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f9e5095017058dbd8401ef55da72d218720e77f0 | From incredible devices designed to make humans stronger to clever gadgets that can cut noise pollution and waste from manufacturing processes, engineers have created amazing products designed to make our lives easier. They are fighting it out to win the James Dyson Award, which recognises ideas large and small that have the potential to solve significant problems. A total of 20 ideas have been shortlisted and they range from tackling large problems like renewable energy by generating power from waves, to ripening fruit and vegetables at the best time. A group of U.S. engineers have invented the 'Titan arm' to protect warehouse workers who frequenly lift heavy loads from the risk of arm and back injuries. Their robitic arm is an upper-body exoskeleton that augments human strength and braces the back to prevent poor lifting technique . Handie is an affordable prosthetic hand with inbuilt sensors that can read brain signals. All its parts are easily modified and made using a 3D printer . The winner will be announced on November 7 and will win £30,000. The engineer will follow in the footsteps of Dan Watson, who won the award last year for his SafetyNet device, which encourages sustainable fishing. A total of 650 projects were entered by creative scientists from 18 countries. 'Bold ideas big and small can solve significant problems. The entries into this year's award, from young engineers and scientists around the world all show promise, but are only at the start of the long process towards commercialisation,' Sir James Dyson said. A handful of the engineers set out to solve health-related problems. Karl Price and his team from the University of Waterloo, Canada, have invented a robotic surgery tool to replace manual suturing, saving valuable time in the operating room. AWARING is a device that indicates a speaker's location using a light and volume. It could help people with hearing impairments who find it difficult to lip read and follow conversation in group situations . Sono is a device that can be fitted onto a window to eliminate and cancel sound coming from outside . A group of U.S. engineers have invented the 'Titan arm' to protect warehouse workers who frequently lift heavy loads from the risk of arm and back injuries. Their robotic arm is an upper-body exoskeleton that augments human strength and braces the back to prevent poor lifting technique. The team said the arm could also be used to help stroke and injury victims rebuild muscle and re-learn fine motor control. Sam Etherington designed a device called renewable wave power (pictured) that absorbs forces from the troughs and peaks of waves from any direction in a bid to make cleaner energy . A suitcase made from BioWool is pictured. It is made from waste material from the coarse wool industry . Hiroshi Yamaura innovated Handie- an affordable dexterous prosthetic hand with inbuilt sensors that can read brain signals, while another Japanese designer has created AWARING - a device that indicates a speaker's location to help those with hearing impairments lip read in a large group situation, where they can easily get left behind. Jake Evill's distinctive looking 3D-printed Cortex cast could keep arms rigid to help them heal after a fracture and is created from waste plastic. Other designers also focused on the challenge of reducing wastage and recycling materials. British engineer Dan McLoughlin . observed that the coarse wool industry creates a lot of waste product . that goes to landfill and found that he could use this material to make a . biodegradeable, flame resistant plastic, which he called BioWool. The . material is made by carding the wool and then uses needles to shred and . pull the fibres together to produce a material similar in feel to . plastic or softer like a felt. Xarius is a portable energy generator that allows the charging of electrical appliances using wind power - making it suitable to charge a phone in areas with limited access to mains electricity . Fruit and veg is best stored and ripened in specific conditions so OLTU uses excess heat produced behind the fridge to power a separate unit that has sections designed to keep different fruit in different conditions to it ripens properly . Minimally invasive surgery leads to small incisions that can be difficult to suture- or seal. The Automated Suturing Tool could eliminate the need for manual suturnig to save time in the operating room . Another British engineer, Sam Etherington, designed a device called renewable wave power that absorbs forces from the troughs and peaks of waves from any direction in a bid to make cleaner energy. While Britain has 11,073km of . coastline and the potential to produce 40-70KWh per metre, the country . currently harnesses just 1 per cent of the free resource. But Mr . Etherington hopes his invention could change that. Other scientists came up with innovative gadgets to transform everyday tasks. Diabetics use a device that breaks the skin to measure their blood sugar levels but Gluco could change that. It uses a person's smartphone linked to a watch to measure the levels, eliminating the need to break the skin. An insulin pen takes the results from the watch and prepares the appropriate dosage . Cortex is a 3D printed system for fracture support that is lightweight, waterproof and ventilated. It could make itchy, cumbersome plaster casts a thing of the past . Mugi Yamamoto created Stack - a compact inkjet printer that can be place on top of a pile of paper that moves downwards to swallow the paper until none is left, creating in turn, another stack of finished papers. Kent Frankovich came up with . Revolights, which are a series of LED rings that are clipped onto a . bike's existing rims, powered by battery packs, while a fork-mounted . magnet works with an integrated accelerometer to work out when the . lights should be lit. The . front half of the front rim shines bright white, while the back half of . the rear rim glows red, much like car lights, to help cyclists be more . easily seen by drivers on the road. Revolights use are a series of LED rings that are clipped onto a bike's existing rims, powered by battery packs, while a fork-mounted magnet works with an integrated accelerometer to work out when the lights should be lit. They could make cyclists more visible on roads, preventing accidents . Stack is a compact inkjet printer that is placed on top of a paper pile. When printing, it slowly moves downwards and swallows the pile until no paper is left, creating a new pile of printed papers . With an ever increasing population, living spaces are becoming smaller and noisier as sounds from the street encroach on everyday life. This problem inspired Rudolf Stefanich to create Sono - a device that can be fitted to a window that stops certain annoying noises from passing through the glass into a home. It might look like the Batmobile but Comb is an autonomous dumper truck that uses GPS to perform tasks remotely . In high contact sport concussion is common but it is often hard to know if a person needs medical attention. The Mamori gum shield has sensors to measure any impact on a sportsman and transmits the data to medical staff at the side of a pitch . | 20 ideas created by engineers and designers across the globe have been shortlisted for the James Dyson Award .
The winner will be announced on November 7 and will receive £30,000. 650 projects were entered by creative scientists from 18 countries .
The ideas include healthcare solutions, gadgets to make everyday life easier and devices to tackle huge challenges like the provision of clean energy . |
f9e521776fab27c0694e963cdbddaa5fcc717b7d | By . James White . PUBLISHED: . 05:31 EST, 29 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:22 EST, 30 May 2012 . A great-grandmother who suffered a fractured skull after being beaten as she lay in her own bed died in hospital in the early hours of this morning. Emma Winnall was found unconscious and covered in blood when carers came to check on her in her home in Birmingham earlier this month. The 93-year-old died of complications arising from her injuries at 4.30am today, West Midlands Police said. Scroll down for video . Attack: Emma Winnall, pictured in a photograph released by her family as she lay ill in hospital, was assaulted as she slept at her home in Moseley, Birmingham, some time between 9pm on April 30 and 9am the next day . Superintendent Richard Baker, Head of Major Crime at West Midlands Police, said: 'This is desperately sad news. Our condolences go out to Emma's family and friends. 'Clearly, this has now become a murder inquiry.' Re-appealing for information about the offence, he added: 'This was a shocking attack on a defenceless, elderly woman as she slept in her own bed. 'No-one capable of carrying out such a despicable attack deserves protecting - I'm asking people to look into their consciences and if they have any suspicions about who may be responsible to contact police.' Mrs Winnall had a fractured skull, a broken arm and wrist and a partially severed finger. The beating was so severe that the frail widow's palms were bruised from her attempts to protect herself, while blood had splattered on to the walls behind her bed. A woman, 56, and a man, 28, were arrested at their home in the Hall Green area of Birmingham on May 17 on suspicion of assault. They were later released on bail until July. The arrests came after a £5,000 reward was offered today for information leading to a conviction in the case. Crimestoppers offered the cash reward in a move backed by West Midlands Police. Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Johal said at the time: 'I would like to thank Crimestoppers for offering this reward and say again that local people hold the key to finding who is responsible for this terrible attack. 'No-one capable of carrying out such a despicable attack deserves protecting. 'I’m asking people to look into their consciences and if they have any suspicions about who may be responsible to contact police.' A shocking picture released by her family in the days after the attack showed the full extent of the appalling injuries Mrs Winnall suffered to her face. As her family appealed for help in finding her attacker, they revealed that Mrs Winnall had started to describe the awful moment she was assaulted. Her daughter said she spoke of screaming for help in vain, while the palms of her hands are bruised from her attempts to protect herself. The beating was so severe blood had splattered on to the walls behind her bed. Mrs Blencoe and her brother John Winnall make their public appeal for information . Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Johal (left) described the level of violence as 'shocking' Mrs Winnall’s daughter Joyce Blencoe, 56, spoke last week from West Midlands Police headquarters with her brother John. She said: ‘To see your mum viciously beaten and covered in blood has been the most horrific nightmare. It’s broken my heart to hear my frail and defenceless mum manage to say she was screaming for help and no one came.’ Mrs Winnall, who lived in Moseley, Birmingham, worked at the city’s small arms factory during the Second World War. She relied on a wheelchair to get around, and lived alone since her husband Frank died in 2006, aged 91. She is survived by five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mrs Winnall's flat in Moseley, Birmingham, where she was brutally attacked as she slept . VIDEO: Emotional. Emma Winnall issues an appeal to find the thugs who beat her mother . | Great-grandmother Emma Winnall found unconscious and covered in blood .
Woman 56, and man, 28, arrested over attack and released on bail . |
f9e5cd616c589342270bc26e3c31fdcea50e5fa8 | By . Annabel Fenwick Elliott . A new study has revealed the surprising truths behind the primary concerns of newly pregnant women in 20 different countries around the world, based on their most common Google searches. The first things women in the U.S. want to know when they fall pregnant are ‘how to prevent stretch marks' and ‘how to lose weight', according to the data. The study, compiled by Google data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz for The New York Times, found that while English and Australian women have the exact some body priorities as Americans, the most common search for expectant mothers in South Africa, India and Nigeria is 'how to have sex.' First concerns: New Google data has revealed that the most common search made by newly pregnant women in the U.S. is 'how to lose weight and prevent stretch marks', but for South Africans, Indians and Nigerians, it's 'how to have sex' The top five concerns, in order of popularity for women in the U.S. according to the data are: 'Prevent stretch marks, lose weight, have sex, avoid stretch marks and stay fit.' This order was very similar in Britain and Australia. Absent from these top five concerns, but cropping up in other countries are 'take care' in India, 'stay healthy' in Nigeria, and 'stop vomiting' in South Africa. Google's data unearthed a treasure trove of further facts about how various cultures around the world shape women's priorities so differently, while in some cases, culture seems irrelevant. All women tend to crave the same things for example, regardless of where they live. In the U.S. the top search is 'craving ice', followed by salt, sweets, fruit and then spicy food. This is almost exactly the same in all the countries addressed. Career boost: The American fixation on snapping back into shape after giving birth is reflected in stars like Kim Kardashian (left) and Jessica Simpson (right) who both publicly promoted their post-baby diets . As for the Google search: 'Can pregnant women...?' It's food and drink related questions which top almost every list. But the food types vary. American and British women query the safety of shrimp and prawns, Australians wonder whether they can eat 'cream cheese', Indians search 'pizza', Singaporeans search 'green tea', Mexicans search 'coffee' and oddly, Nigerians search 'cold water.' Other queries that crop up across the board, are from women wondering if they can fly, take pain relief, and drink alcohol. Brazilian women stick out tremendously, seemingly unconcerned by what they should be consuming, and search only for whether they can dye their hair, ride a bike and fly. And the fifth most common search in Mexico is whether pregnant women can wear heels. Surprisingly, in every country examined, the most common dream people Google is overwhelmingly: 'I dreamed I was pregnant', after 'having babies, cheating on a partner, killing someone, dying, and winning the lottery'. Which appears to neatly summarize the whole of humankind and what we're thinking about while we spend nearly half our lives asleep. And surely the most depressing conclusion the study arrived at - for American women at least - are the top searches made by men soon after they find out their wives are pregnant. In Mexico, it's 'words of love' and 'poems for my pregnant wife'. In the U.S., it's: 'My wife is pregnant what do I do' and 'my wife is pregnant now what'. U.S. Prevent stretch marks . Lose weight . Have sex . Avoid stretch marks . Stay fit . U.K. Lose weight . Prevent stretch marks . Avoid stretch marks . Sleep . Have sex . AUSTRALIA . Prevent stretch marks . Lose weight . Avoid stretch marks . Sleep . Have sex . SOUTH AFRICA . Have sex . Lose weight . Prevent stretch marks . Sleep . Stop vomiting . INDIA . Sleep . Do sex . Have sex . Sex . Take care . NIGERIA . Have sex . Lose weight . Prevent stretch marks . Sleep . Stop vomiting . | For expectant mothers in the U.S., how to lose weight and avoid stretch marks are the most common searches .
For South Africans, Nigerians and Indians, it's how to have sex .
Women worldwide worry about food and cravings, but Brazilians are more concerned with whether they can dye their hair . |
f9e5d04baf7fd01046f0b36a39d169e166ed7706 | The majority of Americans do not think President Barack Obama has been aggressive enough with the Islamic State, a poll released on Wednesday revealed. A resounding 74 percent described Obama's actions toward Islamic extremists as 'not tough enough.' And another 52 percent said they'd be in favor of allowing the president to use U.S. ground troops to take out ISIS if airstrikes in Iraq and Syria are not enough. Likely voters went a step further and told pollsters for Fox News that they're skeptical the president's plans to degrade and destroy the terrorist group will work at all without boots on the ground. Obama has categorically rejected the notion that he could ask American forces to engage in combat in Iraq, but 58 percent of likely voters said they don't see a path to success if he doesn't. Nearly three-fourths of Americans think President Barack Obama, pictured here today speaking at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, has not been 'tough enough' on Islamic extremists . If President Obama changed course in Iraq and sent in U.S. ground troops, the majority of Americans would support him. In fact, most likely voters think he's going to have to if he wants to defeat ISIS . That's more than double the percentage of likely voters who said bombs alone would send ISIS packing, 23 percent, and three times the percentage who couldn't say one way or the other, 19 percent. Overall all respondents to Fox's survey, which was commissioned by Democratic polling firm Anderson Robbins Research and Republican firm Shaw & Company Research and conducted Sunday through Tuesday, were unhappy with nearly every single angle of President Obama's strategy to combat the terrorist group. Worse, nearly two-thirds of respondents - 64 percent - said they don't even think Obama has a 'clear strategy' for taking out the Islamic State, even though the President has repeatedly clarified that he does after inadvertently stating last summer that he didn't. Obama has since shared his plans with the American people.In a prime-time address last month, the president said his long-term strategy will rely on airstrikes against militants in Iraq and Syria, military aid to Iraqi and Kurdish forces, a training and weapons program to arm moderate Syrian rebels and a broad international coalition working together on a number of fronts. Yet 53 percent of respondents still say Obama's doing a bad job handling terrorist threats. The same percentage gave him poor marks on Iraq. Likewise, 54 percent of people polled said it was 'crazy' for the president to announce to the enemy that he wouldn't authorize U.S. ground forces under any circumstances. Just 34 percent said it was 'smart' to clue Americans in on planned military engagement. An alarming 80 percent of Americans said they are either very or somewhat concerned that ISIS is going to attack the United States i n the 'near future,' despite assurances from the Department of Homeland Security and other Obama administration officials that they've found no evidence to support that assessment. The only terrorist plot uncovered by the U.S. in recent months that it's shared with the public is one being plotted in Syria by the unrelated Khorason Group. Like ISIS it is an an off-shoot of al Qaeda but the two do not appear to be working together. The Pentagon announced late last month that it had preemptively struck the group in Syria as a preventative measure. | A resounding 74 percent described Obama's actions toward Islamic extremists as 'not tough enough'
Another 52 percent said they'd be in favor of allowing the president to use U.S. ground troops to take out ISIS if need be .
Likely voters went a step further and told pollsters they're skeptical Obama's plan to destroy ISIS will work at all without boots on the ground . |
f9e630a7744b6d7e1eb2bd678cc40425c6d672f8 | What happens when you bring together 40 professional dancers and 40 treadmills? An epic fitness flash mob, of course. The high-energy video was shot on location in Logan, Utah, and was conceptualised by fitness equipment manufacturer, NordicTrack. Forty professional dancers, along with YouTube and Vine stars, came together for an epic fitness flash mob . Filmed on location in Logan, Utah, the dancers jogged in place on and off for over 12 hours during the shoot . Twelve YouTube and Vine stars were on hand to create the musical masterpiece, dancing along to the song The Str!ke by band Atom Bomb. Choreographed by Jason Celaya, it featured local dance teams like My Bad Crew, USU Dance Companies, Dance Factory, and USU Dance Club. Over the course of a grueling 12 hours, the 40 dancers jog-danced in high altitude - and, on occasion, on an incline - while being filmed on an Epic Red Dragon and 4k Sony f7 camera. The high-energy melody - a song called The Strike by Atom Bomb - provided the soundtrack . As part of NordicTrack's #makefunhappen campaign, the video was released and has since gone viral . The music video showcases NordicTrack's new technology and has already been viewed 2.1 million times . The #makefunhappen campaign is in part to promote the brand's new 1-Touch Incline and Decline controls. Select NordicTrack treadmills had adopted iFit technology and also boast reflex cushioning to help your run or walk feel more 'real' - just don't attempt to leap onto the handlebars. The video was filmed near the Icon Health & Fitness Headquarters. For more information visit: http://www.nordictrack.com/ . Click here for the original YouTube video. | Shot on location in Utah, video was part of NordicTrack ad campaign .
Features 40 professional dancers, as well as YouTube and Vine stars .
Dancers jogged in place over the course of 12 hours during the shoot . |
f9e6c1061e9092eaf3050a38f302341d5bc29a2c | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 9 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:29 EST, 9 July 2013 . This is the incredible moment a new Range Rover Sport went head-to-head against a Spitfire fighter plane in an engineering Battle of Britain. The two technical masterpieces were pitted against each other in a unique off-road race at the Goodwood Aerodrome in Chichester, West Sussex. And with a complex four-wheel drive system, the Range Rover immediately sped ahead of the Second World War plane. Watch the race below... Ready to go: A new Range Rover Sport went head-to-head against a Spitfire fighter plane in West Sussex . On your marks: The two technical masterpieces were pitted against each other in a unique off-road race . Ready: The race was organised by FortyOneSix.com ahead of the Goodwood Festival of Speed . Starting off: The Range Rover immediately sped ahead of the World War Two plane as the race began . Up in the air: Shortly afterwards the 1945 aircraft - with its iconic 1,750bhp Merlin engine - reached 80mph and took off before easily passing the luxury off-roader . But shortly afterwards the 1945 . aircraft - with its iconic 1,750bhp Merlin engine - reached 80mph and . took off before easily passing the luxury off-roader. At . the one-mile point the Range Rover simply turned around and headed back . towards the finish line while the Supermarine Spitfire, piloted by Matt . Jones from the Boultbee Flight Academy, had a more difficult aerobatic . turn. Mike . Cross, Jaguar Land Rover’s chief vehicle integrity engineer, was then . back in the lead as he floored the car towards the chequered flag as the . Spitfire played catch-up. Despite . being capable of 400mph, the 68-year-old Spitfire couldn’t quite catch . the Range Rover Sport, which hit 130mph over the bumpy ground. Steering: At the one-mile point the Range Rover simply turned around and headed back towards the finish line . Fast moving: Mike Cross, Jaguar Land Rover's chief vehicle integrity engineer, was then back in the lead as he floored the car towards the chequered flag as the Spitfire played catch-up . Finish line: Despite being capable of 400mph, the 68-year-old Spitfire couldn't quite catch the Range Rover Sport, which hit 130mph over the bumpy ground . The amazing spectacle was organised by FortyOneSix.com ahead of this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the Range Rover Sport makes its UK dynamic debut. Mr Cross said: ‘The team couldn’t resist the challenge laid down by FortyOneSix.com to race such a British icon. ‘It is always difficult to find traction from a standing start on grass, but the Range Rover Sport made a great launch off the line. ‘I was surprised by how bumpy the course was as I accelerated up to 130mph, and of course the other extreme challenge is to brake in time for the turn-around, but the car felt composed throughout the whole run. | Unique off-road race at Goodwood Aerodrome, Chichester, West Sussex .
Range Rover Sport immediately sped ahead of the World War Two plane .
But 1945 aircraft reached 80mph and took off before passing off-roader .
After a turn, Spitfire couldn't catch Range Rover which got up to 130mph . |
f9e75f8dc8efc5f4beb14196fcb5f2416edaaea4 | By . Lizzie Parry . Mohamed Dar is on trial at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court accused of stalking two of his neighbours . An Muslim man dressed up like a 'panto' Englishman to taunt his neighbours boasting of his 'joy' over 9/11 and the murder of British soldier Lee Rigby, a court has heard. Mohamed Dar wore costumes, including a red velvet dinner jacket with a pipe and slippers to taunt his alleged victim, leaving her feeling like she was trapped, 'living in a prison'. The 52-year-old of Alfreton in Derbyshire has denied stalking Louise Mountford and Daniel Renshaw at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court. A trial heard Dar also dressed up in an outfit that made him look naked and a red England hat as he tormented residents in his neighbourhood. Dar harassed Ms Mountford and allegedly spoke of his joy over the 9/11 attack and the murder of Lee Rigby during pretend phone calls. Giving evidence she told the court: 'He was pretending to be on the phone and was saying how happy he was about the murder of Lee Rigby and how funny he thought it was. 'He has his phone and has conversations to make you hear it. They are always terror-related like 9/11 was the proudest moment of his life and he said he cried with joy.' Ms Mountford said Dar wrote ‘Free Gaza’ on his house in red spray paint and later wrote ‘Free Palestine’. She said: 'He dresses up. He knows when you are going out and when you are coming back and tries to get a reaction. It’s like a show he puts on. 'He comes out and goes back to get his hat, pipe and slippers as you’re walking the dog. It’s not very pleasant. 'I put my head down and try to ignore it. I started to go to the police because my daughter is four and is very scared.' Dar is accused of reveling in the death of drummer Lee Rigby of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who was attacked and killed in broad daylight . by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London . Angela Hadfield, prosecuting, said there have been difficulties with Dar and neighbours going back a significant time. She . said: 'Louise Mountford says there has been harassment from Dar. He has . a better knowledge of her day-to-day routine than she does. 'Whenever she leaves the house and is due to return he knows and as soon as the family leaves, he’s there to harass her.' 'I don't like to go into the garden. I don't like to walk the dog. It's like being in prison' - Neighbour Louise Mountford . Ms Hadfield claimed he questioned and measured the height of a new fence Ms Mountford put up for her privacy and allegedly followed her and her family. Dar also allegedly stood on a wall and stared into her home. The mother-of-three, said: 'Sometimes he points his binoculars about. It’s a bit of pantomime.' But she added: 'I don’t like to go into the garden. I don’t walk the dog. It’s like being in prison.' Firefighter Daniel Renshaw also claims Dar phoned his work and made malicious complaints. Dar allegedly accused Mr Renshaw of using threatening behaviour against him, but no police action was taken. The . defendant reported his neighbour for leaving his car engine running . after the firefighter had gone to help push another driver’s car. The court heard Dar would pretend to be on the phone, telling of his 'joy' over the deaths of nearly 3,000 people when the Twin Towers in New York collapsed on September 11, 2001 . Mr Renshaw also claims Dar falsely complained to the fire service that he had made racist, monkey chants. He said: 'He follows me to work. He uses his background and religion to say I have made racial comments. It was a very stressful time.' Defending his client Denny Lau, argued Ms Mountford disliked Dar and implied he used his binoculars for star-gazing and that waving and saying hello was normal. Mr Lau argued Dar’s praying was part of his religion. Dar, who has yet to give evidence, denies stalking Ms Mountford between September 22, and November 13, 2013. He also denies stalking Mr Renshaw between June 3, 2013, and October 31, 2013. The trial was adjourned until May 12. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Mohamed Dar has denied two counts of stalking his neighbours .
Chesterfield Magistrates' Court heard he boasted of 'joy' over 9/11 attacks .
He made his victim feel she was trapped in her home, ' living in a prison'
52-year-old's trial has been adjourned until May 12 . |
f9e7be02a9dd6c07fce6e31a654a2cb9b500aa45 | (CNN) -- Aaron Douglas, better known as "Chief Tyrol" on "Battlestar Galactica," is a Dragon*Con veteran. Well known for being open with fans and the life of the Dragon*Con party, Douglas made a pit-stop at CNN to answer some of our BSG-fan questions. CNN: Had you seen the original BSG before taking the role? Aaron Douglas: Absolutely, I grew up on the original BSG, I grew up on "Star Wars." The great thing about "Battlestar" was that it was basically "Star Wars" but once a week, as opposed to waiting for three years for the movie to come out. I was a huge "Battlestar" fan. CNN: Tell us about when you first auditioned for "Battlestar Galactica" -- was it for the part of Capt. Tyrol? Douglas: No, no I originally auditioned for the part of Apollo (Capt. Lee Adama) which Jamie Bamber got, which is good because Bamber has to go to the gym and I never did. That was good for me. And my callback was for [the role of] Lt. Gaeta, which went to Alessandro, who's great. He's a great actor and he can do the tech talk really well. When they got to the end of the casting there was just no one for the Chief, this Tyrol character that they had left, and David Eick [one of the creators of the show] said, "Why don't we get Aaron to do this?" because David had seen my auditions and quite liked me. So, they offered me this and it grew into what it was. CNN: At what point did you find out that your character was a Cylon? [a robot] . Douglas: Officially, the day before we started shooting it. But we shot that scene in December, and I had seen some papers that I wasn't supposed to see over at [director] Michael Rymer's house, in September. So I had to sit very quietly for three months, not say a word, furious the whole time. And constantly walking past Ron Moore and David Eick, who are the creators of the show, and say, "So, anything coming up for the Chief?" And they'd say, "Oh no, just fixing vipers, just the usual." Just lying to me! So we finally found out officially and I got Ron [Moore] on the phone, yelled at him for five minutes and then he talked me off the ledge and convinced me that it was a good thing, and he was right. CNN: Did you suspect that you might be one of the Cylons? Douglas: God, no. Absolutely not. I thought that the great thing about the Tyrol character is he's such a human, and I guess if they want to humanize the Cylons there's no better character to do it than him and Col. Tigh, but I did not see it coming. I thought it was going to be new people revealed, I didn't think that it was going to be cast revealed to be. CNN: Did you draw inspiration for your own character from having watched the original BSG? Douglas: No, my character wasn't in the original BSG, and I don't really know how I do what I do. I literally, I just show up and I say the words as simply as I can. I have a new show now called "The Bridge," where I play a guy who's a real-life guy. My character's based on the life of a guy named Craig Bromell who was a cop for 12 years and then became head of the police association, so basically the president of the union for 85,000 cops. It was the decision to either play it like him or just play it as I see it, so I just play stuff as I see it. CNN: What were your thoughts about the ending of BSG? Douglas: I loved it. Other than, what the hell was Starbuck? I still don't know what Starbuck was. But I loved the ending, I thought it was a brilliant piece of writing, certainly Ron's opus. There was no better way to end it. And I love the fact that the Chief just walks off and goes up to Scotland and lives alone. Yep, makes whiskey and builds castles and herds sheep. Yeah. CNN: Was "The Bridge" your next project, then? Douglas: I literally wrapped the last day of Battlestar, I wrapped at 5 a.m. on Friday and on Monday I was on a plane to Toronto to start the new show. So, yeah, there wasn't much of a break. CNN: How would you compare the character you're playing now to Chief Tyrol? Douglas: You know, they're very similar guys. They're both blue-collar guys, they're both in charge of a group of people that they are fiercely loyal to, they will do whatever it takes to get the right thing done, they're both very flawed, which makes them interesting to watch and interesting to play, they're two guys that you could definitely go to a ball game and have a beer and make fun of people around you. CNN: How did you get into acting in the first place? Douglas: My mom says that when I was a little kid I always used to say I wanted to be an actor, but I don't remember that. I remember in high school thinking that I wanted to be a lawyer, and now I realize I saw that movie "And Justice for All" when I was a kid and thought, "That's what lawyers do, and I want to get up and yell and scream in the middle of a courtroom." I want to be a lawyer on TV is what I finally figured out. I fell into it late. I think I was 27 or 28. I was working with a sports nutrition company doing diets for athletes and I met a guy who was working on his nutrition and he was an actor. I eventually quit my job and went back to theater school and that was it, the rest is history. CNN: Besides acting, what are your hobbies? Douglas: Sitting quietly and reading a book. I play hockey, I'm a goalie, so people fire pucks at me. And I like to golf and I travel, I travel a lot. But mostly I'm a pretty quiet guy. I just kind of go home and hide away. CNN: I see you're wearing a shirt that says "Chronicles of the Nerds." Douglas: "Chronicles of the Nerds," yeah! These are some friends of mine from Oregon that have a website, chroniclesofthenerds.com. I have literally almost 400 T-shirts, because everywhere I go the fans know I like T-shirts. So they're constantly giving me T-shirts. So, any time I get a chance to plug one of my friends or plug a band or something like that, I like to wear their shirts. And the fans think it's really cool. So when I'm at ComicCon or Dragon*Con I'll switch shirts throughout the day, so people get pictures. CNN: You were at Dragon*Con last year, right? Douglas: I've been at Dragon*Con, I think five of the last six years. I love coming here. It's unbelievable fun. Last year I came as a fan. I snuck in. I didn't do any panels except for the one that I crashed. I didn't sign or do anything, I just wanted to experience it from the fan's point of view, and it was really, really cool. I come here with, literally, like 25 friends and we take over an entire floor of the hotel and we just have a blast, it's a great place. It's like Vegas without the gambling. CNN: What's your favorite part of Dragon*Con? Douglas: The best times are usually in one of our rooms, where we're all just sitting around having a drink and just laughing our faces off. It's just hilarity for four or five days. It's just hanging out with friends. I travel so much and I work so much and we're all from such disparate parts of the country in different jobs. It's hard for us all to get in the same place at the same time and Dragon*Con creates a good venue for that. CNN: Anything you want to say to your fans? Douglas: Everybody, go to CNN.com every day! Every, frackin day! | Aaron Douglas auditioned for 2 parts on "Battlestar Galactica" before landing role of Chief Tyrol .
Known for being the life of the party at Dragon*Con, Douglas brings a party with him .
Once upon a time, Douglas thought he would make a good lawyer . |
f9e80dac110d3d01c251e9676c0b1d3dee153e06 | CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Armed men forced their way into a Caracas synagogue, defacing its administrative offices with anti-Semitic graffiti and vandalizing an interior room where the Torah is kept, officials said. Vandals smashed items in an interior room where the Torah is kept, officials said. About 15 men forced their way into the Mariperez Synagogue in Venezuela's capital about 10 p.m. Friday, staying until about 3 a.m., police said. They tied up a security guard at the synagogue before vandalizing the rooms. Graffiti left at the scene included the phrases "Damn the Jews," "Jews out of here" and "Israel assassins." The men also left behind a picture of a devil, authorities said. The men stole computers and administrative papers or documents, officials said. They did not cover their faces, but took the recordings from security cameras with them. Watch destruction caused by vandals » . The synagogue had canceled services in recent weeks because of a feared backlash from the Israeli military operations in Gaza, which resulted in the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Venezuela. Adrian Criscaut contributed to this story for CNN. | About 15 men force their way into synagogue, tie up security guard .
Interior room where Torah is kept is defaced .
Offices are defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti . |
f9e82adb8b1fb6867cefdc89399c52c71152743b | By . David Mccormack . Fox affiliate KDVR shocked presenters and viewers alike on Tuesday morning when it accidentally aired a photo of a man's penis during a broadcast about the helicopter crash in Seattle. The Denver TV station was reporting on the crash when it started showing viewers a bizarre series of unrelated Twitter images a picture of Edward Scissorhands was followed by an enchilada and then the photo of a man standing with his genitals exposed. The X-rated image lingered on screen for several seconds before the camera cut back to catch the looks of sheer horror on the faces of the presenters of KDVR's Good Day morning program. My eyes! Fox affiliate KDVR shocked presenters and viewers alike on Tuesday morning when it accidentally aired a photo of a man's penis during a broadcast about the helicopter crash in Seattle. The offending image: The Denver TV station showed viewers a bizarre series of unrelated Twitter images including the photo of a man standing with his genitals exposed . 'That's Edward Scissorhands, so we'll just …just ignore that,' said anchor Kirk Yuhnke as the image of the penis appeared onscreen. While many viewers struggled to come to terms with what they had just seen, some quick-thinking people posted the embarrassing clip on YouTube and it was quickly circulated via various social media platforms. The clip was quickly take down, but KDVR's Facebook page was flooded with people demanding an apology or making light of the incident. On Tuesday afternoon the station posted a statement apologizing for the error which it blamed on staff in the control room. ‘While reporting breaking news about the crash of the KOMO-TV helicopter in Seattle, FOX31 Denver accidentally broadcast an offensive photo while scrolling live through a Twitter feed of pictures from the crash scene. ‘The photo was mistakenly broadcast by our control room. It did not come from the tablet many viewers saw being used by one of our anchors. ‘We apologize for the inadvertent broadcast of the image and we are taking immediate steps to prevent such an accident from happening again.’ Some quick-thinking people posted the embarrassing clip on YouTube and it was quickly circulated via various social media platforms such as Twitter . | Denver-based KDVR shocked viewers on Tuesday morning when it aired a Twitter picture of a man standing with his genitals exposed .
The camera quickly cut back to the presenters on the Good Day program and captured their variety of shocked expressions .
KDVR's Facebook page was flooded with people demanding an apology or making light of the incident .
The station has blamed staff in the control room and says it has taken steps to ensure that it doesn't happen again . |
f9e8bd05e20b919e892a5c358e3ef36eed31708c | (CNN) -- A federal judge spent the night in an Atlanta jail after being charged with misdemeanor battery in an alleged domestic violence incident involving his wife. U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller, 55, of Montgomery, Alabama, was charged with battery physical harm-family violence after Atlanta police responded to the downtown Ritz-Carlton hotel shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday. "Officers spoke to the victim, who stated she was assaulted by her husband, Mark Fuller," an Atlanta Police Department release says. "Officers observed injuries to the victim. She was treated on scene by (paramedics) but refused to be transported to the hospital. Mr. Fuller was not injured." The judge arrived at the jail about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Fuller appeared before Chief Magistrate Judge Stephanie Davis via video conference from the Fulton County Jail on Monday morning, said Fulton County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan. Fuller's next court date is August 22 for a probable cause hearing, Flanagan said. There was no plea entered Monday because it was a bond hearing, public defender Melissa Nelson told CNN. Nelson didn't expect to obtain more information on the case, she said, because Fuller is hiring a private attorney, whose name wasn't immediately available. Davis granted Fuller a $5,000 signature bond and he walked out of the jail before noon, Flanagan said. Fuller was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama in 2002. | NEW: Fuller enters no plea at his Monday bond hearing .
Police responded to Ritz-Carlton hotel, where Mark Fuller's wife said he assaulted her .
Released on a signature bond, Fuller is expected back in court August 22 .
Fuller was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama in 2002 . |
f9e8f9bb4d4e723d278566bc09e055e174aad3b6 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 11:14 EST, 13 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:17 EST, 13 April 2013 . A family has been branded 'morally repugnant' by a coroner investigating the death of a young mother who sipped 'cannabis fertiliser' from a Sprite bottle in their kitchen. Sarah Moss, 23, of Mottram, Hyde, Greater Manchester, drank the highly-toxic fluid while staying at the home of her boyfriend Daniel Fairbrother, who had left it on the side in the kitchen. Her face swelled to twice its normal size and she started vomiting a foul-smelling black substance, an inquest heard. Inquest: Sarah Moss, 23, died after inadvertently drinking 'cannabis fertiliser' stored in a Sprite bottle at her boyfriend Daniel Fairbrother's house . Daniel Fairbrother and his mother Julie . took Ms Moss to A&E at Tameside Hospital, where they told doctors the . bottle contained fish tank neutraliser. Tameside coroner Joanne Kearsley . Even when it emerged that the damage to the young mother's throat was so severe her oesophagus was corroded to a 'piece of string', her weight plummeted to 5st and the bottle was found to contain an extremely high level of alkaline, the Fairbrothers stuck to their claim. She died at Tameside Hospital in June 2011 after six months of agony. Before her death, Ms Moss told her mother Lynn Moss that her boyfriend later confessed the bottle contained cannabis fertiliser. The inquest also heard from detectives who found a cannabis farm at the Fairbrothers' Stalybridge home, for which Daniel's brother James was jailed. But throughout the hearing, the Fairbrothers maintained the liquid was fish tank neutraliser which they had found at a house clearance. 'Morally repugnant': The evidence from James Fairbrother (left), his brother Daniel Fairbrother (centre), and their mother Julie (right), was 'at best inconsistent' the coroner said . 'Much loved': Ms Moss died as a result of post-operative complications on injuries she sustained after ingestiion of a corrosive substance, the coroner said . Summing up at the hearing in Stockport, Tameside coroner Joanne Kearsley said: 'It beggars belief as to what an unbelievably stupid, naive and thoughtless act it was, not only placing such a liquid in a Sprite bottle but to then crassly leave the bottle where anyone could have taken a drink from it. 'The evidence from the witnesses Julie, Daniel and James [Fairbrother] was at best inconsistent, but in my view was a continued attempt to maintain a fabricated account - an account concocted on the day in order to protect themselves and to try and hide the real reason they'd had such liquid in their possession. 'Ignorance and arrogance': Before her death Sarah Moss told her mother that Daniel Fairbrother (pictured) had confessed the bottle contained cannabis fertiliser . 'Despite not knowing the extent of the injuries suffered by Sarah, there was no one who attended at A&E that night prepared to give an honest account to the medical staff as to what was known about the liquid.' She added: 'The ignorance and arrogance of those attending with Sarah that night, even when medical staff were doing their best to contact the National Poisons Information Service and trying to find out as much information as possible, I find astounding and morally repugnant.' She said the liquid was not acquired or left on the side with the intent of trying to harm anyone, but added: 'I have no doubt that the presence of cannabis in the property was a fact known to everyone who stayed there and that the liquid was not something they intended to use for the fish tank.' Ms Moss's family welcomed the coroner's verdict and said the Fairbrothers failed to help her. Her mother Lynn Moss said: 'We wish to thank the coroner for her thorough and perceptive investigation. 'The family wishes to echo the words of the coroner in relation to the moral repugnance of individuals who could and should have helped Sarah.' She added: 'Sarah never understood why she didn't receive an apology from Daniel for leaving the Sprite bottle out before she died. 'Sarah was a much loved and is a much-missed mummy, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, auntie, niece and friend. She will continue to be in our everyday thoughts and loving memories.' Recording a narrative verdict, the coroner said Ms Moss died as a result of post-operative complications on injuries she sustained after ingestion of a corrosive substance. A Tameside Hospital spokesman said: 'Sarah Moss was admitted to Tameside Hospital following ingestion of a highly-corrosive liquid which had a severely destructive effect upon her major internal organs. This injury can be associated with a poor outlook irrespective of management. 'After a difficult period of recuperation, a finely balanced clinical decision was made in conjunction with Sarah and her family to undertake surgery to increase the quality of her life. 'The coroner indicated that the efforts the hospital made were with the best of intentions, but sadly Sarah suffered post-operative complications leading to her untimely death.' The family's solicitor, Zak Golombeck from Manchester law firm, Pannone said: 'It is regrettable that the evidence that has been heard demonstrates that Sarah's death could have been avoided with proper treatment.' | Sarah Moss drank substance from Sprite bottle at boyfriend's home .
Detectives later found a cannabis farm at Daniel Fairbrother's house .
Coroner said she had 'no doubt' liquid was not intended for fish tank .
Leaving fluid around house was 'stupid, naive and thoughtless' said coroner .
Coroner said young mother, 23 died of post-operative complications . |
f9e9b200c8dead1fc12475463face4832a5416d2 | By . Andrea Magrath for MailOnline . Mexico City will quadruple the number of passengers flying in each year to 120 million by 2050 with a new £5.5bn airport. The chosen design, by British architect Lord Norman Foster and Mexico's Fernando Romero, was unveiled on Wednesday. The lightweight membrane roof of the terminal forms a giant 'X', and the entrance to the terminal will feature a garden of cacti and symbols of the eagle and snake, in reference to the Mexican flag. X marks the spot: The design for a new £5.5bn airport in Mexico City has been unveiled . Communications and transportation department secretary Gerardo Ruiz said both architects were picked by a committee, and that contrary to past controversial airport proposals, the authorities would not expropriate any land. Lord Foster is one of the world's leading architects and designed the Beijing Terminal 3 airport. Mr Romero is the son-in-law of billionaire Mexican telecom magnate Carlos Slim. The new Mexico City airport will cover nearly 11,400 acres of former lakebed about six miles from the present, over-crowded facility. It will have six runways and it's expected to be completed in 50 years. Ambitious: The new six runway design will increase Mexico City's passenger capacity to 120 million per year . Symbolic: The design features a lightweight membrane, X-shaped roof and a garden of cacti with snake and eagle elements to represent the Mexican flag . The old airport can handle only 32 million passengers per year. It will eventually be turned over to the city for recreational and educational use. Mr Ruiz said that construction of the new airport would begin in 2015. President Enrique Pena Nieto said three runaways are expected to be up and running by 2020 and handle 52 million passengers per year. 'The new airport will be a grand work, a symbol of modern Mexico,' he said. Design team: British architect Lord Norman Foster (2nd left) and Mexico's Fernando Romero (left) are pictured showing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto their design . Staggered opening: The first three runways will be open by 2020, with the remaining three by 2050 . Critics of the massive project say the land where it would be built is not suitable for a new airport. Former environment secretary Jose Luege said that part of Mexico City is prone to flooding. Mr Ruiz denied that and said impact studies have already been conducted and that there are plans to set up areas where rain water can be harvested to avoid floods. It will be 'a modern, on the vanguard (project) that will have a great dose of Mexican symbolism and that without a doubt will be a reference around the world and a great door' into Mexico, Mr Ruiz stated. Mexican officials said they hope the new airport becomes the main air hub in Latin America. Looking forward: President Enrique Pena Nieto said the new airport will be 'a symbol of modern Mexico' New function: The current airport, six miles away, will be turned over to the city for recreational and educational use . Lord Foster, who has received some of the world's top architecture awards, including the Pritzker, said the airport will have spacious halls that can be used for art exhibitions. Mr Romero, who designed Mr Slim's Soumaya museum, said the airport will honour the Mexican flag's coat of arms, which has an eagle on top of a cactus that is devouring a snake and is a reference to Tenochtitlan, the pre-Columbian city where the capital is built on. In 2002, the government tried to expropriate the land from a group of farmers on the outskirts of Mexico City to build a new airport. But after violent clashes with the farmers from the town of San Salvador Atenco the government dropped the airport plan. The airport proposed by Mr Pena Nieto's administration will be built on government land. | Foster's designs with Mexico's Fernando Romero chosen for project .
New airport will handle 120m passengers a year, quadruple current capacity .
Three runways will open by 2020, with project set for completion in 2050 . |
f9ea7469feecbb2c4301cc1ac0d87267c8e01108 | Two heterosexual men have tied the knot on Friday morning under New Zealand's liberal marriage laws. Marrying not for love, but for Rugby World Cup Tickets, the two men from Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand officially said 'I do' in front of 60 family and friends. The ceremony was live broadcast by Edge Radio, who's 'I Love You, Man' competition was launched earlier this year in a bid to find two straight men willing to wed for the sought after tickets. 'It's official folks, Travis and Matt have just said 'I do'! Congrats to the happy couple!,' the station tweeted. McIntosh and McCormick wed this morning as part of a competition to win tickets to the Rugby World Cup . Travis McIntosh, 23, and Matt McCormick, 24, won the 'bromantic' radio contest in August and are over the moon- not for a life together, but for the opportunity to head to the Rugby World Cup in England next year. While some gay rights groups in New Zealand have voiced objections to the nuptials, the pair are content with their reasons for the wedding. McIntosh, an engineer, and McCormick, a teacher, have known each other for nearly 20 years, and see the wedding as a celebration of their friendship rather than a political statement. The newlyweds spoke to Daily Mail Australia, taking time out from their wedding reception to walk through their experience. 'We entered the competition as a way of taking our friendship to the next level,' said Travis. The men met at the Pirates Rugby Club in Dunedin when they were six years old, and have been friends ever since. 'Matt called me and asked me to marry him and I said yes without first asking why. I knew he'd have a good reason.' The pair wed in front of 60 friends and family in a 'hilarious' ceremony . While some gay rights groups have spoken out against the marriage, they have felt 'love and support' 'We had to explain it to our families several times, but they're all quite open minded and we've been overwhelmed by the love and support we've experience from our community.' A spokesperson from The Edge explained that as with any event that pushes boundaries, there was bound to be a bit of backlash. Local gay rights groups have condemned the wedding, protesting that it 'trivializes what we've fought for,' according to the New Zealand Herald. LegaliseLove Aotearoa Wellington co-chairman Joseph Habgood said the competition made clear that men marrying each other was 'something they think is worth having a laugh at.' However, McCormick and McIntosh have explained that their friendship was one of the main motivators in the process, and that it has been strengthened through the trials and challenges which lead them to their big day. 'We had to be very vulnerable with one another,' said Matt. 'Through the official proposal and preparing for the wedding we've spent so much time together, and we've had to share a lot of intimate details with one another.' Mike Peru, one of the hosts of The Edge and a gay man himself, said that he knew that there would be some objection, but as time went by he realised that 'this was a fun event,' 'It’s not that I'm a spokesperson for the gay community, but when you’re out people do look to you for opinions,' 'But its been fine and I just relaxed into and took it for what it was. I think the gay community has too for the most part,' The pair will not be living together but aren't sure what the future will bring . 'In New Zealand the argument seems to be that if two people want to get married it's no skin off anyone’s nose,' 'So two blokes can have an immense friends and strong bond, and I guess some of them would like to be married,' 'I think it's a good thing to celebrate bromance in quirky way, and Matt and Travis really epitomised that.' For Matt and Travis, the details of the day made it something to look forward to. Matt and Travis all suited up to wed as part of the 'I Love You, Man' radio competition . 'All of our mates and family came up for the wedding which has been amazing,' 'We had so much fun with it all. We got kitted out in amazing suits and Trevor walked down the aisle to Cruisin'.' The wedding was a very male populated event, with each of the pair having a best man. Looking to the future, the pair are mainly focused on heading to next year's Rugby World Cup in England, saying that they 'bleed black'. After a honeymoon on the Cook Islands, life will return to normal for the non-traditional newlyweds. Neither has a girlfriend or partner, which Matt says 'makes life easier. The wedding won't impede on our lives too much,' 'We're going to play things by ear. While we're not living together at the moment, we have before, so we'll see how it's all going in a year or so.' The two friends, who have known each other for almost 20 years, are looking to see what the future holds . 'We're certainly not ready to start a family.' The Edge's host Mike said that the ceremony was filled with good laughs. 'They're such funny guys so the ceremony was hilarious,' 'Everyone took it for what it was, and forgot the whole reason for why they were getting married. It was just a celebration of their friendship.' | Got engaged for a radio competition to win Rugby tickets .
Married this morning under New Zealand's liberal marriage laws .
Gay rights groups have spoken out against the couple .
Gay host of radio show supports the couple .
Insist life won't change too much now they're married . |
f9ea9659d9f20e00ef70a1be87ac5956034cc4a8 | From the glamour of the roaring '20s to the short skirts and Teddy Boys of the swinging '60s, Cecil Beaton captured it all. Now a new exhibition at Wilton House in Wiltshire is to unveil previously unseen images from his - and Sotheby's - archives. Described . as ‘a worldly Peter Pan who never aged’, Beaton regularly worked for Vogue and Vanity Fair and made his name documenting the antics of the aristocracy, royals and Hollywood stars. Clowning about: Stephen Tennant, William Walton, Georgia Sitwell, Zita Jungman,Rex Whistler and Cecil Beaton . Writer: Edith Maud Olivier MBE, was photographed by Beaton dressed as Queen Elizabeth I in 1932 . But although his subjects included some of the brightest stars of the era, photographing London's youthful bohemian set, known at the time as Bright Young Things, became his passion. Among them were members of the aristocratic Pembroke family, the owners of Wilton Hall and the stars of the new exhibition. Curated by designer Jasper Conran, the works are a vivid portrait of country house parties and costume balls, and there's even a rare glimpse of the entertainment laid on for the troops billeted at Wilton during World War II. One particularly charming image shows Maud Olivier dressed, rather incongruously, as a severe Elizabeth I, complete with layers of white panstick make-up. Ms Olivier, a long-standing friend of Beaton and the Pembrokes, was a brilliant writer and society hostess, and was given an MBE for helping create the Wiltshire Women's Land Army during the First World War. Fun: The Countess of Pembroke dressed for her role 'Heil Cinderella' - a pantomime written by Beaton . Portrait of a photographer: Cecil Beaton on the Palladian Bridge at Wilton House, September 1968. Friends: The Earl and Countess of Pembroke dressed for the coronation of George VI, 1937 . Beaton . himself was no slouch when it came to writing, and published his first . collection of works in 1930 with The Book of Beauty. By 1937, such was his success that he was selected to photograph the . wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth . herself in 1939. His love for costumery and flair for . fancy dress earned him Tony Awards for My Fair Lady (1957) and Coco . (1970) and Oscars for Gigi (1958) and the big screen adaptation of My . Fair Lady (1964). But . it is for his high society portraits that he is most famous, and . unsurprisingly, the parties held at his Wiltshire home, Ashcombe, were . legendary among his aristocratic friends. Fancy dress featured heavily and his costume balls became the highlight of the Wiltshire social calendar. One guest who was no stranger to dressing up was the Countess of Pembroke, who appears in the photos sporting an elaborate costume for her role in 'Heil Cinderella' - a pantomime co-written by Beaton in 1939 for the troops stationed at Wilton during World War II. In it, Beaton played one of the Ugly Sisters while the famously beautiful Countess of Pembroke took the role of the Queen. Other highlights include a charming self-portrait of Cecil on the Palladian Bridge at Wilton House taken in September 1968 and a striking image of him cavorting with friends, Stephen Tennant, William Walton, Georgia Sitwell, Zita Jungman and Rex Whistler at Wilsford in 1927. Despite . being pushed into a river at the first Ball he attended there in 1927, . Beaton later became great friends with the Earls of Pembroke. Over . time he photographed and chronicled the lives of three generations of . the family in the surroundings of the house which he described as . ‘perhaps the most wonderful piece in all Wiltshire’s heritage of . domestic architecture.’ On . 14th January 1980, just three days before his death, Beaton celebrated . his 76th birthday with a lunch party hosted by the family. Cecil Beaton at Wilton runs until 14th September. For more information, see wiltonhouse.co.uk . | New photos are part of a trove found at Wilton House in Wiltshire .
Beaton's friends, the Earl and Countess of Pembroke, appear .
Heil Cinderella, a pantomime written by Beaton, also features . |
f9eabdb88669f96979fbd3c44ea1d1e2075f8993 | A bride was beaten by her new husband on their wedding night because he couldn’t get her dress off, a court heard. Amy Dawson was hurled to the floor and punched repeatedly by Gavin Golightly, who lost his temper after failing to unfasten the garment. She was left with a cut eyebrow and bruises to her face and chest following the attack, which happened when they went up to their hotel room in the early hours after marrying in a fairytale service. Wedding: Amy Dawson (left, in her dress) was hurled to the floor and punched repeatedly by Gavin Golightly (right, leaving court), who lost his temper after failing to unfasten the garment . Golightly, 29, pleaded guilty to assaulting her but was spared jail. Miss Dawson, who is divorcing him, said he should have received a tougher sentence. The accountancy student, 22, who has a child with Golightly, said after the hearing: ‘I thought I was going to die. He looked like he was going to kill me. ‘After the attack, he left the room and I tried to escape, but he came back in and continued to beat me. ‘Eventually, I escaped and found a hotel porter, who called the police. It was such a lovely day, and I was devastated it ended the way it did.’ Fearful: The 22-year-old accountancy student (left) said she thought her new husband (right) was 'going to kill' her when he launched the violent attack after their wedding reception in August . The former sweethearts tied the knot at St Mary’s church in West Rainton, County Durham, last August before moving on to Beamish Hall hotel for their reception. Prosecutor Sarah Traynor told Peterlee Magistrates Court that they went to their room just after midnight, with Miss Dawson having to be helped by a hotel porter. ‘The defendant then tried to undo Miss Dawson’s dress,’ she added. The bride had a crochet hook to unfasten the buttons but Golightly refused to use it. ‘The defendant then jumped up from his chair, approached Miss Dawson and pushed her over,’ said Mrs Traynor. Former sweethearts: Miss Dawson has filed for divorce from the tattoo artist. He was given a community service order for the attack which, she said, was too soft . Attack location: The couple tied the knot at St Mary’s church in West Rainton, County Durham, last August before moving on to Beamish Hall hotel (above) for their reception . ‘He then sat on top of her and started punching her with clenched fists.’ Golightly, from Sunderland, claimed he had been drugged and could not remember the attack. But he pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and was handed a community order requiring him to undergo supervision for two years. He was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting Miss Dawson and told to pay her £200 in compensation, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge. Miss Dawson said: ‘The community order was far too soft. The restraining order is the only thing keeping me strong. He means nothing to me now.’ | Amy Dawson was pinned to the floor of hotel room on her wedding night .
Gavin Golightly beat the 22-year-old because he couldn't undo her dress .
She was saved after escaping the room to call a night porter for help .
Couple had tied knot in County Durham church ceremony hours earlier .
Golightly, 29, was given a two-year community service order at court .
Miss Dawson, who has filed for divorce, said sentence was too lenient . |
f9eb1d242a9a2ef6cc56fc880d390b2565302e46 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 09:46 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:07 EST, 1 August 2013 . A mother made her neighbours' live hell by having noisy sex in her home, a court heard. Gemma Walker, 31, was also recorded playing loud music, shouting and swearing loudly in her terraced property in Middlesbrough. The single mother - who is on benefits - was fined £300 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after admitting breaching an order to keep the noise down. Loud sex: Gemma Walker, 31, who was overhead having noisy sex in her terraced home in Middlesbrough . Noisy: The unemployed single mother, who is on benefits, was fined £300 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs . Teesside Magistrates' Court was told neighbours Ian and Susan Nicholls had to put up with constant noise coming from Walker's home. Katharine Metcalfe, for Middlesbrough . Council, said the couple could not relax in their own home and had . suffered stress and sleepless nights. This had exacerbated Mr Nicholls' health problems, including cancer and brain tumours, while his wife had . difficulties going to work because of lack of sleep. She was issued with a noise abatement order last September - but was recorded breaching it six times in under three months. Walker was warned on several occasions and was made aware of the penalties for breaching the notice. Neighbour from hell: Gemma Walker, 31, kept her neighbours awake with her anti-social behaviour, a court heard. She pleaded guilty before her trial was due to start . The single mother had denied six offences of breaching the notice but changed her plea to guilty just before a trial was due to take place. She did not attend court and the case was heard in her absence. Walker's solicitor Ben Tighe said she . had sensibly pleaded guilty as she wished to spare the couple the ordeal . of a trial, for which she deserved credit. Mr Tighe said any financial penalty would have a significant impact on her because she was unemployed. Walker was fined a total of £300 - £50 . for each of the six offences - as well as £1,000 towards the costs and a . £15 victim surcharge. Afterwards Mr Nicholls, 56, said: 'It . has been a nightmare, shouting, swearing, listening to her having sex, . all that kind of stuff. It has not been fun.' Councillor Charlie Rooney, . Middlesbrough Council's Executive Member for Regeneration and Economic . Development, said: 'This sort of persistent and unreasonable behaviour . is totally unacceptable and this case shows we will not hesitate to take . action to protect communities from this sort of nuisance.' | Gemma Walker, 31, made her neighbours' live hell in Middlesborough .
Single mother, who is on benefits, is fined a total of £1,300 . |
f9ec1301faed0f0e549f56d21f7f8e05b2960777 | Reeva Steenkamp's parents rejected £21,000 of 'blood money' from Oscar Pistorius after he shot dead their daughter, a court heard on Tuesday. Barry and June Steenkamp also vowed to return 'every cent' of monthly payments - totalling £6,000 - that Pistorius has been depositing into an account since Steenkamp's death. A probation officer hired by Pistorius's legal team had earlier told the court the athlete's financial gesture was an indication of his grave remorse for taking Steenkamp's life. Scroll down for video . Oscar Pistorius leaves the High Court in Pretoria at the end of the second day of his sentencing hearing . Pistorius reacts during his sentencing hearing in which it was revealed he had tried to offer a lump sum payment of £21,000 to the parents of the girlfriend he shot dead to ease their 'pain' ReevaSteenkamp's father Barry (left) shows the strain as he listens to testimony during the hearing . Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June, arrives at court in Pretoria for day two of the hearing on Tuesday . CLICK HERE to read more news from Oscar Pistorius's sentencing hearing . Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the lump sum payment, raised by the sale of the runner's car, had been immediately rejected by the family, with Mrs Steenkamp insisting she did not want ‘blood money’. Mr Nel said the couple would also not proceed with any civil action against the track star. Dup de Bruyn, a lawyer for the Steenkamps, later claimed his clients had received R6,000 (£341) a month for the last 18 months. He said the payments had now stopped and the money would be repaid. Mr De Bruyn said he approached the athlete's legal team in the weeks after the model's death to explain that her family were struggling financially because Miss Steenkamp regularly sent money to her cash-strapped parents. 'I conveyed this to Oscar Pistorius's lawyers,' Mr De Bruyn told journalists, adding that the track star began providing monthly support - a fact he was keen to keep private. The lawyer said Mr and Mrs Steenkamp were now in a position to repay the money - a total of £6,200. 'The Steenkamps don’t want any money and there will be no civil case, they want closure,' Mr De Bruyn said. Pistorius's defence team said Mr De Bruyn's version was not accurate and they would give a statement on Wednesday. Pistorius' sentence hearing is expected to finish this week. He could face up to 15 years in jail if given the maximum sentence for culpable homicide. Pistorius shot dead Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year. Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius pictured together in January last year (left) and Pistorius competing in the men's 100m heats at the 2012 London Paralympics (right) Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Oscar Pistorius tried to offer single payment of £21,000 to ease their 'pain'
Parents Barry and June Steenkamp will also return £6,000 in payments .
Paralympian faces sentencing hearing for the manslaughter of girlfriend .
Pistorius could be jailed for 15 years, but may also avoid prison . |
f9ec1b544d30ee8a938f8866e3b05bd3662a17b7 | (CNN) -- One of the Web's basic tenets is that small contributions from lots of people can amount to something powerful in the aggregate. Fans of the Japanese band Sour contributed images to a music video. Now, a growing group of writers, musicians, visual artists and videographers is turning this Wikipedia-era philosophy into online collaborative art. Twitter users are banding together to write an opera for London's Royal Opera House. Bands like My Morning Jacket and Sour, out of Japan, are turning to fans to help film their music videos. Programmers are pulling quotes from online social networks to make automated poems. More than 50,000 animators are divvying up work on an upcoming animated film called "Live Music," and amateur videographers are re-filming "Star Wars" in 15-second bites. This crowd-sourced creativity online is putting a new twist on traditional ideas of artistic ownership, online communication and art production. "What's exciting is that it's being tested out by a lot of people who have access to [the technology]," said Mary Jane Jacob, executive director of exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. "I think that we're in a great communal workshop." In recent months, the collaborative projects have been showing the professionalism it takes to get noticed amid the clutter of content on the Internet, said Ze Frank, an online personality who orchestrated several early online art projects. Sign up for a CNN art project . Frank said people have been making collaborative online art "since the beginning of the Web." But much of it wasn't worth looking at. Some collaborative books proved to be too much work for even herds of people to tackle. Efforts to create massive drawings with thousands of contributors sometimes ended up looking like random scribbles, for example. But for some reason -- either because people are getting savvier with cameras or because the projects are getting more visibility -- things are starting to click, Frank said. Even if some of the latest collaborative efforts fail to produce masterworks, the real value is the process, he said. "Even if the [Twitter-written] opera ends up sucking as a performance, the value may have already been played out in the theater of the creation of it," he said. Many of the projects aim to hit on universal themes. "The little elements that aren't synchronized" in the group art projects remind people that our differences are what make us interesting, said Matt Maloney, associate dean of the school of film and digital media at the Savannah College of Art and Design, referring to this music video, which features fans of the Japanese band Sour. "The backgrounds change, the people move differently, the quality and temperature of the photography varies from component to component," he said. "If that phenomenon didn't exist, if we were all the same and we were all uniform, this type of collaboration" would not be powerful. Jacob, of the Art Institute of Chicago, said the projects speak to how people yearn to communicate and to be heard in these hyperconnected, digital times. "It lets you ... meet other people," she said. "We're not talking eHarmony, but all these things, they're interesting and they are of the moment. When people want to use [communication technologies] in a creative way, that's really exciting." The online art collaborations grow out of a parlor-game tradition called "exquisite corpse," she said. Around 1920, famous surrealist artists gathered to draw portraits in pieces. They folded up large sheets of paper so that each artist could see only the edges of what had already been drawn. The pictures made sense only after the paper was unfolded. The online versions of this concept take the idea further because they involve people all over the world who often know nothing of each other, she said. For example, Darren Solomon's site, inbflat.net, features 20 YouTube videos of musicians, many of whom don't know each other, playing various melodies in the key of B flat. Visitors to the site can play the tunes in any order or combination they choose, meaning that each user in a sense becomes part of the artwork, Solomon said. Solomon, who once played bass with Ray Charles and now writes music for TV ads, said the "In B Flat" project shows that "the world can come together and we all speak that [musical] language." "Something about it is very hopeful," he said. One key to the project's success, he said, is that it takes relatively little effort for musicians to send in Web-quality videos of themselves playing a short melody in a certain key. "They're happy to start picking up a video camera and start shooting or they're happy to pick up an instrument and start playing," he said. Solomon finds that idea so compelling that he's participated in other projects. With his two sons, ages 7 and 11, he shot three of the 15-second clips of the user-generated "Star Wars" that will be stitched together by the site Star Wars Uncut. In one of the videos, he and the boys act out a scene with puppets. In another, his sons wear hooded sweatshirts and fight with light sabers in a New Jersey tunnel. In some cases, people don't even know they're making contributions to online art. Andrei Gheorghe, a Web developer in Romania, created the "Longest Poem in the World" by aggregating public Twitter posts and arranging them in rhyming couplets. Computers add 10 to 20 lines to the poem each minute, he said. Gheorghe said he doesn't consider his work art. "It was just a random idea that popped up and I played with it. And it is what it is," he said. Art professors said deciding what is and isn't art is a complicated process. In some ways, these collaborative projects are fine art, they said. In other ways they're like games or means of communication. Like all good art, these projects are trying to "stand convention on its ear," said Maloney, from the Savannah College of Art and Design. "That's going to keep happening," he said. "So as soon as we finally nail this down you'll have another group of talented artists that are going to say, 'Well, I'm going to do something completely different.'" | Large groups of people are creating collaborative art projects online .
One site wants to re-film "Star Wars" in 15-second clips, submitted by viewers .
Another has a customizable tapestry of 20 musicians, each playing their own tune .
Experts say the art comments on digital society and online connections . |
f9ec5bfa6c2fb0cf963b41efcb09906bc7a6add1 | (CNN)From Liverpool to Los Angeles -- Steven Gerrard's move to California has been confirmed. The former England captain will play Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy after deciding to bring an end to his 17 years at Anfield. "I'm very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States with LA Galaxy," Gerrard told the American' club's website. "The Galaxy are the most successful club in Major League Soccer history and I am looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come. Gerrard, 34, is expected to arrive in LA in July where he will team up with Bruce Arena, the Galaxy coach. The MLS club did not disclose details of how long Gerrard had signed for. "My discussions with Bruce Arena and Chris Klein were extremely positive and the future of the team is very bright," said Gerrard, referring to the Galaxy president. "I am committed to helping the LA Galaxy compete for trophies and to having an impact in Los Angeles and I will give my all for the club. "In the meantime, I will continue to give everything for Liverpool for the remainder of this season before joining up with the Galaxy." Speaking to Liverpool's in-house TV channel last weekend, the player himself confirmed that the U.S. would be his next destination. "I can tell the supporters at the moment that it will be America," he said. "But I'm not over the line with any team just yet. I'm close and as soon as I know, I'll make the announcement, I'll do the bits and bobs that I need to do. "Then we try to go and win a trophy and forget about Steven Gerrard for a bit." Gerrard says his decision to move to the U.S. came after discussions with Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, in which he was told that he would no longer be a regular starter. "There was more than one moment that has made me come to this decision, but I think the key conversation or moment was with the manager when he sat me down not so long ago and said it was time to manage my games for me and for the team," Gerrard said. "I'm bright enough to realize it is the right thing for everyone, but when you've been a starter and a mainstay in the team for such a long time, it was a very difficult conversation to have with the manager. "I accept it and I'll continue to give everything I've got, whether I'm starting, coming off the bench or whatever, but that was the key conversation that swung me to deciding to come away for a short while. "I had an idea it was going to come at some time - I'm a human, not a robot. I'm not 24. I wish I was 24, I wish I'd met Brendan when I was 24 because I think I'd be sitting here talking about a lot of titles that we'd won together." Gerrard, who has scored four goals in his past two games, made his Liverpool debut in November 1998 as a raw teenager. He won 114 international caps for England before retiring after the 2014 World Cup where he captained his country. While he never managed to win the English Premier League trophy, Gerrard did win eight trophies during his time at Anfield. Gerrard won two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Cup in 2001. But his greatest achievement came in 2005 when he led Liverpool to an unforgettable Champions League triumph against AC Milan in Istanbul. Liverpool, which finished second to Manchester City last season, has struggled this campaign. It lost the services of Luis Suarez, its top scorer, when the Uruguayan opted to join Barcelona. Daniel Sturridge, the England forward, has missed most of the season with injury while players which joined the club in August have struggled to make an impact. Liverpool is currently eighth in the Premier League, 17 points behind leaders Chelsea. | Steven Gerrard to join Los Angeles Galaxy in July .
Liverpool midfielder set to leave Anfield club at end of season .
Gerrard made Liverpool debut in 1998 .
Led club to Champions League title in 2005 . |
f9eccfdc9b891c34367d4e2221e0af168ed93071 | By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 13:06 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:43 EST, 19 March 2013 . A top independent school in Scotland is offering parents a mortgage-style payment scheme for their child's school fees. In a move to make private education more affordable, the Fernhill School in Glasgow has offered parents the chance to spread the cost of fees over ten years, interest free. Tony Boswell, a governor of the Catholic school, which charges £8976 a year for a senior school day pupil, said the new payment plan, thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland, could reduce monthly payments by up to 50 per cent. 'Innovative': Under the Fernhill scheme, parents can pay half the school fees every year and repay the outstanding amount after their child has left . He said: ‘We recognise that times are tough and we have been striving to develop a solution that helps families who may otherwise be unable to afford an independent education. ‘Fernhill's payment plan will be launched for the 2013/14 school year and allow parents whose children are joining this year to spread the cost of their fees over a longer term. ‘There is high demand from prospective parents for this kind of payment plan and, as this recession lengthens, we believe it is the right thing to do to ease the financial burden on those who want a private education.’ The average cost of private education is now more than £12,000 a year, with fees rising faster than the rate of inflation. Money troubles: The increase in school fees has put pressure on parents . The price of sending a child to an independent school in Scotland rose by 3.5 per cent in 2012/13 - with the highest fees topping £21,000. The increases put pressure on parents - particularly those for whom private education is at the limits of affordability. In February, the consumer price index, the Government's preferred measure of inflation, was running at 2.7 per cent, while the retail price index rose to 3.3 per cent in January. A report by the Bank of Scotland - published before the impact of the credit crunch - warned that members of key Scottish professions were already being priced out of sending their children to fee-paying schools, with teachers, engineers and police officers no longer able to afford a private education. More recently, the number of children attending private school in Scotland has fallen, with a drop of 1.5 per cent in both nursery and primary between 2010/11 and 2011/12. Under the Fernhill scheme, parents can pay half the school fees every year rather than the full amount and continue to repay the outstanding sums once their child has left. Other financial schemes available to parents in the sector include savings plans where money can be built up in advance of paying fees. In England, a number of finance companies offer to pay the fees in advance with parents repaying over a longer period time plus additional interest. A spokeswoman for the Scottish Council for Independent Schools described the scheme as ‘innovative’. She said: ‘Schools will be looking different ways to help parents and this is an innovative scheme that will help families mane the cost of a private education.' | Fernhill School in Glasgow is offering parents chance to spread fees over ten years, interest free .
Payment plan could reduce monthly payments by up to 50 per cent . |
f9ecf2bde0ffafec8f4da8790fda45b65202f64c | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:19 EST, 23 May 2013 . She may have lost her father in a hit-and-run at the weekend, but five-year-old Tatum Raetz was not alone when she graduated from kindergarten. In a show of solidarity more than 100 of her father's colleagues from the Phoenix Police Force came to the ceremony in Anthem, Ariziona, yesterday. Daryl Raetz, 29, was knocked down and killed by a car at about 3.30am on Sunday, as he helped make a DUI arrest. Back up: Phoenix Police Department supports Tatum and her mother Stephanie at her kindergarten graduation . Tragic loss: Officer Daryl Raetz with his wife Stephanie and five-year-old daughter Tatum . 'The purpose of us is to be here in proxy . for Daryl and to let her know that we're here for her,' Phoenix . Police Officer Keith Garn said. When Tatum arrived at her school with her mother, Stephanie, about 100 officers in uniform were waiting to greet her. They later filed into the auditorium, where they stood three-deep to watch the ceremony. The kindergarten had initially invited members of Officer Raetz's squad to the ceremony, but word quickly spread, making it standing room only at the event. Ridgeline Academy school principal, Keven Barker, held a minute's silence for Officer Raetz, before the graduation ceremony began. When the little girl collected her certificate her mother had tears in her eyes as Tatum received a standing ovation. 'I hope she knows we're never going to replace her father but that we're going to do the best we can,' Officer Sara Garza, from the Drug Enforcement Bureau, told Fox News. Line of duty: Officers stand along the street outside Ridgeline Academy as Tatum arrives . Support: About 100 officers came to Tatum's kindergarten to honor her father's memory . 'Maybe not everybody knew him personally . as an officer, but he's our brother and he always will be and we will . support his family forever and this is just the first step,' she added. Phoenix police Sgt Ben Kartchner told CBS5: 'He's left a precious child and a wife behind and it's our responsibility to make sure that they're taken care of for the rest of their life'. Marcia Cassidy, the family's former neighbor, recalled how Tatum had looked up to her father. She told AZ Central: 'She was just completely enthralled with her dad. They were a very close, very close family.' The couple, who met when Officer Raetz was in high school, had been in the process of buying a new home when he died. Tatum's father had served two terms in Iraq before joining the Arizona force in 2007. An officer who attended the same police academy as Officer Raetz paid tribute to him this week, saying: 'He came across as so calm and in control and he just had an understanding of what it is we do as officers'. Honor: Members of Arizona Police Department line the walls of the kindergarten as they watch Tatum graduate . Tribute: Before Tatum's graduation, the kindergarten held a minute's silence for Officer Raetz . Phoenix Officer Sean Reavie added. 'It wasn’t enough that he served his country, he came home to serve his community. That’s the type of person he is, you can’t make people like that; they come like that.' The 24-year-old owner of the SUV that hit Office Raetz was arrested on Sunday afternoon for unrelated drug charges after a bag of cocaine was found in his car. Jesus Cabrera Molina, an undocumented immigrant, was pulled over in a car matching the one that struck Mr Raetz, according to AZ Central. Damage to the front of his car matched pieces of a vehicle found on the road where Mr Raetz was struck. It is not yet clear if Molina had been driving at the time of the hit-and-run. Grieving family: Stephanie Raetz hugs her daughter Tatum during the ceremony . For his grieving colleagues, seeing Officer Raetz's daughter graduate from kindergarten helped to temporarily ease their pain. 'This is the most important thing we . could do is to provide support from the family,' Officer Garza, a family friend, said. A Go Fund Me page set up in memory of Officer Raetz has collect more than $11,000 for the family. The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association also held a barbeque to help raise funds in the city's Sheraton Resort. The event was a joint appeal. also sponsored by the . Phoenix Professional Firefighters of Arizona, firefighter Brad Harper died in a separate incident on the same day that Officer Raetz died. | Father killed on duty in a hit-and-run at the weekend Sunday .
Iraq war veteran joined Arizona force six years ago .
Five-year-old given standing ovation during ceremony . |
f9ed7c5fbb952ca836de9272dc90e70640a2d0ff | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS Shoes in 2006. The socially responsible company aims to provide impoverished children with shoes in a sustainable way. Blake Mycoskie says he pursued his vision for TOMS Shoes with "reckless ambition." The California-based entrepreneur shares some of the lessons he learned along the way. Follow these tips and you too could launch the next big thing. Follow your passion . Despite having no background in fashion, Mycoskie relentlessly pursued his vision for TOMS. "I had absolutely no experience in shoes or fashion so I approached the business how I have done everything in my life, and that's with reckless ambition," he says. He set out to learn how to make shoes and often spent weekends peddling the shoes to L.A.'s trendy spots in the early days of the company -- an effort that paid off. Establish smart partnerships . Partnerships are critical to spreading the TOMS model and creating a global brand that's known for giving, according to Mycoskie. He wants other firms to realize they can establish a "one-for-one" giving model through partnerships "instead of reinventing the wheel themselves." His goal is to expand the TOMS model and work with "other great companies out there that are already doing great products." Be flexible in your thinking . Mycoskie wanted to provide children in need with shoes, but was concerned a charity would not be sustainable. He could raise money from his friends and family, but worried about what would happen if his donors decided to contribute to another cause one year. But he found a solution by blending philanthropy with business. He says: "I thought to myself, 'Okay, how can I guarantee these kids that they'll have shoes over and over again?''' "The only way I could guarantee that was to start a business." Know when to move on . One of his early ventures was a 24/7 reality TV channel, which he started up after appearing on "The Amazing Race." But two years after launching, the company faced stiff competition from media titan Rupert Murdoch. "That really taught me a valuable lesson in business: Even if you have a great idea, the market is there and the market is right," Mycoskie says. He ended up shutting down the network, Reality Central, after realizing he couldn't compete with such a large player. "You really have to look at who your competitors are. You can't compete with the biggest guy. The biggest guy has the ability to shut you down -- it's a really risky proposition." Experience pays off . Mycoskie had already started four other businesses by the time he got the idea for TOMS. He says the experience of running those companies helped prepare him for the rapid growth of TOMS. "I think all my entrepreneurial experience and background kind of was trained for this one moment when this gigantic idea would explode." | Blake Mycoskie had launched four other start-ups before creating TOMS .
He ran the shoe company out of his apartment in the early days .
The business has since scaled tremendously and gives away shoes worldwide . |
f9eddcc27ff6bbbde2f7dcf7663adbf846722586 | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:39 EST, 24 June 2013 . Paula Deen is scheduled to appear on the Today Show Wednesday, less than a week after she cancelled an interview amid the scandal over her use of racial slurs. Following her dismissal from the Food Network, meat producer Smithfield announced that they will be dropping Deen as their company spokeswoman and will be ending their partnership. The company also sells a line of Paula Deen-branded hams. The company released a statement saying it 'condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen.' Scroll down for videos . Shilling no more: Paula Deen had long served as the spokeswoman for Smithfield hams, and even had her own brand of ham, but now they have sacked her over the racial slur scandal . Try again: The show announced the the disgraced chef would be appearing on Wednesday . Awkward: Lauer was forced to explain on-air that Deen was meant to show up on Friday but simply didn't come . The Food Network had featured the butter-loving chef on their cable channel since 2001 but they were the first ones to drop her as soon as the extent of her racist language became clear. Home shopping network QVC issued a carefully-worded statement saying they do not tolerate discrimination, but were reticent to drop Deen until the litigation was finalized. They sell a line of cookware designed by the 66-year-old TV chef. On Monday, meat producer Smithfield announced that they would be cutting ties with Deen in light of the scandal. It is unclear how much she earned from her multi-year contract with the meat firm, but she is estimated to have a net worth of $17million. Another blow came when it was announced over the weekend that she will not be appearing on home shopping network QVC as litigation continues in the discrimination lawsuit. The . 66-year-old cook became embroiled in the racial controversy when a . former employee testified that she heard Deen repeatedly use the n-word . and talk of how she wanted to have a plantation themed wedding for her . brother with an all-black serving staff to emulate slaves. After the testimony was released . publicly, both Deen and her career have spiraled out of control in a . public relations nightmare. First she released a heavily-edited video on Friday where she spoke directly to her fans, asking for their forgiveness. She was due to follow that up with an appearance on the Today Show that same morning, but cancelled at the last minute leaving co-anchor Matt Lauer to explain on air. After the initial video was released another, longer one was then posted on YouTube and was taken down soon after. In this one she explains her absence from the Today show and apologizes 'to those that I have hurt'. Financial loss: Deen was dropped by Smithfield in the wake of the scandal, and the thing happened with the Food Network partnership . Previous appearance: Paula Deen was to appear on the Today show on Friday morning to answer questions from Matt Lauer about her past use of racial slurs - but she pulled out just before the show started . She says: 'I was invited to speak to Matt Lauer about a subject that has been very hurtful for a lot of people. 'Matt I was physically not able this . morning, the pain has been tremendous that I have caused to myself and . to others so I am taking this opportunity, now that i have pulled myself . together and am able to speak, to offer an apology for those I've . hurt.' The controversial chef and her . handlers must have kissed-and-made-up with the Today Show as Lauer . announced on Monday morning that Deen will now be coming on the show . Wednesday, lest she change her mind again. Over the weekend, her loyal fans have . shown their support by lining up in droves to eat at her Savannah, . Georgia restaurant, and bash the Food Network on social media. 'Everyone in this nation has used a . racist comment at one time or another. She grew up in the South,' Facebook user Maria O'Donnell wrote on the channel's page. Over the weekend, more stories about . the chef's alleged racism as a former employee alleged that Deen and her . brother regularly called him 'my little monkey'. Family: Bubba allegedly made repeated sexual jokes in front of co-workers. Both are accused of racist remarks . Transformation: Paula Deen, shed pounds after . being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but she will have to work harder . to throw off her apparent admissions during the videotaped deposition . Another told how as an oyster cook at one of her restaurants the black waitstaff were regularly forced to work at her private parties held at her Savannah, Georgia estate without pay. 'Paula and Bubba just gave us beer and alcohol and I don’t even drink. It was insulting and unfair. I was like, "Pay me!"' Sheldon J. Ervin told Radar. While the Network cut ties to the . chef, who headlined three shows on the channel that she has worked with . for the past 11 years, QVC has waited to make any final moves. 'QVC shares the concerns being raised . around the unfortunate Paula Deen situation. QVC does not tolerate . discriminatory behavior,' vice president Paul Capelli said in a . statement. 'We are closely monitoring these . events and the ongoing litigation. We are reviewing our business . relationship with Ms Deen, and in the meantime, we have no immediate . plans to have her appear on QVC.' It has not commented on whether or not they will continue to sell her line of cookware that she designed for the channel. | Paula Deen under fire last week when a lawsuit revealed she used racial slurs and wanted a 'plantation-style' wedding .
Deen admits to using 'N-word' and wanting black men dressed as slaves .
Let go by meat producer Smithfield as their spokeswoman .
Comes after a former employee alleged that Deen and her brother regularly called him 'my little monkey'
Due to appear on the Today Show on Friday but pulls out of appearance at the last minute .
The Food Network announce Deen's contract won't be renewed at the end of the month .
Net worth of $17million from TV series, restaurants, cookbooks, kitchenware, cooking magazine and flavored butters . |
f9eeef155ead0e3a592d3aafa82c2dad64f0df33 | (CNN) -- Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law a bill that will legalize civil unions for same-sex couples in the Aloha State. "People have worked long and hard for this day," Abercrombie said at the bill-signing ceremony Wednesday. "This is a prime example of exercising civic courage. It is about doing what is right, no matter how difficult, no matter how much opposition." The law goes into effect on January 1. It extends the same rights and benefits to partners in a civil union that spouses in a marriage enjoy. In July, former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a similar bill, saying the issue needed to be put to a referendum. Gay rights groups decried her decision. Five states and the District of Columbia issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Hawaii joins New Jersey in allowing civil unions. Three states -- Rhode Island, New York and Maryland -- recognize same-sex marriages from other states, according to the conference. California recognizes same-sex marriages performed during six months in 2008 after its Supreme Court granted same-sex couples the right to marry and before the passage of Proposition 8, which overturned the court's decision. | Abercrombie: "People have worked long and hard for this day"
The law will take effect January 1, 2012 .
It extends the same rights to gay couples that spouses in a marriage enjoy .
In July, Hawaii's then-governor vetoed a similar bill . |
f9f04144446637036930678ad8808aee8cd1b742 | For most people the idea of losing friends overtime can leave them fearful of being alone in old age, but new research suggests that having fewer friends can actually make us less lonely. A study that examined the friendships of nearly 400,000 students has shown that while the number of close friends they have on average has fallen in the past 25 years, they feel less isolated. Psychologists believe modern technology and the increased use of social media to interact with other people, and has led to the decline in face-to-face contact, has driven this change. Recent studies have suggested that people have fewer close friends that they can confide in than they had in, but the latest research shows that this is not necessarily leading to people feeling lonelier . The research, conducted by psychologists at the University of Queensland in Australia, showed that loneliness among American college students has declined between 1978 and 2009. Similarly loneliness among high school students has also declined between 1991 and 2012 as the size of their friendship groups contracted. 'People become less dependent on their families and need more specialized skills, which could lead to less interest in social support and more self-sufficiency,' said lead researcher Dr David Clark, from the University of Queensland. 'Over time, people are more individualistic, more extroverted, and have higher self-esteem.' He added: 'The trend in loneliness may be caused by modernization.' The findings come after a series of studies have shown that the growing use of social networking sites like Facebook has had a negative affect on the quality of people's friendships. Other studies have suggested that people who use Facebook tend to be more isolated and lonely. Lonely people are also more likely to share more information about themselves on such sites. A study from 2006 by sociologists at Duke also showed that on average most adults only have two people they can talk to about the most important subjects in their lives while one quarter had no close confidants at all. This has led to predictions that society is growing increasingly lonely. However, the latest findings, which are published in the journal of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, shows people are actually getting less lonely. The scientists examined 48 surveys of American College Students who had completed the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, with a total of 13,041 students taking part. Although we have close fewer friends to confide in, we seem to be more contented and modern technology may be responsible according to the to the research by psychologists at the University of Queensland . This showed that overall loneliness declined from 1978 to 2009, with female students reported lower loneliness than male college students. The researchers also looked at the results from the Monitoring the Future project between 1991 and 2012, which surveyed US high school students about their behaviours, attitudes and values. Overall, the high school students reported having fewer friends with whom to interact, but less desire for more friends. Dr Clark said further research on cultures outside of the US would help determine if modernization is the root cause of the observed results. He said: 'If other cultures show the same pattern of reduced loneliness in the face of poorer social networks, this would support the idea that modernization is responsible.' | Modern technology and social network sites like Facebook may be behind the falling levels of loneliness .
Study looked at surveys of nearly 400,000 students over 25 year period .
Students had fewer close friends but also felt less isolated than in 1978 .
However, the study found it did lead to poorer quality friendship groups . |
f9f0790513d0c55cc0b122ad0fc3f8a12485024d | Cough medicines are waste of money, doctors declared today. Both NHS bosses and leading GPs have dismissed the products - and say traditional home made remedies with lemon or honey to be the best approach. Cough medicines, which usually cost between £3 and £5 for a small bottle, are part of an over-the-counter healthcare industry worth £3 billion a year. There is little evidence that expensive over-the-counter cough medicines actually work, doctors said today . But the NHS Choices website advises: 'There's little evidence to suggest cough medicines actually work, although some ingredients may help treat symptoms associated with a cough, such as a blocked nose or fever.' The webpage adds that the 'simplest and cheapest' treatment for a 'short-term cough' may be a homemade remedy containing lemon and honey. It continues: 'There's no quick way of getting rid of a cough caused by a viral infection. It will usually clear up after your immune system has fought off the virus.' Dr Tim Ballard, vice chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, today backed up the NHS claim. He said: 'The medical evidence behind cough medicines is weak and there is no evidence to say that they will reduce the duration of illnesses - as such, GPs are unlikely to prescribe them.' A Which? investigation two years ago said found many popular cough medicines do not work as well as they claim to. The report authors concluded that studies used to support the claims of effectiveness are often low quality. Many also contain high doses of sugar, with one week of the adult maximum dose of a popular product containing as much sugar as five Mars bars. A bottle of Dry Coughs remedy by leading brand Benylin is sold in Boots for £4.99 for a 150ml bottle. Benylin's website states: 'Through its active ingredients, Benylin Dry Coughs Original helps to suppress the coughing mechanism, reducing the urge to cough.' Doctors say traditional home made remedies made with lemon and honey may be the best approach . The Proprietary Association of Great Britain, a national trade association representing the consumer healthcare industry, released a statement after Benylin was contacted for a comment. It said: 'Cough medicines will not "cure" a cough, but they can help relieve the symptoms. 'The key to effective management of cough is to identify the most troublesome symptom and to choose an appropriate product. 'All cough medicines have been assessed for safety and efficacy by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before they are put on the market. 'When the product is licensed, MHRA also reviews the claims that can be made about the product, such as what the product can be used to treat, how fast the product works and how long it works for. 'Only claims approved by MHRA can be used on the packaging and in advertising. The NHS Choices website advises that if the cough is caused by an underlying treatment, this will need treating . 'OTC products on the UK market have successfully demonstrated their efficacy through decades of use by millions of consumers, and their acceptance by the MHRA, which independently reviews the clinical evidence, means people can continue to rely on them when treating themselves and their children.' Dr Ballard said while some patients do find such medicines beneficial, patients who have had a cough for less than three weeks should seek advice from their local pharmacist. He added: 'If the cough lasts longer and is affecting young infants, or is associated with coughing up blood, shortness of breath, confusion, or high fever, then they should contact their GP practice, although a face-to-face appointment might not be necessary.' The NHS website states that coughs caused by an underlying medical condition will need specific treatment. | Cough medicines are part of industry worth £3 billion a year .
But NHS Choices says 'little evidence' to suggest medicines actually work .
Adds simplest and cheapest treatment for a short-term cough may be a homemade remedy containing lemon and honey .
Royal College of GPs backed up advice, saying GPs unlikely to prescribe .
But healthcare trade association disputed the claims, saying all products have to undergo stringent assessment process or safety and efficacy . |
f9f090611e4bc40c3886c38c7389c0cd2385b5d8 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 02:46 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:34 EST, 1 October 2012 . He has transported holidaymakers along Great Yarmouth seafront for 25 years, but now a horse-drawn carriage owner faces losing his business because he doesn't have a driving licence. Fred England, 43, has operated on the historic beachfront in Norfolk since 1987 as part of a family tradition. But Mr England is now set to lose his licence as council officials have suddenly realised . they should not be authorising him to drive his four-wheel . carriage because he does not have a car licence. Local legacy: Fred England, 43, has proudly carried excited visitors along the historic seafront in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, since 1987 . Mr England, whose horse is called Sam, went to Great Yarmouth Borough Council last week to submit a licence renewal application, as he has done regularly for a quarter of a century. But he was told he needed a motor vehicle driving licence, which he has never had. He now faces an agonising wait over his working future with the final decision being taken by the council's licensing committee later this week. Jeopardy: Council officials have suddenly realised they should not be authorising him to drive his pretty four-wheel carriage because he does not have a car licence . The horseman said his grandfather, father and three brothers have all pulled tourists in carriages along the seafront since the Second World War. Mr England of Great Yarmouth, said: 'They reckon I am not covered on the insurance. 'I have been doing this safely for 25 years - why all this all of a sudden now? 'In Blackpool there are eight guys who have been given special Grandfather Rights. 'They can ride without a licence as their family have been doing it for so long. 'Where are my Grandfather Rights?' Defiant: The horseman said his grandfather, father and three brothers have all pulled thrilled tourists in carriages along the seafront since the Second World War . A Court of Appeal case in 1998 ruled that a person-drawn vehicle was within the definition of a 'Hackney Carriage' ' a black cab. As a result it became law that both horse-drawn and person-drawn vehicles were licensable under Hackney Carriage legislation. That means a landau rider must hold both a Hackney Carriage driver's licence and DVLA licence. Linda Mockford, licensing manager at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: 'It just recently came to light that it's a matter of law, whereas before we did not require it. 'It was just a case of officers not being aware it was the law. 'It came to light because somebody else was trying to apply for a licence. 'We made it policy for brand new applications a few years ago. 'Now I know I have to rectify it. We have checked and found that we were potentially in breach.' She insisted: 'We cannot do anything but refuse it - we are getting legal advice and I have advised him to do the same. 'If there was something I could do for him I would,' she added. 'I will speak to him face to face - he deserves that after having been a landau driver for 25 years.' But defiant Mr England retorted: 'As far as I am concerned this is their mistake, not mine.' | Fred England, 43, has proudly carried visitors along the historic seafront in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, since 1987 as part of a family tradition .
Great Yarmouth Borough Council suddenly realised because Mr England does not have a car licence he's not authorised to drive four-wheel carriage . |
f9f0fa041c6883a12abe34698046cd796602d8b6 | By . Alexandra Klausner . and Mike Dawes . A sports fan who filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against ESPN announcers who made comments about him as he slept at a New York Yankees game called the experience 'upsetting' on his Today Show interview with Matt Lauer on Friday. Rector told Matt Lauer he was baffled when the stadium started thunderously clapping the second he woke up from his nap. 'Put yourself in my shoes,' Andrew Rector said. Angry: Andrew Rector is suing ESPN for showing him napping during a New York Yankees game on April 13 . 'How would you feel if you were broadcast on TV and all over the media?' Rector said that when he went to go buy a snack at the stadium following his nap, he got phone calls from people he hadn't spoken to in years telling him that he was on television. 'It happens to the best of us,' he told Lauer. 'I wasn’t doing anything wrong.'He said that once a Youtube clip of him surfaced online, a string of hateful comments followed. 'They put me on YouTube and created a public forum where people could comment,' he said. 'I’m a fan,' he said. 'I paid to go to that game. I brought friends that were there. I have a reputation as well.' He said that even though the announcers may have thought their decision to ridicule him was 'spur of the moment' that it still 'clearly crossed the line' The New York Post reports that Rector and his lawyer are still working out how they'd like to proceed. 'We’re figuring out whether or not we’re going to move forward,' he said, adding, 'I’m going to think about it for the next few days.' Rector said he'd 'possibly' consider an apology. Andrew Rector claims he has suffered emotional distress since he was captured on live television due to an 'unending verbal crusade' made against him by ESPN announcers Dan Shulman and John Kruk. According to The Smoking Gun, the incident relates to when the camera panned to his . second-row seat in the lower level of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and . showed him snoozing. Heavy fine: Rector is suing for $10million after he claims to have been made to feel like a 'fatty cow' Sued: Dan Shulman (left) and John Kruk (right) are at the centre of the complaint by Rector . Major League Baseball has been named as a . defendant in the complaint after the clip was uploaded to the MLB . website as part of a highlights packed, allegedly causing a flurry of . insulting comments. ESPN announcer Shulman is accused of referring to the New Yorker as 'oblivious', while the second commentator, Kruk, is accused of saying a ballpark is 'not the place you come to sleep'. Shulman also questioned whether Rector had slept through a third inning home run by Yankee Carlos Beltran, which caused a huge applause from the crowd of 45,000. Rector, works for a car rental company in the Bronx, contends his distress comes from . being made out to be a 'fatty cow that needs to seats' and a 'confused . disgusted and socially bankrupt individual'. The incident occurred during a game against the Boston Red Sox on April 13. The lawsuit was filed in State Supreme Court in the Bronx on July 3. It also claims that the announcers used words like 'stupor', 'fatty', 'unintelligent', and 'stupid'. Neither the announcers or ESPN have commented on the complaint. 'Emotional distress': Rector says he has suffered from being shown on the telecast . | Andrew Rector called the experience of being publicly ridiculed 'upsetting' on his Today Show interview with Matt Lauer on Friday .
He said he'd 'possibly' consider an apology and that he and his lawyer are deciding on how to proceed .
Andrew Rector is suing ESPN and commentating duo Dan Shulman and John Kruk after falling asleep during a televised baseball game .
Rector claims he has suffered emotional distress after the camera panned to him asleep with the two commentators saying he was 'oblivious' to the game .
The clip was posted online as part of ESPN's highlights package, which allegedly attracted a flurry of insulting comments .
The 26-year-old fell asleep during a New York Yankees game on April 13 . |
f9f0fa3977a952792ba1f5508d022df0b63afe19 | (CNN) -- After Massachusetts teen Philip Chism pleaded not guilty to rape, lawyers on Thursday discussed whether he should be treated as a juvenile on that count or as an adult, as is the case for the murder charge he's facing in his teacher's death. Dressed in a dark sweater over a tie and button-down shirt, the 15-year-old Chism looked ahead but did not speak during Thursday's hearing in Salem. After his lawyer waived a reading of the new charge, a not guilty plea was presented on his behalf on an additional rape charge on which he was indicted last Friday. Kate MacDougall, a Essex County District Attorney's office prosecutor, did not ask for bail on the new charge, given that Chism already is being held. That indictment came down three months after, authorities say, Chism killed Colleen Ritzer, 24, his math teacher at Danvers High School. Police say Chism used a box cutter he'd taken to school to kill Ritzer on October 22 in a girls' bathroom at the school. He pleaded not guilty to aggravated rape and robbery, as well as for murder -- for which he's set to be tried as an adult -- in December. The additional count of aggravated rape came in the form of a youthful offender indictment. The difference between or circumstances surrounding the two different rape charges was not immediately clear. The prosecutor, defense attorneys and Judge Howard Whitehead talked about whether Chism should be treated as a juvenile on this new charge or as an adult. "It's an open issue," said Whitehead, later asking both sides to submit their views to him in writing by March 1. In addition to this discussion, MacDougall noted that a "substantial" amount of new material related to the investigation was being provided to the defense. Among other things, this included extensive surveillance imagery tied to that tumultuous fall day in Massachusetts' North Shore. The judge set the next court date for the afternoon of April 7, noting that a pretrial hearing on the case should take place "sometime in late May or early June." | Philip Chism has a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on the additional rape charge .
It's not clear whether 15-year-old will be treated as a juvenile or adult on this count .
He previously pleaded not guilty to aggravated rape, robbery, murder charges .
Authorities say he killed his math teacher at school, then disposed of her body . |
f9f11e3db0fd1f4d463daf9f6b4ae150c59927d5 | Adam Ritchie, a Domino's Pizza manager in Cheyenne, Wyoming, said he'd never received a call like the one he got Monday night. "I need to feed my whole plane," the caller told him. "Lucky me, I hear 160 people. It ended up being like 38 pizzas," Ritchie told CNN. A Frontier Airlines flight from Washington to Denver was diverted to Cheyenne because of bad weather. The plane was stuck on the ground for nearly two hours. The food on board was gone, so the pilot decided to order pizzas for everyone, a passenger told CNN affiliate KDVR. Each row got its own pie. "Next thing you know, Domino's Pizza was rolling up to the plane," passenger Logan Torres told CNN. She sent CNN photos of flight attendants passing out boxes. Frontier Airlines spokeswoman Tyri Squyres said she wasn't surprised at all by what the pilot did. "This is not unusual for our pilots to go above and beyond to care for our customers," she said. "We have some great pilots who work here." The hidden beauty of airport runways, and how to decipher them . The best ways to kill time at airports . Future of travel: Cheap flights, more rail and hands-free cars . | Flight from Washington to Denver was diverted because of bad weather .
The plane was stuck on the ground in Wyoming for about two hours .
There was no more food aboard, so the pilot decided to order pizza . |
f9f195019a790d0e861979bdf563821c32d38b8d | (CNN)He's accused of plotting with his brother and carrying out an attack near the finish line of the Boston Marathon that killed three people, wounded more than 260 and spurred a massive manhunt that terrorized the city for days. And now, nearly 19 months after the bombings, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's trial is starting. Here are 13 things to keep in mind as the proceedings get under way this week at the federal courthouse in Boston: . 1. It's going to take time to pick a jury. Lawyers have more than 1,000 people to choose from. About 1,200 potential jurors have been summoned, CNN affiliate WCVB reported. The prosecution and defense will have to pare down that pool to 12 jurors and six alternates. Prosecutors have said the trial could last up to four months. 2. We already have some clues about the arguments on both sides. Court documents filed so far by the defense and prosecution paint a pretty clear picture of where things are heading -- though their portrayals of Tsarnaev, 21, are dramatically different. Prosecutors cast him as a deliberate killer inspired by jihadist literature. The defense has tried to pin the blame on Tamerlan Tsarnaev, describing Dzhokhar as a youngster manipulated by his older brother, who "was an all-powerful force who could not be ignored or disobeyed." Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in a confrontation with police days after the bombing. Police surrounded Dzhokhar Tsarnaev two days later as he hid inside a boat in a backyard in Watertown, Massachusetts. He surrendered with rifle lasers tagging his head. 3. Tsarnaev faces 30 federal charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all of them, including using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death. In addition to accusations tied to the two pressure cooker bombs that blew up at the marathon, the indictment against Tsarnaev also alleges that he and his brother killed a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer by shooting him in the head at close range. 4. It's a capital case, even though Massachusetts abolished the death penalty. Massachusetts got rid of the death penalty three decades ago, but this is not a state case. Federal prosecutors can seek the death penalty against Tsarnaev because of the nature of the crimes he's accused of committing. Federal prosecutors say he acted in "an especially heinous, cruel and depraved manner" and lacks remorse. 5. This isn't the prosecutor's first time tackling a prominent case. In 2011, The Boston Globe named U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz "Bostonian of the Year" for prosecuting corrupt politicians, winning a terrorism case against an al Qaeda supporter and pushing the prosecution of notorious mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger. When Bulger was sentenced in 2013 to two life terms plus five years in prison, Ortiz didn't mince words, describing him as a terrorist driven by "his desire for power, for greed and ambition." 6. Tsarnaev's lawyer is known for representing high-profile clients in death penalty cases. Her name is Judy Clarke, and you've seen her before. The federal public defender represented "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski and Jared Lee Loughner, the gunman who seriously wounded former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six people at a meet-and-greet for the congresswoman. An ardent opponent of the death penalty, she has kept some of the nation's most despised criminals -- baby killers, bombers, white supremacists and terrorists -- off death row. 7. Prosecutors and defense attorneys talked about a possible plea deal for Tsarnaev, but it didn't work out. Several of Clarke's most notorious clients have pleaded guilty and avoided the death penalty. Kaczynski and Loughner both faced capital charges but are now serving life sentences in prison. In Tsarnaev's case, discussions in recent months have centered on the possibility of him pleading guilty and receiving a life sentence without parole. The talks have reached an impasse because the Justice Department has resisted removing the death penalty as a possibility, officials told CNN. 8. Some people in Boston want to see a deal like that for Tsarnaev. In an opinion column published in the Boston Globe earlier this month, a retired federal judge, a former prosecutor and another lawyer argue that a trial and the media frenzy surrounding it will needlessly force victims to relive the horrors of the bombing. "Let's write a last chapter that guarantees just punishment for Tsarnaev while putting the victims and the community at the center of the legal system's concerns," Nancy Gertner, Michael B. Keating and Martin F. Murphy wrote. 9. Others want him to get the death penalty. When federal prosecutors announced last year that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder had decided to seek the death penalty against Tsarnaev, a number of victims and their family members said it was a step in the right direction. Marc Fucarile, who lost a leg in the bombing, told WCVB he has no doubt about where he stands. "I prefer the death penalty, because I prefer that people know that if you terrorize our country, you're going to be put to death," he said last year. "And I strongly believe that's how it should be." 10. Tsarnaev's lawyer tried to get the case moved out of Boston. The judge said no. So did a federal appeals court. Clarke argued that Tsarnaev couldn't get a fair trial there. Federal prosecutors argued that changing the location of the trial would deny victims a chance to see justice carried out. Experts are split on how the location could influence whether Tsarnaev is sentenced to death. On the one hand, Boston is a liberal city where opposition to the death penalty is widespread, CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin said. On the other hand, because it's a federal case, the jury will be drawn from a broader pool that could include more conservative suburban or rural residents who are more inclined to support executions, New York lawyer Ronald Tabak, a leading expert on capital cases, told CNN last year. In a 2013 Boston Globe poll, 57% of Boston respondents supported a life sentence for Tsarnaev. Thirty-three percent favored the death penalty. 11. It's unknown whether Tsarnaev will testify. At a hearing last month, he appeared in court, telling a judge that he was satisfied with his defense lawyers. 12. Bombing survivors might. They told The Boston Globe that they're prepared to take the stand. 13. Even if Tsarnaev is found guilty, that's not the end of the trial. Since Tsarnaev's trial is a capital case, there will be a separate court proceeding on whether he should get the death penalty if the federal jury finds him guilty. That phase, Toobin says, would be like a "small, separate mini trial." CNN's Michael Martinez, Deborah Feyerick, Sunlen Serfaty, Ann O'Neill, Kristina Sgueglia, Ronni Berke and Evan Perez contributed to this report. | Jury selection in Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's trial has started .
Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty .
His attorney has secured plea deals for past clients . |
f9f1afc43012a1f14c66f1d899fd20ffdc13fac1 | London (CNN) -- A London court heard closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of two men accused of the brutal daylight killing of British soldier Lee Rigby. Judge Nigel Sweeney told jurors at the Old Bailey criminal court he expected them to retire to consider their verdict on Thursday morning. Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are accused of murder and attempted murder of a police officer. They have denied the charges. The prosecution says the suspects deliberately attacked an unarmed man from behind using a vehicle as a weapon, "and then they murdered him and mutilated his body with a meat cleaver and knives." The killing of Rigby outside the Woolwich Barracks in southeast London on May 22 shocked the nation. He left behind a wife and a young son. Closing arguments . Defense lawyers on Wednesday finished their closing arguments. Lawyer David Gottlieb referred to his client Adebolajo by his Islamic name, Mujahid Abu Hamza, describing him as intelligent, totally sincere in his beliefs and as someone who has shown "absolute honesty and moral conviction." While Adebolajo took to the stand earlier this month, Adebowale has not given evidence during the trial. His lawyer, Abbas Lakha, also referring to his client by his Islamic name, Ismael Abdullah, asked jury members to set aside their prejudice and emotion in this case. He echoed Adebolajo's testimony regarding their intent. When he was asked earlier this month what his defense to the charge of murder was, Adebolajo said: "I am a soldier. I am a soldier of Allah." Both defense lawyers argue that is not the same as intent to murder. Adebolajo had told the court he killed the soldier because he is fighting a war. "I do not dispute I killed him," he said under cross-examination. In regard to the charge of attempted murder of a police officer, Lakha said both defendants intended to make police feel threatened because they wanted to be shot. The gun Adebowale aimed at police was not loaded; he knew that he would not be able to harm police, the lawyer said. He then played to the jury the CCTV footage of the moment the defendants were shot by police. "Here is a man who knows he has an empty gun in his hand and cannot harm anyone," he said, . Lakha said a note that Adebolajo later handed to a bystander was a joint note and could be regarded as a suicide note as part of it read "If I live beyond this day." In its closing remarks on Tuesday, the prosecution described the attack as "cowardly and callous," saying, "Islam, one of the world's great religions, is not on trial." | Defense lawyers give closing arguments .
Judge expects jurors to retire to consider verdicts Thursday .
Killing of soldier Lee Rigby outside barracks in southeast London shocked the nation .
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale deny murder and attempted murder charges . |
f9f1ba268e49c976e129a6dbc3e038d648d4a0ce | CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Political powerbroker Tony Rezko, whose links to presidential contender Barack Obama dropped him into the national spotlight this year, was convicted of money laundering, fraud and bribery charges by a federal jury Wednesday. Tony Rezko, left, leaves federal court with his family Tuesday during deliberations in his corruption trial. Rezko -- who has contributed thousands to the campaigns of the Illinois senator and other Democrats -- was accused of demanding kickbacks from companies seeking Illinois state business. He was convicted of 16 of 24 charges, including 12 counts of wire and mail fraud, two counts of aiding and abetting bribery and two counts of money laundering. He was acquitted of attempted extortion. Testimony at Rezko's trial in federal court brought up ties between Obama and Rezko, with a witness putting Obama at Rezko's house for a party where the guest of honor was Iraqi-British businessman Nadhmi Auchi. Obama has said he doesn't recall ever meeting Auchi, who was convicted of fraud in France. Amid the controversy, Obama acknowledged he had accepted contributions from Rezko and bought a strip of land from Rezko, a Chicago real-estate developer. Obama, who has not been accused of wrongdoing in the case, has vowed to give up the contributions, and called the purchase a mistake. He has already donated to charity at least $80,000 in campaign contributions linked to Rezko. Obama won enough delegates Tuesday to clinch the Democratic Party's nomination for president. | Illinois political power broker Tony Rezko convicted in corruption case .
Rezko was accused of demanding kickbacks for state business contracts .
Rezko made contributions to Obama campaign, sold him land . |
f9f1cdd1c47ac93a2541576e3b33882a9999c739 | For many college students, landing a coveted internship is a feat. But making the most of the internship is the real accomplishment. With countless internship stories -- both dream scenarios and nightmares -- making the news lately, CNN chatted with interns past and present to find out what made their experiences so great. Let's be real. Free food galore, tantalizing perks and pay were definitely touted, but many students say these benefits are not the keys to a great internship. "The best internship I ever had was in the district office for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson," says former intern Anam Iqbal. "While the internship was unpaid, the experience was priceless. I met many local political figures ... and many lifelong friends in the office." So what's the secret? We got the skinny from interns past and present who say it's all in what you make of it. Here are five must-dos for a dynamite internship: . 1. Don't get caught up on money . Caitlin Beck, a rising senior at Fordham University, interned with MTV News -- for no pay -- this past spring. She's working now as a restaurant hostess to save money for the school year. She says writing for the MTV News RapFix blog and coordinating guest segments in the "TRL" studio outweighed the pay issue. "It never really made me mad because I loved it," she says. "When you're working somewhere like that, it validates you, so you almost can't get mad at them." Beck received some financial assistance, including reimbursement for transportation, from Fordham to make her internship possible. Other interns also appeal to their schools for help making unpaid internships possible. While interning with Ashoka, a social entrepreneur think tank in Arlington, Virginia, Ayah Abo-Basha received a grant from her school's honors program -- and she says it's a situation with which many of her fellow interns can sympathize. "I'm not spending money left and right," she says. "All the interns bring their lunches." Other students turned to part-time jobs. Iqbal had a morning job as a bank teller for the duration of her internship, and she coordinated her schedule with the bank and the congresswoman's office to make sure she could manage both commitments. When students are interning with start-ups or small companies, sometimes the employer just can't afford to pay extra hands. Hilda Adenjii, now a campus coordinator at Pace University, interned with event planning group DBD Social last summer. She was unpaid, but her employer covered all project expenses. When DBD Social merged with another company in the fall, they had the money to pay -- and they hired Adenjii back as a paid intern. "Internships have become the new entry level," says Lou Gaglini, associate director for employer relations and recruiting at Boston College Career Center. "Employers like to know you can hit the ground running." 2. Embrace program structure . No student relishes the stereotypical picture of "intern busy work": sorting files, entering data -- feel free to insert your most dreaded office task here. In a structured internship program, there's considerably less room for busy work or (even worse) dead time. Interns' schedules are instead packed with meetings, events or seminars. Ayah Abo-Basha, a rising junior at Washington University in St. Louis, is interning this summer with Ashoka, a social entrepreneur think tank in Arlington, Virginia. "I would say there's just enough structure," she says, specifically mentioning how weekly intern meetings can be educational seminars one week and informal socials the next. Graduate student Max Huleurt is the only intern in the production department of CBS's "GameSpot," so he says he appreciates participating in activities with other CBS interns, such as the lunchtime "Intern Olympics." After socializing and enjoying the free event, he returns to his department, where he collaborates with salaried team members "just like at a real job," he says. 3. Find your role and claim ownership of your projects . The word "ownership" pops up again and again when students describe internship successes. Tom Pae says this is what separates good internships from great internships. As a LinkedIn global sales operations intern, the majority of his time is spent collaborating with other interns on "meaty" projects and discussing his work with top leadership at the company. Alex Forss is at eBay for his second summer because he says he feels encouraged to pitch ideas and network with upper management. He's also seen his ideas successfully implemented later -- and he gets credit, too. "It is a high-paying internship, but the responsibility is the most rewarding part of it," he says. "I just led a conference call with a couple VPs on the phone. They let me do that." But it's not just tech companies that value collaboration with interns. At CBS Interactive, Huleurt says he has unlocked the secret to internship happiness: knowing your work has value. "It's not, 'Hey, intern, go get coffee,' or 'watch me do this,' " he says. "I have a very specific place, and it feels like a real job." Shara Senderoff founded the website Intern Sushi to match students with good internship experiences. She says identifying your role is critical when later discussing an internship experience in job interviews or within a cover letter. "If you can't say why your company is doing what it's doing, you don't know anything about the culture or the company," she says. "You need to know the bigger picture of where your work fits in." 4. Bond with your supervisor . At Ashoka, Abo-Basha says she doesn't have an "intern supervisor" -- she has an "accountability partner," a full-time employee also in her field. "You're a partner, not just a lowly intern," she says. Abo-Basha regularly meets with her accountability partner to give project updates, ask for advice on problems or learn about other opportunities within the company. But the best supervisors don't just lead -- they also inspire. When interning for Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, in 2010, Anam Iqbal took particular notice of the congresswoman's condolence card routine. Johnson sent personalized cards to the families and friends of recently passed Texans in her district. "Working in the office made me realize mailing some things puts a smile on people's faces, whether you realize it or not," Iqbal says. Iqbal is now pursuing a master's degree in public administration -- a decision she says was inspired by her experience working with the congresswoman. "Seeing her really care for her constituents made me think, 'I want to be like that. I want to be her,' " she says. 5. Leave with talking points for your next job interview . A stacked resume isn't only good for netting internships; it should ideally highlight those experiences to lure full-time employers. Adenjii did exactly that after DBD Social. She parlayed her experience planning parties and coordinating events into a career as a campus coordinator at her alma mater, Pace University. There, she draws from her internship experience on a daily basis. "My internship was a major thing I was asked about on job interviews," she says. Adjenjii says she frequently referenced her hands-on experience, while Iqbal says her internship was "a conversation starter" on her resume. Lauren Berger of InternQueen.com recommends keeping a list of tasks completed. "It not only makes you feel accomplished, it helps you build your resume," she says. "And on that list, I would pinpoint about two to three things you've learned personally as well as professionally." Senderoff says above all else, students should remember internships are temporary -- they provide a chance to experiment with different responsibilities and work environments. "A great internship is an exploration of what you don't want to do," she says. And once you know what you want to do, use the internship experience to jumpstart your next career move. Related: How helicopter parents can ruin kids' job prospects . | In a structured internship program, there's less room for busy work .
Good internship supervisors don't just lead -- they also inspire .
Lauren Berger of InternQueen.com says to keep a list of tasks completed .
Expert: "A great internship is an exploration of what you don't want to do" |
f9f2e5c0cc501be44efaf679a5e14ab5a7c72b19 | Austin, Texas (CNN) -- In her first visit to South by Southwest Interactive, the tech-themed conference underway here, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton devoted the bulk of her prepared talk Tuesday to the admirable work of her family's foundation in improving global health care. But it was her more personal remarks, often about her famous family's early use of technology, that seemed to resonate most. "I definitely taught my parents how to text and how to charge their phones," she told almost 3,000 people in an Austin convention hall. "I'm sure that's not uncommon for many people in this room." Clinton, 34, said she got her first computer, a Commodore, "from Santa Claus" as a child and sent her first e-mail while in high school in the mid-1990s. That was around the time her father, then-President Bill Clinton, sent the first presidential e-mail, to astronaut John Glenn in space -- a fact she said her dad was "ridiculously" proud of. "He's now a pretty good tweeter and a pretty good texter, but he's still only sent about two e-mails," she said. She then joked about how her father is not the most famous texter in the family and showed the photo of her mother, wearing sunglasses and wielding a phone, that inspired the "Texts From Hillary" meme. Wearing jeans and a black jacket, Clinton gave a rather stiff, scripted 25-minute speech, followed by a more relaxed Q&A session with Fast Company editor Robert Safian. She showed glimmers of both her mother's poise and her father's command of detail, rattling off stats about mobile banking usage in Kenya and the 750,000 children in the world who die each year from dehydration caused by diarrhea. "I'm obsessed with diarrhea," she said. "It doesn't make me squeamish." As the only child of two ambitious parents, growing up in the spotlight of the Arkansas governor's mansion and the White House, Clinton said a lot was expected of her at a young age. At age 6 she said she would debate her parents, one at a time, about issues or current events while the other parent moderated. "It taught me that not only was it OK to have an opinion and a point of view," she said, "it was expected that I would have an opinion and a point of view." Asked for the umpteenth time about whether she'll enter politics, Clinton demurred, although she left the door open at least a crack. "I don't know," she said, adding, "For a long time, my answer to that question was no." She expressed dismay that none of her friends -- most of them smart, accomplished people -- show any interest in running for office. "I find that really troubling," she said, adding that when her father graduated from Georgetown University in the 1960s, he said about half his classmates were pondering a future in politics. Clinton did urge the coders, designers and other tech professionals in the audience to devote their careers to making the world a better place. Tech entrepreneurs can sometimes find quicker solutions to global problems than policy makers, she said. Asked for her advice to SXSW attendees pondering careers in social good, she offered this: . "I'd focus on what you're most passionate about and what makes you angry. I'd ask myself, 'What do I think is really unjust?' That should be a starting point for how you engage with the world." | Chelsea Clinton speaks Tuesday at South by Southwest Interactive conference .
Asked whether she'll run for office: "I don't know"
Clinton is vice chair of her family's foundation .
Her career advice to SXSW attendees: "Focus on what makes you angry" |
f9f331fe7f50ba7b25fb6bf2cb1642e06b85a590 | Born three and a half months premature, baby Ward Miles did not have the easiest start in life but thanks to the love of his parents and endless dedication of doctors and nurses, the . little fighter pulled through. His father, Benjamin Miller who is a photographer that works under the name Benjamin . Scot, captured his son's first year in a moving short film, beginning with those difficult, early days in the NICU and following Ward as he goes from strength to strength at home. The video begins with new mom Lyndsey gingerly picking up her son, who weighs under 1.5lbs, four days after he was born 15 weeks early at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Mother Lyndsey holds her son for the first time, four days after he was born three and a half months premature . The proud mother holds her little son who weighs just under 1.5lb at this stage . The new mother is overwhelmed by the moment as she holds her tiny son in the NICU . Little Ward Miles spent the first 107 days of his life in the NICU with a host of machines to help him survive . With the help of the nurses moving wires and medical equipment, Lyndsey eases into a chair and holds her tiny son to her chest. She smiles for the camera and then the new mother becomes overwhelmed by the moment and bursts into tears. The moving scene is just one of many in the couple's emotional roller coaster following the birth of their premature son on July 16, 2012. It has been captured beautifully in the seven-minute Vimeo film which Mr Miller dedicated to his wife and to the doctors and nurses who were constantly by their side. Mr and Mrs Miller, both from central Ohio, have been married for four years and live in Columbus. Mrs Miller watches her son inside the incubator at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio . Baby Ward's tiny toes wriggle as he fights for survival during his first 107 days of life in the NICU . Ward's tiny head is cradled by a nurse as a procedure is carried out in the early days of his life . Ward is given breathing apparatus to help him survive in the specialist baby unit . Their first child Ward was born 15 weeks early at Riverside Methodist Hospital, weighing . just 1lb 13oz. He was transferred four days after he was born to . Nationwide Children's Hospital to undergo a procedure and remained in the hospital's NICU fighting for his life for the next 107 days. 'There were two very scary moments that stand out among the rest,' Mr Miller said. 'The . first was when they did his first brain scan looking for bleeding. There are 4 grades, 1-4 with 4 being the worst. The results came back and he had a grade 2 . on one side, and a grade 4 on the other. 'Lyndsey . called me at work ( I had just gone back) and the second I picked up, I . knew something was wrong. She told me what they found out and I . immediately left to be with them. Mr Miller said in the early days he and wife Lyndsey went through some dark moments when they feared their son would left severely handicapped from his premature birth . The new mom cuddles her tiny son during his early days in the NICU hooked up to life-saving equipment . Benjamin Miller and wife Lindsey with baby Ward Miles in the ICU at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio . He continued: 'I cried and prayed the whole way down. The bleeds could lead to severe problems down the road. He may not be . able to walk. He may have cerebral palsy. He may be mentally . handicapped. The list goes on and on. 'When I got there we just embraced . and cried together. He looked exactly the same. He had no idea that some . test was done. He was still Ward. 'I felt so bad for him. It wasn't his . fault. He couldn't do anything to fix it. We couldn't do anything to fix . it. The doctors couldn't do anything to fix it. It was a horrible . feeling. All we could do was pray.' Mr Miller shared with MailOnline the thoughts that he put down in his journal, when during one of the new parents' darkest hours, their son offered them a glimmer of hope. He wrote: 'At . the 6 oclock care time, we were holding his hand, looking at him, . talking to him. His CPAP mask was off, and his feeding tube was out as . well. Baby Ward smiles as his mother holds him close as he goes from strength to strength . The baby boy is wrapped tightly in a swaddle after having most of his medical equipment removed . Ward lets out a healthy cry as he sits up in his baby seat after being taken home . Ward giggles on his play mat clearly showing that vast improvements in his weight and health . 'While we . were watching him, he turned his little head towards us, and then opened . his eyes. We know he can't see at this stage, but the fact that he . opened them, and opened them so wide we had not seen before. He stared . right at us. He held our gaze. Just looked right at us. Didn't blink. I . had enough time to get a photo of it. After a little while he shut his . little eyes and turned his head back to the ceiling. I will never forget . that moment. I feel as if he was telling us 'I'm okay!!! Don't give up . on me!' The new father noted a few lines later: 'We won't.' In the next few days, the parents were given the reassuring news that the bleeding had stopped. Mr Miller's video soon changes from images of the NICU to capture his young son's developing personality (including some hilarious facial expressions) Lyndsey brings baby Ward in for kiss as he grows stronger with every month . Ward goes from feeding via a tube to taking his own bottle in his crib at home in Columbus, Ohio . Thankfully, the video soon takes a turn and there are fewer tubes and beeping monitors. After his first 107 days of life in the hospital, Ward Miles finally went home on October 31, 2012. His father said: 'It was such an amazing feeling to have him . home, where he belonged. The dogs had no idea what to think. 107 days is . almost 1/3rd of a year. 'Being able to come home from work and not have . to drive down to the hospital to see our son was such a huge blessing. We certainly will never take that for granted.' Although the little boy still has some feeding issues, Mr Miller said that doctors are in disbelief when they find out his healthy son was born 15 weeks premature. A giggling Ward with his mother Lindsey astounds doctors when his parents tell them he was born 15 weeks premature . Ward digs into some birthday cake on a much celebrated first birthday on July 16, 2013 . So when it came to celebrating the special young man's first birthday, one cake just wasn't enough. His father said: 'He sort of had four first birthday parties. Was bored with the cake by the 4th one!' Mr . Miller said that the family could not have coped with their ordeal . without the love and prayers from family and thousands of friends and . supporters, some of whom they had never met. He made the video to commemorate his son's first year and as a birthday present for his wife. He added: 'I want to thank all the doctors, nurses, and staff all over the world . that make it their life's mission to help babies get better! It's . because of you that my son ever stood a chance to make it home.' Mr Miller shared the adorable video of the family's journey to inspire others and in tribute to the work of medical teams all over the world working to save premature babies . Ward Miles, who is now 16 months old, continues to go happily from strength to strength . Ward Miles - First Year from BenjaminScot on Vimeo. | Ohio photographer Benjamin Scot made the film in tribute to his wife Lyndsey and all the doctors and nurses who took care of their son . |
f9f36abfde3cfc247297db709fd0c793387ea257 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:04 EST, 8 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:06 EST, 8 November 2013 . The BBC is too big and too left wing and should lose some of its licence fee, the Corporation’s former head of TV news has warned. Roger Mosey claimed the BBC had wrongly kept critics of Brussels, benefits and immigration off the airwaves and veered to the left on many issues. He said it would ‘enrich the nation’ if rival commercial broadcasters had access to some of the licence fee to take on the BBC’s dominance. Warning: Roger Mosey, a former head of news at the BBC who oversaw the London Olympics coverage, said the Corporation had become too big and the licence fee should be shared with other broadcasters . There has been growing pressure on the BBC over the £145.50, with 70 per cent of viewers saying they want it cut or abolished. Tory ministers have warned it could be cut or opened up to other broadcasters if the BBC cannot repair the damage to its reputation caused by the Savile abuse scandal and huge pay-offs to senior managers. Mr Mosey, who was head of BBC Television News and oversaw the BBC’s coverage of the London Olympics, said there should be a debate about how the next licence fee settlement ‘helps pluralism and diversity’. Writing in The Times, Mr Mosey said that while the corporation faced widespread competition in network television, its market share of 70 per cent of all news consumption on both TV and radio was something that ‘even long-term loyalists find uncomfortable’. He suggested that while the BBC's stance of co-ordinating its editorial content across the organisation was a good thing, it can ‘lead to homogeneity’ and conformity. Mr Mosey said: "On the BBC's own admission, in recent years it did not, with the virtue of hindsight, give enough space to anti-immigration views or to EU-withdrawalists; and, though he may have exaggerated, the former Director-General Mark Thompson spoke of a 'massive bias to the left' in the BBC he joined more than 30 years ago. ‘I share Mark's view that there was more internal political diversity in recent times, but that isn't enough unless it's evident in a wider range of editorial view on air.’ BBC-wide policies on news programmes created 'homogenity' on the right and wrong way to cover issues like benefits and immigration, Mr Mosey warned . The BBC lost £100million in a disastrous takeover of the Lonely Planet travel guide business, an internal report has revealed. In . a damning analysis, the corporation’s governing body accused its . commercial arm BBC Worldwide of getting ‘carried away’ with ‘highly . optimistic’ plans to buy the struggling brand six years ago. It . was forced to sell the business to US-based company NC2 Media at a huge . loss earlier this year, prompting an internal inquiry. The full scale of the waste is . £20million more than was previously thought because BBC Worldwide . continued to inject funds into Lonely Planet despite the fact it failed . to generate the expected profits. The . BBC Trust report criticised the Worldwide division for being ‘too . aggressive’ in its forecasts, saying the potential for the travel guide . to succeed as an online venture was ‘unproven’. Editors’ views are ‘influenced by like-minded peers’ and co-ordination of policies across programmes can lead to homogeneity, he warned. ‘That can be intensified by regulation that sees there being “right” and “wrong” answers. ‘The BBC Trust speaks the language of diversity but in its edicts it promotes conformity, whether it’s about an agreed approach to the science of climate change, “correct” terminology in the Middle East or the way a documentary about benefits should be constructed.’ Mr Mosey said this was not an argument to take a ‘wrecking ball’ to the corporation, but to examine how the licence fee can bring about diversity in broadcasting. He pointed to a past attempt by Channel 4 to launch a radio service to rival the BBC. ‘If that couldn't work as a commercial enterprise, might it enrich the nation if similar bids were open to funding by the licence fee? ‘A properly resourced service independent of the BBC could provide bracing competition and increase choice for audiences.’ He called for the BBC to still have the ‘dominant slice of the licence-fee pie’, but added: ‘The hard question for the corporation is why in a digital age it should have the whole pie to itself forever - when doing something different might be better for the public good.’ This week BBC Director General Lord Hall warned the BBC must end its big spending culture and return to the low-pay era of Morecambe and Wise. He said staff had to get used to the idea of spending . the licence fee money ‘as if it were our own’ and not an endless supply . of cash. He said BBC employees also had to remember their job was to provide programmes which could not be found anywhere else. Culture: Lord Hall said staff at the BBC had to treat the licence fee as if it were their own money . It is thought stars like Graham Norton and Gary Lineker both earn about £1.5million a year at the BBC. But . Lord Hall called for a return to the culture of the 1970s and 1980s, . when the BBC had a reputation for being tight with money and paying in . ‘small cheques’. Speaking . at the CBI annual conference in London, he said: ‘We are owned by . householders who pay the licence fee in this country and we have got to . remember that every time we spend money. ‘There . was a Morecambe and Wise sketch on quite regularly in the 70s and 80s . on the BBC, where Wise would say to Morecambe “Nice suit”. ‘And Morecambe would say to Wise “It’s a BBC suit - small check”. It still works.' | Roger Mosey said more of the licence fee should be open to rivals .
BBC has 70% market share for news, squeezing out alternatives .
Corporation-wide policies create the 'right' and 'wrong' way to cover issues . |
f9f36df2d33c112fedf005d4c9bba62bfc5b1b7d | Ex-wrestler Mark Schultz has attacked Bennett Miller, director of the movie 'Foxcatcher,' for the way he is portrayed in the movie, which shows his and his murdered brother Dave's relationship with millionaire John du Pont. A furious Schultz called Miller 'scum' and claimed to hate him in a series of tweets posted on Wednesday - angry that the film suggests he and convicted murderer du Pont may have had a love affair. The angry former wrestler's comments come as a U-turn from previous enthusiastic public statements of support for the movie which is expected to feature strongly among contenders for the upcoming Academy Awards. Scroll down for video . Hitting out: Mark Schultz, right, posted a series of tweets against 'Foxcatcher' director Bennett Miller, right, this week on social media. The two are seen here at the Cannes Film Festival in May . Adapation: Channing Tatum plays Mark Schultz in the movie, and Steve Carell plays his benefactor John du Pont. Schultz described his anger on Facebook over a 'Foxcatcher' scene that suggested he and du Pont were engaged in a sexual relationship . Schultz took to Twitter to rant and rave about Miller on Wednesday. Most of the tweets were written in all capital letters. The tweets have since been deleted, though they were seen and reprinted by Entertainment Weekly. Schultz wrote 'YOU CROSSED THE LINE MILLER. WE'RE DONE. YOU'RE CAREER IS OVER. YOU THINK I CAN'T DO IT. WATCH ME.' 'YOU THINK I'M GOING TO SIT BACK AND WATCH YOU DESTROY MY NAME AND REPUTATION I SWEAT BLOOD FOR. YOU AINT' SEEN NOTHING YET DUDE.' 'I BUILT THIS HOUSE AND I'LL TEAR IT DOWN. YOU THINK I CAN'T TAKE YOU DOWN COZ UR A DIRECTOR. WATCH ME BENNETT' 'I CAN TOLERATE A LOT OF THINGS BUT I DON'T TOLERATE DISRESPECT. WE'RE DONE BENNETT. 'Everything I've ever said positive about the movie I take back. I hate it. i hate it. i hate it. I hate it. i hate it. i hate it. I hate it.' 'I HATE BENNETT MILLER.' 'I HATE EVERYTHING THAT SCUM TOUCHES. EVERYTHING!!!' Killer: John du Pont, seen in a 1992 file photo, was convicted of third-degree murder and died behind bars in 2010 . 'Foxcatcher' also depicts the real life 1996 murder of Schultz' brother and fellow wrestler Dave Schultz, who is played by Mark Ruffalo. Channing Tatum portrays Mark Schultz. The Olympian brothers' benefactor John du Pont - portrayed by Steve Carell in the film - was convicted of third-degree murder and died behind bars in 2010. Mark Schultz earlier praised 'Foxcatcher' in a November interview with MailOnline. 'It's a beautiful movie,' he said at the time. 'The last time I saw it, I kind of let the past go. The movie is not based on my book – it's based on the darkest parts of my life story.' Indeed, Entertainment Weekly also made the point that Schultz said his representation on the big screen was inaccurate with the December 21 tweet '#Foxcatcher couldn't have portrayed me more inaccurately if they tried.' Shooting: The movie is based on the real life 1996 murder of Dave Schultz, seen in this file photo with John du Pont . However, that same day he tweeted ''Wrestling is extremely hard. It's the hardest sport,' said 'Foxcatcher' director Bennett Miller. How can you not love Bennett Miller.' Schultz also posted a lengthy message on his Facebook page on Tuesday, in which he described his anger over a 'Foxcatcher' scene that suggested he and du Pont were engaged in a sexual relationship, EW noted. 'The personalities and relationships between the characters in the film are primarily fiction and somewhat insulting,' Schultz wrote on Facebook. 'Leaving the audience with a feeling that somehow there could have been a sexual relationship between duPont and I is a sickening and insulting lie. 'I told Bennett Miller to cut that scene out and he said it was to give the audience the feeling that duPont was encroaching on your privacy and personal space. I wasn't explicit so I didn't have a problem with it. Then after reading 3 or 4 reviews interpreting it sexually, and jeopardizing my legacy, they need to have a press conference to clear the air, or I will.' On Thursday, Schultz posted a link on his Twitter account to a Facebook post for the page 'Mark Schultz: Olympic Wrestling Champion'. 'My story and my life are real,' the post said. 'I am a real human being. While I may have tweeted out of anger, I in no way regret standing up for myself, nor do I regret calling out the only other man who has had decision making power concerning my image and legacy these past years. 'I apologize for the harshness of my language, but I am firm in where I stand. I will gladly go to any lengths to protect and safeguard the integrity and truth of my story, my life, my character and my legacy. If that's not worth fighting over while I'm still alive, I don't know what is.' Representatives for Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Publicists for the film at Sony Pictures Classics also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Press: Schultz is portrayed by Channing Tatum (far right) in the movie 'Foxcatcher.' Steve Carell, far left, and Mark Ruffalo, left, play John du Pont and Dave Schultz, respectively . | Ex-wrestler Mark Schultz attacked Bennett Miller, director of the movie 'Foxcatcher,' on social media this week .
Schultz called Miller 'scum' and claimed to hate him in a lengthy series of tweets posted Wednesday .
But Schultz told MailOnline in November 'It's a beautiful movie'
'Foxcatcher' is based on the real life 1996 murder of Schultz's brother and fellow wrestler Dave Schultz .
Mark Schultz is player by actor Channing Tatum in the movie also starring Steve Carell .
The brothers' benefactor John du Pont was convicted of third-degree murder and died behind bars in 2010 . |
f9f4174452b75bbfd778e7fc19a8454173c2c0b2 | New York (CNN) -- A Broadway actor who fell more than 20 feet during an aerial stunt in the musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," has been released from a rehabilitation center in New York, a show spokesman said. Christopher Tierney, 31, was released from New York University's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine on Wednesday morning, according to spokesperson Sam Corbett. Tierney was moved into the institute after being discharged from Bellevue Hospital on December 28. He suffered four broken ribs, a hairline skull fracture, a broken scapula, or shoulder blade; a bruised lung, three cracked vertebrae and broken bones below his elbow as a result of his fall, his father said. "He is up," Tim Tierney said. "He is walking and just doing very well." He noted that his son is looking forward to returning to the show. Several of the performances were canceled following the December 20 incident, as new safety measures were put in place following a meeting with officials from the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Tierney said Tuesday that he is looking forward to returning to the show and is not concerned about his own safety. "I'm not worried about it," he said. "They've got it well taken care of." Another actor in the show, Patrick Page, said the new measures have increased communication between actors and safety personnel. The show, with music and lyrics by U2's Bono and The Edge, is said to be the most expensive in Broadway history. But the behind-the-scenes drama at the $65 million production -- including a series of mishaps resulting in actor injuries -- has continued to raise questions over its safety record. | Christopher Tierney, 31, has been released from a rehabilitation center in New York .
Tierney said he is looking forward to returning and is not concerned about his safety .
The actor suffered several broken bones and a bruised lung in the fall . |
f9f46652f6dcd4254329a50f1c97b4d346089004 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- A 49-year-old woman collapsed and died on the floor of a waiting room at a Brooklyn psychiatric hospital and lay there for more than an hour as employees ignored her, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union, which on Tuesday released surveillance camera video of the incident. Surveillance video shows a woman lying on the hospital floor for almost an hour before anyone helped her. Esmin Green was involuntarily admitted to the psychiatric emergency department of Kings County Hospital Center on June 18 for what the hospital describes as "agitation and psychosis." Upon her admission, Green waited nearly 24 hours for treatment, said the civil liberties union, which was among the groups filing suit against the facility last year seeking improved conditions for patients. The surveillance camera video shows the woman rolling off a waiting room chair, landing face-down on the floor and convulsing. Her collapse came at 5:32 a.m. June 19, the NYCLU said, and she stopped moving at 6:07 a.m. During that time, the organization said, workers at the hospital ignored her. At 6:35 a.m., the tape shows a hospital employee approaching and nudging Green with her foot, the group said. Help was summoned three minutes later. Watch the surveillance video » . In addition, the organization said, hospital staff falsified Green's records to cover up the time she had lain there without assistance. "Contrary to what was recorded from four different angles by the hospital's video cameras, the patient's medical records say that at 6 a.m., she got up and went to the bathroom, and at 6:20 a.m. she was 'sitting quietly in waiting room' -- more than 10 minutes since she last moved and 48 minutes after she fell to the floor." The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, which oversees the hospital, released a statement Tuesday saying it was "shocked and distressed by this situation. It is clear that some of our employees failed to act based on our compassionate standards of care." After a preliminary investigation, the corporation said it suspended or terminated six employees, "including staff involved with the direct care of the patient as well as managers of security and clinical services," the statement said. A Health and Hospitals Corporation spokeswoman said it was aware of the discrepancies in Green's record when it began the preliminary investigation on June 20. That information is now in the hands of various investigatory agencies, she said. The corporation pledged to put "additional and significant" reforms in place in the wake of the incident. The civil liberties group and the Mental Hygiene Legal Service filed suit against Kings County in May 2007 in federal court, alleging that conditions at the facility are filthy. Patients are often forced to sleep in plastic chairs or floors covered in urine, feces and blood while waiting for beds, the groups allege, and often go without basic hygiene such as showers, clean linens and clean clothes. The lawsuit claims that patients who complain face physical abuse and are injected with drugs to keep them docile. The hospital, the suit alleges, lacks "the minimal requirements of basic cleanliness, space, privacy, and personal hygiene that are constitutionally guaranteed even to convicted felons." The video sent the organizations back into court Tuesday, demanding immediate reform. "What's happening in Kings County Hospital is an affront to human dignity," New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a written statement. "In 2008 in New York City, nobody should be subjected to this kind of treatment. It should not take the death of a patient to get the city to make changes that everyone knows are long overdue." The Department of Justice recently initiated an investigation into conditions at the hospital, the organization said, prompting the facility to improve some of its problems. "But the culture of abuse and neglect remains and, as evidenced by the June death, the situation is too dire to wait for the Justice Department to act," the group said. Among the reforms agreed to in court Tuesday by the hospital are additional staffing; checking of patients every 15 minutes; and limiting to 25 the number of patients in the psychiatric emergency ward, officials said. In addition, the hospital said it is expanding crisis-prevention training for staff; expanding space to prevent overcrowding; and reducing patients' wait time for release, treatment or placement in an inpatient bed. On Monday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was appalled by the surveillance video. "Look, I saw the film like everybody else did and I was -- horrified is much too nice a word. Disgusted I think is a better word. I can't explain what happened there." Green, a native of the island of Jamaica, lived alone in Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood. She had no close family in the United States, and her neighbor Beatrice Wallace described her as a quiet woman who had few visitors and spent most of her free time at church. The medical examiner is withholding autopsy results pending further study and investigation into the precise cause of death. | Esmin Green was involuntarily admitted June 18 for "agitation and psychosis"
Kings County Hospital Center was target of lawsuit over conditions .
Tape shows Green collapse, convulse and lay still; workers ignore her .
Group says hospital staff falsified records to cover up incident . |
f9f4756f17e1f636384ce17a89f26dd70da32789 | (CNN) -- Josephine Ruckinger had been estranged from family members for about 20 years. She burst back into their lives briefly with deadly consequences. Ruckinger and her husband, Jeffrey, both 43, broke into an Ashville, Pennsylvania, home, where they shot and killed her mother and brother, before being killed by Ruckinger's father, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The woman's parents, John Sr. and Roberta Frew, had returned home from an evening out around 10 p.m. ET on Friday. They were sitting in the living room with their adult son, John Jr., when their estranged daughter and her husband knocked at the door. When Roberta Frew answered, gunfire erupted, police said. Investigators believe Roberta, 64, was shot by Ruckinger, while John Jr., 47, was shot in the left side of his chest by Ruckinger's husband. Both Roberta and John Jr. died at the scene of apparent gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, John Sr., 67, grabbed a .22-caliber revolver from a back bedroom. He allegedly saw his daughter point a gun at him. He fired at least one round which, investigators believe, hit her in the head. Ruckinger's husband then fired shots at John Sr., who responded in kind, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement. Once "the immediate threats had been incapacitated," John Sr. called 911 and waited, said police. Ruckinger was pronounced dead at a nearby trauma center. By the time police arrived, her husband had died. John Sr. was not injured. Investigators do not believe John Sr. recognized that one of the two alleged attackers was his estranged daughter at the time of the incident. A motive for killings is under investigation. A search of the Ruckingers' car, parked at the bottom of the Frews' driveway, turned up a large amount of ammunition, a gas can, and a can of lighter fluid. No charges have been filed against John Sr., police said. "He was very cooperative with the investigation and his report of the events matches the physical evidence that we found," Pennsylvania State Trooper Matthew Evans said in an e-mail to CNN. Ashville is a rural community located approximately 90 miles east of Pittsburgh. Nevada teen arrested in killings of mother, brother . 2 small caskets in Georgia and a mother charged with murder . | Josephine Ruckinger had been estranged from her family for some 20 years .
Police say she and her husband broke into her parents' home .
Ruckinger allegedly shot her mother; her husband allegedly shot her brother .
Ruckinger's father returned fire, killing his daughter and her husband, police say . |
f9f4e741ff6a5f9ba9cd89e0c4cb915bcef66f68 | By . Inderdeep Bains . PUBLISHED: . 06:53 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:27 EST, 3 April 2013 . A traffic warden has been sacked after he promised to help drivers escape their parking fine if they posed for a photograph. Steven Jarvis convinced hundreds of motorists that he would assist their appeals if they appeared, holding their ticket, in a picture with him. He collected more than 200 shots of bemused – but relieved – parking offenders during the two-and-a-half years he patrolled the streets of Brighton and Hove. Pictured: Steven Jarvis compiled more than 200 shots of bemused, but relieved, parking offenders and intended to compile the shots into a book - but has now been sacked by council contractor NSL . In the photographs, the 35-year-old warden can be seen smiling and giving a ‘thumbs-up’ alongside motorists and their tickets. Mr Jarvis, who lives in a £250,000 two . bedroom flat in Brighton, intended to turn the pictures into a book but . he has now been sacked by the council’s contractor NSL. He started taking pictures to defuse . the tension when issuing fines. He said: ‘There’s always a whole . different range of emotions when someone gets a parking ticket. ‘Some laugh it off, some are angry and . women would often be in floods of tears. There were attacks on other . traffic wardens, but never on me. ‘Lots of traffic wardens just walk off . when someone asks why they’ve got a ticket. That just puts people’s . backs up. But I was different – I’d talk to people and tell them I could . help them.’ Mr Jarvis told motorists that he could . not rescind their penalty but would back their appeal by making . favourable notes in his pocketbook. All they had to do was to pose for a . picture with their ticket. Traffic warden: Steven Jarvis convinced drivers in Brighton and Hove (pictured) that he could assist appeals . ‘After that most people just relaxed. They were from all walks of life – doctors, builders, all sorts,’ he . said. ‘But I didn’t give them any concrete assurances. ‘Being a traffic warden is all about having the right personality. The pictures were part of that, I guess.’ Mr Jarvis claims that bosses at NSL . had known for more than a year before they fired him that he was taking . the photos and had banned him from using his official work camera. He . said: ‘They pulled me upstairs and told me they weren’t comfortable with . me taking the pictures. But I just carried on, using my own camera. ‘I think the pictures are fantastic – . they’re really funny. I showed some of my colleagues my pictures and . they said I should put them in a book. ‘Every day they would ask me if I had taken any pictures of any photogenic people.’ NSL said Mr Jarvis had been sacked partly for taking the pictures but also for ‘other reasons’. ‘This was an isolated case. We are . still investigating the incident but it is clear Mr Jarvis wasn’t . meeting the standards we expect from a traffic enforcement officer,’ a . spokesman said. ‘Appeals have to meet special criteria and the pictures would have had no effect.’ Publishing the pictures in a book was a . ‘non-starter’, the firm said. ‘These photographs were taken in work . time and remain the property of NSL.’ Mr Jarvis insisted: ‘The pictures are . mine, I took them with my camera, so I’m definitely going to do the . book. They can’t stop me.’ | Steven Jarvis, 35, was working for council contractor NSL in Brighton .
Told drivers he could help appeals if they posed in a photo next to car .
Complied 200 shots of bemused motorists and wanted to make a book . |
f9f4ffa48958fffdd68f36984ec7de91ca1ff08c | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 08:50 EST, 17 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:30 EST, 17 December 2013 . Few situations are more dangerous or terrifying than getting stuck on a level crossing as a train hurtles towards you. But as these astonishing images show, drivers and pedestrians risk their lives every day with a casual attitude to the dangers provided by a busy level crossing. With an astonishing disregard for safety, people run across the tracks as the lights flash and bells sound, while drivers see the lowering barriers and put their foot down, rather than stop. Scroll down for video . Dangerous: Pedestrians risk their lives running under closing barriers at Narborough level crossing in Leicestershire . A car whose driver thought he would make it is stuck on the crossing as there's no room on the other side . Network Rail has put together footage of people risking their lives at one of the most troublesome crossings in Britain, where people take their chances against a speeding train every day of the week. Narborough level crossing in Leicestershire is one of the worst in the country for people running stop signals. As this jaw-dropping video footage shows, drivers there speed through lowering safety barriers while those on foot simply run and duck under the barriers as they close. Network Rail has publicised its footage of such incidents to highlight the problems and risks of taking a chance at a level crossing. In the past five years, there have been 60 cases of misuse of the crossing, 20 of which led to prosecutions. The footage shows a driver getting out of his van when the level crossing barriers come down on top of his vehicle as he belatedly tries to back away. It also highlights reckless pedestrians running across the tracks, cutting through the gap between the barriers or dodging them as they come down. Foolhardy: A pedestrian skips across the level crossing at Narborough despite the lights flashing . The driver of this van decides to take his chances despite the barrier coming down - right on his van's roof . As the barrier goes down, it picks up some junk from the rear of the van, so the driver stops and jumps out . Liz Ready, community safety manager for Network Rail, said: 'Narborough crossing is renowned for serious cases of misuse. 'We hope that by engaging with motorists and pedestrians we will be able to help them use the crossing correctly. 'We take level crossing safety very seriously.' | Shocking CCTV footage shows pedestrians and drivers risking their lives .
One white van man tries to beat the barrier as it lowers onto his vehicle .
Another car nearly gets stuck there as there's no room on the other side .
Pedestrians run under the barriers as they lower, disregarding the danger .
Footage was shot at Narborough in Leicestershire, known for risk-takers .
Network Rail hope the video will teach people to respect level crossings . |
f9f5218f2208cf894cb3c9bc8373684234bc2c53 | West Liberty, Kentucky (CNN) -- With dozens dead and scores of buildings reduced to rubble, residents of the Midwest and South on Sunday were assessing the damage that a series of vicious twisters left behind last week. By the time the powerful storm system faded, 39 were dead: 21 in Kentucky, 13 in Indiana, three in Ohio and one each in Alabama and Georgia. Alabama town struck twice in one year . "The damage I saw yesterday was the worst I've seen. ... It was a war zone, debris everywhere, buildings destroyed, other buildings just the walls standing, roofs gone. It was a terrible sight," Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear told reporters, describing his visit to the tornado-ravaged town of West Liberty. On Sunday, nearly all that remained of Rose May's West Liberty house was a pile of broken wooden beams in a parking lot across the street. Nearby, scattered cinder blocks surrounded the basement area where Doris Shuck took shelter from the tornado. "I feel blessed. I think the Lord protected me and let me get out of it alive, and I'm thankful for that," she said. Shuck said she emerged to devastation after the deafening storm ripped through the Kentucky town. "I could hear people crying and asking for help," she said as she picked through what was left of her house Sunday. Many miles and many states away, others described similar scenes. Tall, once-sturdy trees littered the ground. Bright yellow school buses lay smashed into buildings. Garbage bins and wooden beams, which had flown through the air like jet airliners, resurfaced hundreds of yards away. "It's like a bomb went off and everything is splintered, bricks are down and trees, and (there's) just a lot of debris," Ohio Gov. John Kasich said after visits to Moscow and Bethel. On Sunday, the focus turned to caring for survivors whose lives were turned upside down by the storm. Beshear told reporters he was requesting an expedited disaster declaration from President Barack Obama. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were scheduled to begin damage assessments in Kentucky on Monday, he said. Meanwhile, state officials were preparing as forecasters predicted rain and snow would hit parts of Kentucky on Sunday night, Beshear said. "We have made sure that the shelters are open. ... There's obviously food and clothing and warmth in those shelters (for tornado victims)," he said. The tornado outbreak began Friday and extended into the next day, affecting millions of people from Indiana to Georgia. The National Weather Service has confirmed that at least 42 tornadoes swept across 10 states on Friday. Indiana State Police Sgt. Jerry Goodin said the destruction left authorities there with "no idea how many people are left homeless." More than 400 National Guard troops were deployed in Kentucky, while 250 more were dispatched in Indiana, according to state officials. In Henryville, Indiana, about 20 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky, an EF-4 tornado -- with sustained winds of between 166 mph and 200 mph, putting it in the top 2% of tornadoes in terms of its strength -- struck a school complex. National Weather Service meteorologists said it was one of two tornadoes that hit the town, crediting the early dismissal of students with preventing more fatalities. The 40 students who had remained and huddled in an office area survived the storm, elementary school principal Glenn Riggs said. But the storm destroyed schools, homes and businesses, leaving many parts of the town unrecognizable, Kevin Welz told CNN's iReport. "It is something you would expect to see in an end-of-the-world movie," he said. Pamela Rawlings described how her parents rushed to the middle of their one-story Henryville home for safety. After a tornado ripped through, a neighbor found the long-time couple about 30 feet apart -- with Pamela's 64-year-old father, Wayne Hunter, discovered dead and her mother, Lenora, bloodied but alive. A toddler who had survived the storm in Salem, about 20 miles west of Henryville, died Sunday afternoon after family members took her off life support, Jefferson County Coroner Bob Jones said. Tiny symbol of tornado survival dies . The 14-month-old girl had been in critical condition, surrounded by extended family members at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, said hospital spokesman Brian Rublein. Her immediate family -- including her parents, 3-year-old brother and 2-month-old sister -- were all killed in the storm. In addition to the dead, hospitals continued to treat scores suffering from major trauma to minor injuries related to sudden ferocious spurts of high winds, powerful hail and drenching rains. Obama offered his condolences and federal assistance if needed to the governors of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, the White House said in a statement. Residents and officials across the tornado-damaged areas said they were committed to rebuilding their communities. "We're knocked down, but we're not knocked out," said Kasich, the Ohio governor. "We're going to get through it." Beshear said residents in West Liberty and other parts of his state were showing their resilience. "It's going to be a long, long time to get that town back on its feet, but somehow or another I know they'll want to do it, I know they will do it, and we're going to help them do it," he said. CNN's Jim Spellman, Jacqui Jeras, Chris Dignam, Joe Sutton, Susan Candiotti, Athena Jones, Eric Marrapodi, Moni Basu, Melanie Whitley, Kara Devlin, Maria P. White, Miguel Susana, Greg Botelho and Nicole Saidi contributed to this report. | NEW: Survivor: "I feel blessed. I think the Lord protected me and let me get out of it alive"
Kentucky's governor says he is requesting a federal disaster declaration .
A toddler who had survived the storm dies in an Indiana hospital .
39 are killed when tornadoes tear through Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama and Georgia . |
f9f52be881412290320136c3e896ee00bc4a80fa | It is still more than a year away from a big-screen release, but interest in the new Star Wars movie is already seemingly having an impact on our travel plans. Back with a bang: The three big stars of the original Star Wars film will all feature in the latest movie . New travel figures reveal that a film lovers are apparently booking trips to Abu Dhabi, where portions of the seventh movie in the feted franchise are currently being created. Statistics released by holiday accommodation website LateRooms.com show a 19 per cent increase in hotel reservations for breaks to Dubai’s big Emirati neighbour. Desert delight: Star Wars movies have also been filmed at Ong El Jemel, in Tunisia . Thanks to its sandy landscape, Abu Dhabi is currently masquerading as Tatooine, the fictional planet at the heart of the Star Wars tale that – as all good Jedis know – is the home of both Luke Skywalker and his father Anakin (better known as Darth Vader). Images from the set which leaked online earlier this month appear to show scenes being filmed in the desert palace of Jabba the Hutt – the giant slug-like alien who dies in Return of the Jedi, after being strangled by Princess Leia. Pieces of movie history: The Sidi Driss Hotel is still visible in Matmata, Tunisia . ‘As one of the biggest film franchises, it is not surprising that Star Wars fans are eager to sneak a glimpse of any filming action they can,’ says Lynda Matthews of LateRooms.com. ‘We would not be surprised to see the bookings continue to rise as fans flock to the desert to combine a short break with a glimpse of Hollywood action.’ The announcement, made in 2012, that three new Star Wars movies will be produced, has further invigorated interest in a franchise that is never short of devotees. Cinematic classics: Remnants of Star Wars sets also linger in the desert at Tozeur in Tunisia . The original Star Wars trilogy dominated cinematic release schedules between 1977 and 1983, and made celebrities of actors like Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill. A second trilogy, released between 1999 and 2005 – including the much-anticipated Episode I: The Phantom Menace – was less well received by critics, but still sparked enormous profits at the box office. Unfavoured: A snapshot of Tatooine - and the little-loved character Jar Jar Binks - from The Phantom Menace . Star Wars has also shone a spotlight onto Tunisia, which featured heavily in the first trilogy. The north African country’s sparse contours made a perfect double for Tatooine, with key passages filmed in locations such as Matmata, Tozeur and the island of Djerba. And away from the film set: Abu Dhabi is better known for the beauty of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque . Tataouine, in southern Tunisia, also inspired the name of the movie planet. As yet untitled, Stars Wars Episode VII is due to be released in time for Christmas 2015. | Scenes for upcoming Star Wars film are currently being shot in the UAE .
Seventh installment in the sci-fi series is due for release in December 2015 .
Desert landscapes in Tunisia were used to dramatic effect in original trilogy . |
f9f56cc05a99cf22cd88332f70a3653083a19ae3 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 04:26 EST, 24 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:39 EST, 24 August 2012 . Rough justice: Oliver Pettman, 12, was shot in with the head with an airgun. When his father took the yob responsible to a police station, he was arrested . A businessman was arrested and held in a cell for seven hours after he frogmarched a yob to a police station for shooting his son with an airgun. Stuart Pettman, 43, was furious after his 12-year-old son Oliver was surrounded by older youths and shot in the head, back and leg. Within hours, Mr Pettman had found the boy his son claimed was responsible and brought him to Bexleyheath police station, South London, to be questioned. But he was stunned the next day when police asked him to return to the station - and then arrested him on suspicion of assault and possessing a deadly weapon. The boy Mr Pettman had apprehended had falsely alleged that he was threatened with a hacksaw. Mr Pettman, who runs an internet service for financial traders, said that officers treated him 'like a criminal' by photographing him, taking his fingerprints and making him give a DNA sample. Police have told him he will not be charged, but he has decided to move his family from their £800,000 detached home in Bexley, South London, to Singapore, where he is opening a new office. 'This is typical of broken Britain, and I have just had enough,' he said. 'I work hard, I don’t break the law, I’m polite, I try to do the right thing all the time and they treated me like a criminal.' Mr Pettman’s son Oliver was in Golden . Acre Park, just yards from his home, last Saturday when he was . surrounded by a gang of seven youths who stole biscuits from him and a . friend. Suffering: Oliver Pettman (left) has endured headaches and nightmares since being shot three times and, as a close-up picture of his leg shows (right), he still has scars from the attack . The group also falsely accused Oliver of being racist. When Oliver denied he was racist, one of the thugs shot him three times with an airgun. Mr Pettman said: 'They said to him now you’re going to be my slave and told Oliver to kiss their feet.' When Oliver refused, they left him alone. Later that evening, Oliver and his father were walking down a street when he spotted the youth who had shot him. Mr Pettman insisted that the youth . accompany him to Bexleyheath police station, where the boy was arrested . and questioned before being released. Mr Pettman returned to the police . station the following day after officers called him to say they wanted to ask a few . more questions. Shortly after he got there, he was arrested. He said: 'I couldn’t understand it. I had done everything I could to help them, to get justice for my boy, and this is how I was repaid. Attack: Oliver Pettman was shot in the head, back and leg after being approached by a group of youths in Golden Acre Park, in Bexley, South London . Allegations: Oliver said he was attacked in the park after a group of youths accused him of being racist . 'It was very deceptive of the police. I thought I was only going to be there a couple of minutes so I’d even . taken my 14-year-old daughter Stephanie with me. 'They ushered her into the waiting room and took me into another office and that’s when they told me I was under arrest. 'My . son had a doctor’s appointment about his head where he had been shot. No one else could take him. I told them this but it didn’t seem . important to them. 'It was all very intimidating. For someone who’s not got a criminal record I didn’t know what the hell was going on. 'I . just couldn’t believe they’d took the word of someone who’d shot my son . over and above me and the fact my son might have had a head trauma and I . couldn’t take him to be looked at by a doctor.' Oliver's father, Stuart, frogmarched the boy his son claimed was responsible to Bexleyheath Police Station (above), but the 43-year-old was himself arrested when he was asked to return to the station the next day . After her father was arrested, Stephanie had to make her own way home. Oliver has been too scared to leave the house . and suffers from headaches and nightmares. He is awaiting a doctor's . assessment of his head wound. The case has enraged the leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, who says he has known Mr Pettman for 25 years. Mr Farage has written to the Metropolitan Police's borough commander for Bexley, Chief Superintendent Victor Olisa, demanding an explanation for Mr Pettman's arrest. In the letter, Mr Farage alleges that police searched Mr Pettman's home for 'weapons' and studied CCTV footage of the moment the businessman asked the teenager to accompany him to the police station. Mr Farage wrote: 'People rightly feel let down by a justice system which treats criminals as if they were victims and victims like they are the perpetrators of crime.' Outraged: UKIP leader Nigel Farage has written to the Metropolitan Police asking for an explanation for Mr Pettman's arrest . In a statement, Scotland Yard said that, at about 4.15pm on August 18, officers in Bexley were approached by a 12-year-old boy who alleged that he had been threatened and shot by a youth with a BB gun. The officers searched the area, but found no trace of the gunman. 'Shortly after 8pm that day a 43-year-old man brought a 14-year-old boy to Bexleyheath police station and alleged he was a suspect in the shooting and threatening allegation,' the statement continued. 'The 14-year-old boy [A] was arrested by officers on suspicion of ABH and possession of an imitation firearm. 'Under interview "A" alleged that the . 43-year-old man had assaulted him and was in possession of an offensive . weapon. A separate investigation into this allegation was started. 'On Sunday, August 19, the 43-year-old man was asked to attend Bexleyheath police station. 'Upon attendance he was arrested on suspicion of common assault and possession of an offensive weapon. 'The 43-year-old man was subsequently released with no further action.' Police . said a second boy, aged 15, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of ABH . and possessing an imitation firearm and later bailed. A . Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'The Metropolitan Police Service is . committed to serving and protecting all sections of the public. 'This involves investigating allegations of crime in an impartial manner based on the facts which are known to us at the time.' | Stuart Pettman, 43, frogmarched the youth to a station after his son Oliver was shot three times in a park in Bexley, South London .
But police arrested the businesman on suspicion of assault, after the youth falsely alleged he had been threatened with a hacksaw .
Mr Pettman's 14-year-old daughter had to make her own way home from Bexleyheath police station following his arrest .
Mr Pettman has decided to move his family to Singapore, saying he has had enough of 'broken Britain'
UKIP leader Nigel Farage, a friend of Mr Pettman, has written to police demanding an explanation for his arrest . |
f9f5b563e620b63f4340170b5666637fa15abeb9 | A haunted house company in northern California has been forced to change the serial killer theme of one of their attractions after offending families whose loved ones were brutally murdered by the real-life criminal. Scream Park California based one of their haunted houses this year off the 1970s Sacramento murderer Richard Trenton Chase, who killed six people in the span of just one month. He was dubbed the 'Vampire of Sacramento' because he drank the blood and ate the remains of his victims. Scroll down for video . True story: A California haunted house company designed one of their attractions this year after notorious Sacramento serial killer Richard Trenton Chase (pictured) Controversial: Scream Park California has since been forced to change the theme last minute after receiving complaints from Chase's victims' families . Scream Park have now changed the theme after the families of Chase's victims came forward to express their outrage in posts on Facebook. David Wallin was one person who criticized the house, in honor of his wife Teresa, who was savagely murdered by Chase in her home while carrying their unborn baby. Mr Wallin was sadly the person who discovered her body. 'It's horrifying that everybody else somehow is making some kind of situation, money, whatever you want to call it, off of other people's grief,' he told CBS Sacramento. Family town apart: David Wallin (left) lost his wife Teresa (right) in the serial killings. She was pregnant when Chase broke into their home and brutally murdered her . Insensitive: Wallin's daughter Krista (pictured) says her father has been haunted by Teresa's killing for 36 years, and it's not an experience anyone else should live through . His daughter Krista says her father has been haunted by the murder for 36 years, and that's an experience no one else should have to endure. 'He's lived through enough,' Krista said. 'He still lives through it every day, and for them to just reenact what happened, not only him but the families, its ridiculous.' After questioned by the local CBS station, representatives of Scream Park California apologized for the haunted house and said they would change the theme immediately. As of Thursday, it appears the haunted house has been changed to a more general theme called 'Mind of a Killer' which promises to 'brings you straight to the home of a deranged serial killer.' The website claims the house is 'based on fictional scenes and characters'. Before and after: Screen shots show Scream Park California's webpage before and after they made the change of theme to the controversial haunted house . | Scream Park California designed one of their haunted houses this year off real-life serial killer Richard Trenton Chase .
Chase killed six people in the span of a month in the 1970s, and was called the 'Vampire of Sacramento' because he drank his victims' blood .
The haunted house company has now been forced to change the theme of the attraction after receiving complains from Chase's victims' families . |
f9f60020c4cfbc1fb371eb986c2afff8eef2800b | Oxford, Mississippi (CNN) -- From a dust mask that tested positive for ricin, to an enigmatic dump of a coffee grinder, to talk of making and mailing "poison," an affidavit unsealed Tuesday shed light on the case against a Mississippi man accused of sending potentially deadly letters to President Barack Obama and others. Just more than a week ago, James Everett Dutschke described the man then jailed in the case -- an Elvis, Buddy Holly and Randy Travis impersonator named Paul Kevin Curtis -- as a "little nutty." Now Curtis is free, and the 41-year-old Dutschke is behind bars. The document unsealed Tuesday explains what led authorities to arrest Dutschke -- but not why he allegedly concocted the poison and sent it to elected officials. Read the affidavit . Lawyers for Dutschke did not respond immediately to CNN's calls Tuesday for comment on the new details. But the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint indicated that his name was brought up as a possible suspect by none other than Curtis, following the latter's April 17 arrest. Curtis had been detained on allegations that he was responsible for mailing letters with suspicious substances to Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, and Sadie Holland, a judge in Lee County, Mississippi. Soon, though, authorities began to set their focus on Dutschke as well. That includes one person's claim, made on April 19 to law enforcement agents, that Dutschke years ago said he could make a "poison," the affidavit said. What is ricin? "Dutschke stated that he could place the poison in envelopes and send them to elected officials," said the witness, who had accused Dutschke of making sexual advances against his or her daughter. "... According to the witness ... Dutschke made reference to having 'a secret knowledge' for 'getting rid of people in office.'" Document claims Dutschke repeatedly lied . On April 22, federal authorities searched a trash receptacle from Dutschke's Tupelo home and found, among other items, different types of yellow paper, address labels and a dust mask. The letters to Obama, Wicker and Holland were all on yellow paper. That same day, FBI agents spotted Dutschke leaving his former tae kwon do facility, or dojo, loading things into his car, then placing several items from his window into a public trash can. According to the affidavit, these items included a coffee grinder, a box with latex gloves, a dust mask and an empty bucket of floor adhesive. Three subsequent tests of the mask by the National Bioforensic Analysis Center came back positive for ricin, the document states. Authorities further searched Dutschke's former tae kwon do dojo and tested six other samples, including liquid removed from a drain and swabs taken from inside the building. At the time, Dutschke told CNN affiliate WMC-TV that he had agreed to the FBI search "to help clear my name." "I had absolutely nothing to do with those letters," he said. Yet the affidavit states that laboratory tests showed five of the six samples taken from his dojo tested positive for ricin. The document alleges that Dutschke lied to authorities on other fronts as well. For example, he insisted that he hadn't been back to his tae kwon do dojo since April 15, before changing his story to say that he'd returned briefly one week later for a mop bucket, two pails and a fire extinguisher. He also claimed he had not stopped while leaving that building on his way to a pawn shop and seemed to be flummoxed when authorities told him they'd spotted him tossing items into a trash can. The affidavit also alludes to Dutschke's or his family's possible frame of mind earlier this month, as seen in text messages on his wife's cell phone. "We're coming over to burn some things," one such message from April 20 reads. Another from the same day states, "We are gonna clean house." Twisted relationships and more . The letters -- all postmarked April 8 -- each had a suspicious substance inside, a Memphis, Tennessee, postmark and no return address. They also contained a letter that read, in part: "To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance." On April 17, authorities arrested Curtis. He emphatically denied sending the letters, insisting he'd been framed and pointing the finger at Dutschke. The two men knew each other because Dutschke used to work for Curtis' brother at an insurance company, under the direction of Curtis' ex-wife. Curtis has said that while Dutschke worked for his brother, the two talked about collaborating on the publication of a book but later had a falling out. He has accused Dutschke of stalking him online, a claim the latter has denied. As for Dutschke, he told reporters last week that he didn't have a relationship with Curtis. "He's just a little nutty," he said. Yet while the last line of the letters to Obama, Wicker and Holland all contain Curtis's signature online catchphrase -- "I am KC and I approve this message" -- the newly unsealed affidavit ties them to Dutschke. Among them, it states that marks on the paper for all those letters match those of paper found in Dutschke's home and trash. Businessman, musician and convicted criminal . So who is James Everett Dutschke? He's held several jobs, including at the insurance company and owner of his tae kwon do dojo. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal described him as a musician. He was also an aspiring politician. He ran as a Republican against Democratic state Rep. Steve Holland, the son of Judge Sadie Holland, and lost. Judge Holland dismissed a civil lawsuit that Dutschke had filed against the witness who told investigators that Dutschke had talked about "poison." Dutschke is also no stranger to law enforcement. Last year, residents in his Tupelo neighborhood sought police help after, one neighbor says, Dutschke repeatedly exposed himself to young girls. The case resulted in a conviction on indecent exposure charges and a 90-day jail sentence. He's appealed the conviction, according to the Daily Journal newspaper. Then came another arrest on January 18, that is tied to the ricin case in two ways. In that case, according to a grand jury indictment handed up this month and obtained by CNN, Dutschke is accused of molesting three girls under the age of 16. This arrest prompted him to close his tae kwon do dojo. After the arrest, he consented to the seizure of his laptop computer, a hard drive and several flash drives, the affidavit in the ricin case states. Investigators searched these and found that on New Year's Eve 2012 someone had downloaded a publication, "Standard Operating Procedure for Ricin," about safely handling the toxin. They also found that another file, about a method for detecting ricin, had been downloaded about two hours later. But according to the affidavit, Dutschke insisted that he'd never researched anything about ricin and that he'd never even seen a castor bean. Whether it was Dutschke or someone else, and whatever their motivation, the ricin-tainted letters could have done more than make headlines or scare people. They could have killed. If inhaled, injected or ingested, less than a pinpoint of ricin can kill a person within 36 to 48 hours due to the failure of the respiratory and circulatory systems. There is no known antidote. In a seeming acknowledgment of these dangers, the FBI issued a statement Tuesday stating it had "immediately sealed off" Dutschke's former tae kwon do facility -- which is near an auto body shop and an ice cream parlor -- and contacted public health authorities in the interest of public safety. "The FBI is now conducting further forensic examination for the purpose of identifying trace evidence, residues and signatures of production that could provide evidence to support the investigation," the agency said. CNN's Vivian Kuo reported from Mississippi, and Greg Botelho wrote this story from Atlanta. | NEW: FBI says tae kwon do site is "sealed off" and that a forensic examination is ongoing .
Dutschke, 41, was arrested and accused of sending letters with ricin to Obama, others .
Dust mask and other samples tied to a Mississippi man positive for ricin, an affidavit says .
A witness says Dutschke talked about being able to make a "poison" and mail it to officials . |
f9f6795e2f180a06d16fc644651023ee8443a2c0 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 14:10 EST, 2 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:49 EST, 2 January 2014 . A Saudi court has sentenced a man convicted of defaming a Kuwaiti singer by accusing her on Twitter of adultery to three months in jail and 80 lashes. The Saudi national, apparently a fan of a rival pop star, was sentenced for accusing Kuwaiti singer Shams of adultery without providing proof, the Saudi Sabq news website cited the verdict as saying. The ruling is based on Islamic sharia law which stipulates flogging for those who accuse others of having extra-marital sex without giving proof. A Saudi court has sentenced a man convicted of defaming Kuwaiti singer Shams . The man was also jailed for three months and fined 10,000 riyals ($2,700), the news website said. Shams had filed a libel case against the man who owned a Twitter account titled in Arabic 'the lawyer of Queen Ahlam,' another Gulf pop star. As well as accusing Shams of adultery, he posted fabricated photos depicting her in 'obscene' situations, Sabq said, without elaborating. The microblogging website is hugely popular in Saudi Arabia, which is also one of the 10-most censored countries for media, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Some 41 per cent of internet users in the oil-rich kingdom use Twitter, a study published by the US-based Business Insider website found. Some 41 per cent of internet users in the oil-rich kingdom use the social media site Twitter . | The Saudi national was apparently a fan of a rival pop star .
He accused the Kuwaiti singer Shams of adultery without proof .
Islamic law stipulates flogging for those who accuse others of having affairs without proof .
The man also posted fabricated photos of the singer . |
f9f735d2fd72ba5f409ae8ce1516a7b2413139a5 | By . Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 08:36 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:39 EST, 14 March 2013 . Scandal: MP Sir Cyril Smith, who died in 2010, tried to interfere with an investigation into his child abuse in 1970, new documents revealed today . Sir Cyril Smith tried to bully police after they launched an investigation into claims he molested young boys, according to files. The late politician went to a police station in 1970 and demanded to know why detectives were investigating the claims. Officers later submitted a file to prosecutors with a covering letter that said: ‘He appears guilty of indecent assault.’ During their meeting Smith tried to find out from officers who his accusers were and admitted approaching two of the teenagers. An officer then warned him about interfering with witnesses and accused the politician of ‘fishing’ for information, according to the records. Last night an MP claimed the documents – released in a Freedom of Information request this week – prove that 30st Smith was trying to meddle with the police investigation. Six weeks after his visit to Rochdale police station detectives passed the file to prosecutors, describing his conduct as ‘inexcusable’. Their covering note added: ‘He has used his unique position to indulge in a sordid series of indecent episodes with young boys to whom he had a special responsibility. He appears guilty of numerous offences of indecent assault.’ Attempt: Smith was trying to find out the names of his accusers as he said it would impact on his electioneering in Rochdale . The file, submitted by Lancashire Constabulary, was examined by prosecutors who decided to take no further action against him. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now admitted it should have prosecuted the politician after . allegations of abuse in the 1960s. The decision not to prosecute left Smith free to prey on other vulnerable young children, it later emerged. Meddling: ' The former Liberal MP for Rochdale has been accused by the current one Simon Danczuk, who says it shows how hard Smith tried to influence the police . In 1972 – two years after the case . was dropped – he won the Rochdale by-election for the Liberals and . served as MP until 1992. He died aged 82 in 2010. This week it emerged that Jimmy . Savile could also have been stopped from abusing children up to 50 years . ago, but police failed to act on allegations. Documents show that in January 1970 . Smith, then a prominent Liberal councillor, asked to meet detectives at . Rochdale police station to find out the names of his accusers. A transcript of the conversation . between Smith and detectives shows he was determined to challenge the . police for launching an investigation. Smith began the meeting by asking . bluntly: ‘Why are the inquiries going on?’ and ‘Whom did you approach . for statements?’ He also asked what stage the police had reached in . their inquiry and when he would know if he was to be charged. Simon Danczuk, Labour MP for . Rochdale, said the documents prove Smith tried to bring pressure to bear . on the police to drop charges. Smith was accused of inflicting . humiliating punishments on teenage boys in the 1960s and 70s at a hostel . he had helped to set up. His victims say he would spank their naked . bottoms and order them to strip for ‘degrading’ medicals despite a . doctor not being present. It emerged that between 1970 and 1998 . police tried to have him charged three times but when his 80-page file . was first passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions it was marked . ‘no further action’. Last year the CPS admitted Smith avoided prosecution only because sex abuse cases were dealt with differently 40 years ago. For decades, damaging rumours swirled around Rochdale MP Sir Cyril Smith - a political legend locally and nationally. But . despite police 40 years ago being convinced he had indecently assaulted . young boys, the 30-stone Liberal never faced justice. Today a transcript of a conversation her had with police shows how he tried to 'interfere' with their investigation. Saturday January 24, 1970 - 11.20am, Rochdale police station . OFFICER: . Well, very briefly the allegations concerning that, are that you went . along there and examined these boys by taking their pants down. Whether . that's right or not, I don't know. CYRIL: I understand that that's the subject of the investigation. OFFICER: Which, pending on what explanation you put forward, would seem improper. OFFICER: If my information is right, you spoke to one of the boys, who has been interviewed. CYRIL: Yes. OFFICER: What was that about? CYRIL: . He told me what you had been asking him. He told me he had made a . statement to you. I've seen two of them and the third came to see me. I've asked them if they have made statements. OFFICER: I must . warn you about interfering with witnesses. The only reason I am here . this morning is because you wanted to see me. I did not want to see you. You must have some suspicion about you and them, about what's in the . statements or you would not be here, would you? CYRIL: Well - . er - I'm hesitating, not because I'm frightened, but I've seen a . solicitor obviously, and he says I must make no statement or answer no . questions. If they want to question you on those lines, tell them that . you have appointed a solicitor. It's not that I'm afraid to answer the . questions, it's purely because I'm advised not to do. OFFICER: What you have come on this morning is just a fishing expedition. You want to see what we know. CYRIL: . Well, yes, fishing - I think that is fair comment. But one of my . problems is - I don't know if you know about local affairs. OFFICER: No, I have no connection locally. CYRIL: . Well the situation is this. In three weeks time, I've got to give a . decision, one way or another, whether I'm going to fight the next . Parliamentary Election as a Liberal in Rochdale, and if I'm going to be . charged, I'm not going to accept. Guilty or not guilty, it would be . unfair to the party. On the other hand, if I am not going to be charged I . would like to have a do, and I have got to make my mind up in the next . three weeks. | Secret documents reveal he demanded police hand over names of accusers .
Liberal MP should've been prosecuted while alive but police and CPS failed .
Transcript reveals he used 1970 election as excuse for 'interference'
Smith believed to have abused children in care and even Commons staff . |
f9f7584009ccf09c81b8dba8ac88c56891393f70 | The names, which some liken to slurs, spread everywhere -- triggering anger in the United States as well as South Korea. Last week, KTVU, a TV station based in the San Francisco area, aired what it believed were the names of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 pilots. A National Transportation Safety Board intern confirmed the bogus names -- phrases which sounded like "Something Wrong" and "We Too Low." And hello, perfect storm. Or as one blogger put it -- "an epic mind-blowing fail." The crash of the South Korean carrier had already hit racial notes -- with jokes mocking Asian driving or piloting skills and questions whether the crash had to do with the Korean culture. U.S. comedian Bill Maher quipped on his show, "Now that we know the cause of that Asiana Airlines crash was the pilots flying too slowly, I don't want to hear another word about me doing Asian driver jokes." His comment followed an array of similar jokes on social media. Phil Yu of the "Angry Asian Man" blog, said he was bracing himself for jokes after the crash. "It's completely inappropriate especially because we're talking about a tragedy. People died, people were seriously injured," he said. The crash prompted speculation as to whether the Korean cultural deference to authority played a role in bringing the Boeing 777 down on the San Francisco runway on July 6. This is a hypothesis made about Korean airlines long before the Asiana crash. A blogger at Ask a Korean sarcastically asked: "What is it about American culture that contributed a local station with heavily Asian population to blindly buy the obviously false representation from the NTSB? Is there an inherent deference to authority in American culture that contributed to this gaffe?" The bogus names prompted the South Korean carrier to say it would take legal action against KTVU, because "it was their report that resulted in damaging the company's image." Several legal and PR experts questioned the wisdom of the lawsuit -- which the airline later said it would not pursue, while others on CNN's discussion board questioned whether the joke was even racist. "Ah yes, the "r" word: racism. And the "o" word: offensive," wrote one commenter. "Get over it. A mildly clever person pulled a reasonably funny (if insensitive - to the victims of the crash) prank." "I honestly believe nobody has a sense of humor anymore, and when someone does, they have to apologize for it. Get over it. It was hilarious!" another wrote. Asiana won't sue TV station . Asian-American advocates say that creating vaguely Asian sounding names to crack jokes about a deadly plane accident that killed three Chinese girls is completely insensitive. "Making up Asian names or mimicking foreign accents are not innocent forms of satire," wrote Paul Cheung and Bobby Calvan, of the Asian American Journalists Association. "Doing so demeans and hurts." Racial jokes around the fatal air crash "are not benign," said Claire Jean Kim, an associate professor of political science and Asian American Studies at the University of California Irvine. "Those kinds of jokes reflect a deeper view of Asian Americans as culturally different and inferior," she said. "That's not a joke, that has material effects. It leads to a general sense, even those who are born here in the U.S., they simply don't belong." Kim says denying that something is racist is a sign of the times. "People are minimizing it as a joke," she said. "In this particular period, many people claim that racism is a thing of the past, we live in a colorblind society, we should brush these things off." The mocking of Asian names dates back to when immigrants arrived to the United States, said Gary Okihiro, founding director of the Center for Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University. "In the 19th century, many immigration officials who first greeted Asian migrants demeaned them, by first of all, making fun of their names because they couldn't pronounce them properly, or assigning them names like John Chinaman or China Mary," he said. "Anything foreign seems to be open season or free game," Okihiro said. Passengers begin legal action against Boeing . | Some question why KTVU's fake pilot names were offensive .
Racial jokes have been made about deadly plane crash that killed 3 .
Advocates decry jokes about Asian driving, Korean culture theories and fake names . |
f9f75869fcd09d6b44d650c715c7eaf81014d9a3 | By . Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 12:31 EST, 20 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:05 EST, 21 October 2013 . Sir Stephen House, Chief Constable for Scotland has provoked mixed reaction from colleagues for his pro-active approach to policing . The most senior police officer in Scotland has been warned against making arrests - because of fears that he is putting himself at unnecessary risk by enforcing the law. It comes after Sir Stephen House flagged down a motorist on the M8 near Glasgow as he was travelling on a police motorcyle. He was later joined by traffic officers but this apparently was not enough to justify the risk to his personal safety. It is not the first time Sir Stephen has intervened to tackle motorists he suspects of drink-driving or speeding. Last week Police Scotland told The Sunday Times that the Chiref Constable 'regularly undertakes journeys in uniform ... on a marked police motorbike.' They added: 'The chief constable has on occasion had reason to deal with members of the public when issues such as driver behaviour have come to his attention.' Although some of applauded Sir Stephen on his hands-on attitude to policing others have questioned whether his actions are appropriate given his level of seniority and in their statement . Police Scotland refused to give details of exactly what he had done. There is a worry that by carrying out policing without backup from his colleagies Sir Stephen could leave himself open to bogus complaints from a member of the public. Although this is an issue faced daily by rank-and-file officers some believe that given his position it is a risk that the Chief Constable need not take. Graeme Pearson, a former police officer who is now a Labour MSP and member of the Scottish parliament’s justice sub-committee on policing, told The Sunday Times that not only was he concerned about that vulnerablity of the Chief Constable but also that he ought to find better uses for his time. He said: 'I understand the concerns expressed by police officers about their chief constable acting in this way, particularly given he is head of the national service. 'Without a colleague on hand, Sir Stephen could find himself in difficulties not only in terms of a complaint but also in circumstances that escalate at the roadside as a result of his intervention. 'I would always expect a police officer to intervene when a crime is being committed or life is at risk, but if the chief constable has the time to stop speeding motorists instead of calling in road patrol, I think on his salary he would be better occupied dealing with the many strategic issues facing his staff and the public.' Sir Stephen is well renowned within the police force for his enthusiasm for street policing. When he became Chief constable of Strathclyde police, which was previously Scotlan's largest police force, in 2007 he continued to regularly go out on patrol. Newly Appointed: Chief Constable Sir Stephen, pictured last year, earns £208,000 a year leading some critics to question whether pulling over speeding motorists is the best use of his time . He is also thought to have joined his colleagues in a policing of a march by members of the far-right Scottish Defence League in Edinburgh last August. But despite concerns Sir Stephen, who earns £208,000 a year, has been congratualted on his actions be senior officers. David O’Connor, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents, said: 'Police officers can work in pairs for reasons of corroboration and health and safety, but you take the oath and you’re expected to do the job. 'Our mission is to keep people safe and if you’re on duty, in uniform, and see something that needs dealing with, it would be remiss not do so and could impact on public confidence. 'I think it’s laudable we have a chief constable who is highly visible. There are many police officers who carry out their duties alone.' And it appears Sir Stephen is not alone in his proactive stance - in June, Dave Jones, the new chief constable of North Yorkshire police, was applauded for chasing suspected criminals through Richmond town centre on his first day in the job. | Sir Stephen House was alone when he flagged down a motorist on the M8 near Glasgow as he was travelling on a police motorcyle .
He is Scotland's most senior officer and known for his hands-on approach .
Some question whether it is the best use of the £208,000-a-year boss's time . |
f9f79309300caff3e78c5ca06062379ca4a983e0 | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 3 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:55 EST, 4 September 2013 . The independent retailers of Louth have long known they can count on locals for support. Now there’s something else they can rely on them for – foiling armed robberies. In a remarkable display of ‘people power’, the townsfolk banded together to thwart two career criminals who had raided a jewellery shop . Smash and grab: As London and Clark smashed through glass cabinets in the jewellery store, dozens of passers-by were gathering outside, the action caught on CCTV . A retired businessman stood his ground after one of the robbers stabbed him in the eyebrow, passers-by swiped the keys to their getaway vehicle and a travel agent yelled: ‘Who do you think you are, Bonnie and Clyde?’ Christopher London, 25, and Damion Clark, 30, were both jailed yesterday after a court heard how the people of Louth – recently voted Britain’s favourite market town – had stopped them in their tracks. The pair, from Grimsby, raided the Lincolnshire town’s Eastgate Jewellers in June. They wore motorbike helmets, and were armed with claw hammers and a knife. But they hadn’t reckoned on the presence of mind and courage of owner Julie Smith, who pressed an alarm which locked them all in the shop. Left 'high and dry': The court heard how residents of Louth banded together, forcing the robbers to escape on foot . As the robbers began smashing up cabinets, two passers-by came to help, standing guard outside the doors. Mrs Smith ran to her flat upstairs, but the raiders chased her and dragged her back down before forcing her to unlock the doors. But when the raiders made it outside, they found they had been left ‘high and dry’ by passers-by who had taken the keys to their motorbike and knocked it over. Clark fled to a car park where he attempted to drag Eric Chapman out of his car, Lincoln Crown Court heard. When the retired businessman refused, Clark stabbed him in the eyebrow – but Mr Chapman still ‘did not budge,’ the judge said, describing him as ‘made of stern stuff’. Clark was soon detained by other members of the public, including a retired policeman. London fled towards Kidgate Primary Academy school, where he was confronted by deputy head teacher Paul Lidbury. He fled, and was later arrested in a back garden. People power: The criminals, wearing their motorbike helmets, were confronted by dozens of passing shoppers and traders. Two passers-by guarded the shop door while another kicked the pair's getaway bike over . Prosecutor Jon Straw said: ‘This is a very remarkable example of people power. The people of the town banded together and the motorbike they intended to use for their escape was pushed over by a passer-by and the keys taken. ‘They were left high and dry and had to flee on foot.’ Terry Robinson, a travel agent, was one of those who gathered outside the shop. He said: ‘One of them came out shouting “Keep back and no one will get hurt”. I shouted “Who do you think you are, Bonnie and Clyde?”’ Crime scene: After the robbers fled on foot they came across more resistance from locals which led to their arrests and jail sentences . Clark admitted robbery and unlawful wounding. He also asked for 17 other offences to be taken into consideration. Judge Sean Morris branded him ‘dangerous’ and sentenced him to six years in jail with an extended three-and-a-half years on licence. London, who pleaded guilty to robbery and also asked for 12 other offences to be taken into account, was jailed for four years. Foiled robbery attempt: Local residents thwarted . Christopher London (right) and Damion Clark (left) who raided a . jewellery store armed with a pair of claw hammers and a kitchen knife . Judge Morris told them: ‘When you forced that lady to open the door the good citizens of Lincolnshire had disabled your getaway vehicle, your motorbike, so you had to make a run for it.’ Louth has fought hard to retain its independent retail scene rather than become a ‘clone town’ full of chain stores. It was named Britain’s favourite market town in a poll by BBC Countryfile Magazine last year. Jailed: Clark, who had previously served jailed sentences for wounding and arson, was sentenced to six years in prison while London was jailed for four at Lincoln Crown Court (pictured) | Christopher London and Damion Clark raided Eastgate Jewellers with claw hammers and a kitchen knife .
Meanwhile passers-by gathered and kicked over their getaway motorbike .
Fleeing on foot, both were eventually caught after more resistance from Louth residents .
London was sentenced to four years in prison and Clark for six years . |
f9f7c0c996bb7d6561e0108d13661117026a929a | Angel Di Maria remains tantalisingly close to swapping Real Madrid for Manchester United as Louis van Gaal looks to break his less-than-impressive Premier League start with a big-money buy. But where will Di Maria fit in Van Gaal's 3-5-2 formation? Is he really worth £75million? Can he become a No 7 at Old Trafford to rank alongside David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo? Sportsmail's Pete Jenson explains what the Argentina star will be bringing to Manchester. WATCH Scroll down for Angel di Maria's career highlights ahead of his United move . Almost: Angel di Maria is set to become a Manchester United player in a £75m swap from Real Madrid . De Gea . Jones - Evans - Rojo . Rafael - Mata - Fletcher - Di Maria - Shaw . Rooney - Van Persie . However... Di Maria is known for his versatility. The 26-year-old can play in central midfield, in a front three, as a left wing-back or even as an emergency left-back. Almost every tactical shift in Van Gaal’s big black folder will have a place for Di Maria. Where will Di Maria play? The most logical position for Di Maria to play in Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 is in the midfield five, just inside the left-wing back. Luke Shaw will eventually operate wide left of the five and Di Maria would play to his right. Last season he played on the left of the midfield three at Real Madrid and he had his best season at the club. He has the engine to get up and down the pitch covering the runs of the left wing-back when necessary, just as he did last season filling the gaps left by Marcelo and Fabio Coentrao going forward. He was also able to make runs from a central position out to the left touchline and get around the back of teams. He gave Real Madrid dynamism and an unpredictability in attack that United look like they desperately lack. In a 3-5-2 with Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Marcos Rojo in defence, Rafael, Juan Mata or Ander Herrera, Darren Fletcher, and Shaw in midfield, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie up front he would be very much at home. On his way? United are hoping to secure the signature of Real midfielder Di Maria in the next two days . Like a glove: Di Maria would fit into Louis van Gaal's 3-5-2 by sitting inside the man down the left in midfield . BORN: Argentina, February 14 1988 (26) 2005-2007: Rosario Central (35 apps, 6 gls) 2007-2010: Benfica (76, 7) 2010-NOW: Real Madrid (124, 22) 2008-NOW: Argentina (52, 10) HONOURS: . Benfica: Primeira Liga, League Cup (2) Real Madrid: Champions League, Super Cup, La Liga, Copa del Rey (2), Spanish Super Cup . Argentina: 2014 World Cup runner-up, Olympic Gold Medal . Where else can he play? For every tactical alternative in Van Gaal’s big black folder there is a role that Di Maria can play. The Argentine’s versatility is a one of his greatest qualities. In the 3-5-2 formation he could also play as the left wing-back. He could play wide left in a 4-4-2. He could also play wide right in a 4-4-2 coming inside to shoot with his left foot. He can play on the left or right of a 4-3-3 both in the midfield three and the front three. Jose Mourinho even had him down as an emergency left back. If he’s so good, why are Real Madrid selling? The same reason they sold Arjen Robben in 2009. The insatiable desire for new players must be, in part, financed by sales. Three Champions League finals later no-one can say Bayern were wrong to sign Robben. Catch me if you can: Di Maria is known for his versatility and has even been used by Jose Mourinho at left back . Where would Di Maria sit in the most-expensive football transfers of all time? =1: £86m - Gareth Bale (Tottenham to Real Madrid) =1: £80m - Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United to Real Madrid) =3: £75m - Luis Suarez (Liverpool to Barcelona) =3: £75m - Di Maria (Real Madrid to Manchester United) 5: £71.5m - Neymar (Santos to Barcelona) 6: £63m - James Rodriguez (Monaco to Real Madrid) 7: £59m - Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan to Barcelona) 7: £56m - Kaka (AC Milan to Real Madrid) 8: £55m - Edinson Cavani (Napoli to PSG) 9: £51m - Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid to Monaco) =10: £50m - Fernando Torres (Liverpool to Chelsea) =10: £50m - David Luiz (Chelsea to PSG) Is the £75m price tag justified? No, and United should not have to end up paying that much. They are the only buyer bidding here. Where will Real Madrid sell him if not to United? Paris Saint-Germain can’t buy him because of financial fair play restrictions. Manchester City turned down the chance to buy him earlier in the summer for the same reason. Real need to sell and United are in a queue of one so they should not be held to ransom. It will be interesting to see if both clubs agree on the price paid. Remember how Real claimed Gareth Bale cost about 90m euros and Tottenham insisted it was 100? The sale of Di Maria is hugely unpopular so Florentino Perez needs to justify it with the highest price possible. Is Di Maria worthy of the United No 7 shirt? Just think about that Xabi Alonso tweet for a moment: ‘Thanks for everything. I wish you all the best, even if you are going to United. We will never forget the zig-zag in extra-time in Lisbon’. Tired legs everywhere and Di Maria as fresh as if it were the 10th minute not the 110th minute, hurtling down the left, darting between full back Juanfran and centre back Miranda, drawing Thibaut Courtois and crossing to Gareth Bale at the back post for him to score the Champions League winning goal. If he produces moments like that for United he will be more than worthy. You can Like our dedicated Manchester United Facebook page here. Real Madrid teammate Xabi Alonso tweeted in Spanish on Sunday: 'Thanks for everything. I wish you all the best, even if you are going to United. We will never forget the zig-zag in extra-time in Lisbon' The next No 7? Di Maria could follow in the footsteps of Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo . Farewells: Di Maria said goodbye to his Real Madrid team-mates over the weekend as he looks to seal a move . En route? Di Maria has produced magic for Real over the years and can do so for United and Van Gaal . | Angel Di Maria remains on verge of joining Manchester United from Real Madrid in £75million swoop by manager Louis van Gaal .
Di Maria would play as left-sided forward in Van Gaal's 3-5-2 formation .
Argentina star is versatile but £75m is hugely expensive fee .
United are only bidders for Di Maria .
Xabi Alonso tweeted thanks to Di Maria for 'zig-zag' in Lisbon as Real won the Champions League over La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid . |
f9f8661210203470c500406c9a9e5e2558dc9921 | Day One: Manchester United sign Radamel Falcao, one of the world’s most potent centre-forwards, in a deal worth so many millions nobody seems quite sure exactly how many, but everyone agrees he will play up front. Day Two: Former England and United defender Paul Parker pipes up in an online blog to brand him “awful”, criticise the size of his salary and demand he is dropped, while Southampton reject and Norway defender Vegard Forren calls him “chubby” in an interview on Norwegian TV. Day Three: Marks his first game as the official captain of the team with a dour and low-key friendly against Norway in front of the smallest crowd ever to witness an England international at the new Wembley Stadium. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Roy Hodgson: Wayne Rooney knows he can play better . Captain's call: Wayne Rooney scored a penalty on his first appearance since taking over as England skipper . Backs turned: Rooney and his team-mates were watched by a record-low crowd at the new Wembley Stadium . Wayne Rooney’s first three days as captain of England weren’t going according to plan, until the 68th minute when he buried the penalty which gave his team the lead. He punched the air with the sort of ferocity he might have reserved for Parker or Forren and that was that. Off he went, hopeful that here was a goal to end the idea that the captain’s armband has carried with it a mild curse since David Beckham passed on the responsibility. There was Steven Gerrard’s miscued header in Sao Paulo, Rio Ferdinand’s knee injury in South Africa and John Terry’s… Well, there was John Terry. If week two starts in the same way for Rooney in Switzerland, England will be in real trouble. Roy Hodgson cannot contemplate defeat in Basle on Monday. Not because it will ruin their chances of qualification. It won’t. There’s no way England can fail to reach the finals in France in 2016, but this team is in desperate need of signs of encouragement to be sure they are to rebuild with any confidence after the World Cup debacle and the new skipper is to achieve the place in history he craves. Predecessor: Sven Goran Erikkson with Steven Gerrard after handing him the captain's armband in 2004 . Unlucky: The captain’s armband has carried with it a curse since David Beckham passed on the responsibility . Off the field, Rooney had performed his captaincy duties well. He stood at the front of the line, sang the anthem, swapped the mini-flags without trouble and witnessed the coin tossing ceremony. No sweat. He had been relaxed and good humoured as he joined Hodgson for a press conference on the eve of the game, wise-cracking about the manager’s physical condition. Wazza resisted the urge to respond to Forren’s remarks like Gazza once did, with a four-letter message to the people of Norway. Forren, a Southampton reject, who signed for the Saints and returned across the North Sea without appearing for a single second, would no doubt have his comeuppance on the pitch. Except he didn’t. On the field, it all seemed a little more arduous. This remember is Rooney’s natural habitat. He is a playground player. All the pomp and ceremony is not his cup of tea, but let him loose with a ball and watch him go. If only. Early on, he misplaced passes and his touch was heavy, while his partnership with Daniel Sturridge has still to click. Some strikers seem to have a telepathic connection. Some do not. Although that is not necessarily Rooney’s fault. Leading from the front: Rooney emerges from the dressing room with his team-mates ahead of kick off . Frustration: England were held for much of the game and struggled to break through Noway's defence . The chemistry between them best summed up when Sturridge, looking to take a free-kick quickly having been fouled in the centre of the pitch, thought he had seen a Rooney run and clipped a pass over the Norway defence. The trouble was there was no run. Rooney had barely moved. It was more of the maddening frustration witnessed in the World Cup. Rooney’s best work came when he dropped deeper, turning on the ball in midfield and launching long passes. He appreciates the angles of the game when tucks into those areas. He tried to make things happen in a game which threatened to seize up at times. He remains a good player, but he is less often these days one who can inspire. England had the best of the early chances but it was Raheem Sterling, dashing inside from the left who lifted the supporters from their slumber. Backwards step: Rooney’s best work came when he dropped deeper towards midfield . In Switzerland, England could find themselves over-run if they go there with two zippy wingers and two strikers. Rooney’s role is the one which will have to be refined. There was a goal, there was a win but there was no end to the concern. It's not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There's £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . | Wayne Rooney new England captain after Steven Gerrard retirement .
Striker netted 68th minute spot-kick to give Three Lions the lead .
Manchester United frontman still has to prove captaincy credentials .
Rooney’s best work came when he dropped deeper towards midfield . |
f9f88372435833b8580e1c6b34da5859399fcc98 | With a demon baby Jesus, skeletal wise men and the carcass of a lamb, a zombie-themed nativity scene caused quite a stir when it was unveiled in Ohio earlier this month. And now its creator, Jasen Dixon, has been ordered to kill the ten-foot by ten-foot structure because it violates local property maintenance codes. The Cincinnati resident has been given until December 26 to dismantle the display otherwise he will be slapped with a $1,000 fine. Gruesome: Zombie-themed nativity scene caused quite a stir when it was unveiled in Ohio earlier this month . Underfire: Now its creator, Jasen Dixon, has been ordered to kill the ten-foot by ten-foot structure because it violates local property maintenance codes . Officials in Ohio's Sycamore Township said they received two anonymous complaints about the placement of the zombie nativity. Regulations in the area state that structures located in a front or side yard should not occupy more than 35per cent of the area, and should be three feet from the street and six feet from the house. Dixon, who manages a haunted attraction in Indiana, unveiled his unconventional creation three weeks ago. He said he made the models for the zombie Mary and three wise men and borrowed props to make the Joseph and Jesus zombie figures. Red alert: Officials in Ohio's Sycamore Township said they received two anonymous complaints about the placement of the zombie nativity . All coming down: The Cincinnati resident has been given until December 26 to dismantle the display otherwise he will be slapped with a $1,000 fine . Source of inspiration: As Dixon also manages the 13 Rooms of Doom haunted house in Indiana, he had access to plenty of props . The baby Jesus is pale with totally white eyes, while the other life-sized figures are partly skeletal. Dixon said despite some backlash, many people approve of the display, which is lit by red and green lights. A Facebook page he made for it has attracted 200 'likes.' He said that at around 2am on Tuesday, he discovered three women in his front yard taking selfies with the display in the pouring rain. 'I never suspected it to be this big,' Dixon said. Greg Bickford, the township administrator, said the citation has nothing to do with the irreverent content of the display, which he called 'comical.' Rather it is to do with the size and location. Not for children: A lamb's carcass lays in the hay . Sight for sore eyes: Dixon said his father and neighbors aren't fans of the zombie scene . 'We’re complaint-driven,' Bickford said, when asked if other displays had been cited this season. 'If we were to drive up and down every single street and try to find violations, we’d never get off a street.' Dixon, who has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years and never received any other notices, was also cited for junk and debris on his property that he said was never an issue before. He said he is still considering what to do with the manger scene by the township’s Friday deadline, the day after Christmas. 'I haven’t decided,' he said. 'I don’t really know what’s going to happen.' | Jasen Dixon came up with his own twist on the classic nativity scene .
Neighbors and his father were not fans of the scary display .
Now the Cincinnati resident has been given until December 26 to dismantle the structure otherwise he will be slapped with a $1,000 fine .
Town officials say it violates local property maintenance codes . |
f9f9059780202e255f184b441cfc5c69894a3de5 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- Signs of oil and gas have been found by a Chinese rig that was drilling off a disputed island chain in the South China Seas, according to Chinese state media. The drilling area does have the basic conditions and potential for oil exploration, Wang Zhen, deputy director of CNPC Policy Research Office, told Xinhua. The drilling operation, known as the Zhongjiannan Project, was completed on July 15, according to the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). The state-owned energy company will further analyze the collected geological data before announcing their next steps. When China dispatched the oil rig on May 2 to begin drilling near the Paracel Islands in the South China Seas, the move kicked off a series of confrontations between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels in the area. Both nations claim ownership over the chain China refers to as the Xisha islands. Rioting . Clashes at sea sparked violent anti-Chinese riots on land. Thousands of Chinese nationals had to be evacuated from Vietnam in mid-May as the demonstrations turned deadly. In the face of Vietnam's ferocious protests, Beijing has stood its ground on its claim over the Paracels. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hong Lei emphasized this on Wednesday. "The Xisha Islands are integral parts of China. The operation by the Chinese company is located in indisputable coastal waters of the Xisha (Paracel) Islands, which falls well within China's sovereignty," said Hong. Xinhua also reported that 13 Vietnamese fishermen previously arrested by the Chinese coastguard were deported on Tuesday. The fishermen were accused of operating illegally in Chinese waters off the coast of Hainan Province. Vietnam continues to reject China's claims to the Paracels, calling recent drilling activities "illegal" and in violation of international law. According to CNOOC, a third of China's oil and gas resources are under the South China Sea, most of which it claims as its own, refuting rival claims from Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. | China completed a drilling operation near the Paracel Islands between May 2 and July 15 .
The area has potential for oil exploration and is contested by China and Vietnam .
China recently deported 13 Vietnamese who were arrested for fishing in Chinese waters . |
f9f910c5d481fd088bda90aedbc8c0d0462f4fbb | Andy Murray further allayed fears about his left shoulder as Great Britain enjoyed a winning start in the Hopman Cup in Perth. Having only arrived in Australia the previous afternoon from Abu Dhabi, the British No 1 teamed up with Heather Watson to defeat France 2-1 in the mixed team exhibition event. After winning his singles match and seeing Watson lose hers, the two combined to beat Benoit Paire and Alize Cornet 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 in the mixed doubles. Murray’s left shoulder hurt a little, as did his pride at being aced by Cornet before victory was secured. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Great Britain defeat France in the Hopman Cup . Andy Murray (right) and Heather Watson exchange a high five as Great Britain beat France 2-1 . Murray races forward as he chases down a shot during his opening match at the Hopman Cup . Murray stands for the Great Britain national anthem ahead of the start of the tie against France . A large contingent of British fans show their support for the team at the Perth Arena on Monday . ‘It’s a bit sore, if it was my right shoulder it would probably be quite hard for me to play,’ said Murray after winning 6-2, 7-5 against Paire. ‘I don’t feel it on my ground strokes so much, I feel it when I’m serving. I had a scan in Abu Dhabi and it was absolutely clear but still quite sore. ‘Hopefully it will calm down. Maybe it’s playing matches again after a break, maybe I’ve just got it in the wrong position and tweaked something, but I should be fine.’ Watson had gone down 6-2, 6-2 against Cornet, and will be looking to gain some momentum when she and Murray face Poland on Wednesday. A general view of the court as Murray serves to Paire during the mixed doubles clash in Perth . The players shake hands at the net following the conclusion of the mixed doubles rubber on Monday . Alize Cornet reacts after a point during her Hopman Cup match against Heather Watson on Monday . Watson has her eye on the ball as she plays a backhand during her women's singles match . The Australian Open begins in Melbourne a week on Monday and Victoria Azarenka, winner in two out of the last three years, will be among the unseeded players. After missing much of last season Azarenka will be out of the top 32 after losing 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 to Karolina Pliskova at the Brisbane Open. The first rankings of the year placed Britain’s James Ward at 101, and with few points to defend over the next few months he ought to crack the top 100 for the first time. He is also on the cusp of becoming a rare second direct British men’s entry into Melbourne with several players, including Marin Cilic, expected to drop out through injury. | Great Britain beat France 2-1 in their Hopman Cup opener in Perth .
Andy Murray beat Benoit Paire in straight sets to put GB one up .
Alize Cornet levelled the tie for France with a win against Heather Watson .
Murray and Watson teamed up to clinch victory in the mixed doubles . |
f9f92441ecf1f634da82240090e121efcef33fdb | The United States and China have the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Whether they can develop a constructive, cooperative relationship or whether they become each others' greatest nightmare has enormous consequences for each country and for the capacity of the international system to manage regional and global issues. Both leaderships recognize what is at stake, which explains why, despite many disagreements, Washington and Beijing constantly stress the importance of building ties. The two governments conduct more than 60 formal dialogues a year and engage each other daily, to a far greater extent than most people realize. Despite these efforts, each country has an underlying and growing distrust of the other's long-term intentions. Such distrust is corrosive, casting even well-intentioned actions and initiatives in a negative light. When President Nixon opened the door to Beijing 40 years ago, nobody imagined that U.S.-China relations would develop to this point. But extensive governmental contacts between the nations, economic interdependence and huge flows of students and tourists back and forth have failed to stem the growth of underlying mutual distrust. That distrust could well create a self-fulfilling prophecy of eventual confrontation. A key problem is that neither government is confident that it understands how the other sees the future of their relationship. Although each side senses distrust in the other, the real reasons for that attitude are unclear. So, how do they separate propaganda efforts designed to manipulate from sincere concerns? Because this is such a tough and consequential problem, I teamed up with one of China's leading America specialists to write a report that lays out the underlying worries that each side has about the other and, especially, why they have these deep concerns. Our report was published simultaneously last week in English and Chinese. My colleague wrote, in unvarnished fashion, about the analysis that leads many policymakers in China to believe the ultimate goal of the United States is to constrain or disrupt China's rise and to undermine its political system. I wrote about U.S. hopes for a normal major power relationship with China over the long run and the reasons why many American policymakers are increasingly concerned that this may prove impossible. The reasons are complicated. In part, they include the inevitable tensions that arise when a global balance of power is changing. My colleague and I expect that America will retain its leading role for many years to come, but the gap between U.S. and Chinese power and position is narrowing. Because of that, many in China fear the United States might resort to anti-Chinese measures to maintain its lead. American officials worry not so much that China will rise, but that Beijing will believe it can only do so at direct cost to the United States. Our enormously different political systems exacerbate this distrust. Neither side understands very well the political and institutional constraints in the other's system, and both are inclined to assume the other is more strategic, centralized and internally disciplined than it is. Neither is certain that it knows when the other is being honest about its domestic political constraints, and both tend to take random events as reflections of strategic intent. Beijing views America's pro-democracy foreign policy as aimed, in part, at changing China's system, while Washington inherently distrusts the motives and actions of authoritarian governments. And unsurprisingly, both sides have partially institutionalized distrust in their militaries, intelligence agencies, and offices focused on cybersecurity. Distrust about long-term intentions is thus grounded in complicated narratives in both countries. Neither side wants an adversarial relationship, but both worry that it may become unavoidable. And extensive efforts to build mutual trust to date are not working. New measures are necessary. Both governments must discuss, in depth, topics they have been avoiding. What overall military postures in Asia will both permit China to meet its vital security needs and enable America to defend its allies and interests? What kinds of mutual restraint can help bring about this outcome? How does each side view potential developments on the Korean Peninsula over the coming decade, and how would both plan to react to each scenario? America conducts surveillance activities just outside China's territorial waters that Beijing views as hostile and degrading. Could China provide some type of increased military transparency that could change this? Could the military component of the Taiwan issue be reduced? Understanding views of the long term, clarifying thinking on key military issues and devising concrete efforts to build mutual confidence are the initiatives that could alter the perceptions in Washington and Beijing that enhance distrust. The future can be shaped by intelligent actions, but those must be based on clear recognition of the reasons why each side fears the future intentions of the other. | Kenneth Lieberthal: U.S. and China have the most important bilateral relationship in the world .
Although the nations stress cooperation, he says, each side distrusts the other's intentions .
Lieberthal: China believes U.S. wants to stop its rise and change its political system .
Military topics must be discussed in depth, he writes, and confidence needs to be built . |
f9f952b2ae1b671d1b658ca03b9d9768960a080d | (CNN) -- Packaging can change how people see things. And when it comes to sex, it could maybe help save lives too. The Center for African Family Studies (CAFS), a Nairobi-based international NGO, has teamed up with Kenyan artist Michael Soi to create an eye-catching condom line with pop art-inspired packaging to promote safe sex and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The group has turned to crowdsourcing website Indiegogo to raise funds for its campaign, which aims to encourage condom usage among local youth in a country where an estimated 1.6 million people struggle with HIV/AIDS. "They were giving out free condoms when I went to the HIV conference in Cape Town recently," says CAFS director of operations Jonathan Spangler. "These condoms were brightly colored, like nothing seen in Kenya -- glow in the dark, different flavors, different prints. We put a picture of them on Facebook and we had youth calling us up asking where they could purchase them," he adds. "We've never had that sort of reaction to CAFS programs. So we said why don't we try produce our own condom line because there seems to be a market. We want to innovate and create new programming that is sustainable and even generates income for the youth," he adds.. Stigma vs. safety . HIV/AIDS continues to be one of the most prominent public health obstacles many African countries face today. In recent years, the disease -- which had reached epidemic proportions -- has started to decline in Kenya as a result of stronger public awareness campaigns and the impact of local education programs. While the outlook is positive, campaigners say more needs to be done to continue to reduce the threat of HIV/AIDS in the country -- a start could be made by tackling the stigma surrounding the purchase of condoms. "Most people are actually very afraid of going to vendors in supermarkets and chemists to buy condoms because we are a fairly reserved society," explains Genevieve Imbali, communications and marketing officer at CAFS. "Most people aren't very open to the idea that very young people might walk into a shop just to buy condoms because nobody wants to be known to be having sex ... There is so much stigma associated with condom purchase in the country." Eye-catching designs . To address this, the bright packaging of CAFS' colored condoms is specifically designed to disguise the product inside. Imbali explains that by making condoms less obvious, more people will be willing to buy them. She also says that the condoms currently available in the country are either too expensive or low quality -- issues, she claims, will be tackled with the CAFS condom line. "For the condoms that are given out for free at schools, the youth still do not take them," argues Imbali. "They look at them and think: 'You know what, you are giving this for free but they are not good quality.' So they'd probably just have unprotected sex rather than use the ones that are easily accessible." Collaborating with artists . But getting an artist to agree to provide designs for the packaging became a struggle. Many didn't want their work associated with sex and CAFS hit a roadblock -- until they met with Michael Soi. The Nairobi-based artist is well-known for his bold, but often controversial, themes placed within his paintings. Unafraid to shy away from taboo subjects like sex and interracial relationships, Soi was more than happy to collaborate with the NGO. "I felt like everybody is basically trying to deal with this whole issue -- HIV, unwanted pregnancies -- and when I talk about everybody I mean the church is doing whatever they can, the government is doing whatever they can," says Soi. "I felt the project was a good thing. I wanted to try to chip in and create something that would help fight a good fight," he says. Soi explains that sex isn't discussed openly and that as a result many young people learn about the dangers of unprotected sex the hard way -- through experience. However, he does believe awareness is increasing and he hopes his work will continue to change attitudes surrounding sex in Kenya. "I think it's important to try and play a part and make sure that people will not go through the same mistakes as what my generation has gone through." READ THIS: How medics saved lives at Westgate . READ THIS: Tales of triumph from a top surgeon . | Kenyan youth face social stigmas purchasing condoms, according to the Center for African Family Studies in Nairobi .
The NGO has launched a crowdfunding campaign to start a line of pop art condoms .
They say putting art on packaging disguises condoms and encourages safe sex . |
f9f9cd1dac50e3128b5eecd747f09f77fd376e48 | Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith feels his team have prepared well for Sunday’s International Series game against the Detroit Lions, but one man is still playing on his mind. Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is still an injury doubt for the game, and coach Smith knows the importance of being prepared if ‘Megatron’ plays at Wembley. Johnson trained for Detroit for the third straight day on Friday at their Bagshot base, and Smith is ready to change his game plan at the last minute if need be. The Atlanta Falcons trained at Arsenal's London Colney complex on Friday ahead of Sunday's clash . The Falcons face the Detroit Lions at Wembley and were put through their paces at Arsenal's training ground . Calvin Johnson is recovering from an ankle injury but has trained twice since arriving in England . ‘If Calvin plays then you have to know where he is and you have to have a different game plan,’ Smith said after Atlanta’s practice on Friday. ‘You have to know where Calvin is going to line up and put more resources to stop him because he is one of the most dangerous wide receivers in football.’ The Falcons have practiced at Arsenal’s London Colney training base all week, and Smith is pleased with how things went for his team. ‘The facilities here are fantastic,’ the Falcons coach said. ‘It was a really good week of preparation. Arsenal have been very accommodating to let us use their facilities and been great hosts. Ryan Schraeder goes in goal for the Falcons as they temporarily swapped football for soccer on Friday . Jonathan Massaquoi shows off his footwork during Friday's session... is that an attempted rabona? Quarterback Matt Ryan returns from a 'comfort break' as the Falcons prepared for Sunday's match . Mike Smith surveys the scene on Thursday during Falcons' training session at Arsenal's London Colney base . ‘We got a lot accomplished in terms of our game planning and we now have to go out and execute on the field. ‘Tomorrow we will have a walkthrough at the Grove (Atlanta’s hotel). We will then head into town and spend some time with the fans at the Fan Rally in Trafalgar Square. ‘We are looking forward to seeing the crowds, and then we’ll check into our hotel across the road from Wembley Stadium and have meetings on Saturday night.’ The Falcons head into Sunday’s game with a 2-5 record and occupying third place in the NFC South behind the Carolina Panthers (3-3-1) and New Orleans Saints (2-4). Smith said Johnson, the Detroit Lions wide receiver, was one of the most dangerous in football . ‘It’s our most important game because it’s our next one,’ Smith said. ‘We are right in the thick of a tough divisional race and it is going to be very important for us to go out and play efficiently. Wide receiver Roddy White added: ‘Every game is a must win. We are one game away from first place in our division. If we can go out on Sunday and get something going to get us a win, then it will be a positive and we can roll into the bye week and go from there. ‘Practice has been really good and we’ve been really focused the last few days. It has been really smooth for us and we’ve made a good transition. We expect to play well on Sunday.’ Falcons head coach Smith revealed that if Johnson plays they will have to change their game plan . | Atlanta Falcons will face Detroit Lions at Wembley on Sunday .
The Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is an injury doubt for the game .
The wide receiver is nursing an ankle injury but could still feature .
Mike Smith said Johnson's inclusion would change his whole game plan .
The Falcons have been training at Arsenal's London Colney base . |
f9f9fcdc11617edd5150d010334bc301c0849533 | Fears for the fate of more than 200 Nigerian girls turned even more nightmarish Monday when the leader of the Islamist militant group that kidnapped them announced plans to sell them. "I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah," a man claiming to be Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said in a video first obtained by Agence France-Presse. "There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women," he continued, according to a CNN translation from the local Hausa language. Boko Haram is a terrorist group receiving training from al Qaeda affiliates, according to U.S. officials. Its name means "Western education is sin." In his nearly hourlong, rambling video, Shekau repeatedly called for Western education to end. "Girls, you should go and get married," he said. The outrageous threat means the girls' parents' worst fears could be realized. Parents have avoided speaking to the media for fear their daughters may be singled out for reprisals. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the video "does appear legitimate." The tape won't intimidate or deter Nigeria from efforts to save the kidnapped girls, the Nigerian government said. "It is disheartening that someone would make such a terrible boast," Doyin Okupe, spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan, said in an interview with CNN. "It is to be expected of terrorists," he added. "No group can affect our resolve. We will see this through to the end. We have the commitment and capacity to get this done. No matter what this takes, we will get these girls." On Sunday, Jonathan vowed, "Wherever these girls are, we'll get them out." But he also criticized the girls' parents, saying they weren't cooperating fully with police. "What we request is maximum cooperation from the guardians and the parents of these girls. Because up to this time, they have not been able to come clearly, to give the police clear identity of the girls that have yet to return," he said. Nigeria's finance minister responds to criticism . Weeks after the girls' April 14 kidnapping, Africa's most populous country seems to be no closer to finding them, triggering complaints of ineptitude -- some of which are expressed on Twitter with the globally trending hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Nigeria's finance minister said Monday that her country's government remains committed to finding the girls, but should have done a better job explaining the situation to the public. "Have we communicated what is being done properly? The answer is no, that people did not have enough information," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told CNN's Richard Quest. Revealing details about the investigation is tricky, she said, "because you are dealing with people that you don't know, and you don't know...what they might do to these girls." On Sunday, about 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Nigerian High Commission in London, chanting, "Bring them back!" and "Not for sale!" Crowds from Los Angeles to London rallied Saturday as well. "We need to take ownership as if this happened in Chicago or this happened in Washington, D.C. We need to be talking about this," Nicole Lee, outgoing president of the TransAfrica Forum, told CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper." "I think people are doing that. It's catching fire." Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton weighed in on Twitter over the weekend. "Access to education is a basic right & an unconscionable reason to target innocent girls," she wrote Sunday. "We must stand up to terrorism. #BringBackOurGirls." Militants attacked school last month . According to accounts, armed members of Boko Haram overwhelmed security guards at a school last month, pulled the girls out of bed and forced them into trucks. The convoy of trucks then disappeared into the dense forest bordering Cameroon. On Friday, Nigerian authorities updated the number of girls kidnapped to 276. At least 53 of the girls escaped, leaving 223 in the hands of their captors, police said. Authorities said the number of missing girls could grow as police fill in spotty school enrollment records. Families had sent their girls to the rural school in Chibok for a desperately needed education. The northeastern town is part of Borno state, where 72% of primary-age children never attended school, according to the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria. It's even worse for girls than boys. "In the North particularly, the gender gap remains particularly wide and the proportion of girls to boys in school ranges from 1 girl to 2 boys to 1 to 3 in some states," UNICEF says. Twelve northern states follow Sharia law. In recent years, Boko Haram has carried out dozens of attacks, killing thousands of people at schools, churches, police stations, government buildings and elsewhere. Targets include Christians, senior Islamic figures critical of Boko Haram and people the group believes are engaged in "un-Islamic" behavior, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says. Boko Haram has gained training in weapons and communications from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in recent years. This helped it move from little-noticed attacks to more spectacular ones, including against Western targets and the Nigerian government, which it seeks to overthrow, U.S. authorities say. In 2011, it carried out an attack with IEDs on the United Nations headquarters in Abuja. It's unclear just how big the group is. The U.S. State Department says Boko Haram's membership estimates "range from the hundreds to a few thousand." A U.S. government report in December 2011 found that a "consistent lack of reliable reporting on Boko Haram has contributed to the difficulty in assessing its size, makeup, and goals." Crisis unfolds as Nigeria hosts World Economic Forum . Though Nigeria has Africa's largest economy, driven largely by oil, poverty remains widespread: Nearly 62% of the country's nearly 170 million people live in extreme poverty, according to the CIA World Factbook. That dichotomy takes center stage this week as a World Economic Forum meeting convenes Wednesday in Nigeria's capital of Abuja. The country "already plays a crucial role in advancing the continent's growth; yet it is also emblematic of the challenges of converting natural wealth into solutions that address persistent social challenges," the World Economic Forum on Africa says on its website. Okonjo-Iweala, the finance minister, told CNN that Nigeria's intense efforts to find the girls have nothing to do with the high-profile event. "We are doing things because we are Nigerians, and we have to solve our own problems. These are our daughters. It's like it's my daughter missing. Every single one of those girls is my daughter," Okonjo-Iweala said. "I wake up in the morning depressed when I know that they have not been brought back home. The President wakes up depressed, because he came from a poor family, and without education he would never been where he is today." Nigerian authorities, she said, are doing everything possible to find the girls -- and they're asking for help. "Any international organization, any country that has different technology, ways of detecting, please let them help us to get these girls back," she said. The United States is sharing intelligence with Nigeria to help in the search, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the situation. "We are sharing intelligence that may be relevant to this situation. You are going to see a focus on this in all three channels of government: diplomatic, intelligence and military," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information. Police vs. protesters? Police in Abuja denied having arrested a leader of a protest over the weekend that was critical of the Nigerian government's efforts. In a statement, police said they "invited" Nyadar Naomi Mutah, a native of Chibok, for a "fact-finding interview." She cooperated and "was immediately allowed to return home to her loved ones," police said. But Aminu Mahmoud, a lawyer representing Mutah, said her client was arrested Sunday without charge. Fellow protest organizer Hadiza Usman said that during a session called by first lady Patience Jonathan to meet with protesters, the first lady recognized Mutah and said "let's keep you aside for now." It was not clear whether that had anything to do with Mutah's later going to the police station. In its statement on the matter, Abuja police also said security agencies "are leaving no stone unturned" in an attempt to ensure that the children are rescued. | Nigerian finance minister: Government did not communicate "properly"
"Help us to get these girls back," she says to other nations, international groups .
"Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell," Boko Haram leader says .
"No group can affect our resolve," a Nigerian government spokesman tells CNN . |
f9fa9b5246e9bbf6d47e8202252a30c544a4c321 | Washington (CNN)Hillary Clinton has sought advice from dozens of people over the past several months in the run up to a likely presidential bid, but one such source stands out from the rest: Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Clinton has reached out to the Massachusetts senator "several times" over the past six months, a source with knowledge of Clinton's plans told CNN on Tuesday, a sign of how important Warren's wing of the Democratic party is to the foundation of a would-be presidential bid for the former secretary of state. The two met privately at the former secretary of state's Washington, D.C. home in December, according to the source, and have talked on the phone, as well. The New York Times first reported the December meeting on Tuesday. "Secretary Clinton really values Senator Warren and has reached out several times over the past six months," the source added. The senator's office has not responded to questions about the meeting. The Clinton-Warren relationship is part of the former first lady's months-long process of soliciting ideas and seeking advice from leading Democrats as she prepares for an all-but-certain 2016 run. Since the 2014 midterms, Clinton has prepared for 2016 by meeting and talking with top Democrats about the strategy, tactics and policy that would make a possible Clinton run in 2016 campaign successful. But the meetings and phone calls are also seemingly an attempt by Clinton to satisfy what has been persistent calls from the left for the 2016 Democratic nominee to focus on income inequality, Wall Street reform and raising up the middle class. Warren, who is seen as the heart and soul of the Democratic left on those issues, has been the focus of a few draft campaigns since the 2014 midterms. Left leaning groups like Democracy for America and MoveOn.org, as well as the new Ready for Warren campaign, have knocked Clinton's centrism and created sometimes negative headlines for the Democratic frontrunner. Although the senator has repeatedly disavowed the efforts and said she will not run for president in 2016, she will undoubtedly direct some of the presidential conversation from her perch in the Senate and if they are not satisfied and courted, her supporters could continue to be an annoyance for Clinton. Erica Sagrans, the Ready for Warren campaign manager, said Tuesday that the meeting is another sign Clinton "is among a growing number of Democratic leaders who admire" Warren's liberal positions. "This is why we're calling on Warren to run for president in 2016 -- so that we have a real Democratic primary debate about the issues that matter, and so voters can get behind a fearless champion for working families," Sagrans added. The Clinton-Warren meetings and calls also show growth in a relationship that looked awkward in 2014. While campaigning for Massachusetts' Democratic gubernatorial candidate in October, Clinton was effusive in her praise for Warren, labeling her "the passionate champion for working people and middle class families." "I love watching Elizabeth," Clinton added, touting her ability to "you know, give it those who deserve to get it." Warren, however, wasn't so effusive and barely mentioned the former secretary of state who was headlining the event. "Happy to welcome Secretary Clinton back to the commonwealth," Warren said, firing up the crowd. "We love it!" The senators endorsing Hillary Clinton . | Hillary Clinton has reached out to Elizabeth Warren "several times" over the past six months, says a source with knowledge .
This relationship included a December meeting and a phone call between the two Democratic leaders . |
f9fb1163429f5a401bfa23f58bab9ddddc74f9ea | By . Lucy Elkins . PUBLISHED: . 19:10 EST, 10 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:10 EST, 10 February 2014 . Ann Pascoe's husband Andrew had always been a gentle, mild-mannered man. So . when he was diagnosed with dementia seven years ago, she expected him . to be forgetful and become more dependent - what she was not ready for . were his aggressive outbursts. Andrew, . 65, a former naval engineer, had always had a caring nature. 'Yet after . he developed dementia, from time to time he would get very agitated - . sometimes he would throw things - for no reason,' says Ann, 67, a . businesswomen. 'He might . come in from the garden and just suddenly shout: “I'm not doing it any . more,” and slam the door and storm up upstairs. After Andrew developed dementia, from time to time he would get very agitated - and even throw things . 'It was incredibly upsetting and I was permanently walking on eggshells but thought that this must just be part of the dementia. 'I was getting to the stage where I felt I couldn't cope any more.' Then, . last August, she discovered there was more to these outbursts than she . realised. Andrew, who tries to lead as independent a life as possible, . had fainted at the bus stop in the village near where the couple live in . Helmsdale, Scotland. An . ambulance was called and a doctor found Ann's details in Andrew's wallet . and called her. 'He said Andrew seemed very confused and was mentioning . something about pain but wasn't making much sense,' she recalls. In . fact, Andrew had been diagnosed with neuropathic (nerve) pain in his . legs two years before. 'He'd tried a variety of painkillers and said . they didn't work, but now I wonder if he took them,' says Ann. 'He had said he was hurting from time to time but as he had not been very specific I had not taken it that seriously.' The . doctor suggested Ann keep a 'pain diary' for her husband for two weeks, . getting him to rate his discomfort on a scale of one to ten at various . times of the day. 'When he was sitting down he said it was a two out of . ten; when he walked in the garden it was as high as a nine,' she says. Ann Pascoe from Helmsdale, Scottish Highlands is now dealing with her husbands's dementia . Analysing . the diary, the doctor realised Andrew was in considerable pain a lot of . the time and prescribed him Gabapentin, an epilepsy drug that . interrupts the transmission of pain signals in the brain. This . time Ann watched her husband like a hawk to ensure he took it and, sure . enough, the aggressive outbursts all but stopped. 'Now I realise that . his agitation was not the dementia - it was a result of his pain - he . just didn't know how to tell me,' she says. Andrew told Ann he often couldn't find the words to explain many everyday events - including his levels of pain. The . couple's story highlights an extraordinary new understanding of the . behaviour of dementia patients - and could help transform their, and . their carers', lives. For . a growing body of research has found that many of the symptoms often . written off as 'just a part of dementia' - agitation, aggression, . withdrawal or repeatedly asking for attention - are actually untreated . pain. Indeed, pain is . the biggest cause of such symptoms - including even language breakdown . - according to a recent review in the journal Clinical Intervention In . Ageing. However, the . authors concluded that while pain is often the underlying cause of some . behaviour, patients may be given 'inappropriate' sedating medication . instead. It's not that . dementia causes pain, but the 800,000 people in this country with the . disease tend to be older and therefore more prone to aches and pains. Many patients lose the ability to talk, but even those who are coherent . may struggle to find the right words to describe their discomfort. The . problem is that not all health professionals or carers are yet aware of . this, so they dismiss changes to behaviour such as becoming agitated as . part of dementia, says Pat Schofield, professor of nursing at the . University of Greenwich. 'Historically, . we used to believe that people with dementia do not feel pain because . of the effects that their illness has on the brain but in recent years . we realised that is not so,' she adds. 'They are just as likely to . suffer with pain but they cannot express it. 'Think . how frustrating that must be - you can't find the words to tell . someone, “I'm in agony”, or, “This is hurting”,' says Prof Schofield. Scientists . from King's College London and Norway found that when they gave daily . pain treatment to patients with 'significant behavioural disturbance', . their agitation was 'severely reduced'. Their . study, published in the British Medical Journal in 2011, said that . properly treating pain could reduce 'unnecessary prescriptions for . psychotropic drugs' - drugs such as antipsychotics. For . years, agitated or aggressive dementia patients have been given . antipsychotics, which act on the brain and sedates them. In 2009, a . government-funded report found that 180,000 dementia patients in England . were on antipsychotics, yet it estimated as few as 36,000 were getting . any benefit. Furthermore, . the drugs carry a risk of significant side-effects - the report . suggested they were linked to 1,620 strokes a year and an additional . 1,800 deaths. 'In the past, . there was a tendency to think, “Oh dear, this patient is agitated, we . better give them a chemical cosh,” rather than think, “What could be . causing this?”' says London GP Dr Sarah Jarvis, who contributed to a . recent report on dementia and pain. 'Then there were anxieties about the drugs' side-effects, and we are using them less and less.' However, . prescriptions are still too high. A two-year study completed last April . by University College London and funded by the Alzheimer's Society . found that three-quarters of dementia patients in hospital displayed . agitation or aggression and that 'staff are still using sedative and . neuroleptic drugs to manage these'. The problem, suggests Dr Jarvis, is . that while 'the message has got across that we should be prescribing . fewer antipsychotics, still health professionals are not necessarily . thinking of pain as a cause [for challenging behaviour]'. Many . dementia patients end up in care homes. Dr Jarvis says she often finds . staff are unaware of the link between agitation and pain. 'I've . lost count of the number of times that I have had a dementia patient . not on antipsychotics and the care home will say to me: "But they seem . to become agitated." 'I . will suggest pain as a cause and they will say: “No, it can't be - they . aren't agitated all the time.” But the point is, pain does tend to come . and go.' Andrew told Ann he often couldn't find the words to explain many everyday events - including pain . A recent report . by Napp Pharmaceuticals found that a third of independent care and . residential homes had not reduced their antipsychotic use. Furthermore, . nearly 40 per cent said fewer than a quarter of their dementia patients . suffer with pain, yet surveys (such as one in Clinical Intervention In . Ageing) have found 50 per cent of dementia patients suffer with regular . pain and that the figure will be higher for those in care or residential . homes. 'A better awareness . of pain could transform the care of dementia patients,' says Dr . Jarvis. Yet often carers like Ann have to deal with this challenging . behaviour unaware that their loved one's outburst might be easily cured . with pain medication. 'Every . day I see carers who are at the end of their tether and come in and ask . for tranquilisers to help with their loved ones behaviour,' says Dr . Jarvis. 'But we have to say to them first: “We need to try and find out what is causing this behaviour.” 'Now . there is a move, backed by the Alzheimer's Society and other . campaigners, to better identify and treat people with dementia who are . in pain. 'All too . often people with dementia suffering from unrecognised pain are . mistakenly deemed to be aggressive, uncooperative or withdrawn,' says Dr . Alison Cook, of the Alzheimer's Society. 'It is vitally important that care professionals have the tools and training to meet the complex needs of people with dementia.' It's a move welcomed by Ann. 'We . carers need to be told what to look for, what to expect,' she says. 'I . am sure there will have been people who will have been caring for loved . ones who will have thought they can't cope and sent their loved one off . to a home when actually had the pain been treated they could have . carried on. 'I'm relieved . not just that Andrew is less agitated but also that he has a better . quality of life. 'I plan to care for him for the duration of his . illness. 'A year ago, I was thinking: "I hate this." Now I feel as if our life is back on track.' | Ann Pascoe, 67, says her husband Andrew had always been mild-mannered .
Andrew, 65, from from Helmsdale, was then diagnosed with dementia .
Would sometimes get very agitated - and even throw things . |
f9fb4b774b5f6cf07732a6e8beaec98cfb93b479 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 04:49 EST, 28 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:50 EST, 1 March 2013 . Basketball great Michael Jordan has bought another sprawling multi-million dollar estate, this time in his home state of North Carolina. The NBA Hall of Famer is best known for his time with the Chicago Bulls, the basketball team he joined after dazzling with the University of North Carolina in the early Eighties. He spent most of his childhood in North Carolina, played for the North Carolina Tar Heels and is now the majority owner of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. The property Michael Jordan has bought is just 22 miles from where the team he owns, the Bobcats, play . Michael Jordan spent most of his childhood in North Carolina, and is now buying an estate there . So it makes sense that the Brooklyn-born star, who turned 50 earlier this month, should own a home there as well. According to Fox Sports, Jordan recently paid $2.8million for a home in Cornelius, North Carolina, just 22 miles from where the Bobcats play. And Jordan snagged the home at a significant deal. Originally listed for $3.99million in 2011, the bank foreclosed on the home in August 2012, and it later was re-listed for $3.49million. 'It's fantastic. He got a great buy on that house,' said Cornelius Commissioner Dave Gilroy told the Charlotte Observer. Drag racer Doug Herbert, who previously lived in the home, said the property 'is a great place to entertain friends and have people over.' Michael Jordan, who owns Charlotte Bobcats, is buying a property nearer the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina (pictured) Michael Jordan's new North Carolina estate has its own jetty with a launching platform . Jordan spent most of his childhood in North Carolina and played for the North Carolina Tar Heels . Sitting on a lot jutting into Lake Norman and on the seventh hole of the The Peninsula Golf Club, Jordan's new digs are private and gated . Herbert said he would love to chat . with Jordan about the many fond memories he had at the home. But it was . actually a tragic memory that ultimately encouraged him to move, he . said. Herbert's two sons, Jon, 17, and James, 12, were killed in a head-on traffic wreck in 2008, on Jetton Road near their home. 'It was a difficult trip to make everyday to go to work,' Herbert said. 'It became hard to live there. It was time to go.' Sitting on a lot jutting into Lake . Norman and on the seventh hole of the The Peninsula Golf Club, Jordan's . new digs are private and gated. A wood-lined room in Michael Jordan's new $2.8million North Carolina estate . Jordan's new digs were built in 1993, the home measures 12,310 sq ft with six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a two . Originally listed for $3.99million in 2011, the bank foreclosed on the home in August 2012, and it later was re-listed for $3.49million . Built in 1993, the home measures . 12,310 sq ft with six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a two-story great . room that opens out to a terraced patio, which holds an enormous pool . and spa. An expansive basement holds room for a personal gym and entertainment center. Jordan already owns an extensive collection of real estate. His custom estate in Chicago is currently on the market, and he bought a Jupiter, Florida, home on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course last year. He also owns a place in Salt Lake City and reportedly a condo in Charlotte. In his prime: Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan in action, making dunk during All Star Weekend in Chicago, 1988 . Palatial pad: The former Bulls star's suburban Chicago residence, seen from above, went on sale last year for a cool $29million . Unique selling point: The stellar feature is an indoor basketball complex features a full-size regulation court . | NBA Hall of Famer is buying estate on Lake Norman, North Carolina .
The Brooklyn-born star spent most of his childhood in the state .
The home measures 12,310 sq ft and has eight bathrooms .
It is the second Charlotte area property he has bought in three yearsRead more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/02/27/3881556/charlotte-bobcats-michael-jordan.html#storylink=cpy .
Former Chicago Bull also owns mansions in Illinois, Florida and Utah . |
f9fb7fd59a22183906f177b6e0acc5cd34fde372 | By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 03:55 EST, 1 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:16 EST, 1 May 2012 . Schoolboy Cory Pingeton walks along a corridor to class, minding his own business. The 18-year-old does not see the 'sucker punch' that knocks him to the ground, breaking bones in his eye socket, face and bruising his retina. It came from schoolmate David Salmon, 17, who had been lying in wait to land the blow, before shouting: 'That's what you get for talking about me.' Scroll down for video . Unsuspecting: The video shows Cory Pingeton (black top) walking along the corridor and his soon-to-be attacker, David Salmon, casually lying in wait . Salmon had planned it so carefully that he even made a friend record it on his mobile phone to show his friends at Franklin High School, in Massachusetts. Within minutes the clip was uploaded onto the internet for the world to see. But the bully forgot one thing... it as all the evidence police needed to prosecute him for assault. Salmon appeared in court on Monday charged with the brutal and unprovoked attack. He pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and battery, disturbing school, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Sucker-punch: Suddenly Salmon launches himself at Cory and punches him in the face . Vicious: The blow knocks Cory to the ground, breaking bones in his eye socket, face and bruising his retina . Officer Donald MacLean wrote in a police report included in court documents that the boy recording the incident makes a sign to Salmon to signal Cory's approach, the Milford Daily News reported. '(Salmon) then strikes Cory directly in the face, dropping him to the ground,' he wrote, adding that the boy makes a 'slashing throat gesture and then begins to run away'. Bully: Salmon stands over Cory before making a throat-slashing gesture to the camera and running away . Callous: As Salmon walks away he appears to make a throat-slashing gesture to the camera . Recovery: Cory was taken to hospital while Salmon was caught by police and charged with assault . Courtroom: Salmon appeared in court on Monday charged with the brutal and unprovoked attack. He pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and battery, disturbing school, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace . Bailed: Judge Emogene Johnson-Smith set bail at $1,500 and ordered Salmon to stay away from the school and his victim. He will reappear for a pre-trial hearing in June . Stoic: Cory said, 'It shouldn't happen. It doesn't represent my school well' Salmon claimed in court that that he had thrown the 'sucker-punch' in retaliation for 'trash talk' made by Cory earlier. Cory denies making any remarks. Judge Emogene Johnson-Smith set bail at $1,500 and ordered Salmon to stay away from the school and his victim. He will reappear for a pre-trial hearing in June. Jeremiah Ramirez, 18, who taped the attack in his iPod Touch, was also charged. Speaking of the attack, Cory told WBZ-TV: 'It just shouldn’t happen. It’s not good for the community. It doesn’t represent my school well. 'After the kid hit me he proceeded to say stuff to me and call me a b*** . as he walked out of the school. I was defenseless.' | Cory Pingeton, 18, suffered broken bones in his eye socket and face .
Jeremiah Ramirez, 18, who filmed the attack, has also been charged .
Attacker David Salmon, 17, has been charged with assault after an accomplice posted the video online . |
f9fbbd1485279efd8bbad3265a872dc7633e5cb8 | Max Verstappen will become the youngest ever Formula One driver when the 16-year-old joins Toro Rosso next season. The Dutchman, who is the son of former F1 driver Jos, is 17 next month and will make the step up from Formula Three to replace Jean-Eric Vergne. Verstappen said: ‘Since I was seven years old, Formula One has been my career goal, so this opportunity is truly a dream come true.’ VIDEO Scroll down to find out who 16-year-old Formula One driver Max Verstappen is! Racers: Jacques Villeneuve with Jos Verstappen (centre) and his son Max Verstappen (right) at Hockenheim . 1 J Alguersuari (19y, 125d) 2 M Thackwell (19y, 182d) 3 R Rodriguez (19y, 208d) 4 F Alonso (19y, 218d) 5 E Tuero (19y, 320d) =6 C Amon (19y, 324d) =6 D Kvyat (19y, 324d) 8 S Vettel (19y, 349d) =9 E Cheever (20y, 53d) =9 J Button (20y, 53d) Verstappen was described as ‘one of the most skilled young drivers of the new generation’ by Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost, who added: ‘We believe he has the necessary maturity and mental strength to take on this challenge successfully. ‘This year he has already demonstrated how well he can cope under difficult conditions.’ However, former McLaren assistant team manager Tony Jardine has warned the experienced drivers will not be happy to line up alongside a teenager on the grid. ‘What will the senior drivers think about it? Don’t ask them because they won’t like it,’ Jardine said. ‘In the Netherlands, the age is 18 to get your driving licence, so it is going to be a huge story.’ Verstappen, though, clearly has the confidence to deal with his big challenge. ‘I’m not that worried about it,’ he said. ‘The cars are really safe. I think it’s more dangerous to bike through a big city than race in an F1 car.’ Talent: Verstappen, a former karting world champion, will replace Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne . VIDEO Toro Rosso sign 16-year-old Verstappen . Red Bull, Toro Rosso’s sister team, have a good record of promoting young drivers, with Sebastian Vettel, Jaime Alguersuari and Daniel Ricciardo all having made the switch from the junior outfit. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton has likened his drivers’ championship battle with fellow Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg to a game of poker. Hamilton is just 11 points behind Rosberg — who leads the championship on 202 — with eight races to go, the pair having opened up a sizeable lead on the rest of the field. ‘When I was racing against Kimi Raikkonen (in 2007) and Felipe Massa (in 2008), they were in a different team and their cars had different strengths and weaknesses to my car,’ Hamilton said. ‘Now I’m racing against a guy who has the same car as me — we both have access to the same data and feedback. ‘It’s a bit like playing poker — you have a set of cards and the other guy is not supposed to know what you’ve got, but Nico and I can see each other’s cards, so it’s more difficult to beat each other.’ | 16-year-old Max Verstappen is joining Toro Rosso for the 2015 season .
Verstappen is the son of former F1 driver Jos and will step up from F3 .
'Since I was seven years old, Formula One has been my career goal, so this opportunity is truly a dream come true,' says the youngster . |
f9fbf2741f05ccd41ba39150e2a4fd43a9608146 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 08:54 EST, 12 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:26 EST, 13 December 2013 . She might have earned the title 'Fit Mom' with her impeccably toned body post three children. But Maria Kang, 32, from Sacramento, California, finds keeping in shape a constant struggle because she's not genetically predisposed to looking 'like a model' or 'Barbie doll.' In her twenties she suffered from bulimia, which saw her weight fluctuate dramatically. At her heaviest, her 5ft 4in frame tipped the scales at 152lbs - putting her in the overweight category. Scroll down for video . Fit mom: Maria Kang, 32, from Los Angeles, California, (pictured in 2007) says keeping in shape is something she has to work hard at because she's not genetically predisposed to 'look like a model' In an interview with MailOnline, she reveals how she started feeling self-conscious about her body from a young age. Often she would compare herself to her taller, leaner sisters or supermodels in magazines. 'I was always heavier . . . I was chunky. ' she said. Her mother also battled weight problems and was put on a special diet in a bid to cure diabetes and high blood pressure. Becoming aware of the connection between food intake and weight, Ms Kang says, was a trigger for her eventual disordered eating. Lots of hard work: The petite brunette was overweight and suffered from bulimia before getting in shape - she said the real turning point was meeting her husband and falling pregnant with her first child . Feeling 'lost' in her early twenties, the self-described 'pear-shape' brunette would binge and purge on sweet foods two to three times almost every day of the week. 'I used disordered eating to fill an empty void. It was worse when I was feeling anxious. People often call bulimia the "good girl drug" because we don’t do drugs or drink alcohol we just abuse food.' 'I had to let go of being perfect, When I became pregnant with my first child I was like "Wow this is what my body is really made for"' As is often the case with bulimia, Ms Kang saw her weight yo-yo and her metabolism 'shut down'. Although friends and family were aware of what was happening, they didn't know how to help. In the end it was Ms Kang who made the conscious decision to start 'loving' herself. Determined to get physically fit and healthy, she started practicing mindful eating. However, the real turning point came . when she met her husband, David Casler, in 2007 and fell pregnant with . her first son two years later. 'I . had to let go of being perfect,' she said. 'When I became pregnant with . my first child I was like "Wow this is what my body is really made . for."' Bouncing back: This photograph shows Ms Kang one week after giving birth with her first child . Made for motherhood: Ms Kang said she got healthier with each pregnancy through diet and exercise - here she is pictured carrying her first child in 2009 (left) and her third son in 2011 (right) Looking back on her days as a bulimic, on her blog she writes: 'It was a horrible habit. 'I felt like I had no control over my mind and I had such self-defeating thoughts. I felt a variety of emotions, sadness, guilt, emptiness.' After giving birth she started treating herself 'kindly' and eating right. Because she was in a regular pattern the pounds slipped away and she managed to slim down to 125lbs. 'I think fitness always makes me . happier it makes you feel like you can control so many things in your . life' Ms Kang fell pregnant with another boy a year later in 2010 and again in 2011. Each time, she said she was able to bounce back because the foundations of a 'toned figure' were already in place. Offering a tip to other women she said: 'Be fit before you get pregnant.' Now her favorite parts of her 125lb, . size 2 body include her arms and 'toned abs' but she is less . enthusiastic about her 'short', 'muscular' legs. 'I don’t have long legs. I never wear skinny jeans.' Ms Kang came to the public's attention last month when she posted a photograph of her toned post-baby body to Facebook, captioned 'What's your excuse?' Stirring trouble: Ms Kang came to the public's attention last month when she posted this photo of her toned post-baby body to Facebook . The photo, which Ms Kang has since used as her profile picture, shows her knelt alongside her three young sons, dressed in a workout bra and matching micro shorts. While many of her 256,000 followers cited her as an 'inspiration' some also accused her of being 'insulting', 'obnoxious' and a 'fat shaming bully'. Indeed, one woman wrote: 'You are . . . hurtful to women and think way too much of yourself. Disgusting is what you are!' 'If I can make health a priority as a working mom of three kids who has struggled with bulimia and weight issues, then you can too!' And a mother-of-two named Sarah added on Ms Kang's website, mariakang.com: 'I have two kids and both have caused my skin to stretch soo bad my stomach, from my rib cage straight down the the middle of my vaginal area, look like the U.S. road atlas. 'People like you who post pictures like this make people like me cry because I know that without surgery to lose the extra skin I will never look like you.' But Ms Kang told MailOnline that she was merely being 'playful' and saying if 'if I can make health a priority as a working mom of three kids who has struggled with bulimia and weight issues, then you can too!’ To maintain her figure she likes to do 30 to 60 minutes of 'intense' strength training and cardio every morning, five to six days a week. Keeping fit and healthy: Ms Kang said that she didn't intend to upset people and she hoped the photo would inspire others to feel better about themselves . Breaking a sweat: The pretty brunette says that she likes to do 30 to 60 minutes of strength training and cardio every morning, five to six days a week . On a typical day she tries to get to the gym before her sons wake up or in-between her morning errands. She . then focuses attention on managing her elderly care homes and fitness . progams for a non-profit she founded, Fitness without Borders, which . promotes fitness education in schools and local communities. 'My issue is that people are often push body image before health. Right now, I'm talking about health' 'I think fitness always makes me happier it makes you feel like you can control so many things in your life. It’s the ability to be set a goal, take action, remain consistent and create a result. that process takes a lot of discipline.' she said. When it comes to food she likes to eat protein and carbohydrates at each meal. Describing her daily diet she said: 'I have eggs and oatmeal or eggs and fruit for breakfast. 'On the go I like to eat nuts – mainly almonds. Lunch I usually have what we had for dinner the night before. Today it will be turkey meatballs and sweet potato fries. I love salads too.' But it's not all clean eating and, as a busy mother-of-three running on a budget, Ms Kang has admitted to eating fast food, especially when it’s convenient with her kids in tow. 'I think fitness always makes me happier it makes you feel like you can control so many things in your life' Starting from a young age: She says her sons know how to do sit-ups because they watch her workout . ‘There are healthier fast food options that are affordable. for example, I like the $1.50 grilled chicken wraps from Taco bell.' Two of her other biggest temptations - bar pre-made chicken wraps - are dark chocolate and red wine. Concluding on the topic of fitness and health she said: 'I think that we’re obviously struggling as a nation with our weight and it’s a sensitive issue. 'My issue is that people are often push body image before health. Right now, I’m talking about health.’ 'I work to be a role model. It's important to love yourself and remember to strive to be better physically, professionally and personally.' | Maria Kang, 32, from California, caused outcry when she posted a photo of her toned post-baby body to Facebook, captioned 'What's your excuse?'
While many of her 256,000 followers cited her as an 'inspiration' some also accused her of being 'insulting', 'obnoxious' and a 'fat shaming bully'
But she says keeping in shape is a constant struggle because she's not genetically predisposed to looking 'like a model' or 'Barbie doll' |
f9fbf94a03221f3d1cc5d8e53e8d1395d4b59aea | Tuwaitha, Iraq (CNN) -- The shell of former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein's efforts to produce a nuclear bomb is being slowly dismantled along the banks of the Tigris River, but its radioactive legacy lingers on. The Tuwaitha research complex, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) southeast of Baghdad, was bombed by Israel in its 1981 airstrike on Iraq's Tammuz 1 research reactor. It was bombed again during the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and it was looted extensively after the 2003 U.S. invasion that ousted Hussein. Now, engineers and technicians are working to dismantle the laboratories and equipment at the site, but the extensive contamination left behind complicates their work. "It is difficult because of the destruction," said Anwar Ahmed, the project manager at Tuwaitha. "This facility was bombed in 1991. Now, finally the decision was made to decommission all the destroyed facilities." Workers and visitors have to wear protective suits and masks around the facility, where about 20 people are at work so far. Iraq's ministry of Science and Technology said it is training more specialists to decommission the facility, but acknowledged the cleanup could take decades. "We have 18 facilities in Tuwaitha," said Fuad al Musawi, Iraq's deputy science and technology minister. "We have another 10 facilities around the country. So you can imagine how long it will take." Iraq's nuclear ambitions date back to the 1960s, when it obtained a Soviet-built research reactor. It built another, French-designed reactor in the 1970s. Israel's concerns about the program led to the 1981 raid, in which Israeli pilots flew across then-hostile Jordan and a corner of Saudi Arabia to strike the facility. Despite the damage inflicted by that attack, Iraq began attempting to produce enriched uranium -- a step toward producing a nuclear weapon -- during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the U.S.-led Iraq Survey Group reported in 2004. It accelerated that program after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait left it facing an international military coalition that ultimately drove out the Iraqi forces. The bombardment that accompanied the 1991 war inflicted extensive damage to the Tuwaitha plants. The U.N. sanctions and inspections imposed after 1991 forced Hussein's government to abandon its nuclear program, the ISG concluded. After the 2003 invasion, which was launched after the United States incorrectly accused Iraq of having restarted its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs, nearby Iraqis inflicted further damage by looting the unguarded facility. Villagers nearby complained of symptoms that local doctors attributed to radiation sickness, particularly from using containers taken from the plant to store drinking water. The Iraq Survey Group found basements full of radioactive water in some of the buildings, and the U.S. military later spent $70 million ensuring the safe transportation of 550 metric tons of non-weapons grade uranium oxide -- known as "yellowcake" -- to Canada. Some Iraqi scientists still hope to start a civilian nuclear energy program in the future. But for now, Iraq is still grappling with the shadow of its past. | Complex at the center of Saddam Hussein's nuclear efforts slowly being dismantled .
Cleanup could take decades: Tuwaitha complex has 18 facilities .
Dismantling at Tuwaitha made more difficult because of bombing, looting .
Iraq began attempting to produce enriched uranium during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s . |
f9fc9d52f7be130e80e56aed4fd894766c119d83 | Nathan Tinkler will see the majority of his property and racing empire dismantled this week in the country's largest horse sale. The coal investor is reportedly over $40 million in debt to Magic Millions boss Gerry Harvey, who initiated the dispersal sale of Mr Tinkler's Patinack Farm property at his Gold Coast sale yard on Sunday. The sale will end Mr Tinkler's foray into horse breeding and racing, but will hopefully pave the way towards financial stability, with the first day at auction seeing over $21 million in sales. The auction was the first of four organised by Mr Harvey for the 447-hectare Patinack Farm property in Beaudesert, Queensland, and includes more than 500 breeding and racing thoroughbreds. The property will be available in quarter portions, comprising Wadham Park, Elysium Fields, Sarahvale and Benoble estates. Mr Tinkler invested a staggering $300 million into the property, which took six years to build, before Patinack Farm was sequestered by Mr Harvey in August. The auction was the first of four organised by Mr Harvey for the 447-hectare Patinack Farm property in Beaudesert, Queensland, and includes more than 500 breeding and racing thoroughbreds. The property will be available in quarter portions, comprising Wadham Park, Elysium Fields, Sarahvale and Benoble estates. Mr Tinkler invested a staggering $300 million into the property, which took six years to build, before it was sequestered by Mr Harvey in August. Earlier in the year the property was reported to be in sale negotiations with overseas interest, but the sale did not see fruition. The deal would have allowed Mr Tinkler to continue his proposed investment in Peabody Coal for the Wilkie Creek mine. There were high hopes for the sale, with expectations of at least one thoroughbred going under the hammer for $1 million. The horses up for auction included Hooked, the winner of last week's Newcastle Cameron Handicap. Nathan Tinkler at the Magic Millions sale yard, as his Patinack Farm property is dispersed at auction . Mr Tinkler reportedly owes Magic Millions boss Gerry Harvey over $40 million . Mr Tinkler attended the dispersal sale with Mr Harvey, as did representatives for Gai Waterhouse, David Hayes, Chris Waller and Anthony Cummings. The largest sale for Patinack was $850, 000 for lot 455, Bel Mer, who is in foal to champion thoroughbred All Too Hard, who was also purchased by South Australian breeding operation Goldin Farms. Other top sellers included Dreams and Wishes, bought by John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud for $700,000. Mr Tinkler attended the dispersal sale with Mr Harvey, as did representatives for Gai Waterhouse, David Hayes, Chris Waller and Anthony Cummings. Former Magic Millions co-owner John Singleton was spotted with Mr Tinkler and Mr Harvey. The coal magnate purchased thoroughbreds from France, Australia, and New Zealand during a financially critical time for the racing industry. The property achieved only mild success in the racing industry, with many of it's employees working at Patinack for a short time before moving on, despite employing up to 200 people at peak. In 2012 there were claims that suppliers had not been reimbursed, resulting in animals going without feed. John Thompson, Patinack's former horse trainer, claimed further that the horses had not received veterinary attention for weeks at a time, The Herald reported. The sale of horses will continue until Wednesday, and the Patinack Canungra premises will be auctioned on October 23rd followed by three other property sections in the Hunter Valley and greater Victoria. The property achieved only mild success in the racing industry, with many of it's employees working at Patinack for a short time before moving on, despite employing up to 200 people at peak. In 2012 there were claims that suppliers had not been reimbursed, resulting in animals going without feed. The sale of horses will continue until Wednesday, and the Patinack Canungra premises will be auctioned on October 23rd followed by three other property sections in the Hunter Valley and greater Victoria. | Coal investor Nathan Tinkler will see his racing empire dismantled in Australia's largest horse sale .
The first of four auction days saw over $21 million in horse sales .
The horses up for auction included Hooked, the winner of last week's Newcastle Cameron Handicap.
Property to be sold at auction on October 23rd . |
f9fcdf6aa215cce32ed335c8ae5359c0ba2532dc | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 06:30 EST, 24 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:15 EST, 24 May 2012 . A man has reportedly claimed he lured six-year-old Etan Patz with candy, before stabbing him to death and chopping up his body - nearly 33 years after the boy vanished as he walked to the bus from his Manhattan home. Pedro Hernandez, who worked as a shopkeeper and lived just blocks from Etan at the time of the boy's disappearance, reportedly told police he dumped the youngster's remains in the garbage. Investigators swooped on him in Camden, New Jersey on Wednesday evening after a relative tipped off police that Hernandez had admitted to killing a boy shortly after Etan vanished. Missing: Six-year-old Etan Patz vanished on the way to the school bus in 1979 and has never been found. Police have questioned a man who claims he stabbed the boy and dumped his body . The relative only called police after investigators excavated the basement of Othniel Miller, a handyman who had known Etan, in search for evidence last month. None was found. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said in a statement on Thursday that the man 'has made statements to NYPD detectives implicating himself in the disappearance and death of Etan Patz 33 years ago' Commissioner Kelly added that further details would be released later today. According to a source speaking to The New York Post, Hernandez told investigators he had enticed the boy with sweets, stabbed him, cut up his body and put him in plastic bags. But in a conflicting report from The Associated Press, another source said Hernandez claimed he suffocated the boy and left the body in a box in a Manhattan alleyway. After moving to New Jersey shortly after, Hernandez told family members he had killed a boy but did not mention his name, sources said. He also told a spiritual adviser in the 1980s about killing a child. The confession led a relative to call police after the high-profile search of Miller's SoHo basement. Unsolved: Etan Patz vanished on the way to the school bus in SoHo, New York City in May 1978 . Police told DNAinfo.com they have no hard evidence to support the confession. But if true, the claims - which come almost exactly 33 years after Etan vanished - could solve a case that shocked America and raised awareness of the plight of missing children across the country. It will also bring closure to Etan's parents, Julie and Stanley, who have not moved from their SoHo home since his disappearance in the hope that he will someday return. The revelations come a day short of the anniversary of his disappearance; he was last seen on May 25, 1979 as he walked to the bus stop - the first time his parents had let him go alone. It sparked an international manhunt and he became the first child whose 'missing' photo appeared on the side of a milk carton. May 25 is now National Missing Children's Day. He was officially declared dead in 2001. In May 2010, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said they were taking a fresh look at the decades-old case of the missing six-year-old. Questions: In the 1980s, Jose Ramos, right, was identified as a prime suspect but no hard evidence has ever linked him to the crime. Last month, police searched the basement of handyman Othniel Miller, left . Search: In April, police swooped on Miller's basement - under the blue tarp - in a renewed search for evidence . Just weeks ago, police launched an intensive search for the missing boy when they dug up the basement workshop of Miller, who knew the six-year-old from the area. Miller, now 75, was questioned several times by police after his ex-wife told them about the alleged rape of his niece. He 'sky rocketed to the top of the list' of suspects after the claims, police said. The missing boy's mother, Julie Patz, was also said to have told agents to look again at the handyman, who befriended Etan before he vanished and hired Ramos to do odd jobs for him. Concrete had been laid over the foundation of the basement shortly after the youngster vanished - but the search did not yield any new evidence. When authorities told Miller cadaver dogs picked up the scent of human remains at his basement he allegedly blurted out: 'What if the body was moved?' In light of the claims by Hernandez, Michael Farkas, Miller's lawyer, told the Post he 'has said all along that Miller had nothing to do with the case'. Renewed search: The FBI searched the basement belonging to Miller, a handyman who knew Etan from the area, after his ex-wife claimed he had raped his niece. The search yielded no new evidence . Hope: Investigators sent off concrete, which was laid down shortly after Etan's disappearance, for analysis . '[Miller] has nothing to do with this latest suspect, that I know of,' Farkas added. While no one has ever been arrested or charged with Etan's disappearance, Jose Ramos - a drifter whose girlfriend was the boy's babysitter - was identified as a prime suspect in 1985. Jailed for an unrelated crime, Ramos, 68, later told a prison cell mate he knew every stop of the bus route that took Etan to school and knew the six-year-old got off at the third stop. He admitted to taking a boy back to his apartment to rape him on the day Etan disappeared, but he said he let the boy go. He said he was '90 per cent sure' it was the same boy he later saw on TV. No hard evidence has linked him to the crime. He is now in a Pennsylvania jail on a 20-year sentence for abusing two boys and is due to be released in November. Etan's father has previously said: 'Jose Antonio Ramos is the man who abducted my child. We lost our child to a pedophile, and that's not comprehensible.' Pain: Stanley Patz, Etan's father, watched over the search from the family's home half a block away . Grief: Julie Patz watches the search for clues to her son's disappearance in April from her window . Family: After the disappearance in 1979, Julie Patz, left, appeared on a number of TV shows to try to find her son. Right, Stan Patz, holds a photo of Etan as he poses with his other son Ari . Along with Etan's mother Julie, Stanley Patz watched over the search in April from their apartment just half a block away. They have never moved from their home, in the hope their son would one day find his way back. Nor have they changed their phone number, as Etan knew it off by heart. His father said another reason they did not want to move was because of their other two children, Shira, who was eight at the time of the disappearance, and Ari, two. Stanley and Julie Patz have continued to fight for a legal resolution to their son’s death. In 2000 they spoke with CBS's 60 Minutes about their refusal to give up hope. Julie Patz said at the time: 'We have his belongings all over the house. To put them away, it seems to us and to our children that he's gone and he's not coming back.' Convinced that Ramos is guilty of the crime, Stan Patz sends him a copy of the missing child poster twice a year with the words 'What have you done with my little boy' written on the back. Police said they expect to provide further details on the new developments later today. Etan’s disappearance came before a time when the faces of missing children would peer out from milk cartons and TV movies explored a seeming epidemic of vanishing children. The only small comfort his parents ever received from their son's abduction was knowing that it had become the catalyst in the search for missing children. His disappearance prompted such an extensive search that by 1985, it had taken in the whole of America, parts of Europe and even reached Israel. May 25, the day Etan disappeared, is National Missing Children's Day, which was named by President Reagan in 1983 in honor of the missing six-year-old. An entire network for tracking missing children emerged since then, including Amber Alerts and pictures on milk cartons - Etan's was the first picture of a missing child to ever be put on a milk carton. After 30 years the case is still officially open and the world has never forgotten the face of the blue-eyed, blond-haired boy who captivated a nation. Each administration since Reagan has honored the annual reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families and make child protection a national priority. On the day he disappeared, the school noted Etan's absence but did not notify his parents. It wasn't until 3.30pm his mother Julie realized he was missing and called police. His father Stan, a professional photographer, dispatched black-and-white photographs of Etan in an effort to find him. The massive search and media attention that followed focused the nation’s attention on the problem of child abduction and lack of plans to address it after it became apparent there was no coordinated effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement, no national response system in place and no central resource to help searching families. Etan's parents have since become outspoken advocates for missing children. For years, they refused to change their phone number, in the hope that Etan was alive somewhere, and might call. They never moved in the hope he would return home. | Pedro Hernandez lived just blocks from Etan when he disappeared .
Told investigators he thew Etan's body parts into garbage after slaying .
Police tipped off by relative who said Hernandez had confessed to the crime .
Comes just weeks after the four-day excavation of handyman Othniel Miller's SoHo basement, where police found no new evidence .
Revelations come nearly 33 years to the day since Etan disappeared - and could solve one of the country's most enduring missing children cases . |
f9fd025efff4e48d80d2cdd86b834c60733db3e2 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- North Korea's sanction-hit regime has long been accused of drug trafficking as a source of hard currency, but a new report claims drug producers are finding a ready market closer to home and that as many as two-thirds of North Koreans have used methamphetamines. According to a report in the Spring 2013 edition of the journal North Korean Review, stricter China border controls have forced methamphetamine producers in the north to seek a local market for "ice" (known locally as "bingdu"). The report's co-author, Professor Kim Seok Hyang, of South Korea's Ewha Woman's University, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that interviews with North Korean defectors suggested that the country is in the grip of an "ice" plague. "Some informants are saying almost every adult in North Korea around the China-North Korea border are using methamphetamine," she said, adding that the drug was often used as a palliative in place of hard-to-obtain prescription medicine. "Actually, the hospital medical system (has) stopped for such a long time, so they need something to cure their pain ... physical pain," she said. "But once they get addicted to methamphetamine, there's no way for them to get out of it." The North Korean regime releases no official figures on drug addiction and Professor Kim said the scale of the problem could not be statistically verified. "But almost everybody in my interview is saying so, especially those who left North Korea after 2009," she told the ABC. She said that interviewees told her the drug could be ordered casually and easily in restaurants, and that it had become difficult to control since it had become the drug of choice of high-ranking officials and the police. While readily available, however, informants told her it was still expensive and did not indicate that North Korea had a greater level of disposable income for recreational drug use. "Using methamphetamine does not mean they have enough money to dispose (of)," Professor Kim said. "They had to get it with all the money they have." North Korea has been widely rumored to manufacture high-grade methamphetamine as a state policy for generating hard cash. Estimates on how much North Korea generates through illegal activities such as arms trades, drug sales and counterfeiting are speculative, but reports say Pyongyang's shadowy "Room 39" directs illicit trade that generates millions for the nation's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. | Report claims North Korean drug producers are finding a ready market closer to home .
North Korea Review says as many as two-thirds of North Koreans have used methamphetamines .
Author says interviewees told her the border regions of North Korea are awash with drugs .
Interviewees say methamphetamines used as a palliative in lieu of prescription drugs . |
f9fd56fca8566c49764be9d3f0594cc8b359cb8a | A British adventurer has battled treacherous seas capsizing five times to become the first person to paddle solo from Japan to Alaska. Sarah Outen, 28, arrived in Adak in the Aleutian Islands last night . after taking 150 days to row some 3,750 nautical miles in her boat Happy Socks. Ms . Outen, from Rutland, believes she is the first person . to complete the voyage which saw her propose to her girlfriend Lucy . Allen, 27, on a satellite phone, on the way. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . She did it! Adventurer Sarah Outen has made landfall in Alaska and is pictured celebrating with Champagne . Success: Ms Outen arrived in Adak in the Aleutian Islands after taking 150 days to row 3,750 nautical miles . 'I have had some of the most intense and memorable months of my life out on the Pacific,' she said. 'It has been brilliant and brutal at the same time. And it has been a privilege. 'But . I have pushed myself to my absolute limits both physically and mentally . to make land here in Alaska, and body and mind are now exhausted.' The . rower capsized five times during her journey and was . confined to her cabin for days because of the perilous conditions. Plummeting . temperatures and poor light made rowing 'incredibly demanding', she . said, and towards the end of the trip, she narrowly missed being struck . by a cargo ship. Exhausted: She is pictured rowing into shore following the 'most intense and memorable months' of her life . Support: Locals in Adak welcome Sarah as she rowed ashore 'crying and grinning' last night . But she still managed to propose to her girlfriend Lucy, a farmer from Blewbury, Oxfordshire, from the middle of the ocean. 'I cannot wait to be with Lucy again,' she said, as she arrived on dry land. Ms . Outen has kept her army of Twitter followers up-to-date throughout her . journey and revealed she 'cried and grinned' as she rowed ashore, . welcomed by locals. Yesterday she tweeted: 'Wobbled my way ashore, patted Happy Socks. Then hugged... Relief. Joy. Disbelief. Happy, happy days'. She added: 'Hot bath, food and bed. A dry one that doesn't roll. There's a storm tonight. We got in just in time. Phew.' Home from home: Sarah drys her socks in the afternoon sun on her makeshift washing line on board . Phoning in: She kept in touch using a satellite phone from her cabin where she stored her food and slept . Cabin time: Ms Outen is the first woman and the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean . It . is the second time Ms Outen has attempted such a feat. Last year she . attempted to cross the Pacific but was forced to abandon her challenged . when she was caught in a tropical storm. Her boat Gulliver was badly damaged after being battered by 15 metre high waves and 80mph winds. This . time she planned to paddle from Japan to Canada but changed her route to land in the Aleutian Islands a couple of weeks ago when she was battered by more high winds and . bad weather. Speaking from sea earlier this year, she told MailOnline about the first time she capsized on her latest leg, which began in April. She said: 'The first time was a bit of a relief actually because I was very nervous about it. All . alone: She plots her journey from her cabin. She stores six months . worth of food on board and uses a desalination machine to convert . seawater into drinking water to cook, drink and wash . Charity: . Sarah's aim is to raise more than £100,000 in sponsorship for her good . causes - CoppaFeel!, The Jubilee Sailing Trust, MNDA and WaterAid . Rescue: . Sarah first attempted the row in May last year, but the challenge was . cut short when she hit a typhoon several hundred miles off the coast of . Japan. She is pictured here being rescued by the Japanese coastguard . She was forced to abandon her boat Gulliver after being battered by 15 metre high waves and 80mph winds . Rescuers help Sarah to safety after her boat capsized more than 20 times and suffered irreparable damage . 'Last . year I capsized 20 times and it was really a frightening experience to . be in the cabin with the water coming in, so I was quite nervous about . it.' Ms . Outen's trip forms part of a round-the-world expedition. She hopes to . eventually circle the globe using only human power: cycling, rowing and . kayaking more than 20,000 miles. She . embarked on the challenge in April 2011 and the first year saw her . cycle and kayak more than 11,000 miles from London to Choshi, Japan. Next year she will return to the Aleutian Islands to kayak to mainland Alaska. She aims to raise more than £100,000 for charity. Sarah is aiming to raise more than . £100,000 in sponsorship for her good causes - CoppaFeel!, The Jubilee . Sailing Trust, MNDA and WaterAid. To sponsor her click here. | Sarah Outen arrived in Adak, Alaska last night after 150 days at sea .
Attempt is part of challenge to loop the globe using human power . |
f9fddb91605a7e4e1ef244fa9e33ba38a1134d62 | An 87-year-old Maryland man has been killed by his pit bull at home as he took down the family Christmas tree, according to police in Frederick County. Police and animal control were called to the home of Eugene Smith on Wednesday last week and found the 84-pound rescue dog still mauling him. They managed to pull the dog off from the attack but it was too late for Smith, who was taken to hospital where he he later succumbed to his injuries. The dog was taken to an animal shelter where it was later destroyed. Scroll Down for Video . Animal lover: Eugene Smith is pictured here with his milk delivery truck. The 87-year-old was popular in the neighborhood and known for taking in stray animals . The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said that Smith was lying on the ground taking the tree down when the dog attacked him. Deputies said that the dog was a stray who Smith had taken in to his rural home, where he lived with his son and his son's fianceé. Smith, who still worked as a milk delivery truck driver, was said to love his canine companion and his friends told WJLA that it would sometimes sleep in the same bed as him. Sgt. David Luckenbaugh with Frederick County Animal Control said that they had no complaints from neighbors about the dog. 'We had no call history to that address, no complaints involving that dog and the dog didn't come in through our shelter,' said Luckenbaugh to the Frederick News Post. 'Our initial indications are that the attack was unprovoked, the victim didn't do any specific thing to cause that to happen.' Attack: Eugene Smith was fatally mauled on Wednesday while he attempted to take down the family Christmas tree . Frederick County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Deputy First Class Amanda Hatcher describes the dog attack that killed 87-year-old Eugene Smith . His colleagues said that Smith, or Smitty had worked for more than 60 years and that the animal lover would keep a stash of biscuits for all the cats and dogs that lived along his route from Maryland to Wisconsin. Medical examiners said that Smith suffered severe injuries to his head and upper body. Luckenbaugh told the Frederick News Post that his officers were working to discover where Smith took the dog in from and who previously owned it, but said that there would be no charges. According to Opposing Views, pit bulls are more than six times as likely to attack their owner as any other breed. This is known as Pit Disloyalty Phenomenon (PDP) and has been known about by the canine lobby for 25 years. However, the pro-pit bull lobby has said that this is nonsense and the breed suffers from poor PR. | Eugene Smith was fatally attacked by his rescued dog on Wednesday .
Smith, 87, had reportedly brought the stray into his home after finding it .
The milk delivery truck driver was a well known lover of animals . |
f9ff4ebfacdd0e8da29762d13ee3f2b06ffe873a | Outrage: BBC Director General Tony Hall, pictured, pledged to cap payout deals following public anger at the amount spent on redundancy packages . The BBC has paid out more than £10million to staff in golden goodbyes over the last decade before giving them new jobs at the corporation. The cost of the ‘revolving door’ payroll emerged only days after the BBC was made exempt from a government crackdown on the practice. NHS bosses and council leaders were last week told they would be stripped of their ‘unfair’ redundancy packages if they were later rehired. But the BBC was not included in the legislation to ‘protect its independence’, despite repeated criticism of the huge severance deals handed to departing members of staff. The revelation about the extent of spending on rehired staff will heap further pressure on bosses at the corporation to explain the use of licence fee money. Figures from the corporation revealed that 286 full-time staff made redundant in the last 12 years and re-employed on permanent or fixed-term contracts received £10,230,905 in payouts. Although the average payment was just under £36,000, some senior figures have been re-employed despite receiving payoffs of up to £365,000, . The BBC last night defended the payouts, claiming it has strict rules in place preventing recently departed staff from being employed again. Contracted staff are not allowed to be employed for a year after their initial employment has ended, while freelance staff must wait three months. However, the corporation’s head of human resources or three directors can bypass these rules in ‘exceptional circumstances’. The BBC has not disclosed how many times such exceptional cases have been permitted. TaxPayers’ Alliance director John O’Connell accused the BBC of ‘wasteful behaviour’. He said: ‘This lucrative revolving door must grind to a halt. This is a totally inappropriate use of the licence fee and is costing hard-pressed families a pretty penny.’ Under new rules announced by the Treasury last week, officials earning over £100,000 a year who take another job in the same public sector area within a year will have to pay back their redundancy package. But exceptions were made in the cases of the BBC, Bank of England and the Armed Forces. Back in the building: Almost 300 employees who were made redundant in the last 12 years were given redundancy payouts totalling more than £10million, but were later re-hired on permanent or fix-term contracts . Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: ‘In acknowledgement of its independence from Government, the BBC is not subject to the clawback measures I announced last week. ‘However, I am writing separately to the BBC to explain the measures we have put in place. People will expect it to have in place measures at least as stringent as the ones I announced and that they will be implemented rigorously.’ Criticism of the six-figure salaries routinely handed to senior BBC figures led to Tony Hall capping severance payments at £150,000 last year. A National Audit Report in 2013 found senior BBC managers received a total of £25million in severance deals between 2009 and 2012. Embattled director general George Entwistle was given a £470,000 severance deal after resigning in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal despite completing only 54 days of work. A BBC spokesman said: ‘Our rules are stricter than the civil service and during a 12-year period it is inevitable that a small number of staff will leave and re-join the BBC.’ | Almost 300 employees made redundant since 2002 were later re-hired .
The full-time staff were given payouts totalling more than £10million .
BBC said it was 'inevitable' that some staff would rejoin the Corporation . |
f9ff710b156e45af8351ca611a87a078ebe283bc | Prince Harry joined crowds of thirsty ale-lovers to attend the Great British Beer festival in London yesterday afternoon. The 29-year-old sported a baseball cap and chinos to attend the event and drifted between stands of cider and craft beers with a group of friends. He was among thousands of beer-enthusiasts at the event held in west London's Olympia, a stone's throw from Kensington Palace. Scroll down for video . Prince Harry was seen at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia in west London yesterday afternoon . Inconspicuously dressed, the royal joined groups of Druids and drag artists at the festival which showcased more than 1,000 beers. He and a small group of friends were even seen taking part in pub games including Shut The Box - a traditional board game. Staff holder John Craye said it was only after the group had visited the games that he realised he had served royalty. He said: 'I was quite tempted to say to this gentleman that he looked quite a lot like Prince Harry, but I thought quite a lot of people tell him that. 'I was somewhat surprised to learn after that it was indeed him.' Beer drinkers dressed as priests toast the penultimate day of the Great British Beer Festival in west London . A barmaid dressed as a bunny with union jack ears stands behind two of the thousands of beers on offer . Beer-drinkers enjoy the wide variety of beverages on offer and have even come up with a way to make sure they never have an empty glass (right) A woman enjoys a pale lager at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia in west London this afternoon . Mr Craye said Harry was dolling out tips on how to win to the rest of the group, though it's not known whether or not they took home first prize - a jumper with a picture of the Queen emblazoned on the front. He added: 'Prince Harry was here to have a good time like the other 20,000 visitors to the festival so far this week. 'He just wanted to be treated like a normal person.' It is believed the Prince spent around two hours at the festival. Fellow stall holder Les White said that although Harry did not have a glass in his hand during his visit to the stall, he believed the Prince had already sampled some of the beers. The festival attracts thousands of beer-lovers every year and showcases more than 1,000 varieties of the drink . One of the 11 brewery bars at the event which attracted more than 20,000 people last year . Mr White said: 'I looked over and I thought "Wow - he really looks like Prince Harry". 'At first I thought he was a lookalike. 'He and his friends were definitely enjoying themselves.' The festival runs from August 12-16 and attracted around 20,000 people last year. There are 11 brewery bars and thousands of beers, ciders and perries for guests to try. Visitors can take part in beer tasting tutorials and sample food from vendors scattered across the arena. Organiser Ian Hill said: 'He certainly seemed to be having a good time with his friends, enjoying the real ales on offer and even trying his hand at some traditional pub games. The royal was seen by staff enjoying pub games with his friends and wandering between bars at the event . Earlier in the week Prince Harry introduced the British team for the inaugural Invictus Games with a speech . 'We would happily invite him to visit the festival again in the future.' Earlier in the week the Prince announced the 130-member team taking part in his inaugural Invictus Games. Made up of veterans and members of the armed forces, the British team will take on 13 other countries in the contest for wounded servicemen and women in September. Kensington Palace declined to comment on his attending the Great British Beer Festival this afternoon. | Prince Harry was seen at the beer festival at Olympia in west London .
The 29-year-old wore a baseball cap and chinos for the low-key outing .
Was seen enjoying pub games with friends at event with over 1,000 beers . |
f9ff7d36829e0bab45405584132e52be8e6db99d | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 07:54 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:53 EST, 1 February 2013 . People hoping to start a new relationship can generally expect a prospective partner will come with baggage of some kind. But Lisa Smith comes with one of the tallest orders of all - no sex. Ever. Speaking with Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes on the ITV This Morning sofa today, Lisa confessed she 'hopes to find a man who is wiling to embrace her asexuality'. While she is willing to extend intimacy to levels of cuddling, she finds the act of sex itself completely repellent. Scroll down for video . Lisa's first sexual experience was with 'someone I trusted who was wonderful, but I saw it as a chore' Sitting with ITV psychologist Emma Kelly, Lisa said: 'I don't think anything's ever set completely in stone, but this is how I feel now.' Her teenage years at school were difficult, especially in sex education. 'It didn't seem like something I would ever do. I was embarrassed because everyone was giggling - especially girls. 'I saw it as a coming of age thing - something I wanted to get it out the way.' Speaking about her first sexual experience Lisa said: 'I was in a relationship with someone I trusted who was wonderful, but I saw it as a chore and I didn't want to do it. After trying everything in the bedroom to rid her of her disgust for the act she still felt repulsed . 'It was a case of "I want to be with him, and I have to do this in order to be with him".' 'All my partners were patient men willing to do anything to make me happy. They didn't pressure into anything.' But, she says, even after trying everything in the bedroom to rid her of her disgust for the act she still felt repulsed and found sex didn't 'do anything' for her. Emma Kelly said asexuality affects one per cent of the population in the UK - so it's a lot more common than people might think. Lisa said she gets frustrated when people say maybe she 'hasn't met the right man', she's 'not doing it right', or that maybe she just 'likes women but hasn't realised it yet'.' Lisa wants to settle down but thinks being 'an asexual vegan who doesn't want kids' will hold her back . 'I'd love to be in a loving relationship and settle down,' she said. 'But the extent of intimacy would be cuddling.' When asked about her hopes for the future and finding a man to settle down with, Lisa's reply reveals her fears. 'I'm an asexual vegan who doesn't want kids - I'm thinking crazy cat lady.' 'I want to get married and have a house - but no sex.' She then admitted it was a 'tall order'. Psychologist Emma jumped in and said 'people underestimate men' and this is 'an opportunity'. While it's a 'tall order', psychologist Emma said people underestimate men and this is 'an opportunity' Lisa said that if she met the man of her dreams and he wanted sex, she would say no. 'I would have to tell them from the beginning. I'd feel like I was compromising myself and I would detest them for making me do something I don't want to do.' Since her article for the Mail, Lisa said she's had really positive response from AVEN [the Asexual Visibility and Education Network]. 'A lot of them don't feel they can come forward and say it,' she said. But, unfortunately, she said she has also had some 'horrible' comments, like: 'You can't get a man and this is how you cover it up'. She finished on a final hopeful note that 'there are people who physically can't have sex and still have relationships', and that 'it's harder of men to admit to it as "being up for it" is expected of them 24/7'. An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Unlike celibacy, which people choose, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are. Asexuality does not make our lives any worse or any better, we just face a different set of challenges than most sexual people. There is considerable diversity among the asexual community; each asexual person experiences things like relationships, attraction, and arousal somewhat differently. Asexuality is just beginning to be the subject of scientific research. SOURCE: AVEN . Watch our clip of Lisa's interview on This Morning below. The full video will be available on the ITV website. | Vegan Lisa, 29, from Buckinghamshire, who doesn't want kids, hopes to find a man who will embrace her asexuality .
Says she wants potential partner to accept cuddling as extent of intimacy .
If the man of her dreams wanted sex she would say no. 'I'd feel like I was compromising myself and I would detest them for it'
Since writing for the Mail Lisa has heard from other asexuals but also had spiteful comments like: 'You can't get a man and this is how you cover it up' |
f9ffad6bdb3d4ffd17ff29523463ec3cae7ddc49 | One year on from when Danica Weeks lost the love of her life, none of her yearning questions have yet been answered. Ms Weeks and her two sons are among the grieving family members who lost loved ones in the tragic and baffling disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. In a candid interview airing this Tuesday on SBS Dateline, the mother tells of her families gruelling year without their devoted husband and father Paul Weeks. Scroll down for video . In a candid interview airing next week on Dateline, 40-year-old Danica Weeks describes the agony of losing the love of her life on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 . Paul Weeks (pictured) boarded the routine passenger flight on March 8, 2014. Mrs Weeks has revealed the agony of constantly wondering what happened to him . On March 8, 2014, 39-year-old Paul Weeks boarded seat 1C, business class, on the routine passenger flight which departed from Kuala Lumpur and was bound for Beijing. The 40-year-old-mother will describe the agony of constantly wondering what happened to him on the program. She's frustrated with Malaysian authorities, claiming they've simply refused to answer her questions. 'They just won't tell us. I can only hope we get something, anything,' she says while fighting back tears in a trailer for the program. 'They are wanting to put this aside. In their own words - to move beyond MH370. How do you move? We don't get to move beyond! We will never get to move beyond. So how can they just move beyond this and forget about it?' The program will also tracks the developments, false alarms and disappointments in the year-long hunt for MH370 through Mrs Weeks's eyes. Despite the most expensive search and rescue operation in history, not a single trace of the plane, or its passengers and crew has been found. Ms Weeks was left with the harrowing task of explaining to her two sons what happened to their father . Danica Weeks still can't fathom how Malaysia Flight 370 disappeared and took away her husband on March 8 . Paul Weeks is among the 239 lost souls on the MH370 aircraft, which still remains missing . In an interview with The Weekend Australian in September, the 40-year-old says her life stopped the moment she was informed that her 39-year-old husband was among the 239 lost souls when Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crashed into a remote area of the southern Indian Ocean. This wasn't part of their grand plan - of moving to Perth, leading a simple family life and most importantly growing old together. The couple first met 14 years ago at Oktoberfest in Munich. From then on, romance blossomed and they pair lived together in London until they relocated to Christchurch in New Zealand - Mr Weeks' hometown. But following the earthquakes, they decided to make the move to Perth in 2011 where they wanted to settle down and raise their two kids. On March 8, Mr Weeks boarded MH370 so he could make his way to Mongolia to start his new fly-in-fly-out job as a mechanical engineer. His precious final moments are ingrained in Mrs Weeks' memories, as she revealed that her husband gave her his watch and wedding ring amid concerns that something may happen to him at the mining site. He requested the wedding ring was to go to the first son who gets married and the watch to the second. But for now, Mrs Weeks keeps the ring close to her heart by wearing it around her neck. 'Every night now I go home and it's lonely, it's very lonely. When you've had someone there for 14 years, how do you keep going when they're gone?' The mother-of-two with her boys Lincoln, 4, and Jack, 1 at their Perth home . While Mrs Weeks herself isn't able to put piece the puzzle together herself, she was left with the harrowing task of explaining to her two sons what happened to their father. For eldest son Lincoln, who's understood that his daddy has gone to work forever, he's left anxious that the same will happen to his mother. 'That's why I won't rest until I find out what happened to Pauly. That's why I won't let [Malaysia Airlines] treat him like a seat number. I have to keep him alive. And I won't rest until we find out what happened to him and to everyone else on that plane,' she said. As for the second devastating Malaysia Airlines disaster, where a plane flying over the Russian-Ukraine conflict was shot down on July 17 and claimed 298 lives, the pain of loss and bewilderment hit too close to home for Mrs Week. 'Just feel so heart broken, all over again, for all the families of MH17,' she wrote on her Facebook. The 39-year-old mechanical engineer, from New Zealand, was a dedicated father to his two sons . On board the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 were 12 crew members and 227 passengers . Meanwhile, the search continues for the doomed Boeing 777 as air crash investigators hope to further narrow down the planned search area to find the aircraft within the next year. The plane vanished with 12 crew members and 227 passengers on board after it departed Kuala Lumpar in Malaysia to Beijing in China. Upon several failed aerial searches to spot any wreckage from the airliner,experts have studied radar and satellite data in a bid to close in on the crash site. Dateline: Where's Dad? Life For The Family Of Missing MH370 Passenger will air on Tuesday at 9.30pm on SBS ONE . | Paul Weeks disappeared on the Malaysia Airlinesflight MH370 .
Wife Danica Weeks has described the agony of losing her husband .
She's frustrated with Malaysian authorities, claiming they've ignored her .
She found out by a text message that her husband had likely been killed .
She was left to tell her sons the harrowing news of their father .
Ms Weeks is still waiting for confirmation on what happened on MH370 . |
fa002f7db7bb4fbc456b532e49eeaa9267446717 | If Phil Collins has taught us anything, it is that You Can't Hurry Love - especially when its a love of collecting historical artifacts from a Wild West battle almost 180 years ago. After spending his life scouring the earth for memorabilia from the Battle of the Alamo, the Genesis singer appears to have finally completed his quest ... and is donating the trove to a Texas museum. The 63-year-old Genesis singer-drummer joked he'd spent 'all the money that I made from music' on 200-plus pieces related to the battle where 1,500 Mexican troops laid siege to 200 Texans in 1836. The Alamo: After spending his life scouring the earth for memorabilia from the Battle of the Alamo, the Genesis singer appears to have finally completed his quest ... and is donating the trove to a Texas museum . Homecoming: Collins made the announcement under the shadow of the Alamo itself in Texas . 'Some people would buy Ferraris, some . people would buy houses, I bought old bits of metal and old bits of . paper,' Collins said. 'It's at my home, in my basement in Switzerland. I . look at it every day, but no one else was enjoying it.' Collins . has been an Alamo aficionado since growing up in London and watching . actor Fess Parker portray Davy Crockett in 1955 Disney miniseries, 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'. The series chronicled the frontier legend of Crockett, who eventually died as one of the defenders of the Alamo. 'I've . had a love affair with this place since I was about 5 years old,' said . Collins, who sweated in a button-down shirt and spectacles before a . cheering crowd of dignitaries and tourists who gathered in front of the . Alamo for the occasion. 'It was something that I used to go and play in . the garden with my soldiers.' Last stand: The 'last stand' at the Alamo on March 6, 1836 came after a small band of Americans held out for 13 days against the army of Mexican dictator General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (pictured: a painting of the battle which hangs at the museum) Lifelong passion: Collins, 63, said he became fascinated with the Alamo story when he was growing up in the 1950s watching the television series 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier' starring Fess Parker (right) as the eponymous hero (pictured with co-star Buddy Ebsen) Collins . said his favorite artifact was also his first, purchased for him in the . 1990s by his then-wife: a receipt for the sale of the saddle of John W. Smith, an Alamo messenger who rode through Mexican lines and pleaded . for reinforcements before the battle. The collection also includes a rifle owned by Crockett, his leather shot pouch and a pair of powder horns Crockett is believed to have given to a Mexican officer before his death — as well as muskets and musket balls that belonged to Mexican soldiers. Cherished: For 178 years, the Battle of the Alamo has been one of America's most cherished historical events and has been re-enacted in film on numerous occasions, including in the 2004 movie, The Alamo (pictured) Another important relic is Jim Bowie's famous knife with which he is reputed to have fought tirelessly, killing many Mexicans during the onslaught. It was after him that the Bowie knife was named. In 2012, the year after he announced . his retirement from music because of health problems caused by drumming, . Collins wrote a 384-page book, The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector's . Journey. For 178 years, the Battle of the Alamo has been one of America's most cherished historical events. Celebrated . in song, story and cinema, the story of heroism against all the odds . helped define the young nation's pursuit of liberty. The 'last stand' at the Alamo on March 6, 1836 came after a small band of Americans held out for 13 days against the army of Mexican dictator General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The leaders of the group included Davy Crockett (pictured), already famous as a frontiersman, storyteller and crack shot, and James Bowie, known for his distinctive knife. It has long been part of the Alamo legend that Crockett died fighting. News of the resistance helped garner support among the rebels, who defeated Santa Anna's army at the Battle of San Jacinto amid cries of 'Remember the Alamo!' The historic victory cemented the status of the newly formed Republic of Texas. The legend was firmly established by the 1955 Disney TV show in which the hero was seen swinging an empty rifle as the hordes of Mexican soldiers closed in for the kill. It has since been the subject of a host of Hollywood movies, including a 1960 John Wayne epic and a . 2004 version with Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton. He added: 'I'm . just an enthusiastic amateur. What I know is out there to be learned, . it's just that I took the time to do it, because of the book and to find . out what I was buying.' Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said Collins would pay to ship the artifacts to Texas with the understanding that the state would use public funding and private donations to eventually spruce up the Alamo site — including erecting a building to house the collection. In the meantime, some items will be displayed as soon as October. The collection is worth millions but Collins said, 'Being British, we don't talk about that kind of thing.'He promised to keep buying artifacts and 'once I've lived with whatever I buy for a month, I'll ship it over here.' He told the Guardian: 'I'm not extravagant in other ways, I live a very simple . life. Pretty simple. I mean, I came down here from New York in a private . plane so it's not that simple. But on the other hand, I don't buy . extravagant items like cars, expensive houses, jewellery. I've got no . other expensive interests. My interests, for the last 25 years anyway, . have been relics, buying things that are attached to something that I . feel very interested about. Even I have a limit … I was offered . something once for a million dollars.' He said his love affair with the battle itself centred on the fact that 'people came here and made a stand here – for good or bad'. 'That's another . political can of worms,' he told the paper. 'But for good or bad they came here knowing . they were going to die, hoping they weren't but knowing they probably . would, and that appealed to me even at six or seven, the idea of being . that brave.' Collins mostly retired from music in 2011 but first came to the Alamo in 1973, while on his first U.S. tour with Genesis. He, singer Peter Gabriel and the tour manager had three days off and each got to pick a destination. Gabriel picked Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas and Collins chose San Antonio. 'I was just spellbound when I first saw it in person,' he recalled. 'Having lived all my life, to see it in books and movies and the pictures in magazines, it was really quite extraordinary.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Collins donated 200-plus pieces related to the 1836 battle to Alamo Museum .
It includes 4 rifles belonging to Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie's famous knife .
In 2012, Collins wrote book, The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector's .
Journey .
Collins says: 'Some people buy Ferraris, others buy houses, I bought old bits of metal and old bits of .
paper' |
fa00bbb72acbc47d342d6b9c216ef50980ef55f7 | A Far Right group used pictures of former television star Lynda Bellingham to attract visitors to its website. Britain First, a group which promotes fascist views with the slogan ‘Taking our country back’, posted pictures of Mrs Bellingham hours after her death and tricked users to like and share the pictures. Facebook users clicking 'like' on the pictures were not aware that they had been posted by Britain First, a splinter group of the British National Party. Online post: The Facebook sharing of the picture of Mrs Bellingham, with All Creatures Great and Small co-star Christopher Timothy, meant that Britain First's website attracted hundreds more views . The combined number of likes and shares reached more than 7,000. The Facebook sharing of the picture of Mrs Bellingham, with All Creatures Great and Small co-star Christopher Timothy, meant that Britain First’s website attracted hundreds more views. Posts on the page’s Facebook site include comments such as calls for British Muslims to be ‘wiped out’ and all non-whites deported. Mrs Bellingham, who starred in the OXO adverts and was a panellist on television programme Loose Women, died on Sunday at the age of 66 after a battle with colon cancer. She died in the arms of her husband Michael Pattemore, after the disease spread from her colon to other parts of her body. Praise: Prince Charles (left) said Lynda Bellingham (right) was 'not only a marvellous actress but also someone who worked tirelessly for others' Since her death, people across Britain have paid tribute to the former actress. Her final appearance on Loose Women, which aired on Wednesday, attracted two million views – double the television programme’s normal viewing figures. Yesterday, Prince Charles said: ‘She was not only a marvellous actress but also someone who worked tirelessly for others. So she really will be hugely missed.’ The heir to the throne added that he was ‘greatly saddened’ by her death. He made the comments at the launch of a report that found Britain must make better use of older workers. For the final two years of her life, Mrs Bellingham had been an ambassador for the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise (Prime) which helps the over-50s start their own companies. The organisation is now part of Prince Charles’s charity Business In The Community. Prince Charles described Mrs Bellingham as a ‘wonderful ambassador for Prime’. | Britain First posted pictures of Mrs Bellingham hours after her death .
Facebook users clicking 'like' on images did not know who posted them .
Combined number of likes and shares on post reached more than 7,000 .
Facebook page comments include calls for non-whites to be deported . |
fa00c5bed5f59e9993f03b59a4a0e07464e48f99 | Along with selfie and twerking, contouring was one of 2014's buzzwords - and it's all thanks to Kim Kardashian. The selfie-loving beauty buff well and truly put contouring - a laborious method of applying your make-up to enhance your features - on the map. But is it possible to get Kim's flawless look without a professional make-up artist and hours of brush strokes? FEMAIL was keen to find out. Scroll down for video . Get the look: Kim Kardashian achieves that flawless look with a little help of contouring - a laborious method of applying your make-up to enhance your features. As Rodial launch the first-ever make-up range designed specifically for contouring, FEMAIL attempted to emulate their favourite stars . Rodial - the beauty brand fronted by Daisy Lowe - this year launched the first-ever contouring range of make-up. From the £52 illuminating powder to the £34 eye sculpt, each of the new products have been designed to contour and sculpt your face. The brand's team of experts are also on hand at the UK's debut sculpting bar in Harvey Nichols, London, to help you create a flawless A-list look. Ahead of party season, three FEMAIL writers attempted to emulate their favourite contoured celebrities using the innovative new products. So how did they get on? Before and after: Caroline McGuire, 30, was a little unnerved at the amount of make-up on her face but she did get quite a few compliments about her appearance from friends who saw her look in party pictures . Caroline McGuire, 30, has never been an avid make-up user; she had never even used a brow pencil before. She loved brand ambassador Daisy Lowe's sculpted look though, so decided to test it out for herself with the help of the sculpting team. Speaking ahead of her makeover, Caroline said: 'I don't tend to wear a lot of make-up. Daily I use touche eclat, mascara, eye pencil and blusher, then for a party look I just add some bright red lipstick. 'But I was willing to put up with multiple layers of slap if it magically transformed me into Daisy Lowe.' Also keen to give the product range a run for its money was Luisa Metcalfe, 37. She said: 'I'm fascinated by the way celebrities like Millie Mackintosh and Kim Kardashian create the illusion of more prominent cheekbones, a straighter nose and bigger eyes through make-up techniques alone. 'I wear make-up regularly but only Giorgio Armani BB cream, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge on my cheeks, L'Oreal mascara and some tinted lip balm. 'With a Christmas party to go to, I was more than willing to give contouring a try - especially if there was a chance it would give me Millie Mackintosh's bone structure for the night.' Bianca London, 25, already wears a fair amount of make-up so wasn't expecting staggering results. She was, however, keen to learn how to contour and apply her make-up more naturally, without the dreaded orange face, white neck scenario that her brother so kindly always points out. The team used their arsenal of products to transform the writers. So how does the range, which comes with big claims, work? Watch out, Millie Mackintosh! Luisa Metcalfe said she wanted to see if Rodial's contouring make-up could give her the illusion of cheekbones and a bronzed glow, like Millie Mackintosh who favours the brand . The powders are opalescent, which is apparently designed to highlight facial features with an illuminating gleam, and the universal Champagne tone aims to add a candle-lit glow to the skin. The powders have micronisation technology and fine pearls in the formula, which apparently give the skin a silky texture and ensures even application. The eye products have been made with a mousse-like texture, which, say the makers, can help enhance features as well as be built up to create a more contoured look. There's also a £24 tinted cream that is filled with hyaluronic acid, which promises to plump skin. Caroline McGuire was impressed, if a little scared of her final look. She said: 'I got a bit of a shock when I looked in the mirror, there was such an extreme amount of make-up on my face and I did actually rub off some of the shading on my cheekbones. 'It was way too much for me to feel comfortable and I was very aware of it throughout the evening, but saying that, about five of my friends got in contact to say how good I looked in Facebook pictures the next day. 'So it did work - but mainly if you're the kind of person who cares more about what you look like in pictures than in real life. 'It clearly did something though, because looking at my "after" photo, I am posing like a total diva.' Luisa was equally impressed. 'I could feel the make-up artist applying a serious amount of product to my face and eyes but I was still surprised to see how bronzed and smoky-eyed I looked in the mirror. 'In the atmospheric lighting at my bash, I received a lot of compliments but under the harsh lights of the ladies' loo, my orange cheeks gave me flashbacks to the "you've been tangoed" ads from the Nineties. 'However, I loved my eyes and would never have dared to take my make-up so far on my own. Plus in photographs my usually pasty face appeared to have more colour and definition. No wonder celebrities swear by the stuff on the red carpet.' Bianca didn't notice a huge difference from her normal daytime look but was impressed by the long-lasting formulations and liked the colour it gave her face. Get the look: The powders, as tested by Bianca London, have micronisation technology and fine pearls in the formula, which apparently gives the skin a silky texture and ensures even application . Prep skin with a device such as the Silk’n Reju, which promises to instantly revitalise the skin by boosting the collagen levels, creating a fresh plumped base, for expert contouring. Gently massage primer into the skin, this cooling gel will relax and reduce redness, plump the skin and diffuse fine lines, leaving a radiant finish on the skin. This will help protect your skin and hold your make-up. To even skin tone and add luminosity apply your Rodial Instaglam tint. Buff into the skin using your foundation brush for even, natural and polished coverage. Take your retouch pen and use to brighten and lift shadow from around the eyes and diffuse fine lines, use the brush to dot straight from the pen into crows' feet, deep frown lines, the folds around the mouth and blend gently with your finger to lift shadow. Use a highlighter to create instant definition and accentuate features, dot, and blend along the cheekbones to define, the inner corner of the eye to wake up and open the eyes, the brow bone to give an instant brow lift effect and the bridge of the nose and cupids bow to highlight and define. To create natural structure and sculpt your face shape, simply take your contour brush and Rodial deluxe contour powder, and sweep under the cheekbone to create a natural shadow and strengthen your natural structure, to find exactly where to place this, suck in your cheeks to discover where the natural shadow forms. Contour down the sides of the nose to slim and under the tip to shorten. Accentuate cheekbones and add radiance with your an illuminating powder, sweep across the collar bone with your powder brush to define and add a candlelit sheen. Add a natural sun-kissed warmth to the skin by applying bronzing powder with your powder brush to the forehead, temples, cheekbones, tip of the nose and chest for and even, enhanced glow, add that perfect healthy pinched cheek by gently blending the hyaluronic cheek sculpt gently into the apples of your cheeks. Define your eyes and brows using the eye sculpt with the eye smudge brush. Sweep it onto the lid and blend with your little finger into your socket line (you can find this by simply opening your eyes and finding the natural crease above the eyeball). Use the smudge brush to blend it into the bottom lash line - this will give a modern soft smokey effect. Create a modern brow by using the smudge brush to buff eye sculpt into the fine hairs of your brows onto the skin beneath, this will naturally define, strengthen and add fullness to your brows. Finish off with mascara for perfectly defined, fluttery, natural lashes. New range: From the eye sculpt to the primer, each of the new products have been designed to contour and sculpt your face . With thanks to the team at Richard Ward for styling the writers' hair. | Rodial unveil their first-ever contouring cosmetics and skincare range .
The brand also opened a 'sculpting' make-up bar in Harvey Nichols .
FEMAIL writers attempted to pull off A-listers' flawless looks . |
fa01dbab5ed2769bce525041ceabc280283391b8 | April 1, 2014 . Could tens of thousands of wind turbines weaken hurricanes? The theory behind the question is explored in this April first edition of CNN Student News. Also in today's show: North Korea and South Korea exchange fire in the waters off the Korean Peninsula, a Japanese whaling program is banned, and we kick off Financial Literacy Month. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . What sources would you consult if you were researching your cost of attendance at different colleges? Key Concepts: Identify or explain these subjects you heard about in today's show: . 1. armistice . 2. wind turbine . 3. Cost of Attendance (COA) Fast Facts: How well were you listening to today's program? 1. In what year did an armistice end fighting between North Korea and South Korea? What did North Korea do yesterday that it had not previously done? How did South Korea respond to this action? 2. What is the United Nations telling Japan regarding an annual whale hunt? Why? What has Japan said about this program? What forms of whale hunting are permitted? How do some Japanese view the issue of whaling? 3. According to the video, what percentage of the world's population has Internet access? Why is Facebook turning its attention to drones and satellites? According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, how might people in developing countries use the Internet? What challenges exist with connecting people who live in remote parts of the world? Why does Facebook say that it is pursuing a strategy of "Internet for all"? Why do some question the company's motives? 4. What are some potential benefits and downsides of the use of wind turbines? According to a Stanford University study, how might 78,000 wind turbines off the coast of New Orleans have impacted the force of Hurricane Katrina? 5. What did 14-year-old Suvir Mirchandani learn about the cost of ink as he worked on his science fair project? What is a font? What font does the U.S. government typically use for its printing? What change does Mirchandani suggest to save the government money? How have some critics responded to his suggestion? Discussion Questions: . 1. What is the status of the conflict between North Korea and South Korea? Why do you think that there has never been a peace treaty to settle this conflict? How and when has North Korea flexed its military muscle before? Why do you think that South Korea labels these as 'hostile' acts? 2. What do you think of the suggested use of many wind turbines to reduce storm strength? What might be some pros and cons of this approach? 3. What does altruistic mean? In the video, we hear that Facebook says its motives for connecting all the world's people to the Internet are altruistic. Why might some people agree with this rationale and others doubt it? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request. | This page includes the show Transcript and the Daily Curriculum .
Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
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fa020629e41fa51a5738ed246e0667f4d39dd4c9 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 16:39 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:27 EST, 4 November 2013 . A Minnesota gnraphic designer who made fun of the NSA has found himself in a legal battle with the agency which is trying to ban his creation. Drawing inspiration from the revelations made this year by Edward Snowden, Dan McCall, 38, of Sauk Rapids, created a humorous T-shirt poking fun at the agency’s domestic spying programs, causing the spooks to send him a cease and desist letter. ‘When I got finished I thought, this is pretty good – I thought it was fun,’ the NSA disagreed, forcing the shirts off the market – now Mr McCall is fighting back, according to WCCO. 'Peeping while you're sleeping': This T-shirt drew the ire of NSA lawyers, who called it copyright infringement . Pick a size, any size: The shirts are a classic parody, McCall argues . The funnyman first took the circular NSA logo and emblazoned ‘peeping while you’re sleeping’ across the bottom half. He then put the phrase ‘The only part of government that actually listens’ directly under the parodied seal and started making T-shirts. The spy agency soon caught wind of the shirts and brought an end to the fun. Calling it a violation of their intellectual property rights, the NSA’s cease and desist letter ordered him to immediately stop selling the shirts. It's a classic parody: Dan McCall, the graphic artist behind the shirt, says he is parodying the government - which is protected under the First Amendment . Can you hear me now?: Spooks aren't fond of Mr McCall's spoofing of their spying . Fighting bacl: Mr McCall is suing the spy agency for infringing on his right to freedom of speech . Mr McCall disagrees. ‘Because when you’re pointing straight at an organization or making fun at it, turning it on itself, that is classic parody,’ he told told the station. Saying that he doesn’t want his children to grow up in a country where you can’t poke fun at the government, Mr McCall told WCCO that his First Amendment rights are being violated. The satirist-turned-activist has teamed up with Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, to sue the NSA for the right to sell his shirts. 'It’s bad enough that these agencies have us under constant surveillance; forbidding citizens from criticizing them is beyond the pale,' lawyer Paul Alan Levy said in an online statement. It’s vital ‘that we clarify whether or not these types of laws are consistent with the rights as Americans under the First Amendment,’ he told the station. A message left for comment with Public Citizen has not yet been returned. | The clever shirts were inspired by the Edward Snowden revelations about the NSA's domestic spying .
The spy agency quickly sent him a cease and desist letter, on grounds of intellectual property infringement .
Dan McCann is fighting back, suing the spooks for violating his First Amendment rights . |
fa02b10acc0e6286142c038c5615bcea9a6d37c2 | A university lecturer is claiming to have photographed fairies flying through the air in the British countryside. John Hyatt, 53, says his series of photos which were taken over the past two years prove the tiny winged creatures do exist in the Rossendale Valley, Lancashire. Mr Hyatt, Director of Manchester Institute for Research and Innovation in Art and Design (MIRIAD) at Manchester Metropolitan University insists his photos are genuine and have not been altered in any way. A university lecturer is claiming to have photographed these 'fairies' flying through the air in the British countryside . John Hyatt, 53, says his series of photos which were taken over the past two years prove that they do exist in the Rossendale Valley, Lancashire . And he has now put his photographs on display at a special exhibition. Mr Hyatt, who was a member of the Three Johns punk band in the 1980s and 1990s, says adults that have seen his photos have started to harbour ideas that they may indeed be real. He said: 'It was a bit of a shock when I blew them up, I did a double take. Mr Hyatt insists his photos are genuine and have not been altered in any way . 'From my experience they were just enjoying themselves and there was a little dance in the sunlight going on' said Mr Hyatt . 'I went out afterwards and took pictures of flies and gnats and they just don’t look the same. 'People can decide for themselves what they are. 'The message to people is to approach them with an open mind. 'I think it’s one of those situations where you need to believe to see. 'A lot of people who have seen them say they have brought a little bit of magic into their lives and there’s not enough of that around.' Mr Hyatt, who lives Rawtenstall, has posted some of his images on social media and says they have attracted much debate. The existence of fairies has long been resigned to the realm of children’s books and Disney films, such as Tinkerbell in Peter Pan, right, but Mr Hyatt, left, wants to get more adults to bring 'magic into their lives' The exhibition, called Rossendale Fairies, will be on show at The Whitaker Museum in Whitaker Park in Rossendale, throughout the spring. Mr Hyatt said the name is a nod to the famous story of the Cottingley fairies where two schoolgirls in Bradford claimed to have photographed fairies in their garden, which they confirmed 60 years later had been faked with cardboard cut-outs. However he admits the creatures he snapped are a long way from the characters depicted in children’s stories and hopes his pictures will change people’s perceptions of them. 'Everything gets stereotyped, whatever it is. 'But there are stranger things in life than fairies, and life grows everywhere. Experts and the simply sceptical will no doubt point to explanations involving reflections, flashes or technical glitches or that the tiny shapes could be a flea, left or a fly, right . In 2009, Phyllis Bacon, 55, believed she took a photo of a fairy at the bottom of her garden in New Addington, near Croydon in South London . 'I don’t believe they are just smaller versions of us and go home and have a cup of tea at the end of the day. 'And one is suggesting they have any special powers. 'From my experience they were just enjoying themselves and there was a little dance in the sunlight going on. 'They are just beautiful pictures and beauty can make people believe.' In 2009, Phyllis Bacon, 55, believed she took a photo of a fairy at the bottom of her garden in New Addington, near Croydon in South London. Cottingley, a village outside Bradford in Yorkshire, would have remained in much deserved obscurity had 16-year-old Elsie Wright not taken a remarkable photograph of her ten-year-old cousin, Frances Griffiths, playing with 'fairies' on the banks of a stream which ran behind the garden of Elsie's house. A few days earlier, in the summer of 1917, Frances had slipped and gone into the stream, later telling her mother she had fallen into the water while she was 'playing with the fairies'. Her mother, unamused, sent her up to the attic bedroom she shared with Elsie where, later that afternoon, the two girls hatched a childish prank that would make headlines around the world, severely damage the reputations of eminent public figures and generate a controversy that endured for generations. Elsie suggested they should take a photograph of the 'fairies' to prove to Frances' mother that she had been telling the truth. The girls drew some fairies, cut them out and pasted them on to cardboard. With a few long hatpins on which to mount their 'fairies' and a roll of zinc oxide bandage tape. Arthur Wright willingly agreed to lend his daughter his camera and girls set off, blissfully unaware that they were about to create one of the most reproduced photographs in history. They arranged the four fairies - three with wings and one playing a piped instrument - in front of Frances, who put flowers in her hair, cupped her chin in her hand and, curiously, stared intently at the camera rather than the fairies when Elsie took the picture. Wright developed the exposed plate a darkroom he asked Elsie what they were, and she told him they were the fairies that she and Frances played with by the stream - they took another photo a month later. Polly Wright, Elsie's mother, and her sister, Annie Griffiths, Frances' mother took the photographs to a meeting of the . Theosophical Society in Harrogate. Knowledge of photography was not . widespread at this time and few understood that the 'spirit' could be . introduced by a simple double exposure on the same photographic plate. As . a result, many Spiritualists were encouraged to believe that the camera . could 'see' what the naked eye could not, a belief which helped . legitimise the Cottingley fairy photographs. Soon the word spread and it was only many decades later did they admit that the photographs were faked and involved cut-out drawings of fairy figures that were fastened to foliage with hatpins. Elsie and Frances stuck doggedly to their story for years. Not until March 1983, when she was 76 years old, did Frances finally confess. 'I'm fed up with all these stories,' she complained. 'I hated those photographs and cringe every time I see them. I thought it was a joke, but everyone else kept it going. It should have died a natural death 60 years ago.' Elsie at first refused to comment, but later confirmed her cousin's story: 'I do not want to die and leave my grandchildren with a loony grandmother to remember.' Frances continued to claim, contrarily, that she had seen fairies and that the fifth photograph - the fairy bower - was authentic. She died in 1986; Elsie died two years later. 'The joke was only meant to last two hours,' said Elsie towards the end of her life. 'It lasted 70 years.' | University lecturer John Hyatt claims he has proof the creatures are real .
He says they are residing in the Rossendale Valley, Lancashire .
Mr Hyatt has now put his photographs on display at a special exhibition . |
fa02c3c6aa7ba7dc76a69359c48a3319efb2a18c | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 05:40 EST, 5 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:23 EST, 5 March 2014 . When Krystal Whitesell found out her father was not going to live to see her wedding day, she decided to move it so he could walk her down the aisle. She decided to surprise him by arranging to have the ceremony the hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina where her father Kenneth Whitesell, who is suffering from terminal lung cancer, now lives. Ms Whitesell rallied hospital staff, who were more than happy help make it a memorable event, and less than a week later, she married with her father at her side. Scroll down for video . Krystal Whitesell, from Greensboro, North Carolina, knew her father Kenneth would not live until her June wedding, so moved the nuptials to the solarium of Moses Cone Hospital . Even though there was no aisle for Kenneth to walk daughter Krystal down, he was wheeled alongside his daughter as they made their way into the solarium for the ceremony . Ms Whitesell had told her father on . Monday that she would be moving her nuptials so that he could attend, . but what Kenneth did not know, was that they would take place at Moses . Cone Hospital the following Friday. With . the help of three nurses who wheeled him on his bed with bags of fluids . and electronic monitors attached to him throughout the ceremony, Mr . Whitesell followed his daughter up the makeshift aisle. Despite . having less than a week to plan the wedding, Ms Whitesell and hospital . staff were able to provide food and drinks, help decorate the solarium . and rope in the hospital chaplain to conduct the ceremony. 'I love my daddy. I wanted him to be there,' Ms Whitesell told local paper News & Record. True love: Krystal Whitesell was determined that her father would be there on the day she married fiance Michael Neddham . Joy and pride: Kenneth Whitesell said that his daughter's wedding day was the happiest day of his life . Surrounded by 20 friends and family, Ms Whitesell married her fiance Michael Neddham - her proud father at her side. 'It’s . the best day of my life,' Mr Whitesell told News & Record from his . bed in the hospital’s solarium. 'I’m so glad I was a part of it.' Mr Whitesell's nurse, Beth Passmore added that the entire hospital wanted to help. 'We wanted to do anything we could for her and her family'. 'It was just another way to show we care for our community. We made it happen.' | Krystal Whitesell's father Kenneth is dying of lung cancer .
After finding out he wasn't going to live to her wedding, she moved it .
Krystal married her fiance at the hospital where her father is staying . |
fa033644d38a4a62b741eae8cd265a86ebee3ff9 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 11:53 EST, 9 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:35 EST, 9 July 2013 . Fans of the women's surf-wear brand Roxy have expressed their outrage at a new teaser video they feel is demeaning to women, branding it as 'disrespectful' and 'disappointing', and some claiming they feel 'utterly disgusted'. Posted on the brand's YouTube channel and Facebook page, the short video features a faceless female surfer waking up in the morning and preparing to hit the waves... but the star of the show is her bottom. Moreover, since the video ends when she paddles out to sea, none of the video actually features any surfing, which fans have found unpalatable. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Fans of the women's surf-wear brand Roxy have expressed their outrage at a new teaser video they feel is demeaning to women, branding it as 'disrespectful' and 'disappointing' Fans were angered that the Roxy video sexualised the pro-surfer, and then didn't feature a single shot of surfin . The video, the official teaser ad to . challenge Roxy fans to unmask the Roxy Pro Biarritz 2013 poster girl . (who turns out in a later video to be Australian pro-surfer Stephanie . Gilmore), angered women who felt the surfer was being seen as an sexual . object rather than a talented athlete. Facebook . fan Marlaina Read wrote: 'Women are "multi-dimensional" and let us . demonstrate that by reducing a woman (who is a pro surfer, athlete, . mentor etc) to her sexual looks. 'She . has so many dimensions we don't even have to show you her face (just . her bum, ammirite??!) So original, I feel I have learnt so much about . this woman's "complexity".' 'Sarcasm over now. It's hard enough getting . coverage for women's sport, and now there is this fantastic opportunity . to showcase this competition and the ability of the surfers - and it has . been wasted. 'Sitting on your bed in your undies and sexily undressing for a shower is in no way a "dimension".' Facebook fanWendy McGirr wrote: 'I am not bothered about sexy commercials, sex sells as do attractive bodies. She's a pro surfer that is what their figure looks like. But I am bothered you "promote" a world tour surfing event focusing entirely around a woman's butt. 'Aimed at who?! Not women that's for sure. It shouldn't be focused on a surfer's body or sex at all, it should be about their talent and athleticism and power. Amazed ASP still let sponsors do this in 2013. It wouldn't happen at Wimbledon. Totally uninspiring.' Marlaina Read wrote: 'It should have got my attention by showing her awesome surfing skill. It only got my attention by disappointing me by reducing women, yet . again, to their sexuality.' The video shows the faceless girl getting up in the morning and preparing to hit the waves.... but she never actually rides one . Ngai Min Ching said: 'Utterly disgusted that a brand which promotes natural beauty with vast female base clients focus so much on sexualising a female athlete's body when promoting a world surfing event. 'Not a single shot of surfing was displayed on the ad and yet it was meant to promote surfing talents! I was a big Roxy fan until I see the response you have provided. 'We KNOW she is sexy; we know she has an amazing body; but do you have no other selling points to attract interest to Roxy Pro Biarritz? Pathetic really.' Others tried to defend the brand, claiming male surfers suffer the same fate in the industry - and that at least the video drew attention to the surf competition . Others tried to defend the brand, claiming male surfers suffer the same fate in the industry - and that at least the video drew attention to the surf competition. Molly Misetich said: 'I would just like to point out, that male surfers are shirtless and have their butts showing through their board shorts all the time during contests, and somehow that's not sexist? 'As a very proud surfer girl, I do wish the video had an ounce of surfing in it (come on Roxy) but the video got everyone's attention. 'It may have been for the wrong reasons, but it got attention. With that I bet many more people will be watching the contest than before. 'Everyone messes up. And to say that the company that made the first women's board shorts is sexist and is setting us back, in my opinion, is just stupid.' The surfer paddles out to sea, but the video ends before she gets to a wave . Roxy were unavailable for direct comment, but wrote on their Facebook page: 'Whether you are athletic, smart, funny, sexy, daring, confident - we support whatever combination you choose to be. 'Women are complex and multidimensional. To ignore this fact is to ignore who we truly are. 'Obviously, there's been much conversation around the video we recently released. We believe all athletes are naturally beautiful, in and out of the water. 'You certainly don't have to be sexy to be an athlete, and we also believe it's not wrong to be an athlete and to be sexy, if you choose to be. 'We don't judge one to be better than the other and we don't believe in excluding one for the other. Thank you for the passionate thoughts shared on the video, and for expressing how much you respect women in surfing.' | Facebook fans angry that brand reduced pro-surfer to sexuality .
Video was teaser to reveal their poster girl for Roxy Pro Biarritz 2013 .
Girl unmasked in later video as Australian pro-surfer Stephanie Gilmore . |
fa038b95ac5cf33dc07ec769a634102e895ccc69 | After driving a tractor the length of Africa, Dutch adventurer Manon ‘Tractor Girl’ Ossevoort is setting out for the South Pole. She hopes to fulfil her decade-long dream of travelling the 2,796 miles from Russia’s Novo base to Antarctica and back. When asked whether people think she’s crazy for attempting such a bizzare stunt, the 38-year-old actress replies with a wide smile: ‘Only if they haven’t met me.’ After driving a tractor the length of Africa, Manon Ossevoort is heading for the South Pole . Ossevoort originally began her African journey in 2005, taking four years to drive from her home village in Holland to Cape Town at the southern tip of the continent. She was meant to head to Antarctica to complete the final leg of her trek, but was delayed and ultimately missed the boat that was set to take her there. Frustrated, the former actress spent the following four years back in Holland where she wrote a book and worked as a motivational speaker, while dreaming of the day that she would be able to get back on her tractor. It seems like that day has finally arrived. Ossevoort will battle the elements in her tractor during the 4,500-kilometre trek from Russia to Antarctica . In the video, the new mum of a 10-month-old daughter Hannah, perches on the seat of the tractor in a mini-dress and chats about her epic plans. Mechanics are visible in the background putting the finishing touches on her beloved mode of transport, named the Antarctica 2, in honour of legendary explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, who travelled to the South Pole on a tractor in 1958. Ossevoot plans to spend about 12 hours per day in the tractor seat, bundled up in Arctic gear – as she heads for what she likes to call ‘the end of the world.’ She will make a 2,800-mile round trip across the largest mass of ice on earth – from Russia’s Novo base to the South Pole and back. ‘Ten kilometres an hour would be good,’ she says. ’15 would be nice, 20 lovely.’ The new mum of baby Hannah will miss her daughter's first Christmas, as she will be on the tractor . Ossevoort will also bring with her the 'dreams' - scrawled on scraps of paper and emails - that she has collected from people around the world . She will also bring with her the ‘dreams’ – scrawled on scraps of paper and emails – that she has collected from people in Africa and around the world. They have been converted into digital form and will be placed in the belly of the big snowman that she plans to build at the Pole – to be opened in 80 years time. ‘I want to turn them into a beautiful time capsule of the dreams of the world, so that in the future, children and people can read something about our dreams and not only about politics or war. ‘The tractor, for me, symbolises this very down to Earth fact that if you want to do something, maybe you will not be so fast, but if you keep going and keep your sense of humour, you will get there.’ She will place said 'dreams' in the snowman she plans to build - and ask that it be opened in 80 years time . Though Ossevoort travelled alone during her African expedition, in Antarctica the tractor will need to creep forward both day and night, so French mechanic Nicolas Bachelet will share the driving. They hope to cover 60 to 120 miles each day and complete the trip in four to six weeks. ‘I think I’ll love the experience, travelling the last leg in relative silence over this vast and white continent,’ she says. ‘It’s a beautiful last phase in a long pilgrimage.’ A team of seven will accompany her, including a film crew who will record the journey for a documentary. Her progress can be tracked on the website, antarcticatwo.com. | Adventurer Manon 'Tractor Girl' Ossevoort is setting out for the South Pole .
Hopes to fulfill decade-long dream with the help of a French mechanic .
In 2005, she travelled the entire length of Africa on her trusty tractor .
Once she arrives, plans to create a time capsule of 'dreams' in a snowman . |
fa03a7358f17a8566134e2bf9128e66af1404fd6 | Xabi Alonso said goodbye to Real Madrid on Friday and admitted he turned his back on a possible return to the Premier League because he did not want to spoil his Liverpool legacy. The former Spain midfielder, who joins Bayern Munich from Real Madrid after five years at the club, has been linked with a return to England with former coach Jose Mourinho in the past and even to former rivals Manchester United this summer. But speaking from the Bernabeu he said: 'I had five great years at Liverpool and I would rather just keep that memory as it is. The interest came in from Bayern in the last two weeks and it's the right decision. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Xabi Alonso take on Daniel Carvajal in a swimming race . Adios Amigos: Xabi Alonso waves goodbye to Real Madrid after a successful five-year spell at the Bernabeu . Bargain: Alonso could prove to be one of the signings of the summer after joining Bayern Munich for £5m . Cool customer: Alonso looks calm and composed as he bids farewell to Madrid in his final press conference . Confirmation: Xabi Alonso has joined Bayern Munich from Real Madrid in a £5m deal . Check-up: Alonso leaves the surgery of a doctor in Munich as part of his medical ahead of Bayern move . Touch down: Former Liverpool man Alonso said he resisted advances from Premier League clubs . 'At the end of last season I knew that winning the Champions League would usher in a new era for the club and I need to start a new era too. 'I detected that this might be the moment when it was right to leave. 'We fought hard to win the club's tenth European Cup after losing three semi-finals, it was a weight lifted and a good time to move on.' Some Madrid fans say they feel betrayed by his decision to join such a big European rival and one that is coached by former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola. But when asked about his part in some of the more fiery Clasicos against Guardiola's Barca, Alonso said: 'What happens on the pitch you leave on the pitch. 'This is a decision about football nothing else. And I think Madrid are well covered in midfield.' Many believe playing under Guardiola will be a stepping stone to a management for Alonso, who is coming at the end of a playing career in which he has already worked with most of Europe's finest coaches. He said: 'I'm going to learn a lot. I've been lucky to have had some great coaches. My dad was a coach too. I will learn at Bayern and that is an extra motivation for going. I've learned from Carlo [Ancelotti], [Jose] Mourinho, [Manuel] Pellegrini and now I'm sure I will learn more. I have spoken to Pep and he has told me what he wants from me.' Memories: Alonso, who spent five years at Liverpool, said he turned down Premier League clubs . Learning curve: Touted as a future manager, Alonso looks forward to working with Pep Guardiola . New team-mates: Alonso could line up alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger in the heart of Bayern's midfield . Xabi Alonso is the latest Spanish player to join Bayern's ranks since Pep Guardiola took over as manager. Javi Martinez was already at the club before Guardiola took over, but he has since brought in Thiago Alcantara, Juan Bernat, Pepe Reina and now Alonso. Guardiola has also surrounded himself with Spanish staff, such as aide Manel Estiarte, assistant coach Domenec Torrent, fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura and match analyst Carles Planchart. Real Madrid confirmed Alonso's move via an official club statement: 'Real Madrid CF and Bayern Munich have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Xabi Alonso. 'The player will appear before the media on Friday at 11:00pm in the press room at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, accompanied by the Director of Institutional Relations Club , Emilio Butragueno.' The La Liga giants sanctioned Alonso's departure following the arrival of former Bayern midfielder Toni Kroos. Munich's sporting director Matthias Sammer believes Alonso will give Bayern new options, saying: 'If that will work, I would have a very good feeling for the club and the coach. 'After the injuries of Thiago and Schweinsteiger we have been looking for someone, who could help us immediately. And Xabi Alonso could play on top level for two years.' | Xabi Alonso left Real Madrid for Bayern Munich in a £5 million deal .
Former Spain ace said he wanted to preserve his memories of Liverpool .
The midfielder will link up with compatriot Pep Guardiola in Munich .
German champions have midfield injury crisis with Thiago, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez currently unavailable .
Alonso was linked with Manchester United before Germany move . |
fa0426c6014fc169a022e4b35bf58ebd7d0bfea3 | (CNN) -- On shaky, grainy video recordings, a group of men show off a stash of pills, pop open Budweiser tall boys and shoot dice for stacks of cash. One injects what appears to be heroin; another displays a large-caliber pistol, ejecting four bullets from the chamber to show that it's loaded. Here's the punchline: These guys are already in jail. The scenes were captured in 2009 on a camera smuggled into the House of Detention in New Orleans, a decrepit lockup pressed back into service after Hurricane Katrina. The video's release during a federal court hearing this week sparked a new demand by the city's mayor for the federal government to take over the Orleans Parish prison system and a round of I-told-you-sos by advocates for the inmates held there. In addition to the displays of contraband, the inmates in the now-shuttered facility show themselves dishing out soup from bins in grungy, overcrowded cells and sleeping on mattresses laid on floors. One holds up glue traps he says are used to catch nutria, a rat-like pest that has infested much of southern Louisiana and notes that the jail was supposed to have been closed. "Why're we in here, then?" he asks. "ACLU investigated, and they told them it's closed down ... why're we in here?" This week's hearings in U.S. District Court are part of a lawsuit filed against Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman. Attorneys from the Southern Poverty Law Center say Gusman's neglect led to "brutal and inhumane conditions" for inmates, many of whom are jailed for non-violent misdemeanor offenses. "Hearing some of the testimony and looking at some of the video of the jail itself, I cannot imagine the conditions of any human being living in those conditions," James Hitzman, the father of an inmate who killed himself in the prison two years ago, told CNN affilliate WVUE. In a statement issued Tuesday, Gusman said he closed the House of Detention in 2012 because of its "state of disrepair and abhorrent lack of proper security measures." "Following Hurricane Katrina, we were forced to reopen the House of Detention to house inmates, because other inmate facilities were destroyed by the floods. It was never meant to be a long-term solution," Gusman said. "In addition, we have been using eight temporary tents to house inmates. These facilities were never meant to be used this long for these purposes." U.S. District Judge Lance Africk is weighing whether to approve a settlement with the sheriff's office that would require the parish to provide appropriate housing, protection and medical care for inmates. But New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu called for a federal receiver to be put in control of the jail after the release of the video, which he said was turned up by the city's lawyers. "It is now clearer than ever that the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office is not keeping the prison secure and our city safe," Landrieu said in a statement. "The people of the city are investing over $226 million to build new prison facilities and over $30 million each year in the taxpayer money to operate the jail. I cannot in good conscience cut vital services or raise taxes to put even more money into an office where waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant." CNN's Karan Olson and Jake Carpenter contributed to this report. | A 2009 video shows Orleans Parish inmates using drugs in squalid cells .
"Why're we in here?" one inmate asks of the decrepit jail .
The Orleans Parish sheriff says the facility was closed in 2012 .
New Orleans mayor wants the jail put under federal control . |
fa04c61d80ec9741fda587ef1ada787de4740947 | Achievement: Fred Butler, 106, was awarded his honorary diploma on Monday during an emotional ceremony attended by school officials, state lawmakers and Beverly Mayor Bill Scanlon . Fred Butler was married for 65 years, raised five children, served in the Army during World War II and worked for years for the local water department, but the fact he never earned a high school diploma always bothered him. Not anymore. The 106-year-old, from Beverly, Massachusetts, was awarded his honorary diploma on Monday during an emotional ceremony attended by school officials, state lawmakers and Beverly Mayor Bill Scanlon. 'I thank everybody who is responsible for this,' he said, wearing a mortar board hat and tassel and holding the prized document in his hands. 'I certainly appreciate it.' Butler dropped out of school before the ninth-grade to accept a full-time job at a print shop to support his mother and five younger siblings. Daughter-in-law Cathy Butler says he regretted dropping out and always emphasized the importance of education to his children and grandchildren. A grandson, Mike Calabro, said Butler gave him $5 for every A on his report card. Cathy Butler launched the effort to get her father-in-law his diploma as a way to raise his spirits following the death of his wife, Ruth, last year. Fred Butler's only concern was that he hadn't earned it. Scanlon put that concern to rest. 'It's a long time to wait for your diploma,' Scanlon said, 'but you've obviously earned it very well.' | Fred Butler from Beverly, Massachusetts, was awarded his honorary diploma on Monday .
Butler dropped out of school before the .
ninth-grade to accept a full-time job at a print shop to support his .
mother and five younger siblings .
He was married for 65 years, raised five .
children, served in the Army during World War II and worked for years .
for the local water department but is thrilled to finally complete high school . |
fa050d03a040acda9583e0bb0363818d8f3d5def | A former high school football captain has revealed for the first time how being abused by a female teacher shattered his dreams of playing at college level and changed his future. Cameron Clarkson, 22, attended Catholic Cretin-Derham Hall in St Paul, Minnesota for four years where he eventually led the state-title winning Raiders football team. However Mr Clarkson's dreams of going on to play at college came crashing down when he was targeted at the age of 16 by substitute teacher and weight room supervisor Gail Gagne. Mr Clarkson is now suing the school for not doing more to protect him from the 25-year-old teacher. Gagne is also facing a lawsuit. Scroll down for video . Cameron Clarkson (pictured left this week) attended Catholic Cretin-Derham Hall in St Paul, Minnesota. When he was 16 he had a relationship with a 25-year-old substitute teacher which had a damaging effect on him . What began as a friendship between Gagne and the teenage boy over the summer of 2008 while he worked in the weights room, developed when the 25-year-old told the teen she had feelings for him. She is the daughter of former wrestler Greg Gagne and her grandfather is wrestling legend Verne Gagne. The sophomore and 25-year-old teacher began having sex at her parents' home and at a motel but the liaisons began to have a deeply unsettling effect on the schoolboy. In a new interview with Fox, he said: 'It got to the point where I didn't like sneaking around or feeling like I was doing something wrong, as much as I found her attractive. Getting food, rides home, feeling like the cool guy; it didn't feel right.' Former teacher Gail Gagne was registered as a sex offender after having sex with student Cameron Clarkson in 2008 (right). She is now being sued by that student . The former football player said that rumors began to circulate at the esteemed school and left him with the reputation of a 'teacher f*****' and a pervert. Finally, a girl whom Clarkson was interested in went to the police about the teacher's affair with the student. Gagne lost her job at the prestigious school and Clarkson was targeted by bullies. His mother's car was vandalized, Fox reported, and the teacher's name bleached into his home's front yard. He said that after using marijuana to numb the pain, he headed to Howard University in DC so that he could get away from Minnesota. The student told Fox: 'I had to get away from this life, from this Cameron. I don't look like a victim of sexual abuse.' In 2011, at the age of 28, Gagne received a stayed jail sentence of one year and a $300 fine for having sex with the high school athlete. She served one year of probation. As part of a deal with prosecutors, Gagne waived her right to a jury trial after admitting sex with the student while she was working as a weight room supervisor. In exchange, the judge found her guilty of a reduced charge of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct -- a gross misdemeanor -- and dropped a felony charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Gagne's father Greg (pictured left) and her grandfather Verne (right) both made careers are professional wrestlers . Gagne registered as a sex offender in both California and Minnesota. She will never be allowed to work with minors again. Attorney Mike Freeman said at the time: 'A parent who sends their child to be taught and participate in activities to be coached ought not be worried about whether the coach is going to have sexual relations with that child. Period.' Mr Cameron is now suing his former teacher and school over the damaging effects the sexual relations had on his life. A settlement has not been reached with the school so a court date has been set for December 1. MailOnline was awaiting a statement from Cretin-Derham Hall on Tuesday. | Cameron Clarkson attended Catholic Cretin-Derham Hall in St Paul, Minnesota for four years and was captain of the football team .
Substitute teacher Gail Gagne, 25, began having sex with him when he was 16 years old - at her parents' home and at a motel .
He was bullied after the liaison was made public at school, he began smoking marijuana and later left the state .
Mr Clarkson, 22, is now suing the school and his former teacher . |
fa051a2897b1f9bdb76f8d349791cc9221eb3ed2 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Control tower tapes reveal that the pilot of presidential hopeful Barack Obama's plane told air traffic controllers there was an emergency when he made an unscheduled landing last month in St. Louis, Missouri. Barack Obama's plane had to make an unscheduled landing on July 7 in St. Louis, Missouri. On July 7 the Midwest Airlines MD-81 made an unscheduled landing during the flight from Chicago, Illinois, to Charlotte, North Carolina. The owner of the plane initially said the landing was not caused by an emergency. However the tapes, released to ABC News through a Freedom of Information Act request, contradict that report. ABC first reported on the tapes on Thursday. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown told CNN Thursday evening that preliminary information for incidents is often incomplete or incorrect. Watch what the tapes revealed » . According to the tapes, the pilot told an FAA air traffic controller that he had limited ability to move the plane's nose up and down. "We have limited pitch authority at flight levels; we're descending to see if we can regain pitch authority," the pilot told the air traffic controller. "At this time we would like to declare this an emergency and also have CFR (fire and rescue equipment) standing by in St. Louis," the pilot said. The pilot remained calm throughout the recording. Midwest Airlines acknowledged at the time that the pilot had detected a control problem in the pitch of the plane after an emergency evacuation chute opened in the aircraft's tail cone while in flight. Normally, the chute deploys only after landing and after the tail cone pops off. The pitch, or angle of the nose of an airplane, affects the pilot's ability to control the plane. The airline said the pilot had "full authority of the aircraft." According to the tapes, the pilot said he regained control as the plane began to descend into St. Louis. "We had a pitch authority problem, now that we have come down to a lower altitude it seems to have rectified itself. We do have pitch control of the aircraft at this time," he said. Fire trucks met the aircraft when it landed at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. After the plane landed, Obama told reporters the plane landed because of a mechanical problem and noted it marked the first time he had had to do so. "Just thought we'd spice things up a little bit today," he joked. "Anytime a pilot says that something's not working the way its supposed to, then, you know, you make sure you tighten your seat belt. Everything seemed under control, the pilots knew what they were doing." The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident, said last month that there was no evidence of tampering. An "examination of the hardware did not reveal any evidence of missing components, nor any evidence of tampering," the board said. CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report. | On tape pilot says he has limited ability to move plane's nose up and down .
ABC obtained audio tape in Freedom of Information Act request .
When incident occurred, officials had said it was not an emergency .
Pilot says on tape he was able to regain control during descent into St. Louis . |
fa05d6bf687c45e2b5a73dc9591892985c11fe3a | By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:11 EST, 30 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:40 EST, 1 December 2012 . ‘The Amazing Spiderman,’ ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘The Karate Kid’ are getting some real resolution. The new, restored and rebooted films from Sony Pictures are among the content coming pre-loaded on a video player bundled with Sony's first ultra-high-definition television, a massive 84-inch set that retails for $25,000 (£15,614) and features nearly four times the resolution of typical high-definition TVs. ‘People ask the question, “Do I need to get a bigger house to fit an 84-inch TV?”’ said Chris Cookson, president of Sony Pictures Technologies. Scroll down for video . Get the picture? An undated publicity image provided by Sony shows an ultra-HD 4K TV set . ‘The answer is that 25 inches was right for standard definition; 50 inches was right for high-definition; and 84 inches is right now that we're going ultra-high-def.’ Ultra HD is widely regarded as the next evolution in TV technology, but there's currently a lack of content that takes advantage of the vast resolution, though Ultra HD sets are equipped to upscale lower resolution video. Sony Corp. is hoping to overcome that pitfall that with this new player. The Japanese electronics giant debuted the hard-disc server - hidden in a cabinet underneath the behemoth television - at a posh invite-only party Thursday at a private mansion in Santa Monica that featured a performance by John Legend. The video player will include 4K content such as short films, concerts and 10 feature-length movies, including ‘The Other Guys,’ ‘Salt’ and ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai.’ Sony's TV will also come with an Xperia Tablet S, which can be used as a touchscreen remote control. Home base: Sony's Tokyo headquarters . ‘We know there are limitations with broadband and the typical size of a movie that's in 4K,’ said Phil Molyneux, chief operating officer of Sony Electronics. ‘I think this is an extremely good first step to ensure that consumers can have and enjoy the 4K experience in their home.’ The electronics industry has dubbed the new flat-panel displays ‘Ultra HD,’ while Sony specifically refers to it as ‘4K’ because it features nearly 4,000 pixels, compared to the 1,080 pixels found in ‘1080p’ sets. Molyneux said Sony has been pushing for 4K since 2005, when the company put 4K projectors in movie theatres. Electronics leader: Sony ranked 87th on the 2012 list of Fortune Global 500 . Last year, Sony introduced a 4K home projector, and offered a 4K upscaling Blu-ray player earlier this year. Molyneux teased that additional 4K content for the new player would be sent to owners on Blu-ray discs. ‘It's a first step,’ added Molyneux. ‘If we've had a vision since 2005, and we've been arming and equipping for 4K content creation, I think it's fair to speculate that we're also thinking about other ways to get 4K content to consumers in their home.’ LG Electronics offers a similar 84-inch Ultra HD TV, which retails for $20,000 (£12,491). | Sony is releasing its first ultra-high-definition television, a massive 84-inch set that retails for $25,000 (£15,614) and features nearly four times the resolution of typical high-definition TVs .
Ultra HD is widely regarded as the next evolution in TV technology . |
fa069c8586fc77a5f294ab911315f278cf64ad77 | Farce: 37stone Les Price had to reason with staff who allocated his two seats rows apart . Before he boarded the plane, 37stone Les Price had already been forced to pay for an extra ticket. The airline’s rules for passengers weighing more than 20stone required him to buy two seats for himself. But when he got on board, insult was added to injury. For a dismayed Mr Price found his seats for the flight to Ireland were not even next to each other – they were either side of another traveller’s seat. And on his return journey the situation was even more farcical, with his allocated places two rows apart. Mr Price, 43, had booked his tickets in advance of the flight. But he said the unnamed airline’s employees did not seem to understand its policy on heavier passengers. ‘When I got to the airport I had to explain to all the staff why I had two tickets,’ he said yesterday. ‘They didn’t have a clue. When I finally got on the plane one was an aisle seat and the other was by the window – in a three-seat row. 'On the way back from Ireland one seat was in row 17 and the other in row 19.’ Mr Price, of Brynithel near Newport, South Wales, said the incident was one of many everyday difficulties he has faced since he began struggling with his weight. The unemployed widower, who sleeps on the ground floor because he cannot manage stairs, said: ‘From the age of about ten I put on around a stone each year it seemed. ‘But I was the same as everyone else, working, playing rugby, training, so I wasn’t inactive. I’d work 70 or 80 hours a week and play rugby on a Saturday. I wasn’t a layabout.’ Mr Price then injured his back in an accident. He added: ‘I lost my mobility, developed sciatica and I didn’t get out of the house for three months. ‘Even if the boys took me out they would pick me up and drop me off and when I was at the pub they’d go to the bar and get my drinks for me.’ Mr Price, 43, pictured at his home in Blaenau Gwent, south Wales, was coming home from Ireland . He was forced to book two seats on the flight as the airline does not cater for obesity but charges extra instead . When his wife Zeruiah died from cancer in 2009 he admits he turned to comfort eating. ‘I fell into a depression,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t be bothered to cook, would eat takeaways and want to treat my step-daughter Charlie because her mother had died. ‘When I was working, I had to get the calories in. I’d be up at 5am and have a cooked breakfast later. I also worked for a bakery, which involved physically hard lifting, moving things around.’ Earlier this year a travel expert advocated a ‘pay-what-you-weigh’ airline pricing scheme because heavier people cost more in fuel to fly. Passengers weighing above a certain threshold would pay more for their plane tickets and lighter ones would be charged less under plans put forward by Norwegian scientist Dr Bharat Bhatta. Writing in the Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, Dr Bhatta said weight and space should be taken into account when airlines price their tickets. Mr Price said he is cutting down on his calories and attending an NHS weight management clinic. He said: ‘I want to be out there working. 'I feel guilty my partner is out there working all she can. Christmas is coming up and I feel awful I can’t do anything to help. 'I know a lot of people work the benefits system – but I want to be out there, not stuck at home.’ | Les Price, 43, needed to pay for extra space because he is over 20stone .
His seats were on rows 17 and 19 of the plane flying to south Wales .
He was forced to explain the situation to staff on flight home from Ireland . |
fa07175f9300eaaf97f44567a458a9d9cb3d5470 | (CNN) -- A New Jersey father of a 4-year-old boy who fatally shot a 6-year-old neighbor in the head was arrested Monday night for having unsecured weapons accessible to children, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said. Anthony Senatore, 33, was charged with six counts of endangering the welfare of children and a disorderly person's offense for enabling access by minors to a loaded firearm, Prosecutor Jim McClain said. Senatore's 4-year-old son was playing in a yard on April 8 when he went inside and retrieved his father's loaded .22-caliber rifle from a bedroom. When he came back out, he fired a single shot that struck 6-year-old Brandon Holt in the head. Brandon was taken to the Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead the next day. Six-year-old dies a day after being shot . In addition to the loaded rifle, four other firearms were found in Senatore's bedroom, all unsecured, close to ammunition and accessible to his three children, the prosecutor's office said. Senatore is being held on $100,000 bail. When and how do parents educate children about guns? 5-year-old Kentucky boy fatally shoots 2-year-old sister . Kids and guns: 'These are not isolated tragedies' | Brandon Holt, 6, was shot in the head by a 4-year-old playmate on April 8 .
The 4-year-old's father was arrested Monday .
He is charged with six counts of child endangerment . |
fa07abef489757b7b920ce98967539a8e401d274 | Forget the latest It bag or designer outfit, it seems if you really want to grab attention on the awards red carpet, all you need to do is take your child along with you. It's an approach taken by a number of celebrities who took their offspring to last night's Grammy Awards - despite the show taking place past their bedtimes. Rapper Wiz Khalifa, 27, who was nominated for two awards, was joined by his two-year-old son Sebastian. Scroll down for video . Actor Jamie Foxx, 47, was joined by his five-year-old daughter Annalise Bishop at the Grammy Awards, who had her picture taken with Taylor Swift . Rapper Wiz Khalifa, 27, showed off his is two-year-old son Sebastian on the Grammys red carpet . The toddler shows his father - nominated for two awards - how to perfect his pout for the cameras . Wiz Khalifa recently split from his his son's mother, model Amber Rose, 31, so perhaps he wanted to make the most of spending quality time with his little boy. Sebastian melted hearts on the red carpet as he tried to grab the microphones of those interviewing his father, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz. The rapper told E! News why he took the toddler to the awards ceremony. 'We're just out here having fun. I brought my mom with me as well. We're celebrating. You're never gonna get these types of memories again, so I would just rather share them with him... have him be a part of it,' he explained. Beyonce and Jay Z's daughter Blue Ivy was also at the Grammys and was pictured with Rihanna . Giambattista Valli Tiered Ball Gown . Shop the brand at Shopbop . Visit site . Rihanna sure does know how to make an entrance! The talented songstress is not afraid to take risks when it comes to fashion, and tonight it definitely paid off. She chose a rose colored tiered ball gown from Giambattista Valli's Haute Couture line and made this one of her most memorable red carpet appearances yet. The style icon award winner loves to show off her flawless skin and multiple tattoos in crop tops, sheer frocks, and backless numbers, so it was refreshing to see the Fourfiveseconds singer all covered up, but still serving major sex appeal. Rihanna's designer of choice is no stranger to red carpet dressing. His lavish looks have been worn by a countless number of A-listers including Lena Dunham and Lupita Nyong'o. This couture creation isn't readily available to the public. But we've got some Cinderella inspired gowns in our edit to make up for the loss. Starting at around $100 this is an excellent investment for your next big event. Chi Chi London Midi Debutante Prom Dress at ASOS . Visit site . Erin Fetherston Lucille Strapless Floret Gown . Visit site . Jason Wu Lace Top Duchesse Satin Gown . Visit site . Jamie Foxx at the awards ceremony with his daughter who looked like she had a ball . Annalise strikes a pose as she makes friends with popstar Rihanna . Meanwhile actor Jamie Foxx, 47, was joined by his five-year-old daughter Annalise Bishop. His little girl gave him the perfect excuse to bag himself a number of pictures of the stars as he took pictures of her on his phone with everyone from Sir Paul McCartney and Madonna to Jay Z and Pharrell Williams. Annalise took the encounters with the world's most famous musicians in her stride, striking a pose giving the peace sign. Jamie uploaded a number of his snaps to his Instagram account where he revealed who his daughter's favourite popstar was. 'Thanks Katy Perry for making my daughter's night!' he wrote with a picture of Annalise being hugged by the Firework singer. Jamie makes sure he gets a picture of his daughter meeting Sir Paul McCartney, who found fame with the Beatles decades before she was born . The actor also snaps his daughter posing with Jay Z in the STAPLES Center . Jamie later uploaded the picture to his Instagram account with the caption 'Jay and my little one' Annalise found fans herself in Madonna and Rihanna who couldn't resist giving her a cuddle and pinching her cheeks. Another star who made the night a family affair was Melissa Rivers, 47, who was accompanied on the red carpet by her son Cooper Endicott, 14. The night was bittersweet for the pair who accepted an award for Best Spoken Word Album posthumously given to Melissa's mother, Joan Rivers, who died last September. The most famous little girl at the Grammy was Beyonce and Jay Z's daughter Blue Ivy. Her parents picked up awards for best R and B performance and best R and B song for Drunk In Love while Beyonce also took to the stage to perform Take My Hand. Pharrell and Annalise both give the peace sign in another picture taken by her Oscar winning father . As she works the room, Annalise gets a hug from another of the world's most famous musicians - Madonna . Jamie revealed the meeting which made his little girl's night was with Katy Perry, pictured in another shot he uploaded to Instagram . Annalise also met singer Ed Sheeran who was nominated for a number of Grammys . But while the three-year-old has appeared on stage with her famous parents at awards shows in the past, this time they kept her out of the limelight. She wasn't pictured with her parents on the red carpet although she was later seen inside the STAPLES Center where she was made of a fuss of by Rihanna. The popstar crouched down in her elaborate pink Valli gown to chat to the little girl - who was also dressed in pink. Meanwhile, stars who didn't have a child on their arm took this pets instead. Singer Charli XCX and Shani James both took their dogs to aftershow parties. Melissa Rivers was accompanied on the red carpet by her son Cooper Endicott, 14, as they accepted a posthumous award for their mother/grandmother, the late Joan Rivers . No children? Take your dog instead: Singer Charli XCX attends the Warner Music Group annual Grammy celebration with her puppy . | Nominated rapper Wiz Khalifa took his two-year-old son Sebastian .
'I wanted him to be a part of it,' he told reporters on the red carpet .
Jamie Foxx joined by his five-year-old daughter Annalise Bishop .
She had her picture taken with world's most famous musicians .
Beyonce and Jay Z's daughter Blue Ivy was also at the awards do .
She was seen being given a cuddle by Rihanna . |
fa07c60247293a338a828448520b2307117cee53 | Nicky Henderson’s Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours has been ruled out for the season after suffering a tendon injury. The talented gelding had been 7-1 fourth favourite for the hurdling crown at Cheltenham in March, a race in which he was beaten a neck by Jezki last year under champion jockey AP McCoy. Henderson had been intending to return the gelding, who runs in the colours of owner JP McManus, in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle at the end of next month. Tony McCoy riding My Tent Or Yours (right) wins the kempton.co.uk National Hunt Flat Race in February . Trainer Nicky Henderson (centre) opens the new See You Then bar at Cheltenham on Friday . Henderson said: 'Unfortunately he’s had an injury and I’m not going to get him back for Cheltenham (in March), so that’s it for the season. 'We were planning to stay over hurdles with him and we were looking at the Fighting Fifth, but that isn’t going to happen now. 'He’s not lame, he’s not sore, he’s not anything really, but there is an issue there unfortunately, which is very frustrating.' Coral now make Willie Mullins-trained Faugheen, winner of the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival the 4-1 joint favourite for the Champion alongside Nigel Twiston-Davies trained The New One, an unlucky third in the 2014 race after being hampered. The New One will make his seasonal reappearance at Kempton on Sunday when he lines up in the Listed williamhill.com Hurdle. Nicky Henderson with My Tent Or Yours (left) and Bobs Worth (right) in February this year . Barry Geraghty riding Jezki (left) win The Stan James Champion Hurdle from My Tent Or Yours and Tony McCoy . | My Tent Or Yours had been 7-1 fourth favourite for the hurdling crown at Cheltenham in March .
Nicky Henderson had been intending to return the gelding in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle at the end of next month .
Henderson said: 'He’s not lame, he’s not sore, he’s not anything really.'
The New One will make his seasonal reappearance at Kempton on Sunday . |
fa07c738f90495f147b4ce255cfe0b51aa6635fb | Luis Suarez is now the third most valuable footballer in the world according to an authoritative new report, published today, that rates the Liverpool striker as worth £79million - at least. Only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, with a ‘starting price’ of £161.5m and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, worth at least £85.2m, are valued more highly in the study, compiled by a Swiss-based expert research centre. The CIES Football Observatory has detailed knowledge of actual prices paid in thousands of transfers to ‘Big Five’ divisions over recent years, and have now published their annual review of players - including ‘market values’. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Messi scoring from behind the goal in training . Hit man: Luis Suarez was the Premier League's top scorer last season with Liverpool . Revealed: The 20 most valuable players in Europe . A huge range of information is considered for each player to produce a ‘real world’ price tag of what each star should objectively be worth in the transfer market this summer. Age, the length of contract remaining, position, performance data, international experience and the level at which the players are working are all considered. The stunning season enjoyed at Anfield by Uruguay forward Suarez, 27, has propelled him up the rankings of ‘most wanted’ among a string of elite clubs. The CIES study brackets his market value at between £79.4m and £92.3m. Suarez cost Liverpool £22.8m from Ajax in January 2011 and has been linked with some of Europe’s top clubs in recent days, from Real Madrid to Manchester United, who are reportedly ready to bid £65m. On the basis of the CIES study, that would represent a huge under-valuation of the player. The fourth most valuable man on the list is Chelsea’s Belgium starlet, Eden Hazard, 23, reckoned to be worth at least £61.2m. Chelsea paid around half that sum two years ago. Genius: Messi didn't have his best season at Barcelona, but is still the most valuable player in the world . The top 10 is completed by Paul Pogba of Juventus, Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale - rated at £47.1m at least, or considerably less than he cost last summer - then Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, PSG’s Edinson Cavani and Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze. Four England players make the top 20: Wayne Rooney plus three of the young Lions from Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad - Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Daniel Sturridge. Rooney is thought to be worth £29.6m, a bit less than the younger Sterling (£31.2m) and Barkley (£29.7m) and very lightly more than Sturridge (£29.4m). Outside the top 20, Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere is rated as worth at least £27.6m and Southampton’s Luke Shaw is worth £23.2m. Wizard: Ronaldo was named Ballon d'Or winner, with the Portugal striker enjoying a superb campaign . Value: Chelsea's Eden Hazard (left) is fourth, and Gareth Bale, the most expensive player on earth, was seventh . Any footballer is only worth what a club will pay for him, of course, but the CIES study shows that their evaluation process stands up to scrutiny, with only a small historical variation between their valuations on players and the prices they actually move for. The margin of error is fairly insignificant 7.5 per cent. Of the 20 highest valued players, nine of them play in the Premier League, for now at least, seven in Spain’s La Liga, two in Germany’s Bundesliga (Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller at Bayern Munich), one in France’s Ligue 1 (Cavani at PSG) and one in Italy’s Serie A (Pogba). At the top end of the chart, Messi’s value is almost twice that of Ronaldo’s. The report’s author’s say: ‘This is mainly related to the younger age of the Argentinian prodigy, who was born 28 months after the Portuguese superstar. ‘However, with respect to the last year, Messi’s market value has gone down (by €19m) while that of Ronaldo increased (by €4m). Prospect: Everton star Ross Barkley was ranked in the top 20 most valuable players in the World . England's future: Raheem Sterling was also in the top 20 after rising to fame with Liverpool . More information and access to the full report can be found at www.football-observatory.com . | Luis Suarez third in the CIES Football Observatory ranking of most valuable players .
Lionel Messi is top of the list, with Cristiano Ronaldo second .
England prospects Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley are above Daniel Sturridge and Wayne Rooney .
Nine current Premier League players make up the top 20 .
A huge range of information is considered for each player to produce a ‘real world’ price tag . |
fa08315061e46541b09c86a82474be9dae51ecc4 | (CNN) -- Mike McLelland came to the law late in life. He was already around 40 when he started law school at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, drawn in by his work with the mentally ill, classmate and one-time law partner Michael Burns said. Becoming a district attorney "was what he always wanted to do," Burns said. McLelland was killed over the weekend, shot to death along with his wife, Cynthia. Friends found the couple dead Saturday evening in their home in Forney, on the eastern outskirts of Dallas. He was elected in 2010 to the post of district attorney in Kaufman County, where one of his assistant prosecutors was gunned down outside the courthouse in January. Now his own slaying is at the heart of a Texas-size whodunit that has left local, state and federal investigators scrambling for answers. "They were the consummate good people," Burns said. "We kidded Mike because he had no identifiable vices, and we all had vices. We either drank too much or smoked too much or chased women. But Mike had no identifiable vices, and Cynthia was solid gold." Who's killing Texas prosecutors? Chilling mystery leaves county on edge . Another colleague, Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe, called McLelland "a big bear of a guy, never met a stranger." "He said what he meant, and I'm sorry this tragedy followed him," Lowe told CNN's The Situation Room. Both McLellands had master's degrees in psychology, said Burns, now the district attorney in Palo Pinto County, on the opposite side of the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. They had met in the field and were dating while Mike attended law school, he said. Their marriage was the second for both; they had five children between them, all grown now, Burns said. The 63-year-old McLelland grew up in Wortham, where his parents had a ranch. He joined the Army after attending the University of Texas and still held a major's commission in the reserves when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, sparking the Persian Gulf war. Burns said McLelland was called up shortly after finishing law school and trained soldiers in psychological warfare during the 1991 conflict. Burns, who had been a police officer, and McLelland were older than the average student at Texas Wesleyan and soon became study partners. "He decided that he wanted to go into the law particularly to be a prosecutor, but those opportunities don't come along that often," Burns said. "So when we graduated, we went down to Corpus Christi, down on the coast, and opened a law office and practiced criminal defense work." Drawing on his earlier training, McLelland took on a lot of court-appointed work for mentally ill defendants, Burns said. Cynthia was a gourmet cook, and "she used to bring some of the most fantastic lunches to the office when we were there," he said. Eventually, both moved back to north Texas, where McLelland set up a law practice in Kaufman County. He had been a psychologist for the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation before going to law school and became a mental health judge after getting his law degree; his wife got a job at the state mental hospital in Terrell and was still practicing there when she was killed, Burns said. Burns was elected to his office in 2006. When McLelland decided to run for Kaufman County's chief prosecutor's post four years later, his friend came over to "get the lay of the land about what it was like to be an elected DA" Pete Shulte, another friend of McLelland's, told CNN's Starting Point that lawyering was a collegial business in the county of about 100,000. "Everybody knew each other here. It was a great place to practice law," Shulte said. "Everybody liked the district attorney's office. There just wasn't a lot of activity out here. So the biggest shock out here this morning is why, in Kaufman, Texas, are we having an assistant DA get killed and an elected DA. It's really sending some shock waves through the community." McLelland won a three-way race in the 2010 Republican primary and ran unopposed in the general election. Burns said he and McLelland kept in touch "here and there" until January, when McLelland's assistant district attorney, Mark Hasse, was shot to death in a still-unsolved case. "He was bound and determined to find out who had done that to Mark, and Mike was fearless," Burns said. He was like, 'They better come prepared, because there'll be a fight.' " After Hasse's killing, McLelland publicly vowed to bring the "scum" who killed his assistant to justice. "We're going to pull you out of whatever hole you're in, we're going to bring you back and let the people of Kaufman County prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," he said. But in mid-February, Burns said McLelland told him, "My greatest fear is that it was one person, acting alone, who doesn't drink," eliminating the chance that a liquored-up perpetrator would ever confess. "That's vintage McLelland right there." Since the killings, Burns said prosecutors from several counties have exchanged theories about what happened, "but frankly, none of us know." "We're used to hearing this sort of thing happening in Colombia or even Mexico. We're not used to hearing about judicial officials targeted in the United States," Burns said. "It's hard to say whether this is a local phenomenon that involves only one issue locally there, or whether this is the beginning of a trend. As a prosecutor, I can just tell you, we can't ignore it." "We're looking out the peephole when the doorbell rings now, where we maybe we weren't before," he added. CNN's Steve Almasy contributed to this report. Watch The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer weekdays at 4pm to 6pm ET and Saturdays at 6pm ET. For the latest from The Situation Room click here. | "They were the consummate good people," classmate says of slain DA and wife .
Mike McLelland came to the law late in life after training as a psychologist .
"We're looking out the peephole when the doorbell rings now," friend says . |
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