year that he needed to pocket $200,000 a season just to break even. The players, then, will be happy to hear about another prize money boost at the U.S. Open. It seems that every grand slam nowadays increases the total on offer and the U.S. Open didn't buck the trend after announcing it will pay out a tournament record $3 million to singles winners in September at Flushing Meadows. Ten years ago, Roger Federer took home $1 million for beating Lleyton Hewitt in the men's final. Based on current conversion rates, the $3 million is slightly less than the £1.76 million ($3.01 million) dished out to the singles champions at Wimbledon last weekend. Wimbledon and the U.S. Open lead the way in prize money of the four majors. The U.S. Open is also handing out double-digit raises in each round of the singles, something lower-ranked players will be particularly pleased about. Overall, prize money climbs to a tournament record $38.3 million. "Last year, to recognize the importance of the players and the key role they have in building our sport, the USTA shared our vision to reach $50 million in prize money at the U.S. Open by 2017," Dave Haggerty, the USTA's chairman of the board and president, said in a statement Wednesday. "This year's prize money increase continues the commitment to make the U.S. Open one of the most lucrative purses in all of sports." Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are the defending champions at the U.S. Open, which begins August 25. | Singles winners at the U.S. Open tennis tournament will receive $3 million .
Ten years ago Roger Federer took home $1 million for bagging the title .
Total prize money in 2014 climbs to $38.3 million, an increase of 11.7% from 2013 .
Each round in the singles competition sees double-digit rises . |
081042a92e15c42f3c848c7e24d9c2e711dd4dfc | By . Bianca London . It may be home to the world's greatest tennis stars but Wimbledon has become more of a red carpet this week. The annual tennis tournament, which kicked off on Monday in South West London, has drawn in the A-listers day after day. Today's famous faces included avid tennis fan Pippa Middleton, who looked summertime chic in a floaty monochrome dress, and her brother James. Scroll down for video . Look who it is! James and Pippa Middleton, who are avid tennis fans, arrived at Wimbledon today to enjoy the summer sport . The 30-year-old is known for her love of tennis and famously watched Andy Murray lose in the finals two years ago with sister Kate. Pippa, who sported her new shorter hair style, was in good spirits and showed off her toned and tanned legs in her £324 summer dress, which was clinched in at the waist. She wore strappy black wedges and carried a £200 Matryoshka clutch, opting to cover up in a £300 tailored white blazer. Staying true to one of her favourite brands, the author and party planner wore full CH Carolina Herrera with her dress, clutch and blazer all being by the Venezuelan-American fashion who has dressed the likes of Michelle Obama. Sibling day out: Kate clearly decided to stay at home with baby George while her siblings Pippa and James opted for an afternoon of tennis . She and James took their seats in the Royal box just behind Downton Abbey actress Michelle Dockery. Other . notable guests included Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark, . Labour party politician Harriet Harman, Olympic triple jumper Jonathan . Edwards and wife Alison, as well as Robbie and Lynette Federer - Roger’s . parents. Retired athlete Denise Lewis also sat . in the Royal box along with Sir Steve and Lady Redgrave, Lady Susan . Rowe, Eddie Seaward, a former groundsman who retired in 2012, Canadian . journalist Clive Thomson and Mr Lloyd and Mrs Soraya Embley. Liam Payne and Niall Horan may be pop . royalty but they didn't quite make the cut today and instead sat in the . crowds flanked by a bodyguard and Niall's cousin Willie Devine. Today sees Serena Williams play Chanelle Scheepers and Maria Sharapova play Timea Bacsinszky in the ladies singles second round. It's . been a busy week for Pippa, who sat down for her first ever TV . interview yesterday to tell the world 'what it is like to be Pippa'. Wearing her tennis whites! Pippa looked effortlessly elegant and chic in her monchrome summer dress and white blazer . Best seat in the house: Pippa and James, far right, were joined by the likes of Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark, Harriet Harman, Jonathan Edwards and . Robbie and Lynette Federer in the Royal box . In good company: James and Pippa Middleton greet Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery in the Royal box . Pleased to meet you! Pippa and James Middleton greet Michelle Dockery (right) and James Dineen (left) in the Royal Box on Centre Court during day four of the Wimbledon Championships . Happy to be here: Pippa is known for her love of tennis and once wrote about it for Vanity Fair . Summertime chic: Pippa made the most of the good weather by getting her tanned and toned legs out . Until . now, the 30-year-old magazine columnist has never spoken publicly on . her life in the spotlight as sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate . Middleton - or that bridesmaid's dress which brought her so much . attention at the Royal Wedding in 2011. Miss . Middleton was interviewed by Today's Matt Lauer who had flown to London . to speak with her for a two-part segment to be aired on Monday and . Tuesday. She appeared briefly on camera with Lauer on Wednesday as the pair had just finished taping the interview. It was revealed today that the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge is allegedly being . offered a correspondent's job with NBC following her first ever TV . interview. In good spirits: Pippa, who gave her first ever TV interview yesterday, smiled broadly and giggled as she made her way into Wimbledon . She's been busy! The party-planner, who looked immaculate with pared down make-up and a glossy blow-dry, recently completed a marathon, 3,000 mile cycle across the U.S. with her brother James . Smart attire: Pippa looked on-trend in a floaty white dress and James was suited and booted in a blue and red suit combo . Having a ball: Pippa and James chatted away behind Michelle Dockery in the Royal box today . Engrossed: James engaged in a quick chat during the game while Pippa was fixated on the match . Air kisses: Labour politician Harriet Harman greets Philip Brook in the Royal Box . Sources told the New York Post . that NBC has been after an interview with Pippa for a while and is set . to offer her a correspondent's role, appearing in special reports. It is not thought that Prince William's sister-in-law would report on the Royal Family as the subject is deemed off-limits. In . 2012, it was reported that NBC would offer Pippa, a freelance writer . and party planner, $600,000 to be a royal correspondent but this was . denied by the network. A source told the Post: 'Pippa could do reports based on her party planning book or her charity work.' Doing her part: Pippa, James and five other men had set off from California last week on the Race Across America with the aim of crossing 12 states to raise money for charity . Look at those locks! Pippa showed off her shorter new hairstyle as she attended the tennis today . It's been a busy few weeks for the . party-planner, who today looked immaculate with pared down make-up and a . glossy blow-dry. She recently completed a marathon, 3,000 mile cycle across . the U.S. with her brother James. The siblings and five other men had . set off from California last week on the Race Across America with the . aim of crossing 12 states to raise money for charity. They . cycled through California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, . Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. After finishing, Pippa, who is dating stockbroker Nico Jackson, described the experience as 'brilliant'. Asked . if she had suffered saddle sores, she laughed and said: 'It wasn't too . bad. I think it was because I chose a particularly comfy saddle.' On the box: Pippa Middleton dressed casually for her . interview on Wednesday with Today's Matt Lauer in a low-cut silky blouse . and skinny jeans. She was speaking for the first time on camera on what . it's like to live life in the royal spotlight . Athletic: Pippa Middleton smiles after finishing the Race Across America with brother James, right . Challenges . don't stop there for the Celebrate author - she is soon to be on her . way to Istanbul to take on the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Race, a 6.5km . historical swim that crosses from Europe to Asia. Miss . Middleton has been keeping busy since being dropped by her American . publisher Viking Press after her party-planning book Celebrate sold just . 18,000 copies. It was announced in May that Pippa had been dropped as a columnist for The Daily Telegraph after just six months. She still writes for Vanity Fair and is associated with the supermarket Waitrose. Pippa's not the only star in the crowd! One Direction's Liam Payne, left, and Niall Horan, right, watched the action too . Avid fans: The One Direction boys looked enthralled as they watched the game from the crowds today . Fun day out: Leslie Mann was spotted making a . chic sartorial display as she brought her daughter, Maude Apatow, along . to enjoy the Wimbledon tennis tournament on Wednesday. The duo were hosted in the Evian suite, which has welcomed countless celebrities this week . In good company: The pair weren't the only stars . spotted enjoying the sporting action as model Amber Le Bon also joined . them in the suite . Model by nature: Unsurprisingly the model looked stunning as she posed for photographers . Royal approval: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, . looked resplendent in a beige and white polka dot dress accessorised . with a pair of pearl earrings and a suede clutch bag yesterday . Walking on sunshine: Sir Trevor McDonald and Chris Woodward were also seen at the tournament . Looking good: Jamie Campbell Bower and Matilda Lowther attend the evian Live Young suite on the opening day of Wimbledon . Chart-topper: Ellie Goulding attends the evian Live Young suite on the opening day of Wimbledon . Leading the way: Pixie Lott opted for a daring . crop to and gingham print skirt (L) while fellow singer Ellie Goulding . (R) caught the eye in a semi-sheer top and black satin skirt . In good company: Pixie was joined by stylish model boyfriend Oliver Cheshire . Bucking the trend: Vanessa White (L) wore ripped . jeans and a tasteful white blouse, while Laura Mvula (R) was on song in . a vibrant orange Kate Spade New York dress and yellow heels, while . carrying a Kate Spade bag . Say cheese: (L-R) guests Laura Mvula, Naomie Harris and Jameela Jamil . Murder on the tennis court! Sophie Ellis-Bextor . (L) was amongst the guests at Wimbledon on Monday, where she was joined . by Bond actress Naomie Harris (R) Here we go: Fellow guest Joely Richardson tries her hand at table tennis . Strike a pose: Jameela is joined by British actress Natalie Dormer . Funny guy: Comedian Jack Whitehall was also in attendance on Monday (L) as was suave British actor Douglas Booth (R) Let's talk: Natalie Dormer chats with Hollywood great Kathleen Turner . Having a laugh: Jameela larks around with close pals Rizzle Kicks on Monday afternoon . Good times: Cara Santana, Jesse Metcalfe, Oliver Cheshire, Pixie Lott and Vanessa White attend the evian Live Young suite . | Pippa, 30, wore a full CH Carolina Herrera outfit today at Wimbledon .
Joined by brother James, who was dapper in a blue suit .
Sat in Royal box with Michelle Dockery and Roger Federer's parents .
Liam Payne and Niall Hordan from One Direction were in crowds .
Made debut TV appearance on Today show yesterday . |
0811a0b57711757250ef929e08a10bdca08771c2 | South Korean authorities are cracking down on the company that operated the passenger ferry that sank last month, a disaster that killed hundreds of people and shocked the nation. The chief executive of Cheonghaejin Marine Company, the ferry operator, was arrested Thursday and is facing charges including causing death by negligence, said Yang Joong-jin, a senior prosecutor in the investigation. At the same time, the government has begun to take steps to revoke the company's business licenses, the the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said. The planned measures are aimed at taking away the licenses of the company for all its routes, including the one on which the Sewol passenger ferry sank, leaving more than 260 people dead and dozens still missing. Most of the dead and missing are students, all from the same high school, who were taking the ferry to the resort island of Jeju for a field trip. The stunning loss of life has shaken South Korea, raising troubling questions about safety standards and government oversight of businesses. President Park Geun-hye has apologized over the government's handling of the disaster and pledged to overhaul safety systems to try to prevent accidents in the future. Prosecutor: CEO arrested, charged in South Korea ferry disaster . Excess cargo blamed . Kim Han-sik, the chief executive officer of Cheonghaejin Marine, was arrested in connection with allegations that excessive cargo a played a role in the April 16 sinking, Yang said. Investigators have said the amount of cargo, more than double the ferry's limit, and the failure to tie it down properly was partly responsible for the sinking of the Sewol, which was carrying 476 passengers and crew. Speaking to reporters Thursday with his face covered, Kim apologized for the disaster. "Victims of Sewol ferry and their bereaved families, I am sorry, I am sorry. I have committed crime that can only be paid back with my life," he said in comments broadcast on South Korean broadcaster YTN. Several other of the company's employees have been indicted in the case, along with the ship's captain and more than a dozen crew members. Authorities have searched the company's offices as part of the criminal investigation. 'Serious problems' The government, meanwhile, plans to take away the company's licenses for all its routes, including the one on which the Sewol sank, said Nam Jae-heon, an official at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. "Normally, we would cancel route by route, but in this case of Chonghaejin Marine Co., it is not just the route that is problem ... there are serious problems with firm's entire business practices," Nam said. "We have decided not to wait for the investigation results from the prosecutor, as would have been the standard practice, but to go ahead with the revocation of the business licenses as soon as possible since there is enough evidence out there to support the revocation," he said. Chonghaejin Marine didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from CNN. At least 269 people died in the disaster, which happened while the ferry was traveling from Incheon to Jeju, off South Korea's southwestern coast. Thirty-five people still are unaccounted for, according to the country's coast guard. Search continues . Divers are still searching the submerged vessel for the missing people, braving frigid waters, strong currents and corridors clogged with debris. Last week, one of the divers died while working to recover bodies. The ill-fated voyage trip wasn't the first time the ferry had an excess cargo, a joint investigation team told reporters earlier this week. Since the Sewol began the Incheon-Jeju route in March 2013, the ferry carried excess cargo 139 times, investigators said. Cheonghaejin Marine earned an extra 62 million South Korean won ($62,000) for the excess cargo on the April 16 voyage, and nearly 3 billion South Korean won ($2.9 million) in extra profit for all of the excess cargo that the ferry carried since March 2013, investigators said. | The government is moving to revoke the ferry operator's business licenses .
Cheonghaejin Marine Company operated the ferry that sank last month off the South Korean coast .
Authorities have arrested the company's chief executive; he faces charges including causing death by negligence .
Searchers have recovered 269 bodies from the sunken ferry; another 35 people remain missing . |
0811bb28245597a6b0542e4446901dafaab3d8e2 | By . Simon Jones . Liverpool’s alarming collapse could cost Brendan Rodgers’ side the title after Crystal Palace exposed the Reds’ defensive frailties on Monday night. There’s no doubt the Anfield boss will be on the lookout for replacements this summer. Sportsmail’s SIMON JONES looks at 10 possible options for Rodgers to consider to shore-up his leaky defence. MARCOS ROJO . Sporting LisbonAge: 24Cost £12m . Argentina defender who plays at left-back for his country but centre-back for his club. Technically good, has pace, is tough and grabs the occasional goal. FEDERICO FAZIO . SevillaAge: 27Cost: £10m . Stylish Argentine defender with a ruthless streak. Good on the ball and 6ft 5ins tall. Has also been watched by Arsenal and Everton over recent years. STEFAN DE VRIJ . FeyenoordAge: 22Cost: £5m . Holland international is ready to leave Feyenoord but has one year left on his contract. Liverpool have watched him and team-mate Bruno Martins Indi. JOEL VELTMAN . AjaxAge: 22Cost £12m . Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal have all watched him and Liverpool can see his potential but Ajax will make it difficult for him to leave just now. INIGO MARTINEZ . Real SociedadAge: 22Cost: £22m . Spanish international has been watched by United, City and Barcelona but all have question marks about his ability to match the more physical opponents. DEJAN LOVREN . SouthamptonAge: 24Cost: £12m . Move to Southampton has only served to improve his reputation. Croatia international is a good all-round defender and Premier League experience helps. JAVI MARTINEZ . Bayern MunichAge: 25Cost: £30m . Accomplished holding midfielder who can also play at centre-back. The Spaniard is unsettled at Munich and is among players considering his future under Pep Guardiola. STEVEN CAULKER . Cardiff CityAge: 22Cost: £8.5m . Has had an indifferent season but emerged with credit despite Cardiff’s relegation. Brendan Rodgers is a fan and age is on his side to keep improving. MATEO MUSACCHIO . VillarrealAge: 23Cost: £25m . Not the biggest centre-back but tough and uncompromising. Has good positional sense, reads the game very well and intercepts danger frequently. MARTIN HINTEREGGER . Red Bull SalzburgAge: 21Cost: £8m . Still a bit raw but has right physical attributes. Has also been watched by Arsenal and United. Liverpool scouts watched the Austrian in action against Uruguay in March. AND HERE’S ONE THEY PREPARED EARLIER...LLOYD JONES . LiverpoolAge: 18 . Liverpool paid compensation to Plymouth for the teenage defender who is impressing club coaches and has captained the Under 21 side. Is decent on the ball, is 6ft 3ins tall and still growing. Homegrown: Lloyd Jones (right) has impressed for Liverpool's Under 21 side this season . | Liverpool have conceded 49 goals in the Premier League this season .
Brendan Rodgers will no doubt be looking for defenders this summer transfer window .
Likes of Javi Martinez and Steven Caulker could cure defensive frailties . |
08128abb7db9c87efa48aa1b81feb5a43314f386 | Recommendations: The report was put together by former civil servant Sir Joseph Pelling, pictured . Gay couples should be allowed to have their relationships blessed in church, the Church of England said yesterday. Bishops should lift their official ban on ceremonies to mark civil partnerships and the relationships of gay and lesbian churchgoers, a long-awaited CofE report said. It signalled an end to the Church’s longstanding insistence that gay relationships are sinful and less worthy than heterosexual marriage. The report, written by former civil servant Sir Joseph Pilling and a team of senior churchmen and women, may now open the way for a reversal of the CofE’s opposition to same-sex marriage and the eventual appointment of actively homosexual priests and bishops. It was published seven months after the Church first indicated it is looking at ‘accommodations’ for same-sex couples and four months after the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, told Church leaders that ‘we must accept there is a revolution in the area of sexuality.’ Archbishop Welby said yesterday that bishops will now ‘consider the report and decide how such a process might best be shaped.’ In its key paragraph the Pilling report declared: ‘We believe there can be circumstances where a priest, with the agreement of the parish, should be free to mark the formation of a permanent same-sex relationship in a public service but should be under no obligation to do so.’ Acknowledging arguments among the report team, it added: ‘Some of us do not believe that this can be extended to same-sex marriage.’ Current CofE guidance laid down by bishops forbids priests to conduct same-sex blessing services. Nevertheless, some estimates say 200 such services a year are carried out in Anglican churches. Bishops could permit gay blessing services simply by changing their guidelines. Their first opportunity to do so will come at meetings next month and in January. The Pilling report calls for two years of ‘facilitated conversations’ on a series of ideas that will sweep away the decades of opposition to gay rights if a majority in the Church accept them. Such talks may prove ‘difficult and divisive’ a statement by Archbishop Welby admitted. It called for the talks to end the rule dating from 1991 that says gays are welcome in the pews but that clergy must not be actively homosexual. ‘The Church’s present rules impose different disciplines on clergy and laity in relations to sexually active same-sex relationships,’ the report said. ‘It will be important to reflect on the extent to which laity and clergy should continue to observe such different disciplines.’ The report suggested that reforms might go ahead through bringing in different rules for junior clergy and for bishops - rules similar to those which currently allow women priests but not women bishops. The row over gay bishops has been toxic for the Anglicans since the last Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams, prevented the appointment of openly gay Canon Jeffery John as a bishop in 2003. Dr John is now Dean of St Albans. Under consideration: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said the Church will now consider the recommendations . In a series of calls for new thinking, the report said the Church should show ‘real repentance for the lack of welcome and acceptance extended to homosexual people in the past’. However, it added: ‘No-one should be accused of homophobia solely for articulating traditional Christian teaching on same-sex relationships.’ The report suggested that the Bible does not condemn homosexuality and said no-one should teach that it does. It also warned that liberal attitudes to homosexuality in western countries can cause trouble in countries where Christians are vulnerable to attack. Congregations in countries like Nigeria and Pakistan, where homosexuality is universally condemned by Muslims, have been subjected to violence in recent years. The report said: ‘It is important, for some a matter of life and death, that the Church and church people speak with great care and attentiveness to how their words will be received, not only in their own culture but in cultures where Christians are marginalised.’ The CofE set itself against the gay rights agenda in 1987, at a time when pressure for recognition of gay relationships by Anglicans was just beginning. Its parliament, the General Synod, said then that gay sex was sinful. Last year the Church strongly opposed David Cameron’s same-sex marriage legislation, saying it would wreck traditional marriage and undermine families. The Pilling report said that there should be no formal liturgy for same-sex blessing services, but consenting priests and parishes should be allowed to work out their own form of service. It hinted strongly that full acceptance of same-sex marriage is on the way. ‘A willingness to offer public recognition and prayer for a committed same-sex relationship would, in practice, be hard to implement now for civil partnerships without also doing so for same-sex marriage,’ it said. One member of the report team, the Bishop of Birkenhead, the Right Reverend Keith Sinclair, said he was unable to accept the recommendations. | Report signals an end to Church stance that gay relationships are sinful .
Recommendations could lead to actively homosexual priests and bishops .
It was put together by former civil servant Sir Joseph Pilling . |
08133402a96eda39b88d9f9e0f24b9dcde3de0de | MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Two satellites, one Russian and one American, have collided some 800 kilometers (500 miles) above Siberia, the Russian and U.S. space agencies, said Thursday. Debris from the collision poses no threat to the International Space Station. The collision on Tuesday produced two large debris clouds, NASA said. The satellites collided at 10 kilometers (6 miles) per second, producing 500-600 new pieces of space debris, the U.S. Strategic Command said. That debris is not believed to pose a threat to the International Space Station as long as the clouds continue moving in a lower orbit, according to NASA and the Russian federal space agency, Roscosmos. "There is some elevated risk, but it is considered to be very small to the ISS and to the other satellites that NASA has in orbit," NASA spokeswoman Beth Dickey told CNN. She said experts were still assessing the effects of the debris. Mikhail Martirosov, from Russian mission control center, told Interfax news agency that the real threat from the debris will become obvious next week, once experts can calculate the trajectory of the fragments' descent. "We have not received a warning of the possible danger to the ISS. The fragments may descend to the ISS orbit in several years, although I do not rule out that some fragments may go down within several days," Martirosov said. The Russian satellite was launched in 1993 and had been out of service at the time of the collision, Roscosmos said. The U.S. satellite was part of the Iridium global mobile communications system and is owned by a consortium headed by Motorola, the space agency said. It was launched in 1997. Iridium said in a statement Wednesday it "expects to implement a network solution by Friday," and will "move one of its in-orbit spare satellites into the network constellation to permanently replace the lost satellite" within the next 30 days. CNN is "one of the larger non-government users" of Iridium, said Arnie Christianson, operations manager for CNN Satellites and Transmission. "We do rely on it for communication in high-risk areas like Iraq, Afghanistan, and other remote locations," he said. "Because of this collision, there may be a slightly longer hole in the coverage from one satellite to the next, but only in a very small area and for a very small amount of time. This is a collision, not an internal failure of the satellite or the system." The satellite crash may result in "brief, occasional outages" that may slightly disrupt service, Iridium said in the statement, adding "this event is not the result of a failure on the part of Iridium or its technology." Christianson questioned how U.S. government, which tracks all space junk larger than a football, didn't see this coming. But he said the system will continue to work without any noticeable problems. A representative of Iridium could not immediately be reached for comment. NASA's Dickey said a collision like this one is very rare. "This is the first impact between two intact satellites traveling at hypervelocity," she said. "There have been some other occasions when things have accidentally collided in space, but they have been parts of rockets or parts of satellites and (produced) a very small cloud." Major Regina Winchester, of the U.S. Strategic Command, said: "Space is getting pretty crowded. The fact that this hasn't happened before -- maybe we were getting a little bit lucky." Winchester said Strategic Command tracks more than 18,000 pieces of manmade objects in space every day. "Any time there's an event that creates more debris, it's a concern," she said. "All countries who have assets in space are going to be concerned simply because when there's more debris, there's a higher chance it's going to hit something." CNN's Yuri Pushkin in Moscow and Melissa Gray in London contributed to this report . | One Russian and one U.S. satellite collide at 10 km per second .
Collision is believed to be the first of its kind .
NASA spokesman quoted as saying crash produced massive debris cloud .
Wreckage from collision expected to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere . |
0815a2bc456921d7c9970dd081172d47f6513b45 | (CNN) -- There is something deeply troubling about President Obama's decision to grant legal safe haven to unauthorized immigrants by executive order. It isn't the underlying policy that is troubling. Just the opposite. We have known for years that we would never deport some 11 million people from our midst. Many have become hard-working, productive members of our society, and Congress, working with the White House, should long ago have provided them a safe pathway out of the shadows. In that sense, this policy is good. One wonders indeed why the President, having decided to take the plunge, didn't go further and build a pathway to fuller benefits such as health care for those who establish a solid record of work and good behavior. Nor is it even the questionable legality that disturbs. On many occasions during our history, presidents have tested the boundaries of their constitutional power through executive orders: Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus, his Emancipation Proclamation, Franklin D. Roosevelt's creation of the Works Progress Administration, FDR's awful internment of Japanese-Americans, and Harry Truman's integration of the armed forces were all accomplished through controversial executive orders. During the 19th century, conventional wisdom held that presidents had only as much authority as the constitution explicitly granted; Teddy Roosevelt famously flipped that proposition on its head -- unless the Constitution explicitly forbids, he argued, the president has implied authority to act, especially as commander-in-chief. Many of his successors have agreed and usually the courts have gone along with them. Even so, President Obama's executive order on immigration seems to move us into uncharted, dangerous waters. It is one thing for a president like Lincoln or FDR to act unilaterally in national emergencies. In nearly all the big examples of the past -- like the Emancipation Proclamation -- they were also acting as commander-in-chief. As the one foremost responsible for protecting the nation's existence, a president as commander-in-chief has long been recognized as having inherent powers that stretch well beyond those of normal governance. Not an emergency . But the challenges of immigration policy do not represent a national emergency, nor do they touch upon the military authorities of a president. Rather, they represent the chronic, abysmal failures of politicians in Washington to govern well from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. They helped create this immigration mess over a long number of years and working together, they have a public duty to solve it. The White House has repeatedly pointed to immigration-related executive orders issued by past presidents, notably Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, to support the legality of President Obama's order and to palliate its partisan sting. Both the executive orders cited, however, can be distinguished from the case at hand. Reagan granted amnesty to 100,000 undocumented immigrants to close a loophole in the comprehensive immigration reform bill passed in 1986. Bush's order, which granted amnesty to at most 1.5 million people (although the actual number who benefited is likely much smaller), also attempted to clean up a piece of legislation. As Mark Krikorian writes in National Review, the Reagan and Bush examples were presidents trying to implement congressional directives, as is constitutionally permissible, whereas the current action is the President telling Congress "I'm going to implement my own directives." While the President's impatience is understandable and his anger at Republican intransigence is well placed, that does not justify an abandonment of traditional ways of addressing hard public problems. Against the spirit of the Constitution . One can argue whether this executive order is legal, but it certainly violates the spirit of the founders. They intentionally focused Article One of the Constitution on the Congress and Article Two on the president. That is because the Congress is the body charged with passing laws and the president is the person charged with faithfully carrying them out. In effect, the Congress was originally seen as the pre-eminent branch and the president more of a clerk. The president's power grew enormously in the 20th century but even so, the Constitution still envisions Congress and the president as co-equal branches of government -- or as the scholar Richard Neustadt observed, co-equal branches sharing power. For better or worse, Americans have always expected that in addressing big, tough domestic issues, Congress and the president had to work together to find resolution. For a president to toss aside such deep traditions of governance is a radical, imprudent step. When a president in day-to-day operations can decide which laws to enforce and which to ignore, where are the limits on his power? Where are the checks and balances so carefully constructed in the Constitution? If a Democratic president can cancel existing laws on immigration, what is to prevent the next Republican from unilaterally canceling laws on health care? A bad way to start with new Congress . Coming on the heels of midterm elections that were a clear call for a change of course in Washington, starting in the White House, this is also a discouraging way to open the final years of this presidency. A new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll finds that by 53-40%, Americans feel positive about the election results; by 56-33%, they want Congress to set policy for the country, not the President; by 57-40% they favor a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants but by 42-32%, they disapprove of Obama overhauling immigration through executive order. Why isn't the White House listening to the public? In retrospect, it would have been far better if coming out of the elections, the President had said he had promised he would act through executive order before the end of the year, but in light of the election results, he would work with the new Congress for six months. If there were no legislation, he would act on his own. That would have been a much fairer proposition, would have started out with Republicans on better footing, and would have rallied the public behind him if the GOP refused to cooperate. Sadly, we instead have an action from the White House that will cast a dark shadow over prospects for legislative cooperation, falls short of what the immigrant population had hoped and steers us into deep, unknown waters in our governance. | David Gergen: President Obama's action on immigration is a troubling move .
Gergen says Obama's action is of questionable legality and sets a bad precedent .
Americans want the parties to work together and want Congress to set agenda, he says . |
0815d2061a8b50ff7d826f0a280085aee505c4bf | The University of Connecticut players were hungry for another championship. Their impressive defense and their ability to hit clutch shots sated that appetite Monday night. The Huskies downed the freshmen-laden Kentucky Wildcats 60-54 to win the NCAA men's basketball championship. Shabazz Napier scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Huskies while Ryan Boatright added 14 points. James Young tallied 20 points for the Wildcats. The difference came at the free-throw line where Connecticut was 10-for-10 and Kentucky was just 13-for-24. "We always did it together. It was won as a group," UConn Coach Kevin Ollie said. The Huskies never trailed in the game as Napier, the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, hit key baskets any time the Wildcats got close. Kentucky drew to within one point on three occasions, the final time with 8:13 remaining in the game. But Napier, a senior who was on the 2011 UConn national championship team, drilled a three-pointer. "Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the hungry Huskies," Napier said. "We worked so hard for it." Fans celebrating the victory uprooted a light post in front of the engineering building on the UConn campus and smashed it through a window, campus police said. They also overturned chairs and tables in the student union, they said. Officers made 30 arrests, said college spokesman Tom Breen. Disappointment for Wildcats . It was a disappointing end for the Wildcats, who began the season with a No. 1 ranking and fans dreaming of a highly regarded freshman class leading the team to a perfect record. They struggled through the regular season, but began to play extremely well in the NCAA tournament. "We had our chances to win ... and we hung in there. These kids never gave up," Kentucky Coach John Calipari said. "We just didn't have enough." The first half broke true to form for the typically slow-starting Wildcats and Kentucky trailed at intermission 35-31. That was good news considering they were down by 15 -- Kentucky's largest deficit of the tournament -- with just six minutes left in the half. But the Wildcats switched to a zone defense and UConn went three minutes between Napier baskets. The zone also kept the Wildcats out of foul trouble -- they committed just three in the first 20 minutes. The Wildcats closed the half on a 16-5 run that included three Wildcats three-pointers. Earlier, it was the tough defense of the Huskies that troubled the Wildcat guards. At one point the Wildcats, who hadn't turned the ball over for the last 18 minutes of their semifinal win against Wisconsin, had as many turnovers (four) baskets against the frenetic Huskies. In the second half, the Huskies again opened up a nice margin -- nine points at 48-39. But the Wildcats clawed back as Young made a highlight-reel dunk and free throw to start a short-lived comeback. Kentucky missed three of four free throws down the stretch and couldn't hit any of its jump shots. First for the coach . The Huskies won their fourth national title, all of them achieved since 1999. It was the first championship for Ollie, who replaced longtime coach Jim Calhoun two years ago. Ollie became the second coach to win an NCAA championship in his initial tournament appearance. The two teams have combined to win seven titles in the past 19 seasons, but neither was even in the tournament a year ago. Kentucky had a group of freshmen that never meshed as a team and went to the National Invitation Tournament, and UConn was ineligible because it didn't meet NCAA graduation requirements. UConn will have a chance to match its unique accomplishment of both the men's and women's teams winning titles in the same year. The Huskies play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Tuesday night's women's title game. UConn last performed the feat in 2004. | UConn wins its fourth title since 1999 and the first under Coach Kevin Ollie .
The Huskies made all their free throws while the Wildcats missed 11 .
Shabazz Napier was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four .
He had 22 points in the final and made key baskets to deter potential Kentucky rallies . |
081626ab3a777df5c572ffc697145fd45f67c834 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Thousands of documents about reported UFO sightings -- ranging from calm accounts by professional pilots to unhinged rants about the extraterrestrial menace -- have been released by the British Ministry of Defence. Taiwan resident Lee Chun-hung took these pictures showing a ball of fire trailing across the sky. The 4,500 pages cover sightings that were reported from 1986 through 1992. The British military released them to a curious public as part of a four-year project to transfer all such documents to the National Archives. One highlight from the batch released Monday involves the captain of an Italian airliner. He shouted "Look out!" to his co-pilot in April 1991 after claiming to see a beige "missile-shaped object" shoot past the cockpit. In that instance, the defence ministry ruled out a missile and "all the usual explanations," wrote David Clarke, a UFO expert and journalism instructor at Sheffield Hallam University, who worked with the National Archives to prepare the new materials for release. "The end result was this was a genuine UFO and the file was simply closed," he wrote. "There was nothing more they could do." The newly released documents also carry an account by a U.S. Air Force pilot who says he was told to shoot down an unidentified flying craft over eastern England. But before he could fire, the object disappeared. The next day, a man arrived to debrief the pilot and "he was told in no uncertain terms that what he had seen on his radar was top secret and he wasn't to speak about it to anyone," Clarke wrote. The first set of files was made available to members of the public in May. It covered reported UFO sightings from 1978 to 1987, and included hundreds of police reports taken from witnesses who described seeing lights or strange objects in the sky. People who reported having seen UFOs typically describe various shapes and colors of lights, moving in formation or hovering in the sky. Witnesses reported orange, red, white and green lights that were diamond-shaped, square, or cigar-shaped. They reported them to police, who have a standard 16-question form specifically for UFO sightings. "The vast majority of them are just ordinary people who've seen something unusual and thought that they ought to tell someone about it," Clarke has said. The Ministry of Defence said it examined the reports solely to determine whether enemy aircraft had infiltrated British airspace. Once it was determined that no enemy aircraft were in the sky, it did not investigate further. "The Ministry of Defence has no other interest or role regarding UFO matters and does not consider questions regarding the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial life-forms," it said in May. That left many incidents unexplained. | Documents about reported UFO sightings released by UK defense officials .
Includes account by airliner captain who saw beige "missile-shaped object"
4,500 pages cover sightings that were reported from 1986 through 1992 . |
0816e53a2309a3475815df8a28e7e56ced991255 | Atlanta (CNN) -- Last week we learned that Barack and Michelle Obama's effective tax rate for 2011 was 20.5%. They had adjusted gross income of $789,674. We also learned that their tax rate was slightly lower than President Obama's secretary, who had about $95,000 of income. Ours is supposed to be a progressive rate system, which means as income gets higher, so do tax rates. In a true progressive rate system, Obama would never pay a lower tax rate than his secretary. We also know that Mitt and Ann Romney have a projected effective tax rate of 15% for 2011. They have requested an extension so we don't have their actual returns. Their household income was just shy of $21 million. In a true progressive tax system, the Romneys would never pay a lower tax rate than the Obamas. We do not have a progressive tax system. The notion of a progressive tax system is the lie that has been perpetuated far too long. First, not all income is taxed the same. While our income tax has always had progressive rates, for most of the 20th century a lower rate applied to certain nonwage income. That rate differential was increased dramatically as a result of the Bush tax cuts. Most of the Romneys' income comes from stock ownership. Stock dividends and capital gains are generally not subject to our progressive rate system. Income from stock is taxed at a flat 15% rate. Fewer than 1 in 5 Americans owns stock in a way that qualifies for the flat rate. Of that minority, very few benefit the way the Romneys do. An analysis of IRS statistics show that for households up to $200,000, no more than about 5% of their income is eligible for the flat 15% rate. Those households combined represent well more than 90% of American households. The Simpson-Bowles commission included a proposal that all income should be taxed the same. While some would say that is a radical step, it is precisely what we did in 1986. Second, not all deductions are treated the same. Two-thirds of all taxpayers do not itemize their deductions but take the standard deduction. So, as a result, most Americans do not even benefit from the myriad of special interest group deductions found in our tax code. In addition, under a progressive tax system, the value of a deduction depends upon what rate your last dollar is taxed. That is referred to as your marginal tax rate. The more income you have, the higher your marginal tax rate and the greater the value of the deduction. For example, if your marginal tax rate is 35%, then for every dollar you spend, you save 35 cents. If your marginal tax rate is 15%, then for every dollar you spend, you save only 15 cents. That explains why those in higher income brackets seek out tax deductions as a way to save money on their taxes. Third, all of this is supposed to be a secret. The only reason we have the information is because taxpayers voluntarily disclosed it -- either because they are presidential candidates or concerned citizens such as investor Warren Buffett. The IRS statistics do a great job of masking this information because the real problem lies within the top 1% of taxpayers, and the data are not presented in a way that isolates that group. Congress decides to enact a tax law, and the president signs the bill. While presidents voluntarily release their tax returns, members of Congress do not. The first step toward real tax reform would be for every member of Congress to release his or her tax return. We can see which tax provisions benefit them, and we can compare their effective tax rates with our own. Achieving meaningful tax reform will require very few steps. First, tax all forms of income at the same rate. Second, repeal the progressive tax system and enact a flat tax. If a flat tax is good enough for Mitt and Ann Romney, it should be good enough for the rest of us. Most flat tax proponents, however, want a flat tax, but they want to exempt income from stock completely. That would mean Mitt and Ann Romney's already low 15% effective tax rate would be cut even further. That would be wrong-headed tax reform. Finally, most deductions should be eliminated. Most taxpayers do not itemize, so this change would only affect about one-third of taxpayers -- and their accountants and tax lawyers. Whenever Congress enacts a deduction, it creates winners and losers. That must stop. To be sure, every special interest group will oppose even the hint of this suggestion. But we outnumber them. I don't think it's fair that the richest Americans pay taxes at a lower rate than most taxpayers and neither should you. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dorothy Brown. | Dorothy Brown: We live with the myth that we have a progressive tax system .
In fact, she says, people like Mitt Romney, Barack Obama pay at lower rates than secretaries .
She says the low flat rate on dividends and capital gains protects the wealthy .
Brown: Getting rid of the progressive tax brackets is a step toward a fairer system . |
0816f97f00378994fd739571b674e0f5b3fb9d70 | Newcastle are interested in MK Dons wonderkid Dele Alli. The 18-year-old midfielder is being courted by a number of the Premier League's big guns - Liverpool and Manchester City included. But despite not having a manager in place, the Magpies want to land Alli this month and are set to make an approach for the youngster. Newcastle are preparing a bid for MK Dons teenage midfielder Dele Alli (right) The youngster has also attracted interest from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City . Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp has called the midfielder, who has been likened to Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, the 'real deal'. Alli looked set for a move to Anfield in the summer, but the two clubs failed to agree terms. MK Dons boss Karl Robinson is bracing himself for a bid for the talented 18-year-old . MK Dons boss Karl Robinson said that the club had not received any offers for Alli, but conceded it was only a matter of time. Speaking to the Shields Gazette, he said: 'There's been a lot of talk over Dele and Newcastle United and certain clubs. 'I think it's a bit more than paper talk but there's nothing that we've heard yet.' | Newcastle are set to make a bid for MK Dons teenager Dele Alli .
Manchester City and Liverpool have been previously linked with midfielder .
Dons manager Karl Robinson accepts interest is more than 'paper talk'
Click here for all the latest transfer news LIVE . |
0819d9fa7aa4b7959e2d97d06cad917fdde7c1cf | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 03:26 EST, 21 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:32 EST, 21 July 2013 . A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering two teenagers who were shot dead in an alleyway two years ago. Mohamed Abdi Farah, 19, and Amin Ahmed Ismail, 18, were gunned down on the Fishermead council estate in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, on May 26, 2011. Thames Valley Police said the teenage suspect was detained last night and is being held in police custody before being questioned. Mohamed Abdi Farah, left, and Amin Ahmed Ismail, right, were shot on Milton Keynes's Fishermead estate . The two Somali teenagers were chased and shot in a Milton Keynes alleyway two years ago . Mr Farah died at the scene while Mr Ismail passed away in hospital the next day . Two men were jailed for life in January for the killings. Fuad Awale, 25, the gunman, was told he must serve at least 38 years and Sharmake Abdulkadir, 22, was jailed for a minimum term of 32 years. Mr Farah was shot once in the head and died at the scene, while Mr Ismail sustained two gunshot wounds to the head and died at Milton Keynes General Hospital the following day. Mr Farah, who met Mr Ismail in Somalia in 2010, had been staying with his cousin in Milton Keynes the night before the shooting, while Mr Ismail was staying at a house in Gurnards Avenue. Mr Farah, wearing a black hat, and Mr Ismail, in an orange hood, were seen on CCTV leaving the Xscape leisure and entertainment complex about an hour before they were shot . On the night of the shootings, Mr Ismail, Mr Farah and his younger cousin were seen on CCTV leaving the Xscape complex. At about 9.50pm, the cousin left the two friends alone. During the trial, an eyewitness told the jury they saw a group of men arguing with two other men in an alleyway before hearing two shots. Mr Ismail, who was the only boy in his family, came to England as a ten-year-old from Somalia, his family said following his death. The latest arrest over the murder follows the murder convictions of Fuad Awale, left, and Sharmake Abdulkadir . He enjoyed studying maths and science and dreamed of achieving a degree and a master's so he could look after his mother and four sisters, they said. Meanwhile, Mr Farah's family said he had only been in the country for four weeks ahead of starting a business degree. They described him following his death as a 'very likeable, sociable, and friendly individual, who was looking to continue his studies and go to university'. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Mohamed Adbi Farah, 19, and Amin Ahmed Ismail, 18, killed in May 2011 .
Mr Farah died at the scene while Mr Ismail died the next day in hospital .
They were shot on the Fishermead council estate in Milton Keynes .
Two men were jailed for life in January for the double murders . |
081a955219cfe9c13dd5914ff146ab72d0bb4224 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 06:16 EST, 29 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:53 EST, 29 December 2013 . A shameless Hitler fantatic banned from Asda after he went shopping in full Nazi uniform has donned the offensive outfit again to take his dog for a walk in a coat emblazoned with swastikas. Paul Dutton, 48, spent weeks creating the sheepskin outfit for dog Albert, decorating it with a black Swastika on the back, and an SS logo on the buckle. The father-of-six even combed the Chinese Crested dog's fur into a curtain style like Adolf Hitler's as he walked the pet in Cambridge. Hitler hound: A Nazi fanatic, who was banned from Asda after shopping in full Nazi uniform, has created a coat for his dog sporting a Swastika and SS logo on the buckle . Unemployed Mr Dutton told The Sun that Albert was a 'Woof-Waffe kind of dog, and that the pair could 'march as Hitler's men' in their matching clothing. After finishing the coat last month he tweeted: 'Ive just made me dog his own SA coat so he don't feel left out when he goes for a walk lol'. 'Woof-waffe': Paul Dutton spent weeks creating the sheepskin outfit for dog Albert and said that he and his dog could 'march as Hitler's men' in their matching clothing . Outraged Jewish groups have labelled his latest stunt 'offensive'. In October Mr Dutton was thrown out of his local branch of Asda in Cambridge after horrified shoppers took offence at his Nazi-SS uniform. Hitler-obsessed Mr Dutton, who has Swastika tattoos on his neck, chest and hands, was seen pushing his baby grandson in a trolley, while dressed in the black uniform, including cap and red Nazi armband. 'Hitler's men': Hitler-obsessed Mr Dutton, who has Swastika tattoos on his neck, chest and hands (left), tweeted that he had made his dog an SA coat so he didn't 'feel left out when he goes for a walk' SA stroll: Mr Dutton walks with his dog, a Chinese crested hairless, in matching outfits in Cambridge . While a few shoppers in the Asda store treated it as a sick stunt, others immediately complained to staff, who told Mr Dutton to leave. Outraged: Mr Dutton has already outraged many, with Jewish groups labelling his latest stunt 'offensive' An unrepentant Mr Dutton went on Twitter later to say he had been using the Asda branch in the Beehive Centre in Cambridge since it opened three years ago and often wore his uniform. He said he had intended to hand out cards promoting his website, where he writes about his fascination with Adolf Hitler. Referring to Prince Harry, who had to apologise in 2005 for wearing a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party as a joke, he added: ‘I got ejected from Asda for wearing something that is good enough for a Prince 2 wear.’ Shopper Rosina Rusin, 60, said: ‘My . grandmother’s family died in the gas chambers and I thought “Here is . this bloke parading about”. People’s mouths were falling open. ‘You . are not going to come out like that unless you want to draw attention . to yourself. One lady was very upset – she was close to crying.’ Marisa . Baker, 38, said: ‘I saw the tattoo on his neck and a swastika on his . hand. It’s not what you want to see, especially as there’s children . around. Asda said: ‘We had a number of customer complaints so we asked him to leave the store.’ On . his website, Mr Dutton says his partner left him after he became . fascinated with Nazism and claims that Hitler and Eva Braun faked their . deaths and went on to have children in Argentina. He also uses a quote . saying that the Holocaust was a ‘necessary evil’. Mr Dutton, who boasts on his Twitter profile 'I was the Nazi in Asda on Halloween'. Outrage: In October Mr Dutton was thrown out of his local branch of Asda in Cambridge after horrified shoppers took offence at his Nazi-SS uniform . | Paul Dutton, 48, spent weeks making the outfit for dog Albert .
Father-of-six combed pet's fur so it resembled Adolf Hitler's hair style .
In October he was thrown out of Asda branch for dressing in SS uniform .
Unemployed Dutton, from Cambridge, says pet is 'Woof-Waffe' kind of dog . |
081aeda3952b89018bbe104dd8ad7ceb74605d41 | By . Thomas Durante . Last updated at 2:57 PM on 10th January 2012 . Shock: Rebecca Hains said she was told her cake's icing could be explosive . Of all the TSA regulations, this one really takes the cupcake. At least that's the view of Rebecca Hains, 35, of Massachusetts, who had the pastry confiscated before she boarded a flight in Las Vegas last month. But the Transportation Security Administration is sticking by its decision to confiscate the treat. The TSA said in its blog yesterday that the cupcake was packed in a jar filled with icing, which is considered a gel under a policy designed to secure travellers from terrorists seeking to evade detection by using explosives made of plastics, liquids or gels. The measures were put in place as a result of the failed 2006 plot in the UK to detonate liquid explosives on transatlantic airliners. The TSA said that the 1995 'Bojinka Plot' by World Trade Center bombing suspect Ramzi Yousef and 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Muhammad also played a role in the regulations. In that plot, the two planned to use liquid explosives in small containers to bomb aeroplanes bound for the U.S. Offenders: . The officer said the icing on the cake, which was in a jar as pictured, . could be classed as a gel, which are banned from flights, along with . liquids . Ms Hains, of Peabody, was blocked from taking the cupcake onto a plane last month when a TSA agent said icing in the jar exceeded amounts of gels allowed in carry-on luggage. Ms Hains has called that 'terrible logic.' She claimed she had passed through security at Boston's Logan International Airport earlier that week with two cupcakes packaged in jars that were gifts from a student. But she said the agent told her that just meant TSA agents in Boston didn't do their job. Precaution: The TSA said in its blog yesterday that the cupcake was packed in a jar filled with icing, which is considered a gel under a its policies . Ms Hains ultimately surrendered the cupcake, but said the encounter highlighted a lack of common sense by the agent and the ludicrousness of TSA policies. She said: 'It's not really about the cupcake; I can get another cupcake. It's about an encroachment on civil liberties.' The TSA said travellers can take cakes, pies and cupcakes through security checkpoints but should expect they might get additional screening. TSA blogger Bob Burns wrote: 'If something doesn't seem right, there is always the potential you won’t be able to take it through.' Passenger Rebecca Hains was flying home to Boston from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas . The saga with Ms Hains came a month after a similar incident involving the TSA, a passenger and a baked treat. Florida man Joe Maltese and his wife were surprised to find that a TSA agent allegedly helped him or herself to a slice of cake placed in his luggage by his mother-in-law during a holiday visit to New York. Speaking to MailOnline on Christmas Eve, Mr Maltese said he and his wife found that a three to four-inch piece of the cake had cleanly been cut out, but have found the humour in the situation. He said: 'I thought it was funny. I wasn’t trying to get anybody fired.' | Agency said icing could be considered a gel under liquids policy .
Rebecca Hains, 35, calls incident 'terrible logic' |
081c6d30efca36817854f44b0481f15718fac3b4 | These incredible images are not the swirls of paint on abstract artworks but a bird’s eye view of Iceland’s spectacular glacial rivers. Photographed 500 feet above the central highlands and southern parts of Iceland, the dams and rivers take on amazingly sweeping shapes and colours as the water passes through glaciers and dams. Russian photographer Andre Ermolaev travelled to Iceland to capture the unique beauty of its landscape. Awash with colour: Russian Photographer Andre Ermolaev captured the incredible landscape featuring rivers and dams streaming from Iceland's glaciers . The 57-year-old from Moscow said: ‘When we were in the plane we saw a river which had flown through several dams and the water is a transparent blue. ‘A bit upstream there is a little yellow stream that flows into this river and mixes with the water. Bird's eye view: The photographer flew 500 feet above the rivers, capturing their sweeping shapes as they passed through glaciers and dams . To the sea: The water changes colour as it moves through glaciers and flat, sandy areas, creating amazing shapes and effects . Almost art: The images look almost like art rather than the natural landscape of the island country . ‘Patterns of nature are so amazing that nobody can say or describe what we see on the photograph - it's mind-blowing. ‘The photographs are a true reflection of what I saw on the day and I'm thrilled with the outcome.’ The shallow rivers spread quickly across flat and sandy surfaces after passing through glaciers, making the water cloudy. With tourism forming over 30 per cent of the island's income, visitors to the ice flows are treated to wonders such as the Jvkulsarlsn lagoon, dramatic ice walls and ominous icebergs. Iceland is fast becoming the photography capital of the world - and with stunning results such as these, it's easy to see why. Breathtaking formations: Iceland is fast becoming one of the most photographed countries in the world and with stunning results such as these, it is easy to see why . Sweeping swirls: Mr Ermolaev described the formations he saw as 'mind blowing'. He said that the 'patterns of nature are so amazing that nobody can say or describe what we see on the photograph' Mind blowing: Mr Ermolaev was pleased with the results of his plane trip, saying the images truly captured the breathtaking scenes . Wintry wonderland: Some 30 per cent of the island country's income comes from tourism, with many attracted to Iceland to witness the astonishing rivers and glaciers . Wondrous water: The astounding water formations are created by the rivers moving through glaciers and dams in the central highlands and southern parts of the country . | Russian photographer Andre Ermolaev took the photographs in a plane 500 feet above the incredible formations .
The river water changes water as it passes through glaciers and dams . |
081ca81d9866817ac6118d24d47ff9d3d3807d49 | By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 04:02 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:53 EST, 26 February 2014 . Wearing make-up to feel more confident and attractive is common practice for Western women. And although they live in a world far removed from urban life, it's the same for women of the Karo tribe in Ethiopia. Using white chalk and red ochre, the women create intricate circle, spiral and cross-hatched designs in order to look more beautiful and stand out of the crowd. What's more, it's not just the women who use this technique in a bid to be more visually appealing to the opposite sex. The men also paint their faces and bodies to boost their sex appeal. Insight: Photographer Vicente Pamparo visited the tribe to capture their way of life on the river bank . Body art: Men, women and children from the Karo in Ethiopia paint their faces and bodies with white chalk . Face mask: The markings are an important part of festivities and ceremonies within the tribe . Sex appeal: For the men, the body paint is meant to make them look more attractive and courageous . Now the beauty of their painted markings has been revealed in a set of incredible photos by American snapper and economics student Vicente Pamparo, who sought out the tribe, who live on the east banks of Ethiopia's Omo River, to capture the splendour of their tribal make-up. Speaking to MailOnline, he explained: 'The Karo is a highly aesthetic group of . people. Their styles are often symbolic of important festivities or as a . means of attracting the opposite sex. 'Their hair is usually mixed with red . ochre and cut in a bowl-like fashion. Walking around the tribe area, . you can't help but notice women lathering goat hide with animal fat to . add to their wardrobe.' But the tribesmen don't just decorate themselves with white markings to attract women. They also do it for a number of other reasons, including to look more intimating to those from rival tribes in the region and as a means of enhancing their status. Vicente explains: 'The Karo men cover their body and face . with white chalk mixed with fat to celebrate important festivities, show . off during guest visits, conflict between other clans or for purely . aesthetic reasons.' Pride: The men carry weapons to guard their cattle from wild animals and other tribes and also to enhance their status . Welcoming: Vicente found the tribe to be welcoming and generous during his stay . Image conscious: The Karo people decorate their face and bodies to celebrate important festivities and for purely aesthetic reasons. They also do piercings and self-inflicted scars as a means of enhancing their appearance . As well as decorating themselves in the white markings, the men will also inflict lacerations and cuts on themselves to produce scars and markings. These are highly esteemed because they represent courageous acts. 'Scarification, whether natural or self-inflicted, symbolises courage or an appeal to the opposite sex,' he added. 'Children will also wear body paint when taking part in festivities and as a means of identifying themselves as part of the clan.' The Karo tribe is made up of about 1,000 people who survive on agriculture and fishing. Their diet consists of maize, sorghum and beans they grow themselves plus they fish from the river and raise goats and cattle. Most of the men carry weapons which Vicente said is necessary to protect . their cattle from other tribes and wild animals. But he added: 'It also symbolises their pride, as . weapons allows for the protection of not only the individuals but also . their tribe.' Primative living: The tribe of about 1,000 people survive on agriculture and fishing and raise their own goats . Despite their intimidating, ghostly appearance thanks to their guns and war paint, Vicente said the tribe were 'pleasant and friendly' when he visited last November to learn about them and their way of life. He said: 'I managed to receive permission to set up a tent within the tribe area and the Karo's hospitality was unwavering. I was invited to drink coffee with several of the families, fished with some of the men, guarded the farms against baboons. I also drank some "akele" which is an alcoholic beverage enjoyed during celebrations. Their token of friendship was remarkable.' At one with nature: The people rely on the land around them to survive . Behind the lens: Vicente visited the region last November to stay with the tribe . Video: TimelessEthiopia . | The Karo tribe use red ochre and white chalk to create intricate designs on their faces and bodies .
Both sexes do it as a way to be more visually appealing and attractive, while looking intimidating to rivals .
American photographer Vicente Pamparo visited tribe to capture their beauty and learn of their way of life . |
081cef9db438a521b8c5af372043561d37c3b333 | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 18:13 EST, 24 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:13 EST, 24 November 2013 . Two young members of a Boston gang have been convicted of murdering a 16-year-old boy in 2011, simply because his friend lived on a street they deemed enemy territory. Sheldon Mattis and Nyasani Watt, both 20, were found guilty of first-degree murder in Suffolk County on Friday. The verdict gave victim Jaivon Blake's mother Diane Simmons some closure after two years of torment. 'I can relax,' the mother said. 'I'm so happy, just really happy... I'm just glad that justice has been served and that my son and I can be at peace and rest.' Guilty: Sheldon Mattis, pictured left on November 12, was found guilty of murdering Jaivon Blake in 2011 . Blake, a middle school student at the Martin Luther King School in Dorchester, was an innocent casualty of a gang feud in the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood of Dorchester on September 25, 2011. Prosecutors said Mattis and Watt were part of a gang hell bent on killing rivals and a number of targets, including Blake and his 14-year-old friend, had been picked out based on geography to send a message. The pair selected the young boys after Blake's friend told Mattis he lived on Everton Street during a casual conversation outside a Walgreens pharmacy. Mattis patted Watt on the back as he rode off on his bike to find the boys, with his hidden .49-caliber pistol. Convicted: Nyasani Watt, pictured left on November 12, was also found guilty in the shooting death of Jaivon Blake, right . When he found them, Watt fired six rounds, striking the 14-year-old in the neck and shoulder and Blake in the spinal cord. The friend managed to run away but Blake dropped to the ground partially paralyzed and gasping for air. His brother rushed to the grisly scene and watched helplessly as paramedics tried to save the 16-year-old's life but failed. He died two hours later at Boston Medical Center. 'People of conscience should be angry about this case,' Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said following the verdict, the Boston Globe reported. 'They should be angry that two boys, just 14 and 16, would be gunned down on the streets of their own city without provocation. There's no gang or allegiance or code of conduct that can excuse this act or even make sense of it.' Relief: Blake's mother, Diane Simmons, pictured on November 12, said she left happy after Friday's conviction . As Simmons hugged her brother and friends following the guilty verdict, Mattis shook his head and mouthed 'I love you,' to his parents who sat in the courtroom. He was led away in handcuffs.# . Meanwhile, Watt's mother cried softly outside the courtroom. The pair are due to be sentenced on December 2. First-degree murder carried an automatic life sentence in Massachusetts, however Watt may get a separate sentencing hearing given he was 17 at the time of the shooting and such sentences are forbidden for juveniles after a Supreme Court decision last year. Mattis' friends and family insist he's innocent and that the case was riddled with inconsistencies. 'We're losing a son, too,' said Mattis's mother, Denise, 41, told the Boston Globe. His girlfriend, Ebony Williams, 19, ran out of the courtroom in tears after the guilty verdict. 'This makes no sense,' she later told the Globe. 'How are you convicted for something you didn't do?' | Sheldon Mattis and Nyasani Watt, both 20, were found guilty of first-degree murder in Suffolk County, Massachusetts on Friday .
Jaivon Blake, a middle school student at the Martin Luther King School in Dorchester, was an innocent casualty of a gang feud in the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood of Dorchester on September 25, 2011 .
The verdict gave Blake's mother Diane Simmons some closure after two years of torment .
Mattis' family claim he's innocent but the two men are likely to receive life sentences . |
081d40016a85cec6db5b687b63a0ce95c8eabbda | (CNN) -- Will they really finally go free? The Nigerian government says that more than 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram in April are to be released as early as Monday, after it signed a ceasefire agreement with the Islamists. People around the world are hoping the girls will be set free, but there are skeptics -- and bad signs coming from Boko Haram. After the girls were kidnapped from the village of Chibok, the hashtag mantra #BringBackOurGirls kicked off an avalanches of posts. Celebrities like First Lady Michelle Obama, teen Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, and actor Sean Penn joined in. Even Pope Francis took to Twitter to call for their release. Now, after the government made the announcement of their possible release, the hashtag has reawakened with messages of hope and anticipation. "I am desperate for their return. I must sing a new song of joy," one poster wrote. Another wrote, "I hope and pray this 189th day of the abduction of #OurGirls will be the last day we'll say #BringBackOurGirls. I fervently pray so!" He never stopped fighting for Nigeria's missing girls . Islamists remain silent . But Boko Haram remains silent on the deal the government says it signed with the Islamists in neighboring Chad last week. Instead, the group may be letting its weapons do the talking, continuing five years of war. Over the weekend, gunmen believed to be Boko Haram fighters attacked two villages and a town, killing at least eight and kidnapping others. David Cook, who studies jihad, has doubts about the deal going through. "It remains to be seen whether this truce will actually materialize, whether it is merely an election ploy for Nigeria's embattled president, Goodluck Jonathan, and most crucially whether it will bring about the release of numerous captives taken by Boko Haram during the past year," he wrote in an analysis for CNN. President needs a success . The Islamists have employed particularly bloody tactics this year, killing thousands. Boko Haram has gone after Christians, foreigners and educated people, driving them out of the country's northeast. And they have continued kidnapping. They have often sidelined Nigeria's army. And government soldiers have at times mutinied, complaining of lacking support from the government. Jonathan needs some good news going into February's polls. Analyst Richard Joseph from the Brookings Institution shares Cook's doubts. "This is a case when we will actually need to see the girls emerging from their six-month confinement before we can truly believe," he wrote after the government's announcement. He fears that after so much war, the group may be disjointed and any ceasefire deals made with some members may not be heeded by others. And like ISIS, Boko Haram has ambitions for a caliphate or religious state, which would mean it has long-term ambitions to keep fighting, Cook said. But he believes that a deal could still be in Boko Haram's interest. They could use it to rest and regroup. The kidnapping lookback . On April 14, Boko Haram militants raided the village of Chibok and kidnapped an estimated 276 teenage girls from a boarding school. Officials there say some of the girls were able to escape. It is believed that the Islamist militants were able to hold on to more than 200 of them. Three weeks later, a man claiming to be a Boko Haram leader threatened to sell the girls into slavery. "Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women," he said. More than a month after their abduction, the White House announced it had sent 80 U.S. troops to Chad to help search for the kidnapped schoolgirls. In spite of many promises to find and free them, the girls have remained in the terrorists' hands. | Nigeria's government said the deal to release the girls was part of a ceasefire agreement .
Boko Haram has not confirmed the deal, and continuing battles have been tied to them .
Experts have doubts the deal will materialize; they say seeing is believing .
Militants kidnapped some 276 girls in April and are believe to be holding some 200 of them . |
081d9236d7209b7cab8a2a98fd32b9f632d47c51 | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 12:50 EST, 10 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:44 EST, 10 June 2013 . A jealous boyfriend today admitted stabbing a mother-of-three to death on Christmas Eve before going out for a pint and a pizza. Charmaine Macmuiris, 37, had been with David O’Sullivan, 28, for just three weeks before he attacked her in a jealous rage and stabbed her 10 times with a kitchen knife. Ms Macmuiris was found dead at O’Sullivan’s flat in Carmarthen, west Wales, on Christmas Day. David O'Sullivan was sentenced to life in prison for stabbing Charmaine Macmuiris to death in a jealous rage. He then went and bought a pizza and beer while the mother-of-three lay bleeding to death . He was today jailed for life at Swansea Crown Court and sentenced to a minimum term of 14 years after changing his plea to guilty moments before he was due to stand trial. Ms Macmuiris's mother Christine said her daughter had been taken in 'the most cruellest of ways on the most cruellest of days'. She had been due to wrap presents with her family but was persuaded to meet bricklayer O'Sullivan. The pair fought at the pub and O'Sullivan threw a pint of lager over Ms Macmuiris. Ms Macmuiris's family said she was looking forward to celebrating Christmas with her three children Hannah, 20, Ruby, 15, and Keilan, 12, and toddler granddaughter Pixie. Her mother said in a victim impact statement: 'Charmaine has been robbed of her life. 'She was a much loved mother, daughter, sister and auntie and we have been devastated by her loss and the shocking manner of her death.' Patrick Harrington QC said after the brutal attack, O'Sullivan went to buy some alcohol and food. He said: 'After, he left the home and went to two pubs and . drank larger and bought a pizza - he returned to the address of the . murder and ate his pizza. Ms Macmuiris was discovered at O'Sullivan's home in Maes yr Ysgol, Carmarthen, on Christmas Day . 'It is only when his parents arrived on Christmas day that police were called.' The court heard O'Sullivan mistakenly believed his girlfriend was seeing another man. He sent threatening text messages to the man and his family on the night of the murder. He persuaded the mother-of-three to come back to his flat before murdering her. Police officers came to house after hearing reports of a disturbance but O’Sullivan told them 'everything was OK'. O’Sullivan was confronted by police officers as Charmaine lay bleeding to death in his house. Mr . Harrington QC told the court: 'When police officers asked him . about cuts to his arm he said he had punched a hole in the wall. 'A . little later he was seen standing outside his home by neighbours, he . said he and his girlfriend had argued and he had hit her and she was . lying on the bed. 'But he had not merely hit her, he had stabbed her to death.' Prosecutors said he punched Ms Macmuiris in the face in the lounge before stabbing her to death in the bedroom. Charmaine Macmuiris's family said she was taken 'in the cruellest of ways on the cruellest of days' Mr Harrington QC said: 'Even before that time he showed himself to be possessive and jealous towards her.' Ms MacMuiris' family said his 14 year sentence was not long enough. They said in a statement: 'As a family we would like to thank friends, neighbours, and Dyfed Powys Police for all their help and support that has been provided throughout this difficult time. 'We are glad that O’Sullivan has been sentenced and we were spared a trial. However we do not feel that a minimum term of 14 years reflects the severity of what he has done. We are all still devastated at losing Charmaine.' Judge Eleri Rees told Harrington while sentencing him: 'This was a vicious and brutal killing. 'There may have been more than one assault - there is physical evidence of a struggle with blood stains in a variety of locations. 'You used a kitchen knife to attack Charmaine and death would not have been instantaneous or the result of any one wound or blow. 'At some point her daughter tried to text her mother and you tried to respond but in a clumsy mistake you sent a text to another person. 'This was the most callous behaviour to show to someone who you purported to love.' Speaking after the case Ed Beltrami, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, Wales, said: 'David O’Sullivan finally admitted his responsibility for a senseless and brutal assault that led to the tragic death of Charmaine Macmuiris. 'Only O’Sullivan himself can truly know what caused him to carry out such a vicious attack on an entirely innocent victim. 'What is certain is that those close to Charmaine continue to deal with the truly awful consequences of what he did.' | Charmaine Macmuiris, 37, was stabbed 10 times by David O'Sullivan .
Her body was discovered on Christmas Day by O'Sullivan's parents .
Her family said she was taken in 'the cruellest of ways on the cruellest of days' by her boyfriend of just three weeks .
Said 14 year sentence did not reflect 'the severity' of what he had done . |
081e728adb742dc87aa6d9a2d25b6d7199a0e617 | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 11:31 EST, 19 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:13 EST, 20 September 2012 . Human fireball: James Bailey suffered severe burns when he was engulfed in flames at the bar on a cruise in Amsterdam . WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . A stag-do reveller who turned into a human fireball when he fell asleep on an Amsterdam booze cruise has threatened to sue the ferry company for his injuries. James Bailey, 28, suffered third degree burns, severe scarring to parts of his body and on-going psychological trauma when he dozed off in the ship’s bar, only to wake in agony as he was engulfed in flames. The man from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire is now seeking legal advice after ferry bosses refused to accept any responsibility for the incident on the weekend stag-do for a friend in Amsterdam. Shocked bar staff doused the flames . but not before Mr Bailey suffered first, second and third degree burns. He still has no idea how the fire started in April. He . said: ‘After a few drinks I feel asleep at a table on the eighth floor . bar. Most of my friends were either asleep or back in their rooms. ‘I suddenly awoke in extreme agony and quickly realised my clothes were on fire. ‘The bartender assisted in removing my shirt and putting out the flames. ‘I burned my hand which instantly blistered to the size of a grape. ‘I didn’t see anyone around me at the time, however, there were a group of 20-30 people in the bar when the incident occurred.’ Despite . his ordeal, cruise staff refused his requests for an air ambulance . because he claims his injuries were not deemed serious enough. Ongoing injuries: Mr Bailey suffered first, second and third degree burns (pictured shortly afterwards) and psychological issues as a result of the traumatic incident . Mr Bailey said: ‘Due to the severity of my burns and extreme pain I was in, I was assisted to the first aid room by a friend. ‘During this time the pain was unbearable and I was completely distraught. ‘I felt very alone, scared and vulnerable. No further assistance was offered to me so I left the medics room and went back to my cabin. ‘Once the ferry docked my friends helped me to my hotel room where I remained for the day before I headed home. Threatening to sue: Mr Bailey, whose hand was also burnt, is seeking legal advice after ferry bosses refused to accept any responsibility for the incident on the fateful stag-do in Amsterdam . 'Scared and vulnerable': Cruise staff refused Mr Bailey's requests for an air ambulance because he claims his injuries were deemed not serious enough. Pictured left are his injuries not long after the fire and the severe scars remaining, right . ‘I have no idea what happened that night. As it stands there is no one to blame, so I can only blame myself right now until other evidence is found.’ Since returning from the trip, Mr Bailey has endured constant physical and mental challenges as he tries to come to terms with the traumatic experience. He said: ‘I have constant pain, I am suffering from insomnia and night terrors, and I am unable to carry out basic daily tasks. ‘I have also been referred for psychological help so I can get on with my life. ‘I feel so helpless because I can’t get closure. I want answers.’ A spokesman for cruise company DFDS Seaways said they were unable to comment. No idea: Mr Bailey was on board a DFDS Seaways boat (file picture) and said there were 20-30 people in the bar when the fire started but he still has no idea how the fire started . | James Bailey suffered severe burns when he fell asleep at the bar on a cruise boat, awaking as he was engulfed in flames .
He is seeking legal action after ferry bosses refused to accept responsibility for the blaze .
Mr Bailey has no idea how the blaze started on the weekend stag-do cruise in Amsterdam this April .
He claims that staff refused his requests for an air ambulance . |
081f7bceb58cab13ce0e87fbb566d8cc528c8bba | Cristiano Ronaldo brought the house down with another one-man show at the Santiago Bernabeu and there was even some first-half theatre as he dived for a penalty, which of course he converted in Real’s 3-0 win over Celta. The Real Madrid striker has now scored 200 league goals in 178 games; has netted more hat-tricks, 23 in the league, than any player in La Liga history; and is on a run of scoring in his last 17 home league matches. He is now scoring at a rate nearly two goals a game in the league – 23 in 13 matches. It would be churlish to dwell to long on the nature of the first goal but a dive is a dive even when it’s Ronaldo. VIDEO Scroll down to see Sportsmail's big match stats: Real Madrid 3-0 Celta Vigo . Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his clinical hat-trick that sent records tumbling during a 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu . The 29-year-old forward celebrates with team-mates Sergio Ramos (left), Karim Benzema, Dani Carvajal and Gareth Bale (right) Ronaldo took to Instagram after the game to celebrate his hat-trick with Real Madrid team-mate Pepe (right) Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Rodriguez (Arbeloa 53mins), Illarramendi, Kroos; Bale, Benzema (Coentrao 81'), Ronaldo (Hernandez 85') Booked: Rodriguez, Carvajal, Arbeloa, Illarramendi . Goals: Ronaldo (pen) 36' 65' 81' Celta Vigo: Sergio; Mallo, Cabral (Gomez 74'), Fontas, Jonny; Radoja, Hernandez, Krohn-Dehli (Mina 82'); Orellana (Fernandez 69'), Nolito, Larrivey . Booked: Cabral, Jonny, Nolito, Hernandez . Full-back Jonny Castro applied the slightest of touches to Ronaldo’s back as they both chased a Marcelo cross. There was no push from the defender but as the ball went beyond Ronaldo he dropped to the turf and referee Alberto Undiano pointed to the spot.The full-back was booked, as was forward Nolito, as Celta players surrounded the referee. Ronaldo coolly dispatched the spot-kick. It was his seventh penalty of the season. The only other player to score as many spot-kicks at this stage of the campaign was current Southampton manager Ronald Koeman in his Barcelona days. His first goal might have been unjust but it was only fair that Real went in at half time with the advantage having dominated the first 45 minutes. Celta Vigo had named the same team that beat Barcelona 1-0 a month ago but were under pressure from the start. Real should have taken the lead when Ronaldo headed goalwards, Celta Vigo keeper Sergio Alvarez pushed the ball out to Ramos, and he blasted wide from four yards out. Then Ronaldo had the ball taken off of his toe by full-back Jonny just as he was going to convert James Rodriguez’ cross and Gareth Bale joined the fun cutting in from the right but shooting straight at Alvarez. Ronaldo then bicycle-kicked onto the roof of the net with what would have been a sensational way to break the deadlock even by his standards. Alvarez pushed a Ronaldo shot around the post after the forward ran onto a long ball forward from Marcelo, and the keeper then held a shot from Rodriguez after he’d connected with a Ronaldo cross. Head here to Like MailOnline Sport's Facebook page. Real Madrid forward Ronaldo (right) vies for the ball with Celto Vigo's Argentinian defender Gustavo Cabral . Real Madrid's midfielder Toni Kroos (left) battles for possession with Celta Vigo's Chilean midfielder Pablo Hernandez . Real Madrid forward Ronaldo attempts an audacious bicycle kick during the first half against Celta Vigo . But Ronaldo's acrobatic effort just whistled over the bar of the away side at the Bernabeu on Saturday night . Ronaldo converted Real Madrid's opener from the spot after being fouled by Celta Vigo defender Jonny in the 36th minute . The 29-year-old Portuguese forward celebrates his opening strike with Welsh team-mate Bale (right) VIDEO Having Ronaldo is a bonus after bicentennial goal - Ancelotti . Just as it seemed Celta might reach half-time unscathed Undiano pointed to the spot after Jonny touched Ronaldo and the striker broke the deadlock. He got his second goal on 64 minutes after a wall-pass with Toni Kross and fine finish past Alvaraz. Ten minutes from time he completed his hat-trick with a left-foot finish from Marcelo’s cross. He hobbled off with five minutes left with an ankle knock and Rodriguez also went down with a calf injury and was immediately replaced by Arbeloa. Madrid will now wait anxiously for test results on both players – they are already without Luka Modric for the next two and a half months. Only injuries can derail this Ronaldo-inspired Madrid team. If they win in the week against Ludogorets in the Champions League and against Almeria next weekend they will go to the World Club Championship having won their last 20 matches. Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez went down injured early in the second half before being substituted . Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his second of the evening in what turned into a conclusive win at the Bernabeu . And he celebrated his hat-trick with team-mate Marcelo before being substituted in the closing stages of the match . | Cristiano Ronaldo nets superb trio to clinch a record 23rd hat-trick and 200th goal for Real Madrid in La Liga .
The 29-year-old forward's goals extended Real's record winning run to 18 games in all competitions .
His hat-trick meant that Ronaldo has now scored 200 La Liga goals in just 178 appearances .
James Rodriguez went off injured early on in the second half of the conclusive win . |
081ff6939e4483e1d92d5e1c04f2b68179cb5263 | As deadly clashes between government forces and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood continued in Egypt Friday, a disturbing video has emerged that appeared to show the military firing on unarmed demonstrators. The footage clocking in at just under a minute was uploaded to YouTube August 16. The caption written in Arabic read: 'The army shoots on peaceful protesters in Ismailia.' Ismailia is a city in northeastern Egypt, where Reuters reported that four protesters were killed Friday during a 'Day of Rage.' Scroll down for videos . Appalling conditions: After they were arrested at a protest in August (pictured), the pair said they were beaten and subjected to degrading treatment in the Egyptian prison . Under fire: About 30 seconds into the video, rapid gunfire erupts, prompting some of the protesters to drop down to a crouch and others to flee . It has not been established if the four deaths confirmed in Ismailia are related to the events depicted in the video. NBC News foreign correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin tweeted that the news agency Storyful had confirmed the video's authenticity. A YouTube user by the moniker ahmedkhtr wrote in the comments section, apparently referring to one of the protesters who was allegedly shot in the video: 'He is my friend. His name is Ahmed Hachim one of the best guys ever he is a communication engineer, had a family son&daughter.’ The unsettling clip begins with a group of men numbering more than two dozen marching on four tanks positioned on a city street. Defiant: As most people ran away, one man remained standing directly in front of a tank with his arms raised . Gunned down: The demonstrator (seen in background) appears to be struck repeatedly struck by bullets, and then falls down . Aftermath: The alleged shooting victim is seen rolling over on the ground next to another man . Fact or fiction? NBC News foreign correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin tweeted that the news agency Storyful had confirmed the video's authenticity . The demonstrators appear unarmed, many of them raising or waving their hands in the air. Two of participants are carrying an unfurled banner. About 30 seconds into the video, rapid gunfire erupts, prompting some of the protesters to drop down to a crouch and others to flee. As more shots are fired, most of the people abandon the street. One person, however, remains standing directly in front of a tank with his arms raised above his hand. Just seconds later, the defiant protester wearing blue jeans, a T-shirt and a white hat appears to be struck by a bullet in his leg. He then falls down after apparently being shot again. A young man in the foreground who witnessed the shooting grimaces and gesticulates in anguish before running away, while the alleged shooting victim is seen rolling over on the ground next to another man. Pivotal moment: The alleged shooting of the unarmed man was also captured on a cell phone video taken from a different angle . A cell phone video of the alleged shooting, recorded from a different angle by another eyewitness, was also posted to YouTube. That clip shows the protester getting shot directly in front of a tank. News reports said more than 40 people died in clashes that spread to Alexandria, Ismailia, Damietta, Fayoum and other cities. Egypt's military-backed government said there were 27 confirmed deaths nationwide. Last night, at least 91 protesters and police were feared dead in Cairo as a ‘Day of Rage’ ended in inevitable bloodshed. Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi called for fresh demonstrations after more than 600 people were killed when attempts to clear protest camps earlier in the week turned into a massacre. The fresh violence erupted when tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets after Friday prayers. Fleeing for their lives: Friday's death toll has now reached 64 across Egypt, including eight police officers, . A member of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporter of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi shouts slogans after being injured during clashes in front of Azbkya police station . 'Day of Rage': Hundreds have been reported injured and around have been 50 killed in today's protests in the Egyptian capital . Street battle: A Morsi supporter is taken from the crowd after he was injured during a protest outside Al-Fath Mosque in Ramses Square, in Cairo . Home-made weaponry: Morsi protesters throw rocks, lamps and what appears to be kitchen appliances, near the Four Seasons hotel in Garden City area of Cairo . Twitter user @sarahcarr posted this picture of people jumping off 6 October bridge near a police station after the large crown was trapped by armed police . Dozens died when security forces opened fire in Ramses Square, the focal point for demonstrators. Some marchers heading towards the square jumped from road bridges to escape bullets and clouds of tear gas. Another 25 demonstrators were killed . outside the capital, according to reports, and security officials said . 24 policemen had died in the fighting. David Cameron was due to discuss the . crisis by telephone last night with French President Francois Hollande . amid urgent calls for EU foreign ministers to meet over the . deteriorating situation. It came as British tour operators came . under increasing pressure to suspend holidays to Egypt as governments . around Europe started warning their citizens to stay at home. Police violence: Morsi supporters carry an injured demonstrator during clashes outside Azbakeya Police Station . Temporary care: The Al-Fath mosque was turned into a field hospital after armed police opened fire outside Azbakeya Police Station . Residents and protesters: More prominently than during earlier violence, there were street battles between Morsi supporters and vigilante residents rather than police . Companies such as Thomas Cook are . cancelling holidays booked by German customers – but are still flying . Britons out to Red Sea resorts such as Sharm el Sheikh because of . differing advice issued by the two countries. The Muslim Brotherhood – the party of . the ousted president – called for a ‘Friday of Anger’ in response to the . mass killing on Wednesday when security forces cleared protest camps . set up after last month’s military coup. Beforehand the military-backed . government had authorised the use of live ammunition, warning anyone . attacking the police or official buildings would be dealt with . ‘severely’. Tanks and armoured vehicles blockaded key routes around . Cairo and when protesters converged on Ramses Square, police fired tear . gas and gunshots echoed around the capital. In a nearby mosque, transformed into a field hospital, one witness counted at least 35 bodies. Fury: Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood supporters walk towards Ramses square in Cairo as they take part in a 'march of anger'. Violent clashes have already left 17 people dead . Hurt: Protesters who support the ousted Egyptian President transport injured people following the clashes in Ramses Square . Desperate: Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood supporters carry a wounded protestor in Cairo's Ramses square . Fury: Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Sanaa shout slogans during the rally in protest at the recent violence in Egypt . Much of the anger was directed at Egypt’s army commander General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. ‘The people want the butcher executed,’ said Mustafa Ibrahim, 37, as he marched with a crowd of several thousand demonstrators. But the population remains deeply . divided, with residents helping the army block access to Cairo’s Rabaa . al-Adawiya mosque, the focal point of Wednesday’s bloodbath when at . least 638 were killed and thousands injured. While the capital has seen the worst . of violence, there are increasing fears it will spread to popular Red . Sea resorts, just an eight-hour drive from Cairo. More than 40,000 British holidaymakers are in Egypt, predominantly in these resorts. Germany’s Foreign Ministry advised Germans not to go anywhere in Egypt, prompting Thomas Cook and Tui to suspend all holidays. Protests: Smoke rises near Al-Fath Mosque during clashes at Ramses Square . Unstable: Protestors run away from tear gas during clashes in Cairo . Angry: Supporters of Morsi throw stones at a gasoline station that belongs to the Egyptian Army in Cairo . Meanwhile in the UK, both Thomas Cook . and Thomson, owned by Tui, are continuing to fly out holidaymakers, . citing current Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice that it remains . safe to do so. Thomson said: ‘Should FCO advice change we have contingency plans in place and we will act accordingly.’ Thomas Cook said: ‘Further to our . FCO’s directive, Thomas Cook UK & Ireland’s booking conditions will . remain as normal until such a time as their advisory changes.’ Kuoni yesterday began offering UK holidaymakers worried by the violence refunds or a ‘suitable alternative holiday’. Tears: Egyptians mourn over the bodies of their relatives in the El-Iman mosque in Nasr City, Cairo . Aftermath: Egyptian soldiers and people sift through debris spread out by the Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo's Nasr City, Egypt . | YouTube clip was apparently shot Friday in Ismailia, northeastern Egypt .
Cell phone video shot from different angle also captured confrontation between unarmed protesters and army forces .
Over 90 people dead across Egypt after Friday's protests .
Morsi supporters and vigilante residents exchanged fire in Cairo .
Thousands of Brotherhood supporters converged on Ramses Square .
Egyptian army soldiers pictured around capital on armored vehicles .
Official death toll from Wednesday's massacre in Cairo come to 638 . |
08209c2f2e35b49d267b89d771066bd02e3fb7db | (CNN)A sign you'd expect to see in a war zone, hanging at a police station. Two unarmed civilians shot more than 20 times after a high-speed chase. A man in the middle of a medical emergency, jolted with a Taser while strapped to a gurney. These are alarming examples, federal investigators say, that show police in Cleveland have been using unnecessary and unreasonable force at a "significant rate," employing "dangerous tactics" that put the community at risk. A report released Thursday details a nearly two-year Justice Department investigation which found that Cleveland police use guns, Tasers, pepper spray and their fists excessively, unnecessarily or in retaliation. Officers also have used excessive force on those "who are mentally ill or in crisis," the Justice Department said. Now a federal court will keep tabs on the Cleveland police as part of a legal agreement going forward. The Justice Department's investigation started in 2013, after several incidents, including a controversial case the previous year when more than 100 officers were involved in a high-speed chase that ended with the deaths of two unarmed civilians. Here's a look at that case, and several others examples federal investigators pointed out in their report: . A chase gone awry: Police began chasing Timothy Russell and passenger Malissa Williams after officers and witnesses thought they heard a gunshot coming from their car as they drove by a court building. But it turns out, they didn't have weapons. The Justice Department's report said it now appears that what they heard was the car backfiring. More than 100 officers participated in the high-speed chase. After a 25-minute chase that reached speeds of more than 100 mph and ended in a school parking lot, 13 officers fired 137 rounds hitting Russell and Williams more than 20 times each, the report said. "The officers, who were firing on the car from all sides, reported believing that they were being fired at by the suspects. It now appears that those shots were being fired by fellow officers," the Justice Department wrote. Both Williams and Russell were killed. Suspect kicked in the head: Video from a police helicopter captured officers arresting a man after a January 2011 police chase. After the suspect was handcuffed and lying on the ground, officers used excessive force by kicking him in the head numerous times, the report said. Many officers were there, but none identified any fellow officers who had exacted excessive force on the suspect, and no officer was disciplined, the Justice Department said. Accountability, or the lack thereof, was a theme of the Justice Department report. Of the period reviewed, 2010-2013, the investigation found that officers were suspended on only six occasions for improper use of force. "Discipline is so rare that no more than 51 officers out of a sworn force of 1,500 were disciplined in any fashion in connection with a use of force incident over a three-and-a half-year period," the report said. Taser used inside ambulance: Officers were flagged down to help a man lying on a sidewalk having seizures. When paramedics arrived, they helped him into an ambulance, where he was strapped onto a gurney. That's when the man, who the Justice Department reports identifies as "Mark," got angry, threatening the officer and trying unsuccessfully to stand up. "Mark continued to try to stand up while threatening to beat the officer. The officer then drive stunned Mark on his top left shoulder. Mark had committed no crime, was strapped down and was in the midst of a medical crisis," the Justice Department report says. "His repeated seizures may also have left him confused and disoriented. Indeed, there is no indication that Mark could carry out his threat against the officers, particularly when he was strapped to the gurney." 13-year-old punched: After a handcuffed 13-year-old arrested for shoplifting began to kick a police car's door and kicked an officer in the leg, the 300-pound police officer sat on the boy's legs and punched him in the face until he had a bloody nose. The 13-year-old "was pushing against the officer with his legs, but was handcuffed and posed no threat to the officer," the Justice Department's report says, noting that Cleveland police have used excessive force on people who are handcuffed or subdued and "pose little or no threat to officers." Sign of the times: Above a vehicle bay at one of the Cleveland Division of Police's district stations hangs a sign that reads, "forward operating base," a term usually used to describe an area of tactical operations in a war zone. The sign sends a message indicative of the community's opinion of the division, Justice Department officials said. "This characterization reinforces the view held by some -- both inside and outside the Division -- that CDP is an occupying force instead of a true partner and resource in the community it serves," the investigative report said. It's one illustration, the Justice Department's report says, that "officer training instills in officers an 'us-against-them' mentality." Issues resonate beyond Cleveland . The results of the federal review come as the Cleveland Division of Police is under fire for the November fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. The incident sparked even more outrage amid high tensions over Michael Brown's shooting death in Missouri and similar situations that have put police use of force under a microscope. Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams has defended Rice's shooting, saying he reached for an air pistol that was "indistinguishable from a real firearm." While Thursday's announcement was set in Cleveland, Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday that the problems it highlights aren't contained by city limits. "As President Obama and I have indicated, the time has come, we think, to do even more. The tragic losses of these and far too many other Americans, including just last month, the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice here in Cleveland, have really raised urgent national questions," Holder said Thursday. "And they have sparked an important conversation about the sense of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities that they serve and protect." What's next? Authorities say Cleveland police need better training and more accountability going forward. "Deeply troubling to us was that some of the specially trained investigators who are charged with conducting unbiased reviews of officers' use of deadly force admitted to us that they conduct their investigations with the goal of casting the accused officer in the most positive light possible," the Justice Department's report said. The department fails to review its officers' use of force, investigate other allegations of misconduct, "respond to patterns of at-risk behavior," enforce appropriate policies and establish "effective community policing strategies," according to the Justice Department. "Throughout the investigation, the Department of Justice provided its observations and concerns to the city, and in response, the division has begun to implement a number of remedial measures, however, much more work is needed," the department's statement said. As a result of the findings, the city and Justice Department have signed an agreement "to develop a court-enforceable consent decree that will include a requirement for an independent monitor who will oversee and ensure necessary reforms." Holder, Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta and U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach met Thursday with community leaders, law enforcement officials and elected officials to discuss how to improve that relationship. "Together, we can build confidence in the division that will ensure compliance with the Constitution, improve public safety and make the job of delivering police services safer and more effective," Gupta said in a statement. Williams told reporters his officers are committed to improving the department. "We will work to make this police department better," he said. "I have confidence we will." | Guns, Tasers, fists, chemical sprays are all used inappropriately, probe finds .
Cleveland, feds agree to independent monitor to oversee reforms, Justice Dept. says .
Investigators reviewing deadly force cast officers in "positive light," report says .
Report comes as police are under fire after fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice . |
0821779c96e6ed301377a0cf09a5b7f622820ffc | Caroline, Countess of Derby is one of Baron Braybrooke's daughters . Undoubtedly the Earl of Grantham would sympathise with his predicament. An elderly baron with eight daughters and a 6,000-acre estate faces his title being passed to a distant cousin – because he has no sons. The dilemma echoes the plot of ITV series Downton Abbey, where the Earl of Grantham grapples with the problem of having three daughters but no male heir. But in the real-life drama, the case of the 10th Baron Braybrooke has prompted a campaign to change the ancient law that stops daughters from inheriting titles. Peers are asking the Government – which is already legislating so that if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s firstborn is a girl she can accede the throne – to make an amendment to the rules covering hereditary titles. His eldest daughter, Amanda Murray, scaled down her business as an interior designer to take over the reins at the vast estate. But when her father dies, his title – created in 1788 – will pass to a distant cousin she has never met, because peerages can only go to male heirs. Mrs Murray, 50, said she was aware the predicament of herself and her sisters – who include Caroline, Countess of Derby – might arouse public irritation rather than sympathy, but added: ‘It boils down to this: if I was a boy, I would be sitting pretty. ‘My poor father had no son, just lots of daughters. In this day and age, with supposed equality, why am I not allowed to inherit my father’s title? It is discriminatory. ‘I am managing the estate, including the steam railway, so I am already doing a man’s job.’ It was a similar scenario in the ITV drama when the Earl of Grantham, played by Hugh Bonneville, was horrified to discover that Downton Abbey would pass on his death to distant cousin – and ‘country solicitor’ – Matthew Crawley, played by Dan Stevens. But in the series, the problem was solved when Matthew fell in love with and married Lady Mary, the eldest of the Earl’s three daughters. A similar problem also affected Elizabeth Bennett and her four sisters in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. They faced being left penniless because, with no male heir, their fortune was due to pass to cousin William Collins, whom none of them wanted to marry. In real life, upon the 10th Baron Braybrooke’s death his title will pass to Richard Neville, a fourth cousin once removed. Mr Neville, 35, is single and owns a flat above a hairdressing salon in South-West London. Mrs Murray said she knew nothing about him, although Mr Neville has said he has met the baron and some of his other daughters, and rode on the Audley End miniature railway in the 1980s. The entrepreneur, who has a stake in events and venue website thehandbook.com, has declined to discuss the baronetcy. Real life dilemma: Baron Braybrooke (pictured centre with his wife, right, and one of his daughters, Amanda Murray second from left) will leave his estate to a distant cousin they barely know . Heir apparent: Richard Neville (pictured with an unknown woman), a fourth cousin once removed, is set to inherit the 6,000-acre estate. He currently lives in a flat above a hairdressing salon in South-West London . But while he will inherit the title, it remains unclear whether he will automatically gain ownership of the estate. Audley End is a 17th century country house and renowned as one of the finest Jacobean houses in England. It was requisitioned during the Second World War and used by the Special Operations Executive, the forerunner of MI6. Mrs Murray said her father had . examined whether the title could skip a generation and pass to her son, . who is 20 – but the law is clear that it may not. Stately home: The Jacobean-style Audley End House . Powerless: In Downton Abbey, the Earl of Grantham's daughters (pictured) cannot inherit the estate because they are girls . Heir: The character of Matthew Crawley (pictured) was set to inherit Downton Abbey, even though he is a distant cousin . | The 10th Baron Braybrooke has prompted a campaign to change the law that stops daughters inheriting titles .
Aged 80 he cannot manage the estate so his daughter has taken charge .
She said: 'It boils down to this: If I was a boy, I would be sitting pretty.' |
0822f547b07e4183e473788c85a5e27b0e511d98 | They might look like two adults playing at being astronauts while doing their weekly shop, but in fact, the two men behind the masks have a deadly allergy to the sun. Thomas and Vincent Seris, who live in Bordeaux, France, suffer from Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), cannot be exposed to the sun and its ultraviolet (UV) light. If they are, the twins are likely to develop a 'precocious' and potentially fatal skin cancers. In some cases, just a glimpse of sunlight is all it takes for the cancer to develop. Genetic: Thomas and Vincent (pushing the trolley) suffer from a condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosum, or XP . Fatal: The genetic condition means their skin is very sensitive to sunlight, and even being exposed to a small amount can cause skin cancer . Advances: The twins have been testing new masks, designed to protect them from UV rays, for the last year . In an effort to be allowed to live a normal life, the twins, who have been dubbed The Children of the Moon by the French media, have be testing out a new protective mask. The mask is transparent and ventilated, and has been developed by several hospitals in France. Four years ago it was a different story. The boys had to wear a ski mask every time they left home, as well as coveralls and white gloves manufactured by NASA. The boys, then 17, knew it was a scary look: so much so, they allowed their lives to be the inspiration for French film La Permission de Minuit. 'I would love to stop scaring people,' Vincent said at the time it was released. '[I hope it] will allow people to take another look at the children suffering in France.' Normal: The boys have managed to live a relatively normal life, now attending the University of Bordeaux . Precautions: Vincent uses a device to check for ultra violet light before leaving the building in Bordeaux . Danger: Even lightbulbs can be dangerous for the twins - which means they have to keep the suits on while shopping . Image: Vincent has previously said he would like people not to be scared of his appearance anymore . Vincent and Thomas are two of just 70 or 80 people living with the genetic condition in France. In the entire world, it is thought there are only somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 such cases. They were diagnosed with XP aged just two and, within four months Vincent had had three bouts of skin cancer. Their worried parents Françoise and Bernard found ways of keeping their sons safe - including putting UV filters over the windows of their home. They also set up the charity Les Enfants de la Lune in 2000, hoping to bring together people with the genetic conditions and put pressure on medical researchers to find out more about XP. Rare: The twins - seen here in their apartment - are two of just 70 or 80 people who have the condition in France . Unusual: Worldwide, it is thought only between five and 6,000 people suffer from XP . Education: Thomas (left) and Vincent talk to a student at the University of Bordeaux . However, it seems Vincent and Thomas managed to live a relatively ordinary life. Growing up, they attended school, and went to the cinema and bowling with friends, and on weekends and during the holiday, they went swimming a skiing. They also developed one hobby which was particularly well-suited to their condition: caving. And nowadays they are students at the University of Bordeaux - which made adjustments to the buildings to allow them to attend. | Vincent and Thomas Seris, of Bordeaux, have a rare genetic condition, XP .
Exposure to the sun can be fatal - so they have to keep covered up .
For the last year, the twins have been trialing new protective masks .
But the university students have managed to live relatively normal lives . |
082329becc640f9350d06bc679ad4e85bb112136 | (CNN) -- On a sunny day at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena, California, in 1991, photographer Kirk Weddle was setting up to shoot what would become an iconic image in rock music. Spencer Elden was chosen from pictures of 12 babies to grace Nirvana?s "Nevermind" CD cover. Weddle's close friend, artist and designer Rick Elden, remembers that day well because he had brought his 4-month-old son to the pool for Weddle to shoot. Weddle had been tapped to create the cover for what would become Nirvana's breakthrough album "Nevermind." "We went to the same college together," Elden said of his friendship with Weddle. "We were tight buddies and we'd been through a lot together." To hear Elden tell it, the shoot was just another job in a long string of photo shoots for musical acts during his association with Weddle. "Keep in mind we shot the Temptations, and so many bands," he said. On the day of the Nirvana shoot, Weddle was said to be working on an idea dreamed up by the band's relatively unknown frontman, Kurt Cobain, Elden said. "Rumor had it that Cobain had the original concept of wanting to show a mother giving birth under water," Elden said. "but the compromise was to have a baby swimming under water. Or so that's what I was told." A dozen infants including Elden's first-born son Spencer were signed up for the photo shoot in the pool that week. On that particular day only Spencer was scheduled to swim for Weddle. Read more about what Spencer Elden is doing now . The boy was in good hands, said Elden, a certified lifeguard. And even at 4 months, Spencer was a good swimmer, he said. However, "if you don't pull them up, they will drown," he joked. "There's tricks to it: You blow in the kid's face and it creates a gag reflex. Infants have a gag reflex, as we all do. You hold him up really close to your face. You blow into him really hard. They gasp, and into the water they go." Weddle then shot just 18 frames, according to Elden. "We only had a half a second" before the shoot was over and little Spencer was plucked from the water. "Boom, boom, boom. End of story," he said. "We got paid $200." Years later, Spencer Elden, now a 17-year-old high school graduate, returned to that same Pasadena pool complex to compete as a swimmer and water polo player on the club team. Read how Nirvana changed iReporters' lives . He said he's still a pretty good swimmer. "I haven't been swimming as much lately as I'd like to, but I plan on starting swimming next summer," he said. | Dad of underwater baby on Nirvana album dishes details on 1991 photo shoot .
"If you don't pull them up, they will drown," joked dad, a certified lifeguard .
Photographer Kirk Weddle chose baby's photo from pictures of 11 other kids .
Actual photo shoot lasted only 18 frames, said dad. "We got paid $200" |
08241ab913f7d8447301e710a62ffd0a96d2ccf0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:07 EST, 21 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:11 EST, 21 September 2013 . Comedian Jason Manford has slammed the ticket policy of the theatre company where he is performing, describing booking agents as 'parasites' that rip off fans. The married former One Show presenter - who quit the progamme in 2011 after being outed for sending graphic text messages to other women - is back on the stand-up trail. However, there was nothing funny about his comments regarding the management of Oxford's New Theatre company over their cut of his ticket sales. Disgusted: Comic Jason Manford launched an extraordinary Facebook tirade at the Oxford New Theatre over its ticket policy . Manford queried why the management were adding a £9 booking fee to the £22.50 face value price of the ticket, as well as taking a 20 per cent cut of the sales. Controversy: Manford may be performing at the Oxford New Theatre, but that didn't stop him laying into its policies . He took to his Facebook page and advised people not to book the tickets in that way and he would 'of course put on my best show as I do every night'. He wrote: 'Please please please do NOT buy these tickets. These booking agents are parasites of the highest order, overcharging you and making it look like it's the performer. 'I can only apologise for the people already booked, God bless you, I will of course put on my best show as I do every night. 'I just wish I'd have spotted it bloody sooner but all that is left to promoters and such like but just know that after this tour I will never play an ATG venue again until they lower their preposterous booking charges. 'I mean, you do it all your f****** self! 'That's what gets me, you log on, you choose your seats, you even print the b*****d out at home! What are they charging for?!!? 'How are they getting nearly half of what I get when I'm the one who spent a year writing and perfecting it, driving to the gig, paying travel, accommodation, tour manager, promoters, agents, advertising, not getting to put my kids to bed 6 nights a week for 10 months! 'I do my best to never rip anyone off but this makes my blood boil. I'm kicking myself for not noticing it sooner! Argh! Sorry!' He added: 'I'm very angry about the booking charge that ATG add on to the face value of the ticket price. Attack: Manford, centre, pictured on the set of Odd One Out, says the booking fees imposed on fans for big live events are a disgrace and has urged them to make a stand . Married Manford is no stranger to controversy. In 2011, he quit The One Show after being outed for sending sex texts to other women . 'I deliberately lowered my ticket prices for this year's tour because of theatre booking fees. 'People work so hard for their money and to put an extra charge on top of the ticket prices really got me. 'Why charge a booking fee when it is all done online and you even print the tickets at home?' ATG said it would not respond directly to his remarks but said: 'All, or the vast majority, of the sales income from the ticket goes to the producer, hence the need to charge for ticketing operations separately. 'However, booking fees only apply to customers who buy on the phone or online. 'The range of fees can vary depending on show genre and ticket price.' The Mancunian star is due to appear at the Oxford New Theatre, George Street, Oxford, on Monday and again on Tuesday. | He slams Oxford New Theatre over £9 charge and urges fans not to book .
'I do my best not to rip anyone off and I'd wish I'd noticed sooner,' he says .
Wonders why booking fees exist when people buy tickets online .
Despite row, he vows to 'put on my best show, as I do every night' |
08247ab43e8cc2cc67678edd8bbbf7fa9e4636ef | A BBC reporter was given the surprise of his life when he unknowingly interviewed a former Liverpool footballer about a match he had played in. Reporter Stuart Flinders was out on the streets of Liverpool asking members of the public whether they remembered the 1967 Merseyside derby. A heart-warming interview followed as he asked one man whether he had any recollection of the game, only to find out he had played in the match. Stuart Flinders was on the streets of Liverpool looking for people that remember the 1967 Merseyside derby . The reporter then unknowingly bumps into former Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence . Lawrence played in the game and spoke about Alan Ball scoring the winner at Goodison Park . The 74-year-old man turned out to be none other than former Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence who made more than 300 appearances for the club. Flinders asked: 'I'm just wondering whether you remember the derby match in 1967 at Goodison, FA cup, fifth round, and it was shown on a big screen at Anfield at the same time. Do you remember it?' 'That's right', Mr Lawrence said, nodding. 'Yeah I do, I played in it. I was goalkeeper for Liverpool.' 'It was a great game,' he added, 'Alan Ball scored the winner.' Lawrence, who made more than 300 appearances for Liverpool, in action saves the ball to deny a goal . Liverpool goalkeeper Lawrence in action against West Ham United . | Reporter approached elderly man to talk about previous Merseyside games .
He asked the man whether he remembered the 1967 FA Cup game .
The man turned out to be former Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence .
Lawrence was in goal for Liverpool during the match at Goodison Park . |
082567ab0175dc93b84c8d1f57efafdbba338eb6 | (CNN) -- Third seed Roger Federer has crashed out of the Rogers Cup in Montreal, after losing 7-6 4-6 6-1 to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Thursday. In a repeat of their recent Wimbledon quarterfinal, 13th seed Tsonga defeated the 16-time grand slam winner to set up a last eight clash with Spaniard Nicolas Almagro. Federer, 30, looked to have given himself a chance of winning the contest at the Uniprix Stadium when he claimed the second set, but world number 16 Tsonga rallied to emphatically clinch the third and deciding set in convincing style. "He's confident right now and he played an excellent third set," Federer told the ATP Tour's official web site. "The first two sets were tighter. I should maybe have won the first one as I had some opportunities. "In the second I was able to hold my serve. I might have won, but he was able to finish off the match very well." Tsonga's triumph on Thursday was his third career win over Federer, and he was pleased with his level of performance in the match. "[This] is the match I played best," said Tsonga reflecting on his previous encounters with Federer. "I really played good tonight. I was opportunistic. I didn't miss any opportunities I had. I was able to break before he did. I'm very happy the way I won this match." Eighth seed Almagro advanced courtesy of a straight-sets 7-6 6-3 victory against Tsonga's compatriot Richard Gasquet. World number one Novak Djokovic, playing in his first tournament as world number one, eased past Croat Marin Cilic 7-5 6-2. Djokovic has already won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this year and will face Gael Monfils in the quarterfinals. Monfils, seeded fifth, battled back from one-set down to overcome Djokovic's Davis Cup teammate Viktor Troicki. The Frenchman Monfils saved three match points on his way to a 3-6 7-6 7-6 win. American number one Mardy Fish beat Ernests Gulbis 4-6 6-3 6-4 to set up a match with Stanislas Wawrinka in the next round, who defeated South African Kevin Anderson. Seventh seed Tomas Berdych is also safely through after dispatching of Croat Ivo Karlovic 6-3 7-6 (7-2). The final round of 16 match saw Janko Tipsarevic defeat Rafael Nadal's conqueror Ivan Dodig 6-1 6-4. | Roger Federer is out of the Rogers Cup after losing to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga .
Tsonga also defeated Federer in the recent Wimbledon quarterfinals .
World number one Novak Djokovic is into the last eight after a win over Marin Cilic .
There are were also wins for Fish, Wawrinka, Monfils, Berdych and Tipsarevic . |
0825faf95914f2d3f16c307d0660342563ecf442 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 05:05 EST, 20 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:18 EST, 20 January 2014 . A dog walker got the shock of her life when her pet ran towards her with a fake hand grenade. Beverley Milner-Simonds was strolling along a beach in Burnham-On-Sea, Somerset, when she threw a ball and her inquisitive puppy, Thatcher, chased off to fetch it. But seconds later the 39-year-old saw her dog digging in the sand and then coming running back straight at her - with what looked like a wartime hand grenade in its mouth. Look what I found! Thatcher the dog started running back with what looked like a hand grenade in his mouth . No danger: The dog's owner Beverley Milner-Simonds realised the object was actually a harmless plastic toy . The volunteer coastguard feared for her and her pet’s life - before realising the object was actually a harmless plastic toy. Mrs Milner-Simonds said: ‘I was walking our puppy when I got the shock of my life. She’d been happily chasing her ball when she got distracted in amongst some debris on the high water mark. ‘Like most coastal areas we have had a lot of rough seas recently and there was quite a mix of flotsam and jetsam. ‘I reached down to pull her away and saw the crack in the side and realised to my relief that it was just a toy. For a split second though, I feared for my life.’ Scary moment: Beverley Milner-Simonds (right) - pictured with her civil partner Sarah (left), 39, whom she entered into a civil partnership with in 2005 - feared for her and her pet's life . She added that the scare felt even more real because she has previously been called out to deal with real explosives with her role as a volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officer. 'I realised to my relief that it was just a toy. For a split second though, I feared for my life' Beverley Milner Simonds . Tris Newey, Severn sector manager for HM Coastguard, said: ‘A number of real ordnance devices have been uncovered on beaches around the country in recent weeks following the storms, so I’m relieved that this particular item turned out to be harmless. ‘We would always advise beach users who find suspicious objects to be cautious and dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. 'We never mind getting called out if there are genuine concerns and people’s safety is at risk.’ | Beverley Milner Simonds threw a ball for her puppy Thatcher to chase .
But he ran back along beach in Burnham-On-Sea with hand grenade .
Volunteer coastguard realised the object was a harmless plastic toy . |
08262b12dad2d3fa14fafc2ed356a798132ad408 | Schoolboy Riley Pearson, six, has been suspended for four days for breaking school rules by having Mini Cheddars in his packed lunch . A six-year-old boy who went to school with a bag of Mini Cheddars in his packed lunch has been suspended for four days after teachers said it contravened its healthy eating policy. Riley Pearson, from Colnbrook, near Slough, was excluded from Colnbrook C of E Primary School after teachers discovered the snack and called in his parents. After a meeting with headmaster Jeremy Meek, they were sent a letter telling them Riley would be excluded from Wednesday until Monday because he had been 'continuously breaking school rules'. The school, which was placed in special measures after Ofsted inspectors deemed it 'inadequate' in 2012, introduced a healthy eating policy at the start of term. A letter was sent to parents saying that from 14 January, packed lunches should be 'healthy and balanced'. Parents were told: 'Chocolate, sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks are not allowed. 'If your child's lunchbox is unhealthy and unbalanced they will be provided with a school lunch for which you will be charged.' Today Riley's mother, airport shuttle worker Natalie Mardle, 24, said: 'We just do not see how they have the right to tell us what we can feed our son. 'If anything, Riley is underweight and could do with putting on a few pounds.' Miss Mardle, who is expecting her fourth child, added: 'Having a balanced diet also includes eating some carbohydrates, sugars and fats. 'It is not about excluding some foods, it is about getting the mix right.' Riley’s lunchbox usually contains a sandwich, yoghurt tube, Dairylea Dunkers cheese spread snack, and a packet of Mini Cheddars, with water to drink. His mother, who lives with his father, airport worker Tom Pearson, said the 3ft 9ins tall schoolboy who weighs 3st 2lbs, eats home-cooked meals and plenty of fruit and vegetables at home. Miss Mardle said: 'I would understand the exclusion if he was constantly throwing tables around or bullying other children, but it is just ridiculous for a packet of Mini Cheddars. 'Not balanced': Riley's lunchbox fell foul of the new health eating policy at Colnbrook C of E primary school . Letter to parents: Riley's parents were sent a letter outlining the reasons for his exclusion by the head, Mr Meek . 'Surely the headteacher has better things to do with his time than search lunchboxes?' Riley's parents, who both work at nearby Heathrow Airport, will be attending a meeting with the head on Tuesday to learn whether their son can return to the 290-pupil school. Headteacher Mr Meek said the school had one family who 'do not agree with the policy.' He said: 'We have had a wonderful response and the parents and children are on board and pleased with the way the policy has been impacted on our pupils. The boy was suspended from Colnbrook C of E Primary School, pictured, for bringing in the snack . 'We cannot talk about individual circumstances, but there is one family who are not prepared to support the policy. 'We are in discussions with them about how we move it forward. We have excluded [the pupil] for four days due to lack of support for the policy. 'It is to avoid putting the children in a difficult situation. If the policy is not being abided by, then that potentially harms that pupil.' | Riley Pearson was banned for four days after breaking school lunch policy .
His parents, Natalie Mardle and Tom Pearson, called in to see school head .
Colnbrook C of E Primary School introduced healthy eating rule this term .
Parents were told 'chocolate, sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks' were banned .
Mother says: 'They don't have right to tells us what we can feed our son' |
0826ac35d47d59fef47fd5dee2602d283794a2f1 | By . Associated Press . and Mail online Reporter . Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell says he knows in his heart he's innocent of the federal corruption charges he's facing. The former governor finished his third day of testifying Friday at federal court in Richmond by proclaiming his innocence and saying he would never corrupt his office in exchange for gifts. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, are charged with accepting more than $165,000 from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his products. Scroll down for video . Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, pictured with daughter Cailin Young, says he's innocent of charges he accepted more than $165,000 from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his products . McDonnell said he had thought Williams was a true friend and accused him of making false statements in court. McDonnell says he should have disclosed some of the gifts from a wealthy vitamin entrepreneur on a yearly financial disclosure form. McDonnell testified Friday at his corruption trial in Richmond. He says he should have disclosed a golf bag emblazoned with the Notre Dame logo and two golf outings Williams paid for in 2011. As governor, McDonnell was required to file a yearly disclosure of his income, debts and gifts. The former governor says that the omissions were not intentional and that he was not trying to keep Williams' gifts hidden from the public. The former governor is expected to resume testifying on Monday. McDonnell has moved out of his home and is living . with a priest at a rectory instead, he has revealed during his . corruption trial. Close: McDonnell said he did not believe his wife Maureen had an affair with Williams, both pictured, but that he had realized her connection with the businessman had been much deeper than he thought . McDonnell . left the home he shared with his wife of 38 years, Maureen, the week . before their trial began, he revealed as he testified extensively about . their troubled relationship on Thursday. He . said that although he only recently left the home, he concluded that . his marriage was over in September 2011 after he became angry and . exhausted at the relationship. On . Thursday, the former governor testified that he had written a long email . to his wife three years ago trying to save his marriage, calling her . his 'soulmate' - yet he also said he grew so weary of her yelling that . he began taking refuge in his office late at night rather than go home. At first, . he thought they shared a natural bond over dietary supplements - Maureen . McDonnell had sold nutritional supplement for decades as a part-time . business. She was crushed when he told her it would be inappropriate to . continue selling vitamins as first lady, he said. McDonnell . testified that he doesn't believe his wife had an affair with Williams, . but that they had developed an intense, emotional connection to which . he had been oblivious. | Says he should have disclosed a golf bag emblazoned with the Notre Dame logo and two golf outings Williams paid for in 2011 .
McDonnell and wife Maureen accused of accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from businessman Jonnie Williams to promote his products .
As governor, McDonnell was required to file a yearly disclosure of his income, debts and gifts . |
082890ef00dff5f273fb3b366f88d16337ecb326 | A YouTube star has been accused of sexual assault after pinching women's behinds in a viral video. British prankster Sam Pepper, 25, has since insisted that all the girls were in on the joke and that it was simply to highlight how people have different reactions to assaults on men and women. But the video, which has since been removed by YouTube, still has viewers in uproar, with some expressing skepticism over whether the girls knew, while others pointed out that he has created other insulting videos, including 'Easiest Way To Get A Number' and 'How to Pick Up Girls with a Lasso'. Pepper, who has more than two million subscribers on YouTube, posted the video to his account on Friday showing him pinching women's bottoms after pretending to ask them for directions. Scroll down for video . Cruel: YouTube star Sam Pepper shared a video showing him pinching women's behinds; here he illustrates how he hid his arm. The video caused uproar - but he has now claimed it was all part of a social experiment . 'Trick': Pepper pretended to ask women on the street for directions before grabbing their bottoms . Shock: The girls in the video look surprised and look around them to see who is responsible for the grope . The women are all shocked, with some looking around them for the culprit, while one clearly says she doesn't like it. 'It’s completely inappropriate. It's against the law, and it just sends the wrong message,' women's advocate Britni Soto told KCAL after the video went viral. Fellow YouTube stars also lambasted Pepper for the video. 'Sexually harassing women is vile to begin with, but normalizing it by calling it a prank? So harmful,' Tyler Oakley tweeted. The video gained more than 1.3 million views before it was removed by YouTube for violating YouTube's 'Terms of Service'. Pepper, who first gained fame in the UK after appearing on the country's reality TV show Big Brother in 2010, stayed largely quiet about the scandal until posting about it on Twitter on Monday. 'If you've seen something one way, will it change what you would of thought of it another way?' he wrote, before sharing a similar video showing a woman pinching men's behinds. Prank: The women look shocked as he pinches them - but he later insisted the girls were all on the prank . Denial: He later posted a video showing women grabbing men's behinds, and on Tuesday he shared this video explaining it had been a social experiment to prove how people regard assaults on men different . This video, which has also been removed by YouTube, sparked some disgust too, but not the same amount as the earlier video, Pepper said. On Tuesday morning, he shared one final video to YouTube explaining that the two videos had been part of a social experiment to show our flippant reactions to assaults on men. He explained that he had been inspired by a male friend who was in an abusive marriage and whose accounts were doubted by police, as well as his own experiences being sexually assaulted by fans. 'At multiple events some of my viewers will grab my bum and giggle about it among their friends,' he said. 'I don't like it. And if the roles were reversed would people think it was OK to pinch a female celebrity? 'I wanted to do something that would highlight the difference between abuse towards a woman and abuse towards a man in a social experiment with you as unwitting participants at the heart of the experiment.' He added: 'I don't want to turn off a light on a very real and scary issue women face I just want to shine a light on an otherwise dark corner - abuse on men.' Explanation: On Twitter, he said he could have carried out his plan in a smoother way - but that he was glad that it had made people think about how differently they treat men and women . He added that the videos had all been 'staged and scripted' and thanked the women by name for helping him put them together. Some fans applauded Pepper for the series. 'To help out a friend who was afraid to admit he was being abused, @sampepper risked everything he's worked for. So much respect man,' one Twitter user said. Yet others weren't quite so convinced. 'So were all the other videos where you pressure women to kiss you also 'social experiments' too?' one asked on Twitter. Pepper added on Twitter on Tuesday: 'In hindsight we would all do things different in our lives, I could have executed this neater, but would have it as reached as many people?' | British prankster Sam Pepper shared a video to YouTube last week showing him grabbing women's behinds as he asked for directions .
The video sparked outrage, with many fellow YouTube stars attacking him .
Days later, he posted another video of a woman pinching men's behinds .
In a third video, he explained it had all been a social experiment to show how we have different reactions to assaults on men and women .
He insisted the girls were in on the prank - but some viewers expressed skepticism and slammed him for the way he carried out his idea . |
08290a2487e750eefa75baa805fbff7b08c93479 | Philippe Mexes was sent off late on for grabbing the throats of Lazio players Stefano Mauri and Lorik Cana in AC Milan's 3-1 defeat in Serie A. The defender lost his cool in the closing stages of the game on Saturday evening, appearing to grab the opposition players round the neck. His team-mate Riccardo Montolivo attempted to contain Mexes' red mist, but could do nothing about him seeing red in the closing stages. Phillippe Mexes (right) grabbing the throat of Lazio's Stefano Mauri . The AC Milan defender appeared to grab him be the neck from behind late on in the game . His team-mate Riccardo Montolivo attempted to break up the incident on Saturday evening . Mexes also tangled with another Lazio player in Lorik Cana (right) afterwards . The defender was eventually dismissed for the incident as AC Milan were beaten 3-1 . Marco Parolo scored twice for the home side as they heaped more woe on Milan at the Stadio Olimpico. The hosts hit back from behind to claim victory and leave the Rossoneri without a win in their last five Serie A games. Jeremy Menez had given Milan a fourth-minute lead which lasted until two minutes after the break when Parolo netted his opener. Five minutes later Miroslav Klose put Lazio in front and Parolo's second nine minutes from time effectively sealed win which sends the hosts up to fifth. Lazio's Marco Parolo celebrates after scoring during the Serie A clash with AC Milan . Germany legend Miroslav Klose also netted for Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico . | Phillipe Mexes dismissed for grabbing the throat of Stefano Mauri .
AC Milan defender also appeared to clutch neck of Lazio player Lorik Cana .
Lazio beat AC Milan 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday in Serie A . |
0829cf17ce026dee073de211064408cb0b4914a8 | Distraught Michelle Simmons was so sure her beloved Labradoodle Gracie had plunged to her death playing during a hike in Oregon on Sunday, that she immediately held a memorial service for her dog on the side of the cliff. However, as Simmons and her family stood at the top of the 200-foot ravine they heard the unmistakable sound of Gracie barking from down below - sparking a dramatic rescue for the lucky year-old pup. In total, ten members of the Oregon Humane Society took eight hours to pull Gracie to safety from the steep cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge with a rescue harness and amazingly, she only suffered some scratches and bruises. Scroll Down for Video . Lucky dog: Gracie the Labradoodle is reunited with owner Michelle Simmons (right in both pictures) after her eight hour rescue from the bottom of a 200-foot ravine in Oregon . Gracie lost her footing as she wrestled with another dog as the Simmons family were returning from Punchbowl Falls. 'We kept hearing her rolling and rolling, she yelped out and we though we had lost her,' said Simmons to KOIN6. Bruce Wyse of the Humane Society was the team member who pulled Gracie to safety and reunited her with her grateful family. Rene Pizzo, the team leader reminded the Simmons family that the accident happened in the first place because Gracie was allowed off her leash. Check-up: Gracie is given the once-over by members of the Oregon Humane Society - who confirmed that the dog had only suffered cuts and bruises during her 200-foot fall . Reunited: Gracie is given a hug and a kiss by a member of her family after being pulled from the ravine after her accident on Sunday . Relief: Michelle Simmons tells the miraculous tale of how Gracie (left) survived the fall while hiking in Oregon . He said that the accident and successful rescue effort should act was a warning to other hikers to keep their pets under control at all times. Gracie fell just before 5pm on Sunday and a relieved Simmons told KOIN6 that she believes it was astounding her dog was not hurt. 'She was barking, wagging her tail,' said Simmons. 'It was a miracle, no one believed it.' 'She’s totally fine. We are almost gonna leave her there.' Speaking of her gratitude towards the Humane Society team who rescued her dog, Simmons called the 'absolutely amazing' and said that she thanked every single one. | Gracie plunged off cliff while rough-housing with another dog off her leash .
Owner Michelle Simmons and her family were distraught at their loss .
Incredibly heard Gracie's barks - sparking an eight hour rescue mission . |
0829e112d54a88aabd85edde6132ce7871fb60f4 | By . Joe Bernstein . Stoke City will try to reach agreement with Liverpool over winger Oussama Assaidi now the Anfield club have collected £75million for Luis Suarez. Manager Mark Hughes, who is waiting to hear from Barcelona’s Bojan Krkic if he will move to the Britannia Stadium on loan, values Assaidi at £5millon and hopes Liverpool will reduce their £7million asking price having boosted their coffers through Suarez. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Stoke target Oussama Assaidi scores no-look back heel flick . Haggle: Stoke are hoping to reach an agree with Liverpool to for winger Oussama Assaidi (left) Thumbs up: Stoke hope Liverpool will lower their fee for Assaidi after selling Luis Suarez to Barcelona . Assaidi enjoyed a successful loan spell at Stoke last season and scored a memorable winner against Chelsea before his season was temporarily ended by a knee injury. He has spent his summer seeing a specialist in Holland to try and get fit for the new season. Stoke hope to hear next week about 23-year-old Krkic who was on loan at Ajax last season. Hughes has been a fan of the player for a long time and tried to sign him as a teenager when he was at Manchester City. Hughes will listen to offers for Honduras World Cup captain Wilson Palacios, Ryan Shotton and striker Cameron Jerome as he tries to trim his squad. Done deal? Stoke are also waiting to hear from Barcelona about signing Bojan Krkic on loan for next season . | Stoke are trying to agree a fee with Liverpool for Oussama Assaidi .
Liverpool value him at £7million and Stoke boss Mark Hughes hopes they lower their price following the £75million sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona .
Stoke also want to take Barcelona's Bojan Krkic on loan next season . |
0829f20ecca1319c94c0bb91c71bafe9569d4859 | PUBLISHED: . 10:56 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:22 EST, 8 March 2013 . A 'Romeo and Juliet' couple renounced their religion to have the first civil wedding ceremony in Lebanon - and then had to keep it secret for two months. Kholoud Sukkariyeh and Nidal Darwish, both Muslims, did not tell anyone they had tied the knot after deciding to take a secret stand against the country's restrictive marriage laws. They are from different Islam sects, Shiite and Sunni, and had to erase their Islamic faith from their ID cards before they were allowed the civil ceremony. The couple then convinced a mayor in the east of the war-torn country, which was riven by civil conflict from 1975 to 1990, to marry them under an ancient loophole that allows non-religious people to be wed. Now they are at the centre of a nationwide backlash over whether civil ceremonies should be introduced. A day to remember: Kholoud Sukkariyeh (left) and Nidal Darwish (right) are pictured on their wedding day. The pair are the first to have entered a civil union in Lebanon . Happy: The couple's civil union has sparked a fierce debate on marriage laws in the country and the pair hope that their example will see the law eventually relaxed . Couples from one of the country's 18 . different religions normally have to travel 125 miles to Cyprus, the . nearest place they can enter a civil partnership. But Kholoud and Nidal became the first pairing to hold such a ceremony on Lebanese soil, marrying in Bekaa in the east of the country last November. English teacher Kholoud, 29, told The National: 'Lebanon is a country based on sectarianism, once civil marriage is legalised, this means that the first column of sectarianism is broken.' In order to hold the ceremony, the pair had to remove their religious sects - Shiite and Sunni - from their national identity cards, a practice which has been legal in the country since 2009. After obtaining papers from their local mayor, they could then take advantage of an obscure 1936 law that allows people who do not belong to a particular religious denomination to enter a civil union. The pair kept the wedding secret for two months while the interior ministry approved the marriage but decided to go public when confirmation of their union had still not arrived last month. Going public: The pair kept their union secret while they waited for registration paperwork to come through, but they went public after waiting two months without getting the union rubber stamped . The pair have since received overwhelming support on social media websites . A Facebook group called Tazawajna Madani ... w a'belkoun (We had a civil marriage ... may you as well), set up for those married in civil unions abroad to share their pictures has attracted 25,000 'likes' within days of its launch. But Prime Minister Nijab Mikati said that civil union is a contentious issue that Lebanon doesn't need right now. Lebanon's Grand Mufti, the leader of the country's Sunni Muslim community, issued a fatwa against civil marriage in January but Kholoud says that the pair were expecting their union to spark outrage in some quarters. In love: As Muslims, the pair could have legally married in Lebanon, but decided to take a stand against the country's laws by entering a civil union . She said: 'Civil marriage threatens the politicians, because once sectarianism is broken, this means we won't be following them blindly by our sects, we will be following our loyalty to the country.' The newlyweds hope that other couples will follow their lead but they currently have no legal backing governing civil marriage. According to family lawyer Chawkat Houlla, two Muslims who wed would be subject to Sharia. The lawyer said that it is difficult to see the law changing in the near future. But for couples from different religions, civil unions have no legal grounding. Previous attempts to legalise civil marriage in the 1950s and in 1998 have failed. | Kholoud Sukkariyeh and Nidal Darwish wed last November in Bekaa .
They kept the wedding a secret while waiting for government documents .
But when they hadn't arrived, the pair decided to take their union public .
Their partnership has sparked fierce debate on Lebanese marriage laws . |
082a07409145ee868320614df2ca6d77ed7365dd | By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:01 EST, 1 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:47 EST, 2 May 2013 . Locked up: Kenneth Bae, who has been sentenced to 15 years of 'compulsory labour' by North Korea for unspecified crimes against the state . An American has been sentenced to 15 years hard labour in North Korea after the hardline Communist regime accused him of trying to overthrow the state. Kenneth Bae, a Washington state man . described by friends as a devout Christian and a tour operator, is at . least the sixth American detained in North Korea since 2009. The others eventually were deported or . released without serving out their terms, some after trips to Pyongyang . by prominent Americans, including former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton . and Jimmy Carter. With U.S.-North Korean ties worsening . since a long-range rocket test more than a year ago, Pyongyang is . fishing for another visit, said Ahn Chan-il, head of the World Institute . for North Korea Studies think tank in South Korea. 'North Korea is using Bae as bait to . make such a visit happen. An American bigwig visiting Pyongyang would . also burnish Kim Jong Un's leadership profile,' added Mr Ahn. Kim took power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in December 2011. He is believed to be just 29 years old. North Korea has faced increasing . criticism over its nuclear weapons ambitions. Disarmament talks . including the Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia fell . apart in 2009. Several rounds of U.N. sanctions have . not encouraged the North to give up its small cache of nuclear devices, . which Pyongyang says it must not only keep but expand to protect itself . from a hostile Washington. Pyongyang's tone has softened somewhat . recently, following weeks of violent rhetoric, including threats of . nuclear war and missile strikes. There have been tentative signs of . interest in diplomacy after a major source of North Korean outrage - the . annual U.S.-South Korean military drills - ended this week. Tensions: The sentencing of Kenneth Bae will further complicate already strained relations between Pyongyang and Washington. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (3rd left) is pictured at a soccer match . In Washington, the U.S. State . Department said it was working with the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang to . confirm the report of Mr Bae's sentencing. The U.S. lacks formal diplomatic ties . with North Korea and relies on Sweden for diplomatic matters involving . U.S. citizens there. Mr Bae's trial on charges of . 'committing hostile acts' against North Korea took place in the Supreme . Court on Tuesday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. North Korea's state-run news agency KCNA referred to Mr Bae as Pae Jun Ho, the North Korean spelling for his Korean name. He was arrested in early November in . Rason, a special economic zone in North Korea's far north-east which . borders China and Russia, state media said. The exact nature of his . alleged crimes has not been revealed. Friends and colleagues say Mr Bae was . based in the Chinese border city of Dalian and travelled frequently to . North Korea to feed orphans. Mr Bae's mother in the U.S. did not answer calls seeking comment, the Associated Press reported. Usual tricks: Kim, right front, and his wife Ri Sol Ju, first right, take a tour of a stadium in Pyongyang. One analyst says Mr Bae's imprisonment may be an attempt to force a meeting with a high-profile American . Pride of the North: Kim meets with North Korea's gold medallists in international competitions. Kim took power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in December 2011 and is still trying to cement his rule . There are parallels to a case in 2009. After Pyongyang's launch of a long-range rocket and its second . underground nuclear test that year, two American journalists, Laura Ling . and Euna Lee, were sentenced to 12 years of hard labour after sneaking . across the border from China. They later were pardoned on . humanitarian grounds and released to Bill Clinton, who met with . then-leader Kim Jong Il. U.S.-North Korea talks came later that year. Jimmy Carter visited North Korea in . 2011 to negotiate the release of imprisoned American Aijalon Gomes, who . had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour for crossing illegally . into the North from China. Korean American Eddie Jun was released . in 2011 after Robert King, the U.S. envoy on North Korean human rights, . travelled to Pyongyang. Mr Jun had been detained for half a year over an . unspecified crime. Mr Jun and Mr Gomes are also devout . Christians. While North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of . religion, in practice only sanctioned services are tolerated by the . government. Exhausting scehdule: Kim visits the Ministry of People's Security to congratulate the people's security persons and service personnel of the Korean People's Internal Security Forces on May Day . Group photo: Kim, front centre, sits for a group shot with personally from the Internal Security Forces . U.N. and U.S. officials accuse North . Korea of treating opponents brutally. Foreign nationals have told . varying stories about their detentions in North Korea. Ms Ling and Ms Lee, the two . journalists sentenced to hard labour in 2009, were kept in a guest house . instead of a labour camp due to medical concerns. But Ali Lameda, a member of . Venezuela's Communist Party and a poet invited to the North in 1966 to . work as a Spanish translator, said that he was detained in a damp, . filthy cell without trial the following year after facing espionage . allegations that he denied. He later spent six years in prison after a one-day trial, he said. | Kenneth Bae is the sixth American to be held in North Korea since 2009 .
His jailing may be an attempt to force a visit by a high-profile U.S. official .
Pardons have been granted after visits from the likes of Bill Clinton . |
082b325b288ca1220d76bcf65b7e3b97777a65fb | Dunga has named Luiz Adriano, scorer of five goals in Shakhtar Donetsk's 7-0 win over BATE Borisov, in his squad for November's games against Turkey and Austria. The 27-year-old became only the second player to score five goals in a Champions League game on Tuesday night, Argentine Lionel Messi was the first. His Shakhtar team mate Douglas Costa is also in the squad, alongside recalled Paris St. Germain pair Thiago Silva and Lucas Moura. Shakhtar's Luiz Adriano scored five goals against BATE Borisov, earning him a call-up to the Brazil squad . Oscar is one of three Chelsea players, and five Premier League players, called up to the squad . Chelsea trio Filipe Luis, Oscar and Willian are in the squad but Ramires misses out due to a groin injury. Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Manchester City's Fernandinho complete the Premier League contingent. Kaka, Robinho, and goalkeeper Jefferson are among those who dropped out. Dunga said some Brazil-based players were left out because the friendlies take place at the same time as important domestic fixtures. Brazil will face Turkey in Istanbul on November 12 and then travel to Austria for a match on November 18. Paris St. Germain pair Thiago Silva and David Luiz are both included in Dunga's latest squad . Dunga said some Brazil-based players were left out because the friendlies clash with domestic fixtures . Goalkeepers: Neto (Fiorentina), Diego Alves (Valencia), Rafael Cabral (Napoli) Central defenders: David Luiz (Paris St. Germain), Marquinhos (Paris St. Germain), Thiago Silva (Paris St. Germain), Miranda (Atletico Madrid), . Full backs: Alex Sandro (Porto), Mario Fernandes (CSKA Moscow), Filipe Luis (Chelsea), Danilo (Porto) Defensive midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Romulo (Juventus), Casemiro (Porto), Fernandinho (Manchester City) Attacking midfielders and forwards: Neymar (Barcelona), Firmino (Hoffenheim), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Lucas Moura(Paris St. Germain) Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar), Oscar (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Douglas Costa (Shakhtar) | Luiz Adriano called up to Brazil squad to face Turkey and Austria .
Shakhtar striker scored five goals against BATE Borisov on Tuesday .
Chelsea trio Oscar, Filipe Luis and Willian called up .
Fernandinho and Philippe Coutinho the other Premier League players . |
082b65819cc72af6d6d870112e7faf551156fc10 | (CNN) -- I asked a knowledgeable environmentalist earlier this week: "How big a story is the CRU scandal in your community?" "The what?" "The e-mails hacked at the Climate Research Unit at [the British] East Anglia University?" "Ah." He smiled. "It says something that I didn't immediately recognize what you were talking about. I suppose on my side we'd take the same view that the Pentagon took of Abu Ghraib: a few bad apples on the night shift." Meanwhile, on the right, the story is the biggest scandal since the leak of the Pentagon Papers. Seemingly unperturbed by the CRU embarrassment, President Obama will shortly jet to Copenhagen to pledge reductions in U.S. carbon emissions. The Democratic majority in Congress continues to work on a cap-and-trade bill. At the same time, Gallup has recorded an amazing 20 point drop since summer 2008 in the number of Republicans who believe that global warming is occurring. Among Republican conservatives, the drop is slightly smaller -- 13 points -- but that's because so few of them believed in the reality of global warming in the first place. It used to be said that we were all entitled to our own opinions, but not entitled to our own facts. No more. In modern America, we choose our facts to fit our opinions. Michael Barone drove this point home in a 2008 column for the magazine of the American Enterprise Institute: . Americans' views of the economy are increasingly a function of voting behavior or party loyalty, rather than the other way around. In early 2006, a time of vibrant economic growth, 56 percent of Republicans said the economy was excellent or good, while only 28 percent of independents and 23 percent of Democrats agreed. Maybe Republicans were just doing better than Democrats? No -- the partisan divergence held true among Republicans and Democrats even of the same income level. The same effect showed up in reverse in the 1990s. Under President Clinton, Democrats were more likely to assess the economy positively than were Republicans of the same income level. Media critics often blame cable, talk radio and blogs for isolating the public into self-satisfied information communities. And for sure, Fox News, MSNBC, Rush Limbaugh and the Daily Show have done good business serving niche markets. But it's a real question: What is cause and what is effect? Maybe customers always wanted to have their pre-existing opinions confirmed. Notice how often 19th century newspapers had names like the "Clay County Whig" or the "Jacksonville Democrat." What were these old county papers if not the Fox News and MSNBC of their day? The whole global warming debate has been distorted from the start by intellectual self-ghettoization. Suffused by self-righteousness, the East Anglian scientists felt entitled to twist the evidence and delete the counter-evidence. iReport: Share your thoughts on climate change . But it also helped that they felt sure they would not be caught. They had defined their community in a way that excluded skepticism, that defined skeptics as the enemy, as liars, as Holocaust deniers. Private e-mails and documents allegedly from the servers at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit, a world-renowned center on the study of climate change, are thought to have been leaked by hackers. Everything important about global warming remains disputed: . How fast is it happening? How much of it is attributable to human activity? How dangerous is it? How much should we pay to avert or mitigate it? Who should do the paying? How are to begin to reach conclusions if we cannot even agree on the rules of discussion? The most famous public document on global warming calls itself "An Inconvenient Truth" -- and yet that document itself is filled with untruths, on every subject from sea levels to polar bears. (The bears are doing fine, populations at record levels in the Canadian Arctic.) In his first book, "Earth in the Balance," former Vice President Al Gore wrote that human consciousness itself may be the most important obstacle to environmental improvement. He spoke more accurately than he knew. The global warming controversy has been pervaded from the start by the human instinct to divide the world into "us" and "them" -- and then believe only the news we hear from "us." Global warming advocates can see this weakness in their opponents. It was the same weakness in themselves that led the advocates themselves to cheat and twist and betray scientific standards and public trust. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum. | David Frum says the global warming debate has been distorted by intellectual self-ghettoization .
How can we reach conclusions if we can't agree on rules of discussion, Frum says .
Frum says that in modern America, we choose our facts to fit our opinions . |
082c1c608bea698a65eecc2d69c0c35467340050 | By . Dan Bloom . Happy: An inquest heard Oliver King, 16, became introverted before taking his own life . A sixth-former who became introverted and withdrawn when he met his first girlfriend was found hanged after spending his final three hours searching for death metal songs on YouTube, an inquest heard. Oliver King, 16, left no suicide note and had never received any medical help for depression or mental illness. However, he texted a friend weeks before his death saying 'I imagine killing myself every day'. Police also found deleted images on his iPod which included the words: 'I’m sorry I want to give up. I’m sorry I want to die. I’m . sorry I want to kill myself.' A coroner ruled he had been going through 'some dark periods' generally and was 'trapped with nobody to turn to for objective advice'. Oliver's parents, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, told the inquest he turned from an outgoing schoolboy into an introvert after beginning his first serious relationship. The teenager began spending little time . at home, lost weight and fell behind with his A-level studies. He had . coursework deadlines the day after he died in February last year and relations with his parents became strained. A year before he died, he began his first serious relationship and began wearing dark clothes, long hair and make-up and listening to a new range of bands, his parents said. The inquest heard Oliver spent three hours on the night he died viewing songs including The Body of . Death of the Man With The Body of Death by Pinkly Smooth, before taking . his own life while his mother was out of the house. After the hearing his father Adrian . King, 43, a management and IT consultant, said: 'I think the music did . contribute to his state of mind. He was hanging out with the wrong crowd . and I believe this lifestyle was more to blame than anything else. 'He had changed his clothes, his music, his address and his face. He was manipulated and felt isolated. 'Anyone who had met Oliver a year before his death would not have recognised him a year later. 'A year before he was a regular 15-year-old. He had friends, was happy with his life, had a good relationship with his parents, was gifted at art and progressing well at school.' But Oliver's girlfriend denied the music was 'dark', as the coroner asked, and instead pointed to the fact the schoolboy 'did not feel comfortable at home' and had been stressed with coursework. Another school friend said he had been teased over his new look. Oliver was found hanging by his mother Diane King, whose attempts to revive him failed and he died in Rotherham Hospital. She told the inquest Oliver, who lived . with his father after the couple divorced, preferred to be at his . girlfriend’s house and stayed out most days and . evenings as well as studying. 'He was very secretive and wouldn’t tell me where he was or where he was going,' said Mrs King. Two weeks before his death he moved back in with his mother, the inquest heard. Outgoing: Oliver pictured when he was on holiday on the Greek island of Zante in 2009 . The inquest heard Oliver’s . relationship may have hit a 'rocky patch' and his girlfriend made 20 . attempts to contact him in a short space of time just before he was . found. A text from Oliver to her read: 'Please, please stay strong you are not leaving.' His iPod contained deleted images with . the words 'everything will be OK in the end, if it’s not OK its the . end.' Another said: 'I have driven myself to the edge. I can't take it . any more.' His girlfriend, whom the coroner asked not to be named, arrived at the house with another boy after Oliver had been found. Happier times: The schoolboy on a 2011 outing . Mrs . King told the inquest: 'She said: "Is it Oliver? Is he dead?" She didn’t seem overly . upset. I thought had they split up and is he the new boyfriend.' Det Con Ian Hampshire, who . investigated Oliver’s death, said a fellow pupil told him: 'Oliver felt . trapped and always had to do what his girlfriend wanted to do.' And Mr King told the inquest he and his . ex-wife had clashed with the girl’s parents over the amount of time . Oliver was spending at their house. But . the girl told the inquest Oliver had become 'very stressed' with his . coursework, especially ICT, and he had project deadlines the day after . his death. She said it was . his choice to wear eyeliner but he had not changed his clothes since . meeting her. They shared the same interest in music, including the bands Avenged Sevenfold and Black Veil Brides, but he was not . associated with any particular group. Asked by the coroner if it was 'dark' music she replied: 'Not from my perspective. I don’t see it as dark music.' She added he spent a lot of time with her . because he 'did not feel comfortable' at home, and denied telling him . their relationship was over. Another schoolfriend said Oliver was 'kind and . full of joy' before he returned to school in the September term. 'He had . dramatically lost weight and wore eyeliner,' he told the inquest. 'He was aware there was some . name-calling and ill-feeling from some of the other pupils.' The sixth-former had been struggling . with his schoolwork but improved after a clear-the-air meeting at school, his head of sixth form Patrick Buttrell told the inquest. Mr Buttrell added there was no official dress code for sixth formers but he had asked Oliver to tone down his make-up. 'It was a light-hearted conversation, he gave me a bit of a smile and said he knew it was over the top,' said Mr Buttrell. Oliver in the Canary Islands in 2002. His father claimed music and lifestyle had contributed to his state of mind . The teenager’s death triggered an investigation involving childrens’ services, public health and police in Rotherham. Deputy Rotherham coroner Fred Curtis said Oliver had 'loving and caring' parents and his new relationship had come at the expense of family and friends. 'He was trapped with nobody to turn to for objective advice,' said Mr Curtis. He was 'paranoid' over his relationship with his girlfriend which 'may have reached a rocky patch' in his mind and he was troubled by his schoolwork. The Coroner added: 'He had been through some dark periods and that evening it culminated in a decision, in my view, to take his own life.' | Oliver King became introverted and isolated in his last year, inquest heard .
On the night of his death he spent three hours listening to heavy metal .
But girlfriend insisted music was not 'dark' and he was stressed with work .
He left no suicide note and never received any medical treatment .
Mother found him hanged in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Verdict: Suicide .
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details . |
082c97e1b61150da022ace10735387ad8170a091 | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- Zaza Pachulia is a sporting hero in his home country -- the basketball player has gone from shooting hoops in the Republic of Georgia to playing in the NBA in Atlanta, Georgia. Standing at 6 feet 11 inches tall, Pachulia looks like he was born to play pro basketball. Indeed, the sport is in his blood: His mother was a professional basketball player in the Republic of Georgia and once played for the Soviet national team. Growing up in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi while it was still part of the Soviet Union, Pachulia followed her example. "My mom used to be a basketball player so I was really into it," he told CNN. "Plus of course my height made it easier for me to decide what kind of sport I wanted to play, so at the age of nine I went to my first basketball practice." Five years later he was talent-spotted by the Turkish basketball federation, which was in Georgia accompanying the Turkish national team. Aged 14 Pachulia moved to Turkey to play with the development team for Istanbul club UlkerSpor. "That was the biggest moment for my life and career, because in that situation, moving to another country for a 14-year-old kid, that was a serious thing," said Pachulia. "Plus I'm the only child in my family so that was a tough call for my parents as well. With that move we basically made basketball our number one priority." "My goal was like to play in the NBA. I didn't want to leave my country, my people, my friends -- even my school. If I was going there I would go to reach that goal." Pachulia nearly returned home the next year, following the death of his father, but he decided to stay in Istanbul. In 2000, aged 16, he graduated to the full team, becoming one of the youngest players in the Euroleague. In 2003 he entered his name in the NBA Draft and was selected by Orlando Magic. Since 2005 he has played for the Atlanta Hawks, but Pachulia retains strong ties with his homeland. Pachulia is involved in charity projects to help children in Atlanta and in his homeland to equip and train youth basketball teams. "It's definitely important to never forget where you're coming from, where you were born and raised," he told CNN. "After the season I always go back to my country and try to make the kids happy. That's the best feeling for me, when I see those smiling faces on the kids and you know how excited they are. I can tell you I feel the same way ... and that's a great feeling." At the end of the NBA season, Pachulia also returns to his country -- where he is captain of the national team -- to play basketball. "Every summer I go back to my country," he says. [I have] so many friends and family members. It's so far from Georgia to Georgia that not everybody can afford to come here, people are working there or they can't leave family, so I miss them and they miss me." "I'm so nervous and excited to play for the national team. It's a great feeling in front of your fans, [in] the place where you were born and raised, and the friends come and see your game because you're not going to see them until next summer," he added. Last year, Pachulia bought an Atlanta restaurant and has introduced one of Georgia's most traditional products to the menu -- its wine. "A lot of people don't know about my country but it's really old. [There's] a lot of history, a lot of tradition, especially from the wine side. Wine there is really one of the best in the world ... so that's why I wanted to give people a chance to try this Georgian wine." "I'm sure people will like it. There are some states actually selling it but we don't have any in Atlanta, Georgia, so we are really excited to be one of the first restaurants to have Georgian wine." Watch CNN's week-long coverage live from Georgia at 1930 GMT|2030 CET from 19 April. Mark Tutton contributed to this report . | Zaza Pachulia is from the Republic of Georgia and plays basketball for the Atlanta Hawks .
He returns to his home country every summer .
He owns an Atlanta restaurant and has introduced Georgian wines to the menu .
He is involved in charity work in Atlanta and in his home country . |
082cf6cbf1c524caa00c2b2453da52c0a2482ad2 | With her bulging forehead, double chin and thin pursed lips, Jane Seymour was no oil painting…if Tudor oil paintings are to be believed. Twenty-first century actresses, meanwhile, tend to have a natural beauty. Which has left the makers of the BBC's big budget adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall with something of a dilemma. Scroll down for video . Historian Lucy Worsley has reportedly said that Kate Phillips, pictured left, who plays Henry VIII's wife Jane Seymour, portrait pictured right, in BBC drama Wolf Hall is too pretty . While they have gone to great lengths to nail down historical details for the drama, they have been accused by a TV historian of casting a woman who is 'too pretty' to play Henry VIII's third wife. The public largely gets its image of Seymour from the portrait of her by Tudor artist Hans Holbein, depicting her with a noticeably large forehead. However, she is played in the series by Kate Phillips, 25, who cannot be faulted when it comes to her looks. According to Lucy Worsley, 41, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces, Miss Phillips – in her first professional role – has features which are too dainty. Miss Worsley said: 'She's too pretty. I did challenge Peter Kosminsky [the director] about that. He laughed and said, 'I picked her because of her acting, not because of her forehead'.' Homeland star Damian Lewis plays Henry VIII in the six-part series on the rapid rise to power of Sir Thomas Cromwell in King Henry's court. But, speaking yesterday, the historian said it was not a remark she would extend to the whole cast, which includes Homeland star Damien Lewis, 43, and Claire Foy, 30. She said: 'They are not all fantastically good looking, are they? 'Mark Rylance [who plays Thomas Cromwell] has a wonderful craggy, creased face and, on the whole, as a cast I would say they are human rather than beautiful. It's not like it's been turned into a pageant show.' Reverend Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at the University of Oxford, said he didn't see Miss Phillips' beauty as a problem: 'Ideas of beauty change from century to century and you might as well make them beautiful on our terms, because it's quite possible that the portraits of Jane Seymour that we've got were meant to flatter and give the impression that she was a beautiful woman.' Historians also pointed out that Montacute House in Somerset, which was used to portray Greenwich Palace, is Elizabethan . Author Dame Hilary has said courtiers would have had white teeth, as sugar was not yet widely available. She also said members of the court would not have been covered in filth . He continued that while the show is not an 'exact fit on the history', it is an impressive 'evocation of the period'. Wolf Hall, which starts tomorrow night on BBC Two, is a six-part adaptation of Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies novels. Miss Worsley questioned the authenticity of some aspects of the programme, claiming both the original books and now this adaptation have brought the characters firmly into the modern day. She said: 'What Hilary Mantel has done is made these characters people for our times, which is interesting for a historian to watch. They are immensely modern, they won't be saying thee and thou and being all dramatic and over the top. 'I think it will make people think the Tudors were just like us in many ways. That's a massive historical question, in some ways they were and in some ways they weren't.' The programme-makers have revealed the lengths they have gone to to ensure historical accuracy – including an unexpected insistence on straight, white teeth and pristine linen. Mantel said a Tudor drama would be less accurate had it insisted on blackened teeth and filthy courtiers – as it was a time when sugar was yet to become widely available. | Historians have spotted a series of faux pas in BBC drama Wolf Hall .
Actress Kate Phillips is reportedly too pretty to play Jane Seymour .
Location Montacute House is said to be Elizabethan .
Makers previously said historians had been brought in to advise .
Hilary Mantel had insisted characters in show have straight white teeth .
Said it would be historically inaccurate for them to have blackened teeth .
Adaptation tells the story Sir Thomas Cromwell's rise in King Henry VIII's court . |
082f0fab8f095e32c6d1700ce5fe719ad24c8f66 | Washington (CNN) -- A U.S. envoy will meet with North Korean officials next week to test that nation's willingness to abandon its nuclear program, the State Department said Monday. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies will meet with his counterpart, North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, in Beijing on February 23, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. Davies just returned from Russia, where he discussed continuing efforts to get North Korea to disarm. The talks will mark the first high-level contact since the death of North Korea's longtime leader, Kim Jong Il, in December and the subsequent transition of power to his youngest son, Kim Jong Un. Washington hopes the talks signal the new regime's desire to negotiate with the United States and address international concerns over its nuclear program. Kim's death last month threw into flux U.S. plans for renewed diplomacy with North Korea, including formal talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear program and possible resumption of U.S. food assistance. The North Korea government was expected to suspend its uranium enrichment in exchange for food assistance as part of a deal that was to be announced around the time of Kim's death. | U.S. envoy Glyn Davies is scheduled to meet with a North Korean official in Beijing .
They will discuss North Korea's willingness to suspend its nuclear program .
The death of Kim Jong Il disrupted a deal for a suspension in return for food aid . |
083085ee49569ebf4d4e4156fc4ebf60217f366b | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 11:46 EST, 19 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:46 EST, 19 September 2012 . Consumer groups are pressuring the Food and Drug Administration to set federal guidance on allowable levels of arsenic in rice, prompting the agency to study the issue and consider possible new standards. So far, FDA officials say they have found no evidence that suggests rice is unsafe to eat. The agency is in the middle of conducting a study of 1,200 samples of grocery-store rice products — short and long-grain rice, cereals, drinks and even rice cakes — to measure arsenic levels. Arsenic is thought to be found in rice in higher levels than most other foods because it is grown in water on the ground, optimal conditions for the contaminant to be absorbed in the rice. Grain by grain: Consumer groups are pressuring the FDA to set federal guidance on allowable levels of arsenic in rice, prompting the agency to study the issue . Posing a threat: Inorganic arsenic - the type found in some pesticides and insecticides - can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period . There are no federal standards for how much arsenic is allowed in food. Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in two forms, organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic — the type found in some pesticides and insecticides — can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period. How much organic and inorganic arsenic rice eaters are consuming, and whether those levels are dangerous, still remain to be seen. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg says consumers shouldn't stop eating rice, though she does encourage a diverse diet just in case. 'Our advice right now is that consumers should continue to eat a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of grains — not only for good nutrition but also to minimize any potential consequences from consuming any one particular food,' she said. Testing: The FDA will study arsenic levels in rice products, including cereals . The agency on Wednesday released 200 of the expected 1,200 samples after the magazine Consumer Reports released its own study and called for federal standards for arsenic in rice. The FDA will not complete its study until the end of the year, Hamburg said, and cannot draw any conclusions from the results until then. Both studies show relatively similar levels of arsenic in rice. The FDA's analysis showed average levels of 3.5 to 6.7 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per serving, while Consumer Reports found levels up to 8.7 micrograms. The FDA released 200 samples, while Consumer Reports tested 223. It is almost impossible to say how dangerous these levels are without a benchmark from the federal government. Consumer Reports uses New Jersey's drinking water standard — a maximum of 5 micrograms in a litre of water — as comparison because it is one of the strictest in the country. But it is unclear how accurate it is to compare arsenic levels in water and arsenic levels in rice — most people consume more water than rice, so drinking water standards may need to be tougher. It is because of this uncertainty that consumer groups have urged the FDA to set a standard. Urvashi Rangan of Consumer Reports says the group is not trying to alarm rice eaters and parents feeding their children rice, but to educate them so they can diversify their diets. Consumers should be more protected since arsenic is a known carcinogen, she said. Advancements: Scientists have known for decades that arsenic is present in rice, but the issue has renewed interest as consumers are more interested than ever in what they eat and technology has advanced . 'It doesn't make sense not to have standards for rice,' she said. The Consumer Reports study found higher levels of arsenic in brown rice than white rice, a result of how the two different types are processed. It also found higher levels in rice produced in Southern U.S. states than in rice from California or Asia. Hamburg cautioned that neither the FDA nor Consumer Reports had tested enough samples to be certain of any trend. 'These are very few samples and there is great variability in the levels,' she said. Scientists have known for decades that arsenic is present in rice, but the issue has renewed interest as consumers are more interested than ever in what they eat and technology has advanced to the point that inorganic and organic arsenic can be measured separately. The consumer group's push on arsenic in rice comes a year after it pressured the FDA to define standards for arsenic in apple juice. Michael Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, said Tuesday that the agency had completed that assessment and would be making recommendations soon. The levels found in apple juice are low, he said. | Inorganic arsenic - found in some pesticides and insecticides - can be toxic .
Arsenic is higher in rice than most other foods because it is grown in water on the ground .
FDA officials are studying 1,200 samples to test for possible dangers . |
0830e3eb602e78df1871587f4048c656e40a2a3c | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 10:36 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:00 EST, 21 August 2013 . An Albanian immigrant who has been forced to leave Britain after 12 years has spoken of his desperation to be reunited with his family. Edmond Danushi moved to the UK when he was just 18, but has been unable to meet his newborn daughter since moving back to his native country a year ago. His wife Theresa says she is struggling to cope without him, and has launched an appeal to the authorities to allow him to return to Britain. Couple: But Edmond Danushi, left, has been forced to abandon his wife Theresa, right, and return to Albania . Family: Mrs Danushi and her children (left to right) Aalissia, Keiren, Eli and Aaliyah can only communicate with Mr Danushi via Skype . Mr Danushi, 30, has been continuously renewing his visa for the past 12 years, and recently applied for 'indefinite leave to remain' so he could stay in his adopted home permanently. He says the Home Office advised him to return to Albania in August last year to get his papers in order - but new legislation means he is unable to re-enter the UK. He lost his job last Easter, meaning that for him to settle permanently his wife must have savings of at least £18,600, which she does not. The Danushis met in Worthing, Sussex in 2001, when they were both teenagers, and now live in South-East London with their children Eli, 10, Keiren, eight, Aaliyah, two, and 10-month-old Aalissa. Together: The couple have been married for a decade after meeting when they were teenagers . Fury: Mr Danushi, pictured talking on Skype, is not allow to stay in the UK because he and his wife do not have enough money saved up . 'It is a disgrace they have taken me from my wife and family,' Mr Danushi said via Skype from Albania. 'I am most hurt for my children who are forced to grow up without a father. 'No one can understand the pain I feel. The worst part is not having been there when my daughter was born, and not being able to hold her.' Mrs Danshi, 28, said: 'We have been together for 12 years and married for 10. We speak on Skype every day but his son won't talk to him because he gets too upset. 'My 10-year-old daughter Eli keeps saying, "I want my dad." He never claimed from the state, he always did a range of jobs.' She has been prescribed anti-depressants to cope with the stress of her situation, and says she has developed a skin condition. Distraught: The family say they are finding it difficult to cope without their father . 'There is so much I have had to cope with on my own,' she added. 'We have four kids and the youngest has never met her dad. 'The older ones have been referred for counselling because they've found it so hard to cope. 'Some people come to this country and abuse the system but he was never like that.' Heidi Alexander, the MP for Lewisham East, is helping the family with its troubles, and a tribunal to settle Mr Danushi's fate is set to be held in February next year. A Home Office spokesman said: 'We welcome those who wish to make a life in the UK with their family, work hard and make a contribution. 'But family life must not be established here at the taxpayer's expense. 'Mr Danushi's application was refused because it did not meet the requirements of the immigration rules.' | Edmond Danushi, 30, moved to Britain 12 years ago but was denied permission to stay permanently .
He is now stuck in Albania while his family lives in South-East London .
Has never met his baby daughter and has launched Home Office appeal . |
0831dd3437a2b634197ebf3cb15c4989e4e83f00 | A 50-year-old Arizona man who killed his stepdaughter's boyfriend after running over him twice with his Cadillac received a sentence of 20 years in prison for second-degree murder. Michael Anthony Rivera must also serve a 10-year sentence concurrently for attempted first-degree murder for also trying to run down Nicholas Gerenscer's father and brother. Rivera pleaded guilty in July to committing the acts, which occurred in November 2011 in front of the Gerenscer family's home in Kingman, Arizona. Nicholas Gerenscer, pictured at right, was killed in November 2011 after Michael Anthony Rivera ran him over twice in front of his own home . Authorities say there was bad blood between the families of Rivera and Gerenscer that extended back to California, the Kingman Daily Miner reported. Less than a month after the murder, Gerenscer's cousin, Jesse Camacho, and two accomplices assaulted one of Rivera's daughters and her boyfriend during a home invasion. Rivera received a 20-year sentence for second-degree murder for twice running over 23-year-old Nicholas Gerenscer in November 2011. The relatively minor sentence resulted from a plea deal he made just before a trial was set to begin in July . Camacho pleaded guilty and is serving six years in jail. The father, Nick Gerenscer Sr, admitted to being a gang member, but his son wasn't, his mother tearfully told the court. 'Somebody said he's a gang member. That's BS. Little Nick had a big mouth, but Little Nick was not a gang member,' Renee Ceniceros said. 'My son didn't want to hurt nobody.' While Ceniceros was hoping for a first-degree murder trial, Rivera accepted a plea deal in July, just days before the trial was set to begin. The sentencing feels like closure but won't bring back her son, she said. 'He's dead and we've got to keep marching, which is unfortunate for us,' she said. 'I'll never get to see the man my son might have been except for you.' Some witnesses said the Gerenscer family provoked the situation, according to the Daily Miner. | Michael Anthony Rivera, 50, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder by running over Nicholas Gerenscer with his Cadillac in November 2011 in front of the boy's home while his father watched .
Police say the incident resulted from bad blood between the two families .
The sentencing feels like closure but won't bring back her son, the Gerenscer's mother said . |
0831fcae2d21859fd9b1e35f169045c1c3407db4 | By . David Kent . Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba stressed the need to put the team ahead of his personal ambitions after helping the African nation kick off their World Cup campaign with victory over Japan. Drogba did not start but came on in the second half and helped provide the inspiration for a 2-1 come-from-behind win in Recife. ‘I was disappointed (not to start),’ the 36-year-old Drogba said. ‘But I have to show my respect to those that started. Scroll down for videos... Game changer! Didier Drogba came on to inspire Ivory Coast to a 2-1 win against Japan . Unselfish: Former Chelsea striker accepts that the team is more important than his own personal glory . ‘When I went in, I just wanted to help the team to win the match and I did not need this disappointment in order to be motivated. ‘I don’t know how long I played but I knew it was important to give something extra to the team.’ Japan had taken a first-half lead against the run of play through a goal from Keisuke Honda, but within four minutes of Drogba’s introduction in the 62nd minute the Ivory Coast had turned the match on its head to go 2-1 ahead. Swansea striker Wilfried Bony drew the teams level in the 64th minute and then former Arsenal forward Gervinho netted what would prove to be the match-winner just moments later. ‘Japan weren’t very dangerous but we trailed and had to come from behind to win,’ Drogba said.Drogba, playing in his third World Cup, is hoping that Les Elephants can reach the knock-out round of the competition for the first time in the country’s history. How to get ahead: Gervinho and Wilfried Bony scored the goals that gave Ivory Coast victory . The Ivory Coast take on Colombia on Thursday at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia. Colombia won their Group C game against Greece to go level on three points with Drogba’s team. ‘It is a beautiful victory and we are happy with the result,’ the Galatasaray forward said. ‘We’ve prepared for many weeks for this game and it was important to start the competition on the right foot. This result will be very important especially if we play a good game against Colombia. Ivory Coast coach Sabri Lamouchi warned his side not to get carried away. ‘The players are very happy with the victory, but we are far from being qualified,’ said Lamouchi, who admitted that Drogba had changed the game. ‘We only won one match. We have another tough game ahead (on Thursday) against the leaders of the group (Colombia). We will have to prepare.’ Under par: Despite scoring first through Keisuke Honda, Japan played below their best says coach Alberto Zaccheroni . Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni was frustrated by the outcome but emphasised the need to look forward. The Blue Samurai take on Greece on Thursday at the Estadio das Dunas in Natal. ‘We gave Ivory Coast players too much space and didn’t play well defensively or offensively,’ the Italian said . ‘We have two games left and now we have to improve our morale. ‘We have to play better than we did tonight, and if we can do that then we know we’re capable of producing good results. The past is in the past, what’s important is what’s coming next. ‘Normally we know what we have to do, and when we accomplish that our results are fantastic. Against the Ivory Coast, we didn’t play to our standards.' | Didier Drogba knows he has to put the team before personal glory in Brazil .
Ivory Coast defeated Japan 2-1 in their opening World Cup game .
Drogba came on as substitute to change the game with goals from Wilfried Bony and Gervinho .
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni says his side played below their best . |
0833be29aff91c30336e1048d59d471d24bc4804 | Binky has always been one of the more modest Chelsea girls, with the reality star often favouring slouchy sweaters and skinny jeans as her clothing of choice. However, since her weight loss earlier this summer, the 24-year-old has been far more eager to show off her more slender physique. And in her latest shoot, for her very own 2015 calendar, we see the Made in Chelsea at her sexiest yet. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Binky Felstead has posed in her sexiest shoot yet for her 2015 calendar . Binky's confidence has rocketed since slimming down and she says that although these are some of her more risque shots she is thrilled with the images. 'They are the most sensual pictures I have ever shot,' she says of the calendar, which can be ordered at Signature Calendars. 'There are just some days when everything comes together and you can honestly say to yourself: "I feel good." Well, this was one of those days.' Binky admits that she struggled with fashion in her teens and was considered a 'complete geek' as she struggled to find the right look. 'There have been some proper cringey disasters along the way. I was a complete geek who wore big round glasses for a long time.' Since losing weight Binky claims she has felt more confident in herself and more comfortable showing off her figure . The reality star says that she is thrilled with the images and she came away from the shoot feeling fabulous . Binky admits that she used to make a lot of style mistakes when she was younger but says her taste in fashion is now more grown up . Despite having taken more of an interest in fashion lately Binky insists that you don't need to have a Chelsea budget to look good. 'My mum always says you look good in a bin bag when you're young and you don't need to waste money on expensive designer gear, which is true. I mainly go for the usual high street shops.' Binky who wears lingerie brand Bluebella exclusively throughout the shoot, says:'Bluebella looks sensational in the bedroom, but I wear it all the time - not just on date nights. 'It makes you feel great if you are out with someone special or slogging through a 14-hour shoot with Made In Chelsea.' The reality starlet wore lingerie by London brand Bluebella throughout the shoot . Binky admitted that her latest calender looks aren't something she'll be recreating every day . But Binky admits that her latest calender looks aren't something she'll be recreating every day: 'The idea is to show a slightly different side to Binky - one in which I am very happy about my sexuality and body confidence.' Bluebella founder Emily Bendell, 32, says she loves working with Binky and the fact that she provides a more demure look. 'We love the quiet confidence Binky exudes in our new collection. We've all been rooting for her in the last year in Made In Chelsea and it is wonderful to see her back to her best in this sensual shoot.' Binky admits that she struggled with fashion in her teens and was considered a 'complete geek' as she struggled to find the right look . | Star has been eager to show off figure since losing weight earlier this year .
Has stripped down to lingerie for 2015 calendar shoot .
Binky says that these are her most sensual images to date .
Insists girls don't need a Chelsea budget to look good . |
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