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08352e17e7509b6cce25fe4f5f6c7ef52fa20b90 | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 09:00 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:16 EST, 14 March 2013 . Fiona Salmon, 40, is guilty of cruelty towards seven residents of a care home in St Ives, Cornwall . A care home bully who tormented vulnerable care home residents was found guilty of seven charges of cruelty today. Fiona Salmon sat on one woman's legs to stop her getting out of bed, and washed another woman's face with a flannel so hard she made her nose bleed. This afternoon a jury took just two-and-a-half hours to find her guilty on all seven charges of ill-treating or neglecting residents suffering from insufficient mental capacity. Salmon, 40, committed the offences at Cornwallis Care Services' nursing home in St. Ives, Cornwall between June 2011 and January 2012. Phillip Lee, prosecuting, told Truro Crown Court that Salmon's crimes ranged from pinching and slapping to rough handling. He said Salmon also called residents names such as 'dirty b****' and told them their breath stank of dog mess. Salmon, from Camborne, Cornwall, listened in the dock as former colleague Joanna Clarke gave evidence against her. Miss Clarke told the court: 'One morning Fiona washed a resident's face with a flannel so hard that it caused a nosebleed. 'I also saw her squeezing talcum powder into a woman's face and she called her a grubby b****. 'While helping another patient she flung her on her bed so hard she hit her head on a metal railing, making her cry. 'She also pinched a patient's upper arm and sprayed deodorant in her face.' Miss Clarke added: 'Her behaviour was humiliating and there was no compassion. 'She spoke to them disrespectfully, as if they were not worth anything and as if they were an inconvenience.' Truro Crown Court heard that Fiona Salmon pinched a patient's upper arm and gave another a nosebleed . Fiona Salmon is no longer working at Cornwallis Care Services' nursing home in St Ives, Cornwall . Miss Clarke admitted to the court that she didn't tell anyone of the abuse because she feared no-one would believe her, before eventually telling a friend's mother who told the police. Another colleague, Stephanie Fielding, spoke from behind a screen to describe the horrors that Salmon put the elderly residents through over the seven-month period. She revealed how Salmon once dug her nails into a patient's skin, drawing blood. She added: 'One night we were putting a patient on her bed but she did not want to stay. Fiona decided to sit on her legs to force her. 'She cried out and shouted at Fiona to get off as she was hurting her but she just laughed and carried on for a couple of minutes until I told her to get off. A colleague told the court that Salmon's behaviour was 'humiliating, and there was no compassion' 'Fiona also swore and told a patient her breath smelt like dog mess. The patient said she was sorry.' She also said that when she was washing two male patients, Salmon made a lewd suggestion to her. Salmon listened as another colleague described her as 'cruel'. Jo Martin, defending, argued Miss Clarke was jealous of Salmon because she had been offered day shifts. She also said Miss Fielding instigated the accusations because she fell out with Salmon over a personal matter. Salmon will be sentenced at Truro Crown Court on May 10. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Fiona Salmon, 40, guilty of seven charges of cruelty to pensioners in home .
Former colleague said Salmon told resident her breath smelt like dog mess .
Salmon no longer works at Cornwallis Care Services' home in St Ives .
She will be sentenced at Truro Crown Court on May 10 . |
08353b0baa65eb21ff41d549f1df1f1088fd55ff | By . Thomas Durante . PUBLISHED: . 00:00 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:31 EST, 7 May 2013 . Jack Lew has apparently ditched his circular signature in favor of something much more befitting of the U.S. treasury secretary. Lew, who was appointed to the post earlier this year, created a media stir when his autograph - a series of loops that look nothing like his name - was revealed as the one that would grace all American paper money. But last week, a document from the Financial Stability Oversight Council showed Lew's signature to be legible, with a more pronounced 'J' and 'L.' Clarity: Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew's new signature was revealed in a Financial Stability and Oversight Committee document last week . Loopy: Lew's old signature was just a series of circles that looked nothing like his name . Scrawl: President Obama joked that Jack Lew's loopy signature could devalue the national currency at Lew's nomination in January . The change was first noticed by the Wall Street Journal. It is not known whether Lew took any handwriting or calligraphy classes in order to improve his signature. The U.S. Treasury Department did not immediately respond to an email from MailOnline for comment. When he was appointed to the post by Obama in January, even the president took a dig at Lew's scrawl. Obama joked that it he had considered abandoning Lew's nomination after learning of his illegible signature, and added that it could become an international embarrassment. He added: 'Jack assures me that he is going to . work to make at least one letter legible in order not to debase our . currency should he be confirmed as secretary of the Treasury.' Money matters? If Lew kept the old signature, it would have looked like this on the dollar bill . Lew . also poked fun at himself, saying that he and his predecessor, Timothy Geithner, have both struggled with signage. He . said that 'it was only yesterday that I discovered that we both share a . common challenge with penmanship.' Geithner also modified his signature to make it readable on currency. Lew, 57, was managing director for Citigroup from July 2006 until the end of 2008, when he joined the Obama administration as the president's chief of staff. Treasury officials told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Lew still has time before providing his official signature for all of the nation's currency, something that he is expected to do later this year. Common problem: Lew wisecracked that he did not know that he shared a 'common challenge with outgoing Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, left, who had a similarly bad signature . Old version: Outgoing Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner used to have a signature like the one seen here . Improved: His signature, seen bottom right, showed his full name and was much more legible and controlled . | Report last week from the Financial Stability Oversight Council showed Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's signature to be much more pronounced .
His old signature was a series of loops that looked nothing like his name .
Lew and his predecessor, Timothy Geithner, both struggled with penmanship . |
0835431b7b65cbf11d6180948a90a1e36e601dd1 | By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 09:28 EST, 14 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:53 EST, 14 September 2012 . Doctors are erroneously filling out tens of thousands of prescription forms that leave patients severely injured or even dead, it emerged today. Pharmacists are forced to check tens of thousands of prescriptions every week which contain the wrong doses, quantities and instructions for medicines, it is claimed. In just one week, 44,500 prescriptions had to be double-checked in 4,409 pharmacies across England, according to industry publication Pharmacy Voice. Picking up the slack: Pharmacists' are forced to double check thousands of prescriptions due to mistakes by doctors . Inaccuracies on the prescriptions even include the wrong drugs and incorrect strengths and quantities. The prescription 'incidents' were recorded during a one-week audit at each of the pharmacies last year. They are typically resolved by a telephone conversation with the prescriber or the practice team. Rob Darracott, Pharmacy Voice chief . executive, said: 'This data shows the value of safety checks carried out . in pharmacies and the importance of information transfer between . prescriber, patient and pharmacist. 'This is not about GPs failing. It is . about teamwork in primary care working well. Your local pharmacy works . in tandem with doctors to ensure the effective and safe use of . medicines. 'This is all in a day's work for community pharmacies which check the appropriateness of 900million prescription items a year.' Pharmacists want access to patients’ summary care records. Doctors, however, do not want this to happen as they fear it could breach patient confidentiality. Last month it emerged that almost 50million prescriptions were handed out by doctors in 2011 - a rise of 9 per cent compared with the previous 12 months. Experts said increasing numbers of patients are turning to GPs for help as depression loses its stigma. At the same time, doctors are more inclined to give people a proper diagnosis and prescribe medication, rather than simply sending them away. | In just one week, pharmacists had to double-check 4,409 pharmacies across England .
Prescriptions contain the wrong doses, quantities and instructions for medicines . |
083644a1a707d4be26a8a56daef117135990be8c | Arsenal could be set to miss out on signing Tolgay Arslan, who is close to agreeing terms with Besiktas. The Hamburg defensive midfielder and his representatives are waiting on a decision from Arsene Wenger before finalising terms with the Turkish club. Wenger has been monitoring the player, who is available for free in the summer but can discuss pre-contract terms with clubs outside of the Bundesliga now. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Tolgay Arslan scores a sensational goal in Hamburg training . Arsenal could be set to miss out on signing Tolgay Arslan, who is close to agreeing terms with Besiktas . He is out of contract in the summer and can agree pre-contract terms with non-German clubs this window . The 24-year-old is seeking wages of £40,000-per-week and is tempted by the offer on the table from Besiktas. Wenger is short in central midfield with Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere out injured. The Frenchman has suggested he is pursuing defensive options in this transfer window and has admitted his interest in Ipswich's Tyrone Mings. Arslan, whose contract ends on June 30 this year, is keen for a new challenge and would welcome a move away from Germany. Arslan vies for the ball with Dortmund's Henrikh Mkhitaryan during a Bundesliga game in February 2014 . Arsene Wenger is hoping Arslan can provide midfielder cover for Mike Arteta and Jack Wilshere (pictured) His parents are from Turkey, although he was was born and grew up in Paderborn. Arslan has represented Turkey's Under 19 and 21 sides but has more recently played for Germany's Under 20s and 21s. Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Arslan's situation since November. He is a hard worker in front of the back four and plays a short passing game, meaning he would fit in to Wenger's style of play. Ipswich Town defender Tyrone Mings has also been attracting interest from Arsenal in recent weeks . | Tolgay Arslan could snub a move to Arsenal in favour of Besiktas .
The Hamburg starlet is out of contract in the summer .
He can agree pre-contract terms during this transfer window .
It remains to be seen if Arsenal will match Besiktas' wage offer .
Arsene Wenger wants midfield cover for Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere . |
08370497ad47e6d9336e166c57ce1ef645a4b6e3 | (CNN) -- Ferrari team principal Stefano Demenicali has rejected suggestions a power struggle between him and driver Fernando Alonso is the reason behind the Italian team's faltering Formula One season. Alonso, a two-time world champion, picked up two grands prix wins in the first five races of the season, but he has struggled to match the blistering pace set by Red Bull's three-time drivers' champion Sebastian Vettel. The Spaniard is second in the drivers' standings and trails the leader Vettel by 46 points after finishing runner up to the German at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. Domenicali, who has been team principal of F1's most successful team since 2008, denied a rift with Alonso and also dismissed suggestions he is too soft for one of motorsport's most demanding jobs. "No, no, this is something that I totally reject," Domenicali told the sport's official website. "We want to win together. "It is a super-competitive environment where you are a hero when you win and a zero when you lose -- there is not really something in between for us. Be sure that we are united to win -- because that's what we are here for." Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has not been shy in expressing his dissatisfaction with the team. He "tweaked" Alonso's ear last month when the driver sarcastically remarked he would like "someone else's car" for his birthday. "He is our chairman and he is very passionate about this part of his job, this side of the business," Domenicali said of Di Montezemolo. "It is normal that he is very pushy with us because we had a really difficult July. It was a sign of attention from him -- I read it this way, that's it. "We know we need to be focused -- and he reminded us of that -- and that we have to be united to pass this difficult moment." Domenicali was also coy on rumors Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen could be in line for a return to the team he won the world championship with in 2007 -- Ferrari's last drivers' title. "Kimi is a very fast driver and everybody knows how I rate him. But if I make a comment now it will be taken as a direct answer. "As I said, there is no rush and we will make the right decision in the right moment." Meanwhile David Ward has announced he intends to stand in the FIA's presidential elections later this year. Ward has resigned from his post as director general of world motorsport's governing body's charitable foundation to run for the post currently held by former Ferrari chief Jean Todt. "After much careful thought I have decided to stand," Ward said in a statement. "The election period begins in September and it will be necessary for me to approach FIA members to secure nominations. "In these circumstances I think that the correct course of action is to resign. "Election processes inevitably involve robust and lively debate, and whilst the foundation is independent and there is no legal requirement for me to resign, I believe that it is in the best interests of the charity that I stand down now." Frenchman Todt, who has been president of the FIA since 2009, has yet to announce whether or not he intends to run for reelection. | Stefano Domenicali denies a rift with Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso .
Ferrari team principal Domenicali also rejects claims he is not up to the task .
Alonso is second in the drivers' standings, 46 points behind Sebastian Vettel .
Domenicali would not be drawn on Ferrari's rumored interest in Kimi Raikkonen . |
08378e23091638db1e704ac45d95ba18dfbd9e3f | By . Daniel Miller . A cat from the Canary Islands has mysteriously turned up 2,000 miles away in a Scottish fishing village leaving locals utterly baffled as to how she got there. The wandering moggy, who has been nicknamed Juanita , was found cowering in a garage in the village of Muchalls, Aberdeenshire, on Thursday morning. Rosy Long, 66, found the distressed tabby while putting her car away after a day trip with her husband William. Littlest hobo: But just how did Juanita, pictured with her finder Rosy Long, make it from the Canary Islands to a Scottish fishing village in Aberdeenshire? They assumed she was a neighbours and took her to the vets to have her ID chip scanned - where they found out she had been registered on the sunshine island of Fuerteventura. Rosy explained: 'We imagined if she had a microchip then we would maybe find an address in Muchalls and we could take her back to her owners. 'But when we scanned her it was the Canary Islands - we couldn’t quite believe it. 'The cat is so young - under a year old. For someone to have brought her over from the Canary Islands they must have paid a fair bit. 'It just seems a total mystery.' Mystery: A microchip scan revealed the young female tabby had been registered on the sunshine island of Fuerteventura . The cat’s ID chip was tracked down to the Spanish database - but with no information how she had made the 2,000 mile trip . William had been up at 6am on Thursday morning to get the car out of the garage up the road from their house. BY AIR - With Ryan Air operating flights between Fuerteventura and Manchester, it is conceivable that Juanita could have stowed away on board a plane before making the final leg to Aberdeenshire on foot. But at around four kilos in weight it is unlikely she would have got past the airline's check-in staff without being asked to pay a hefty surcharge. BY LAND - Passenger ferries regularly run between the island and mainland Spain. Could the adventurous puss have smuggled herself into the back of a car or lorry and hitch-hiked her way through France before joining other migrants in Sangatte and slipping past Britain's border controls? BY SEA - Attracted by the smell of fresh sardines, Juanita may have sauntered aboard a Spanish fishing vessel setting off on a trip to UK waters before docking at the fishing village of Muchalls to stock up on oatcakes. Rosy reckoned that the cat had chased her husband inside looking for human contact as there was no-one else around at that time in the morning. She said: 'The poor little thing had presumably ran into the garage at 6am when we took the car out in the morning. 'She seemed frantic. We let her out and put her in our back garden. 'She’s just a young thing - not the kind of cat you would just leave. She just seemed lost and kept coming back to us.' Cat-loving Rosy and her husband spent the day knocking on doors in the fishing village looking for the owners or anyone who knew whose cat it was - but with no luck. They eventually took her to the vets in the nearby town of Stonehaven where they made the shock discovery that she had been chipped in the Spanish island chain. At first the vets checked the local database to see if the cat had been registered in Aberdeenshire. When the search drew a blank they searched the UK database - which also came back with no results. Eventually the cat’s ID chip was tracked down to the Spanish database - but with no information how she had made the 2,000 mile trip. Shelter: The garage in the fishing village of Muchalls in Aberdeenshire where Juanita the cat was discovered . Tabby traveller: Juanita is now in the care of the staff at Kirkton Veterinary Centre in Stonehaven . In safe hands: Cute Juanita with Veterinary nurse Fiona Borthwick at Kirkton Veterinary Centre in Stonehaven . Rosy, who is a visually impaired artist who often paints her own two cats, said she was keen to reunite Juanita with her owner as soon as possible. She said: 'She was obviously cared for - she was fit and healthy and had a pink sparkly collar on.'She must be a loved pet that someone is missing.' Juanita is now in the care of the staff at Kirkton Veterinary Centre in Stonehaven. | Wandering mog found cowering in garage in the fishing village of Muchalls .
Microchip scan reveals she had been registered on Island of Fuerteventura .
Now being cared for by staff at Kirkton Veterinary Centre in Stonehaven . |
08384f4ed42cc54001fe9e8e24b10b8edd07bb3d | (CNN) -- A lot of travelers probably had to get out the atlas Thursday when Qatar was named host of the 2022 World Cup tournament. A little-known destination, Qatar is a small Middle-Eastern nation with a population of less than 1 million. It borders the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia and promises hot and humid summers. Qatar beat out bids from the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia for the right to host the tournament. Temperatures average about 95 degrees during the summer, but have been known to reach 120 degrees -- something that, along with sandstorms, could prove uncomfortable for fans. But Qatar plans to build new stadiums and improve old ones, hoping to shield the players from the hot weather. The stadiums will include air conditioning, powered by solar panels. Qatar is developing a public bus system, and visitors can also rent a car or hire a driver. And you'll want to get around -- Qatar has plenty to see aside from the best soccer in the world. Lonely Planet suggests visiting these five places while in Qatar. Al-Corniche . A road stretching 4 miles runs along the harbor in the capital city of Doha on Qatar's eastern coast. Aside from the beautiful Indian Ocean's waterfront and the dhows (traditional sailing vessels), visitors traveling along the road, Al-Corniche, will see some of the country's most innovative modern architecture. The road has six lanes, but it is also possible to walk alongside the shoreline. Souq Waqif . One of the main commercial areas of Doha, Souq Waqif has been undergoing a major makeover. Buying and selling has been taking place on the grounds of the market for centuries, and the shops have been remodeled to look like a 19th-century souq, with mud-rendered storefronts. "Whether its Souq Waqif, Villagio - Doha's best mall, or the wholesale markets, there is something for everyone," said Lindsey Wallace, a travel agent at Linara Travel, which specializes in the United Arab Emirates. Don't forget to bargain. Souq Waqif is one of the most traditional marketplaces in the city. Here, you can purchase spices, perfumes and garments, as well as handicrafts and local coffee. Al-Khor . Located up the coast from Doha, Al-Khor is a former pearl-fishing village and is much smaller than Qatar's capital city. There is a fish market in front of the harbor, and the beaches are pristine. Visitors to Al-Khor can also go birdwatching in the mangroves and gardens of the city. Bir Zekreet . On the opposite coast of Qatar, Bir Zekreet is a great beach destination for those who like camping. The city is also surrounded by desert, which is where you'll find sand dunes and desert mushrooms. Nearby are a wild deer reserve and an old movie set that looks like a deserted village. Khor al-Adaid . Surrounded by crescent-shaped sand dunes, Khor al-Adaid is known as the Inland Sea. Lonely Planet recommends spending a night there, and local tour operators organize both overnight camps and day trips. You can drive along the dunes, ride camels or sand ski in this popular desert area. | Qatar is a small Middle-Eastern nation with hot and humid summers .
Al-Corniche, the road running along the coast of Doha, provides beautiful views .
Souq Waqif is one of the most traditional and popular market places in the city . |
08392e5290bd995205675f5b1aeac8903af96984 | (CNN)The Anti-Defamation League has condemned a product sold in Urban Outfitters stores that it says resembles uniforms prisoners were forced to wear during the Holocaust. The gray and white striped tapestry features pink triangles. During the Holocaust, gay people were made to wear a pink triangle for identification purposes. A letter from the ADL to Urban Outfitters President and CEO Richard A. Hayne objected to the "insensitive design and the company's periodic use of products within the realm of Holocaust imagery." A request for comment from Urban Outfitters was not immediately answered Tuesday. "Whether intentional or not, this gray and white stripped pattern and pink triangle combination is deeply offensive and should not be mainstreamed into popular culture," said ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman in the letter. The ADL took the retailer to task in 2012 for selling a T-shirt with a star on its pocket, claiming the design looked like the Star of David symbol that Jewish people were made to wear during the Holocaust. The product "represents a new low," the ADL said at the time. Urban Outfitters has been criticized and even sued for selling other products, including designs labeled "Navajo." The retailer stopped selling a "vintage" Kent State sweatshirt that had what appeared to be simulated blood splatter on it last year after objections flooded in. Kent State was the site of a 1970 shooting that left four students dead and nine wounded during a Vietnam War protest. Urban Outfitters issued an apology via Twitter and said the red stains were not meant to resemble blood. | The Anti-Defamation League has urged Urban Outfitters to stop selling a product it says is offensive .
The tapestry features a pink triangle, a symbol that was used during the Holocaust to brand gays . |
083a2867e006b1d2761931b95d38a13042a56b38 | By . Rebecca English and Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 14:53 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:54 EST, 14 December 2012 . Prince William cut a rather lonely figure on the green carpet tonight and admitted: ‘Kate would have loved to have been here.’ The prince arrived on his own as guest of honour at the UK premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in London's Leicester Square after his pregnant wife was forced to pull out of because of her severe morning sickness. On his arrival at 6.45pm he was met by the cinema's general manager Tessa Street on the bespoke 'green carpet' that had earlier been graced by the film's stars, including Care Blanchett and Martin Freeman. Scroll down for video . Relaxed: The Duke of Cambridge arriving for the UK Premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at Leicester Square, London . Tessa said: ‘It's really exciting to have his support for the film and the charity. ‘I was a bit nervous being on my own to meet him, but he was very friendly.’ ‘I passed on my best wishes to Kate and he said 'She would have loved to have been here if she could'. ‘He also commented on the green carpet and the staging.’ The 65th royal film screening was in aid of The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, which supports industry employees during times of hardship. One of the fund's trustees Debbie Chalet joined a line-up to meet William as he arrived. She said: ‘This is our biggest fundraising event of the year and it means so much to have the support of the royal family. ‘It's such a shame Kate couldn't be here as well. ‘I said to William 'Thank you for taking the time to come and be here tonight' because I'm sure he wants to be at home making sure Kate's OK.’ The prince also chatted to the film's director Sir Peter Jackson and stars including Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Elija Wood and Cate Blanchett . He joked with Australian Cate: ‘When I go to Australia I'm always winding up the Kiwis and vice versa, you always get a reaction.’ The engagement was the fourth Kate has missed after being hospitalised last week with severe morning sickness and she is unlikely to be seen in public officially until at least Christmas. William attended the Centrepoint Winter White's Gala on Saturday evening on his own, and said of his poorly wife: ‘I don’t know why they call it morning sickness – they should call it all day and all night sickness. Dignified: The Duke was forced to attend the premiere without his wife Kate Middleton who is still recovering from her illness . Waving to fans: Prince William attended another charity event on Saturday without his wife. She has been forced to cancel four appearances since being hospitalised . VIDEO: The Prince goes stag at The Hobbit premiere . ‘It’s a long old process but she is getting there. ‘She feels like it is going to go on forever.’ Sir Ian McKellan sent his best wishes to the Duchess before the performance, prompting a round of applause from the audience. Kate, . 30, who was hospitalised last week after developing hyperemesis . gravidarum, a condition which leaves sufferers battling constant nausea . and vomiting, suffered a relapse on Sunday and was deemed too ill to . attend the charity gala. Royal sources stressed there was no cause for alarm. But . it is clear that the Duchess has been hit badly by the illness, which . affects three in every one thousand pregnant women, and she will . continue to rest quietly at their home in Kensington Palace for the . foreseeable future. Recovering: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose for cameras after she was released from King Edward VII hospital in London last week . Galadriel looks: Cate Blanchett leads the glamour as she walks the green carpet at the UK premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Wednesday night . Baring the flesh: Blanchett appeared to cover up for the chilly London weather but on second look went for a daring backless cut to her gown . A . spokesman for the couple said yesterday: ‘The Duchess of Cambridge will . not attend The Hobbit Premiere tomorrow evening and will continue to . rest privately. The Duke of Cambridge will attend as planned. ‘ . Kate, who is barely eight weeks . pregnant, was hospitalised for three days last week after repeated . vomiting left her severely dehydrated . She . was admitted to the King Edward V11 Hospital in London on Monday where . her condition was stabilised by introducing fluids and nutrients via an . intravenous drip. She was finally sent home on Thursday morning with a batch of anti-sickness tablets - and strict instructions to rest. On Sunday William was . forced to cancel a planned appearance at the British Military Tournament . at Earl’s Court after she fell ill again. At . this stage the Duchess's condition is not deemed serious enough to require . further hospital treatment, but doctors are keeping a close eye on the . Duchess to ensure she does not becomes dehydrated again. Greeting fans: She battled the icy conditions to sign autographs for the waiting crowds . Leading stars: Cate was joined by her castmate Sir Ian McKellen, who only revealed on Tuesday that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer six years ago . Fancy seeing you there: The pair fooled around on the carpet before heading inside to watch the drama . Stellar line-up: Blanchett was joined by her male co-stars as they posed up together during the evening . Family affair: Andy Serkis brought along his wife Lorraine Ashbourne and his children to the glitzy bash . Silver lining: Actress Rebecca Ferdinando went for metallic as she walked the carpet and joined the other stars on the night . With his girls: James Nesbitt also made it a family affair with his wife and daughters, who all glammed up for the evening . A . St James's Palace spokesman said: ‘It is well known that hyperemesis . gravidarum often recurs and, until further notice, to allow the Duchess a . degree of privacy during her pregnancy, we do not intend to offer . regular condition checks or advise of routine developments associated . with it.’ Hyperemesis gravidarum can cause such severe sickness and nausea that sufferers can even vomit blood. It is thought to be caused by elevated levels of the ‘pregnancy hormone’ hCG, which the body begins to produce after conception. The . condition tends to appear at around six to eight weeks into pregnancy . and for most sufferers disappears towards the end of the first . trimester. But for some it can go on as long as five months into the pregnancy and, occasionally, right until birth. Date night: JLS' JB Gill brought his girlfriend along to the premiere both dressed to the nines . Man of the night: Martin Freeman, who plays lead character Bilbo Baggins, showed off his dapper looks as he brought along partner Amanda Abbington . Continuing their new look: McFly wore co-ordinating outfits in burgundy blazers and black suits for the outing . | Prince William appeared relaxed and waved to fans in Leicester Square .
Said: 'Kate would have loved to have been here'
Joined stars stars Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellan and Martin Freeman .
Sir Ian McKellan sent his wishes to Duchess, prompting audience applause . |
083a6b25ba28ed0a49cb9557742f5330bac591b3 | (CNN) -- Driving a lorry or a truck across the country isn't easy. In the United States, by law truckers have to take a break after 11 consecutive hours. In Britain, the maximum driving time is nine hours per day. But imagine a world where trucks drive through the night without ever stopping. There's no need for a coffee break or a nap, and yet there are never any accidents. That's because these trucks don't actually have any drivers. The age of the driverless vehicle is upon us. Some famous names have been developing and testing prototypes with the aim of making them commercially viable. Google, a pioneer in the field, started its self-driving car project in 2009 and its autonomous vehicles completed 100,000 miles (about 161,000 kilometers) on public roads 18 months later. The United Kingdom recently allowed the vehicles on the road, joining California, Florida and Nevada in the United States in changing the laws to accommodate the new technology. Businesses stand to benefit in a multitude of ways, whether they are waiting for delivery of goods or for executives to arrive for meetings or conferences. Smoother traffic flow will make journey times more predictable and scheduling simple. Maintenance of a steady speed will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. And the "drivers" -- if vehicles have them -- may carry out other tasks while traveling and arrive fresher. And it's not chump change. For example, in Europe, 76% of total goods traffic in 2011 were transported by road, according to the European Union. Daimler, the German car giant, says that, despite European roads becoming over-congested as the highway network has hardly grown in recent years, goods traffic is set to increase substantially in the coming years. The company is developing the Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2025 with the promise that in a decade drivers of the vehicle will be "transport managers" rather than truck drivers. "We are facing completely new models for freight traffic," said Prof. Sabina Jeschke, director of the faculty of information management in mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. These new intelligent cars "are able to initiate and organize their collection, transport and delivery at their destination. They are thus able to react flexibly to spontaneous situations like traffic jams or increased cargo volumes by negotiating new delivery times with each other or customers." Under Daimler's system, once driving at 80 kph (around 50 mph) on a highway, the driver will be prompted to activate the Highway Pilot that puts the truck in autonomous mode, leaving him or her free to pivot the seat 45 degrees. The driver will then have access to a center console "in the style of an office workstation" and will be able to use a removable tablet touchscreen computer for other tasks such as sending invoices or completing tax returns, according to Daimler. Nissan successfully carried out its first public road test of the technology using its Leaf electric vehicle on a highway southwest of Tokyo last November. Carlos Ghosn, the chief executive of Nissan, said recently that innovations to ease congestion and emissions are badly needed due to the increasing number of "global mega-cities." Nissan is making progress on an autonomous car in both Japan and France, where the government recently authorized testing with a view to opening French roads to the vehicles by 2020. The Japanese carmaker has been working with universities including MIT, Stanford and Oxford. It says around 90% of road accidents are currently caused by human error. Under its system, drivers remain at the wheel but the vehicle can automatically steer, brake, accelerate, change lanes, merge into traffic and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. "At the moment lorry drivers need to stop every four hours," under British laws for rest breaks, said Prof. Will Stewart of the University of Southampton's Optoelectronics Research Center, " but driverless trucks can go 24 hours a day." Driverless technology could help companies reliant on the roads in much the same way as unmanned drones like those tested by Amazon and Google's solar-powered Titan Aerospace unit hold the promise to speed up deliveries by air. But there are some other considerable obstacles to overcome, including extensive legal issues. For example, does a driver have to be in a driverless car -- just in case? An amendment to the U.N. Convention on Road Traffic was agreed to allow a car to drive itself so long as the driver is present and able to take the wheel and the system "can be overridden or switched off by the driver," according to the consultancy SBD. A lack of standardized technology is a concern, as are issues of public and private responsibility. Britain's Department for Transport review is currently inviting submissions up to September in order to establish regulatory, safety and social obstacles to the testing of self-driving cars on public roads -- and how they can be removed. Such consultations may help to clear up the ethical conundrum of whether man or machine is responsible for accidents. And if the technology is to realize its full potential, large numbers of vehicles must be able to communicate with each other and with computers integrated into the roads. But there is mounting evidence to suggest that within a decade or so, it will be commonplace for the average person to drive past a heavy-goods lorry with no-one at the wheel - and be perfectly comfortable with that. Market research company Frost & Sullivan reckons that by 2030, more than 40% of all vehicles in Europe are likely to be equipped with driverless car technology. Quite what this means for the humble roadside truck stop remains to be seen. WATCH: Driverless cars could let you sleep . READ MORE: Google's new car: no driver, and no steering wheel . WATCH: Keeping up with the technology boom . | Vehicles being developed that can automatically steer, brake, accelerate, and change lanes .
Google, Daimler and Nissan are a few of the firms testing this technology .
Driverless trucks could aid businesses by running around the clock . |
083ad184325ee95b83b3e1967a75eefa3bf9501e | The man who jumped over the White House fence this month got further into the building than security officials let on, it has emerged. Senior sources reveal Omar Gonzalez, 42, made it all the way to the East Room of the first floor as he tore past five rings of security on September 19 wielding a knife. He allegedly ran freely across the 70-yard front lawn, through the North Portico hall past a guard, and into the East Room, which is next to the staircase leading to the family's living quarters - 168 feet into the executive mansion. Eventually, he was subdued in the Green Room by a plainclothes guard. Scroll down for video . Revealed: Omar Gonzalez is said to have made it all the way to the East Room of the White House . Route: Gonzalez allegedly made it 168 feet into the building, through the North Portico hall to the East Room . The East Room of the White House is an 80-foot-long hall used for formal events including bill signings, press conferences, receptions and ceremonies. A Secret Service official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Washington Post an alarm box near the front entrance of the White House had been muted. 'The Secret Service has no comment on that at this time due to the ongoing investigation,' Brian Leary, a spokesman for the agency, said of the Post story. A White House spokesman declined comment. The revelations come a day after a report revealed the Secret Service was unaware for four days that a man had fired a high-powered rifle at the White House in 2011 in a 'fumbled' response that left the Obamas furious. Officers allegedly performed a string of security lapses after Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez shot at least seven bullets at the executive mansion in Washington from his car. At the time, President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and their older daughter Malia were not at home, but their younger daughter Sasha and Mrs Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, were inside. East Room: The 80-foot-long hall is used for formal occasions such as the signing of bills and receptions . Dash: A video of the incident shows Gonzalez running towards the White House after getting past plainclothes security guards outside the fence. SWAT teams and an attack dog failed to stop him on the lawn . Security breach: Senior sources said he made it past five rings of security before he was subdued by a sixth . Tomorrow, Secret Service director Julia Pierson will be forced to respond to both incidents at a hearing with the Government Reform Committee. Gonzalez, a homeless Iraq veteran, was charged with unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon. Security officials say he did not express any wish to harm the president instead claiming he just wanted to tell him that the 'atmosphere was collapsing'. Still, his successful attempt on the White House raises serious security questions. He is the first person believed to have jumped the fence and made it into the building. A prosecutor said in court last week that officers found more than 800 rounds of ammunition, two hatchets and a machete in Gonzalez's car. Troubled: In an undated photograph, Gonzalez poses with his former wife Samantha before an overseas deployment. She explained she split up with him due to his deteriorating mental state . Serving his country: Gonzalez, pictured with then-sister-in-law Nancy Hoover and her husband, served three tours in Iraq before suffering injuries in an IED blast. He has been homeless for the last three months . Gonzalez, who completed three tours of Iraq, had been arrested in July with a sniper rifle and a map on which the executive mansion was marked, the prosecutor said. The alarm box near the entrance, designed to alert guards to an intruder, had been muted at what officers believe was the request of the usher's office, the Post said, citing the Secret Service official. The officer posted inside the door appeared to be delayed in learning the intruder was about to come through, the Post said. Officers are trained to lock the front door immediately if they learn of an intruder on the grounds. | Omar Gonzalez 'scaled the fence outside the White House, dashed across the lawn and entered the executive mansion with a knife on September 19'
Senior sources say he made it all the way to the East Room .
It means he made it 168 feet into the building after scaling 70-foot lawn .
80ft-long East Room is used for formal events including bill signings .
A surveillance team outside the fence did not see him and he managed to run past a too-slow Secret Service agent in a booth on the lawn .
A dog was released too late and an armed SWAT team failed to reach him before he opened a door, which should have been guarded by an agent .
Gonzalez was eventually stopped by a plainclothes agent inside . |
083b2cc688a70517cf388b3f868389c18ce0ec78 | (CNN) -- Violence and the resulting displaced people have created a crisis in Mali that is the worst in its recent history, a new report by Amnesty International says. Fighting in northern Mali has resulted in hundreds of thousands of displaced people, the human rights organization said. Many have been subjected to arbitrary detention, extrajudicial executions or sexual violence, the report found. Since the beginning of 2012, the report found, Mali has faced a situation that has "questioned both the integrity of its territory as well as almost 20 years of political stability." Fighters arriving from Libya in early 2012 fueled a Tuareg rebellion that included attacks against Malian outposts in the north of the country, the report said. The rebels are accused of violating international humanitarian law because they executed soldiers they caught in combat. According to Amnesty, the Malian army responded by bombing indiscriminately to civilian areas. Disaster looms for people of Mali as country is split by revolt . Adding to the country's woes, in March, a group of noncommissioned officers took power after a military coup. The new government suspended the constitution and arrested political leaders, Amnesty reported. While the military leaders sought legitimacy for their government, the armed groups took over northern Mali. "After two decades of relative stability and peace, Mali is now facing its worst crisis since independence in 1960," Gaetan Mootoo, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher, said in a statement. "The entire north of the country has been taken over by armed groups who are running riot. Tens of thousands of people have fled the region, creating a humanitarian crisis in Mali and in neighboring countries." As of May, there were about 130,000 internally displaced people in Mali and an additional 190,000 who fled to neighboring countries as refugees, the report states. Amnesty International spoke with witnesses who talked about women and girls being raped by armed men and found child soldiers among the ranks of the Tuareg. Meanwhile, Malian security forces are accused of killing unarmed people. According to the organization, all parties in the conflict have committed human rights violations. | Rebels have taken over northern Mali .
Amnesty International reports arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial executions and sexual violence .
Both sides have committed abuses, the human rights group says . |
083bc4309f2ea52be2a378e78566d7dcc9f4dd73 | (CNN) -- Two men have pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges tied to the shooting death of a Chicago teenage girl, who days before had performed at a Washington brunch in the run-up to President Barack Obama's inauguration. Kenneth Williams, 20, and Michael Ward, 18, have been in custody since last month, when a judge ordered that they be held without bond after their first court appearance. On Thursday, they formally pleaded not guilty to a host of charges, the Cook County State Attorney's Office said. The two young men are accused of killing 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton on January 29. Police: Killing was case of mistaken identity . Police said Ward and Williams were gang members seeking revenge against the people who had shot Williams in July, men against whom Williams had refused to press charges when police arrested them. He and Ward thought they had spotted members of a rival gang at the park when police said Ward sneaked up on Hadiya and her friends and began shooting. Williams was the getaway driver, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has said. Ward later confessed to shooting Hadiya and two others in a case of mistaken identity, according to McCarthy. He is charged with 141 counts of murder, 10 counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, eight counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of mob action, according to the Cook County State Attorney's Office. Opinion: Chicago's violence took my dad, friends . Williams, meanwhile, faces 17 counts of murder, 10 counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of mob action. The Cook County State Attorney's Office did not return calls from CNN on Friday, seeking an explanation as to why the two men face so many murder charges even though only one person was killed. The Chicago Tribune, citing interviews with legal experts and former prosecutors, said it is not uncommon in Illinois for prosecutors to press a large number of charges -- with the understanding that, as the investigation evolves, many of the charges might be dropped. The newspaper pointed out that William Balfour at one point faced 53 murder charges in the 2008 deaths of three of actress/singer Jennifer Hudson's relatives. He was convicted last May on three counts of first-degree murder. Nurses dodge bullets to provide care in Chicago . Whatever the rationale, Ward's lawyer Jeffrey Granich slammed the 141 murder charges against his client as "extreme." He said that, in his 20 years as a practicing lawyer, he's never seen that many murder charges related to the death of a single person. "What the prosecutors are trying to do ..., because this is a politically charged case and a case that has gotten a lot of media attention, is to show off how seriously they are taking this case," Granich speculated. "Unfortunately, with this indictment, they show not that they are serious, but that they are being absurd." The case helped shine attention on the high murder rate of late in Chicago. It also became intertwined with the national debate over gun violence, with Obama referring to Hadiya's life and death in his latest State of the Union address as her parents looked on. | Kenneth Williams and Michael Ward are accused of killing Hadiya Pendleton, 15 .
Police said Ward confessed to killing the teen in a case of mistaken identity .
The two men pleaded not guilty this week to a host of charges .
Ward's lawyer calls the 141 murder charges against his client, for one death, "absurd" |
083c4b341a77fecff47f2e0334a0368a5dc4048a | Copiapo, Chile (CNN) -- Officials working to free 33 trapped miners in northern Chile denied Thursday they are under political orders to rescue the men ahead of President Sebastian Pinera's planned mid-month trip to Europe. "No decision about any part of the rescue operation has been linked to any political decision. The miners' health and technical decisions come first," Interior Minister official Cristian Barra said in a news conference at the San Jose gold and copper mine. "The president's agenda is not connected to the timeline for rescue. There are no guarantees this will be before October 17," he added. Pinera said earlier this week he believed the 33 miners would be rescued before October 15. He is due to depart on a government visit to Europe on October 17, government officials said. In his last visit to the mine on September 19, Pinera pledged to return the day the miners were extracted and personally hug each one. Mines Minister Laurence Golborne said over the weekend that his best estimate was that the miners would be extracted in the second half of October. Political opponents and even some relatives of the trapped miners have speculated in recent weeks that Pinera was trying to score political points from the miners' rescue. National opinion polls show his popularity has risen thanks to his handling of the accident. Prior to the disaster his administration had been under political fire for the slow pace of government reconstruction after the February earthquake and tsunami along Chile's south and central coast, and for his handling of a hunger strike by members of the Mapuche indigenous group of southern Chile, who are fighting for independence. Against the backdrop of political questioning, technical problems plagued the drilling effort at the San Jose mine. The Strata 950 drill, dubbed Plan A, had reached 587 meters by 8 a.m. Tuesday. The men are nearly 700 meters (2,300 feet) underground, but could be rescued from different levels. Andre Sougarret, mines manager for state-run copper company Codelco and on-site rescue coordinator, said that operation was stopped Tuesday while the drill head was changed. It was not expected to resume until late Wednesday. It is currently making its first pass down with a 12.5-inch diameter hole to the roof of the 50-square-meter (500-square-foot) refuge at Level 100 (100 meters above sea level). It would have to make a second pass to widen that shaft to 28 inches. The Schramm T-130 drill, so-called Plan B, was at 466 meters as of 8 a.m. Tuesday and is aiming for the roof of the mine workshop on Level 135 (135 meters above sea level). It had completed just two meters in the previous 24 hours. Sougarret said the drill hammer had been swapped out but hit fresh problems after running into rock that was tougher than expected. He said the drill diameter would be reduced from 28 inches to 26 inches until the hammer had cleared the hard rock but added that the slightly smaller diameter would not cause problems for the rescue. The Rig 421 oil drill, so-called Plan C, is currently at 265 meters and en route to the roof of the tunnel at Level 150 (150 meters above sea level). It is currently drilling a 17.5-inch diameter hole -- smaller than the 28 inches required to rescue the miners -- in an effort to realign after veering off course over the weekend. Mine engineer Renee Aguilar, another of the rescue coordinators, said the first 10 members of a 16-strong extraction team arrived at the San Jose mine Tuesday. The group consisted of Codelco rescue experts. Two other rescue experts from the northern Atacama region, along with three Navy and one police paramedic, were due to arrive at the mine later Tuesday. Once the rescue shaft has been completed and the extraction begins, four members of the 16-person team will be chosen to descend into the mine to carry out final medical checks on the 33 miners. They will then enclose the miners, one-by-one, in a 21.5-inch diameter rescue cage that has been dubbed the "Phoenix capsule." Rescuers on the surface will winch them up. Jean Romagnoli, sports medic and personal trainer working to get the miners in shape for their rescue, said the Phoenix capsule would be hoisted to the surface at a speed of about 60 kilometers per hour and would exert about 2 Gs of pressure on the miners. He said small bio-metric monitors, mounted on chest belts, had been sent down to the miners to help keep track of their physical condition. He said the miners are working out for at least one hour a day to ensure they keep their weight down and can fit into the rescue capsule. The U.S.-made monitors, known as Zephyr BioHarnesses, will record the miners' vital signs, pulse, heart rhythm and breathing. Romagnoli said similar monitors were used to check on the physical training of Chile's Davis Cup tennis stars. | Interior minister says the operation is not "linked to any political decision"
President Pinera said this week he believed the rescue would be before October 15 .
He is scheduled to travel to Europe on October 17 . |
083d83dab6db4d9819668fa69beea36e922b0e1f | Fury: Kirstie Allsopp revealed on Twitter that her thrifty mother-in-law had been denied a mobile phone contract because she has no credit history . As a business owner who has never been in debt, Kirstie Allsopp’s mother-in-law should have found buying a new mobile phone to be a simple procedure. But 85-year-old Gretchen Andersen was turned down for a contract – because she does not have a credit rating. Mrs Andersen – who is mother to Miss Allsopp’s partner of ten years, Ben, 55 – employs three people in her antiques shop in Kensington, West London, and has had a bank account for 60 years. But because she has never borrowed money and appears to have chosen not to pay her utility bills by direct debit, she does not have a credit history and was told by Carphone Warehouse that she could not purchase a phone and contract with O2. Financial experts warned that her situation – which Miss Allsopp, 43, revealed on Twitter – reflects a wider problem that affects thousands of thrifty elderly people who handle their money in a similar way. Miss Allsopp said Mrs Andersen felt ‘personally insulted’ when she was turned down because it seemed she was being told she ‘wasn’t good enough to have a phone’. The television presenter added: ‘They came back and said she hadn’t got a good credit rating and my mother-in-law was like “How on earth can I have a not good credit rating? I’ve never had a debt in my life”. And that’s when they said yes, that’s why.’ James Daley, founder of Fairer Finance, said: ‘If this woman is being prudent and hasn’t built up a credit history then she shouldn’t be penalised for that. ‘There is still a significant part of the elderly community who like to go to the post office and pay their bills. They don’t like to have direct debits because they feel they have better control of their cashflow that way.’ A spokesman for Carphone Warehouse said: ‘There can be a number of reasons why customers fail their initial credit check … We are working with O2 to investigate this matter to try to resolve the issue for the customer.’ | Gretchen Andersen employs three people in her Kensington antiques shop .
She has also held a bank account for 60 years .
But because she has never borrowed money she has no credit rating . |
083de44a4a3c3db24a7ca060010a53e148a7ee53 | (CNN) -- The Obamacare website might still be slow, but the politics and context of Obamacare are shifting rapidly. On Thursday, to deal with some of the grousing about canceled insurance plans, President Obama announced an administrative fix to allow people to keep those crummy plans (that they think they like) for up to a year. This should quiet some of the complaints within his own party, though certainly not Republicans, who will just find another reason to attack Obama and health care reform. One hopes this fix will put the focus back on making Obamacare implementation as successful and effective as possible. It's certainly not there yet. On Wednesday, the Obama administration announced that just more than 106,000 Americans had enrolled in health insurance plans through Obamacare exchanges, and another 975,000 people had shopped for plans but not enrolled in a selection yet. No one is cheering these numbers — well, no one except those Republicans who didn't want anyone to have access to affordable, quality private health insurance options in the first place. The 106,000 enrollments are well below the 500,000 the White House had originally projected for this period before launch of the exchanges. The brouhaha over canceled insurance plans has muddied an otherwise positive law. But all of the above should be put in a broader context —the context of enrollment in past comparable insurance systems, the context of what health insurance was like before the Affordable Care Act passed, and the context of its opponents' repeated lies meant to distort and destroy Obamacare. So, here are three handy charts to help you understand the reality of Obamacare and separate fact from fear-mongering. CHART 1: Romneycare enrollment . Looking for an analog to what Obamacare enrollment might look like nationwide? Look no further than Massachusetts, which implemented a mini-version of Obamacare under then-Gov. Mitt Romney. In 2007, Romneycare wasn't even plagued by a bum website rollout — and enrollment was still gradual, as shown in this chart (click on it to expand) and explained by Jonathan Cohn at The New Republic. It can be expected that people who need Obamacare the most — either because they're sick or because they're sick of their current expensive individual insurance — will enroll first, but everybody else, especially those who are currently uninsured, will wait until the last minute to sign up before they face the individual mandate penalty. Plus, even people who want their new plan to kick in on January 1, 2014, have until December 15 to enroll in a plan. Also, choosing among the many options in the Obamacare exchanges does take time — which might explain, for instance, why almost 1 million people have logged into the exchange but not yet chosen an insurance option. With time, those numbers can be expected to grow. CHART 2: How bad it was before Obamacare . We may need a reminder of how disastrous our health insurance system was before Congress passed Obamacare. Just one way of looking at this is that health care spending as a percent of family income was already an astronomical 19% in 2009 but was projected to be 30% by 2019 and 48% by 2029 — unless something was done. This reality is particularly lost when discussing the estimated 2% to 4% of Americans who have private insurance plans that will ultimately be canceled because of higher coverage standards set by the Affordable Care Act. Many of those people will find they have even better options in the exchanges, and at better prices. But even the small percentage of folks who find themselves paying more for insurance should be seen in the broader context of health care and insurance costs that were already skyrocketing out of control, for all of us, before Obamacare was passed. CHART 3: About those canceled plans . Finally, yes, Obama will implement an administrative fix so people can keep their lousy insurance plans for another year if they want to. But insurance companies will now be required to tell people they have other (and in many cases, probably better) options in the new exchanges. This will hopefully stop the practice of insurance companies trying to trick people with canceled plans into buying much more expensive new plans from the same company rather than shopping around. But it will likely not stop Republican finger-pointing and accusations that President Obama lied. No matter that Obama apologized for the promise that people who liked their insurance plans could keep them, tried to clarify the situation and is implementing a fix in fulfillment of that pledge. But wait, aren't Republicans the ones who came up with death panels and keep asserting that lie even though it was not only disproven but also called the "lie of the year" by PolitiFact? To make the point that Republicans really shouldn't be pointing fingers in the lie department, Steve Benen came up with this chart to put this into perspective: . So here's where this leaves us: Not enough people have signed up for Obamacare yet, but there's still plenty of time; enrollment was slow when Massachusetts did this, too. And the administrative fix announced on Thursday will, incidentally, ease the transition period to new plans while probably keeping enrollment numbers even lower since people can now keep their current plans an extra year. Meanwhile, even a slow and clunky Obamacare rollout is better than the runaway health care costs and millions of uninsured Americans we had before Obamacare. Republicans should stop trying to sabotage the law. Obamacare is slowly but steadily rising over the obstacles of our broken insurance status-quo -- and destructive Republicans. When Obamacare is finally, fully implemented, our families, our health care system and our economy will all be better off. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sally Kohn. | Sally Kohn: Obama's fix on cancelled health plan lets us refocus on implementation .
She says enrollment numbers lagging, but recall, Romneycare signups slow too .
She health insurance system was disaster that Obamacare will ultimately redress .
Kohn: GOP lies meant to thwart implementation that will help families, economy . |
083f32dc374c72cdf8253340709ff42a72c3efd3 | By . Lucy Buckland . Last updated at 3:22 PM on 18th November 2011 . Former soldier Shaun Clark has turned himself into a living memorial to pay his respects to service personnel killed in Afghanistan. Mr Clark has 383 names of those killed in the line of duty tattooed onto his chest, his back and even one of his legs. The 45-year-old, who started the practice in 2009, has the new names added each Remembrance Day, beginning at exactly 11am. This year, there were 40 names, which were tattoed onto his leg. Lest we forget: Shaun Clark has the name of every soldier killed in Afghanistan tattooed on his body . Sadly the list already needs updating - the latest deaths in the conflict will be added next Remembrance Day. Mr Clark went under the needle last week at Doncaster's Fantasy Studio where artist Kevin Kent worked for two hours adding the names. The former soldier, now a court security officer, served with the 8th Battalion Light Infantry Regiment from 1989 to 1996. He began having the tattoos on . Remembrance Day in 2009 when more than 300 names were inked onto his torso. Ever year since then, at the 11th hour on Remembrance Day, he has added the dead from the previous twelve months. In the process he has managed to raise more than £4,500 for the Help for Heroes charity through sponsorship. Roll of honour: Shaun Clark has 40 more names added this Remembrance Day, starting at 11am . 'Sadly the number keeps going up': But former soldier Shaun Clark said his son Peter will take over when he has run out of space . Good cause: Shaun Clark has raised more than £4,500 for the Help for Heroes charity . Mr Clark, who lives with his wife . Mandy, 44, and two sons Peter, 22, and 19-year-old Robert in Rossington, . Doncaster, admits his family thought he was mad when he started having . the tattoos. He said: 'I have a lot of friends who have served in Afghanistan and some who are over there now. 'I wanted to do something to keep what is . going on over there in people's minds rather than just a sponsored walk . or parachute jump or something like that. 'I had more than 300 names tattooed on my body in 2009. 'It took more than five hours and it was painful but it was worth it. 'I added more names the following Remembrance Day and this year another 40 were tattooed on my leg. 'Sadly, the number just keeps going up and so I know I will be having more names added on November 11, 2012. 'I have made contingency plans in case I run out of space on my body. 'If the deaths keep rising my son Peter will take over from me.' But Shaun said there is a downside to being well-known. 'The only problem is I keep having to take off my shirt to show my tattoos to people. 'Word has spread over the years and I am asked almost every day to show someone the names,' he said. 'Solicitors at court ask to see them and the other day a judge asked me if he could take a look.' | Names of the dead are added each Remembrance Day .
Shaun Clark has raised thousands in aid of Help for Heroes . |
08419c5b912c055d22ed3951b139595abfd7874b | By . Chris Cutmore for MailOnline . Follow @@Chris_Cutmore . It's the sight you never thought you'd see. Tiger Woods dumping a bucket of ice and water on his head all in the name of fun and charity. Well, Rory McIlroy dumping a bucket of ice and water on his head to be precise. Fresh from their appearance together on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, golf's two current superstars are among the latest big names to brave the craze sweeping the world's sporting celebrities: the ice bucket challenge. VIDEO Scroll down to watch all the best Ice Bucket Challenges from the world of sport . Double trouble: Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods introduce their ice bucket challenge . Brrrrrr: Woods is the first to get soaked as McIlroy drenches his friend and rival . Revenge: Woods then strikes back, dumping his ice bucket right on McIlroy's head . We have a winner: Unlike on the course recently, Woods won the contest with McIlroy left totally soaked . It is fast becoming an internet phenomenon and the clue is in the name: participants must dump a bucket of ice over their heads before nominating three others to take up the challenge. It is all in aid of raising awareness of motor neurone disease and anyone not completing the challenge must donate money to the ALS Association, according to the rules of the game. Once upon a time the prospect of Woods taking part in the challenge would have been unthinkable. Famously a lone wolf, Woods never showed any public signs of being anything other than the steely-eyed, fist-pumping golfing machine that has racked up 14 major titles and shattered records at every turn. But, if ever there was a sign that times have changed, here it is. Woods and McIlroy, seemingly heir to Tiger's crown as the world's most brilliant golfer following his wins at The Open and the US PGA Championship this summer, were game contestants and laughed heartily at their discomfort. And, unlike events on the course recently, if there were a winner from this contest it was certainly Woods, who left his friend and rival utterly soaked and shivering, while McIlroy somehow managed to fill up Woods's bucket with even more water during his attempt. Fellow golfers Justin Rose and Ian Poulter were among the first sports stars to freeze themselves in the name of charity last month, and Poulter laid down the challenge to Woods then. It seems the former world No 1 has finally accepted. We will wait with interest to see whether McIlroy's nominations accept his challenge. They are Wayne Rooney, actress Meghan Markle and George W Bush. Yes, the George W Bush. There can't be a person in the world not wanting to see that particular ice bucket challenge. 60558 . 58166 . 56402 . 60094 . 69010 . 59920 . 51920 . 58817 . 56680 . 56077 . 60233 . 60094 . 59908 . 57029 . 58329 . 55937 . 58631 . 62555 . 53685 . 59722 . 55427 . 60094 . 60094 . 60256 . 18159 . 72098 . 40519 . 34691 . 43770 . 116890 . 57493 . 62509 . 32694 . 63925 . 27307 . 15080 . 60094 . 60419 . 59120 . 60094 . 60094 . 52245 . 43282 . 57029 . 56402 . 32973 . 41611 . 31278 . 60094 . 15024 . 39358 . 55287 . 65876 . 55752 . 48809 . 67280 . 70891 . 52687 . 54637 . 60094 . 60094 . 66201 . 60094 . 60256 . 60094 . 63879 . 56402 . 76998 . 55078 . 58492 . 10194 . 60233 . 60094 . 60094 . 49600 . 60094 . 58329 . 48275 . 48089 . 60094 . 60814 . 55264 . 55937 . 60094 . 58956 . 54823 . 51800 . 56040 . 60094 . 57040 . 43120 . 60233 . 60233 . 29443 . 34250 . 55891 . 37060 . 48995 . 54428 . 102702 . 58120 . 36827 . 57958 . 59165 . VIDEO Tiger and Rory appear on Fallon . | Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Monday .
The pair were filmed afterwards dumping ice on each other's heads .
Ice bucket challenge is the craze sweeping the internet, and raises awareness for motor neurone disease .
Golf's two superstars completed the challenge, then nominated Wayne Rooney, Meghan Markle and George W Bush . |
084387847db8f24e5c4346428d46c44c11f16d33 | A 14-year-old boy has been left with the body of a 110-year-old in India because he has a rare disease which makes him age eight times faster than normal. Ali Hussain has seen five of his siblings die from the same condition called Progeria which is known to affect just 80 people worldwide. Two of his brothers and three of his sisters have died from the disease in Bihar, the poorest state in India. Scroll down for video . Sufferer: Ali Hussain, 14, of Bihar, India, has Progeria which makes his body age eight times faster than normal. The rare condition is known to affect only 80 people in the world, but has killed five of his siblings . Progeria causes rapid ageing and . sufferers of the genetic disease are prone to arthritis, eye problems, . heart disease and baldness. Sufferers are not expected to live much beyond the age of 14 - but despite the grim prognosis Ali has refused to give up hope. ‘I very much want to live and I hope there is medicine for my condition out there. I’m not scared of death but my parents have suffered a lot,' he said. 'I’d love to live much longer for them. I don’t want to burden them with any more pain.’ Ali’s parents Nabi Hussain Khan, 50, and Razia, 46, are first cousins and were the product of an arranged marriage 32 years ago. Illness: Ali's genetic condition effectively has the body of a 110-year-old because of the rare condition . Child victim: Ali Hussain is held by his mother Razia, 46. She has had eight children and six of them have suffered from Progeria . Their children Rehana, Iqramul, Gudiya and Rubina have all died from Progeria between the ages of 12 and 24. A fifth child, a boy who died within 24 hours of being born, is also thought to have had the rare condition. Nabia and Razia, who have had eight children in total, do have two healthy daughters - Sanjeeda, 20, who is married with two children of her own. Their youngest daughter Chanda, 10, also does not have Progeria. When their first daughter, Rehana, was born in 1983 they had no idea anything was wrong at first. It was only after her second birthday when she couldn’t eat or walk properly did they visit a doctor. But the doctor was baffled and he sent them home with some medicines. Progeria was so rare and poorly documented that most doctors had never heard of it. Family victims: Nabi Hussain Khan, 50, (left) with his wife Razia, 46, (right) and their children. Sanjeeda, now aged 20, (back, centre) does not have Progeria . Nabi Hussain Khan, 50, and his wife Razia, 46, have had eight children and six of them have suffered from Progeria. Two years later when their son Iqramul was born,and showed the same symptoms, the family went back to the doctor. But again, they were not offered any tests or possible diagnosis. Nabi, who works as a gatekeeper at a factory earning 2,000 rupees - or £20 - a month said: ‘We never heard of the word Progeria, the doctors never mentioned it. They were stabbing in the dark; they were as clueless as us. 'If a doctor had perhaps told us that our children were suffering with some kind of genetic problem and we were connected we would’ve stopped having children. But nothing was said.’ Nabi and Razia carried on having children hoping they would conceive a healthy boy or girl eventually. Their wish was granted when they had Sanjeeda. In 1995, after years visiting different doctors, a consultant in Kolkata finally diagnosed four of their children with Progeria and broke the devastating news that there was no cure for ay of them. ‘The diagnosis didn’t help,’ Nabi added. ‘People were sure there was a cure. No one in our community believed there was nothing that could be done. 'Neighbours and extended family tormented us for not getting them help, they couldn’t understand a disease with no cure.’ Life was made unbearable for the five children growing up with Progeria and they were mocked in school and called names like ‘big-eyed boy’ and ‘Patlu’ meaning skinny. Eventually they all stopped going to school. Ali, who weighs just 1st 8lbs, said: ‘None of us have had a childhood, we were confined to our homes. 'We had each other but that was it. We had no life. When we did go to school we were pushed and shoved, called names, kids tried to harm us. We can’t do much physically either; our lungs are so small we get breathless easily. Illness: Ali is fed by his mother. Progeria causes rapid ageing and sufferers of the genetic disease are prone to arthritis, eye problems, heart disease and baldness . ‘I would love to be a normal person who can play, go to school, do some sports, take some risks. Sometimes I get depressed but most of the time I make the most of the life I have.’ Ali is now the family’s only surviving Progeria sufferer. When his brother Ikramul died four years ago he was devastated. ‘Iqramul was my best friend,’ he said. ‘I was very young when my other siblings died, so it were just Ikramul and I for a long time. 'He was very strong and didn't pay any attention to the bullies. When he died I cried for weeks and couldn't eat but then I realised I’d be doing him a huge injustice if I crumbled. I have no one now, no friends, but I have to stay strong.’ Victim: Ali, 14, who weighs just 1st 8lbs, is not expected to live more than a few years longer . Ali and his parents are now supported by a Kolkata-based charity called SB Devi Charity. Pediatrician Dr Chandan Chattopadhyay, from Kolkata, introduced the family to the organisation and now they help Ali pay for his medical needs. Ali spends all of his time with his mother and sisters, Sanjeeda, 20 and Chanda, ten, and he believes there’s no one else like him in the world. But when told about the famous annual Progeria Reunion, run by the Sunshine Foundation, he would love to attend. ‘It’s very lonely living this life, especially since my siblings have gone,' he added. 'I don’t know if there’s anyone else like me. I’d like to be in the company of other people like me again. And I know my brother would be proud of me for doing so.’ | Ali Hussain, 14, has Progeria which makes his body age eight times faster than normal .
Two of his brothers and three sisters have died from the genetic disease .
His parents Nabi, 50, and Razi, 46, are first cousins .
The couple, from Bihar, northern India, also have two healthy daughters .
Progeria is so rare that it took doctors in India 10 years to diagnose Ali Hussain's oldest sibling . |
08440a5d9b0bf53fa3f0815c8fea34516c571588 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 03:42 EST, 29 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:53 EST, 29 April 2013 . She’s known for having modest tastes, but anyone cooking for her needs to help prepare some of the world's extravagant banquets. The Royal Household has advertised for a new sous chef who can make meals fit for a Queen. The £23,000-a-year chef will be based at Buckingham Palace but must be prepared to travel to other Royal residences and have a 'good understanding of kitchen French'. Simple tastes: The Queen sits down for dinner at a banquet, but at home she enjoys more modest food . Fit for a Queen: The Royal Household has advertised for a new sous chef based at Buckingham Palace . The job description, posted on the Buckingham Palace website, says: 'From state banquets for 200 to lunches for two; and from canapé . receptions for 800 to staff restaurant meals; our chefs prepare it all . to the same exceptional standards. 'In this hands-on position you will help to lead and train the junior . chefs to deliver quality fresh food to the highest standards, and you . will also take charge of the kitchen operation when working from smaller . kitchens and when deputising for senior colleagues. 'Although primarily based at Buckingham Palace, you will also work as . part of a team at other Royal residences throughout the UK, spending a . total of approximately three months away from London.' Candidates are required to have experience of 'menu planning and development' and have 'proven planning and organisation skills'. They also must have a City and Guilds catering . qualification or equivalent and should have experience within a . five-star premier catering operation. The chef's kitchen at Windsor, one of the Royal residences the new sous chef will be cooking at . However, according to former Royal chef Darren McGrady the day-to-day job of feeding the Queen could be far more modest. Mr McGrady, who worked in the Buckingham Palace kitchens for 15 years, told the Daily Telegraph last year that when at home the Queen was a woman of simple tastes. Some of her favourite foods include Special K cereal, jam sandwiches and chocolate cake, he said. The Royal Household employs . around 1,200 staff, of whom approximately 450 are funded by the . taxpayer. The Royal Household is also advertising for an internal auditor, an administrator for the catering branch and two learning curators. Applications for the sous chef post close on May 10. | Chef based at Buckingham Palace but must be prepared to travel .
Must deliver quality fresh food to the highest standards .
Job description says: 'From state banquets for 200 to lunches for two' |
08450c1bc03472825196be1acb02ac0e13bef939 | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 07:33 EST, 20 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 21 February 2013 . When three-year-old Rohid Zamani and his family fled Afghanistan to escape the terrors of the Taliban regime, they could only hope to reach a better place. But never in their wildest dreams could they have imagined such a spectacular outcome for their little boy. While the family have built a new life in Britain, Rohid, now 16, has defied overwhelming odds to win a full scholarship to Eton. Rohid Zamani, 16, who fled Afghanistan to become a student at Sirius Academy, Hull, and now has been accepted for a scholarship at Eton College . His extraordinary story began in the city of Jalalabad, where the Zamanis lived in fear of the extremist Islamic rulers and civil unrest raging around them. Among the horrors they witnessed was a man who was decapitated because he put gel in his hair to style it. ‘He was dragged out in the street and they chopped his head off,’ said Rohid. ‘There were people getting killed for almost no reason. Every day we were afraid.’ His mother narrowly escaped death after briefly getting out of bed when a relative visited while she was ill. Rohid said: ‘Moments after she got up a bomb went off and shattered the windows . 'Level-headed': Rohid Zamani, 16, with his mentor, teacher Adam Rust, right . Rohid can reel off hair-raising tales of murder and violence that were commonplace under the Taliban . Rohid's father held a respected job as a civil engineer designing roads in Afghanistan . Rohid's family fled Afghanistan when he was three. This file picture showing Taliban fighters is from 1997, a year after the religious zealots came to power . ‘The shards of glass fell on the bed. If my mum had been there she would have been dead.’ Rohid’s father, who worked as a civil . engineer, decided to risk everything by fleeing the country with his . wife and two children. Their journey took them across 3,500 miles, including crossing rivers in Russia in a leaking rubber dinghy. Rohid said: ‘My mum was scared we were going to sink. She put her hand on the hole. ‘I was really scared. After that we had to wait for a van and the van broke down so we had to go through a forest. ‘There were wolves and dogs, everybody was just so scared.’ The family also became separated at one point. They spoke no English when they . arrived in Hull but they soon adapted and were allowed to settle in the . UK. And Rohid showed his dedication to learning early on. When the family moved to Birmingham to live near friends, the children weren’t happy. So Rohid, who was ten at the time, . took matters into his own hands and phoned his old primary school . teacher in Hull to ask if he could return. Headmaster Brian Roberts said: ‘I was working in my office late when I got a call from Rohid. Eton College is renowned in the UK as the school of choice for Prime Ministers and Royals . Royal students: Prince William, left, on his first day at Eton and Prince Harry, right, with his house master Dr Andrew Gailey . He said: “Mr Roberts, we are really . unhappy. If we come back to Hull would it be possible to come back to . your school?” I said I was sure it was a strong possibility.’ Rohid's ability also bought him to the attention of both Hull KR and Hull FC, who offered him a scholarship . His plan worked. The family returned to Hull and Rohid later joined the city’s Sirius Academy. As well as being bright and . hard-working, he excelled at rugby league and athletics. When the school . suggested Rohid apply for an Eton scholarship he jumped at the chance . and was among hundreds who took part in a tough four-day interview . process. ‘Luckily I was picked so I must have done OK,’ he said. He starts at sixth form in September, studying A-levels in maths, biology, chemistry and physics. Rohid’s father now works as a van . driver – but the family won’t have to pay a penny of the £30,000 annual . fees and have been given a £1,500 bursary to help cover school uniform . and other expenses. The teenager now knows there is no . limit to what he can achieve. He hopes to become a surgeon. Commenting . on the Eton life that awaits him, he said: ‘It’s a huge step, a bit like . going to university two years early. ‘But so long as I keep busy I will be able to adapt. ‘I will miss my family and friends but this is too big an opportunity to pass up.’ Mr Roberts, his old primary school . head, said of his move to Eton: ‘It doesn’t surprise me that he is going . on to greater things, because he had that vision of where he was going . in life.’ A spokesman for Eton said yesterday: . ‘We are delighted that Rohid has been awarded one of the sixth form . scholarships we offer at Eton. ‘He is obviously an extraordinary young man and will undoubtedly make the most of all the opportunities that Eton offers.’ | Rohid Zamani has won a sixth form scholarship and bursary .
He escaped Afghanistan with his parents when he was just three .
Their path led through Russia and at one point travelled in a dinghy .
The teenager now attends Sirius Academy in Hull, East Yorkshire .
His family escaped through Russia and at one point used a dinghy . |
0845e239a23e627a48fee743c45b8c80c6eb56c4 | (CNN) -- France's reputation as rugby's Jekyll and Hyde team was reaffirmed on Saturday as Marc Lievremont's inconsistent side bounced back from two defeats to eliminate England and reach the World Cup semifinals. Les Bleus avenged their 2007 semi defeat by the English on home soil with a 19-12 victory in Auckland, setting up a last-four clash with Wales -- who went through after beating Celtic neighbors Ireland 22-10. With the other half of the drawing pitting hosts New Zealand against Argentina, and world champions South Africa versus Australia -- both games are on Sunday -- there could potentially be a repeat of the inaugural 1987 final when the All Blacks beat France. Coach Lievremont will be replaced by Philippe Saint-Andre after the tournament, but he has the chance to help France to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time. His team lost to New Zealand and Tonga in the group stage, but roared to a 16-0 halftime lead at Eden Park as wing Vincent Clerc and fullback Maxime Medard crossed for tries, while Dimitri Yachvili kicked two penalties. England, the 2003 champions, rallied with second-half tries to fullback Ben Foden and wing Mark Cueto but a drop-goal by Francois Trinh-Duc in between those scores kept France safely ahead. "You can't give a good team like France 16 points of a start. We had chances in the second half but they deserved to win," said England manager Martin Johnson, a World Cup winner as a player eight years ago. France captain Thierry Dusautoir was glad to put the nightmare of the shock Tonga defeat behind him. "We didn't want to go out like this. We wanted to show how we can play rugby," he said. "I think we did it well. It was a great start for us and we are going to enjoy this victory. Now we need to keep it up and focus on the next game." The French will take on Wales at Eden Park next Saturday after Warren Gatland's team handed Ireland a first defeat of the tournament to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1987. The Group D runners-up scored three tries to one in Wellington as Ireland failed to capitalize on a wealth of first-half possession and crashed out at the last-eight stage for the fifth successive time. Veteran winger Shane Williams put Wales ahead with a third-minute try that young flyhalf Rhys Priestland converted for a 10-3 lead at the break. Ronan O'Gara kicked Ireland's only points with a 24th-minute penalty before Leigh Halfpenny replied in kind just before the half hour. Ireland leveled five minutes after the interval as O'Gara converted a try by wing Keith Earls, but Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips dotted down in the 51st minute and center Jonathan Davies made it safe on 64. "We spent a lot of time in that first half in their 22 and we only came up with three points in the half," Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll said. "It hurts a bit when you're going in at halftime having the opportunities and knocking on the door, but not really getting any points out of the territory. "We needed to deliver a performance similar to the one against Australia or the one against Italy last week. We didn't do that today, we knocked on way too much ball." Gatland backed his young team to go further in the tournament. "They have no baggage and there's no fear factor," Gatland said. "We are in New Zealand and not in the bubble of Wales and listening to any of the negativity that is sometimes generated back home. "We've worked so hard in the last three, four months. We aren't ready to go home yet." | France end England's World Cup hopes with 19-12 win in quarterfinals .
Les Bleus avenged 2007 semifinal loss to England on home soil .
Victory sets up semifinal clash with Wales, who defeat Ireland 22-10 .
Group C winners suffered first defeat of the tournament in New Zealand . |
084727fb1597b43b3b28f0cd0ddb6435617ee9f0 | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 22:00 EST, 24 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:51 EST, 25 February 2013 . It was hard to tell if the bride was blushing - but it was a tender moment nonetheless. Three pairs of loved-up koalas were 'married' in a mass wedding ceremony at Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, China, yesterday. They included male Jimmy, who grew up in captivity, who was paired up with Killarney, a female flown in especially from Australia. The mass koala wedding was held at Chemlong Safari Park in Guangzhou, China . Jimmy (right) grew up in Guangzhou while his bride Killarney was transported from Australia . They were held together by their keepers as vows were exchanged before the happy couple shared a celebratory banquet of eucalyptus leaves. The park has successfully bred more than 20 koalas since it imported six from Australia in 2006. Koalas are not known for their monogamy and males will attempt to mate with as many females as possible during the mating season. Animal weddings are not uncommon - unofficial registrar Ann Clark has married several pairs of dogs and cats in Desborough, Northamptonshire. Besotted owners have spent up to £20,000 on ceremonies including chauffeur-driven cars, nibbles and even professional photographers. Other animals to have been joined in holy matrimony around the world include a pair of giraffes in Brazil, two frogs in India and two miniature pigs in China. Jimmy and Killarney enjoy a tender moment after their wedding at the safari park in China . | Three pairs exchanged vows at Chimelong Safari Park, China .
Included Australian koala flown in from Australia . |
084810519b9668f3f677deec54c6284ab2810e93 | Getting peppered with phone calls while trying to get something done can be very annoying - especially if you're busy robbing a restaurant. A man was caught on a surveillance camera on Christmas Eve ransacking a scratch-off lottery ticket display case inside the Pastora Restaurant and Pizzeria in The Bronx. Footage from inside the business on East 167th Street captured the intruder sporting a flashlight mounted on his forehead getting two phone call two minutes apart mid-robbery. Scroll down for video . Robbery in progress: This man was caught on a surveillance camera on Christmas Eve ransacking a scratch-off lottery ticket display case in The Bronx . Hold my calls! The burglary was interrupted by a call that came on the thief's smartphone . Not in a rush: The brazen perpetrator paused what he was doing to have a brief phone chat . Each time, the man is seen pulling his smartphone, which appears to be a iPhone, out of his pocket and chatting for a few seconds before hanging up and proceeding with the robbery. The first phone call comes in at 4.48am as the man is busy rifling through New York State Lottery scratch-off tickets and stuffing them into a plastic bag. He pulls out his phone, has a brief exchange and pockets it before returning to the task at hand. At 4.50am, the screen on his phone lights up again, interrupting the robbery for a second time. Targeted: The robbery happened inside Pastora Restaurant and Pizzeria on East 167th Street in The Bronx . Well equipped: The man broke into the eatery armed with a flashlight mounted on his head . Ring, ring! Two minutes later, the thief answered his phone a second time . Chat: The suspect spent a couple of seconds of the phone before hanging up, all the while scanning the display case for more loot . Wanted: Police released the video hoping to catch the phone-obsessed burglar . After concluding the conversation, the suspect spends a few more seconds unceremoniously tearing off the lottery tickets of his choice. With his loot in hand, the man flees the neighborhood restaurant on foot. The New York Police Department released the minute-long surveillance footage on YouTube last week asking the public to help them locate the suspect. | Robbery happened Christmas Eve at Pastora Restaurant on East 167th Street in The Bronx, New York .
Surveillance camera captured intruder with flashlight mounted on his head stealing piles of scratch-off lottery tickets . |
0849d7d2d5a53147e5d29f89844125118121d735 | With abandoned beds, decaying equipment and graffiti strewn across the walls, these are the chilling images inside a deserted mental asylum where patients were subjected to electric shocks and lobotomies. The Forest Haven asylum in Laurel, Maryland was renowned for its abuse of patients and was closed down in 1991. When it opened in 1925, it was used as a children's development centre as well as a mental institution. Scroll down for video . Inside the abandoned Forest Haven Asylum in Laurel, Maryland which was closed down in 1991 after allegations of abuse of patients . A medical chair lies abandoned in the corner of a room at the asylum, where treatment included electric shocks and lobotomies . At one time this room would have been full with patients receiving treatment, but now it is abandoned and the beds have been left to decay . A broken cot lies in a doorway of the abandoned asylum. The facility is often considered as one of the top 10 most haunted locations in Maryland . A children's cot stands next to a wall with the words 'lost souls' daubed on it in graffiti. When the facility opened, it was also a children's development centre as well as a mental institution . The asylum faced a number of lawsuits before it was closed down in 1991, leaving all of the equipment inside, including this medical chair . No only was furniture and equipment left abandoned, medication including test tubes were also left in among the rubble inside . Some of the abuse that is said to have occurred at the facility included electric shock therapy, hydrotherapy and lobotomies. It faced a number of lawsuits before closing and is regularly rated as one of the top 10 haunted locations in Maryland. The facility also had its own cemetery and from 1928 to 1982, patients who died at the there would be buried in an unmarked grave in the grounds. The facility offered treatment to a wide range of patients suffering from mental health problems. Pictured are some of the broken sit in showers which still remain in the asylum . Photographer Darryl Morgan who captured these images after recently visiting the asylum described the buildings as a 'crumbling time capsule' The facility also had its own cemetery and from 1928 to 1982 to bury patients who died there. Pictured is one of the former common rooms, which is filled with old, decaying furniture . Not only were furniture and equipment left behind in the asylum, patients were also moved out to different facilities quickly, meaning some of their belonging were left behind . The chapel inside the asylum, which has now been left to ruin and has graffiti strewn across the pews and mould coming out of the floor tiles . Photographer Darryl Morgan visited the 22-building centre recently to see what it looked like inside. And when the 49-year-old entered the facility, he was greeted with rotting equipment and abandoned personal belongings. He explained: 'The place was surreal - like a crumbling time capsule. The mental institution was spread out over 22 buildings in the town of Laurel, Maryland in the U.S. housing many patients . Abandoned tables and chairs are left in the asylum's courtyard, where patients would have been taken to get fresh air . Since closing almost 24 years ago, the entrance to the facility has almost been blocked by rubble and growing trees and plants . 'It was a rare look into the dark past of mental health care. 'This asylum had an extra creep factor because everything was left behind from when the doors closed for the last time. 'I'll never for the state of decay - seeing patient records and their personal belongings left in exactly the same place all those years ago.' | The Forest Haven asylum in Maryland was renowned for its abuse of patients and was closed down in 1991 .
Some of the abuse of patients at the facility is said to have included electric shocks, hydrotherapy and lobotomies .
Photographer Darryl Morgan visited the asylum recently and captured eerie images of how it now looks .
On arriving he was greeted with abandoned beds, decaying equipment and even graffiti strewn across the walls . |
0849daf54346d2768c633145db24bb72b24a8112 | In Fad-Free Nutrition, exclusively on CNN.com, the editors of Cooking Light help you digest the latest diet and food news and trends. The recent recall of industrial peanut butter and products that contain it sparked nationwide concern about the safety of eating many popular snack products. That's understandable, considering the average American consumes 3.3 pounds of peanut butter each year, according to USDA data. Pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, and others can be made into tasty spreads and put in recipes. While consuming with caution is always prudent, it's important not to give up on nuts and peanuts (which are actually legumes) entirely. They offer numerous health benefits and can even help dieters stay on track. Consuming just one ounce of nuts -- of any variety -- up to five times a week in place of other calories consumed is likely to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Although nuts are high in calories, they contain heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and they're jam-packed with nutrients such as vitamin E, folate, niacin, copper, magnesium, and potassium. Plus, they have some protein and fiber to help keep you feeling satisfied. Learn more about the health benefits of nuts (plus recipes that use them) at CookingLight.com. Tips on smart snacking . If you are worried about buying peanut butter based on the recent salmonella scare, try these tasty and nutritious alternative ways to snack safely: . 1. Make your own spread. Although major national brands of jarred peanut butter have not been recalled, it's a fun and nutritious option to make your own. At certain grocery stores, such as some locations of Whole Foods Market, you can grind peanuts to make fresh peanut butter. In less than one minute, you have a fresh, peanutty spread without preservatives or added sugar. You can also make fresh peanut butter at home; all you need are plain roasted peanuts and a food processor. Put ¾ cup plain roasted peanuts in a food processor; process two minutes or until smooth. See our staff's tips on making homemade nut butters on our blog, Test Kitchen Secrets. 2. Get creative. Use fresh peanut butter to upgrade homemade versions of snacks that may have been recalled. For example, spread a teaspoon of peanut butter on a whole-grain cracker instead of purchasing ready-made peanut butter crackers. You might surprise yourself by creating a better-for-you treat, such as our lightened peanut buttery Swag Bars. 3. Branch out beyond peanut butter. Almond, cashew, macadamia, walnut, and hazelnut butters are unaffected by the recall. They all offer a strong nutrition profile. For example, 2 tablespoons of almond butter (one serving) provide the following: . • Almost half your daily needs of the antioxidant vitamin E with 6.5 milligrams . • About one-third of a day's worth of magnesium (97 milligrams), a mineral that supports muscle function and bone tissue . • 243 milligrams of potassium (about five percent of one day's allotment), which helps keep your blood pressure levels steady . Visit CookingLight.com to learn more about other nutritious nut butters made from cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts -- including how to make them, and healthful recipes that put them to delicious use. For more tips on making healthy taste great, try Cooking Light - CLICK HERE . Copyright 2009 Cooking Light magazine. All rights reserved. | Peanut product recall putting a damper on American snacking habits .
USDA: Average American consumes 3.3 pounds of peanut butter each year .
Alternatives include snacks made with almond, cashew, macadamia, walnut butters . |
084a04673868fc52ad881007ff4aaa7c836490fb | With deep gashes on her forehead and dark bruising around her eyes, this is the horrific aftermath of a near-fatal domestic violence attack. Hayley Lowles was left in a coma with a fractured skull, cheek and jaw and bleeding on the brain after her partner slammed an oven door on her head so hard the glass broke. He also brutally assaulted the 34-year-old, breaking her nose and leaving part of her skull lodged in her brain. Matthew Sargent, 30, has now been jailed for 16½ years after being convicted of attempted murder. Hayley Lowes, a mother-of-one, was left in coma with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain after her partner savagely beat her and then slammed an oven door on her head. And the mother-of-one has bravely decided to release photographs of her injuries to encourage other victims of abusive relationships to get help. ‘I feel if I could help just one person to have a good Christmas by escaping an abusive relationship then it feels like what I went through had a purpose,’ she said. ‘Whether they hit you or not, if you’re scared of them then it is not a normal relationship. I can’t believe it took him to nearly kill me for me to leave. You never realise how awful it is and how unhappy you are until you leave.’ The hairdresser was attacked at her home in Basildon, Essex, on August 22 last year when her partner of seven years snapped during an argument about his drinking. She was left for dead after Sargent – who has been classed a danger to the public by psychologists – punched her at least ten times and hit her with the oven door. Survivor: Hayley was attacked at her home in Basildon, Essex, on the evening of August 22 last year after her partner snapped during an argument. Thug: Matthew Sargent was sentenced to 16 and a half years imprisonment, plus five years on licence, after being found guilty of attempted murder at Basildon Crown Court in May . He then grabbed their son William, aged seven months at the time, as he left the flat before going to an off-licence to buy more alcohol. The assault was so violent Miss Lowles remembers little about it – but she managed to crawl outside, where passers-by called for help. Hayley's injuries left her unable to continue her career as they have affected her concentration . Doctors put her in an induced coma to help stabilise her condition. She has since had numerous operations to repair her skull and plastic surgery to her face, which was so swollen after the attack she was barely recognisable. Although it was the first time Sargent turned violent, he had tormented Miss Lowles with years of psychological abuse. ‘I would never have classed what Matt did as domestic abuse. But now I’m aware it was so much worse than I ever realised,’ she said. Sargent’s behaviour always became worse around Christmas, she added, when he would disappear and spend the money they’d saved on a drink and drugs binge. ‘We never had one Christmas where he wasn’t arrested,’ she said. ‘He would always promise me lavish presents – but I just wanted a normal Christmas.’ Following his conviction at Basildon Crown Court in May, police described Sargent as a ‘violent and manipulative man’. Miss Lowles has been unable to return to work since the attack because she now suffers problems with her concentration. But she is rebuilding her life with her son – who is now 23 months old – and has agreed to be the face of an abuse awareness campaign run by Essex County Council and local police. ‘The attack did take a lot away from me. But I do still feel like I had a lucky escape – I could have died,’ she said. The Essex police and crime commissioner Nick Alston added that society must collectively ‘support victims and raise awareness of this abhorrent crime’. Stoic: Hayley is now rebuilding her life with her 23-month-old son, William, at their new home . | Hayley Lowles is lucky to be alive after savage attack by ex-partner .
Mother-of-one was in a coma after Matthew Sargent fractured her skull .
Though bravely moving on with her life, her injuries affect her to this day . |
084afe678c372771cbd5b9c395ab3b33d6de4bbf | Pottstown, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Health and safety concerns about Japanese nuclear power plants after this month's earthquake and tsunami have Lindsey Schiller wondering what could happen across the street from her own house in her Philadelphia suburb. Schiller, who is a registered nurse, has lived for nearly a decade with her husband and two children in the shadow of the Limerick Generating Station nuclear energy facility in Pottstown, about 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Since long before the Japanese disaster, Schiller's unique neighborhood landmark has been the source of family jokes. "We kid around when we get really big flowers ... we're under the power plant, and I kid around that I glow," laughed Schiller as she held her baby Adam in sight of the plant's giant twin cooling towers. In all seriousness, she said, all the Schillers are happy and healthy. "We have nothing going on different" from anyone else despite their nuclear neighbors. But Schiller did express concern when she learned that new scientific data show a slightly higher risk that the plant may be damaged during a powerful earthquake, according to a report by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. "Should something occur, they would warn us," Schiller said. "I kind of figure we're all in the same boat." Radiation: What you need to know . The power plant has sent information to surrounding residents that shows how to prepare for a nuclear emergency, Schiller said, but she admitted her family has not prepared an at-home emergency kit. "We would just sort of put them together if we had to evacuate," Schiller said. The risk of a quake-related nuclear accident, experts say, is comparatively low because the facility is rated to withstand levels of seismic movement that are rare for the region. Based on U.S. Geological Survey seismic data from 1989, the NRC report estimated the annual risk of quake-related damage to the nuclear core at the Limerick plant to be relatively remote -- once in about 50,000 years. But updated research increased the chances of quake damage slightly. According to the NRC report, 2008 seismic hazard estimates from the USGS indicate the annual risk of damage to the core at about once in 20,000 years. "The chances of damage are extremely remote, but engineers compare two very remote risks to understand their relative meaning," said Gregory S. Hardy, a consulting engineer with the NRC and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger. "Getting into your car and driving on a freeway poses a risk that everyone realizes could result in a fatal crash, but the chances are so remote that we decide to take that risk." How close are you to a U.S. nuclear plant? Limerick operator Exelon released a statement recently expressing confidence that its "nuclear facilities are equipped with numerous and redundant safety systems designed to protect them against earthquakes, flooding and other natural disasters." Although Schiller's concerns about earthquakes have risen after the March 11 disaster, the troubles with Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant aren't directly blamed on the quake, but on the devastating tsunami that followed it. After the 9.0-magnitude quake hit, the tsunami cut off power to systems that cooled nuclear fuel. Virtually landlocked Pennsylvania is not in a danger zone for tsunamis. Pennsylvania State University geoscience professor Dave Bice said a similar quake in this region is very unlikely. "There's very, very little earthquake activity here," he said. "In some areas, there are lots of very, very small earthquakes, but the energy they release is very, very minimal." On Wednesday, the NRC announced it would review programs and regulations in light of the Japanese troubles to ensure protection of public health and safety. U.S. nuclear agency launches safety task force . As for Schiller, she doesn't anticipate an earthquake near her home anytime soon. But if something does happen, she said, "We're going to be the first ones to find out." For some, Limerick's towering structures provide a reliable directional beacon for Pottstown's 22,377 residents, as they make their way to the local outlet shopping mall with its Gap and Cole Haan stores and a new Wegmans grocery store not far away. But the towers also remind residents that nuclear power comes with risks that are very different from traditional fossil fuel-burning plants. In a national CNN/Research Corporation poll of Americans who live near nuclear power plants, nearly 60% said it's unlikely that a disaster or accident would put their families in immediate danger. In addition, nearly 60% of poll respondents said they didn't think local emergency services were prepared to handle that kind of situation. See details about the poll . The same poll also suggests that most Americans living near nuclear power plants haven't prepared disaster supply kits. Tour a New York nuclear power facility . Schiller said she's generally comfortable with her community's preparedness. "All the local schools, they all have evacuation plans and they tell you where your child will be evacuated to." But public reaction to an emergency is something that gives Schiller pause. "I honestly would be afraid that there would be some mass panic -- mass exodus -- and the highways and the roads would get pretty congested and blocked, and I think it potentially could be chaotic." Nukes protected from big disaster costs . The Limerick plant, which first went online in 1986, can keep electricity flowing to more than 2 million homes, its website says. It's awaiting NRC approval to increase its capacity, and the plant's owners intend to apply for a 20-year extension to its operating license. In a statement, John Rowe, Exelon chairman and CEO, said his company's "plants are safe, particularly given the different seismic patterns in our regions and the absence of tsunami-type events where we have operations." Congressional supporters of nuclear power, like Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut, have expressed interest in slowing down the permitting process for new nuclear power plants in the U.S. until more information is known about the troubles at the Japanese facilities. Nuke lobbyists scramble on Capitol Hill . Rowe's statement said, "... we watch, we learn, and we will work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other policymakers, as well as industry colleagues, on what, if anything, should be done to apply what can be learned from" events in Japan. Far from Capitol Hill, perhaps nowhere is the nuclear reminder taller and more in-your-face than at Schiller's home, which is dwarfed by Limerick's twin towers. When she looks out the living room window of her cozy home, they are just a couple of football fields away from her front door. Schiller says she's not planning any major changes in light of the NRC report and the events in Japan. "Let's just say I'm not gonna pack up and leave tomorrow." | Pennsylvania mom concerned about a nuclear power plant across the street .
Agency: Chance of yearly quake core damage upgraded to 1 in 18,868, vs. 1 in 45,455 before .
New data also affects other U.S. nuclear power plants; officials reviewing regulations .
Owner: Plant is safe; mom: "Should something occur, they would warn us" |
084be3db696054c0c2c61d2910d052f47d39aef4 | A church deacon sued his pastor wife for unfair dismissal after claiming she sacked him when their marriage broke down. Allan Lavington, 62, has been accused of trying to 'pull a fast one' after he lost a tribunal battle with Pastor Deborah Harrison, who runs a church and Christian-based college centre in Birmingham. Mr Lavington demanded £1,000 each for music and flower arranging lessons he claimed he gave for her college centre - but the tribunal ruled he was just a volunteer. Despite the ruling, Mr Lavington said he felt 'robbed' and has vowed to continue legal action against his 58-year-old estranged wife. Centre: The church building in Birmingham where Ms Harrison has run a Pentecostal church for four years . Ms Harrison was accused of unfairly dismissing Mr Lavington from her college centre, the Gospel Express Academy in Birmingham, after they split in 2010. According to one website the centre gives college-level lessons in performing arts, counselling, 'equality and diversity' and 'Christian studies'. Mr Lavington told an employment tribunal he had not been paid for lessons he gave in music and flower arranging at the centre in Handsworth, northern Birmingham. But she claimed the former deacon had only been a volunteer. The employment tribunal ruled in Ms Harrison's favour after agreeing Mr Lavington had insufficient evidence to pursue his claim. Judge Leslie Antis ruled there was no evidence Mr Lavington was employed by Gospel Express Academy. Although they are not divorced, the couple from Birmingham split shortly after their own wedding reception, falling out over several issues including a missing titanium cooking pot. Speaking after the hearing, Mr Lavington - who had also preached at his estranged wife's church - vowed to keep pursuing her through his solicitors. He said: 'She is erratic and fiery tempered - all I want is to do things to please God and do God's will. 'She has no control over money, no idea about paying bills or anything. She knew I had run my own business and could look after those kind of things. 'Those lessons I gave for her cost £1,000 each. How can she say that I would volunteer to do that and close my own business rather than take a cut? 'I could have done it myself and kept all of it, instead she claims I was willing to do it for just the petrol money. 'I don't preach at the church anymore, I'm a Christian first, I don't bother with titles. 'I'm not bitter, but if I saw her walking down the street, I'd blank her. 'My solicitors will be following this up. I can just now be happy that I can go to God knowing I told the truth. Accusations: Ms Harrison, who founded her Pentecostal church Ecclesia Ministries and hosts meetings at Birmingham's Ladywood Methodist Church (above), claimed her husband was 'manipulative and controlling' 'How she has the cheek to get up on the altar now, knowing what she has done, is beyond me. I trusted her as a pastor and I was sucked in by that. That is what I'm ashamed of.' But Ms Harrison, who founded her Pentecostal church Ecclesia Ministries four years ago, claimed her husband was 'manipulative and controlling'. She said four months after the wedding she packed her bags and left, unable to put up with his behaviour. 'I'm well out of it,' she said. 'His bombastic attitude vexed choir members. In the end it got very bitter. 'He wanted £74,000 from me - that's £1,200 a month from 2010 to now. He needs to realise that 60 per cent of nothing is nothing. 'He's been pleading "Can I come back?" 'I know he's trying to pull a fast one. He was a volunteer, he was not paid because the academy was a charity and did not pay anyone.' | Deacon Allan Lavington, 62, sued his pastor wife Deborah Harrison, 58 .
He said she failed to pay him for music and flower arranging lessons .
Row between couple, who split in 2010, ended in employment tribunal .
He said he felt 'robbed' and will continue legal action against his wife . |
084c4623f5420f3ae100471bcce1e589e54f5031 | The National Security Agency has not denied spying on members of Congress after a senator demanded answers regarding its surveillance activities. The NSA released a statement on Saturday which did not deny collecting communications from legislators of the US Congress to whom it says it is accountable. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont sent a letter on January 3 asking about NSA ‘gathering metadata on calls made from official or personal phones, content from websites visited or emails sent, or collecting any other data from a third party not made available to the general public in the regular course of business’. Spying on us? Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont sent a letter on January 3 asking about NSA's surveillance activities on members of Congress . The agency said in its statement that the NSA’s gathering of ‘signals intelligence data include procedures that protect the privacy of US persons. Such protections are built into and cut across the entire process. ‘Members of Congress have the same privacy protections as all US persons. NSA is fully committed to transparency with Congress. 'Our interaction with Congress has been extensive both before and since the media disclosures began last June,' said the statement. It added: ‘We are reviewing Senator Sanders’s letter now, and we will continue to work to ensure that all members of Congress, including Senator Sanders, have information about NSA’s mission, authorities, and programs to fully inform the discharge of their duties.’ The agency has been at the centre of political controversy since former contractor, Edward Snowden, released thousands of revealing documents on its activities to media outlets. Former contractor, Edward Snowden, released thousands of revealing surveillance documents, hurling the NSA into the center of political controversy . Soon after Sanders' letter was published, the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, announced that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (Fisa) Court, the body which exists to provide government oversight of NSA surveillance activities, had renewed the domestic phone records collection order for another 90 days, according to The Guardian. On Saturday, the New York Times published a letter from Robert Litt, in which the general counsel for the Office of National Intelligence denied allegations that Clapper lied to Congress in March, when questioned about NSA domestic surveillance. Under fire: A protester with the organization Code Pink holds up a placard as Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, right, arrives to testify before the House (Select) Intelligence Committee . Testimony: Robert Litt, the general counsel for the Office of National Intelligence, denied allegations that Clapper lied to Congress in March . Last month, two federal judges issued contradictory verdicts on whether such NSA surveillance was constitutional. Judge Richard Leon said it was not constitutional; Judge William Pauley said that it was, according to The Guardian. On Saturday Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) launched a class action lawsuit against the government over NSA spy programs. Paul claimed that several hundred thousand people have already signed up for the suit that he hopes will be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court – perhaps an inevitability after courts have issued differing District Court rulings on the constitutionality of the program. | NSA released statement on Saturday .
Comes after Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont sent a letter on January 3 asking about NSA's surveillance activities on members of Congress .
Statement did not deny collecting communications from legislators of the US Congress to whom it says it is accountable . |
084ca63704c1fbf79612ae10b4b97fd962f0f577 | 200 passengers on-board the Dawn Princess cruise ship have been confined to their cabins after an outbreak of the norovirus struck the ship while it was travelling around New Zealand. The ship, which is carrying 1500 passenger, was sailing around Fiordland National Park when the virus was detected and is currently on-route to Melbourne. The ship is on a 13-day cruise around New Zealand and is returning to Melbourne today, which will be it's last stop. 200 passengers on-board the Dawn Princess cruise ship have been confined to their cabins after an outbreak of the norovirus struck the ship while it was travelling around New Zealand . The norovirus is a gastrointestinal illness, which typically lasts one to three days. It causes stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. The virus can be contracted by food contamination, person-to-person contact or by the contamination of surfaces. Local authorities in New Zealand carried out tests on-board and confirmed that it was an outbreak of the highly contagious virus. In a statement, a Princess Cruises spokesman said that most passengers on the cruise have been unaffected by the bug and that it is under control. 'Some passengers on Dawn Princess' current cruise to New Zealand destinations reported gastrointestinal symptoms confirmed as norovirus, commonly referred to in the community as a 'stomach bug'.' the spokesman said. The norovirus is a gastrointestinal illness, which typically lasts one to three days.It causes stomach pain, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting . 'It takes relatively few cases to be reported on-board for even more stringent sanitation levels to be implemented. 'The containment response was timely and effective and the number of new cases has declined significantly.' He said that every effort has been made to limit any new cases of the bug. Staff have been disinfecting surfaces such as rails, door handles and elevator buttons, . The ship, which is carrying 1500 passenger, was sailing around Fiordland National Park when the virus was detected and is currently on-route to Melbourne . He also confirmed that infected passengers have been confined to their cabins, until they can be deemed non-contagious. Passengers have been urged to use their private toilet facilities and use sanitising gels located throughout the ship. All self-service in food areas has been closed off on the ship. Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health told the New Zealand Herald that the Dawn Princess was confident it could contain the bug and has it's own doctor on-board. 'The number of cases is declining. They're still seeing a few coming in but not as many,' Dr Humphrey said. 'They stand at a little over 200 people altogether.' According to other news outlets, a Dunedin tour operator has slammed the crew of the Dawn Princess for failing to reveal the true extent of the virus. According to the operator, they only learnt about the quarantine of passengers after it was reported on social media. Local authorities in New Zealand carried out tests on-board and confirmed that it was an outbreak of the highly contagious virus . Dr Humphreys said it may take days for a person's symptoms to become obvious and supported the isolation of infected passengers. 'Generally speaking [patients] are most infectious when they're symptomatic, which is why it's important to keep people isolated in their cabins...' he said. The latest outbreak is the second norovirus outbreak on the Dawn Princess this year alone, with a 75 day cruise through Asia and Alaska also affected. A similar outbreak of the strain also occurred on the ship two years ago. 114 passengers and 11 crew fell ill. The ship has a guest capacity of 1,999 and was last refurbished in June 2009. | 200 passenger on-board a cruise ship have contracted the norovirus .
The virus was detected while sailing around New Zealand .
The ship is currently on-route to Melbourne .
The gastrointestinal illness typically lasts one to three days .
The virus causes stomach pain, nausea and vomiting .
Precautions have been taken to prevent the illness from spreading . |
084df2fab1fefebe7a001652b4256c157e80e410 | (CNN) -- When it comes to the new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie, critics have found one begrudging silver lining: At least it's better than "Transformers." Of course the live-action "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," in theaters Friday, has some things in common with that toy-based franchise, beginning with its association with Michael Bay. The "Transformers" director served as a producer on 2014's "Turtles" adaptation -- leaving the directing to Jonathan Liebesman of "Battle Los Angeles" -- and tapped former "Transformers" star Megan Fox to go along for the ride. In "Turtles," Fox plays April O'Neil, the eager NYC TV reporter who stumbles across the titular crew of teenage mutants who are well-versed in the martial arts. As April learns, this quad of wise-cracking reptiles, who have a fondness for pizza and a rat for a mentor, are the result of a lab experiment. So there's the first sigh of relief for longtime fans of "turtle power": the new "Turtles" backstory is pretty faithful to the legacy of the comics, animated series and movies that came before it. There's a tweak involving April's childhood relationship to the turtles, but, overall, Donatello's still the brainy one; Raphael's still the hothead; Leonardo's still the leader; and Michelangelo is as party-ready as ever. The problem, critics say, isn't that Bay, Liebesman and script writers Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Evan Daugherty didn't respect the lore, or that the movie doesn't deliver on action. It's that they revived the franchise with no sense of humor or affection, or even a clear understanding of their audience. "The new adaptation," says the Los Angeles Times, "often feels like some sort of corporate seminar in brand management. There is something half-hearted about the entire film, as if those behind it were involved not because they wanted to make it, not because they should make it, but just because they could." It's not "out-and-out terrible," but it's not "particularly memorable," either. Variety wound up in the same place of ambivalence, remarking in its review that "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is a "back-to-basics origin saga that is neither a particularly good movie nor the pop culture travesty that some were dreading." There are all the usual Bay trademarks -- "chaotic action, crass side jokes, visual-effects overkill, Megan Fox" -- but on the other hand, it's also "nowhere near 'Transformers'-level off-putting," Variety shrugs. For The A.V. Club, it isn't "fidelity" the movie lacks, "but a spirit of genuine boyish fun ... . 'Ninja Turtles' exists for the sole purpose of squeezing a few more drops of milk out of an old cash cow. At least the Turtles themselves look cool, strange new nostrils and all." But according to The Washington Post, those turtles -- whether you find them to be cool or simply creepy -- don't get nearly enough screen time, and are treated more like "sidekicks to the actual focus of this film: summer-movie sexpot Megan Fox." USA Today, which found the movie "charmless, dull and derivative," joined the party line and conceded that "while there's nothing particularly playful, fun or clever about this big-screen 'Turtles' re-boot, there is some good news ... the ninja turtles are more enjoyable to watch than 'Transformers.' " | The new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" isn't getting great reviews .
The movie isn't horrible, but it isn't great, either .
At least, reviewers say, it's better than "Transformers" |
084e7df11ee1ff017f2282f10d1058e2f3bce85f | England physio Gary Lewin was carried off on a stretcher with a dislocated ankle in bizarre circumstances after Daniel Sturridge's equaliser. Lewin, a former member of Arsenal's physio staff, picked up the injury after standing on a water bottle while celebrating England's 37th-minute leveller - and was even carried off on the stretcher usually reserved for his players and will fly back to England. Roy Hodgson's staff jumped off the bench in celebration but Lewin, who will be replaced by Steve Kemp for the remainder of the tournament, immediately fell to the floor and repeatedly banged the ground with his fist. Sore one: Gary Lewin was taken off in the fist half after hurting his ankle in the dugout . Lewin was left in pain after standing on the water bottle in Manaus and needed urgent medical treatment . England manager Roy Hodgson and Italy coach Cesare Prandelli talk while Lewin is treated . The physio was said to be 'gutted' after being stretchered off from the side of the pitch in Manaus on Saturday night . Attention: Lewin injured himself while celebrating Sturridge's equalising goal against Italy . Concern: It was a mystery initially who had gone down after Sturridge's goal in the 2-1 loss to Italy . The 37th minute incident saw Lewin receiving medical treatment from both FIFA officials and players before he was ushered down the tunnel . Lad-up: The physio left the playing area on a stretcher after slipping while celebrating Daniel Sturridge's goal . Lewin was stretchered off after he dislocated his ankle by standing on a water bottle while celebrating . 'That was a very sad moment for us,' England boss Roy Hodgson said. 'In celebrating the goal he jumped up, landed on a water bottle and dislocated his ankle. 'It was very painful. He was taken to hospital. The doctor set it, put it back in at the side of the field, but it's the end of the World Cup for Gary.' Lewin left the field on a stretcher after a short break in play, with the team's Twitter official feed, @england, swiftly confirming the severity of the injury. 'England physio Gary Lewin was injured during celebrations for @england's goal,' the post said. 'He has dislocated his ankle. Get well soon Gary #3Lions' The Football Association later said the 50-year-old Londoner had suffered a fracture and dislocation. An FA spokesperson added: 'We do have another physio with us - Steve Kemp.' With little known about the protocol for injured medical staff, given the rarity of the situation, Lewin was quickly surrounded by a crowd of around a dozen staff from both sides and FIFA. Lewin was first team physio at Arsenal for 22 years and became an England physio in 1996 alongside his job at the North London club. But in 2008 he quit the Gunners to become Head of Physiotherapy for the national side. In 2007, Lewin was credited with possibly saving John Terry's life in the League Cup Final after the Chelsea captain swallowed his tounge and Lewin, then Arsenal physio, was first off the bench to assist him. During his time at Arsenal he was also credited with saving striker Eduardo's career after he suffered a horror leg break. Hodgson’s staff haven’t had much luck with injuries recently – assistant manager Ray Lewington is on crutches after emergency knee surgery 24 hours before the team’s final friendly against Honduras. England manager Roy Hodgson confirmed Lewin (pictured at the airport ready to fly home) had suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle. He said: 'It is the end of the World Cup for him I'm afraid' On the mend: Lewin was put in a wheelchair after having his ankle tended to . Get well soon: Theo Walcott sends his best wishes to Lewin, who he has worked with for Arsenal and England . Help: Lewin was first team physio at Arsenal for 22 years and became England's in 1996 . | Daniel Sturridge scores equaliser against Italy and England staff celebrate .
England physio Gary Lewin stood on water bottle during celebration, dislocating his ankle, and was carried off on a stretcher .
Steve Kemp will replace Lewin as England physio for rest of tournament . |
0850719db0604880dfe54ff5f437e6263dfd74ce | PARIS, France (CNN) -- The French Senate early Thursday narrowly passed a controversial law to allow many more shops across the country to open on Sundays, in what would be a significant cultural shift. The law would permit shops, department stores, and shopping malls to open on Sundays in 20 zones. The vote, which followed two days of debate, was expected to happen Friday. But the Senate put the measure to a vote at 2 a.m. Thursday (8 p.m. ET Wednesday), when it passed 165-159. The law, however, is not a fait accompli. The opposition Socialist party immediately appealed to the Constitutional Council, asking it to make sure the measure is constitutionally sound. A decision from the council is expected in about two weeks. If the Constitutional Council approved the law, it would mark a significant cultural shift in France, where Sundays have officially been set aside as a day of rest for more than a century. A 1906 law forbids Sunday trading in all but the largest cities. President Nicolas Sarkozy had pushed for the measure, but the law that passed Thursday contains fewer changes than Sarkozy had originally intended, because he has had to give in to opposition from the left and the right. Socialists filed thousands of amendments to the president's original version of the law. Leftists and unions said it would effectively introduce a seven-day workweek and allow bosses to force employees to work Sundays. Watch how new law will change a way of life in France » . Members of the president's own ruling conservative party opposed the law despite assurances that it would boost economic activity, saying it would instead deprive families and church groups of their dedicated day. The law would permit shops, department stores and shopping malls to open on Sundays in 20 zones of what are called "exceptional commercial" centers in and near three of the country's largest cities: Paris, Marseilles and Lille. Those centers are malls or clusters of shopping centers often located just outside major cities. Additionally, 29 areas involving about 500 cities and towns would be added to the list of tourist areas, which already allow some economic activity on Sundays. Among other things, the new law would straighten out a somewhat chaotic situation in which some stores manage to obtain exceptions from the old law and others don't, and in which some stores find it makes sense to accept fines for breaking the existing law, because the income from Sunday sales more than makes up for the penalties. Opinion polls in France showed slightly more than half the population wanted shops to have the freedom to open on Sundays, according to Time magazine. CNN's Jim Bittermann and Niki Cook contributed to this report. | French Senate passes new law allowing more shops to open on Sundays .
New law, if approved by Constitutional Council, overturns 1906 legislation .
Sarkozy has had to deal with opposition from both left and right . |
085123e98b88844153659e3eaa3f9e8f5c065bb7 | It was not just Ivan Lendl who would have loved this performance from Andy Murray; John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors would have heartily approved too. Gloriously irascible, the 27 year-old Scot mentally and technically outmuscled Tomas Berdych in what became something of a grudge match to reach his fourth Australian Open final at the Rod Laver Arena on Thursday. After a shaky start Murray played superbly – as well as he has done since winning Wimbledon – to advance 6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 in three hours and 26 minutes. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Australian Open: Murray wins 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-3 7-5 against Berdych . Andy Murray is through to the Australian Open final after beating Tomas Berdych in four sets in Melbourne . Murray shows his delight after booking his place in the Australian Open final for the fourth time in his career . Murray and Berdych shake hands after an intense semi-final showdown that lasted just shy of three and a half hours . Murray's fiancee Kim Sears celebrates her partner's victory on Thursday at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne . Murray fought back from a set down to beat Berdych 6-7, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 in a match that lasted almost three and a half hours . Murray will play either Novak Djokovic or Stanislas Wawrinka in the Australian Open final on Sunday in Melbourne . There was little love lost in a contest which was transformed after Berdych said something at the changeover following the first set that clearly riled Murray. It had been boiling up before then, and even the normally demure Kim Sears became unusually animated, caught uttering the odd oath in the supporters' box. Murray admitted afterwards that there was an unusual edge to it all, given that he was in opposition to his ex-coach Dani Vallverdu for the first time. He drew on that, as was obvious when he broke back in the first set and directed his celebration towards his opponent's box. It might have been habit, but probably not. 'There was a little bit of extra tension, it was a big match,' said Murray. 'A lot was made of Dani working with him. We have been friends since we were 15 years old. I thought it was a bit unfair to create a bit of extra tension out of it but it was there. Everyone calmed down after a bit.' Murray looked in supreme form again - as he has done for the past fortnight over in Melbourne . Dani Vallverdu, Murray's former coach, watches on from Berdych's box and Murray admitted that added 'extra tension' Murray gestures after losing the opening set on a tiebreak after fighting back from 5-3 down . The sun peaks through on a mild Australian evening in Melbourne as thousands watch inside the Rod Laver Arena . Berdych later explained what he said when the two passed at the changeover that seemed to annoy Murray. 'I really remember it well. I say to myself "well done Tomas". That’s it. I think I’m allowed to do that when I win a set. What, I have to be worried about every word I am going to say? I just pumped myself up for winning the first set then sat on the chair. Maybe next time I should stay even more calm, and that’s it. It was a great battle a good match, unfortunately with a bad end for me.' Murray, the 27 year-old Scot, also wanted to prove a point about his hiring of Amelie Mauresmo, saying: 'A lot of people criticised me working with her and I think so far this week we've shown that women can be very good coaches as well. 'Madison Keys who reached the semis here and had her best tournament is also coached by a woman in Lindsay Davenport and I see no reason why that can't keep moving forward like that in the future. 'I'm very thankful for Amelie for doing it. It was a brave choice from her to do it and hopefully I can repay her in a few days.' Murray fought back in the second set - beating Berdych to love in a stunning half hour of tennis . Murray had plenty of British supporters in the crowd as he looked to progress to the final . Berdych celebrates winning the first set after holding his nerve in the tiebreak . The No 6 seed added: 'I was obviously disappointed to lose the first set. I had a couple of chances at the end and break points at 5-5. I felt like I started to play better as the set went on and tried to stick to my game and was then very aggressive at the start of the second set. 'I changed tactics a little bit but also I was getting more comfortable with the conditions and the heavy ball that Tomas hits. In the second set I made him do most of the running. I started dictating the points, getting the first strike in. After losing a tough set like the first it as important to get the momentum back.' The reward is a fiendishly tough final, against either the world No 1 Novak Djokovic or defending champion Stan Wawrinka, who face off on Friday. Murray will have an extra day to recover, although historically that has never been a huge advantage here. Murray had to hurdle some advertising hoardings during an intense third set - which he eventually won . Murray's fiancee Sears watches on nervously at Rod Laver Arena as the semi-final unfolds on Thursday . Ester Satorova was also there to cheer on her fiancee Berdych - but he ultimately went down to Murray . Singer Kenny Rogers and former player Evonne Goolagong Cawley watched on from the stands as Murray progressed comfortably . On whether he would be watching their semi-final, Murray said: 'I will definitely watch a little bit but judging by their matches in the last couple of years here I might be in bed before they're finished. So far both have been playing fantastic tennis so whoever has got tickets for that is very lucky.' Less contentiously than the spats, there were also several technical aspects that underpinned one of the more memorable victories of Murray's career. The Scot's first serve was excellent, particularly the slider he has perfected out to the deuce court. His movement was superb, and he frequently outmaneuvered the 6ft 5in Czech around the baseline. A tendency of Berdych has been to serve in a predictable fashion, and when he tried to push Murray wide with the serve the British No 1 was more agile to respond, and he began to read it perfectly from the second set onwards. Berdych, the perennial nearly man, could not adjust his thinking as much as the master tactician Murray, who is now in his eighth grand slam final. The Czech didn't get a sniff after winning the tiebreak, with Murray far too strong for him . Murray pulled Berdych apart after losing the first set and goes into his fourth Australian Open final . Wimbledon 2013 - beat Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 . Australian Open 2013 - lost to Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-7, 3-6, 2-6 . US Open 2012 - beat Novak Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 . Wimbledon 2012 - lost to Roger Federer 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6 . Australian Open 2011 - lost to Novak Djokovic 4-6, 2-6, 3-6 . Australian Open 2010 - lost to Roger Federer 3-6, 4-6, 6-7 . US Open 2008 - lost to Roger Federer 2-6, 5-7, 2-6 . | Andy Murray beat Tomas Berdych 6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the Australian Open final .
The Brit will face either Novak Djokovic or Stan Wawrinka in the final on Sunday .
Murray had lost the opening set in a tiebreak but fought back superbly .
No 6 seed admitted there was 'extra tension' due to his former coach Dani Vallverdu working with Berdych . |
0851b4c945b2bbf81ec699a91ea660e0463f0506 | Tears streamed down 12-year-old Marcus Allen's face in 2009, as he recalled how members of a private suburban Philadelphia swim club had hurled racial slurs and worried aloud if he and other mostly minority day campers might steal from them. Today, Marcus is just about to turn 15 and hit the gridiron as a running back on his high school football team. He has grown up in more ways than one -- including having experienced discrimination firsthand and seen the U.S. justice system in action, its pursuit of justice driven in large part by his and other adolescents' accounts of what they had seen and heard that summer. "I'm glad that people saw and felt what I felt," Marcus, who is black, told CNN. The U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday that it and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission reached a settlement with the now-defunct Valley Club of Huntingdon Valley, two and a half years after filing a lawsuit against the club. Under terms of the deal, the club -- which filed for bankruptcy in November 2009 a few months after the incident and had its property sold for $1.46 million the following June -- agreed to payouts to more than 50 children like Marcus who were part of the Creative Steps Day Care Center, their counselors and Creative Steps. The distributed money includes whatever "remaining assets" from the club's property sale are left over, with $65,000 set aside to create a diversity council made up of former Valley Club members, Creative Steps counselors, campers and their families to promote community healing, the U.S. Justice Department said. Marcus' mother, Aletha Wright, who owns Creative Steps, told CNN on Friday that her son grew up in a white neighborhood and goes to school with mostly white students. In his first 12 years, she said her son hadn't had any problems. "This was a culture shock for him, because Marcus didn't know racism existed," Wright said. The day care center based out of northeast Philadelphia had paid the Valley Club $1,950 in June of 2009 so its camp children could access its pool over the summer. But when young day campers came to the predominantly white club for the first time on June 29, "the children reported hearing racial slurs," the Justice Department said. On July 3, 2009, "the club refunded the day camp's membership fee and prohibited the children from returning to swim" according to the federal agency -- a decision the Valley Club contended then was not due to the campers' race but because "we underestimated the capacity of our facilities." Marcus, who was then 12, told CNN soon after the incident that he'd heard some club members say, "What are these black kids here? They might steal from us." "It's kind of sad that people still thinking like this," the tearful boy said. "I thought those days were over." Three years later, his mother said she feels that interview had an impact "because (viewers) saw a child. They didn't see an African-American child. They saw a child -- before the world -- being discriminated, and he innocently just wanted to take a swim." The recently announced settlement could net each camper between $15,000 and $30,000, depending on their involvement in the incident, according to lawyers. Many of them plan to use the money to help pay for college, the day camp's civil attorney Brian Mildenberg said. But not Marcus, who said he has other plans. "I want to open my own business and do something like Steve Jobs did," the teenager said. Wright, his mother, calls the settlement "bittersweet," though she does feel "justice was served." Another civil lawyer involved in the case, Gabriel Levin, said he believes the young campers involved get more than money from the case. "It's a great life lesson for these kids," Levin said. "They experienced something terrible and justice prevailed." | A boy recalls hearing a mostly white club's members talking about day campers .
His account of that 2009 incident was later fodder for a Justice Department lawsuit .
"Marcus didn't know racism existed" before the episode, his mother says .
The now defunct club recently reached a settlement, including payments to campers . |
0851ccf8aa5e043853d430268e99f9740db34bc9 | There were calls today to shut down the BlackBerry Messenger service which is thought to have played a key role in helping mobilise looters involved in the riots across London. Mike Butcher, a technology journalist and digital adviser to Boris Johnson, said it was 'unbelievable' that the BBM service had not been disabled. Messages on the service, along with posts on Twitter, helped spread the locations of riots like wildfire and brought hordes of teenagers together to attack neighbourhoods throughout the weekend. Hackney: Smash and grab - A man jump kicks a store front window to get in and loot . Hackney: Looters queue to get in to a convenience store to get hold of its goods . Hackney: Hooded thieves take what they can from inside the store . The messenger service on BlackBerry . handsets, an instant, cheap and safe form of communication, helped . galvanise looters across London and nationwide over the weekend. The . BlackBerry itself is now the smartphone favoured by young people in . this country, and is used by a massive 37 per cent of British teens. Unlike social networks like Facebook and Twitter, messages sent through BBM cannot be traced back to the sender's phone. For the majority of teens with BlackBerrys, BBMS has replaced regular SMS messages which still cost around 10p each to send. BlackBerry UK were forced to deny weekend reports that they planned to disable the service. Research . in Motion, the firm behind BlackBerry and BBM, instead said they would . ‘engage with the authorities’ following the riots. Today, Mr Butcher described the BBM . service as 'text messaging with steroids', as Blackberry itself denied . reports it had planned to disable the messenging service. Mr Butcher had tweeted last night: 'It is unbelievable that @UK_BlackBerry is not shutting down BBM right now.' He told the BBC Today programme this . morning: 'Mobile phones have become weaponised in their capability of . spreading information about where to target next. 'There is evidence that BBM is an . encrypted, very secure, safe, fast, cheap, easy way for disaffected . urban youths to spread messages for their next target. 'It's like text messaging with . steroids - you can send messages to hundreds of people and once it's . gone from your phone it cannot be traced back to you.' BlackBerry UK had to deny reports over the weekend that it planned to shut down the messenging service. The firm instead tweeted that it would help the authorities with their investigation. Mr Butcher said police need to communicate with phone firms like BlackBerry to help anticipate future disturbances. He added: 'BlackBerry itself has said these messages are very hard to trace. Obviously there is going to have to be some kind of communication between the police and companies like BlackBerry to try to get the information befre the riots happen'. Mr Butcher has since removed the tweet from his Twitter feed and qualified his comments on the Today programme by adding that 'you could not shut down BBM because information would still be rooted around'. Young looters were accused of an opportunistic ‘Supermarket Sweep’ motivated by nothing other than greed. Dozens were filmed as they disappeared into the night with their arms laden with plasma TVs, laptops and sports clothes. Claims that rampant lawlessness was motivated by the death of Mark Duggan at the hands of police was quickly exposed as a lie. Some of those involved in attacks on stores in Enfield, Tottenham and Oxford Circus were barely old enough to be arrested. Messages on social networking sites and mobile phones spread like wildfire and brought hordes of teenagers, many covering their faces with masks and hoods, to shops and high streets. In some areas they were left to roam freely, forming queues outside smashed stores and pausing to try on footwear. Pictures of the young thieves posing with their loot were soon posted on the internet accompanied by gloating messages. Last night on Rye Lane in Peckham, a mob of 30 black youths wearing bandanas forced open the metal grill of a jewellers before smashing their way into the shop. Croydon: An Argos store was smashed into and looted on Monday night . [caption . Should BlackBerry Messenger be banned after 'inciting' the riots? Should BlackBerry Messenger be banned after 'inciting' the riots? Now share your opinion . Children, who bystanders say could . have been as young as seven, rushed inside to grab what they could. Scotland Yard revealed that an 11-year-old boy is the youngest of more . than 215 people who have been arrested over the rioting. He has since . been charged with burglary. The vast majority of those arrested . for offences including burglary, violent disorder and theft were aged in . their teens or early 20s. Many . of those involved were rallied by calls spread through mobile phone . messages and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. One BlackBerry message urged people to arm themselves with hammers and to bring cars, vans and even trollies to help them cart off stolen goods. It added: ‘What ever ends [area] your from put your ballys [balaclavas] on link up and cause havoc, just rob everything. Police can’t stop it.’ Another message referred to Oxford Circus where a mob of about 50 youths attacked several businesses. A policeman said last night that children involved in the rioting and stealing were inspired by video game Grand Theft Auto. The 18-rated computer game is popular among teenagers, with many having the game given to them by their parents. In riot-hit Tottenham a police officer said: ‘These are bad people who did this. Kids are out of control. When I was young it was all Pacman and board games. Now they’re playing Grand Theft Auto and want to live it for themselves.’ The game, which is made by Edinburgh-based firm Rockstar North, has been criticised for depicting carjackings, drive-by shootings and prostitution. It has also been accused of encouraging juvenile crime in Britain. Players are expected to commit crimes and build up their power in a fictional city by selling drugs and killing rival gangsters. There have been fears that some gamers may try to recreate scenes from the games for real. It called on ‘everyone from all sides of London’ to meet up, smash up shops and get some ‘free stuff’, adding: ‘if you see a fed [police] ... SHOOT!’ Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed condemned the ‘opportunistic looting’ as ‘thieving on a mass scale’. He added: ‘Somebody described it as gangs of kids doing Supermarket Sweep’. This is a reference to the 1990s gameshow in which contestants raced round a store to get as many items in a trolley as they could in a limited time. ‘It was Curry’s where they were after plasma screen TVs and H&M and Foot Locker where it was clothes and trainers,’ said Mr Reed. ‘It was thieving on a mass scale. I’ve heard stories of people actually trying on clothes and using wheelie bins to fill with goods. It wasn’t about social issues, it was an opportunity to go on the rob.’ Police warned that those who used the internet and mobile phones to issue inflammatory rallying calls could face prosecution. Intelligence experts are scouring public messages for evidence of those behind the mayhem. But . they could be impeded by the increased use of encrypted BlackBerry . devices to spread calls to arms among networks of friends. It . has emerged that the ‘shadow social network’ played a key role in . co-ordinated violence in Enfield, Tottenham and Oxford Circus. Police . are trawling through a mass of evidence that some of the worst scenes . were co-ordinated by rioters using mobile phones and the internet. They fear incendiary messages urging thugs to arm themselves with knives and hammers were circulated via BlackBerry devices. Brixton: A pawnbroker is hit by a gang of hooded thieves as a photographer watches on . Brixton: A WHSmith shop on Brixton Road is one of several looted by hundreds of rioters . Dalston: Youths are seen running with boxes near near the area's Kingsland shopping centre . Further updates boasted that police were powerless to stop the carnage as lawlessness spread quickly across London. Looter: Pictures put on Twitter showed some of the rioters using shopping trolleys to carry away stolen items including TVs and mobile phones . Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Kavanagh said those caught using Twitter, BlackBerry messaging and other sites to stir up violence could be prosecuted. Asked whether those responsible for ‘inflammatory postings’ could be arrested, he replied: ‘Absolutely. Whether it be verbal communication, a placard or Twitter. This is the emerging way that we do policing.’ The use of BlackBerry smartphones is a worrying development for police because they are very difficult to monitor. They were once the preserve of business people looking to check their emails on the move but the messenger application, known as BBM, has proved irresistible to teenagers. It offers a text message-style service which is instant, free and private where users can exchange updates with individuals or large groups. The application has also been seized on by criminals, and security conscious businesses, because it is very difficult to intercept. Several countries, including the United Arab Emirates and India, have complained that BlackBerry messages are too secure and may be used by terrorists. In Enfield, 17-year-old witness Alice said she received a message on her phone telling people to come armed with knives and hammers. She said: ‘It was all planned. On BBM . there was a broadcast to everyone, which goes to everyone on someone’s . contact list, telling us to meet up with weapons.’ Mark Duggan, whose fatal shooting sparked some of the violence, sent his last message via BlackBerry messenger. He . told his girlfriend that the ‘Feds are following me’ from the back of a . minicab just minutes before the deadly confrontation in Tottenham last . Thursday. A BlackBerry spokesman suggested that the company may help police trace those responsible for stirring up violence. He said: ‘We feel for those impacted by the riots in London. We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can.’ | Technology adviser to Boris Johnson likens BBM service to 'text-messaging with steroids'.
BBM messages reveal chilling looter plans to arm themselves and cause havoc . |
08525687e3d8823e139b11295b018cbc459bdf1b | (CNN) -- So it comes down to Kentucky and Connecticut. With just seconds left on the clock, Kentucky freshman Aaron Harrison sank a "ridiculous" three-pointer to give the Wildcats a 74-73 win over Wisconsin in the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament Saturday night. Kentucky will face Connecticut in Monday's title game, after the Huskies came back to oust top-seeded Florida 63-53 earlier Saturday. Neither team was expected to make it this far. Kentucky was a No. 8 seed in its region, while Connecticut was No. 7. Kentucky coach John Calipari said Wisconsin could have easily come out on top before the late toss by Harrison, who has hit two other key long baskets in the tournament. "They did everything they were supposed to do to win the game, and then we made a ridiculous shot," he said at a postgame press conference. "We hung on and so did Wisconsin. It was a heck of a game." Another movie-script twist for Kentucky . Calipari praised his freshman-laden team for coming back from a 40-36 halftime deficit to go on a 15-0 run. "When we're down ... they grow hair on their necks," he said. Kentucky will feature the first all-freshman starting lineup in the national championship game since the 1992 Michigan team nicknamed "The Fab Five." After Harrison's three-pointer, Wisconsin's Traevon Jackson got off one last shot as time expired -- but it missed the goal. "I felt pretty good that he got to that spot where he's hit shots before," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said. "It just didn't go." Attendance was a record 79,444 Saturday night at the Final Four at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the championship game will also be played. The turnout tops the previous mark of 78,129, according to the NCAA March Madness Twitter feed. Connecticut rebounds to oust Florida . In Saturday's first game, Florida held a 12-point lead over Connecticut midway through the first half. But the Huskies roared back, taking a slight lead at the half and expanding the bulge early in the second half. UConn slays No. 1 giant . "They showed us some true grit and toughness," Connecticut coach Kevin OIlie said in the postgame press conference. Shabazz Napier said he and his teammates didn't panic when they trailed 16-4 early in the game. "We've been through a lot of dogfights and continue to believe in each other," he said. Florida coach Billy Donovan said, "Once they got their defense set I think we had a hard time handling their pressure." Scottie Wilbekin of Florida, the player of the year in the Southeastern Conference, only scored four points in the contest. "On offense, we couldn't get anything going," he said. National title game preview . | "Ridiculous" last-minute shot lifts Kentucky over Wisconsin .
Connecticut tops favorite Florida for trip to title game .
A record crowd of 79,444 attends Saturday night's game . |
08529a4ae65b3189e6c43f44fe8a49e16f4f34bf | By . Graham Smith . Last updated at 4:04 PM on 1st March 2012 . The Syrian regime today vowed to 'cleanse' a rebel-held district in the besieged central city of Homs after nearly four weeks of shelling. Government troops amassed outside the embattled neighbourhood of Baba Amr, raising fears among activists of an imminent ground invasion that could endanger thousands of residents, as well as two trapped Western journalists, who have been under heavy bombardment. The latest advance comes after helicopter gunships yesterday opened fire on civilians, activists claimed, as the brutal crackdown on Homs rebels continued for a 25th day. In response to the latest developments, Britain has withdrawn its diplomatic staff in the country and closed its embassy in Damascus. Readying themselves: Members of the Free Syrian Army are deployed in Homs today as the Syrian regime vowed to 'cleanse' a rebel-held district in the besieged central city after nearly four weeks of shelling . Lone resistance fighter: Government troops have massed outside the embattled neighbourhood of Baba Amr, raising fears among activists of an imminent ground invasion that could endanger thousands of residents . Foreign Secretary William Hague made the decision last night after it was decided the 'deterioration in the security situation' had put their safety at risk. Mr Hague urged those fighting for President Bashar Assad's regime to lay down their arms. In a written statement to Parliament, . Mr Hague stressed the decision to withdraw embassy staff 'in no way . reduces the UK's commitment to active diplomacy to maintain pressure on . the Assad regime to end the violence'. In Homs, snow blanketed the city, slowing a ground assault that began yesterday and is nearing Baba Amr, but also worsening the misery of residents short of food, fuel, power, water and telephone links, activists said. It today emerged that a Spanish . journalist who had been stuck in Homs has escaped to Lebanon, the second . foreign reporter to do so - following Sunday Times photographer Paul . Conroy - since a government rocket attack last week killed Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik and wounded Edith Bouvier and Conroy. The fate of the foreign journalists . has drawn attention to Homs, which has emerged as a key battleground . between government forces and those seeking to end the regime of the . authoritarian President Bashar Assad. The government's increasingly bloody attempts to put down the 11-month uprising have fuelled mounting international criticism. President Barack Obama summoned Syria's senior envoy in the U.S., Zuheir Jabbour, over the Homs offensive. The . State Department's top diplomat for the Middle-East, Jeffrey Feltman, . expressed his 'outrage over the month-long campaign of brutality and . indiscriminate shelling' in Homs. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told members of Congress on Tuesday that Assad could be considered a war criminal. UN . humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said Syria had not yet agreed to allow . her to into the country. Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the United . Nations, called that refusal 'shameful'. Ms . Rice said: 'Rather than meeting the needs of its people, the barbaric . Syrian government is preparing its final assault on the city of Homs. Uprising: The Syrian government's increasingly bloody attempts to put down the 11-month uprising have fuelled mounting international criticism . Grim: An image taken from a video uploaded to YouTube allegedly shows the bodies of two Syrians, said to have been executed by the regime's forces and covered by the national flag . 'Meanwhile, food shortages are reported to be so severe that people, especially children, will soon start dying of hunger.' The . UN and the Arab League have appointed former secretary general Kofi . Annan as their joint envoy to Syria, but Damascus says it needs more . information on his mission's goals before it will let him in. The . UN estimates that more than 7,500 people have been killed since the . anti-Assad struggle started in March 2011, when protesters inspired by . successful Arab Spring uprisings against dictators in Tunisia and Egypt . took to the streets in Syria. As Assad's forces used deadly force to stop the unrest, protests spread and some Syrians took up arms against the regime. Activists put the total death toll at more than 8,000, most of them civilians. China . urged world powers to provide humanitarian assistance to Syria, as . Beijing tries to bolster diplomacy while continuing to oppose any armed . intervention in the conflict. Rolling on: Syrian troops, captured on footage uploaded to YouTube, move towards Homs yesterday . Battle scarred: A woman holds her daughter on the balcony of her building damaged by Syrian troops in Idlib . Heightening . fears of greater carnage, a Syrian official said the government was . planning a major offensive against the Homs neighbourhood of Baba Amr. He . said: 'Baba Amr will be under control complete control in the coming . hours and we'll cleanse all the armed elements from the area.' Activists . reported heavy shelling throughout Homs, raising concern that the . government was preparing a ground invasion to take back the city. Dead: Marie Colvin was killed in an attack last week . Since . the first week of February, government forces have showered parts of . Homs with daily barrages of mortars, tank shells and rockets. The . violence has caused many to flee the city of one million people, . Syria's third-largest, while those who remain are trapped inside. Hundreds have been killed in recent weeks, activists say, including residents who foraged for food outside their homes. It was virtually impossible to reach anyone inside Baba Amr yesterday. Activists . elsewhere in Homs said their colleagues based in the neighbourhood had . stopped communicating with the outside because of fears the army would . trace their satellite signals to target them. Activist . Mulham al-Jundi, speaking from another part of Homs via Skype, said: . 'Today has been very scary. They are still killing in Baba Amr and the . water and electricity have been cut to most of the city.' He and his colleague ran their computer off a small generator to communicate with the outside, he said. Armed . rebels from a loose-knit group called the Free Syrian Army had been . fighting with pro-government troops on the outskirts of Homs to try to . keep them from entering, but he said their inferior arms were not much . of a deterrent. He said: . 'The Free Army has been trying to defend the area with almost no . ammunition for 15 days. What can a Kalashhikov do against a tank and a . mortar? How can they resist?' Many civilians had fled the city's rebel-held areas, 'but now those who are in are stuck. There's no way out.' Rescued: Sunday Times photographer Paul Conroy was smuggled out of Homs and into Lebanon on Wednesday . | Government troops amass outside embattled Homs district of Baba Amr .
Activists fear imminent ground invasion could kill thousands of civilians .
Snow blankets city, slowing assault that started yesterday .
Britain withdraws diplomats from Syria and shuts embassy in Damascus .
Foreign Secretary William Hague vows to maintain pressure on President Bashar Assad to end the violence . |
0852a80bf44d8256dc8799a0a85080687e3b8249 | Eating 40 per cent less food could extend a person's life by 20 years, according to scientists. Researchers at the Institute of Health Ageing at University College London are developing a treatment they hope will combat the 'disease' of getting older. They are looking into how genetics and lifestyle can be adapted to offset the effects of ageing and add years, possibly decades, to a person's life. Incentive: Eating 40 per cent less food could extend a person's life by 20 years, according to scientists . Age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegeneration can also be combated, it is claimed. One line of inquiry that the team is developing is how the life of a rat can be increased by up to 30 per cent simply by reducing its food intake. Lead researcher Dr Piper told the Independent: 'If you reduce the diet of a rat by 40 per cent it will live for 20 or 30 per cent longer. So we would be talking 20 years of human life. This has shown on all sorts of organisms, even labradors.' The scientists are also studying fruit flies, which share 60 per cent of human genes and age in a similar manner, and mice. They have already prolonged the healthy lifespan in both flies and mice by using drug treatments and a modified diet. It is hoped that this combination will also work to extend human life. Dr Piper said: 'If we discover the genes . involved with ageing, we should be able to delay ageing itself. This is . what we've found.' He added that his team has extended the life of organisms by mutating single genes. The researchers have also lessen the effects of a mutation which can cause Alzheimer's. However, Dr Piper cautioned that the field of research into extending life is only a decade old, so remains 'theoretical'. It is their unique approach to treating all age-related diseases as being caused by the 'disease' of ageing itself that sets their research apart, he said. The research is being displayed at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London. | UCL scientists studying how genetics and lifestyle can be adapted to offset the effects of ageing . |
085397369c4d591c304ea1936165abb27b828ee5 | (CNN) -- Apple is planning to introduce a smart home concept at its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, according to a report. The Financial Times says the company is planning to showcase a system that lets users control their lights, appliances and security systems with their iPhones when the conference kicks off June 2. The rumored introduction comes after Google purchased Nest Labs, a smart thermostat started by former Apple execs Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, for $2.8 billion in January. SEE ALSO: Why Google Just Paid $3 Billion for a Thermostat Company . A "select number" of device makers will be certified to offer products that work with Apple's upcoming system, according to the report, which didn't name any of the manufacturers. Apple could not be reached for comment. The company signaled its interest in the category in a June 2012 patent filling for a technology that connects lighting systems, security systems, garage-door openers, music controllers, climate controllers or kitchen appliances with mobile devices. The Internet of Things, as the class of smart appliances that interact with mobile devices and desktops is known, will account for 9 billion products by 2018, according to Business Insider. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Report: Apple will join the "internet of things" soon .
iPhones would synch with lights, appliances, security .
Financial times says system will be unveiled at WWDC next month . |
0853c6cd69d4fefa2cac95692e07973f2c6d1f21 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf failed to appear Tuesday at a court where he was due to be indicted in connection with the death of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. Musharraf didn't travel to the hearing at an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi because intelligence services warned of credible threats against his life, said his lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri. Read more: Can Musharraf save U.S. from liability for drone attacks? The Pakistani capital, Islamabad, which adjoins Rawalpindi, was put on high alert Sunday after intelligence reports suggested the possibility of a high-profile attack. The court has adjourned Musharraf's case until August 20, Kasuri said. Musharraf is not expected to be charged with murder, but over his alleged failure to provide adequate security for Bhutto, Kasuri said last week. Accusations over assassination . Bhutto, Pakistan's first female prime minister, was assassinated in a gun-suicide attack in December 2007, shortly after she came back to Pakistan from self-imposed exile to take part in the 2008 general elections. Musharraf was president at the time. Read more: The story of Pervez Musharraf . Musharraf's government blamed former Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud for the assassination, saying he had paid a network of Islamist militants to carry out the killing. But Musharraf and his security forces have been accused of failing to protect Bhutto, a political rival. The former military ruler has denied having anything to do with Bhutto's killing and his lawyers say the allegations against him are politically motivated. He plans to plead not guilty to the expected charges. A troubled return . After the general elections in 2008 where his party was trounced, Musharraf stepped down as the governing coalition began taking steps to impeach him. He then went into self-imposed exile. Earlier this year, he returned to Pakistan in an attempt to revive his political career. It didn't work. Instead, he's become entangled in a thicket of court cases related to his time as the country's top leader. He has been under house arrest since April. | Musharraf fails to appear in court to face charges in Benazir Bhutto murder case .
Intelligence services warn of threats to the former president's life, his lawyer says .
The case is adjourned until August 20 .
Musharraf is accused of failing to provide adequate security for Bhutto in 2007 . |
08548feb0c0e2e8900268a96457576563b6d4c4c | By . Jack Doyle, John Stevens and Vanessa Allen . PUBLISHED: . 05:44 EST, 16 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:55 EST, 16 July 2013 . Ian McLoughlin is an 'astonishingly bright' man who has a violent hatred of gay men despite being bisexual himself . A double killer on the run who is suspected of murdering a third is bordering on genius level but harbours a violent hatred of gay men. Bisexual Ian McLoughlin, 55, viciously attacked a paedophile he met in jail and is believed to have stabbed a neighbour who rushed to his aid after a row broke out on Saturday. Grandfather and father of three, Graham Buck, 66, was killed as he tried to help paedophile Francis Cory-Wright, 87, in the village of Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire. Today, it emerged that convicted killer McLoughlin – now the focus of a ‘massive manhunt’ has an IQ of 140 and is described as 'astonishingly bright'. Anyone with a IQ above this is considered a ‘genius’. The killer has already served one sentence for killing one gay man, and was 22 years into a second jail term for murdering another homosexual. McLoughlin, who also uses the surname . Baker, absconded on Saturday while on day release from an open prison . where he is serving a 25-year sentence for murdering homosexual Peter . Halls, 55, in 1990, just months after he finished a jail term for . another homophobic killing. He murdered Mr Halls by stabbing him . through the neck while he lay face down on a bed in 1990, seven years . after he killled Len Delgatty, 49, in Stoke Newington, north London. Mr Delgatty, who . was also gay, was battered with a hammer before being strangled with a . tourniquet and then left upside down to drown in his own blood. McLoughlin, . who is bisexual but is said to hate gay men, fled the scene but later . crashed his car while drunk and was found to have used Mr Delgatty's . credit card. McLoughlin was charged with murder but . convicted of manslaughter after claiming he was incensed by Mr Delgatty . playing him a tape in which he fantasised about having sex with a . teenage boy. The alleged tape was never found. Scroll down for video . Police looking for double killer Ian McLoughlin in connection with a suspected murder in a quiet village have released this image . Wanted: Ian McLoughlin is believed to have met convicted paedophile Francis Cory-Wright, 88, in prison . Family man: Graham Buck, 66, who died in the latest killing, is circled in a family photo . The trial heard that Mr Delgatty had previously served time in prison for under-age sex and another sex offence. McLoughlin's 13-year sentence for the killing was reduced to eight years on appeal, but within 17 months of his release, McLoughlin, a drifter from Barrow-in-Furness who is said to have worked as a rent boy, killed again in September 1990. Again, his victim was gay: Peter Halls, a . publican with whom McLoughlin had been living in Brighton. He forced . him to lie face down on his bed and then stabbed him through the neck . with such force that the knife came out the other side. Forensics officers yesterday worked at Cory-Wright's stone house in the village of Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire . McLoughlin then stole luxury goods worth thousands of pounds from him. The most recent killing took place in a quiet Hertfordshire village where, it is alleged,on his first day of unsupervised . release, McLoughlin is said to have targeted the £1million home of Old . Etonian Francis Cory-Wright, 87,a convicted paedophile he got to know . while the two were in prison together. He is believed to have been . interrupted by a neighbour, named yesterday as grandfather and . father-of-three Graham Buck, who overheard shouting and went to help. McLoughlin is suspected of grabbing a . knife from the kitchen and repeatedly stabbing Mr Buck, 66, a retired . businessman, before fleeing with thousands of pounds in cash. Victim's home: A statement released by Mr Buck's family today said: 'We were all in such a happy place as a family... We cannot get over that we have lost him' At the time of Mr Halls’ death, his sister Pamela . condemned his release from jail in the first place, saying: ‘McLoughlin . should not have been released after he committed this sort of crime the . first time.’ Yesterday, when it emerged that he was . granted day release from an open prison as part of his . ‘rehabilitation’, she branded the justice system ‘a joke’. The 71-year-old mother-of-two from . Brighton said: ‘This monster has struck again and has been allowed to . strike again because he has been freed to walk the streets just as he . was with my poor brother.' ‘I pray he is caught soon. Nothing can . change men like McLoughlin, he is evil and should have been left . rotting in a prison cell where he deserves to be, not free to kill and . kill again.’ Company director Graham Buck, 66, left, died after he went to help neighbour Francis Cory-Wright, 87, right . She said she had spent more than 20 years trying to come to terms with her brother’s killing. She said: ‘I have tried to put Peter’s . killing behind me but you never forget. Now all the terrible emotions I . felt have come back to the surface. ‘McLoughlin has never shown a scrap of remorse for what he did to Peter. I would be happy if they gave him a lethal injection.’ Mr Buck leaves a wife, two sons, a . daughter and two grandchildren, and a wife from a previous marriage. His . wife, Karen, a 55-year-old nurse, said: ‘I’ve lost my rock. I wouldn’t . be able to do half the things I’ve done since being with Graham if it . wasn’t for him. He and his family have always been there for me in . difficult times. I don’t know what I’ll do without him.’ In a statement, his family added: ‘We . have no words to express how much Graham will be missed. We were all in . such a happy place as a family. We were all so settled, with growing . numbers of grandchildren whom he adored being around. ‘We haven’t seen him happier than being around his grandchildren, he was so proud. We cannot get over that we have lost him.’ Police and forensics officers worked on the houses belonging to both Mr Buck and Cory-Wright today . Police guard the home of Cory-Wright in the sleepy Hertfordshire village of Little Gaddesden, near Berkhamsted . McLoughlin was known to the police in Cumbria where he grew up, and ended up in a juvenile care home. He was convicted of a string of crimes including theft and burglary, and was described as a 'drifter'. He was married briefly but, troubled by his sexuality, it did not last, and he soon turned to more serious crime. Yesterday Detective Chief Superintendent Jeff . Hill said McLoughlin went to Cory-Wright's house for a ‘purely financial . motive’ but warned the public that McLoughlin is ‘extremely dangerous’ and should not be approached. Paying tribute to Mr Buck, he said he had . ‘paid the ultimate price for intervening at the home of an elderly . neighbour’. Cory-Wright, who suffered injuries during the attack, was discharged from hospital yesterday. | Bisexual Ian McLoughlin has an IQ of 140 and is described as 'astonishingly bright', but has killed two men previously in violent homophobic attacks .
McLoughlin was 22 years into a 25-year sentence before he walked out of open prison on day release on Saturday and failed to return .
'Extremely dangerous' McLoughlin is on the run from Spring Hill open prison near Aylesbury and could be armed .
He is suspected of killing Graham Buck, 66, who rushed to help his paedophile neighbour Francis Cory-Wright, 87 . |
08558a8eb957d42faaa8e8906d17b1e40fd021f4 | St. Paul, Minnesota (CNN) -- Seventeen-year-old Claire Thomas has found the silver lining in Minnesota's government shutdown: she gets to spend more time with her two mothers on her summer vacation. Toby McAdams and her partner, Wendy Crowell, were both included in the mass layoff that left more than 20,000 state workers jobless. "It's actually a little bit nice to have my mothers home for a teency bit," said the soon-to-be high school senior. "But if it's (going to last) months, I can't imagine. I mean already my mom is wandering around a little lost, because she wants to work. ... Both of my moms' jobs are so important to them." McAdams, 43, has worked for the state for 17 years, currently in the office of emergency preparedness, and Crowell, 50, studies invasive species for the Department of Natural Resources. Both their jobs were deemed "nonessential" by the state, thus they've been laid off. They'll receive benefits but no pay, and there's no guarantee they will keep their jobs when all is said and done. Coming spending cuts could be significant when or if a new state budget is finally agreed upon. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton offered a budget proposal that included a mix of spending cuts and tax increases to offset the state's $5 billion budget gap, but Republicans in control of the legislature have thus far refused to budge on any plan that includes a tax increase. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported this week that 138 legislators are still collecting paychecks during the shutdown, while 62 have declined to accept the checks. iReporter: "I'm not sure I can wait for my job to come back to me." That news certainly doesn't make McAdams' and Crowell's layoffs any easier to swallow. "It's hard. I miss my job, and I miss doing the work that I know is so important for Minnesota," McAdams said. The couple worry that, should this continue very long, they'll have to tap into a college savings fund they set up for Claire and her younger brother, Adam. "I'm counting on our family to have a safety net if something bad happens," Claire said, just minutes after a brief discussion with her parents over lunch regarding the varying costs of her top college choices. The family has also had discussions on how to cut back with everyday trips to the grocery store. Claire, who also works part time at a nearby farm, has an affinity for "fancy" food, which is organic and chemical-free. Doing the family's shopping will be tougher. "I would have to compromise my values a little bit ... I would buy cheaper things, buy cheaper milk," she said. "But I work at a farm (so) I can use the surplus there, and it helps that we have a garden." Aside from the financial effects, McAdams and Crowell worry what a lack of government services -- and thousands of employees -- will do to the state long-term. "Things are going to get worse, and we aren't going to be able to do anything about it. So it's going to be painful to watch," McAdams said. "Minnesota won't be such a nice place to live after a while." "We have legislators. And their job is to work out a budget for us," she added. "I'd like to see them do it." | Government shutdown results in dual layoffs for St. Paul, Minnesota, family .
Democrats, Republicans at odds on how to pay for state budget gap .
Both parents' jobs were deemed "nonessential" by the state .
They fear they'll have to dip into kids' college savings to survive . |
0855d22a73d652b037a9424aef66d60077163ab2 | A branch of the National Guard has launched an investigation after a risqué British swimsuit calender was shot using its facilities and equipment, allegedly without proper authorization. Video footage of the models from Hot Shots, who were putting together their 2015 edition, was released showing them behind tank controls and firing automatic rifles on the Utah National Guard base in Draper. The clip begins with UK model Rosie Jones welcoming viewers to Utah in the 'U.S of A' and introducing them to new additions to the line up. Scroll down for video . Probe: An investigation has been launched by the Utah National Guard after a British swimsuit calendar was shot on their base in Draper, Utah . Attire: Images show the models firing heavy artillery while dressed in their swimsuits. There have been questions raised as to whether the equipment was used without authorization . At the end of the video, the group give special thanks to the Soldiers of the 19th Special Forces Group, suggesting they may have been involved. The calendar, once put on the shelves in November, raises money for Help For Heroes - a British military charity who support wounded veterans and their families. The money raised also goes to the US equivalent ‘Special Operations Wounded Warrior Foundation'. Some of the poses included them throwing explosives, firing machine guns and sitting in tanks. Another included a picture of two of the models taking aim behind a sniper rifle while in the snow. Utah National Guard Lt. Col. Steven Fairbourn told FOX 13 that an internal investigation had been initiated to determine if the guard's 'equipment, facilities and personnel' was used in the calendar shoot. Concerns: Questions were also raised as to whether members of the Utah National Guard themselves were involved, as the group of models thanked them at the end of the video . Terrain: One of the shots was taken next to a boat as the models waded in the river . He said in a statement: 'An investigation was initiated by the Utah National Guard on October 14 to determine potential unauthorized use of military equipment, facilities, and personnel in the Hot Shots 2015 calendar production. 'Productions of this kind are not in keeping with the values of the Utah National Guard nor its members. 'Use of military equipment, facilities, and personnel in civilian for-profit endeavors such as this requires approval of National Guard Bureau Public Affairs through the respective state National Guard Headquarters. Vehicles: A statement from the National Guard said 'civilian for-profit endeavors' required approval from the National Guard Bureau of Public Affairs . 'There was no official approval for this project. The investigation will determine if Utah National Guard equipment, facilities, and personnel were used in the Hot Shots 2015 calendar production and required actions if this is the case.' House Minority Leader Jennifer Seelig, D-Salt Lake City, told the station: 'If this video was shot at a government restricted facility using government specialized military equipment, either leadership knew about this — or their security protocols aren't robust enough to keep a bunch of calendar girls and their crew and assorted groupies out' Mail Online have contacted the company behind the shoot and Help For Heroes for comment. Cause: The calendar raises money for British military charity Help for Heroes - who help provide financial support to wounded troops and their families . | Hot Shots were shooting the 2015 edition at the base in Draper, Utah .
Were pictured firing machine guns and driving tanks in swimwear .
Utah National Guard have launched an internal investigation as a result .
Questions whether equipment and facilities were used without authorization .
Calendar is sold and raises money for UK and US military charities . |
085620f22d5c2a9ca64db1cc4425de26914d8bf2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A fox in a field of newborn lambs would be enough to worry any ewe. But apparently not this one, who was pictured standing calmly beside the intruder as it watched lambs in the Scottish Borders. In one shot a young lamb just a few weeks old is in the foreground in full view of the fox. Best buddies: It looks almost as if the mother sheep is gunning for the fox, but she did nothing of the sort, and let the predator be . Adult mother sheep can be protective of their young and shepherds have told of seeing them lower their heads to butt a fox or usher it away from their new born. But in this instance the adult sheep are totally unconcerned by the proximity of the fox and, to be fair, the fox doesn’t seem much bothered either. The pictures were taken by Mal Young, 69, at a field near the village of Newstead, near Melrose, in the Scottish Borders recently. Mr Young had been walking his Labrador dog along a lane next to the field when he spotted the fox. He said: ‘It was a very strange sight. I saw the fox in the field and the sheep and lambs were not taking a blind bit of notice of it. Just the three of us: The ewe, the fox and the newborn lamb all appeared to be happily 'grazing' on the field . Having a field day: The new friends were pictured near the village of Newstead, near Melrose, in the Scottish Borders . ‘I have lived in the countryside for a long time and never seen anything like it. 'If there is a dog about the sheep normally go mad so I couldn’t understand why they would just be ignoring a natural predator like a fox, particularly as there were very young lambs in the field. ‘I watched the fox for a good five minutes hiding behind a gate so it couldn’t see me and managed to take some pictures. ‘The fox eventually ran off when two ladies came along the lane and I think it either saw them or picked up a scent.’ Mr Young said the fox appeared to be eating grass, like the sheep, although foxes eat a lot of worms as well so it may have been foraging. The fox and sheep appeared to take no notice of each other as they moved across the field . | A fox was pictured among the lambs - and the ewe did nothing .
Mother sheep did not seem bothered about the fanged guest .
Pictured in a field in Melrose, near Scottish Borders . |
08564f0e57d8a6e5de4c5544eb7a8e697704f1de | Ryan Mania undergoes tests on injuries after horror crash at Hexham . The 23-year-old received neck and back injuries after fall . Jockey conscious after being flown to Royal Victoria Infirmary . Injury came 24 hours after winning big race at Aintree on Auroras Enclosure . By . Peter Scudamore . PUBLISHED: . 18:10 EST, 7 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:51 EST, 8 April 2013 . Grand National-winning rider Ryan Mania will today undergo a precautionary MRI scan following his heavy fall at Hexham but then hopes to be able to leave hospital. The irony, of course, is that if he had not won Saturday's big race, these words would never have seen the light of day. On Saturday morning, Ryan was just another ambitious jump jockey recognised by only the keenest of racing fans. The Ryan Mania of 24 hours earlier being airlifted to hospital would hardly have warranted a paragraph in a national newspaper. But after his win on Auroras Encore at Aintree, I watched him walk into the Hexham track flanked by security guards. The fall: Ryan Mania falls off Stagecoach Jasper, into the path of oncoming horses . There were no gasps of horror - . watching live, things happen too quickly to get a proper perspective - . but when Ryan did not get up immediately, eyes remained on him. Then green protective screens were . erected to treat him in privacy. When races end, the crowd normally slip . away to bars, tearooms or the paddock. But not when things happen like . this. For 25 minutes, Ryan was treated on . the track and a significant number of concerned spectators did not go . anywhere, remaining largely silent and concerned. That silence was broken by the noise . of the air ambulance but the absence of an announcement meant people on . the course were searching for information as he was loaded on to the . aircraft on a spinal board. Medical assistance: The Great North Air Ambulance lands at Hexham Racecourse next to the fence where Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania fell on Sunday . The Great North Air Ambulance prepares to take off from Hexham Racecourse next to the fence where Grand National winning jockey Ryan Mania fell today, just 24 hours after he stormed to victory at Aintree on 66-1 outsider Auroras Encore. It seems people watching on television always get more information than those at the track - which is wrong. But clerk of the course James . Armstrong calmed fears, telling me they hoped the situ ation was not as . serious as it looked. Armstrong said: 'His agent and partner are with . him. He has had some scans and they are waiting for the results.' And it was a great relief later to . see that Ryan himself had Tweeted good news, saying: 'Thanks so much for . all the messages. I'm grand. Staying in hospital to get another scan . tomorrow then should be home. #highsandlows' I can remember Mark Pitman, son of . Jenny, being admitted to hospital following a horror fall less than two . hours after winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup on his mother's Garrison . Savannah. Luckily I never had such a dramatic . reversal of fortune in such quick succession. But it just illustrates . the thin line between triumph and disaster that is a jump jockey's . working life. Mount: Ryan Mania riding Stagecoach Jasper (No 8, centre) moments before his fall at Hexham . Before the race: Ryan Mania (left) takes his place in the enclosure at Hexham before his fall . Victory: Ryan Mania, pictured here second from the right, won the Grand National with Auroras Encore . Underdog: He was rated at 66/1 but was regardless a success . Pre-accident picture: Mania with his Grand National winning horse Auroras Encore yesterday morning just hours before his fall . | Ryan Mania undergoes tests on injuries after horror crash at Hexham .
The 23-year-old received neck and back injuries after fall .
Jockey conscious after being flown to Royal Victoria Infirmary .
Injury came 24 hours after winning big race at Aintree on Auroras Enclosure . |
08565c9317364f4a33e89995056f84515bf48a6b | (CNN) -- Hugo Chavez was always a leader with one eye fixed on his own place in history. In his frequent bombastic moments, the late Venezuelan president liked to imagine himself still in power in 2021, the bicentenary of his nation's independence, and as a latter-day Simon Bolivar, the Caracas-born soldier-statesman who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule and remains one of the continent's most revered sons. Some saw in Chavez's overseeing of the reinterment of Bolivar's remains in a grandiose new mausoleum -- perhaps with his own fading health in mind -- an attempt to forge that connection in monumental form. Hugo Chavez, influential leader with mixed record, dies at 58 . Yet, it's only now, with Chavez's premature death Tuesday at age 58, that we can begin to assess the legacy of one of the early 21st century's most politically gifted but divisive figures and his self-styled "Bolivarian Revolution." Having once served time in jail for leading a failed coup, Chavez perhaps made an unlikely convert to democracy. Yet, through a blaze of landslide elections and referenda, he placed his fortunes in the hands of the poor and the marginalized, demanding their votes as a first step towards building a new political order that would work in their interests. Chavez's initial 1998 election victory was hailed by the vote observers of the U.S.-based Carter Center as "a true demonstration of democracy at work" and "a peaceful revolution through the ballot box." In that year, Chavez won 56% of the vote on a 65% turnout. When he earned re-election in 2006, his support had swelled to almost 63% on a near-75% turnout -- the high watermark of his electoral fortunes. Between the two, Chavez defied an attempted coup in 2002 when hundreds of thousands of his supporters poured down from the hillside barrios of Caracas in protest, and a 2004 opposition-orchestrated referendum on his leadership made possible by the constitution introduced by Chavez himself in 1999. Chavez leaves a revolutionary legacy . "A strange dictator, this Hugo Chavez," wrote Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano at the time of that referendum. Galeano is the author of a leading dependency theory interpretation of Latin American history, "The Open Veins of Latin America," that Chavez gave to U.S. President Barack Obama as a present after he won election. "This tyrant invented by the mass media, this fearsome demon, has just given a tremendous vitamin-injection to democracy, which, both in Latin America and elsewhere, has become rickety and enfeebled," Galeano wrote of Chavez. Once in power, Chavez diverted revenues from Venezuela's oil industry into a series of healthcare, education and anti-poverty initiatives known as misiones, opening subsidized supermarkets and clinics -- many staffed by Cuban medics -- in the country's poorest communities. Between 1998 and 2006 the percentage of Venezuelans living below the poverty line fell from 50.4% to 36.3%, according to statistics from the World Bank's Databank. Infant mortality fell from 20.3 per thousand births when Chavez came to power to 12.9 by 2011, according to the same source. Education also became more accessible, with the number of children enrolled in secondary education rising from 48% in 1999 to 72% in 2010, according to UNESCO figures. Visiting Caracas ahead of the 2006 election, I met a friend who had recently graduated from a newly established public university which charged its students just 300 bolivars a term, at the time the equivalent of about 15 cents. Previously, he explained, students in higher education had to pay about 1 million bolivars a month to go to a private university. As we walked, he pointed out a stall selling orange juice for 500 bolivars a glass. "Look at that," said my friend, "education under Chavez is cheaper than orange juice." iReport: Share your thoughts on the death of the Venezuelan president . Yet it will be for his interventions on the world stage that Chavez will be remembered beyond his homeland. Outspoken and often wildly undiplomatic, Chavez thrived on the intransigence and widespread international unpopularity of the George W. Bush-era White House, never more so than when he referred to his then-US counterpart as "the devil" in addressing the U.N. General Assembly in 2006. In Latin America, he provided inspiration for the rise of a generation of leftist leaders, notably Evo Morales in Bolivia and Rafael Correa in Ecuador, and breathed fresh life -- and oil supplies -- into Cuba's anemic revolution. Others in Brazil and Argentina benefited from the renewed sense of regional confidence and solidarity that Chavez brought to the table. He also had a deft appreciation of the mischievous power of gesture politics, sending "humanitarian aid" in the form of discounted fuel to one of the most deprived areas of New York's Bronx in 2005, and signing a gas deal with London in 2007 that funded cut-price bus fares for a quarter of a million of the British capital's poorest residents. In the more nuanced Obama era, Chavez cut a less assured and less influential figure, particularly as his health problems forced him to step back from the limelight. His longstanding willingness to seek common cause with any regime also at odds with the West -- Iran, Syria and Belarus among them -- also came with considerable cost for his credibility, most notably in his enduring loyalty to late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The world reacts . At home, too, Chavez's scorecard remained blotted by the chronic failure to tackle the violent crime that make Caracas one of the world's most dangerous cities, by complaints about press freedom and economic mismanagement, and by the gradual blurring of elements of grassroots participatory democracy with a less savory streak of populist authoritarianism. Ultimately though, any judgment of Chavez's merits and failings will largely come down to political taste, with enough evidence to make for compelling argument on both sides. What is not in question is the formidable force of personality and political skill that enabled him to unite and hold together a broad leftist alliance always bubbling below the surface with ideological idiosyncrasies and internal divisions, and of the deeply personal bond of loyalty that Chavez commanded among the millions who made up his red T-shirted chavista power base. Whether that coalition holds together in the absence of the charismatic individual that forged it, and what replaces it if it fractures, may be the fundamental question that shapes Venezuela's post-Chavez future. Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Simon Hooper. | Hugo Chavez seemed an unlikely convert to democracy .
He will be remembered for presence on world stage .
Chavez inspired leftist leaders in Latin America . |
0858537e7ca11ce124156b17c1b1d23e6529a3c6 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 10:58 EST, 19 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:17 EST, 19 February 2013 . From leather leggings to trophy trousers, trends for our legs come and go. But the one that works the hardest in most girl's wardrobes and looks set to stay for 2013 and beyond is trusty denim. New Look is one of the biggest denim destinations on the high street, selling one pair of jeans every five seconds, and to celebrate the store has commissioned a fashion film inspired by original denim brand Levi's. Scroll down for video . Recreation: New Look have recreated the 1985 Levi's jean commercial with a modern day version starring Rihanna's ex Dudley O'Shaughnessy . Stripping off: Dudley can be seen stripping off into just his boxers in the steamy video . The brand has recreated the classic Levi's 501 laundrette commercial from the 1980s casting model, actor and Rihanna's ex Dudley O'Shaughnessy in the role originally played by a smouldering Nick Kamen. As with the original shrink-to-fit campaign from 1985 the video shows Dudley entering a laundrette and stripping off to just his boxers to . put his jeans in the wash - much to the delight of the females in the . waiting area who he then joins on the bench. Dudley, who starred in Rihanna's steamy We Found Love video and was rumoured to be playing her love interest off screen as well is a champion boxer from Hackney and also . one of the faces of United Colours of Bennetton's latest campaign. Impressed: His female fans in the video seem most impressed by his finely honed body . Original: Levi's original 501 commercial with Nick Kamen aired in 1985 . Remember me? Dudley was hand-picked by Rihanna to star as her love interest in her We Found Love music video . New Look are proud of their vast denim range and this year have already launched the 'Shaper' Jean and the £9.99 jean and are they are soon launching a reversible jean. The store sells enough jeans every Saturday to fill every seat in the huge O2 arena (20,000) and teh number of jeans sold in the last year would stretch from London to the North Pole if laid end to end. The power of denim: Jeans are a fail safe option for the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the Duchess of Cambridge and Rihanna of course included several designs in her new collection for River Island . Sell out: New Look sell one pair of jeans every five seconds and constantly update their designs . A new season means a spring clean for lots of brands and online fashion site ASOS.com are another company to deliver a stylish new selection of denim. This week they launched their new denim range featuring five new cuts, new names and new washes. Denim bandwagon: Asos have gone crazy for denim too and unveiled five new designs including the Ridley, the Elgin, the Brady, the Saxby, and the Lennox . | New Look sell one pair of jeans every five seconds .
Model Nick Kamen shot to fame as the Levi's 501 man in 1985 . |
085970457cde78a591e24ff17783d4a36bb37929 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 10:06 EST, 26 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:42 EST, 26 November 2012 . The suicide note of a Republican activist has been released a month after he killed himself while awaiting trial for the rapes of five women. Gregory Nathan Peterson, 37, who was facing multiple charges of rape, assault and kidnapping, took his own life at his remote Utah log cabin on October 23. The five-page, handwritten suicide note was released by his lawyers this weekend at the request of Peterson and his family. In the note, he protested his innocence and blamed the women who accused him, saying 'this was a case about regret, not rape'. Scroll down for full letter . Final letter: Gregory Nathan Peterson, 37, wrote a five-page, suicide note in the minutes before he killed himself in Utah after being accused of raping five women . Peterson also blamed prosecutors and the media for conspiring against him, saying that suicide was his only option. The letter reads: 'To my family/friends, someday, albeit not now, I believe you’ll see I’m doing the right thing by ending the extraordinary pain to you, and exposing lies & injustices. I love you all very much. I’ll miss you.' He denied that he was responsible for the multiple felonies for which he faced decades in jail. On paper with his letterhead, he wrote: 'I love life. I never kidnapped, raped or burglarized anyone.' He named the women with a supposed vendetta against him. Their names have been blacked out in the long letter before it was released. The wealthy businessman accused one alleged victim of feeling guilty about having sex, while another was manipulating him for her green card. Grim discovery: The body of Gregory Nathan Peterson (above) was found by bail bond agents in an upstairs bedroom at the remote log cabin with a gunshot wound to his head . High-profile: Mia Love (pictured with Peterson) was one of several Utah politicians to visit the log cabin in Heber. The Congressional candidate is not connected with the case in any way . Peterson said that he had been falsely accused by the five women and wanted to 'make my accusers famous', urging that a wrongful death suit be pursued by his loved ones. The family waited until after the businessman's memorial to make the letter public this weekend. They released the note in the hope of salvaging his reputation, attorneys told the Salt Lake Tribune. You have the blood of an innocent man on your hands. Gregory Nathan Peterson's suicide letter . The DA's office in Salt Lake County . said that Peterson's case had been handled like any other and they had . decided to go trial because there was enough evidence and testimony . against him. Peterson was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head last month after bail bond agents were dispatched . to his home in Heber when his ankle monitor stopped responding. He committed suicide at the Utah cabin . where the crimes allegedly took place. Peterson, 37, had been out on . $2million bail . since October 19 and was to stand trial on 23 felony charges and two . misdemeanor counts. The men found Peterson's body in an upstairs . bedroom. Remote: Peterson's cabin in Heber, Utah where he allegedly raped women after taking them on dates . Attack: An interior shot of Peterson's cabin where he allegedly carried out the assaults . Four women from Salt Lake County and . one from Wasatch County testified at a hearing in August that Peterson . sexually assaulted them at his cabin. He is accused of meeting them on Mormon dating websites and at church functions. Two of the women said they had met Peterson on dating website LDSsingles.com. One woman had arranged a date with him - claiming he looked like 'a great catch' in his . profile and had come recommended by a Mormon temple. Peterson, a certified public . accountant and the owner of Peterson Wealth Management, was a . fixture at Utah Republican gatherings. He helped organize the Rocky Mountain Conservatives Convention and Barbecue two years ago at his Heber cabin. Prominent Utah politicians hosted by . Peterson included Senator Orrin Hatch, Governor Gary Herbert, . Representative Jason Chaffetz and congressional candidate Mia Love. While Peterson has been involved in . state politics and events, Utah Republican Chairman Thomas Wright has . said he never held a leadership role or raised or donated money for the . state party. Greg Peterson's letter in full: . | Gregory Nathan Peterson's handwritten, five-page letter released by his lawyers at family's request .
Peterson blamed 'conspiracy' by women, prosecutors and media .
Assaults allegedly carried out after he met women on Mormon dating sites .
The 37-year-old found on October 23 with gunshot wound to the head at remote Utah cabin by bail bond agents . |
0859ca6e3991415f9c6ff1915057cb3a77886b69 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:14 EST, 8 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:15 EST, 8 July 2013 . Staring into the eyes of a nine-foot shark is a sight most swimmers hope they will never see. But far from panicking, this fearless woman begins to dance with it. This is shark conservationist Julie Andersen - who hopes her eye-opening interaction with the feared animals will highlight their plight across the world. Losing herself: Conservationist Julie Andersen 'dances' with a nine-foot oceanic whitetip in the crystal-clear waters off Cat Island, in the Bahamas . Too close for comfort: She gets close enough to touch the enormous shark, which has a reputation for being a man-eater, something diver Julie refutes . Undeterred: The accomplished diver seems completely relaxed in the company of the enormous whitetip shark, which clearly is showing an interest in her . She said: 'It was the first time that I've been in the water with a shark and lost all perspective and just started dancing with this animal. 'None of it was architected, it just came so naturally, it was an incredible moment and something that I will always cherish. 'The shark just kept coming to me and rolling and doing these amazing things. 'It is one of the most magical, incredible experiences. It's something I encourage everyone to do. 'Get in the water, meet a shark, because I promise you, you meet a shark, you're not going to want to kill them and you are going to care that they are going extinct.' Conservation: Ms Anderson regularly dives with sharks and offers course to help educate people about the threat to the species and how to protect them . Interacting: Far from panicking, the conservationist spins and ducks around the shark, which appeared to show some interest in her moves . One off: Although Ms Anderson said she dives with various types of sharks regularly, she said this was the first time she has launched into spontaneous dance . As the founder of the Shark Angels, a campaign group aimed at bringing awareness to the plight of the world's shark population, Julie has devoted her life to saving the animals from extinction. They use education and advocacy programmes - such as grassroots outreach and creative media - to help inspire a global movement to save sharks and the oceans. She has swam with many species that are considered dangerous, including hammerheads, tigers and even great whites. She added: 'People are really surprised when they meet me because here is this little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl that gets in the water regularly with sharks. 'They're even more surprised to find out I have all my fingers, all my toes and I am in one piece.' Most people would think Ms Anderson was mad to come face to face with such an enormous predator, let alone to start dancing with it . King of the sea: The ocean's number one predator stares down the cameraman's lens as it circles . Julie had her latest encounter with an oceanic whitetip off the coast of Cat Island in the Bahamas. Despite its fierce, man-eater reputation, Julie had no qualms about sharing the open ocean with it. She said: 'Oceanic whitetips have it incredibly hard. They are incredibly maligned because people think they are one of the world's most dangerous sharks.' Julie hopes her unusual work will alter some outdated perceptions that sharks are mindless killers. And with 73million sharks being killed every year, she has vowed to continue working tirelessly to halt the slaughter. She added: 'Love them or hate them, we need sharks on this planet because they keep the ocean healthy - and the oceans keep us healthy. Our food, our weather, our air, even the removal of carbon dioxide, is governed by the oceans. 'So if sharks aren't in the oceans, then the oceans are sick - and that means we're sick.' Ms Anderson hopes her work with the sharks and footage of her dancing with the whitetip will help alter people's perceptions of the giant predators . Misunderstood: Ms Anderson claims the sharks are misunderstood and teaching young people and adults through her organisation Shark Angels the truth about sharks . | Photos capture unbelievable moment conservationist Julie Anderson loses herself in the moment and dances with a giant, inquisitive whitetip shark .
Ms Anderson, who runs Shark Angels, in California, hopes to change people's perceptions of the sharks, feared for being man-eaters . |
085a4510210d7f4b4855a02459a6e788bcde4817 | New York (CNN) -- Lower Manhattan's controversial Park51 Islamic center is now in a court battle with utility Consolidated Edison, which says the center owes it $1.7 million in a dispute over back rent. In court papers, Park51 says it owes Con Edison only $881,000 and calls the utility's demand "grossly inflated." The center has filed suit against the company over a default notice it was issued in September, and a New York state judge has stayed any action until after a hearing in November. In a statement to CNN on Sunday, Con Edison said it "remains hopeful" that it can work out an agreement with Park51, which leases part of its property from the utility. Park51's developers did not return a phone call seeking comment. The center, which includes a mosque, drew intense opposition in 2010 from politicians, conservative activists and some families of the victims of the al Qaeda attack on the World Trade Center. The twin towers stood about two blocks from the site before they were destroyed by the suicide hijackings on September 11, 2001, leading critics to dub the project the "Ground Zero Mosque." The interfaith center's leaders said the project will be a 16-story community center with recreational, educational and cultural programming rooted in a spirit of cooperation and coexistence. City officials refused to block its construction, and Park51 held its grand opening in September. According to court documents, Park51 has exercised an option to purchase the Con Edison portion of the site for $10.7 million. The center says it has been paying $2,750 a month -- minuscule by New York standards -- under its initial lease. The rent was to be recalculated based on the market value of the property after it renewed the lease in 2008, but disputes over the appraisal lasted until this August. In September, Con Edison demanded the $1.7 million it said it was owed. "The lease for the property calls for the tenant to pay this money now that an appraisal process has been completed," the utility told CNN. "Under the terms of the lease, Con Edison requested payment of outstanding rent, but to date, tenant has not yet made the required payment." But lawyers for Park51 argue the demand is based on "a fundamental misreading" of its lease and have accused Con Edison of improperly trying to take back the property. "Whether it is bowing to political pressure or seeking to retain the valuable premises for itself, Con Ed appears intent upon proceeding with its wrongful termination (and cancellation of plaintiff's right to purchase the premises) and it has expressly threatened to do so," they wrote. Con Edison said Sunday it has defended Park51's right to buy the land. CNN's Chris Boyette contributed to this report. | The Park51 center is locked in a dispute with Con Edison .
The utility says Park51 owes back rent .
The center says the demand is "grossly inflated"
Park51's plans drew intense opposition in 2010 . |
085a8c176573644406532599ce7e4f81a389ac5d | (CNN) -- The taste of success is sweet for Maria Sharapova -- in more ways than one. The Russian tennis star is focused on completing a coveted career grand slam of titles at the French Open starting next week, but she already has plans for her next off-court project. The 25-year-old is the world's highest-paid female athlete due to her top-end endorsement deals, according to Forbes magazine, and she has another lucrative sideline in the works. Having already designed clothes for Nike and luxury label Cole Haan among her projects, Sharapova is planning to release a line of confectionery called "Sugarpova." "I'm doing everything. The branding and all the shapes of the candy and the gummy-bears," she told CNN's Open Court. "And it is going to launch before the U.S. Open (in September), fingers crossed, so that is my next project." Sharapova is big business, and she takes it seriously. "It's such a different type of work to being a tennis player, working with consumers and understanding what people buy, trend reports, what's in and what's out, whether it's something that is going to last for years," she said. "I look at it as something that is fun for me, that is creative for me, the thought process of seeing something that is on paper or just an idea. You're traveling and you see somebody wear a cross-body bag and you're like, 'Wow I love the handle on that,' and something clicks and you put it on paper and a year later you see it in the stores for people to buy. "I am just fascinated by that, I think it is an amazing process and I've been so fortunate to work with so many great people that teach me so much about different things. I am not a designer, I never went to school for it, but I love being creative and I love learning and understanding what works and what doesn't work." That attention to detail has also helped put Sharapova in a position to join an exclusive club of nine tennis players who have won all four grand slam titles, known as a "career slam," having resurrected her fortunes in recent years after a serious shoulder injury. Despite having once described herself as "a cow on ice" on clay, Sharapova has improved her game on the surface to the point where the world No. 2 is now a top contender to win the French Open and add to her Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian Open crowns. Last year she reached the semifinals at Roland Garros for the second time, and she already has two tournament wins on red dirt under her belt this season after retaining the Italian Open title last weekend. "The French Open is always a big goal of mine because I have always said it is going to be the most challenging grand slam for me to win," she said. "Whether it was when I called myself that cow on ice or whatever it was, but if I go there and play well and physically, I feel healthy and I feel great. There is no reason I can't win it. "I've been in a couple of semifinals, I believe, last year as well. So, it's really about (whether) I put myself in that position and win it. I believe in that definitely." Sharapova has suffered just one defeat on clay all season -- to Serena Williams in the final of the Madrid Open -- and is coming into form at the right time. But despite her fluency on court in the past few weeks she revealed just how taxing the transition from hard courts to the much slower clay surface is every year. "The first few days on clay are brutal, especially with the practices; you're just getting your footwork down and the movement," she said. "It's so frustrating. I never crack rackets but those first few days I crack rackets all the time. I'm like 'Get me extra rackets!' "Over the years I think the key for me is being physically stronger, where I have been able to play a match whether it's three sets or two tough sets and recover for the next day. "In Europe one of the challenges you have is in one week you could be playing five, six matches a week then you have the next tournament coming up then a week off, then you have a grand slam. "The physical aspect of all that and mentally understanding that your body has to be ready for all those matches in a short period of time on clay has always been tough for me. "I have always recovered so much better and I move a lot better on it, so yeah it's nicer, less rackets cracked!" The women often suffer from comparisons to the men, with the exploits of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer cementing this as a golden age of competition in the male arena. But Sharapova insists the women's game is on an upward curve, with players like Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova and Serena Williams battling it out for major honors, and a new generation of talented youngsters snapping at their heels. "The level of the game from the first round that you play at a women's event is so much higher than you would see five, 10 years ago," she explained. "I kind of felt that I'd come to a tournament, take the first few matches and see it as a warmup, in a way. Everyone in the press was saying why is it always 6-1 6-0 6-2? But now you don't see that very often. "You could be facing someone in the first round that is maybe not as consistent but they are experienced, they have beaten top players before and it's difficult. "I think that is why you see so much more attendances from the beginning of the week higher than you saw years ago." Despite perching on the shoulder of history, Sharapova insists such landmarks do not dominate her every thought, though a newfound dedication to her profession was brought into sharp focus due to a serious injury. "I've played tennis since I was four years old and when you're in a match situation -- you could be losing or you're winning -- there are so many emotions that go into that," she said. "Even when I was away from the game for nine months with shoulder surgery and trying to get back, I never, never ever felt that. "There were so many things I did off the court, just great experiences, wonderful people, I got to work on amazing projects but nothing gave me that feeling of being in those positions where I had to pull out of a match when I was losing. "(When I) had to close it out when I didn't expect myself to win, it was such an adrenaline rush that you don't get in many things in life. "Whether it's playing some small tournament in a small city in front of 2,000 people or whether it's the finals of Wimbledon where you have an amazing crowd and all that history behind it, it is really at the end of the day trying to make yourself better." | Maria Sharapova plans to branch out with another business venture this year .
Russian is working on a new line of confectionery to be called "Sugarpova"
On the court, the 25-year-old is determined to win the French Open .
She can complete a career grand slam on clay at Roland Garros . |
085b63014dfa3697c5ec5235fba76f729cf9d9d2 | BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Concerns were growing Wednesday for a polar bear born last month at a German zoo after its twin died and was possibly eaten by its mother. One year ago Vera gave birth to Flocke, pictured here playing in her enclosure in April. The young polar bear died Monday, less than two weeks after it was born, Nuremberg Zoo said. The surviving twin was doing well, the zoo said, but added that it was concerned the mother may not be able to care for it properly. Zookeepers watching a video feed from the bears' enclosure said they had noticed the baby bear looking thinner and weaker. They saw the bears' mother, Vera, nudging the dead bear with her nose and observing it -- and as of Wednesday, they said, the dead bear was nowhere to be seen. "It is very, very sad," said zoo director Dag Encke. "it is unfortunately frequently the case that with twins, one of the animals doesn't survive." Zookeepers had kept their distance from Vera and her babies, watching them only on camera so as not to make the mother feel threatened. Polar bears are known to eat their young if they sense any danger or interference. "We have to worry more about the surviving young animal and take care that the polar bear with her baby is not disturbed," Encke said. "So far, Vera is caring for the surviving baby in an exemplary way." One year ago Vera gave birth to Flocke, who became an instant celebrity across Germany. Flocke's first birthday is Thursday. | German zookeepers concerned for baby polar bear after its twin died .
Young polar bear died Monday, less than two weeks after it was born .
Baby nowhere to be found in enclosure; mothers often eat young if sense danger . |
085b87cc631f83d89f33074e2ad71177297609dd | A young woman has eaten her way through more than 13,000 jacket potatoes - because she has a phobia of almost all foods. Claire Jones, 23, has panic attacks and is physically sick at the thought of eating proper meals. The barmaid has a bizarre disorder which meant she eats practically nothing but potatoes, cheddar cheese and coleslaw - and only a particular brand. Fussy eater: Claire Jones lives on a diet of jacket potatoes because she has a phobia of almost all foods . Picky: The bizarre disorder means she has eaten more than 13,000 jacket potatoes - topped with particular brands of cheddar cheese and coleslaw . Claire will only eat Maris Piper potatoes, mild cheddar cheese and Tesco Finest coleslaw. Very occasionally she will try some bread, sausage or a burger, but even this slight change in her diet makes her feel sick - as does the smell of cooking. Selective eating such as Claire's is a recognised condition and can have negative health implications - in her case, persistent infections and anaemia. She said: 'I'm fed up of eating jacket potatoes but I don't know how to stop. I keep getting ill. My immune system is really bad. 'I've had a sinus infection for the past six months. I'm constantly tired.' She added: 'Trying new foods has made me physically sick, so I just don't do it now. 'It's so bad, it's taken over my life. I'm scared to go to the supermarket or eat out with friends. 'I went to a work party and when they brought out the buffet, I started shaking. I couldn't get out quick enough. 'A friend at uni tried to get me try . new foods. I put something on my fork and almost got it to my mouth but . then I panicked. I threw the fork down and had a panic attack. 'I've always been fussy but it was only recently I realised it was an actual disorder.' Claire blames her diet on being a picky eater, which started when she was just a baby. She began refusing food aged two. She said: I think it was built in me from birth. 'Mum said I would go for days without eating. Habit: Claire has been a picky eater since she was a baby. Even as a child (right), she refused to eat her birthday cakes . Deviation: Very occasionally she will try some bread, sausage or a burger, but even a slight change in her diet makes her feel sick . 'I broke my leg really badly when I was five and ended up in hospital. I refused to eat anything so Mum had to buy me a jacket potato from the canteen for lunch and then bring one from home for dinner. 'I've never eaten any of my birthday cakes but Mum still buys me one every year. She spent £50 on a giant cupcake for my 21st and I didn't eat a bite.' Claire lives with her mother Debbie, 50, in Wellingborough, Northants and will only eat food prepared by her. She's had to miss out on family meals and it's affecting her social life. Claire said: 'So many things revolve around food - like going out for dinner and going to the cinema. 'I've . gone out before and they've not had what I can eat on the menu so I've . sat there and not eaten anything. I'll just go hungry. 'Luckily, my boyfriend Luke is really understanding.' Friends and family have tried to persuade her to vary her diet. She said: 'Mum gets really worried about me. She says I need to see someone. She says it's not right.' She . said: 'I also hate watching people eat. The worst thing I have to do at . work is a table check, because you have to interrupt people while . they're eating. Unhealthy: Claire suffers from persistent infections and anaemia as a result of her limited diet . Help: Claire, who couldn't even manage a bit of her 21st birthday cake (pictured) has now joined a Selective Eating Disorder support group . 'They didn't say anything about waitressing at the job interview. I just thought it was bar work. I don't think I would've taken the job if I'd known.' Her mother Debbie, who also has a son, Glenn, 27, said: 'I always cooked meals from scratch. Glenn was very good and loved his food but Claire was always very difficult with eating. 'When she was younger and we went camping, I'd have to bring food from home. I'd try to buy food from the supermarket where we were staying but she refused to believe it was the same. 'I always make sure I have jacket potatoes in the cupboard or she'd probably not eat much at all.'I do worry because she's not getting the right vitamins.' Claire has joined a Selective Eating Disorder support group and wants to finds a medical specialist or psychologist to help her beat the condition. She said: "Going on the group I realised there are other people like me. It's made me feel less alone.'It's not that I want to eat jacket potatoes. It's just the only thing I can eat.' For more information on eating disorders, visit: http://www.b-eat.co.uk/ . | Claire Jones, 23, only eats jacket potatoes with cheese and coleslaw .
Has panic attacks and is physically sick at thought of eating proper meals .
Will also only eat food prepared by her mother Debbie, 50 .
Her limited diet means she suffers from persistent infections and anaemia . |
085bef8cffe49937181d80e92e0efce39ec814b5 | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 19:52 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:23 EST, 21 October 2013 . British families will be forced to spend less on holiday this half-term as the sterling slumps against the euro, a survey has revealed. Tourists in Tenerife and Ayia Napa, Cyprus, will have to keep a closer eye on their cash than holidaymakers in Spain's Costa del Sol. Of six popular destinations surveyed by Post Office Travel Money, Spain’s Costa del Sol offers the best value for money. Budgets: Families going away this half term may have to watch what they spend depending on where they are . Combining the cost of a half-term family holiday package for two adults and two children with meals and drinks for one week, a Costa del Sol break costs £1,108. The Portuguese Algarve (£1,137) was close behind, followed by Majorca (£1,210). But budgets will be imperative for families flying to Marmaris in Turkey (£1,395), Ayia Napa in Cyprus (£1,619) and Tenerife (£2,186), where the recent change has shown a greater effect overall. The Costa del Sol was cheapest overall with the lowest package prices and resort costs, but prices for meals and drinks were also low in the Algarve and Tenerife. Eating out costs more in Marmaris, but lower package holiday prices make the top Turkish resort less expensive than Ayia Napa or Tenerife. Cost effective: Nerja in Costa del Sol, Spain, is a destination where families will get more for their cash this year . But the sterling's slump against the euro hit Tenerife harder and families travelling there will have to budget . Families planning a half-term trip to Marmaris will also find their pounds stretch further as sterling currently buys 7.6% more Turkish lira than a year ago - the equivalent of more than £35 on a £500 exchange. Elsewhere in Europe, while meals and drinks cost only 4% more in Tenerife than in the Algarve, higher half-term package prices push Tenerife into sixth place - 35% more expensive than Ayia Napa and almost twice as much as the Costa del Sol. Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: 'Our new research proves just how important it is for families to check all costs when it comes to choosing a last-minute half-term destination. 'The combination of low resort costs and cheap packages make the Costa del Sol best value overall, but with holiday prices changing all the time, the Algarve and Majorca are still worthy contenders this half term.' | Poll revealed families will have to tighten budget over half-term holiday .
Costa del Sol, Spain, is most cost-effective but Tenerife is the least out of six . |
085c7b0b7c945c0a49a218da053d6d1626077851 | Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- U.S. drone strikes in Yemen on Friday killed six militants, including two senior leaders of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, four local security sources said. Qaed al-Thahab, the top AQAP leader in the country's Baitha province and described as a "high-profile target," was among those killed, the sources said. They said eight missiles were launched by two unmanned drone planes targeting vehicles. The strikes are believed to have been undertaken by the United States, which has been conducting drone strikes in the fight against terrorism. There was no immediate comment about the attack from the United States. Offensives by the nation's army and drone attacks by the United States have reduced the terror organization's effectiveness in recent years. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is the al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen. The Long War Journal, a website that tracks, reports and analyzes the U.S. fight against terrorists, said the drone strike was the first in Yemen since August 10, when the United States targeted AQAP operatives traveling in Lahj province. Drone strikes against militants in Yemen intensified a few weeks ago as the U.S. Embassy there and in other Middle Eastern and African countries closed amid terrorism fears. After the Lahj strike, a Yemeni Defense Ministry official said that 34 people had been killed in 12 drone strikes since July 28. | Two of the six militants were senior leaders for Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula .
Eight missiles were launched by two unmanned drone planes .
There had been a flurry of drone strikes a few weeks ago . |
085d410d1a0c8b5c75b960a70d10cda4adcd6b00 | (CNN)ISIS has released a new video in which a captive British journalist acts as though he is reporting on Aleppo in Syria. John Cantlie, who has appeared in previous ISIS videos, calls this one the "last in this series." In the video, he shows parts of Aleppo, saying the destruction is caused not only by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but also U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. The coalition has been targeting ISIS. Cantlie also shows a religious school and a court, where he explains that Islamic Sharia law "is 1,400 years old. And it is the rule of God, the rule of Allah. And therefore it cannot be changed." He cites, for example, that the punishment for robbery is having one's hand cut off. Cantlie was kidnapped in November 2012 along with American journalist James Foley. A video published by ISIS in August showed Foley being beheaded. ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State, has taken over swaths of land in Syria and Iraq and carried out barbaric killings. | Captive journalist John Cantlie calls video the "last in this series"
Cantlie has appeared in previous ISIS videos . |
085d7e0417e462ec225f7b082d6ba93806bcbd42 | 'B******s': Hamish Ogston, founder of CPP, has criticised the FCA's £1.3billion compensation plan . A businessman who amassed a £100million fortune through a mis-selling racket showed contempt for his seven million victims yesterday. Hamish Ogston – who owns a multi-million-pound home next to Harrods and has been honoured by the Palace for ‘services to business’ – is at the centre of a scandal expected to lead to a flood of compensation claims. With the help of Britain’s disgraced banking giants, his company misled customers into buying worthless insurance for their credit, debit or store cards. But last night, Mr Ogston, who was awarded a CBE by Princess Anne in 2011, was unrepentant. Asked about the estimated £1.3billion compensation payout, he described it as ‘b*******’ and a ‘ridiculous figure’ – and accused the Financial Conduct Authority of ‘sensationalism’. The regulator said unwitting customers paid up to £84 a year for credit card insurance – even though they would never need it because they were receiving free cover from their bank. It condemned Mr Ogston’s company CPP – which he started with just £1,000 capital in 1980 – for its central role in the huge mis-selling scandal which will lead to compensation payouts of £1.3billion. And with breathtaking insensitivity for his victims’ plight, Mr Ogston remarked that the furore had made him look ‘a bit of a chump’. Following the near collapse of CPP, the banks – including the publicly owned Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland, now part of Lloyds Banking Group – have been left to pick up the vast majority of the compensation bill. Fraud: 13 banks have agreed to pay out billions to customers who were wrongly sold credit card insurance . Hamish Ogston receives his CBE from Princess Anne in 2011 . The embattled business founded by Mr . Ogston, a former member of the Norwegian Merchant Navy, will contribute a . paltry sum of £29million to the pot. But Mr Ogston – who enjoys a . luxurious lifestyle and owns several multi-million pound properties – . will face no action over the scandal from which he has amassed his . £100million fortune. Experts last night condemned the ‘scandalous’ behaviour of the banks, who heartlessly ‘introduced’ their customers to . CPP – and got paid vast sums in commission from CPP for the referrals. Gillian . Guy, chief executive at Citizens Advice, said: ‘Yet again banks have . shown a complete disregard for their customers by selling them products . they did not need. 'It is a scandalous business model to make money by . misleading customers.’ The scandal involves 13 financial giants, . including Britain’s big banks, such as Barclays, HSBC, RBS, Santander . and Lloyds, as well as the country’s biggest building society Nationwide . and credit card firms such as Capital One and MBNA. The net spreads . even wider to include M&S, one of the high-street’s best-loved . chains. Its bank is wholly owned by HSBC. About 23million useless . policies were sold, or renewed, between January 2005 and March 2011, . described by the City regulator as ‘widespread mis-selling’. Typically, . a bank customer would get a new credit card, and a sticker on the card . would tell them to call CPP to activate the card, or to report that it . had arrived safely. Honour: Mr Ogston is pictured being invested with the CBE by Princess Anne in 2011 . Hamish Ogston founded Card Protection Plan in London in 1980 in order to provide insurance to credit card users who were concerned about the risk of fraud. He developed his entrepreneurial streak when he joined the Norwegian Merchant Navy aged 17 and sailed around the world, working on building sites and uranium mines in Canada. After attending Manchester University, where he made a name for himself by dealing in cocoa futures, he decided to start his own business rather than look for a job so he could avoid sky-high income tax rates levied by the Labour government. Although CPP took nearly a decade to turn a profit, it became enormously successful after he teamed up with more than a dozen banks to offer its services to all their cardholders - many of whom did not know what they were signing up for. In an interview in 2000, Mr Ogston described the firm as ‘my best investment’ - and 10 years later, CPP, now based in York, netted him £120million when it floated on the stock market. In 2011, he was awarded the CBE for services to business, receiving the honour from the Princess Royal in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. He retained a 57 per cent stake in CPP, but the firm’s fortunes turned sour last year when the FSA imposed a fine for the widespread mis-selling of card protection. Mr Ogston, a father of three in his mid 60s, launched a bid to buy the company, but after he offered just £1.7million the offer was turned down, and he resigned from the board. When they phoned CPP, aggressive salesmen would . coerce the customers into buying the useless insurance policies in . tactics described by the regulator as ‘overly persistent’. Salesmen . were given targets ‘for successfully dissuading customers who contacted . CPP to cancel their policies’, the regulator said. One former . salesman, who did not want to be named, said he left after just one week . in the job after being disgusted by the sales tactics. Speaking to the . Mail, he said: ‘It was the most awful, pressurised environment I’ve ever . worked in. Absolutely horrid place. I’m not even slightly surprised . their products are utterly useless.’ While customers were told they . would benefit from up to £100,000 of insurance cover if their card was . defrauded, they were not told they were covered by their bank for free. On average, customers paid £35 a year for a card protection policy. In reality, the FCA said the insurance actually cost 60p. As . a result, CPP scooped £34.40 from the sale – and paid up to 60 per cent . of the money to the bank as a thank-you for the referral of the . customer. An identity protection policy typically cost £84 a year, but . the insurance actually cost only £16. Again, CPP got £68 and gave as . much as 50 per cent to the bank. Simon Chouffot, from the Robin Hood . Tax campaign, which wants new financial sector taxes to help tackle . poverty, said: ‘The never-ending stream of dodgy dealings by banks puts . your average scam artist to shame. It shows they will try any trick to . fleece the public.’ All victims will be paid compensation, equal to . an average of £185 each if the bill reaches £1.3billion and is shared . equally between the seven million victims. Despite his pivotal role in . the scandal, Mr Ogston is one of Britain’s richest men, after pocketing . £120million from selling a large chunk of shares when CPP floated on the . stock market in 2010. Widespread: As many as 14 banks are said to have been involved in the insurance scam . Controversy: The scandal centres around banks' links with the finance company CPP . He still controls 57 per cent of the business, . although the share price has imploded. Mr Ogston continues to enjoy the . trappings of wealth, with several properties, including a £4.5 million . mansion in Oxfordshire and an imposing townhouse in London’s . Knightsbridge. Justin Modray, founder of consumer finance website . CandidMoney.com, said it is ‘thoroughly depressing’ to see another case . of banks ripping off their customers. He added: ‘By asking loyal . customers to pay for policies that were essentially worthless, it is no . wonder levels of trust in the high-street banks is at absolute rock . bottom.’ For information on how to claim, please click here . Donna Ettridge said she is angry at the way she has been treated by M&S after paying for its Card Safe policy . Donna Ettridge took out a ‘Card Safe’ policy on her M&S credit card in 2001 – but discovered only yesterday that it has been a waste of money. Mrs Ettridge, 54, said she was angry about how she had been treated by the high-street giant. She is a regular shopper at M&S, has had an M&S credit card since 1986 and did not expect to be duped into buying insurance which was worthless. But she was telephoned by a salesman in 2001 and coerced into taking out the policy, even though M&S Bank automatically offers the fraud protection for free. The policy has cost Mrs Ettridge, from Hornchurch, Essex, a large sum of money, although she is not sure of the full amount. In April, she was charged another £53 for a further three years of ‘Card Safe’. Mrs Ettridge, a widow, said: ‘It makes me feel quite angry that I’ve paid out for something that I did not need every three years for the last 12 years.’ | Hamish Ogston, founder of CPP, blasts settlement as overly generous .
Accused the Financial Conduct Authority of 'sensationalism'
13 banks involved in the scam which saw insurance policies aggressively sold to customers at up to £82 a year .
Polices were meaningless as cards were already protected from fraud . |
085d971c8b0a44a947915710dd5d7e5a47e9f964 | By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 09:43 EST, 7 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:35 EST, 7 December 2012 . Pictures and calendars featuring half-naked women will be stripped from U.S. Air Force work spaces and public areas under a widespread inspection to stamp out sexual assault in the armed forces. Commanders and supervisors in all active, reserve and Air National Guard units have 10 days to complete the sweep for pin-up images or materials reminiscent of the all-male military from 20 or 30 years ago. Air Force chief General Mark Welsh said having a culture where such objectification of women is tolerated may be contributing to reports of sexual assault increasing to more than 700 this year in the Air Force alone. Old-fashioned: Commanders in all active, reserve and Air National Guard units have 10 days to complete the sweep for pin-up images or materials reminiscent of the all-male military from 20 or 30 years ago (stock photo) 'You know, briefing slides that show a half-dressed woman for some reason,' Welsh told The Air Force Times. 'Inappropriate calendars on a wall, jokes being told at the beginning of a squadron meeting that are just off-color, and nobody appreciates them. 'It's the environmental stuff that has somebody going, "Well I really didn't need to listen to that today." "I don't need to walk into the door to see that on the side of the guy's cubicle."' Welsh said he has received multiple complaints about images, jokes and comments that made women and some men uncomfortable. The complaints suggest that many women in the Air Force feel they have to 'go along to get along' with offensive images and comments if they want to steer clear of trouble, Welsh told the newspaper. 'After talking to a number of our female officers... I believe that there is a potential that this is a problem in more than those isolated areas,' Welsh said. Complaints: Air Force chief Mark Welsh said he had received multiple complaints about images and jokes that had made women and some men feel uncomfortable . Culture: Having a culture in the Air Force where objectification of women is tolerated may be contributing to an increase in sexual assaults . 'Quite frankly, if we have 20 percent of our people who don't feel that they are fully respected and valued for all the incredible talents and the dedication they bring to the job, then that's just not the Air Force we want to be.' In the past, the Air Force regularly named its aircraft after women and the name was usually hand-painted on the side of the plane next to a scantily clad beauty. But this practice was stamped out more than 20 years ago, a spokesman told MailOnline, and none of the current fleet of aircraft features such images. General Welsh, however, is concerned that offensive images are continuing to objectify women in work spaces across the Air Force. He has focused on the need to stop sexual assaults and harassment in the workplace since coming to office in August. 'In my view, all this stuff is connected,' he said. 'If we're going to get serious about things like sexual assault, we have to get serious about an environment that could lead to sexual harassment. In some ways this stuff can all be linked. 'I'm not saying every case is linked, but it could be linked, and why would we want to tolerate there even being a chance of that?' Focus: Air Force General Mark Welsh, pictured, has focused on the need to stop sexual assaults and harassment in the workplace since coming to office in August . No more: Images such as these famous calendar pin-up of Marilyn Monroe on wall at Officer's club bar, in Thule Air Force base, will now be outlawed . In a letter to airmen last month, Air Force secretary Michael Donley said the force was bracing itself for 700 reports of sexual assault for 2012 - 100 more than last year. One shocking sexual assault scandal this year took place at basic training and involved almost two dozen military training instructors, of which 11 men have already been charged. 'Quite honestly, I'm not sure what we'll find,' Welsh told the Air Force Times. 'There might not be that many places where it's a problem; there might be a number of places where it's a problem. I don't know. That's part of my concern. That's why we’re not going to waste time trying to figure it out one place at a time.' He said they did not intend to conduct a 'witch hunt' and officers' personal computers and email accounts would not be searched. 'Nobody's going to be going through somebody's pockets in their coat in a locker or through their personal drawers,' he said. But Welsh added anything found in public areas would be construed as a violation of the law and dealt with accordingly. | All active, reserve and Air National Guard units have 10 days to complete the sweep for offensive images .
Air Force believes pin-ups are contributing to a rise in sexual assaults .
Over 700 cases of sexual assault were reported in 2012, 100 more than 2011 . |
085dc5d706487da983655043b144952956cb3c5b | (CNN) -- A month of conflict has displaced about 413,000 people in South Sudan, the United Nations said Wednesday, after a major surge in the number of people fleeing violence in the past week. Representatives of the government and rebels have been holding talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but fighting continues to wrack the world's newest country. Hundreds of people have been wounded and thousands displaced by heavy fighting over the past few days, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said Wednesday. The group, also known as Doctors Without Borders, said its teams had treated 116 people suffering from gunshot wounds in the towns of Malakal and Nasir in Upper Nile state amid clashes there and elsewhere. The violence has also forced about 78,000 to flee to neighboring countries, the United Nations said, on top of the hundreds of thousands displaced within South Sudan's borders. Many are women and children. More than 42,000 people are now in Uganda's West Nile region, according to the United Nations' refugee agency, the UNHCR, while about 18,600 have sought refuge in Ethiopia. Nearly 6,800 people from Jonglei have fled to Kenya, many of them children. And an estimated 10,000 have fled into Sudan's volatile West Kordofan and South Kordofan states. The U.N. refugee agency warned Tuesday that with fighting still reported in parts of South Sudan, particularly Jonglei and Upper Nile states, it expects more displacement both within and beyond its borders. The exodus has been fueled by the fighting and people's fears, combined with worsening living conditions and a lack of food in some places, UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland. Many South Sudanese men are taking their families to the Ugandan border and leaving them there before returning to their country, he said. "From the refugees we have spoken to, we are hearing eyewitness accounts of killings, houses being burnt and shooting," Edwards said. Within South Sudan, about 65,000 people have sought sanctuary at U.N. bases. The country erupted into violence on December 15, when rebels loyal to ousted Vice President Riek Machar tried to stage a coup. Since then, militia members loyal to Machar have battled government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir. Malta foreign minister: Country 'cannot offer' migrants opportunities . Fleeing families drown . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned anti- and pro-government forces for stealing food and vehicles used by the humanitarian community. In a statement issued on Tuesday, his spokesperson said Ban was "alarmed by the rising number of fatalities resulting from the continuing fighting in South Sudan" and reiterated those responsible for attacks against civilians, humanitarian workers and UN personnel will be held to account. The U.N. Mission in South Sudan reported heavy fighting Tuesday between pro- and anti-government forces in Malakal, in Upper Nile state in the northeast of the country. Stray shots injured dozens of displaced people who'd sought refuge at a nearby U.N. base, the mission said. MSF said the medical needs of the displaced are placing existing health facilities under increasing pressure, with some clinics and hospitals already overwhelmed. The group added it was reinforcing emergency teams to deal with the rising health and humanitarian needs. "While we continue to treat more wounded patients in our hospitals every day, we are also concerned about the living conditions of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people across the country, most of whom fled their homes with nothing and have little food, water, or access to health care," Raphael Gorgeu, MSF head of mission in South Sudan, said in a statement. "The fighting in Malakal over the past few days has limited our ability to reach displaced people where they are gathering, preventing people from receiving the medical and humanitarian assistance they desperately need." Between 200 and 300 women and children who were fleeing fighting drowned when an overloaded ferry overturned on a river near Malakal over the weekend, an army spokesman said. On Tuesday, Ghana said it was preparing to send 850 troops to join a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization appealed this week for $61 million to help it provide food assistance to those in need. Even before the violence broke out last month, about 4.4 million people were expected to face food insecurity this year, an agency news release said. Now, many more are at risk of hunger. South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 after decades of war. CNN's Antonia Mortensen, Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Nana Karikari-apau contributed to this report. | NEW: Hundreds wounded in heavy fighting over past few days, MSF says .
NEW: U.N. chief condemns govt, rebel forces for stealing humanitarian aid .
About 413,000 people have been forced from their homes in South Sudan .
Fighting erupted in mid-December and continues despite peace talks in Ethiopia . |
085e53c719a2a90e89ba254017d60ce48e2eb3e2 | By . Lucy Crossley . Australian investigators have discovered evidence of a mysterious power cut during the early part of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight. The findings by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau raises questions over whether the plane's cockpit equipment had been tampered with, possibly in an attempt to avoid being picked up by radar. In the report, crash investigators reveal that the missing Boeing 777's satellite data unit had unexpectedly tried to log on to a satellite, around an hour and a half after the flight left from Kuala Lumpur on March 8. Scroll down for video . Investigation: A US naval vessel searches for missing flight MH370. Australian investigators have discovered evidence of a mysterious power cut during the early part of the plane's journey . This request, known as a 'handshake', was likely to have been caused by a power failure on board, the 55-page report says. 'A log-on request in the middle of a flight is not common and can occur for only a few reasons,' the report states. 'These include a power interruption to the aircraft satellite data unit (SDU), a software failure, loss of critical systems providing input to the SDU or a loss of the link due to aircraft attitude. 'An analysis was performed which determined that the characteristics and timing of the logon requests were best matched as resulting from power interruption to the SDU.' Hunt: The new phase of the search could take more than a year and involves mapping 23,000 square miles of ocean, while the previous search area was only 330 square miles . Aviation safety expert David Gleave from . Loughborough University says the power interruption could have been . caused by someone in the cockpit trying to turn off the plane's . communications systems to avoid being picked up by radar. 'It could be a deliberate act to switch off both engines for some time,' he told the Telegraph. 'By messing about within the cockpit you could switch off the power temporarily and switch it on again when you need the other systems to fly the aeroplane.' He added: 'There are credible mechanical failures that could cause it. But you would not then fly along for hundreds of miles and disappear in the Indian Ocean.' British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat has confirmed there was a power outage on the plane, but has been unable to say why this happened. Investigation: Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss shows the new search area in the Indian Ocean for the missing aircraft last week . According to crash investigators who . compiled the report, the plane had tried a further six times to log-on . to satellites, including once at 2.25am, just three minutes after it was . picked up by Malaysian radar as it flew north of the island of Sumatra, . having diverted from its planned course to Beijing. The final attempt at a handshake is believed to have been caused by the plane crashing into the Indian Ocean. Details of the report, released last Thursday, also suggest that the passengers and crew are most likely to have died from suffocation as the plane coasted into the ocean on autopilot. Investigators arrived at the conclusion after comparing conditions on the flight with previous disasters. Last week it was announced the Australian-led search will now focus on a 60,000 square kilometre area further south in the Indian Ocean, as the report had narrowed down the possible final resting place from thousands of possible routes, while noting the absence of communications, the steady flight path and a number of other key abnormalities in the course of the ill-fated flight. Mystery: Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 with 239 passengers and crew aboard. Pictured is another Malaysia Airlines plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, five days after MH370 disappeared . 'Given these observations, the final . stages of the unresponsive crew/hypoxia event type appeared to best fit . the available evidence for the final period of MH370's flight when it . was heading in a generally southerly direction,' the ATSB report said. Officials said this suggested the plane was most likely to have crashed further south than previously thought. They . said they are confident the Boeing 777, carrying 239 people, was set to . autopilot several hours before its demise into desolate and unmapped . waters. Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said: 'It is highly, highly likely that the aircraft was on autopilot otherwise it could not have followed the orderly path that has been identified through the satellite sightings.' Suspect: Malaysian police have named pilot Zaharie Shah, 53, as the prime suspect behind the plane's disappearance . Investigators . say what little evidence they have to work with suggests the plane was . deliberately diverted thousands of kilometres from its scheduled route . before eventually plunging into the Indian Ocean. The . search was narrowed in April after a series of acoustic pings thought . to be from the plane's black box recorders were heard along a final arc . where analysis of satellite data put its last location. But a month later, officials conceded the wreckage was not in that concentrated area, some 1,000 miles off the northwest coast of Australia, and the search area would have to be expanded. The next phase of the search is expected to start in August and take a year, covering some 60,000 sq km at a cost of A$60 million ($56 million) or more. The search is already the most expensive in aviation history. The new priority search area is around 2,000km west of Perth, a stretch of isolated ocean frequently lashed by storm force winds and massive swells. Two vessels, one Chinese and one from Dutch engineering company Fugro, are currently mapping the sea floor along the arc, where depths exceed 5,000 metres in parts. A tender to find a commercial operator to conduct the sea floor search closes today. Malaysian police have named pilot Zaharie Shah, 53, as the prime suspect behind the plane's disappearance after officers discovered files on his home flight simulator showing he practiced landing on small airfields, including several in the Indian Ocean. The files had been deleted from the computer before officials seized it, but have since been recovered by detectives. The criminal inquiry completed intelligence checks on all of the people on board the flight to Beijing via Kuala Lumpur, but the only individual arousing suspicion was Captain Zaharie. | Missing plane's satellite data unit tried to log-on to a satellite, report reveals .
Australian Transport Safety Bureau says this could be due to power outage .
Log-on attempt occurred half an hour after plane left Kuala Lumpur .
Expert suggests power interruption could have been caused by an attempt to switch off Boeing 777's communication systems to avoid radar detection . |
085e8b6f78cf22df7ea6636ac26946e6b752fc58 | By . Amanda Williams . Parents are petitioning against Tesco for labelling too many products - from potatoes to fruit juice - with the unlikely warning 'may contain nuts'. Mothers of children with nut allergies have complained that it is 'almost impossible' to feed their offspring if they take the over-cautious policy at its word. More than 12,500 people have signed a petition calling for the supermarket giant to 'Stop using blanket 'may contain nuts' labels'. Parents are petitioning against Tesco for labelling too many products - from potatoes to fruit juice - with the unlikely warning 'may contain nuts' It was launched by Claire Hussein, from Portsmouth, after she said that Tesco 'dramatically changed its labelling policy'. She said: 'Suddenly, many previously safe foods are now apparently unsafe as they have ‘may contain nuts’ on them. 'These products literally changed their allergy information overnight. 'We recognise there will be risk in some foods, such as chocolate and biscuits. 'However, when you attempt a weekly shop for your family and find that everything from baked beans to pizza, butternut squash, potatoes, fruit juice and more are suddenly labelled as being potentially unsafe it is very disruptive and leaves you with extremely limited options for feeding your family.' Tesco said that the foods would previously have been marked as having been made in factories where nuts were also used. But it told the Times that the need for a larger font has changed the warning. New rules come into effect in December which will make the labelling of possible food allergens compulsory. Ms Hussein added: 'Rather than making a genuine and careful assessment of the risks, it appears that Tesco is using a blanket 'may contain nuts' policy as a legal disclaimer and to avoid having to implement the proper controls to ensure even staple items of food are safe for our children. Tesco said that the foods would previously have been marked as having been made in factories where nuts were also used, but the need for a larger font has changed the warning . 'I am calling on Tesco to act now to change its labelling procedures to ensure they are true reflections of risk. They need transparent traceability for all ingredients so a may contain label is only used with real need. The guidance is to prevent blanket statements - yet this appears to be the stance Tesco is taking.' Tesco told the paper that it takes great care to label its products with allergy advice where necessary. It added: 'We only display these warnings where there is a risk of cross-contamination.' Up to ten people a year die from reactions caused by coming into contact with even minute quantities of peanuts. Peanut allergy, which is now thought to affect at least one in 50 children, can cause serious breathing problems. The most severely affected could experience a life-threatening anaphylactic shock or even die when exposed to just a trace of the nuts in their food. Sufferers have to carry an EpiPen, an autoinjector to administer adrenaline in an emergency. But the fear of accidental exposure can reduce their quality of life and severely limit the social activities of allergic individuals, their families and even their friends. | Tesco labels 'butternut squash, potatoes, fruit juice' with warning .
It has been accused of being over-cautious with the allergy policy .
Over 12,500 people have signed petition calling for it to change labelling .
Tesco said a need for a larger font has led to the warning being changed . |
085eb98cbbfd50ea74e96821630b0dc71d80907c | By . Jeff Powell . Follow @@jeffpowell_Mail . One of the secrets of Frank Maloney’s success – although not the biggest secret as it turns out - was that he was one of the lads. A cheeky South London chappie and a tough-nut Millwall fan, he invariably celebrated his triumphs as manager of world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis by enjoying a night out with the boys at one or other of those flesh-pots which are euphemistically known as gentlemen’s clubs. The loyalty which is bred into most working-class road warriors was also fundamental to Maloney’s solid relationships with Lewis and all the boxers in his stable. Ecstasy: Maloney (right) as Frank, reacts after managing Lennox Lewis (left) to the World Heavyweight title in 1997 . Living a lie: Maloney (left, last year) admitted she has felt trapped in a man's body since she was a child and (right) with a young Lewis in 1989 . Winner: Maloney (front centre) celebrates after Lewis (arms raised) beat Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock for the Commonwealth heavyweight title at Earl's Court in 1992 . Belting: Maloney (right) with Lewis after the Londoner beat Gary Mason to win the British heavyweight title . Maloney was both a promoter and manager and the boxers he has worked with include... Lennox Lewis . David Price . Rendall Munroe . John McDermott . David Haye . Julius Francis . Jon Lewis Dickinson . They trusted him, they felt safe confiding in him and some of them over-achieved because his belief in them never wavered. He managed and promoted them with a passionate machismo, fighting their corner as fiercely as they battled in the prize ring. So no, I did not see this coming and I will be surprised if anyone else did outside the very immediate family circle. Frank – or Kellie as she now wishes to be known – is a good pal, an entertaining dinner companion, a boxing brain worth picking and will remain so. The Mental Midget – as dubbed by legendary US promoter Don King during one of their feuds – always has been a character larger than that diminuitive stature. Now that the Union Jack suit worn while working the corner of Lewis and David Haye on big world title fight nights has been exchanged for female attire that figure will become one of bizarre fascination, also. Maloney’s effervescent sense of humour will help cope with the curiosity, however morbid, and once the shock at the sex change has subsided she will chuckle along with the inevitable jokes which are already rife on the social media, . The major concern will be the fall-out for those three beloved daughters from two marriages. Glove story: Maloney is best known for managing Lewis, who rose to become world heavyweight champion . As for Kellie, nee Frank, the hide of a rhino developed in the concrete jungle of prize-fighting should deflect even the most wounding of the barbs. Maloney was derided at first for bringing Lewis back to his London birthplace from Canada,the country where he had spent most of his formative years and for which he had won his Olympic gold medal. The mood in Britain changed as Maloney’s prediction that he was bringing home this country’s first world heavyweight champion for more than a century began to look accurate. So persuasive was Maloney that the Americans began to believe in Lewis, also. So firmly that Riddick Bowe – the same Big Daddy who had dethroned the great Evander Holyfield - preferred to dump his WBC belt In a dustbin rather than defend that cherished, linear title in London. During their 12 years together Maloney guided Lewis onwards to the undisputed world championship and Lennox the Lion is still the most recent heavyweight to hold that distinction. Maloney’s negotiating skills allied to the exceptional power and natural talent of Lewis generated one of the most successful partnerships in the history of the British ring. Their friendship survived their professional split in 2001. Click here to read about Kellie Maloney's decision . Maloney guided Haye to his first world title, at cruiserweight before the Hayemaker took his swing at the heavyweight division, and also helped Scott Harrison and Paul Ingle to similar glory. There were dozens of British champions and Maloney looked to be on the brink of helping another domestic heavyweight to a world belt until David Price suffered consecutive stoppage defeats by American Tony Thompson . Maloney had been against Price rushing into that re-match and soon after, last October, the retirement announcement came: ‘I’ve fallen out of love with boxing and no longer feel I can continue to give it my best efforts.’ Now we know there were other demons haunting one of the most popular personalities in the hardest game. Perhaps, as Maloney retreated with greater frequency from the family house in Kent to a second home in Portugal, we might have suspected some kind of identity crisis. Smile: Maloney (right) with British cruiserweight Jon Lewis Dickinson following his victory over Shane McPhilbin in 2012 . Team: Maloney (right) with promoter Frank Warren (left) and their client Scott Harrison in 2003 . The power of three: Maloney (right), Warren (left) and the king of the promoters, the controversial and outspoken American Don King . But, no, there was not even an inkling of trans-sexual feelings, gender re-orientation or hormone treatment in preparation for an operation. Not in this corner. Nor so much as a hint of uncomfortable behaviour at public or social occasions. When Maloney was voted Promoter of the Year by the Boxing Writers’ Association of America - perhaps the most important of several individual accolades – I was invited to New York to make the presentation and he was saluted with affection by many of the biggest names in the sport in the US. The majority of what Maloney called ‘my special bond’ with such domestic champions as Julius Francis, the late James Oyebola, Rendall Munroe and Graham Earl - ‘they gave me some of my favourite nights in the ring’ - survived a heart attack five years ago. Now, as this 61-year-old attempts to begin a new and very different life, more support is likely to be forthcoming from the tough world of boxing than Kellie Maloney might imagine at this moment of revelation. | Frank Maloney announced that he is becoming a woman, Kellie .
Dubbed 'the Mental Midget' by Don King, Maloney has always been a larger than life character .
Guided the likes of Lennox Lewis and David Haye to titles . |
086064866d475145522ece823f959a5754f1cb7e | A quick brown fox is bringing chaos to a golf course by darting out to steal player's golf balls from right under their noses before racing off to hide them in the bushes. Golfers at the course in the alpine resort of Verbier, Switzerland, have been left watching in disbelief as the wily animal suddenly appears on the fairway moments after they tee off. The fox is estimated to have chased and gathered over 100 balls so far, often while they are in play, and shows no sign of getting bored. Scroll down for video . Crafty: The wily fox nips out to grab another golf ball off the course in Verbier, Switzerland . Murielle Guex, manager of the Moulins snack bar, across the road from the course, told France's 20 Minutes newspaper: 'He comes every day, steals the balls and plays with them.' 'He picks up the balls, then immediately runs away. He is fantastic and very courageous as he dares to come very close to people.' The fox first appeared on September 6th and now comes everyday between four and six in the afternoon. He is believed to have three different spots where it is hiding its stolen booty. Stop thief: A frustrated player chases after the thieving fox as it streaks across the fairway with a golf ball in its mouth . Getaway: The animal bounds ofter after another successful steal. Despite the interruptions to their games most of the players see the funny side and the fox has become a sort of unofficial club mascot . On the prowl: The fox seems to have little fear of humans and often snaps up the golf balls from right under their noses . Despite the interruptions to their games, most of the players see the funny side with the fox becoming a sort of unofficial club mascot. Ms Guex added: 'They often laugh at it and the fox has become a sort of mascot.' Club's director Thomas Grech, told CNN: 'People are very interested and many people come in the afternoon to see the animal . 'It's not very common to see a savage animal coming so close to people who play on the golf course. It's very, very special for us.' The fox first appeared on September 6th and is believed to have three different spots where it is hiding its stolen booty . | Crafty animal has become unofficial mascot at the Swiss club . |
0861f76caec8e2aaf8bf13138c5ad5401b0a91a6 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A massive car bomb tore through the heart of a bustling marketplace in Peshawar, Pakistan, Wednesday, killing at least 100 people -- including many women and children -- and injuring at least 200 others, officials said. A vehicle packed with 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of explosives detonated at the Meena Bazaar, a labyrinth of shops popular with women. The impact destroyed buildings, burying people underneath the rubble, and sparked massive fires in the shops, mosques, and homes. In a year of seemingly endless militant attacks in Pakistan, this was the deadliest. Those who survived described a narrow escape: . "I ducked quickly and when I looked up it was complete darkness," said Imdad. "I couldn't see anyone. The cars and the van were lying upside down." Are you there? Send your photos and videos to iReport . Fareed Ullah, a student at a nearby mosque, was injured when he fell from the second floor as he tried to escape a fire ignited by the blast at the Meena Bazaar. "We only saw a red blaze and nothing else," he said from his hospital bed. "My friends and I fell from the second floor. We didn't know where we were." The remote-controlled detonation killed at least 100 people and injured as many as 200 others, hospital and government officials said. The deaths include 68 males and 32 females, including 10 children, the head of the main hospital in Peshawar said. The car bomb left a 10-foot-wide crater, and the flames spread quickly through stores selling highly flammable fabric. Residents and shopkeepers expressed outrage that militants were able to carry out the attack in broad daylight, the latest in a string of militant attacks targeting civilians in Peshawar. "What kind of security alert is this? It was an explosives-packed car," a middle-aged shopkeeper at Meena Bazaar said. "Look at the mosque, it ceases to exist anymore. For God's sake, do something!" "Increasing chaos" in Pakistan . The Peshawar car bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack on Pakistan since the October 2007 attack on a homecoming rally for former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. More than 135 people were killed in the suicide bombing in Karachi. Bhutto escaped harm, but she was assassinated two months later. Wednesday's bombing happened hours after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, to shore up U.S. support in nuclear-armed Pakistan, as it battles a rising Taliban insurgency. Clinton condemned the strike, and dared the militants who were responsible to put down their arms and appeal to the Pakistani people through the political process. "If the people behind the attacks were so sure of their beliefs, let them join the political process, let them come forth to the people and make their case that they don't want girls to go to school, that they want women to be kept back, that they believe they have all the answers," Clinton said in a joint news conference with her Pakistani counterpart in Islamabad. "They know they are on the losing side of history but they are determined to take as many lives with them as their movement is finally exposed for the nihilistic, empty effort that it is," she said of those responsible for the car bombing in Peshawar. Read more about Clinton's comments on blast . Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also condemned the deadly attack, offering his condolences to the victims and their families and directly addressing the attackers. "We will not buckle, we will fight you because we want stability and peace in Pakistan," Qureshi said. "You are on the run and we know that. We defeated you in Swat and Malakand. You think by attacking innocent people and lives you will shake our determination? No, sir, you will not." The attack is the deadliest terrorist attack carried out in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province which has been the site of five militant strikes this month alone. A suicide car bombing on October 9 in Khyber Bazaar killed at least 49 people and injured 135 others. And, just last Friday, a car bomb exploded outside a banquet hall in Peshawar, wounding at least 15 people. The massive casualties in Wednesday's bombing prompted a state of emergency at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, where most of the injured were treated. The hospital appealed to other medical centers -- and to the public -- to donate blood, hospital officials said. North West Frontier Province is bearing the brunt of the massive civilian displacement from Pakistan's military offensive in the neighboring tribal region along the Afghan border. More than 180,000 civilians have fled to North West Frontier Province from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, according to the United Nations. Pakistan's military offensive is currently focused on South Waziristan, where the government believes the Pakistani Taliban has masterminded numerous attacks, including the October 10 siege of Pakistan's army headquarters in Rawalpindi, outside Islamabad. That siege and other attacks outside the tribal region have raised concerns about the ability of government forces to maintain control. President Obama signed legislation this month providing an additional $7.5 billion in assistance to Pakistan over the next five years. The White House is working on a comprehensive review of U.S. strategy in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. Peshawar is a strategic city for both Taliban militants and the U.S. and NATO military, who are waging a battle against Taliban militants in neighboring Afghanistan. Located about 100 miles (167 kilometers) northwest of the capital, Islamabad, Peshawar sits on the main supply route into Afghanistan and is the gateway to Pakistan's ungoverned tribal regions. Journalists Nazar al Islam, Nasir Habib and CNN's Samson Desta and Reza Sayah contributed to this report. | Explosion hits bustling marketplace in Peshawar killing at least 100 people .
10 children among those killed at Meena Bazaar .
More than 200 people injured in the blast which left a 10-foot-wide crater .
Incident comes as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Islamabad . |
0862de832709869a77b2e53a0374ae8e6b771939 | Washington (CNN) -- Get real, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told America on Monday in proposing a scaled back, modern military that would cut the Army to its lowest troop level since before World War II, retire the A-10 "Warthog" attack jet and reduce some benefits for fighting forces. "This is a budget that recognizes the reality of the magnitude of our fiscal challenges, the dangerous world we live in, and the American military's unique and indispensable role in the security of this country and in today's volatile world," Hagel said in unveiling the Defense Department spending plan for 2015 and beyond. "There are difficult decisions ahead," he added. "That is the reality we're living with." Downsizing due to modernization and budget constraints began under Hagel's predecessor, Robert Gates, and the proposal outlined on Monday described a new phase in the transition. "Not a war-footing budget" "For the first time in 13 years we will be presenting a budget to the Congress of the United States that's not a war-footing budget," Hagel said in response to reporters' questions. "That's a defining budget because it starts to reset and reshape." Under it, the former senator from Nebraska said the military would become a smaller, more tactical force capable of fighting on one war front and maintaining effective defenses for a second while shifting to more specialized capabilities. "Our analysis showed that this force would be capable of decisively defeating aggression in one major combat theater -- as it must be -- while also defending the homeland and supporting air and naval forces engaged in another theater against an adversary," he said. The proposal endorsed Monday by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, who appeared with Hagel at the Pentagon news conference, is certain to face strong opposition in Congress -- especially with midterm elections coming up in November. Hagel's budget will be formally proposed next week and legislators from states or districts with major military bases or a heavy presence of contractors are expected to rail against it. In recent years, Republican hawks have battled military force reductions under President Barack Obama's attempts to reduce defense spending as part of overall deficit reduction. Conservative Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a possible GOP presidential contender in 2016, questioned the planned cuts in forces at a time of varying threats and a U.S. shift in emphasis to the Asia-Pacific region, saying it "does not make strategic sense." "It's going to be a far slimmer military," noted CNN Military Analyst and retired Maj. Gen. James "Spider" Marks, predicting a rough reception in Washington. "This is the toughest part -- the political part." Retired NATO commander: It's necessary . Retired Army Gen. George Joulwan, a former NATO supreme allied commander in Europe, said he thought the changes were necessary. "Whether it's smart or not is yet to be seen. But I think it's necessary to do, given the constraints that we face fiscally within the United States," he told CNN. For now, the Pentagon budget for the rest of this fiscal year and for 2015 is about $500 billion for each, as set by a congressional compromise in December. Hagel acknowledged the changes he proposed mean assuming more risk, but said the military would be better situated to respond to the evolving security challenges facing the country. The recommendations in the budget plan for 2015 and ensuing years "favor a smaller and more capable force -- putting a premium on rapidly deployable, self-sustaining platforms that can defeat more technologically advanced adversaries," Hagel said. He added that the proposal includes "important investments to preserve a safe, secure, reliable, and effective nuclear force." All military forces, both active and reserve, would be cut under the budget plan. It calls for reducing the Army to a level of 440,000 to 450,000 troops, which would be the lowest total in more than 70 years. At its height, the Army had 570,000 troops after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and currently has about 520,000. According to Hagel, the budget proposal protects funding for cyberwarfare and special operations, and preserves money for the controversial and costly F-35 fighter jet. Warthogs retired? His plan would retire the A-10, which Hagel called a 40-year-old, single-purpose aircraft designed for Cold War operations, at a cost savings of $3.5 billion over five years. Separately, Hagel said 900 additional Marines would be assigned to bolster security at embassies around the world under his proposal. Diplomatic security has received close scrutiny since a terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Also, Hagel said the plan envisions increasing special operations forces from 66,000 today to 69,700 in the future to better meet tactical needs of a modern military requiring counterterrorism and crisis response. Other provisions would reduce some benefits for military personnel, resulting in them having to shoulder more of their housing and medical costs. Reducing the federal subsidy to commissaries would mean smaller discounts for groceries on U.S. bases. Through his remarks, Hagel warned that if Congress fails to eliminate planned across-the-board spending cuts beyond 2016, the military reductions would be on a greater scale and significant enough to compromise U.S. national security. Some of those forced cuts, known as sequestration, were eased for this year and next under the budget deal worked out by Congress in December. CNN's Halimah Abdullah and CNNMoney's Jennifer Liberto contributed to this report. | NEW: GOP Sen. Rubio questions defense budget strategy .
Defense Secretary Hagel calls for shrinking the Army to pre-World War II levels .
The A-10 Warthog fighter plane would be retired .
Hagel says it's time to shift to a smaller modern military . |
08634ffe6dbb22e99d6317225a410a4391cdba8d | James Rodriguez is regarded as one of the best players on the planet at present, but the Colombian star showed even he is prone to schoolboy errors on the football field. Rodriguez, who signed for the Spanish giants for £63million following some stellar performances for his country at the World Cup, was knocking the ball around at training with his Real Madrid team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe before the midfielder showcased a poor first touch. The Colombian was then subjected to an merciless ribbing from Ronaldo, Pepe and co for his awful control. James Rodriguez (right) reacts after he fails to control a pass in training . Rodriguez's blunder amuses Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Pepe greatly . Ronaldo and the rest of his Real Madrid team-mates make fun of the Colombian after his rare blunder . Rodriguez took it all in his stride. Certainly, his team-mates appeared shocked that the midfielder was capable of misplacing a pass. Real Madrid will put the joking aside for the rest of the week as they gear up for Saturday's World Cup Final against San Lorenzo in Morocco. Rodriguez's passing blunders are a rarity as the midfielder has shone for Madrid this season . | James Rodriguez misplaces pass during Real Madrid .
The Colombian is then mocked Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe .
Real Madrid face San Lorenzo in Saturday's World Club Final . |
086354d7dc8962e86ad660613ca51416a4ed5f17 | (CNN) -- The new Kindle Paperwhite isn't the perfect character. Just like the literary creations that live and die on its screen, it has flaws. It's wise, though it still suffers from memories of its past. But in the great e-reader saga, it's clearly the protagonist, and one worth rooting for. The Paperwhite's screen is brilliant in the literal sense of the word, as it glows. The new Kindle isn't the first e-reader with a screen that lights up: Barnes & Noble beat Amazon to the punch by five months with its Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight. But the light-up screen on the new Kindle surpasses the one on the Nook because it solves most (but not all) of the light uniformity issues evident on the earlier device.. Granted, illuminating an e-ink screen is difficult. The most common solution is to use a nano-printed "light guide" — the LEDs sit at the bottom of the device, and a thin plastic screen with tiny patterns etched into it carries the light toward the middle and top of the display. The scores gradually disperse the beams, allowing more light to permeate to the top as the nano guides get further form the light source. This creates an even distribution of soft light, and the whole screen gently glows. It's much less fatiguing than a back-lit screen (like a tablet) and is more comfortable during late-night reading sessions. But, like the Nook, the light source creates a problem: blossoms of LED light appear at the bottom of the screen. It's fainter than the light-source bleed found on the Nook, but it's still there. It's only annoying at the bottom of the screen, but it breaks up the flow of an otherwise flawless screen. Fortunately, the attention Amazon has paid to the rest of the screen makes up for these lighting hiccups. Text on the Kindle Paperwhite is darker and crisper than what I've seen on previous-generation Kindles. Also, the background color of the screen is lighter than previous Kindles. It's less "cardboard" and more "coffee with too much milk." Amazon says the Paperwhite has 25 percent more contrast. Without busting out the contrast spectrometer to test Amazon's claim, I'm going to go with what I can see, and when compared to my last-generation Kindle, it's clear Amazon has indeed increased the contrast of the screen. But this isn't just a screen you look at; it's one you touch. Amazon has added a finish to the capacitive screen that feels like the paper stock used in high-end hardcover books. It's a small detail, and if it were absent, it wouldn't detract from the e-reader. But, it's a nice touch that gives the screen a tactile feel not found on other e-readers. One thing I would've liked to have seen on the Paperwhite: physical page-turn buttons. Touchscreens are great and all, but when you end up losing your place in a book, all the touchy-swipey technology in the world can't sway my belief that sometimes, a physical button is better. Even without buttons, the physical execution of the Paperwhite puts it ahead of the competition. It's light, eminently pocketable, and presents the best electronic reading experience. So the fact that Amazon raised the bar with updates to the Kindle's software feature set is just gravy on the cake. Page turning is simplified. The screen is divided into three sectors. Tap one sector to navigate forward, one to navigate backward, and one to bring up the menu. The "page forward" sector gets the largest swath of real estate, encompassing the bottom 80 percent of the screen and 80 percent of the right-hand side. The left 20 percent is reserved to go back a page. This layout make sense, considering most touches are to advance a book. The remaining top 20 percent of the screen is reserved for access to the system menu. After a few missed taps while trying to find the sweet spot, I was able to navigate to the next page while holding the Kindle in my left hand. I'm a big guy with large hands, so reaching over that 20 percent portion of screen with my thumb is easy. Your tapping mileage may vary. The underlying platform is really the true make-it-or-break-it feature of any e-reader, and Amazon has this dialed. Your current location in the book in displayed in the lower left-hand corner. More impressive is the e-reader's ability to learn your reading speed and give you information on how long it will take you to finish a chapter, or the entire book. I used this "Time to Read" feature at night to help determine if I should stay up another 45 minutes to finish a chapter or just go to sleep. The X-Ray feature that premiered on the Kindle Fire is also available on the Paperwhite. It's an incredibly helpful way to keep track of the hundreds of characters in fantasy novels (or just the five characters in a regular book). I found it especially helpful when reading multiple books in a series like "A Song of Ice and Fire," and I needed help determining which guy was doing the beheading. And it's easy to get trapped reading multiple books at once, thanks to Amazon's ecosystem. Not just the blockbusters (everyone has those), but the Kindle Singles, the sample chapters, the periodicals, the textbooks, the lending services. Nobody can compete with the online retailer's services, or the breadth of its catalog. Amazon Prime subscribers get access to books that can be borrowed for no additional cost. And all of this is accessible from the Kindle's built-in bookstore — which is serviceable, though it's still easier to shop on a real computer. The Kindle Paperwhite starts at $120. That's for the Wi-Fi-only, ad-supported model. You can get the ad-free Kindle for $140, but since you never see an ad in-book (only on the sleep screen, or when browsing your library) it doesn't really matter. In fact, my test unit eventually ended up showing me something I wanted to buy. Throw in free worldwide 3G connectivity, and the prices jump to $180 and $200. It's useful if you're buying books while sitting on the beach in Italy. Otherwise, save yourself some money and go Wi-Fi. I should also point out that Barnes & Noble just dropped the light-up Nook's price to $120 — and that's without ads. But I'd still recommend the Kindle Paperwhite. It has the better software features, the stellar screen, and the unstoppable ecosystem. It keeps its crown as king of the e-readers. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2011 Wired.com. | Review: Kindle Paperwhite keeps Amazon at top of the pile for e-readers .
There's a little light bleeding at screen bottom, but overall feel makes up for it .
Paperwhite uses only touchscreen with no physical buttons .
E-reader is $120 with ads or $140 without . |
0863993d0b283e3ef01eb6a6bfbcc7c4f421bcf6 | Google has overtaken rival technology firm Apple as the world's top brand in terms of value, global market research agency Millward Brown said today. Google's brand value shot up 40 per cent in a year to $158.84 billion (£92.24 billion), Millward Brown said in its 2014 100 Top BrandZ report. This is apparently due to its investments in new concepts, gadgets and initiatives. Google is now the world's biggest brand, overtaking rival Apple, after a growth of 40 per cent in 2014 according to Millward Brown. They say this was due to investments in emerging technologies like Google Glass and driver-less cars . 'Google has been extremely innovative . this year with Google Glass, investments in artificial intelligence and a . range of partnerships,' said Benoit Tranzer, the head of Millward Brown . France. Google Glass is Internet-linked eyewear for which the firm has joined hands with Luxottica, a frame giant behind Ray-Ban and other high-end brands, to sell the new product in the United States. 1. Google ($158.8bn/£94.2bn) 2. Apple ($147.9bn/£87.8bn) 3. IBM ($107.5bn/£63.8bn) 4. Microsoft ($90.2bn/£53.5bn) 5. McDonald's ($85.7bn/£50.8bn) 6. Coca-Cola ($80.7bn/£47.9bn) 7. Visa ($79.2bn/£46.9bn) 8. AT&T ($77.9bn/£46.2bn) 9. Marlboro ($67.3bn/£39.9bn) 10. Amazon ($64.3bn/£38.1bn) 'All these activities send a very strong signal to consumers about the essence of Google,' Tranzer said. Apple, which dominated the top position for three straight years, saw its brand value fall by 20 per cent to $147.88 billion (£87.74 billion). The top 10 of the 100 slots were dominated by US firms. IBM was in third place at $107.54 billion (£63.8 billion), a fall of 4 per cent, followed by Microsoft at $90.19 billion (£53.51 billion) - a 29 per cent rise. Fast food chain McDonald's ranked next at $85.71 billion (£50.85 billion), followed by Coca Cola at $80.68 billion (£47.87 billion), it said. China led in the insurance sector with Ping An valued at $12.4 billion (£735.7m) and China Life ($12 billion/£710.5m). French luxury goods manufacturer Louis Vuitton ranked 30th overall but was the top luxury brand with a value of more than $25 billion (£14.8 billion). Brand value iss calculated on the basis of the firms' financial performance and their standing among consumers. Apple is pushing ahead with the construction of its major new headquarters known as Campus 2, due to open in 2016, which will be a circular 'spaceship' design in Cupertino, California . | Google tops the 2014 100 Top Brandz report by Millward Brown .
Its value shot up 40% in a year to a huge £158.84 billion (£92.24 billion)
Apple's value meanwhile fell by 20% to $147.88 billion (£87.74 billion)
Millward Brown says this could be due to Google's investment in new tech .
Highest riser was Chinese internet portal Tencent, which grew 97% to 14th . |
0863a6fa5ce357903d9ad500af6f355880e79d02 | New York (CNN) -- The New York City Board of Health unanimously approved a mandate Wednesday requiring all children under 5 enrolled in city-licensed preschools and day cares to receive the flu vaccine. It is one of outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's final health initiatives, which the New York City Department of Health proposed to the Board of Health in September. "Young children have a high risk of developing severe complications from influenza," the Health Department said in a statement. "One-third of children under five in New York City do not receive an annual influenza vaccination, even though the vaccine safely and effectively protects them against influenza illness. Young children often pass influenza to other children and family members, who then spread the infection to others in the community." The flu vaccine will be added to the seven other vaccines children under 5 are required to get, including measles, whooping cough and chicken pox. "We know that influenza is a serious illness which affects an estimated 15% to 40% of children during annual flu season," said Dr. Jay Varma, who oversees infectious diseases as deputy commissioner of the New York City Health Department. Richard Kanowitz, president of Families Fighting Flu, lost his daughter at age 4 to the virus. "This is great news for children," he said. "Had the same law been in effect when my daughter was alive in 2004, she'd be alive today. She would not have gotten the flu." "Only 60 percent of children under the age of 5 in New York City get vaccinated," Dr. Varma said. "In New Jersey and Connecticut, where they have this requirement, it's 80%." The issue of vaccinating children is controversial. One consistent claim is that vaccines can cause autism. "This was a very closed process," said John Gilmore, director of the Manhattan-based Autism Action Network. "We will most likely be filing a lawsuit fairly soon to overturn this. From a legal standpoint, we see this as similar to the soda ban," referring to the mayor's unsuccessful attempt to ban sugary drinks. Varma said the myths that flu shots can cause the flu, or worse, are just that, myths. "It does not cause you to get the flu; it does not cause you to get autism," he said. The flu vaccine is available in two forms -- shot or nasal spray -- and children are required to get vaccinated by December 31. "To the extent that this saves lives, it's great news," Kranowitz said. "I wish my daughter had had the vaccination because, I, as well as other parents, were unaware how the flu killed healthy children. So the only way to protect them is to get them vaccinated." | Children under 5 in city-licensed pre-schools, day cares must receive flu vaccine .
The move is one of outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg's final health initiatives .
The vaccine will be added to seven others required for children under 5 . |
0865448cb045a8b9568e679dbdb5b752ba0e38fc | By . Andy Dolan . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:45 EST, 19 March 2013 . A mother accused of killing her six children in a house fire admitted to a jury she was a ‘disgrace’ yesterday for taking part in a threesome with her husband and his friend following the fatal blaze. Mairead Philpott, 31, claimed she took part in the sordid sex session to keep her husband Michael, 56, who has fathered 17 children with a string of women, happy. Emotional: Mairead Philpott paid tribute to her husband Mick while testifying in court today . Following the fire, Mrs Philpott was . secretly recorded by police having sex with forklift truck driver Paul . Mosley, 45, at a hotel as her husband watched. Her barrister Sean Smith QC asked ‘what on earth’ she was doing in a threesome so soon after losing her children, Mrs Philpott replied: ‘Mick wanted me to do it. My mind was elsewhere. My mind was with the children.’ She added: ‘I am a disgrace.’ Mrs Philpott said she had had . threesomes on ‘three or four occasions’ before the blaze with her . husband and the couple’s co-defendant Mosley, Philpott’s ‘best friend’. Couple: The pair pictured last July after their six children died in a house fire at their home in Derby . She also told the court how the wages . from her hospital cleaning job and benefits were paid into her husband’s . bank account – and how ‘there would be trouble’ if she accessed it . without asking his permission. The court has previously heard that as . well as her money, Philpott also harvested the benefits of his then . live-in mistress, Lisa Willis, 29. Miss Willis acted as chief bridesmaid . at the couple’s marriage in May 2003, the court heard, while pregnant . with her first child by Philpott. The Philpotts and Mosley are accused . of starting the fire last May to frame Miss Willis after she walked out . of the council home three months earlier, taking the five children she . raised with Philpott with her. During more than three hours on the witness stand, Mrs Philpott described each of her own children’s personalities to the jury. She said Duwayne, 13, was ‘quiet and . caring’, while Jade, ten, was her ‘little princess’. Jack, nine, was her . ‘blue-eyed little boy’, Jesse, six, was her ‘little Irish stamper’, . while Jayden, five, was her ‘miracle baby’ because he was born six weeks . premature. Unorthodox: Mr Philpotts used to divide his attentions between his wife and his live-in mistress . The court heard that in the hours . before the fire, she had sex with her husband three times, including one . session on the couple’s snooker table which also involved ‘full sex’. She told the court they woke to the . sound of the fire alarm. Flames ‘gushed’ towards them when Philpott . opened the lounge door to investigate. She admitted that dogging sessions – . where the couple had sex in a public place as others watched – in the . six months before the fatal blaze were her idea, although she said her . husband encouraged it. Accused: Mick Philpott, pictured with Mairead Philpott and another woman . The court was told she had been abused . by a relative as a child, raped while on holiday and physically . assaulted by a boyfriend before she met Philpott at a pub darts match in . around 2000. She told the court she considered . Philpott her ‘guardian angel’ at the time because he made her feel . ‘loved and protected’. Asked why she had tolerated him taking a . mistress, she said she was ‘scared of losing my family’. But after Miss Willis moved into the . property, the trio lived as a big ‘happy family’ with their growing . brood all fathered by Philpott. 'Guardian angel': Mrs Philpott had been in an abusive relationship before she married Mr Philpott . Deadly blaze: Philpott surrounded by the six children whose lives were claimed by the fatal house fire . Mrs Philpott denied all involvement in . starting the fire and also denied seeing her husband or Mosley do . anything to trigger the blaze. She was asked by Mr Smith if she did ‘anything whatsoever to harm her children’ and replied ‘no’. Under cross-examination from Anthony Orchard QC, defending Philpott, it was put to her that she was ‘able to say “no” to Mick’. She replied: ‘Not all the time, no.’ The Philpotts and Mosley deny six counts of manslaughter. The case continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Mairead Philpott claimed she took part in sex act to keep husband happy .
Said: 'Mick wanted me to do it. My mind was elsewhere. My mind was with the children.'
Denied all involvement in starting fire or seeing anyone else trigger blaze .
Paid emotional tribute to her six children who died in house fire last year . |
086631dfc3a9c7ce039ab9b06310f094a1019028 | (CNN) -- The past is new again for agent 007: The next James Bond film will be called "Spectre." Director Sam Mendes announced the name of the 24th official Bond film Thursday at England's Pinewood Studios. Austrian actor Christoph Waltz will join Daniel Craig in the cast. Craig makes his fourth appearance as the rugged British secret service agent. Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw will be reprising their roles from 2012's "Skyfall." Newcomers to the franchise include Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux, Andrew Scott and Dave Bautista. Shooting for the film, due for release in late 2015, begins Monday. Mendes all but said the title was a nod to the SPECTRE terror group featured in Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and the early films. "Those of you who have some knowledge of the Bond franchise and the legend of Bond will probably have some idea of what that refers to, but I couldn't possibly comment," Mendes said. The film's official Twitter account featured a picture of Bond's new car, a snazzy Aston Martin DB10. Rome, London, Mexico City, the Austrian Alps and Morocco will serve as some of the film's exotic locations. | Director Sam Mendes announced the name Thursday .
Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Bellucci will join Daniel Craig in the cast .
It's due for release in late 2015 . |
0866b8b37db21a37d6dbdf3555d40b38b1592689 | (CNN) -- Spider-Man may be getting a female counterpart. Sony -- the studio behind the "Spider-Man" films -- has confirmed it's at work developing a project for a female superhero in the Spider-Man universe, a source close to negotiations told CNN. The female superhero film would likely come out in 2017, according to Deadline.com and The Hollywood Reporter. The trade publications report that Lisa Joy has been tapped to write the script and Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing. The decision is driven by a number of factors, according to the industry publications. First, female superheroes are becoming more common, what with Wonder Woman joining the "Batman v Superman" cast, Scarlett Johansson's popular turn as Black Widow in Marvel's "Avengers" film and Marvel's recent announcement of a female Thor. New Wonder Woman draws mixed reaction . Moreover, audiences have responded to women-led action films. Johansson's "Lucy" debuted at the top of the box office its opening weekend and stayed strong in its second week, finishing No. 2 behind "Guardians of the Galaxy" and ahead of "Get on Up" and the Dwayne "Rock" Johnson-led "Hercules." No word on which character will be the protagonist in the new film, though there has been a Spider-Woman, an identity adopted by several characters. The next "Spider-Man" film has been pushed back to 2018, so Sony is filling the gap with other films from the character's world. According to the trades, first up will be "Sinister Six," which puts the Spider-Man villains together in one film. Drew Goddard -- who oversaw "The Cabin in the Woods" -- is writing and directing the film, which has a release date set for 2016. Though Spider-Man is a Marvel character, Sony's Columbia Pictures has released the Sam Raimi and Marc Webb films featuring the webslinger, including 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." CNN's Joan Yeam contributed to this report. | Sony is working on a female superhero film, source says .
Character will likely come from the Spider-Man universe, reports say .
Other female superheroes and action heroes have been in the news .
Sony film is expected in 2017 . |
08674dc4a35a0f09fe021302680040e5d55f6e5b | The final passenger plane has flown out of Blackpool airport, bringing to an end its illustrious 105-year history. Staff wept as the last flight departed for the Isle of Man at 5pm, with the Lancashire airport preparing to officially shut its doors for the final time at 6pm, leaving 118 people out of work. The airport, which was formerly known as Squires Gate Airfield, became one of the first UK aviation sites in the UK after opening in 1909, but has suffered from financial problems in recent years. Scroll down for video . Staff wept as the last flight departed for the Isle of Man before the airport prepares to close its doors . The last passengers boarded the 5pm flight to the Isle of Man, with the airport set to close one hour later . Check-in staff were in tears and were seen consoling one another as they waved the final few passengers through the departure gates this evening. Balfour Beatty, who bought the site in 2008, put the airport in Lancashire up for sale in August following years of financial struggles, which saw them losing around £2m a year. However, despite being one of the UK's smallest airports, Blackpool International airport has a huge history. The Lancashire airstrip has played host to a string of celebrity guests over the years. It was 1909 that more than 200,000 spectators gathered to watch legendary airman Frenchman Henri Farman take to the air to perform in an air show on the site at Squires Gate on the Fylde coast. Check-in staff were in tears and were seen consoling one another as they prepared to leave the airport . Blackpool airport, which is being closed this afternoon at 6pm following years of financial struggles, dates back more than a century and has played host to a string of celebrity guests since it was first opened in 1909 . In 1927 it was finally opened to the paying public, offering flights to and from the Isle of Man. It later began short haul holiday flights to countries such as Spain and the former Yugoslavia and by 1950 had become a vital transport link, with 25,000 passengers passing through the airport to travel to Manchester, London, Leeds, Birmingham, Southport and Glasgow. According to Stuart Menzies, who has worked at the airport for 28 years and who manages a fleet of aircraft from the site, the airport has been popular with royalty as well as VIPs. He told ITV: ‘It is a small airport and they can arrive without encountering the paparazzi. ‘Very early on I remember the Sultan of Brunei came through on his way to the Lake District. Blackpool Airport was one of the first UK aviation sites in the UK after opening in 1909 . The airport, which served 235,000 passengers last year - way down on the figure of two million per year that bosses had hoped for when they undertook a costly refurbishment of the airport in 2006 . ‘The Queen usually arrives once a year, very quietly, when she is travelling to see the Duke of Westminster.’ The most recent was pop legend Rod Stewart, who landed at the airport ahead of his summer gig at Blackpool FC. In the 1983 General Election campaign, Tory Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher used the airport to arrive in nearby Fleetwood for one of her final election rallies. Pilot Brian Bateson, a flying instructor based at the airport, famously bought a Vulcan bomber in 1983 which he placed at the entrance to the airport. It was finally sold on eBay in 2004. Blackpool airport the airport welcomes singer Rod Stewart and the Queen . Former baggage handler Graham Spray, 72, remembers the airport's glory days when he watched stars such as Tommy Cooper pass through the airport on their way to their glitzy shows on the piers and in the Tower Ballroom. In 1941, Britain's most famous female aviator Amy Johnson set off from Blackpool for RAF Kidlington in Oxfordshire on what proved to be her final flight. The pilot, who found fame in 1930 as the first woman to fly solo to Australia, was a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary which flew aircraft from factories to RAF bases. The airport is on a road named after the Hull-born pioneer, whose body was never recovered after her crashed plane was found in the Thames Estuary. It was from Blackpool airport that the helicopter ferrying five Centrica workers to an offshore oil rig took off before tragically crashing in Morecambe Bay in 2006. In 1941, Britain's most famous female aviator Amy Johnson set off from Blackpool for RAF Kidlington in Oxfordshire on what proved to be her final flight . The final commercial flight will take off from Blackpool airport at 5pm today before travelling to the Isle of Man. The airport will close an hour later. It will continue to operate flights to the Irish Sea gas rigs, but will no longer serve as a passenger airport. Balfour Beatty, which bought the site in 2008, put it up for sale in August after several years of losses totalling around £2m per year, but no buyer has been found. There are 118 staff members employed at the airport, which served 235,000 passengers last year - way down on the figure of two million per year that bosses had hoped for when they undertook a costly refurbishment of the airport in 2006. Blackpool Council said the the airport's owners should have done more to save the airport from closure . Blackpool Council said the firm should have done more to save the airport from closure and find new businesses and airlines to operate out of the airport. The Unite union was meeting management at the airport today as attempts continue to find a buyer, and a spokesman said the airport was working ‘with the independent aviation businesses and tenants to understand if their operations can continue in the future’. ‘Working in partnership with the local authorities, regeneration plans are also being developed which will be designed to create future employment and sustainable economic development opportunities,’ he said. | Lancashire airport is closing today after years of financial struggles .
Blackpool International began offering flights to the Isle of Man in 1946 .
Served just 235,000 people last year and was losing £2m a year . |
086931c69d889446582e0c708f59aa3f4cf442dd | (CNN) -- Tom Cruise should have been a rock star. Remember him pounding his air guitar in not much more than a shirt and shades in "Risky Business"? He turned a pool hall into a concert stage, strutting his stuff in "The Color of Money," shook his moneymaker under layers of latex at the end of "Tropic Thunder" and took a chance, singing in his own voice in "Top Gun" and "Magnolia." He always had the moves, and more important, he had the self-belief. He turns himself on. Still, the challenge of a full-blown musical has apparently not been something he's been in a hurry to tackle, perhaps wary of undercutting his action-man credentials. Turns out, some things are worth waiting for. Will audiences show up for 'Rock of Ages'? I don't know how much they may have finessed his vocal tracks, and it doesn't matter. He owns "Rock of Ages," an addled tribute to '80s hair metal, from the very minute he appears. He emerges hazily from underneath layers of discarded groupies in a palatial hotel suite, sporting gunslinger body art and outrageous crotch jewelry, dispensing intensely eccentric, deeply fried philosophical nuggets before stumbling into the indoor Jacuzzi. Ladies and gents, meet Stacee Jaxx, God of Rock. A caricature of already larger-than-life personalities Axl Rose and Steven Tyler, Stacee is very much a supporting character in Chris D'Arienzo's Tony-award-winning 2009 musical. But he's also the star of the show, the one everybody else is dying to see, to make or to emulate. Cruise has the charisma to sell all that even as he shows us a boozed-up captive to celebrity, sex and ego. When he does perform, he's electric. However, Cruise is just as good in the dialogue scenes, whether it's messing with club owner Alec Baldwin's vulnerable brain or fending off an increasingly hot-under-the-collar "Rolling Stone" features writer (Malin Akerman). A karaoke musical in which almost everybody bursts into FM anthems at the drop of a hat (yes, even Baldwin, who duets with Russell Brand on a camp rendition of REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling"), by rights "Rock of Ages" shouldn't come off as a one-man show. But it's an uneven fight, and you might find yourself itching for the fast-forward button whenever Cruise is off-screen. Julianne Hough, who portrayed Ariel in "Footloose" and who appeared in the strikingly similar "Burlesque," plays the movie's ostensible heroine, Sherrie Christian, a small-town girl from Oklahoma who gets off the bus in Hollywood ready to pursue her dream of being a singer. Instead, she finds herself playing out a PG-13 version of "Showgirls," waiting tables at the legendary rock club the Bourbon Room and falling in love with a co-worker, Drew (Diego Boneta). Drew's own singing aspirations get considerably more screen time than Sherrie's, but he still fails to make much impact. Hilariously, within hours of meeting her, he claims to have been inspired to write "Don't Stop Believin." "It goes on and on," he explains modestly after giving her a taste of the first verse. You couldn't accuse the filmmakers of taking themselves -- or anything else -- too seriously. Director Adam Shankman, the veteran choreographer who also directed "Hairspray" (and a couple of episodes of "Glee"), encourages the cast to amp everything up to 11, or in the case of Catherine Zeta-Jones, 111. She plays the mayor's wife, Patricia Whitmore, crusading to clean up the Strip and shut down the Bourbon Room for reasons more personal than political. All this sound and fury signifies next to nothing, and music fans may feel it's a funny sort of tribute that mocks as much as it rocks. Even so, it's good to see Tom Cruise letting his hair down. It's a fun show if you roll with it. 'Rock of Ages': 8 fun facts about the movie's costumes . | Tom Cruise stars in the musical film "Rock of Ages"
Critic says he shines as Stacee Jaxx, "God of Rock"
The film also stars Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Julianne Hough . |
0869604ba9f90a491fc6f04f547e4f4385dd78a3 | Newcastle face losing up to four players to the Africa Cup of Nations in January after Mehdi Abeid won a maiden call-up to the Algeria squad and Sammy Ameobi reiterated his desire to play for Nigeria. Senegal striker Papiss Cisse and Ivory Coast midfielder Cheick Tiote are already established internationals and, should their respective countries qualify, they would be included for the 16-team tournament which kicks off on January 17 in Morocco. But Abeid now looks set to play his part for Algeria with the Desert Foxes having already guaranteed their place at the finals. Mehdi Abeid (left) has been called up to the Algeria squad and could play at the African Cup of Nations . Sammy Ameobi (left) is hoping to represent Nigeria alongside his brother, ex-Newcastle striker Shola . Midfielder Cheick Tiote looks set to play for the Ivory Coast when the tournament begins in the New Year . The 22-year-old has been named in their senior squad for the first time this week for the forthcoming qualifiers against Ethiopia and Mali. Abeid – born in France to Algerian parents – has been rewarded for breaking in to Newcastle's first-team and impressing during the recent victories over Manchester City and Liverpool. Winger Ameobi, meanwhile, is hoping to win a place in the Nigeria squad alongside brother Shola, who represented the Super Eagles at the World Cup. Abeid (left) and Ameobi (right) embrace after Newcastle's 1-0 win against Liverpool last weekend . Striker Papiss Cisse is set to represent Senegal at the African Cup of Nations in January . 'I'm looking to get involved in the national team,' said the 22-year-old, who, like Abeid, has made an impact for the Magpies of late. 'Hopefully, I can do that. I'd just like to play alongside Shola again. I'm looking forward to that, but the most important thing is playing here for Newcastle. 'If I get an opportunity, I need to take it. If Nigeria happens, it's a bonus.' | Young midfielder Mehdi Abeid has been called-up by Algeria .
Sammy Ameobi wants to represent Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations .
Papiss Cisse and Cheick Tiote are both set to play at the tournament . |
086977dad90c35858d511066f62bcab319ec9d15 | Editor's note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and website based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda (VBS.TV) -- Uganda has crept back into our consciousness lately with synchronized bomb attacks that took the lives of 76 people in the nation's capital Kampala during the World Cup festivities. When we were last in Kampala, we set out to learn more about the desperate fight for the survival of mountain gorillas. With a dwindling population of 700, they have been victims of poaching, disease, war, civil unrest, slaughter and displacement. Under pressure from rebel factions in Uganda and the DRC who massacred gorillas because the conservationists were "getting on their nerves," our guide tracks the remaining apes -- by armpit stench and dung -- to keep tabs on their health. We traveled to the remote jungle area known as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the southwestern part of Uganda, bordering with Rwanda and the DRC, areas plagued with dictatorships, genocide and decades of civil and national wars. Ten years earlier, eight park visitors had been abducted and then murdered by a group of Rwandan armed rebels in an effort to destabilize the region. The drive from Kampala was harrowing. Our driver sped and swerved obsessively, overtaking anyone in his path despite on-coming traffic. We witnessed three traffic accidents, two fatalities and an adventurous couple having sex in the middle of a dark mountain road after midnight. With four guards armed with machetes and rifles, two advance gorilla trackers, and our guide Levi we ventured into the dense tropical rainforest that is home to roughly half of the 700 remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Here we encountered the gentle beasts and found out more about their plight. See more of this story at VBS.TV . | Mountain gorillas victims of poaching, disease, war, slaughter, displacement .
VBS.TV staff travels to Uganda to find out more of the plight of gorillas .
VBS.TV says gorillas have dwindled down to about 700 in the world . |
086b619510ebdcc5b844690b3e1742b48792d09f | A four-year-old little boy rescued a three-year-old girl from drowning by pushing her up above the water in the deep end of a Fort Worth, Texas, pool on August 6. But the daring rescue proved to be too much for Xander Vento, who became tired and sunk down to the bottom of the Woodland Springs development pool. Xander slipped into a coma shortly after being pulled out of the pool and yesterday, his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support. He passed away today. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: The daring rescue proved to be too much for Xander Vento, who became tired and sunk down to the bottom of the Woodland Springs development pool . A MedStar spokesman told KHOU that Xander had rushed to help a three-year-old girl who was struggling in the deep end. Xander supported the girl above the water until she could get to safety, but he slipped under after he became exhausted. The girl was found to be in fair condition. Paramedics that reached Xander at the bottom of the pool said he lapsed into a coma shortly after. He was rushed to Cook Children's Medical Center where he was put on life support. His mother was at the pool during the incident, though it is unclear if there was a lifeguard on duty. Three days later, his parents Misty and Cris Vento decided to take him off. 'We have made the extremely difficult decision to remove our precious son Xander from life support,' they said in a statement. Heartbreak: Xander slipped into a coma shortly after being pulled up from the water and yesterday, his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support. He passed away today . Mother: His parents Misty, pictured, and Cris Vento have decided to donate his organs to save other children . 'We in some way hope our son’s life serves as an inspiration. He was the angel in the pool who sacrificed himself to save another.' They said that they plan on donating his organs to save more children. 'We in some way hope our son’s life . serves as an inspiration. He was the angel in the pool who sacrificed . himself to save another.'Cris and Misty Vento . 'We were blessed to have such a kind and caring boy as Xander, who set an example for all of us and even now he will be saving lives by giving of himself,' they said. Friends of the Ventos have set up a donation fund to help the family pay for Xander's medical expenses. Thus far, they have raised $10,000 of $15,000 they hope to donate to the family. 'He is a hero at only four years old!' the donation page reads. 'They have decided to remove him from life support, and let him go be with the Lord. He will continue to be a hero to others.' Shannon Caldwell, Nicole Richardson Raczy, Kristina Meixner Mugg and the parents various classmates from Keller High School said all of the proceeds will go directly to the Ventos. | Xander Vento saved a struggling swimmer by pushing her up above him .
The boy grew tired and slipped under the water .
He was found at the bottom of the pool and rushed to a hospital, where he lapsed into a coma .
His parents took him off life support yesterday and he passed away today . |
086bdb6a040d54ded965bb7638d466df7ba7c069 | The Football Association have confirmed they are considering taking the Community Shield abroad. The revelation comes after Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield final in front of 71,523 people at Wembley - almost 20,000 shy of capacity and nearly 40,000 less than the attendance for Manchester United vs Real Madrid in the United States in pre-season. Alex Horne, the FA's general secretary, said: 'It's an interesting idea and, obviously, we've seen the NFL do something similar with their games coming to Wembley. CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There's £60,000 in prices including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK! Abroad: The Football Association's general secretary Alex Horne says the Community Shield could go overseas . Home: Arsenal won the Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley, the home of English football . Crowd: The win for Arsenal was in their own back garden in London but will it be moved abroad after 2018? Alone: Calum Chambers was one of just three Englishmen in either starting XI on Sunday at Wembley . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There's £60,000 in prices including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK! 'The NBA are doing it and we know that Spanish football and Italian football are looking at doing that with their own Supercup-type games.' Any move overseas, though, would have to wait until 2018 as Horne acknowledged the Community Shield has a deal with Wembley until that year. 'It's an interesting opportunity,' continued Horne, as reported by The Times. 'But, as I say, right now we've got a contract with Wembley and the fans and the players enjoy playing at Wembley.' It comes a week after Paris Saint-Germain beat fellow Ligue 1 side Guingamp 2-0 in the Trophee des Champions - also known as the French Super Cup - at the Workers Stadium in Beijing. Pre-season has seen Premier League teams circle the globe, with Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal's tours of the US among the most lucrative. United and Real's pre-season game saw Louis van Gaal emerge a 3-1 winner in front of 109,318 fans at the so-called Big House in Michigan. Comparatively, Sunday's Community Shield final saw City sell just 18,000 of their 25,000 allocation. The game saw just three Englishmen - all Arsenal players - feature in either starting XI at the home of English football. The trio included Kieran Gibbs, Calum Chambers and Jack Wilshere. Spot the gaps? Wembley welcomed an attendance of 71,523 on Sunday - almost 20,000 shy of its full capacity . The Big House: Manchester United v Real Madrid attracted 109,318 fans in the United States during pre-season . VIDEO Arsenal keen to push on . | Community Shield could be staged overseas, confirm Football Association .
'We've seen the NFL do something similar with their games coming to Wembley (and) the NBA are doing it,' says FA general secretary Alex Horne .
Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 at Wembley on Sunday in Community Shield final week before new Premier League season gets underway .
Final attracted just 71,523 fans - almost 20,000 shy of capacity and nearly 40,000 less than Manchester United vs Real Madrid pre-season in the US .
Paris Saint-Germain beat Guingamp in French Super Cup in Beijing last week . |
086be6ed5ebfbf6ae8fb938a9d324c389d5e53dc | New Hampshire police have released a sketch of a man they believe may be connected to the disappearance of a 15-year-old, who went missing for nine months. Abigail Hernandez went missing on October 9 last year as she walked home from school just days before her 15th birthday. Police believe the man in the sketch may have driven the schoolgirl away in a blue pick up truck. She was safely reunited with her family Sunday. Safe: Abigail Hernandez has been reunited with her family nine months after she disappeared on her way home from school . Wanted: Police have released a sketch of a man suspected of driving away with the then 14-year-old Abigail . Based on information provided by Abigail, police say they are looking for a slightly overweight man with darkish skin, brown eyes, and stubble. He was described as being slightly taller than the 5ft 4in teenager. Few details have been released about Abigail's disappearance and where she has been for the past nine months. The only contact she had with her family was a letter believed to have been sent by the schoolgirl to her parents in the weeks after her disappearance. Although it didn't provide details on what had happened to her, the letter gave parents Zenya and Ruben Hernandez some hope that Abigail was at least still alive. Police are investigating whether the man in the sketch, or anyone else, was involved in the disappearance, and whether Abigail was taken against her will, or enticed away, and where she was kept for the past nine months. The bright schoolgirl was just 14 when she went missing, and had no means to provide food, shelter or other necessities. Hope: Abigail's frantic family received a letter from the teenager after she went missing, giving them faith that she was still alive . Missed: Abigail's family and New Hampshire community had been searching for the schoolgirl for months . Contact: Abigail Hernandez's mother Zenya, pictured left with the teenager's sister Sarah, wrote a Christmas letter to her daughter begging her to come home in December. She has now safely returned . New Hampshire police said it was a felony for any person to remove, detain or conceal a child under the age of 18, who is not a relative. If it is found that Abigail was removed against her will, or under the circumstances described by police, then appropriate charges will be brought. Attorney . General Foster said: 'We are all pleased Abigail was returned safely to . her family. Law enforcement officers must now obtain satisfactory . answers to the questions surrounding the facts and circumstances of . Abigail’s disappearance and nine-month absence.' He added: 'The . individual or individuals who were involved with her disappearance and . absence will now have to face the consequences of any unlawful actions.' On a Facebook page that was set up to try to help find Abigail, a statement was released asking supporters for their patience while the investigation continued. Returned: Abigail Hernandez, pictured in security footage on the day she disappeared, returned home Sunday . 'Many people have been requesting specific answers and details as to exactly what happened to Abby. While we appreciate the desire for answers, this is still very much an ongoing law enforcement investigation and no details can be released that could jeopardize the integrity of their work,' the post said. Previous details about the case, including details of the letter the Hernandez family had received, were also delayed to protect the investigation. Officials delayed information about the letter so it could be thoroughly analyzed in order to be certain that it was actually written by the teenager. Law enforcement officials said at the time that although the letter had given them hope, they feared deeply for Miss Hernandez's safety. One FBI investigator had even suggested that Abigail could face a similar danger to the young women in Cleveland, Ohio, who escaped after being held for ten years by Ariel Castro. When Abigail unexpectedly returned Sunday, her parents were overjoyed, with Mrs Hernandez saying they were 'the happiest people on earth'. Anyone who recognizes the man depicted in the sketch is asked to contact New Hampshire police at (603) 271-3636 or the Conway Police Department at (603) 356-5715. | Family reunited with Abigail on Sunday after her unexpected return .
Detectives investigating where teenager was kept after going missing . |
086bfc14f8388cb3ba19b66990b6a39ec2fe8834 | Washington (CNN) -- In a series of floor speeches Thursday, a group of mostly Democratic women senators made a high-profile and at times emotional appeal to Republicans to support an expanded Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In doing so, they suggested Republicans were blocking the bill because it would extend its protections to illegal immigrants as well as gays and lesbians. Many Republicans were furious at that suggestion and accused Democrats of election-year politics by trying to paint Republicans as anti-women. "Let me put this on the table," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California. "This bill includes lesbians and gay men. The bill includes undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic abuse. The bill gives Native American tribes authority to prosecute crimes. In my view these are improvements. Domestic violence is domestic violence." Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the lone Republican to join in the floor speeches, said domestic violence victims in her state are often isolated in rural communities "where there is no law enforcement and there is no shelter and there is nowhere to go," she said. "The Violence Against Women Act is, I think, a ray of hope for those who service victims of domestic violence and sexual assault within our villages." "Nobody opposes the reauthorization of this legislation," Jon Kyl of Arizona, the second-ranking Senate Republican, told CNN. "If you follow the Judiciary Committee work on it, the questions had to do with the additions that have been made to this bill related to illegal immigrant visas, related to the additional sums of money and grants that would be available and the like. "So what Republicans are focusing on is how to make a bill that should be reauthorized functional in this day and age of significant budget constraints so we can still accomplish the goals of the legislation," Kyl continued. "I really resent the implication by some of my Democratic friends that if you're trying to improve the bill that somehow you are for violence against women. That's reprehensible." Asked whether the provisions about undocumented immigrants and gays and lesbians needed to be pulled from the bill, Kyl said: "I don't know. Reasonable people ought to be able to sit down and work these things out." Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, accused reporters of "carrying Schumer's water," when they asked him whether he opposed the bill because it would include illegal immigrants and gays and lesbians. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is the Democrats' top message strategist in the Senate. Republicans think it was his idea to suddenly put VAWA on the floor, just after high-profile battles over other women's issues -- like abortion and contraception -- were in the news. "I'm always for the Violence Against Women bill," said Sessions who voted for a GOP alternative bill that was defeated in the Democratic-majority Judiciary Committee. But he said every time VAWA is up for reauthorization, "if you don't agree with everything that's in it, they just attack you as being anti-women." Sessions added that he was not aware until Thursday the Democrats bill extended to lesbian, gays and illegal immigrants but he acknowledged voters could misread Republicans' views on the bill. "I think we should be sensitive to the impressions we cast by our votes and so forth but fundamentally you can't vote a piece of legislation you don't think is sound," Sessions said. One bit of evidence that Democrats were, in fact, trying to use the issue for their political advantage was a fundraising appeal e-mailed to supporters by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "Today we're seeing another stunning GOP attack on women's rights," exclaimed the appeal which asked for donations of $5 or more for the committee's "Protect our Women's Rights Fund." In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash Wednesday about the recent fight over contraceptives, Murkowski warned her party is in danger of angering women voters. "I think my party is in an unfortunate place right now, as viewed by many, many women in this country who are feeling anxious about what they believe to be attacks on women's health," she said. | Several Republicans accused Democrats of election-year politics .
Sen. Jon Kyl: Republicans don't oppose reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act .
He cites "significant budget restraints" vs. the effort to expand the legislation .
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, accused reporters of "carrying (Chuck) Schumer's water" |
086d5b814692d9f6f9cd8fada44d0274153ef464 | UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against CSKA Moscow after Manchester City's Yaya Toure claimed he was abused by monkey chants from the stands in Wednesday's European Champions League encounter with the Russian club. The Ivorian made his concerns known to the referee and said he was "furious" after the Group D game at the Arena Khimki, which City won 2-1. But CSKA released a statement on its website denying there was any racist chanting and told CNN that UEFA's match delegate wasn't aware of any either. European football's governing body UEFA told CNN it had no official comment to make on CSKA's claim. It added that the match delegate or the referee had made reference to the racist chants in their reports in order for proceedings to have been opened. "Disciplinary proceedings have been opened against PFC CSKA Moskva for racist behavior of their fans and for setting off of fireworks," UEFA said in a statement on its website. "The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on October 30." Toure told Manchester City's in-house TV channel that he was abused after missing a chance during the game, and he called on UEFA to take a tough stance on CSKA. "I hope they will change it, I hope they will get big sanctions," said the midfielder, who played for Ukrainian club Metalurh Donetsk from 2003-05. "They have to ban them at some stage, they have to ban a club for a couple of years. They don't know. "They have to do something about it or they will always continue with it. I don't know why we just have this in football -- in volleyball or rugby, we don't have it." But Toure's version of events was challenged by CSKA, which said its fans were trying to put pressure on City's players with a "disapproving drone and whistle irrespective of their race." The statement added: "Having carefully studied the video recording of the match, we have not found any insults of a racist nature by the CSKA fans towards the visitors, which the match delegate also confirmed after the end of the game." CSKA also quoted Toure's compatriot Seydou Doumbia as saying: "I never heard anything of the kind from our fans. Yes, they noisily support the team and try to put maximum pressure on the opponent, but they don't take the liberty of racist cries/shouts. "So my fellow Ivory Coast teammate clearly got worked up." However, a report on Russian news agency RIA Novosti noted that racist chanting is "commonplace at top-flight Russian league games." It added: "But prosecutions are rare and clubs whose fans shout racist insults are usually punished with small fines." High-profile stars such as Brazilian Roberto Carlos have complained about being taunted with bananas while playing in Russia -- as has another former Anzhi Makhachkala player, Christopher Samba. Last year a group of fans supporting Zenit St. Petersburg launched a "manifesto" urging the leading Russian club to not sign black players. Russia has also come under scrutiny ahead of next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi due to new legislation that many see as discriminating against gay people. Its successful bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup came with the promise that it would seek to stamp out racism in domestic football, and the organizing committee has reacted to Toure's suggestion that players might boycott the prestigious tournament. "The 2018 World Cup in Russia, in particular, can act as a catalyst to positively change the mindsets and behavior across all involved in Russian football over the next four years," the 2018 organizers said in a statement to Novosti on Thursday. "Whilst the alleged incidents are still under investigation by the relevant authorities, it is clear that all over the world a small minority try to ruin the wonderful experience of watching live world-class football for real fans. "It is worth restating that all stakeholders in Russian football have made it clear that there is absolutely no place for any type of racial discrimination or abuse in our game." European football has been hit by several incidents of racism this year, beginning in January when Kevin-Prince Boateng walked off the pitch during a friendly match between his then club AC Milan and a lower-league Italian side. A Serie A match involving Milan in May was suspended due to abuse of Boateng's former teammate Mario Balotelli. This month the Ukraine national side had to play a World Cup qualifying match with Poland in an empty home stadium due to racist behavior by its supporters during a previous game against San Marino. | CSKA Moscow faces charges over behavior of its fans in match against Manchester City .
European soccer's ruling body to hear case against Russian club on October 30 .
CSKA fans accused of racist behavior and setting off fireworks in Wednesday's match .
City's Yaya Toure complained of being racially abused during Champions League tie . |
086da2431de1b9628a9fdf3e74cb2c199e96050b | An Episcopal priest who was born a woman but is now living as a straight man is the first transgender clergy to give a sermon at the National Cathedral. The Reverend Dr Cameron Partridge, the Episcopal chaplain at Boston University, offered a sermon from the iconic Canterbury Pulpit as part of the church's celebration of LGBT pride month. In the sermon, he said gay, lesbian and transgender people can be so consumed by despair and oppression that they fail to see the love of Jesus. Scroll down for video . Reverend Dr Cameron Partridge is the first only-transgender person to give a sermon at the National Cathedral in Washington . The sermon Sunday focused on LGBT issues and faith, especially the trouble that many transgender people face as they are deciding to change their gender, he said . Rev Partridge was joined at the pulpit by the Right Reverend Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop. The Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean of the cathedral, says he hopes Partridge's appearance 'will send a symbolic message in support of greater equality for the transgender community.' Rev Partridge encouraged gay and transgender people to look for resilience and strength in Christianity. 'So many people in the LGBTQ community, and particularly in the trans community, have at one point or another or for a lifetime found ourselves in situations of intense oppression, isolation and despair,' he said, according to the Washington Times. 'We have been utterly unable to see beyond the horizon of our often multiple, intersectional margins.' The National Cathedral, one of the most iconic churches in the United States - and the second largest - was built between 1907 and 1910 . Rev Cameron Partridge was born Katherine. She came out as lesbian while attending the all-women Bryn Mawr College. Later, after graduating from Harvard Divinity School, she began the process of transitioning from female to male. He completed the process in 2001. Rev Partridge's female partner, who was with him when he was a woman, has stuck by his side. They are now living as a straight couple with two young children in suburban Boston. | Reverend Dr Cameron Partridge is the Episcopal chaplain at Boston University and a teacher at Harvard Divinity School .
Born Katherine, he finished his transition to become a man in 2001 .
He is the first openly transgender person to give a sermon at the National Cathedral in Washington . |
086e3ccb6c296b4cb967a9e44ad1fc76acbd3057 | (CNN) -- Arriving at an airport and jumping into a taxi is the preferred option for most, and a necessary expense for time-pressed business travelers. But try passing off a $300 airport to city center fare and your accounts department may like to have a chat with you when you return to the office. That's how much the average cab ride from Tokyo's Narita airport into the city center costs, making it the world's most expensive, according to a new survey by British foreign exchange company, Moneycorp. By comparison a single ticket on the Narita Express train to the heart of Tokyo costs $28. Tokyo's main international airport is 66 kilometers (41 miles) from the city, explaining a large part of the expense. Despite a weakening currency, making the journey almost 10% cheaper than at the same time last year, Japan remains an expensive destination for many visitors. Click on the map to learn how much each airport to city center taxi fare costs. Per kilometer the taxi journey from Narita costs $4.42, but is not the priciest by distance. That dubious honor goes to Copenhagen. Despite being only 8 kilometers from the city center of the Danish capital, an average taxi fare from the airport cost $50 ($6.50 per kilometer). Geneva in Switzerland is the next most expensive fare per kilometer. Visitors to Oslo's Gardermoen airport and Milan's Malpensa will also have to budget in high transfer costs; the Norwegian capital and Italian city costing visitors $112 and $106 respectively to reach the city center. Both cities are over 40 kilometers from the airports. "It's interesting that some of the biggest variations in taxi costs are in mainland Europe," said Tracey Tivnan of Moneycorp in a press statement. "For example, the taxi fare from Milan Malpensa airport to the city center will cost you more than £70 ($106). This compares to just £2.17 ($3.30) from Sofia airport to the center of Sofia." Elsewhere, of the popular destinations surveyed, the cheapest airport taxi fares can be found in Asia. The traffic-choked ride into Delhi costing on average $4.10, and Bangkok, $8.58. | New survey shows most expensive taxi rides from airports to city centers .
Tokyo from Narita airport is around $300 for a single journey .
Cheapest airport transfers are in Delhi and Sofia, Bulgaria .
Click on the map to learn the average cost of a taxi from the airport . |
0870f22e8cb80979e991b0a8522dc9a4c54d4059 | Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- The midterm campaigns will soon be under way. President Barack Obama has a few more months in the hot days of summer to get legislation through Congress, but representatives and senators will soon be focused on their campaigns with little thought for anything else. The midterm elections will be extraordinarily important for the composition of Congress. If Republicans can expand their numbers in the House and Senate, they might develop enough muscle to stifle Obama from accomplishing anything else. It could also be enough to put pressure on moderate Democrats to further undercut the legislative gains of the first term by enacting spending cuts and weakening the regulatory apparatus of programs like Dodd-Frank. On the other hand, if Democrats do well they can improve their standing in the House and place more pressure on Republicans to make compromises. Besides the composition of Congress, the midterms will provide some insight into the challenges each party will face and what promises they might make in the 2016 presidential election. The shape of the campaigns will start to clarify what the Republicans intend to stand for and whether they can put forth ideas that excite, rather than turn off, voters outside the reddest parts of the country. The rebellion taking place within the GOP has been growing more intense. Many senior leaders are warning that their party is on a destructive path that will only lead to more rounds of defeat. Many Republicans privately agreed when former Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole said the GOP ought to be "closed for repairs" until next year, and in the meantime, "spend that time going over ideas and positive agenda." Since 2010, Republicans invested almost everything in the issue of deficit reduction and saying no to everything that came out of the White House. The bet hasn't been paying off. At a certain point, voters seem to have lost interest in the message and, now that the long-term budget picture is doing much better while the economics of austerity has come under fire, the issue is gaining even less voter traction. The midterm elections will be the opportunity in the next two years for Republicans to show voters they have something more to say, and to offer two or three big ideas they can use in the race for the White House. Democrats face a similar challenge. They need to start hinting at what their party will be about in the post-Obama age. Many Democrats are wondering if the next election will be like 1988, when Vice President George H.W. Bush campaigned on Ronald Reagan's record and essentially promised to do more of the same, just in kinder and gentler fashion. Or will Democrats try to offer something more transformative -- a governing agenda for the challenges we face in 2016 rather than those we faced in 2008? Voters want to hear what Democrats have to say about federal investments in the nation's economic future, about how to handle climate change and how to build on Obama's promise to restore the balance between law and civil liberties and homeland security. If Democrats can start developing ideas for the next candidate to run on, they could not only bolster their numbers on the Hill but strengthen the platform for the next crop of candidates to win over voters. There are also questions about the mood of the electorate. Everyone will have a close eye on the immigrant vote. Although the turnout is much smaller in midterm elections, given the heat of the immigration debates, it will be significant to see if the energy levels are still high among immigrants for the Democrats and how much Republicans have been able to improve their standing with some high-profile party members like Marco Rubio coming out for reform. It will also be important to see whether any kind of anti-immigrant backlash sets in, similar to what Democrats saw against civil rights in 1966 following the race riots in Watts and other cities. The outcome of the debate over immigration legislation in the House will have a big effect. The aftermath of the recent controversies will also be significant. Right now the political cycle is in full scandal swing. The midterms will provide some sense of whether those stories have legs, either detrimentally for Democrats as Republicans suffered in 1974 after Watergate or whether a backlash sets in against the GOP, as New Gingrich and his allies suffered in 1998 amid the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Finally, the midterms will offer a platform for future presidential candidates to show their stuff. In 1966, former Vice President Richard Nixon seized the national spotlight, campaigning for Republicans across the nation, and making it clear, through his fundraising and speeches that he was a formidable candidate who could take on Lyndon Johnson, or any other Democrat. This year, candidates from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will seek to use this moment, with the national spotlight turned on the political playing field, for the same advantage. It will also be a chance for the parties to shake off some of the challenges that are holding them down, such as the right-wing drift of the GOP -- which could hurt the chances of the Republican candidates in 2016, regardless of how charismatic and talented they are. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer. | Julian Zelizer: Midterm elections could change the balance of power in Congress .
Zelizer: If Democrats win, they can force compromise; if GOP wins, it can torpedo Obama .
He says midterms will be a glimpse at challenges and promises parties will offer in 2016 .
Zelizer: Elections will also offer a huge stage for possible presidential candidates . |
087126c53c51f24efea95d3eb49d99292c672f7b | Parents in Romania have had to undergo therapy after agreeing to watch child porn made by a star of hit reality TV show 'The Voice of Romania'… to check if their children were among those he abused. Lucian Darie, a music teacher from Piatra Neamt, a city in north-eastern Romania, was arrested when the parents of one of the girls complained that their daughter said he had assaulted her. Police also seized the man's computer where they found hundreds of pornographic movies mostly involving girls aged between six and seven. Sick: Lucian Darie, a music teacher from Piatra Neamt, a city in north-eastern Romania, was arrested when the parents of one of the girls complained that their daughter said he had assaulted her . But with many of the videos not showing the girls' heads, police decided the only way to identify any of the other victims was to contact the parents of girls he had taught, and ask them to view the images. As a result, several other girls who were students of Darie were identified and the man is now due to go on trial for the sexual abuse of under-aged girls while in a position of trust. Unforgettable: Darie found fame in Romania after he sang Unforgettable by Nat 'King' Cole on Romania's version of The Voice in 2012 . Police confirmed that they had found DNA samples that incriminated the music teacher as a result of identifying additional alleged victims. Police defended the decision to ask the parents to help, saying that it was the only way to make sure victims who would need help could be identified, and to make sure the arrested man was tried for all the offences when the court case starts next month. Darie found fame in Romania after he sang Unforgettable by Nat 'King' Cole on Romania's version of The Voice in 2012. | Lucian Darie, a music teacher, found fame on 'The Voice of Romania'
But he was arrested when parents of girl said he had abused their daughter .
Police seized haul of video on his computer of girls between ages of 6 and 7 .
Parents asked to look at footage because it did not show victims' heads . |
08712c76c945895bf20122ee91f9b8bb46441992 | By . David Wilkes . The Foreign Office rejected an invitation to stage a prestigious event in Britain celebrating Press freedom – prompting suspicion the Government feared further criticism over its Royal Charter on Press regulation. United Nations agency UNESCO asked to hold its World Press Freedom Day, one of the aims of which is ‘to defend the media from attacks on their independence’, in London for the first time this year. But the Foreign Office said no, saying it had not been given enough notice for the event, which has an expected attendance of 400 to 500 people. The Foreign Office (building pictured) rejected an invitation to stage a prestigious event celebrating Press freedom, it has been suggested . Yesterday a source close to the arrangements said: ‘The British are saying the reasons are logistical but it seems obvious this could not be held in Britain without the problems over the Royal Charter being highlighted internationally. ‘You might well think the Government was afraid it would get a black eye. But they are now facing two black eyes.’ UNESCO is now considering holding the event in Morocco, where Press law prohibits criticism of the monarchy and effectively bars independent coverage of taboo subjects such as the military, national security, religion and sexuality. Journalists in Morocco, according to watchdog Freedom House, face violence and intimidation, as well as heavy fines and prison sentences, in retribution for their stories. Press freedom organisations last month urged David Cameron to persuade Parliament to repeal legislation underpinning the Government’s Royal Charter on Press regulation, which was drawn up by politicians in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by journalists. In a letter to the Prime Minister, seven major international bodies – including the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers – described the Charter as ‘incomprehensible arcana’ and warned that ‘autocratic’ foreign leaders were already using it to justify repression. Newspapers and magazines have refused to sign up to the new regime over fears it would bring to an end 300 years of press freedom. Instead, the Press is establishing a fully independent body to police its activities, known as the Independent Press Standards Organisation. It will be able to impose fines of up to £1million for serious and systemic wrongdoing. Press freedom organisations last month urged David Cameron to persuade Parliament to repeal legislation underpinning the Government¿s Royal Charter on Press regulation . Word Press Freedom Day is an annual event held every May 3, and includes the awarding of UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Prize for courage in journalism and a seminar. It celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, when it was held in San Jose, Costa Rica. It is held in a different country each year and has never been held in Britain. UNESCO says the aims of World Press Freedom Day are ‘to evaluate Press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession’. UNESCO approached the Foreign Office having originally planned to hold the event in Indonesia. If it cannot be held in Morocco, the event is likely to be held in Paris, at UNESCO’s headquarters. A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We were recently approached by UNESCO after their plans for the event to be hosted in a different country had fallen through. While we are very supportive of the aims of World Press Freedom day, we judged that we would not be able to prepare a suitable set of events to mark the occasion at short notice. The FCO is involved in hosting three major summits this year.’ News of the refusal comes after the industry’s bid to seek a judicial review of the Privy Council’s decision not to approve a rival Royal Charter was rejected – in a one- paragraph ruling which took 17 weeks to arrive. A secretive committee of four ministers approved a Royal Charter to regulate the Press last year. The Privy Council, which advises the Queen, rubberstamped the plans after newspapers were denied a last-ditch legal bid to halt the process. Four newspaper and magazine industry bodies went to the High Court to seek an injunction to prevent the Privy Council proceeding. But it was only when the hearing was under way that lawyers for the industry realised that, without warning the papers, the judges had also decided to rule on a separate application for judicial review of the Privy Council’s ‘unfair, irrational and unlawful’ decision not to approve a rival Royal Charter drawn up by the newspapers. Lord Justice Richards, sitting with Mr Justice Sales, rejected the application for judicial review and for an injunction. The two judges retired to consider their verdict for 15 minutes before returning to deliver a ruling that ran to 3,000 words – leaving a strong suspicion it had been prepared in advance. The industry then applied for permission to appeal against the High Court decision to refuse to grant permission to apply for judicial review. This time it took 17 weeks for a decision to be made – and when it finally was, it amounted to one paragraph in which Lord Justice Laws refused permission to appeal. | UN's UNESCO request to hold World Press Freedom Day in London .
Foreign Office said no - saying it did not have enough notice for event .
Event may be held in Morocco, where press cannot criticise Monarchy . |
0872dd5250e7b47c33cc87a0c951b1a51edf0eab | (CNN) -- It goes on every day, in every county in the United States. It's absolutely free. Usually there's no wait to get in. And it can be as compelling as anything on television. The Florida trial in which George Zimmerman stands accused of murdering Trayvon Martin is attracting large TV audiences. The O.J. Simpson trial got the country accustomed to watching high-profile court proceedings gavel-to-gavel; the trial of Jodi Arias drew big ratings before the Zimmerman trial. Viewers return because they find the events almost hypnotic: something that thoroughly captures their attention. But one of the so-omnipresent-that-we-seldom-think-about-it facts of American life is just how much human intrigue, how much tension, how much weakness and heroism and sadness and triumph are on continuous and ever-changing display in multiple and seemingly mundane settings all over the country, each day of the workweek. And how relatively few people choose to sit in the first-come, first-served seats and take it all in. The courtrooms of this nation, both criminal and civil, are bright stages upon which the theater of murder, deceit, heartbreak and duplicity are played out in excruciating and breathtaking detail. In Zimmerman's trial, it's a jury of millions . If you're of a mind to, you can find on those stages narratives as spellbinding as any murder mystery in a bookstore or any crime drama in a movie theater. As a citizen, you can immerse yourself in the tale, day after day. You have to have a little spare time on your hands -- maybe a few days away from work -- and you have to choose a case that most interests you from among the many that are going on at the same moment in the courthouse in your community. The clerk's office will have a calendar of the day's trials, and court employees can be helpful in explaining to you what is transpiring in the various rooms. Trials tend to have ebbs and flows, and there will be times when you have to be willing to sit through lulls. But you will view and hear things more enthralling, more disturbing, more enlightening and more repellent than you might ever have imagined. As a citizen in the seats, you will almost inevitably find yourself becoming a part of the cast of characters of the courtroom. A tangential part, to be sure. But after a few days the attorneys will begin to recognize you, as will the defendants, and the judge, and the bailiffs. You may begin to feel something close to a responsibility to show up -- a responsibility to yourself, not to miss a minute of the story you have started to follow. Why don't more people, especially those who have the time, avail themselves of this opportunity? Perhaps because they seldom stop to think it's there. When a big trial makes it to TV, the assumption is that it has some special quality to attract that spotlight. That may be partially true. But although the sensational trials draw audiences because they're on television, there is so much to see and feel in the courtrooms of even the smallest cities and towns. The matters that bring people to trial -- whether acts of shattering violence, double-dealing in business transactions, any of the hundreds of variations of robbery and theft -- find their way to virtually every crossroads, and thus eventually into virtually every courthouse. Mom vs. mom in the Zimmerman trial . You can be captivated by just how skilled some attorneys are -- and surprised by just how ill-prepared some others are. You'll study the judge -- his or her shifting moods -- as if he or she is the protagonist in a paperback potboiler. You'll make eye contact with the defendants and the jury members. And there is nothing quite like the moment when that jury returns with its verdict. This is a country that somehow becomes giddy when two singers face off in a televised talent contest, and one goes on to the next round while the other goes home. That feeling pales compared to the sensation of sitting in a courtroom, your vital signs kicking into a higher gear as the judge asks the foreman if there is a decision, and the seconds drag on before the words are read aloud. The best part of the experience is that it's not taking place on a cold screen in front of millions of distant, unseen viewers -- it is unfolding a few feet from your eyes. Most cases, even in medium-sized towns, aren't covered by the local newspapers; there are just too many courtrooms for that. But the curtain rises every morning, in public buildings everywhere in the U.S. And, beyond the raw fascination of what goes on, there is another, much more vital, reason to attend: . Because someone should bear witness. Because this is American justice, carried out in all of our names. And anyone who cares to be there is always cordially invited. The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene. | Bob Greene: Zimmerman trial riveting, but why limit yourself to TV trials?
He says in county and local courtrooms across U.S., trials constantly on display. Go watch!
He says subjects are murder, robbery, financial shenanigans; it's free, tense, fascinating .
Greene: Beyond that, it's American justice carried out for us all; important to bear witness . |
087372fa3af5dc2a43911cff8796a0dd282ef2e6 | A former executive at a New York investor firm has been sentenced to 2½ years in prison for insider trading ran through a gamut of excuses for his behavior before sentencing, going so far as to tell the judge that he only did cocaine because he couldn't drink coffee. Federal Judge Jesse Furman sentenced Michael Lucarelli on Wednesday in Manhattan. He urged Lucarelli to deal with anger he directs at others. 'I didn't take the drugs to get high, I did it because I can’t drink coffee — that’s a painful trip to the bathroom,' he said. Federal Judge Jesse Furman sentenced Michael Lucarelli (pictured in September 2014) to two-and-a-half years in prison on Wednesday in Manhattan after Lucarelli spent almost 20 years recounting struggles with drugs, impotence, family problems, and abandonment by friends . The Daily News reports that it was Crohn's disease that was responsible for his discomfot. 'He turned to it for the pain caused by Crohn’s disease, and working long hours — it gave him a little pep,' his attorney, Patrick McGinley, told reporters. The disgraced investor also admitted to struggles with impotence and a painful family history, claiming he had become a 'leper' to all his former friends. Before Furman spoke, a tearful Lucarelli said he hoped to sue investor relations firm Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates Inc., claiming it cheated him on commissions. He was also ordered to forfeit $955,521.62, the exact amount he was accused of having illegally earned . The judge rejected his explanation that he turned to crime because he felt bosses cheated him. When Lucarelli was first arrested in August, he ran out of his sandals as he fled photographers. His behavior earned him a mocking on a segment of 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.' He was also ordered to forfeit $955,521.62, the exact amount he was accused of having illegally earned. Lucarelli said he will sue his former bosses in response. 'The only problem I had in my 25-year career was when these people started to steal my commissions!' he said. Though now penniless and abandoned by his wife, he says he is now living in North Dakota with a brother. He'd like to become a truck driver. When Lucarelli was first arrested in August, he lost out of his sandals as he fled photographers. His behavior earned him a mocking on a segment of 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' Though now penniless and abandoned by his wife, he told the court he was now living in North Dakota with a brother and planned to become a truck driver . 'The one thing about trucking, you’re urine tested all the time,” he said. 'If you’re a good driver, which I am, they don’t care about insider trading.' A previously released sentencing memo said he expects 'to be licensed and to drive tractor trailers', according to the New York Daily News. It also said he 'will never again trade another stock or work in any stock related field'. His statements have changed little since his case gained hit the spotlight. In a September hearing he described his crime to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, Lucarelli apologized and paused briefly to cry. He had used non-public information from drafts of press releases to earn nearly a million dollars. He said long hours at Manhattan-based investor relations firm Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates Inc., where he was director of market intelligence, his failure to take vacation for two years and complications from Crohn's disease that led to a dependence on cocaine, were in part to blame for his illegal trading over the last year. He said commissions for his work sometimes were not paid in a timely manner. 'Fueled by anger at not getting paid and a dependence on drugs, I made a serious mistake,' Lucarelli said. He added that it was the first time he had run afoul of the law in his quarter of a century in the business. 'I apologize to the court for my decision to trade on material nonpublic information,' he said. 'I wasn't strong enough to resist. I'm very remorseful.' The judge asked several questions about the trades he carried out in the securities of 13 of the firm's clients. 'Because of the physical pain and the dependence on drugs, I can't remember,' he said in one answer. | Federal Judge Jesse Furman sentenced Michael Lucarelli on Wednesday in Manhattan .
Lucarelli blamed long hours and thieving bosses for his troubles and vowed to sue his investor relations firm, Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates Inc.
Said he's now broke and hopes to one day become a truck driver, living in North Dakota with his brother . |
08746a56c847d7c865b1dbd492863a9ff5b41b88 | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Federal biologists said Friday they had signed off on a plan aimed at providing relief to the drought-parched Southeast, under which more water will be retained in Georgia instead of being released into Florida. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expedited its study of an interim drought plan submitted two weeks ago by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and concluded that freshwater mussels and sturgeon -- kept alive by water from Georgia's Chattahoochee watershed under federal law -- will not be placed in jeopardy under the plan. However, there will be some effects, and some members of the species probably will die, Sam Hamilton, Southeast regional director for the Fish and Wildlife Service, told reporters. Under the plan, the amount of water released from the Jim Woodruff Dam in Chattahoochee, Florida, will be gradually decreased. That process had already begun Friday, said Brig. Gen. Joseph Schroedel, South Atlantic Division commander for the Corps of Engineers. A similar plan will be put into effect on the Alabama River, at a point south of Montgomery, Alabama, officials said. Last month, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a water supply emergency in north Georgia, and asked a court to require the Corps of Engineers to restrict water flows from Lake Lanier -- the main source of Atlanta's water -- and other reservoirs. He blasted what he said were "silly rules," noting that even if Georgia gets rain, it cannot conserve water because it must release 3.2 billion gallons a day downstream. Alabama, Georgia and Florida have been wrangling over water usage from two river basins -- the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) and the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) -- for years. Meanwhile, the population of metropolitan Atlanta has doubled to more than 5 million since 1980. Lake Lanier is at the headwaters of the ACF system, so cutting the flow of water from the Woodruff Dam will mean less water will need to be released from Lake Lanier. See why the three states are struggling over the water » . Rainfall in north Georgia, including the Atlanta metropolitan area, is more than a foot below normal levels for this time of year, following a series of drier-than-normal years. Georgia has imposed a mandatory ban on outdoor water use by homeowners in the region. Two weeks ago, Perdue met with federal officials, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to discuss a drought plan, and the plan approved Friday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was announced. In light of the negotiations, Perdue has dropped his lawsuit against the corps. Florida's governor has voiced some concerns about the recommendations from the November 1 meeting. Jim Connaughton, chairman of the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality, told reporters Friday that negotiations continue to work through some of the issues facing Florida, but some concerns, "at least with respect to the near term," have been addressed. Asked whether he thinks Crist would sue over the matter, Connaughton said governors of the three states have committed to finding a solution for future years if the drought persists. The governors will meet December 11 and 12 in Tallahassee, Florida, to continue negotiations, U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said Friday. "We're in an extreme situation ... but you see, at this point, some two weeks after sitting down and going through a number of these things, some real progress has been made." The plan also provides for increasing water storage, officials said. "If the corps does not hold back some water now, and if extreme drought conditions continue, it is possible there may not be enough water in storage next summer to meet the needs of users," the corps said in a statement. In signing off on the drought plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only examined possible effects on species listed on the federal endangered list, Hamilton said, so the revised plan's effect on oysters, shrimp and other species in Florida's Apalachicola Bay is unknown, although it will be studied. Connaughton, however, noted that the plan is only temporary, until the Southeast receives some much-needed rain. See which parts of U.S. face worst drought » . Crist, for his part, said in a written statement Friday that the state "will continue to focus on the needs of the people who depend on a healthy Apalachicola Bay." He said that while he is "disappointed" that Georgia's initial request to reduce releases from Woodruff Dam was extended, the corps has promised Florida it will regularly evaluate the environmental effects on the bay. Schroedel disputed reports that have said Lake Lanier only has a finite number of days left for Atlanta's water supply, saying the lake has not reached its record low. "It doesn't look that pretty, but there's still a lot of water there," he said. E-mail to a friend . | Fish and Wildlife Service: Plan has limited effect on mussels, sturgeon downstream .
Plan gradually cuts amount of water released from dam in Chattahoochee, Florida .
Plan is only temporary, until the Southeast gets some much-needed rain .
U.S. official: Georgia, Florida, Alabama governors also want long-term solution . |
0874eb9fd2839b9a6a417d6b79b958829cea587c | (CNN Student News) -- November 6, 2009 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . • Fort Hood, Texas • Kabul, Afghanistan • University of Central Florida . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: We're wrapping up the first week of November, and we're glad to have you along for the ride. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. First Up: Fort Hood Shootings . AZUZ: "A horrific outburst of violence." That is how President Obama described yesterday's deadly shooting at a military post in Texas. A gunman opened fire on a soldier processing center at Ft. Hood, killing at least 12 people and wounding dozens of others. According to military officials, the alleged gunman is in custody. Authorities said there was no immediate information about a motive behind the attack, but the Army has asked the FBI to help look into the suspect's background. You can get the latest details on this developing story at CNN.com. Health Care Debate . AZUZ: Back in the nation's capital, the debate over health care reform is ratcheting up. The House of Representatives might vote on its health care bill this weekend. And yesterday, that bill, which has been backed primarily by House Democrats, picked up the support of two big groups: AARP and the AMA. AARP is the country's largest organization of older Americans. The group's head says the house bill meets AARP's goals when it comes to health care reform. The AMA, or American Medical Association, is one of the nation's most influential medical groups. It said the bill doesn't represent its views perfectly, but it's close enough to earn the AMA's support. Many people, including most House Republicans, are opposed to the $1.1 trillion bill. Yesterday, they held a rally at the U.S. Capitol to speak out against it. One of their main criticisms is that the public option that's included in the bill is basically a government takeover of the country's health care system. Republicans have offered their own proposals, but they've been rejected by Democrats, who are in the majority in the House. Yesterday, leaders from both parties spoke out against each other's plans. REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: This weekend, the House of Representatives is likely to vote on Pelosi-care. This bill is the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen in the 19 years I have been here in Washington. Taking away your freedom to choose your doctor. REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) HOUSE SPEAKER: Anything you need to know about the difference between the Democratic bill and the Republican bill is that the Republicans do not end health insurance companies' discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions. Let that stand. That's scandalous, the fact that it exists. I don't understand why we have not heard the American people who have said that pre-existing conditions should not be a source of discrimination. Benefits Extended . AZUZ: The House has passed a couple of economic measures that could help out two groups of people: the unemployed and first-time home buyers. The first part of this legislation extends the amount of time that people can collect unemployment benefits, something that millions of Americans are depending on right now. In all states, people who are out of a job could continue getting unemployment for an additional 14 weeks. But in states with an unemployment rate higher than 8.5 percent, the benefits would be extended for 20 weeks. The second measure is also an extension. This one is for an $8,000 tax credit that's available to people buying a home for the first time. The Senate passed this legislation on Wednesday, and President Obama is expected to sign it into law today. Tribal Leaders Summit . AZUZ: Yesterday, he took part in a White House conference with Native American leaders. During his speech, the president said that the U.S. government was guilty of mistreating Native Americans in the past, but he wants to build a new relationship between tribal leaders and the government. In order to do that, he's ordered federal agencies to offer ideas on how Native American tribes can take part in government decisions. There are 564 federally recognized tribes in the U.S. About two-thirds of them were represented at yesterday's conference. Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Who is the current secretary-general of the United Nations? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Kofi Annan, B) Kurt Waldheim, C) Ban Ki-moon or D) Boutros Boutros-Ghali? You've got three seconds -- GO! Ban Ki-moon became the 8th U.N. secretary-general on January 1, 2007. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout! Safety Assessment . AZUZ: Last week, Ban Ki-moon said that the U.N. is determined to carry out its mission of helping the people of Afghanistan build a better future. The statement came after an attack in the Asian country which claimed the lives of five U.N. workers. The United Nations is making some changes to its security measures in Afghanistan. Sara Sidner explains how. (BEGIN VIDEO) SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: After the targeted attack on U.N. staff members here in a guarded guest house in Kabul that left five U.N. members dead, the United Nations has decided to make some changes. They are, for right now, sending out about 600 foreign workers here, and they're going to assess right now the security situation for their staff. They're sending those workers out for about three weeks, and then intend to bring some of them back. But first, they want to figure out how to beef up security here. Now, we understand though that the U.N. is very, very adamant that they are not pulling out of Afghanistan. They are simply looking at the security situation, obviously, after that traumatic time where five of their colleagues died. We should also mention that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is asking for about $85 million to beef up security here. Sara Sidner, CNN, Kabul. (END VIDEO) Military Vaccines . AZUZ: Some U.S. forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq may be getting their H1N1 flu shots soon. Just like with civilians, the military has a priority list that says who should get the vaccine first. But as Barbara Starr explains, there are some hang-ups in getting the doses out, even to the people at the top of that list. (BEGIN VIDEO) BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: As Americans wait in lines across the country to get the H1N1 vaccine, the Pentagon this week finally began shipping limited vaccine supplies to troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Under Pentagon guidelines, tens of thousands of troops on the front line and those headed to war are the top military priority to receive the vaccine. Even so, supplies are severely limited. Only half of what is needed is now on the way. GEOFF MORRELL, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN: Right now, we don't have enough to even take care of all of them. STARR: The Pentagon is defending plans to offer the vaccine to detainees at Guantanamo Bay, as well as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prisoners are considered to be high risk, but a lower military priority than troops, health care workers and civilian personnel. STARR (Question): I haven't heard an assurance that detainees will get it after civilians in this country. MORRELL: Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, you are presuming that I have the knowledge or the wherewithal to tell you the protocols that are being used for the general population. All I can do is speak to what the priorities are in this department. STARR: Troops at home also a priority because they will be called upon to help in towns across the country if the crisis grows. The military's top homeland defense commander has teams that could move into action. GEN. GENE RENUART, COMMANDER, U.S. NORTHERN COMMAND: It would be to provide things like potentially logistics, movement of supplies, maybe additional health care providers that could assist in immunization. STARR: The Pentagon stopped counting the number of troops that have come down with H1N1 back in July, when world health authorities declared a global pandemic. But privately military officials say the number of cases continues to grow, and recently, Defense Secretary Robert Gates received his vaccine. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon. (END VIDEO) Promo . AZUZ: Word to the wise: "favoriter." When your favorite gets more favorite! The grammar isn't great, but your favorite web site is: CNNStudentNews.com is renewed, revamped and relaunched, so rediscover it! Just type in CNN.com and click on the U.S. page; you'll see us down on the right. Or, type CNNStudentNews.com into your browser. The site's cleaner, easier to navigate, easier to access all of our free educational materials. Guaranteed to become favoriter! Jordan Shoes . AZUZ: It's gotta be the shoes. Marcus Jordan, son of basketball legend Michael Jordan, wanted to be like Mike. He wore Nike "Air Jordan" shoes during an exhibition game Wednesday night. Not surprising, but Marcus plays for the University of Central Florida, and that school had a deal with Adidas, getting free uniforms, equipment and shoes, but only if Central Florida players wore the Adidas brand. When Marcus wore his dad's Nikes, Adidas reportedly backed out of the contract, possibly costing central Florida as much as $3 million. A university official says they're still trying to work this out. Before We Go . AZUZ: You know we're talking about this on our blog, we'd like you to head to our redesigned home page and share your thoughts. Finally today... UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On your mark, get set, go! AZUZ: Okay, a race isn't that interesting. But what these guys are racing is: hospital gurneys. It's part of homecoming week at an Alabama university. And apparently, it's one of the school's oldest traditions. We can only imagine the conversation when all this was first started. It's like one guy said to the other, you wanna race hospital beds? Goodbye . AZUZ: Yeah, that would be sick! Aw yeah. Well, that raps us up for the week. We hope you have a great weekend and return with us next weekend. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. | Consider the rising debate in Washington over health care reform proposals .
Find out why the U.N. is re-evaluating its security measures in Afghanistan .
Hear how the U.S. military plans to distribute doses of the H1N1 vaccine .
Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
087580dde25db95baafbff9b308a8a994f028d23 | Twenty years since the first item was sold online, 95 per cent of British people are now buying goods via internet retailers. On August 11, 1994, the Sting album 'Ten Summoner’s Tales' became the first online purchase for £7.74 and since then, people have taken to online shopping in their millions. Last year, more than £91 billion was spent online and that figure is expected to surpass £100 billion this year. Scroll down for video . More than 25 per cent of British people surveyed in the research conducted by UK retailer Shop Direct said they shopped online while in bed (stock image used) According to new research conducted by UK retailer Shop Direct, one in four British people now shop online at least once a week. The rising number of people using tablets has also played a part, with one in five of the 1,000 surveyed saying they used their device to shop and one in ten using a smartphone. Such is the enthusiasm for digital shopping, more than 25 per cent said they shop online in bed, while one in 20 said part of their morning commute involves some virtual window shopping. On August 11, 1994, the Sting album 'Ten Summoner’s Tales' became the first online purchase for £7.74 and since then, people have taken to online shopping in their millions . Interestingly, the most commonly purchased online item are books, which make up 64 per cent of online buys. This was followed by clothes and accessories with 59.6 per cent, music and entertainment with 55.7 per cent, electronics 54.3 per cent and holiday and travel 50.3 per cent. The rise of online shopping has also been quite rapid, as on average most Brits did not start to use the web for shopping until 2005 and only 12 per cent doing so before the turn of the century. Fiona Ellis Chadwick, senior lecturer in retail management at The Open University Business School, said: 'The early days of online shopping were very basic and the customer experience wasn't fantastic. 'Few Brits had a computer and those that did had very slow internet access, which would take a long time to load an image let alone order a product. 'The customer experience has drastically changed since 1994. British people have increasingly turned away from the high street and bought more items online. This year, online purchases are expected to surpass £100 billion . 'In the early days of online shopping, we would go to the high street and look through various shops and choose from what was on offer. 'Now that the whole online shopping industry has come alive, we can save time and money by undertaking the research from the comfort of our own homes and ordering for a time that suits us.' 1) Amazon UK . 2) Argos . 3) Amazon.com . 4) Next . 5) Tesco . 6) Debenhams . 7) Marks & Spencer . 8) ASOS . 9) John Lewis . 10) New Look . (From Experian marketing services, based on April 2013 data) 1) Amazon UK . 2) Apple . 3) Argos . 4) Amazon.com . 5) Next . 6) Tesco . 7) Argos . 8) Marks & Spencer . 9) John Lewis . 10) Debenhams . (From Experian marketing services, based on April 2013 data) The rise of online shopping has hit a number of high-profile high street firms hard, especially since the financial crisis struck in 2008. December 2008: MFI, the furniture retailer, was one of the first major firms to go out of business at the start of the downturn, as retail sales began to fall following a sharp rise in unemployment. January 2009: Woolworths shut its 800 stores, bringing home to many the scale of the UK's economic collapse as the country entered recession for the first time. February 2009: Zavvi stopped trading around Christmas - and refused to honour its gift cards, leading to widespread customer anger. December 2009: Borders was another entertainment behemoth to go under as sale of CDs and DVDs were squeezed by digital downloads and online retailers. October 2012: JJB Sports closed all but 20 of its stores, which were taken over and re-branded by Sports Direct - which saw 550 employees losing their jobs. December 2012: Comet shut down just before Christmas, leaving nearly 7,000 staff out of work and forcing the taxpayer to pick up a £50million tab related to its bankruptcy, which was blamed on soaring energy prices and a reduction in the number of home buyers. January 2013: Jessops was closed by administrator PwC earlier this month after years of struggling with online competition as customers turned away from traditional photography. January 2013: HMV, which has 239 shops and 4,500 staff, announced that it was calling in administrators. The company came under fire for not honouring gift vouchers which they had been selling all over Christmas. November 2013: Video and DVD chain Blockbuster entered administration. The store had 264 stores and a 2,000-strong workforce. December 2013: Osborne's, one of the UK's oldest retailers established in 1830, went into administration early in December. There are 20 stores, three stores have already been closed, and 140 staff have been affected. 2014: Tie Rack, the necktie, scarf and accessories fashion retailer, is to close its 44 high-street stores and continue as an online retailer. In the 1980s there were 450 stores and along with Sock Shop, Principles and Laura Ashley. March 2014: Albemarle & Bond, one of the largest pawnbrokers in the UK, went into administration towards the end of March. There are 188 shops and 1,000 employees. Founded in 2000 by former advertising executive Nick Robertson, ASOS originally started life as As Seen On Screen - selling versions of outfits spotted on celebrities. In 2004 the company launched its first own brand, ASOS Women, which has been worn by celebrities including Michelle Obama, Rita Ora and Rhianna.As well as clothing for men and women, ASOS also offers maternity wear, childrens' clothes, jewellery and beauty products - making it a one-stop shop for customers. In 2006 the company's only warehouse was damaged in a fuel explosion, but the firm quickly bounced back and continued to grow. In 2012 ASOS.com became the most visited fashion website in the world, per day 18-34 year olds. ASOS now boasts websites in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Chinese, as well as offices in France, Australia, Germany, the US and London. ASOS has enjoyed a rapid rise since it started in 2000 and is now the most visited fashion website worldwide . | In 2013, more than £91 billion was spent online .
That figure is expected to surpass £100 billion this year .
One in four British people now shop online at least once a week .
A Sting album - priced at £7.74 - was the first item bought online in 1994 . |
08763977e05bcd63f0a656d7cb4bd3e7c86fae9b | A soldier who returned home for the holidays to spend time with his wife and newborn baby has been told that he will have to stay elsewhere after the landlord said that he would be breaking the terms of his wife's lease. Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife lives in Central, South Carolina with their newborn baby girl. However, the landlord of the apartment is forcing Sergeant Bolt to leave his wife's home because he would be overstaying the time allowed for visitors. Scroll down for video... Welcome home, now get out! Sergeant William Bolt who has returned home for the holidays to see his wife, Lily, and newborn baby in South Carolina is being kicked out of his wife’s apartment after the landlord said he cannot stay for more than a week . Difficult choice: Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife, Lily, has been in Central. She gave birth to their daughter two weeks ago . Rules are rules: The landlord at The Groves apartment complex in Central told him he had overstayed, saying visitors are not allowed to stay in the apartments past seven days, per the agreement signed by Bolt’s wife . An agreement signed by his wife Lily, stated that guests can only stay in the residence for up to a week - but no longer. 'I'm stationed in Missouri and we haven't seen each other in six months. What's the problem with me staying and visiting with my wife?' Sergeant Bolt said. The landlord, whose name is Chuck, told FOX Carolina he enforces the same rule for all his tenants. The problem occurs because Sergeant Bolt's name is not on the lease that his wife signed. The fact he is a visiting spouse makes absolutely no difference and the landlord has made it very clear that there will be consequences if she disobeys. Common sense: Lawyers say the landlord would have a hard time pressing charges, since the person visiting is the tenant’s husband . Sleep outside! SinceSeargent Bolt’s name is not on the lease, even though he is a spouse visiting, the landlord said he is not allowed to stay . The landlord has said that he has the power to press charges and even double his wife's rent if he stays in the apartment. 'He stated to me that he didn't care about our situation, he didn't care about me being in the military,' Sergeant Bolt said. Legal experts believe the landlord would have a hard time evicting Mrs Bolt, especially since it is her husband who would be staying and not some other guest that she could be earning something from. | Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife lives in South Carolina with their newborn baby girl .
Lily Bolt has been told her husband cannot stay in her apartment because his name is not on the lease .
Landlord is threatening to double Mrs Bolt's rent or press charges against her husband . |
0876d7b23cd4c50aae6e6d1ce314860555e3c9b9 | (CNN) -- Support for abortion rights has fallen sharply in the past year, with Americans now split roughly 50-50 between those who back legal access to abortion and those who oppose it, according to a new survey. Anti-abortion activists demonstrate on Capitol Hill in Washington in September. The findings mark a dramatic shift in public opinion, supporters of abortion rights have outnumbered opponents for many years, with one brief exception, studies have shown. But only 47 percent of Americans now feel abortion should be legal in all or most cases, a drop from 54 percent a year ago, according to the poll. Meanwhile, 45 percent say it should be illegal in all or most cases. That's up from 41 percent a year ago. Given the survey's margin of error, the two camps are statistically tied. "These data suggest that a number of people have changed their minds in the past year," said Gregory Smith of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, one of the survey's authors. It's not only one type of person or group whose opinion has changed, he said. "There was a drop seen in many, many demographics: men and women, people with a college degree and those with less education, people with various religious backgrounds," he said. The only groups whose opinions on abortion did not change were African-Americans -- who tend to oppose it -- and young people and those not affiliated with any particular religion, who tend to say it should be legal, he said. "Beyond that, this movement [was] across the board," he said. Anti-abortion activists welcomed the findings. "This is great news. This poll shows that the pro-life movement is winning hearts and minds. Pro-lifers are making an effective case that all women deserve better than abortion and that every child deserves a chance to be born," said Cathy Ruse, the senior fellow for legal studies at the anti-abortion Family Research Council in Washington. The Rev. Flip Benham, a Dallas, Texas-based anti-abortion activist, said the survey reflected a change he had already seen taking place. "It's something that we have known for a long, long time that's been beneath the radar," he said. "The heart of America is changing and only with time do the laws reflect that change." "When the church will come out into the streets, we win the battle," said Benham, director of operations for Operation Save America. "We have to return to the God of our founding fathers and our pilgrim fathers," he said. But Terry O'Neill, the president of the National Organization for Women, firmly rejects religious opposition to abortion. "Abortion is a blessing when it is chosen freely by a woman who needs it. It is a blessing," she said, citing the Rev. Katherine Ragsdale, dean of the Episcopal Divinity School. O'Neill has been in that position herself, she said. "When I was in my early 20s, I thought I needed an abortion. I was escaping a very violent marriage that lasted about eight months," she said. "The young man I was married to exploded and severely battered me." She fled to her parents' home. A month later, she began to suspect she was pregnant with her abusive husband's child. "If I had had a baby, I would have been tied to that man for the rest of my life," she said. "I didn't need the abortion, as it turned out, but if I had needed that abortion, it would have been a blessing. "I knew I was going to become a mother, but not with that man, not with that pregnancy," she said. She said it was important to distinguish between people who oppose abortion and those who want it to be against the law. "I do realize that a lot of people in this country consider themselves to be pro-life," she said. "They also don't want it to be a crime for a woman to get an abortion." Smith, the researcher, suspects the election of President Obama, a pro-choice Democrat, may be one cause of the shift in public opinion. "Look at the timing," he said. "Through October of last year, the findings were consistent, with supporters outnumbering opponents," he said. Pew first noticed the change in public opinion in a survey in April, and did a larger study in August to confirm it. Opponents of abortion feel more strongly about it than supporters of legal access, he said. "Some people, particularly on the right, have become more entrenched, more certain of their own positions on abortion," he said. "Conservative Republicans are more certain about the correctness of their own position and less likely to say they want to see compromise. They are concerned that Obama will go too far in supporting abortion rights as president," he said. "On the left you see some relaxing of views." But the survey also found that the number of people who felt passionately about abortion is falling. About four out of 10 people in the survey could not define Obama's position on abortion. "That is an indicator that although opinions have moved, this issue right now is not at the top of the political debate," Smith said. But the subject has crept into the battle to reform America's health care system, with opponents of abortion in both parties determined to prevent federal dollars from funding abortions. Under the Hyde amendment, federal money currently can be used to pay for abortions only in case of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. There have been at least two abortion-related slayings in the United States this year, one on each side of the debate. George Tiller, a doctor known for performing abortions, was killed in May. Tiller was shot in the head at point-blank range on May 31 as services began at Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas. Scott Roeder, a 51-year-old anti-abortion activist, is charged in Tiller's killing. He has pleaded not guilty. Anti-abortion activist Jim Pouillon, 63, was shot dead outside a school in Owosso, Michigan, on September 11. He was associated with Benham's Operation Save America. Harlan James Drake, 33, is accused of shooting him and another man in separate locations that day. Authorities do not believe that Drake knew Pouillon; only that he was offended by anti-abortion material that Pouillon had displayed across from the school all week, according to Sara Edwards of the Shiawassee County prosecutor's office. The Supreme Court, the country's main legal battleground on abortion, has ruled only once on the hot-button subject since 1992, in a close 2007 decision that upheld federal restrictions on a controversial late-term abortion procedure called "partial birth abortion" by its opponents. Judge Sonia Sotomayor, then a federal appeals court judge, deflected questions about abortion this summer when she faced Senate confirmation hearings for a seat on the Supreme Court. She was confirmed. The court has not announced any abortion-related cases on its 2009-2010 docket. The 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade effectively legalized abortion in the United States. In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were performed, down from 1.31 million in 2000, according to data compiled by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, which aims to "advance sexual and reproductive health worldwide through research, policy analysis and education." About 2 percent of American women age 15-44 had an abortion in 2005, the latest year for which the institute has information. The rate has been falling gradually since 1981, when it peaked at just under 3 percent, institute figures show. The new findings come from a telephone survey of more than 4,000 adults in August 2009, conducted by the Washington-based Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life and the Pew Research Center for The People & The Press. CNN Supreme Court producer Bill Mears contributed to this report. | Americans split 50-50 on whether women should have legal access to abortion .
Findings mark a shift; supporters of abortion rights have been majority for years .
Subject comes up in health care debate, with questions over funding for abortions .
Study found fewer people on both sides feel passionately about the issue . |
0876e9fdea9993cd91158958f6d17b9b77094d00 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 08:57 EST, 10 August 2011 . With his hands proudly on his hips, and a satisfied smile betraying his excitement, Horatio Chapple stands at the edge of a glacier on Svalbard, Norway, posing for a photo with his friends. Two days later the 17-year-old would be mauled to death by a 39-stone polar bear. The last photo of the Eton College pupil shows him as 'strong, fearless and kind', and 'on the cusp of adulthood' - how he was described by his devastated parents David and Olivia. Meanwhile, the father of a teenager who survived last week's attack has described his son's heroics which left him with the creature's teeth embedded in his skull. Patrick Flinders suffered a fractured skull after punching the 14ft polar bear in the face during the attack which saw his friend Horatio 'ripped to pieces'. The 16-year-old has been hailed a 'hero' by his father after 'fighting for his life' during the horrific episode on Friday. Hours before death: The last picture of Horatio Chapple, taken on Svalbard two days before the polar bear attack that killed him and injured a further four of his friends . Hero: Patrick Flinders was left with the polar bear's teeth lodged in his skull after the attack on Friday . Terry Flinders said his son was bitten on the arm and swiped in the face by the 250kg animal before Patrick tried to defend the group by jumping on the bear and 'smashing its nose' as it attacked their tent. Horatio Chapple died following the attack on Spitsbergen island, Norway, while Patrick, from Jersey, along with friend Scott Bennell-Smith, 16, survived and were flown to the UK on Sunday. Patrick underwent surgery to remove the bear's teeth from his skull and is now said to be 'conscious and lucid' at Southampton General Hospital. Trip leaders Michael 'Spike' Reid, 29, from Plymouth and Andrew Ruck, 27, who is from Brighton but lives in Edinburgh, were severely injured in the bear attack, but are now stable. Autopsy: A pair of scientists examine the body of the polar bear that was shot dead after attacking Horatio Chapple . Mr Reid shot the bear dead, but was also mauled himself. Terry Flinders said the ordeal his son went through would have affected 'even hardened SAS men', as his son and Mr Bennell-Smith saw Hortatio attacked in the same tent. Mr Flinders told the BBC Today . programme: 'Scott shot but did not kill the bear, which then went for . Patrick, he bit his arm and then just swiped his face and top of his . head. And then the same with Scottie. 'Patrick said he can't remember doing it, but I suppose it might come back to him later.' 'We are a small community here and he has become a hero. 'I've told him the girls will love . him for his bravery, and he will be able to walk through town on a . Friday night without any trouble because people will know him as the guy . who punched a 14ft polar bear. 'If three SAS men, who are hardened . people, had been in those tents and saw what Patrick and Scott saw - . their friend being ripped to pieces - they must be affected by that, let . alone a 16-year-old who fought for his life. 'His injuries are not my biggest worry because in six months time they will all be gone. 'But it must stay in his head and I don't see how anyone could put up with that.' Patrick's parents had previously thought he had only been bitten on the arm and swiped in the face by the bear. Mr Flinders added: 'I was told he had a broken skull, and said I didn't know about that. 'He had an operation to remove parts of the bear's teeth from his skull, and the surgeons did a fantastic job on him.' Family holiday: This undated family photo shows Horatio Chapple (centre, with red shirt) with his mother Olivia and father David, and his brothers Magnus and Titus . Horatio Chapple, left, was killed by the bear, despite attempts to save him made by adventurer Mike Reid, right . Captured: The male polar bear is examined by an official after it was shot by members of the expedition . Attack: One of the victims of the polar bear attack is carried from a helicopter in Longyearbyen yesterday . Scott's father, Peter, said in a statement that Friday was the worst day of his life. 'It will never leave me to think how close Scott came to being killed that day,' he said. 'I am so sorry for the loss of his new friend and fellow adventurer, Horatio. It is every parent's worst nightmare.' The family of Horatio paid tribute to him in a statement, describing him as 'strong, fearless and kind'. They said Mr Chapple had been 'so excited about his plans to be a doctor' and praised his 'amazing sense of humour and ability to laugh at himself'. Eton College, where Mr Chapple was a pupil, expressed its deep sadness at the schoolboy's death and offered its condolences to his family and friends. The attack on the campsite near the Von Post glacier about 25 miles (40km) from Longyearbyen, took place early on Friday. Battle with the bear: An aerial view of the camp shows the four tents with the dead polar bear in the middle of the site having been killed by the group during the struggle . Recovery: Patrick Flinders has been transferred to Southampton General Hospital after an operation to remove the bear's teeth from his skull . | Eton pupil Horatio Chapple, 17, killed in horrific expedition bear attack .
Patrick Flinders fought off bear by 'smashing animal on the nose'
Schoolboy survivors transferred back to Britain for recovery . |
0877f3a64ef3869ccbe1d75a7016d1ec25871c8a | Santa Claus is getting his rest before spreading joy to children all over the world in ten days. While his elves were busy at his workshop North Pole, Father Christmas managed to sneak in a trip to Hawaii and take it easy over the weekend. St Nick was in a merry mood when he stopped by Waikiki Beach to greet tourists and locals at a beach hotel and sing the Hawaiian Christmas Song. ‘Mele Kalikimaka’: Santa Claus arrives at Waikiki Beach in Hawaii while taking a break from the North Pole . Father Christmas greets children while paying a visit to a resort at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii . Instead of arriving in his usual sleigh, this two-and-a half minute video shows Santa Claus being paddled to shore in a canoe before being greeted with Hawaiian holiday cheer. During his canoe ride the man dressed as St Nick managed to catch a wave and and throw up the 'hang loose' shaka hand gesture to surfers who cheered him on. Santa Claus makes the shaka hand gesture to surfers while riding a wave in a canoe . Hula girls dance to Christmas carols during a festive event at a beach resort on the Hawaiian island . He shouted ‘Mele Kalikimaka’, a Hawaiian phrase meaning ‘Merry Christmas’. When he made landfall he was greeted by a young girl who presented a miniature Santa doll and a young boy who offered a high five. St Nick was then entertained by dancing hula girls under a clear Hawaiian sky at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. | Man dressed as Santa Claus greeted children at event in Honolulu, Hawaii .
He caught a wave on a canoe and made the 'hang loose' gesture to surfers .
Santa and the rest of the crowd were entertained by dancing hula girls . |
0878d4e06a54247df498a7921d3537a9db25814e | By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 11:25 EST, 14 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:11 EST, 15 May 2012 . Victim: Estrella Carrera, 26, was found stabbed to death in her bathtub wearing her wedding dress . A newlywed still wearing her wedding dress was found stabbed to death in a bathtub at her suburban apartment just days after her wedding. Estrella Carrera, 26, was found around 3:30pm on Sunday in the 7800 block of South Rutherford Avenue, in the Burbank area of Chicago, according to police. Carrera's body was discovered after her sister became alarmed when she could not contact her and asked police to conduct a well-being check at the home, officials said. When police called at her third-floor home, she was found with multiple stab wounds in an empty bathtub. Relatives say she was a Spanish language translator for a welfare agency. Police today declared the death a homicide after autopsy results confirmed she died from stab wounds. The 26-year-old was last seen around 2am on Saturday, hours after her City Hall wedding the evening before. She was due to pick up her two . children - her nine-year-old daughter and two-year-old son- from a family member on . Saturday afternoon but did not show up, according to the Chicago Tribune. A spokeswoman for the Cook County Clerk's office said that Estrella did not yet have a marriage certificate on file but had applied for a marriage license on May 2. She just moved to the area about two months ago, neighbors told CW33, and is believed to have married a 30-year-old Chicago man who has not yet been identified. Her cousin Sandy Lopez said he was the father of her youngest child and it was a quick wedding. They had been in an on-off relationship for three years. She said Estrella called her on Friday to invite . her to a party but didn't mention that it was a wedding party. Beautiful person: Family raised the alarm when the newlywed mother did not come to pick up her children . She told the Chicago Tribune: 'She didn't tell anybody. She didn't want to tell me she had gotten married, but she sounded happy.' She said she personally did not approve of the marriage or the . relationship but was not speaking for the rest of her . family. 'He's just a person who had problems,' she said. 'She was a beautiful mother, person, sister.' Distraught: Cousin Sandy Lopez broke down as she spoke about the young woman's tragic death . Neighbor Jason Tokarczyk, 24, told the . paper she was quiet and generally kept to herself. He said he . frequently saw her with her son but was surprised to hear she had . married. 'I've never . seen her with a dude...I figured she was a single mom,' said Mr . Tokarczyk. 'She was quiet as a mouse. 'I was shocked out of my mind to . hear something had happened to her.' Another neighbor said police were . searching all around the area in dumpsters and garbage cans for a weapon . but came up with nothing. Another local resident described the 26-year-old as 'pleasant' but said she was relatively unknown. Burbank . police were releasing few details but said the death was being . investigated by the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force. Police . are calling it an isolated incident stemming from a domestic situation, . but did not say whether anyone was in custody as of today. Scene: Police found Estrella's body in a bath tub at her suburban apartment two days after her wedding in Chicago . Search: Carrera's body was discovered after her sister told police she could not contact her and asked them to conduct a well-being check at the home . | Estrella Carrera, 26, married on Friday night and was last seen 2am on Saturday morning .
Mother of 2-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter .
Cousin said she had a quickie wedding after an on-off relationship with Chicago man for 3 years .
Husband and father of her son has not yet been found .
Relatives did not approve of relationship . |
0879b8cac4474ec6f642f466a96dd510b54ad888 | A murderer has posted photographs on Facebook of a superhero-themed birthday cake which was smuggled into his cell, bragging: ‘Who said prison was hard.’ Liam Whitnell, who is serving a life sentence for stabbing a 24-year-old man in front of his family, also uploaded images of a takeaway kebab and a ginger beer alongside what appears to be blocks of cannabis. And in a flagrant breach of prison rules, the brutal killer has been pictured chatting on a mobile phone inside his cell – which boasts a games console, an expensive-looking music system and a cupboard full of DVDs. Scroll down for video . In photos posted on Facebook, killer Liam Whitnell is pictured lounging in his cell and speaking on the phone . Whitnell also posted a photo of a birthday cake in pictures which have angered his victim's family . Another picture shows a kebab and soft drink which have apparently been delivered to the jail, next to what appears to be cannabis, believed to have been smuggled into the prison . The photographs, which outraged the . family of Whitnell’s victim, were posted online to celebrate his 31st . birthday. He claimed the cake was a present from fellow inmates, . writing: ‘B.day cake from da boys.’ He also revealed that he was having a . ‘good time’. Whitnell, of Stepney, east London, was jailed for a minimum of 24 years in 2013. Along . with three other accomplices he had attacked Kowshar Hussain with . knives and a wheel brace in 2011 – in what a judge described as the . killing of a ‘totally innocent family man’. Last . night Mr Hussain’s sister Amirun Nehar, 24, who was with her brother . when he was murdered, said of Whitnell: ‘He is obviously not suffering . at all. ‘Everything seems . to be good for him, he still gets to see his family when they come to . visit him, he gets cake and kebabs for his birthday, he still gets to . enjoy himself. Why should he get all that when he killed my brother?’ She added: ‘He took something from us that we will never get back. A video posted by another inmate appears to show a bag of cocaine in one of the prison's cells (left) and photos believed to have been taken in Whitnell's cell show a personalised Coca Cola bottle (right) Inmates at Wandsworth Prison are also pictured flouting rules forbidding mobile phones in jail . 'My . dad can’t believe that my brother’s birthday is coming up and we can’t . do anything about it but his killer is here celebrating his birthday. He’s got it so easy. This can’t be justice. We have been failed.’ And she told the Mail that her brother was a loving ‘family man’ who she believed died trying to protect her and his wife. She went on to say: ‘He loved kids, he had just got married and he was looking forward to having kids of his own. ‘All his nephews and nieces adored him. He was a proper family guy.’ Whitnell was jailed for life after he was convicted of the murder of Kowshar Hussain in East London in 2011 . The main entrance to Wandsworth Prison in south London, from where Whitnell reportedly posted the photos . Mr . Hussain, who had been married for only 18 months at the time of his . murder, was stabbed to death as he retrieved a baby seat from a car. He was collecting the seat for his brother-in-law who had been involved in a scuffle with the men and was afraid of reprisals. Officers at HMP Wandsworth, Britain’s biggest jail, have now launched an investigation into the Facebook page and pictures. Mobiles . are banned in prison. The Prison Service also has an agreement with . Facebook to close down accounts being updated by or on behalf of serving . prisoners. It is . understood that four inmates at the 163-year-old category B prison – . including Whitnell – have been moved to the segregation unit for . accessing social media. A . prison spokesman said: ‘No prisoner should be in any doubt that if they . break the rules they will be stripped of their privileges and could face . further disciplinary action. These claims are now being investigated as . a matter of urgency.’ But . yesterday a relative of Mr Hussain, who did not want to be named for . fear of reprisals, said: ‘We don’t think this is justice, how can they . be allowed to get away with this? It makes a joke of the system.’ They . went on to say: ‘These men have done some really bad things, they . should be in a category A prison being properly punished and not sitting . around playing PlayStation.’ | Liam Whitnell posted photos showing his 31st birthday celebrations .
They included one showing a takeaway kebab and one of three inmates .
Phones are banned behind bars, but there is a black market for them .
In 2011, Whitnell and three accomplices stabbed Kowshar Hussain, 24 . |
087a4516360cf6aa32ecce38dc17bcb113d66106 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 10:03 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 1 February 2013 . Details of the final terrifying hours of workers held hostage by terrorists at an Algerian gas plant have been revealed, as footage emerged of the site two weeks after the crisis unfolded in the Sahara desert. At least 38 foreign workers - including six Britons - died at the facility, which is part operated by BP, after it was over-run by heavily-armed terrorists on Wednesday January 16. The Algerian general manager of the site has told how between eight and 10 western hostages had been tied to metalwork at a gas construction complex on Thursday January 17, while the hostage-takers - some clad in suicide vests - set about building a bomb. Damage: The damage was evident as the Algerian government opened the desert gas plant for the first time following the four-day siege which saw dozens of workers slaughtered by militants . Lofti Benadouda said: 'There was one big explosion and we saw the fire burning all night.' According to a report in the Daily Telegraph . Mr Benadouda said the hostages had been chained to the metalwork at . varying heights; some at ground level close to the car containing the . bomb, others further up. 'The terrorists wanted a big explosion. They wanted to destroy the plant and make a big impression,' he said. Bloodshed: Bullet holes in the wall of a building in the residential area of the sprawling In Amenas complex in Algeria . Hostage crisis: Workers in hard hats stand before blackened towers at the In Amenas plant, which is now under heavy military guard . The manager, who was used by the . militants to relay messages between them and Algerian forces surrounding . the site, said that when he . attended the plant to try and identify the bodies of his colleagues, the . sights he witnessed suggested three terrorists had detonated suicide . vests. Mr Benadouda said a Norwegian and possibly a Briton were among the dead following the explosion. BBC video footage shows the now heavily-guarded facility . still bears the signs of the carnage wrought by terrorists during the four-day siege two weeks . ago, from bullet-holes visible in the walls of the employees' living . quarters, to the machinery blackened by fire and explosions. Aftermath: The site was opened to western media for the first time since dozens of foreign workers were killed during a four day stand-off that ended in a bloody showdown between militants and Algerian forces . Explosion: The manager of the site has described how a group of western hostages were tied to metalwork at a central gas processing facility by militants wearing suicide vests . The militants, who called themselves . the Signatories in Blood Battalion, stormed the 37-acre site on January . 16, attacking two buses carrying employees and killing two, before . driving to the main facility where they took hostages. The following day saw more bloodshed when Algerian forces attacked as the militants tried to move the hostages. The . plant was surrounded by Algerian military on Friday January 18, who . moved in the following day amid reports the terrorists were killing . hostages. The Algerian prime minister later announced that at least 38 civilians had been killed during the course of the siege. Horror: A blackened tower at the gas processing centre suggests a bomb was detonated . Bullet-holes: The terrorists stormed employee living quarters at the sprawling gas plant and took hostages . Security: The manager wants to see a military presence maintained at the site in the Sahara when the plant resumes producing gas . Manager: Lofti Benadouda has called for a permanent military presence at In Amenas . Scottish father-of-two Kenneth Whiteside, a planning manager at In Amenas who died at the hands of the militant hostage-takers a fortnight ago, was buried in Fife yesterday. His family has said he was 'lined up and shot dead' alongside three other hostages at the Algerian gas plant. Among the other UK nationals killed were 46-year-old security expert Paul Morgan, systems supervisor Garry Barlow, 49, from Liverpool, and 26-year-old engineer and father of one Sebastian John. | Footage shows the remote In Amenas plant two weeks after the crisis .
Manager told how hostages were tied to a gas construction complex .
Terrorists wearing suicide vests built a bomb in one of their vehicles . |
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