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fa27767eb2950ebd6209b4df9db3bd848e29b35c | After scoring in Chelsea's FA Cup win against Watford, Brazilian playmaker Willian treated his family to a trip to Stamford Bridge on Monday. The 26-year-old scored the opener for the Blues' in their victory over the Championship outfit on Sunday, as they bounced back from their 5-3 defeat at the hands of London rivals Tottenham on New Year's Day. After coming on a second-half substitute for Andre Schurrle it took Willian just 13 minutes to get off the mark, as Jose Mourinho's men eventually ran out 3-0 winners. Willian poses for a picture with his family at Stamford Bridge a day after scoring in Chelsea's FA Cup win . Brazilian midfielder Willian (right) bends home Chelsea's first goal against Watford from just outside the Hornets' penalty area . A day later the Blues midfielder posted a picture of him and his family on his Instagram account after another trip to Chelsea's west London home. A message alongside the picture said: 'Family going away today, since I miss love y'all bjao'. Next up for the Blues is a trip to Swansea in the Premier League as they look to steal a march on title rivals Manchester City - with alphabetical order the only difference between the two sides so far. Substitute Willian (left) and his compatriot Ramires run off to celebrate after breaking the deadlock against their Championship opponents . | Willian was on target as Chelsea beat Watford 3-0 to advance through to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday .
The 26-year-old came on as a second-half substitute against the Hornets .
On Monday the Brazilian took his family for a trip to Stamford Bridge .
He posted a picture of them all at the ground with the message that he'll miss his family when they leave London . |
fa27b8bc3a5f1474be843ae74472e99ed79a4370 | By . Mark Duell, Lydia Warren and Hugo Gye . Last updated at 11:59 PM on 4th January 2012 . The mother of the suspected LA arsonist is facing deportation over claims she failed to pay for a breast enlargement operation in her native Germany. Harry Burkhart, 24, was arrested on suspicion of starting more than 50 fires in the Hollywood area and has now been charged with dozens of counts of arson. He is suspected to have started his arson spree after seeing his mother dragged off by State Department officials. Yesterday his mother Dorothee Burkhart, who is in her 50s, appeared in court charged with 19 counts of fraud in Frankfurt, some of them allegedly carried out 'as a member of gang'. She claimed her son was 'mentally ill', and produced a letter from a Canadian doctor which appeared to support this, suggesting that he is autistic and suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mr Burkhart is currently on suicide watch in police custody. It emerged today that he is suspected of being responsible for a fire at a house in Germany owned by his family. Detained: Harry Burkhart, left, has been arrested at a time when his mother Dorothee faces deportation. The picture on the right was posted on an advert linked to a phone number believed to belong to her . Taken in: The suspect's arrest was a measure of relief to anxious residents who had grown fearful after several nights of seemingly random blazes . Los Angeles county sheriff's department detain a man they described as a 'person of interest', in West Hollywood, January 2, 2012. Online: This picture comes from an advert for an erotic masseuse, also linked to Mrs Burkhart . Ad: This page links to a website believed to be registered to Ms Burkhart . Ms Burkhart appears to own an erotic . massage business, and has been linked to websites offering the services . of 'Goddess Annabelle' in the Hollywood area. The sites describe their owner as a 'sexologist', but emphasise that her massages are not to be confused with prostitution. The potential deportation of Ms . Burkhart, who is said not to have a valid visa, is thought to be . connected to her pony-tailed son's alleged rampage through Los Angeles. In a brief court appearance, where . she was accused of crimes including avoiding payment for her breast . augmentation surgery, she appeared perplexed, wondering aloud if her son . was dead. 'Where is my son? What did you do to my son?' she asked the judge. Harry Burkhart was being held without bail after being arrested in the arson case on Monday. According to a police officer, Mr Burkhart erupted into an anti-American rant at a recent immigration hearing for his mother. More: Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters extinguish cars on fire in a carport in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles earlier this week as the spate of arson attacks reached its fifth night . Attacks: The arsonist set 12 new fires early on Monday morning, in North Hollywood, California . Outside his Hollywood apartment, some . neighbours described him as a loner who loitered around the busy . commercial strip at night and could be heard arguing with his mother. But Shlomo Elady, a hair stylist who . regularly trimmed Burkhart's long hair, recalled someone who spoke three . languages, dreamed of visiting Jerusalem and cared for a sickly mother . who had trouble walking. Mr Elady said he was stunned that the . man who lived with his mother above his Sunset Boulevard shop is . suspected of torching vehicles, some just steps from his home. The fires . caused an estimated $3million in damage. 'He loved his mom, the way every son loves his mom,' Mr Elady said. 'He's not a creepy guy.' Mr Burkhart was described by Los . Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca as ‘the most dangerous arsonist’ he . could remember in the area, after more than 50 fires caused $3million in . damage. The arson . attacks destroyed parked cars and scorched buildings across Hollywood, . West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. Since the arrest firemen . have not attended any more suspicious fires. Burnt out: The onslaught of fires left residents on edge over the weekend in some of the city's most densely populated areas . Destroyed: One of dozens of cars damaged by the Hollywood arsonist over the last few days . After the blazes: The 50-plus fires have also damaged buildings around the wealthy neighbourhood . Battle: Firefighters try to put out an apartment fire that started from one of the 12 new carport fires set by an arsonist early Monday morning . ‘Our long four-day nightmare is . over,’ Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said, after the . suspect was arrested for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling . and held on $250,000 bail. Burkhart, of Frankfurt, Germany, was . pulled over by a reserve sheriff's deputy who works for $1 a year - . although the investigation is ongoing and authorities haven't ruled out . others being involved. 'Our long four-day nightmare is over' Zev Yaroslavsky . Police . searched a Sunset Boulevard apartment located above a hair salon and . optician's on Monday night where Burkhart is believed to have lived for . more than a year, reported the Los Angeles Times. The . arrest was a measure of relief to anxious residents who had grown . fearful after several nights of seemingly random blazes. Police have not . released any motive. He is due in court on Wednesday. Galina Illarionova, who lives in the . same apartment complex as the suspect, told reporters that an agitated . Burkhart visited her on Sunday and said his mother was in trouble with . authorities. Advice: Firefighters and police are urging residents to check their cars and ensure they keep parking lots secure . Attacks: The fires have been started in several areas of Los Angeles over the last five days . Surveillance: Police say the person of interest (right) is a white male between 20 and 30 years old with a receding hairline and a shoulder-length ponytail . ‘We are very confident in this . arrest, but we have a long way to go,’ said Police Chief Charlie Beck . Authorities do not know how long he has been in the U.S. and said he . isn't cooperating with them. One . of Sheriff Baca's reserve deputies, Shervin Lalezary, pulled over . Burkhart's van sought by arson investigators shortly after 3am. Mr . Lalezary works as a lawyer and said he was glad he helped out. ‘I'm . ecstatic that law enforcement gets to shine a little bit,’ Mr Lalezary . said. Burkhart reportedly told authorities 'I hate America' as he was . arrested, according to ABC News. 'I'm ecstatic that law enforcement gets to shine a little bit' Shervin Lalezary . Rick Savage, who was there when a man . believed to be Burkhart was arrested, said witnesses gave him the . middle finger when he was sitting in the back of the squad car, and he . smiled in response. The . onslaught of fires left residents on edge over the weekend in some of . the city’s most densely populated areas. Hundreds of investigators, . police officers and firemen dealt with the blazes. Police conducted extra patrols all weekend, and the noise of helicopters and sirens persisted virtually nonstop in Hollywood. The . blazes forced many apartment dwellers from their homes. But there were . no serious injuries - one fireman was hurt in a fall from a ladder, and . another person suffered smoke inhalation. Locations: A map displayed at a press conference on Monday shows the locations of dozens of arson fires that were set over the weekend in Los Angeles, California . Response: The fires started shortly after midnight and occurred over a four-hour span before dawn . Feeling the heat: A firefighter battles flames in Hollywood, California, after another night of blazes . One of Saturday's fires was at the . Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex, a popular tourist spot . bordered by the Walk of Fame in a neighbourhood including Grauman's . Chinese Theatre. Shervin Lalezary, a reserve sheriff's deputy who works for $1 a year, was billed as a 'true hero' by Sheriff Baca. The Beverly Hills real estate lawyer spotted Burkhart's Dodge Caravan in the early hours of Monday morning. He qualified to ride a patrol car solo last month and had back-up from LAPD officers when he went up to the van. One of . the blazes happened at the former home of late Doors lead singer Jim . Morrison, who died in Paris in 1971 aged just 27. It was listed for . nearly $1.2million earlier this year. He . used to live in the house with girlfriend Pamela Courson in the 1960s . and it was the inspiration for the Doors' song ‘Love Street’. Despite . the arrest, authorities continued to urge vigilance. ‘We're . not resting, and we're not stopping’ the extra patrols, Police . Commander Andrew Smith said on Monday. ’If you have lights in your carport area, . keep them on tonight.’ Other deliberate fires were reported in Hollywood on Thursday and . two people were arrested. But police said that those suspects were not . connected with the 52 other blazes. | Harry Burkhart, 24, of Frankfurt, is charged with dozens of counts of arson and put on suicide watch .
Also a suspect in arson case over his house in Germany .
His mother could be deported from U.S. over 19 counts of fraud .
She is linked to 'erotic massage' websites in Hollywood .
More than 50 fires from L.A. area since Friday were 'result of deliberate fires'
$3million damage caused by attacks in Hollywood and San Fernando Valley . |
fa27bf2978abb6116b6d5a8d4f12d48335f58975 | Spanish priest: Miguel Pajares died in a Madrid hospital after contracting the Ebola virus in Liberia . The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa claimed its first European life yesterday. Spanish priest Miguel Pajares died five days after being airlifted from Liberia to Madrid for expert care. With the death toll climbing above 1,000 and the outbreak showing no signs of slowing, the World Health Organisation declared it ethical to use untested drugs to attempt to control the virus. Mr Pajares, a 75-year-old missionary, caught Ebola – one of the deadliest diseases known to man – while treating patients in Liberia. His condition was described as stable on arrival in Spain and it is thought he was given ZMapp, an experimental drug credited with the ‘miraculous’ recovery of two American aid workers. His body will be cremated today to prevent the virus spreading. Last night, two doses of ZMapp were on their way to Liberia to treat two doctors – the first Africans to receive the drug. The development follows concern that the antibody medicine, which is grown in tobacco plants and has not been formally tested on humans, was being reserved for use on Westerners. The Liberian government said it was aware that the drug’s safety had not been established but that it had no option but to try using it. Scroll down for video . Mr Pajares was working at a hospital in Liberia, which is run by a Catholic humanitarian group he was involved in . The missionary was flown back to Spain for treatment after he tested positive for the deadly virus, which is sweeping West Africa . Information Minister Lewis Brown told the BBC: ‘The alternative to not testing this is death, a certain death. ‘This . is not even the rock and the hard place for us. We think those who have . been infected should be given the chance to have that tested on them if . they give their consent to do so.’ With . no conventional treatment or vaccine available for Ebola, and this . outbreak being the worst ever, interest in ZMapp is high. But production is slow and with only 12 doses made, its US manufacturer says the supply is now exhausted. When the priest first arrived in Madrid, there were claims he was on a drip and was unable to walk unaided with his condition being described as stable . Speaking before he was flown back he said: 'I'd like to return because we have a very bad experience of what's happened here . A 20-year-old man has made a full recovery after contracting Ebola. Sulaiman Kemokai, from Kenema in Sierra Leone, spent 25 days in a ward. Despite still feeling stiffness in his joints, he claims he is gaining strength every day. Lucky to be alive: Sulaiman Kemokai, 20, has been released from an Ebola treatment centre after recovering . Gaining strength: Sulaiman, from Kenema, Sierra Leone, claims he is getting stronger every day . When he was brought back to Spain last week, a convoy of vehicles escorted him to the King Carlos III hospital for treatment . He was flown back to Europe on a specially adapted plane provided by the Spanish Defence Ministry . Spain's Health Ministry said that it had obtained a course of the U.S.-made drug ZMapp over the weekend to treat the priest . There is anger in Guinea that neighbouring Liberia has managed to secure some of the scarce stock. 'The alternative to not testing this is death, a certain death. This is not even the rock and the hard place for us' Lewis Brown, Liberian Information Minister . Assiatou . Diallo, a nurse in the Guinean capital Conakry, said: ‘The Liberians . can count on their government but Guineans can only count on God in the . face of Ebola.’ Yesterday, . an ethics panel hastily convened by the World Health Organisation said . that the size of the outbreak made the use of untested, and so . potentially dangerous drugs ethical, provided certain conditions are . met. The organisation previously admitted that the disease, which causes internal and external bleeding, is out of control. Health workers carry the body of a man suspected of dying from Ebola and left in the street in Liberia . David Writebol, with his wife Nancy, who has been infected with the Ebola virus. Mr Writebol himself has now been quarantined . In Sierra Leone, patients are staying away from hospital wards, gripped with fear that they will contract the Ebola virus . A health worker cleans his hands before entering an Ebola screening tent at the Kenema Government Hospital in Sierra Leone . Dr Marie-Paule Keiney, of the WHO, said: ‘It seems that some of the usual methods we are using… are not working. 'It seems that some of the usual methods we are using... are not working' Dr Marie-Paule Keiney, WHO . ‘We don’t have enough people to rely on the traditional methods if we want to stop the outbreak as soon as possible.’ Dr Kent Brantly, one of the two Americans with Ebola who were given the drug, has said that he is growing stronger every day. But it is not known if ZMapp is responsible or if he simply recovered naturally, as some patients do. Health workers wear protective clothing and masks as they treat patients suspected to have the virus . An ambulance leaves an Ebola isolation unit carrying the bodies of Ebola victims to a burial site . | Miguel Pajares dies five days after being airlifted from Liberia to Madrid .
Death toll climbs above 1,000 and outbreak shows no signs of slowing .
WHO declares it ethical to use untested drugs to attempt to control virus .
Missionary Mr Pajares, 75, caught Ebola while treating patients in Liberia .
He was 'given ZMapp drug' credited with recovery of two US aid workers . |
fa2827a737c1ec76501414c3a71df67480d45c44 | Guatemala City, Guatemala (CNN) -- Gunmen who shot dead Facundo Cabral likely did not have the Argentine folk singer as their intended target, said Guatemalan Interior Minister Carlos Menocal. Cabral, one of Latin America's best-known folk singers, was killed Saturday on his way to the airport in Guatemala City. In the car with Cabral was a Nicaraguan businessman, Henry Farina, who was driving, said Menocal. "Everything points to that the attack was directed at him (Farina), and not the artist," he said. Still, a motive for the shooting remained unclear. Farina was wounded, but survived the attack. Cabral died, becoming the latest victim in a wave of violence that has rocked the nation ahead of elections. Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared three days of national mourning in honor of the singer. In Guatemala on a Latin American tour, Cabral, 74, left his hotel early Saturday morning in a white SUV for an eight-minute ride to the airport. Gunmen attacked the SUV -- at least 20 bullet holes could be seen on the Range Rover. Nothing was reported stolen from the vehicle, government spokesman Ronaldo Robles said Saturday. Police found a brown Hyundai Santa Fe nearby containing bullet-proof vests and AK-47 magazines. Robles and other authorities have said an investigation was underway. "You can't blame New Yorkers for the death of John Lennon. Just like you can't blame Guatemalans for the death of Facundo Cabral," said Ernesto Justo Lopez, the Argentine ambassador to Guatemala. Ironically, Cabral, who said he was inspired by Jesus Christ and Mohandas Gandhi, was recognized in 1996 by the Organization of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a "World Peace Messenger." Cabral gained fame as a protest singer. His song, "No Soy De Aqui, Ni Soy De Alla" ("I'm Not From Here Nor There") was recorded in nine languages by stars including Julio Iglesias and Neil Diamond. | Shots were directed at the singer's driver, an official says .
The driver, a Nicaraguan businessman, was wounded .
Argentine folk singer Facundo Cabral was killed Saturday during the same attack .
Gunmen descended on their SUV as the men made their way to the airport . |
fa28c1f60ddb590d2a758ba9b0bd572fab346364 | A lawyer representing the 16-year-old Texas boy who killed four people and critically injured two others while driving drunk lashed out Thursday at the news media for their focus on the use of "affluenza" to describe the boy's privileged upbringing. Of the two experts who testified in defense of Ethan Couch, only one used the word and he used it just once, attorney Reagan Wynn told CNN's "New Day." "That term was not used by either of the lawyers that represented Mr. Couch, and it was not our defense, simply put." He added, "I think it is ridiculous for anyone who knows anything about the criminal justice system or the juvenile justice system to think that we walked into court and said, 'Hey, judge, this is a rich, white kid,' and she went, 'Oh, OK, probation.' " Asked whether he had ever heard of a poor child getting probation -- and no jail time -- after having killed four people, Wynn acknowledged that he had not. But, he said, the goal of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate more than to punish. "I would submit to you that kids who do things by accident or mistake probably should not be locked up with the key thrown away," he said. Eric Boyles, whose wife and daughter were killed in the crash, said he thinks the media criticism over the term caused the defense team to want the term to go away. "I was actually surprised to hear them attempt to walk back the 'affluenza' term. They created it. The outcry follows it," he told "Anderson Cooper 360". "And now they wish that indeed that the negative focus wasn't so much around 'affluenza.' " Doctor coins term . Psychologist Dick Miller testified in December that "affluenza" describes a condition caused when a child of privileged background suffers no consequences for repeated bad behavior. But it is not recognized as a medical condition in any formal sense and Miller acknowledged to Cooper in December, "We used to call these people 'spoiled brats.' " The prosecutor had asked that Couch be sentenced to 20 years behind bars. Instead, State District Judge Jean Boyd ordered in December that he be placed on probation for 10 years. In a proceeding Wednesday closed to the news media, she specified the terms of that probation: She ordered that Couch undergo rehabilitation -- at his family's expense -- at a locked treatment facility in Texas that has not been identified publicly, Wynn said. No minimum time was ordered, though the boy's driver's license was suspended and he was ordered to stay away from drugs and alcohol for the duration of his sentence probation. After the proceeding, Wynn was vehement in his attack on the news media. "If this case has not taught me anything else, it has confirmed what I was pretty sure of all along -- which is that the media circus is poison to the criminal justice system," Wynn told reporters on Wednesday, adding that the news coverage had affected decisions by treatment facilities about whether to accept Couch for treatment. "The story that was reported has so twisted the facts that were actually presented in court that I don't think the truth will ever be able to come out now," he said. Asked what the public was missing from the news reports, he said, "I'm not going to go into detail with you, but I will tell you that if you had been in the courtroom and you had heard all the testimony, you would have heard a significantly different story than what was reported." Wynn's attack on the media's focus on "affluenza" was rich, the prosecutor said. "Really?" asked Richard Alpert, when told of the defense lawyer's remarks. "Well, that's ironic, because it's his expert that brought that before the courtroom, so somebody made a decision before this hearing that that was a good term. "He's a good attorney, his witnesses don't say things by accident. So they thought maybe that would help. That's my interpretation. And it blew up on them. It was a stupid thing to say, it affected the credibility of that expert and it will follow that expert wherever he testifies. It was a dumb idea and his testimony wasn't credible." Looking for an apology . Couch's avoidance of jail time underscores the need for legislative changes, Alpert told reporters Wednesday. "There are some problems with the way juvenile justice is done," he said. "We're going to ask for the right to a jury trial, we're going to hope to get legislation to do that, let a jury of his peers determine what the punishment should be." Boyles said he only wanted to hear Couch say he was sorry. "We certainly have not seen any remorse," he said Thursday, adding that based on Couch's demeanor in the courtroom, he didn't think the teenager understands what he has done. Last June, his wife, Hollie Boyles, and daughter, Shelby, left their home to help Breanna Mitchell, whose SUV had broken down. Brian Jennings, a youth pastor, was driving past and also stopped to help. All four were killed when the Couch's pickup truck plowed into the pedestrians on a road in Burleson, south of Fort Worth. Couch's vehicle also struck a parked car, which then slid into another vehicle headed in the opposite direction. Two people riding in the bed of the pickup were injured. One is no longer able to move or talk because of a brain injury, while the other suffered internal injuries and broken bones. According to prosecutors, three hours after the crash, tests showed Couch had a blood alcohol content of 0.24, three times the legal limit. Lawyer: Couch does feel remorse . Despite his client's avoidance of jail time, Wynn said he didn't feel Couch won. "There is no winner in this case," he said. "Ethan is going to live with what he did for the rest of his life, and I can tell you that he certainly feels remorse." He said his client is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following the accident, that he is "emotionally and socially arrested to where he is effectively like a 12-year-old," and that he is "basically shell-shocked" by the process. "He has a very flat affect, he is able to express remorse but, quite frankly, I don't think there is anything he was going to say to anyone that was going to make them feel any better, especially coming from him." Marla Mitchell, whose daughter Breanna was among the victims, said Couch may have gotten off easy, but he's not done yet. "Even though he knows how to beat this game, and even if he follows all the little things and jumps through the hoops and does the tricks he's supposed to do, I don't think the world is ever going to take their eyes off of him -- no matter where is is, no matter where he goes, no matter what game he or his family think they've beaten." She said she hopes his rehabilitation efforts succeed, but added, "I think it's shutting the barn door after the horse is already out. But we'll see." Boyles said that while he took some solace in the fact Couch wasn't allowed to go to some expensive treatment facility with horse riding, yoga and other activities, he still will get to return to his nice life after he finishes his treatment. "I had a warm, vibrant home that I went to every night. I now go home to a quiet, stark, sterile environment," he told Cooper. "So it's now not a ... it's just a house. It's not a home." | Man who lost wife, daughter says he doesn't think Ethan Couch is remorseful .
"Affluenza" not used by either of the lawyers, says defense attorney Reagan Wynn .
The media circus is poison to the criminal justice system," Wynn says .
"Well, that's ironic," prosecutor says, noting that a defense witness used the term . |
fa2911b0926a2d6a27ec6730348d3e4a3de85d01 | Labour could try to cut the cost of the Trident nuclear deterrent to save money, Ed Miliband said yesterday – opening the way for a deal with the SNP. He declared that he wanted to have the ‘least cost nuclear deterrent we can have’. His comment raises the prospect of a coalition with the SNP, which has insisted it will not support any party that favours replacing the Trident nuclear missiles. Scroll down for video . Nuclear deterrent since 1994: The Trident missiles have a range of 7,500 miles and are accurate to a few feet. They are carried by four submarines - Vanguard (above), Vengeance, Victorious and Vigilant . It also suggests that Labour could ditch one or more of the submarines which carry the weapons and are needing to be replaced. Next year MPs will hold a final vote on whether to build a new generation of submarines in a £20billion ‘like for like’ replacement of Trident. Labour’s position on Trident could be a key factor in any coalition deal after the May election – and the SNP could end up handing Mr Miliband the keys to Number 10 if it wins enough seats to prop him up and deliver a Commons majority. The issue could also help Mr Miliband in negotiations with the Lib Dems and the Greens. Labour leader: Ed Miliband declared that he wanted to have the ‘least cost nuclear deterrent we can have’ The current system involves four nuclear-powered submarines, with one armed boat always at sea, operating out of Faslane in Scotland. Ed Miliband was asked about Trident during a question and answer session. He said: ‘I want to see disarmament, but I want to see multilateral disarmament, I’m not in favour of unilateral disarmament. ‘What does that mean? That means we have got to have the least cost deterrent that we can have, and that’s my philosophy.’ The Liberal Democrats say ending round-the-clock patrols would allow the submarine fleet to be cut from four boats to three but the Tories attacked the idea of a ‘part-time’ deterrent. Stepping inside: David Cameron (pictured) is said to back the like-for-like replacement of the ageing Vanguard class boats which carry the missiles. He is pictured aboard Vanguard class submarine HMS Victorious in 2013 . Downing Street said David Cameron backed the like-for-like replacement of the ageing Vanguard class boats which carry the missiles. A 2007 vote saw 161 MPs vote to oppose the renewal of Trident, including 95 Labour rebels. Submarine-launched missiles are regarded as superior to land-based nuclear weapons because they are less vulnerable to a ‘first strike’. Trident has been the UK’s nuclear deterrent since 1994. The missiles have a range of 7,500 miles and are accurate to a few feet. They are carried by four submarines - Vanguard, Vengeance, Victorious and Vigilant. On patrol, one submarine will carry 16 missiles, each with three warheads. Authorisation for using them can only come from the Prime Minister. Former home secretary Charles Clarke, a critic of the current Labour leadership, questioned his party’s credibility on controlling public spending. He wrote in the Fabian Review magazine: ‘The public needs to support how their tax is spent. So Labour needs to acknowledge that spending which might easily have gained public support decades ago now needs serious re-evaluation.’ | SNP won't support parties favouring replacing Trident nuclear missiles .
Labour could ditch one or more of submarines which carry weapons .
Final vote for MPs next year on building new generation of submarines .
Labour's position on Trident could be key factor in any coalition deal . |
fa29991740d11c9c574de7b516ab156e562f9706 | (CNN)"We cannot kill our way out of this war," State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said on Tuesday. "We need in the medium to longer term to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it's lack of opportunity for jobs ..." Since then, Harf has been attacked by conservatives, particularly for her jobs remarks. But she's right in her assessment. And, I would suggest, she should have gone further: There's reason to think that bombing is exactly what ISIS wants us to do. Why else would they be goading us into it? It's called "terrorism" for a reason. The goal is to cause terror, to scare people into acting -- or overreacting. The most recent ISIS propaganda video was produced in English for a reason. It seems they want the West to react and take the bait. And we are obliging. Months ago, a war-weary United States was suddenly whipped back into a pro-military-action frenzy. Why? Writing in Mother Jones, Kevin Drum, explained: "All it took was a carefully stagecrafted beheading video and the usual gang of conservative jingoists to exploit it." Longtime defense analyst Kenneth Brower made a similar point: "A YouTube video of a beheading forces the U.S. president to go to 'war' in order to avoid being called weak by his domestic political opposition. That's not leadership! Worse, the so-called hawks push for deeper involvement irrespective of military reality. They live in a fantasy world of U.S. military exceptionalism." ISIS then beheaded a British journalist, so the British stepped up its military support in the campaign against ISIS. Then ISIS goaded Jordan with a video of the hideous immolation of a Jordanian pilot. Jordan responded with bombs. Now ISIS has just goaded Egypt with a mass execution ... and Egypt has, predictably, responded. Anyone who doesn't see a pattern here isn't looking. Yes, the violent terrorism of ISIS is medieval and inhumane. That doesn't mean it can't also be rational. And this is where the assessment of Harf and the Obama administration -- and Republicans calling for even further military action -- falls short of the mark. Not only can we not kill our way out of this war, but killing may exacerbate the situation. Why would ISIS goad the world to attack it? To be legitimized as a forceful threat, while at the same time provoking actions that lead to more civilian casualties when nations strike back. This provokes more rage at the West and its regional allies, drawing more martyrs and sympathizers to the terrorist cause. And we are playing into ISIS' hands: In Syria, ISIS had to put up giant screens to show its beheading videos. But in the West, mainstream media is doing it for them, covering ISIS propaganda as 24/7 fear- mongering under the banner of news. Effective counterterrorism strategy begins with not doing what the terrorists want us to do. But right now, we are the dog being wagged by the tail of ISIS. After all, while the capacity to commit terrorism likely involves some psychosis, terrorists don't just spontaneously spring from the ground like demonic daisies. In 2006, the National Intelligence Estimate compiled by America's top counterterrorism agencies found that the war in Iraq had, according to a Washington Post article, "become a primary recruitment vehicle for violent Islamic extremists, motivating a new generation of potential terrorists around the world whose numbers may be increasing faster than the United States and its allies can reduce the threat." ISIS and its ilk want to concoct an existential war between their brand of fundamentalist Islam and the rest of the globe. The leadership of ISIS may do abhorrent things because of a crazy adherence to an apocalyptic interpretation of Islam, as Graeme Wood has just written in The Atlantic. But they don't just slaughter people, they produce hi-definition, theatrically staged, English-language videos of the slaughter, as well as a propaganda magazine in English. America's homeland, thankfully, has not been the direct target of ISIS violence, but we have been the target of this propaganda. It's working. Recruits are flocking to ISIS. This is not to say there's no military solution to ISIS, though many experts such as Brower certainly doubt that such tactics will work. It may ultimately be smarter to push a political solution, such as the division of Iraq and the region into new sectarian-based states, as has been proposed in the past. Whatever the solution, what is clear is that the values and vision of America and our allies in the region should be proactively driving the agenda rather than a reactionary furor whipped up at the whim of ISIS. We have to stop broadcasting their propaganda. We have to stop responding with bombs every time they provoke us with videotaped slayings. We have to stop being weak and fearful in the face of ISIS' threats. Otherwise, no matter how much territory we bomb, ISIS will keep winning. In fact, if you think the only way to defeat them is with bombing, they've already won. | Sally Kohn: Overreacting to ISIS' atrocities is what the terrorists want to aid them in recruiting .
She says the West will not win against ISIS this way; it will only make the situation worse . |
fa29fb4f6f9b7c1154a78d5c8f391346612da23d | Progress has been made on the investigation into Brendan Hickey's death at Sydney's Darling Harbour late Friday night. Police were able to confirm this morning that the tragic drowning of the 34-year-old was indeed an accident. The Irishman, who lived in Randwick, was believed to be under the influence of alcohol while sitting with a group of friends on the edge of a wooden pier to watch Sydney's Vivid light festival. Police have confirmed that Brendan Hickey, 34, accidentally fell into Sydney's Darling Harbour on Friday before 11pm . 'He stood up, lost his balance and accidentally fell in,' Marine Area Command's acting superintendent Joe McNulty told the MailOnline. Police are investigating Brendan's level of sobriety after witnesses alleged that he had consumed alcohol. 'We're also examining whether other substances were involved,' acting superintendent McNulty said. An autopsy is expected to be conducted on Monday morning. While a family member told Nine News that Brendan couldn't swim, acting superintendent McNulty said this hasn't been confirmed. Police are yet to interview his friends and brother Shane, who also resides in Sydney, as they are currently grieving. Scroll down for video . Witnesses alleged that the Randwick resident had consumed some alcohol . Tributes have poured in for Irishman Brendan Hickey (right), pictured here with Julia Szymanska . Distraught friends are interviewed by police after the Randwick resident fell into the water at Sydney's Darling Harbour on Friday night . An extensive search was launched by emergency services who recovered the man's body at 1.30am on Saturday . Since Brendan's death, friends and family have taken to social media to express their condolences for the Irish 'gentleman'. After Shane posted a photo of the pair of them smiling in green t-shirts on his Facebook page one friend, Suzanne Colgan, wrote: . 'My thoughts are with you and your family... Bren was one of the greatest guys u knew, I'm devastated.' Marianne Hickey wrote: 'So sorry Shane. I have no words. I'm thinking of u cuz....il c u soon xxxxxx' 'Thinking of you and all the family! He was an absolute gentleman!,' Adrian McGeown said. A woman who appears in numerous photos with Brendan on his Facebook page, Julia Szymanska, 22, has also posted a tribute photo of her and him together, on Saturday. Mr Hickey posted this photo of him with Julia Szymanska in April from Nelson Bay Beach, NSW . Shocked: Family and friends have expressed their grief on Brendan's brother Shane Hickey's Facebook page . A helicopter flew above Darling Harbour to help search for the missing man . Witnesses watched the tragedy unfold on the opening night of the Vivid Sydney light show as one of Brendan's female friends and another man dove into the water fully clothed in a desperate bid to rescue him. They were unsuccessful in locating their friend and emerged from the water unharmed. Police recovered Brendan's body about three metres out from the boardwalk at Cockle Bay Wharf at 1.30am on Saturday. 'We saw the girl jump off the police boat first then another guy jumped in after her,' a shocked onlooker, Mark Jacoub, said. 'They were in the water for less than 40 seconds.' Witnesses said security men then came over to tell the two friends to get out of the water without realising what had just happened. Brothers: Shane Hickey posted this photo of Brendan (left) on Saturday as tributes poured in . Water police desperately try to find the man in the pitch black water . Shocked onlookers watched the frantic search unfold . Vivid Sydney 'shocked and saddened' by the drowning incident which took place on the launching night of the light festival . An extensive helicopter search was launched at 11pm while Police Rescue, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority staff, security from nearby Home Nightclub and police officers joined forces to help look for the man by shining their torches into the pitch black water. Vivid Sydney expressed their condolences via their Twitter account later on Saturday afternoon. 'We are shocked and saddened by the tragic incident last night and express our condolences to family and friends of the deceased man,' festival organisers wrote. Inquiries into the matter are continuing as CCTV footage is being reviewed. Police urged anyone who saw the incident to come forward. It is believed the man was sitting at the wooden pier watching Vivid Sydney, an annual light festival . | Brendan Hickey, who lived in Randwick, was watching a light show with his friends at Sydney's Darling Harbour on Friday night and fell into the water just before 11pm .
Aside from alcohol, police are examining 'whether other substances were involved'
The 34-year-old has been described as a 'gentleman' by grieving family and friends .
Brendan's body was recovered by police at 1.30am on Saturday . |
fa2a4af668e49de8fe02069fa6bf702419bb0c4b | By . Deni Kirkova . A boy who missed his grandparents after they moved abroad has started a blog to help others in the same situation. Harry Hamer, 10, from Uppermill, Saddleworth, set up the online journal to share his feelings and swap ideas about how to cope when relatives live far away. His grandparents Peter and Delia . Plunkett, from Greenfield, retired to . France two years ago. Harry Hamer, 10, from Uppermill, Saddleworth, set up the online journal to share his feelings . Since launching last week the blog - called When Grandparents Fly The Nest - has been shared widely on parenting websites and social media. Harry, a pupil at Greenfield Primary School, said: 'I want to use the blog to talk about how it feels when someone close moves away. 'I want to share my feelings and find out how other people cope with missing people they love. 'It's not a place for doom and gloom, I want it to be upbeat, a place for positive talk about coping.' Harry pictured with his grandfather Peter Plunkett, from Greenfield, who retired to France two years ago . The blog offers tips such as making ‘memory boxes' full of photos and souvenirs. Harry explains: 'A . memory box can be any box or container that you fill with photos and . souvenirs that remind you of happy times with your absent relatives. 'In my box amongst other things, I have a bolt that I got from my Pop's workshop, a pine cone that I collected on a walk with grandma and a few photos of us all together. 'I also have a hand-written list of my top ten memories of things I have done with my Grandma and Pops.'Mum Alli-Jayne, a freelance journalist, who has another son, Mackenzie, nine, said: 'When they announced they were leaving we were all very proud. Harry's mother recognises that grandparents are becoming more independent after retirement . 'They had finished their job of raising the family and now was the right time for them to pursue the rest of their dreams. 'They were going to become shining . examples to all of their friends and demonstrate that you were never too . old for change and adventure, even if they didn't speak French. 'Two years on I still feel proud, but also strangely vulnerable without them by my side. I hadn't realised how much I relied on my parents before they left. 'Harry's blog has had an amazing reaction. Other parents in a similar situation are directing their children to the blog as a place they can share their feelings. 'It goes to show, long gone are the day grandparents stayed around to help with child care, more and more are taking their retirement as a chance to be independent again.' Harry started his blog When Grandparents Fly the Nest to share his memories and experiences . | Harry Hamer from Saddleworth set up When Grandparents Fly The Nest .
Wordpress blog is now shared widely on parenting sites and social media . |
fa2c19d646f4f827e1ce4c15dbb90b2e7b437b9e | By . Emily Allen . Last updated at 12:27 PM on 16th September 2011 . It's an iconic image that captured the free spirit of the hippie movement. A pretty, long-haired, semi-naked young woman stands amid her friends, playing air guitar, lost in the music at an open-air festival. But now more than three decades on the woman in the shot has revealed she wasn't a drug-taking hippie chick of easy virtue, but a straight-laced married woman looking for something to do. The picture was taken at a music festival in 1978 shortly after Jennifer Wilson, now 67, moved away from her home city of Exeter in Devon to London. Rocking spirit: Jennifer Wilson, originally from Exeter, was the subject of an iconic image thanks to this old rock festival photograph that epitomised the free spirited summer of love . 'I seemed to be photographed at pop concerts every time I went,' she said. 'I used to wear unusual clothing with lots of colours - I still do but I'm trying to tone it down now I'm older. 'I didn't take drugs... I was very straight. I went to pop concerts for something to do' 'The photo could have been taken anywhere between 1975 and 1982. 'I think it was at Reading Festival while dancing to a band like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Genesis - it could have been any band like that. 'I used to love music when I was at school. 'The teacher used to tell us to close our eyes when listening to a piece of music so you can hear it properly and not get distracted by what's going on around you. 'I still close my eyes now when listening to a new record. 'Sometimes the photo is used with the wrong story, like drugs or promiscuity, that insinuates all sorts of things I don't like. 'I didn't take drugs, I was too naive. And I wasn't even promiscuous. 2011: Jennifer Wilson more than three decades on aged 67 was a long haired, scantily clad woman in her youth . 'I had been married for a few years at that time. I was very straight. I went to pop concerts for something to do.' Ms Wilson was the eldest of eight children, five girls and three boys, and grew up in Alphington, Exeter. She got married to an Exeter man and moved to London after her divorce aged 25, where she made a living as a dress maker. Jennifer Wilson enjoyed watching bands such as Led Zeppelin . Today she lives in East Acton with her partner of 12 years and has raised three daughters. She regularly visits Exeter, where her mother and two sisters still live, and can recall the times her dad used to take her and her brothers and sisters to watch Exeter City. 'When I divorced I started going to rock concerts as a way of trying to pick myself up off the floor,' she said. 'It was a kind of freedom after being brought up strictly and convent educated. 'I used to go to Reading and Knebworth a lot to listen to various bands. 'I can't remember them all. I remember it was a really hot day and people started to sunbathe topless. 'I looked like the odd ball with my clothes on. All the girls were going round with their tops off so I did the same. 'I couldn't believe I was the one who was photographed. It was the happiest time of a my life. I met lovely people. It was all love and peace. 'There was no violence like there is now.' Ms Wilson said she worked for a time as a Go Go dancer in London. She also spent a year living in a bus in Morocco sitting on the side of the road selling beaded headbands. 'I used to get recognised in and around Earls Court near where I lived,' she said. 'Even the bread delivery man noticed me. 'I seemed to get photographed all the time. Every time anyone sees a photo of me I try to get a copy. And a friend's son found quite a few pictures of me on a hippie website.' She added: 'I'm shocked that the photo has been used this long.' | 'I was too naive for drugs and wasn't at all promiscuous,' says Jennifer Wilson, now 67 .
'I seemed to be photographed at pop concerts every time I went' |
fa2c5ccdd2864edbb707b6d77ec97482643eef1a | (CNN) -- Peruvian authorities say they have arrested four members of a gang that specialized in selling to European labs fat obtained from dead humans. Officials are investigating the disappearance of at least 60 people they believe were killed by gang members in two mountainous states in central Peru, lead prosecutor Jorge Sanz Quiroz said Friday. The four suspects have been charged with murder in the September slaying of a Peruvian man, the prosecutor said. "They killed to obtain human fat because there were European laboratories that would pay them," Sanz Quiroz said. The suspects told authorities they were paid $15,000 for a liter (about 1 quart) of human fat. Officials did not disclose what possible use laboratories could have for the human fat, but fat can be a component of cosmetics and is used in reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. The use of human fat for any purpose is extremely rare, however, physicians say. Other suspects, including the Peruvian ringleader, have eluded capture, Sanz Quiroz said. Authorities have the names of two Italian suspects who are being sought by Interpol, the 188-nation worldwide police agency, the prosecutor said. He declined to reveal their identities. Sanz Quiroz acknowledged the uniqueness of the allegations. "We are not making this up," he said. "They have confessed to this. That's what's coming out now." One of the suspects told officials he had been committing the murders for five years. According to a criminal complaint Sanz Quiroz filed November 18, officials discovered on September 22 a small container containing a fat-like substance that had been stored at the Bella Durmiente bus station in Lima, Peru's capital. On November 3, the complaint says, suspect Serapio Marcos Veramendi Principe was arrested after he retrieved three bottles from the Estrella Polar bus station. The bottles contained a substance authorities believe is human fat, the complaint says. Lab tests are being performed to determine what the substance is. Authorities identified the three other suspects as Elmer Segundo Castillejos Aguero, Hilario Cudena Simon and Enedina Estela Claudio. The suspects identified each other for police in photo lineups, the complaint says. In addition to murder, Veramendi Principe and Castillejos Aguero face weapons charges. Castillejos Aguero, Veramendi Principe and Estela Claudio also face drug charges, authorities said. They are accused in the September 16 killing of Abel Matos Aranda, the criminal complaint says. Authorities believe the substance found at the bus stations is body fat obtained from Matos Aranda. Officials unearthed a partially buried male body November 13 in Huanuco state. They believe it was Matos Aranda. Sanz Quiroz referred to the suspects as "brujos," the Spanish word for witches. He noted that the suspects are part of an Andean mountain culture that believes bodies can be used to ward off evil and prevent disasters. For example, he said, bodies are often buried at the entrances to mine shafts and bridges in the belief they will keep the structures from collapsing. Authorities are calling the suspects "pishtacos," which are Andean mythological creatures. In his 1996 book "Death in the Andes," Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa mentions pishtacos extensively, saying they are half-white ghouls who live in caves, lurk along dark isolated roads and suck the fat out of anyone careless enough to travel Andean roads at night. Andean myth holds that the fat is used to make soaps, lubricants, healing potions and cosmetic creams. Until the arrests, few believed that anything resembling pishtacos existed. "It's an Andean myth that we've now been able to prove," said Miguel Jimenez Torres, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office. Some physicians say human fat is used in some medical procedures, but a few products were taken off the market because they were considered unsafe. The longevity of implants that use human tissue often is not as good, said Atlanta cosmetic surgeon Harold Brody. Nor is there any advantage, he said, to using human fat in cosmetic creams or lotions. "They're a little behind the times," Brody said. "It makes a great moisturizer, but it has no advantages over good moisturizers that don't use human fat." New York dermatologist Barry Goldman said he had never heard of human fat being sold on the black market. "The idea that anybody would use an injectable where you didn't know where it came from would be laughable if it weren't unethical and potentially dangerous," he said. Still, the notion of black market human fat seemed possible to him. "They steal kidneys, so why not this?" he asked. "It is sick, but in the Holocaust they did use skin for lamps." | Peruvian authorities reported to have arrested gang who are selling human fat .
Officials investigating disappearances of at least 60 people .
Two suspects arrested with a plastic container with human fat in it . |
fa2c768335d61abc43861745d4d09ca559d05607 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 15:26 EST, 17 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:21 EST, 18 September 2012 . The family of a filmmaker linked to an anti-Islamic movie has left their California home in the middle of the night to join the man in hiding. A . spokesman with the LA County Sheriff's Department said that Nakoula . Basseley Nakoula's relatives, each with his or her face covered, left their Cerritos home about 3:45am on . Monday. Deputies gave them a ride and they were reunited with Nakoula, . then taken to an undisclosed location. Family ties: The family of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula covered their faces as they were led out of his Cerritos, California, home early on Monday morning . Not under arrest: Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is escorted from his home by Los Angeles County Sheriff's officers in Cerritos, California on Saturday morning . Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the LA County Sheriff's Department, told ABC News: 'They decided they would be safer where they could move about and live a normal life. 'All we did was pick them up and reunite them with Mr. Nakoula.' He would not say when or if Nakoula and his family were planning to return - if ever. He told ABC: 'What we do know and what they told me is that for the time now and for the immediate future, for the weeks and months to come, they will not be returning to this address.' Nakoula . wore heavy apparel to disguise his appearance when he left his home . over the weekend. His family was no different, keeping their faces covered as they were led away by deputies. Meanwhile, as fresh protests broke out in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi issued an stark message directed at Nakoula. Condemnation: Iran's Vice President Mohammad . Reza Rahimi (left) called for the filmmakers to be punished . while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) called on the West to take action . 'The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns... this inappropriate and offensive action,' Mr Rahimi said. 'Certainly it will search for, track and pursue this guilty person who... has insulted 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.' Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also issued a statement, calling on the West to show it respects Islam by blocking the film. Casualty: U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens was one of four Americans killed in the Benghazi attack . 'They must prove they were not 'accomplices' in a 'big crime', he said. Nakoula was interviewed by federal probation officers, who . are reviewing a 2010 case in which he was convicted of bank fraud. Federal . authorities have identified Nakoula, a self-described Coptic Christian, as the key figure behind 'Innocence . of Muslims,' a film denigrating Islam that ignited violence against . U.S. embassies in the Middle East. Nakoula later admitted that he produced the film with the help of his 21-year-old son, Abanob Basseley. The 14-minute clip on YouTube has sparked violence across the Muslim world. Violence began Tuesday when . mainly Islamist protesters climbed the U.S. Embassy walls in the . Egyptian capital of Cairo and tore down the American flag from a pole in . the courtyard. Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to . Libya, also was killed on Tuesday along with three other Americans, as . violent protesters stormed the consulate in Benghazi. A federal law enforcement official told The Associated . Press on Thursday that authorities had connected Nakoula to a man using . the pseudonym of Sam Bacile who claimed earlier to be writer and . director of the film. Nakoula pleaded no contest in 2010 to . federal bank fraud charges in California and was ordered to pay more . than $790,000 in restitution. The man behind it all: Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is escorted out of his home by Los Angeles County Sheriff's officers in Cerritos, California . He was also sentenced to 21 months in . federal prison and was ordered not to use computers or the Internet for . five years without approval from his probation officer. His attorney cited Nakoula's poor . health in a bid for leniency and home detention, stating his client . suffered from Hepatitis C, diabetes that require twice-daily insulin . shots, and other ailments that required more than 10 medications a day, . according to a transcript of the sentencing obtained by the AP. Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies stand down the street from the suburban Los Angeles home of filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula . Many records in case remain sealed, . but prosecutors sought a longer prison term and noted that he misused . some of his own relatives' identities to open 600 fraudulent credit . accounts. Nakoula apologized during the proceedings and his attorney . James D. Henderson Sr. said Nakoula had learned his lesson. 'He's clearly gotten the message,' Henderson said. 'I can't imagine him doing anything stupider than what . he did here, but what's done is done.' Henderson said during the hearing that . his client had been enlisted by another man to open the accounts and . had only received $60,000 to $70,000 from the fraudulent transactions. Criminal record: Nakoula, also known as Sam Bacile, is pictured on the set of the controversial film 'Innocence Of Muslims' He got involved in the scheme after losing his job in the gas station . industry and had been forced to work for a few dollars a weekend at swap . meets to try to support his children and an ailing father, Henderson . said, according to the transcript. It could be difficult to establish a . probation violation case against Nakoula. In the federal court system, . the conditions of supervised release are geared toward the offense for . which a defendant was found guilty and imprisoned. In Nakoula's case, the offense was . bank fraud. His no contest plea was to charges of setting up fraudulent . bank accounts using stolen identities and Social Security numbers, . depositing checks from those accounts into other phony accounts and then . withdrawing the illicit funds from ATM machines. While it was unclear what might have . provoked authorities' interest, the filmmaker's use of a false identity . and his access to the Internet through computers could be at issue, . according to experts in cyber law and the federal probation system. Nakoula, who told the AP that he was logistics manager for the film, was . under requirements to provide authorities with records of all his bank . and business accounts. The probation order authorized in June . 2010 warned Nakoula against using false identities. Nakoula was told . not to 'use, for any purpose or in any manner, any name other than . his/her true legal name or names without the prior written approval of . the Probation Officer.' Federal prosecutors had charged that . Nakoula used multiple false identities in creating his fraudulent . accounts. Several, Nicola Bacily and Erwin Salameh, were similar to the . Sam Bacile pseudonym used to set up the YouTube account for the . anti-Islamic film. Other pseudonyms used in the accounts ranged from . Ahmed Hamdy to P.J. Tobacco. Media microphones are pictured outside the home of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula yesterday in anticipation of a statement from the filmmaker . Nakoula was also told he could not . have any access to the Internet 'without the prior approval of the . probation officer.' Nakoula was ordered to detail any online devices and . cellphones to authorities and was told his devices would be monitored . and subject to searches. Jennifer Granick, a criminal defense . lawyer who specializes in online crimes, said authorities might not have . been aware of Nakoula's online activity even if monitoring devices were . placed on his computers. 'That may be very hard for a probation officer . to catch ahead of time.' Granick also noted that Nakoula's . conviction for financial crimes might provide a basis for probation . officials to review bank and other monetary records. 'Somebody charged . with a financial crime might receive some supervision categories where . they might re-offend,' she said. Nakoula was arrested in June 2009, . pleaded no contest to the bank fraud charges a year later and was . released from federal prison in June 2011 after serving a 21-month . prison term, according to federal records. | Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55 was escorted to the sheriff's station in Cerritos for interview over alleged probation violation .
Family followed early on Monday morning .
Nakoula made inflammatory film 'Innocence of Muslims', sparking deadly protests across world and American deaths in Libya .
In 2010 he was convicted of $800,000 worth of bank fraud .
Suspected of using the alias Sam .
Bassil during film production but released on condition he didn't access the internet or use aliases .
Nakoula has reportedly denied involvement in the film . |
fa2c83210ad24f80d8da06869888d0ba1c6320d4 | By . Leon Watson . Pippa the dog had a miracle escape after she plunged off a 100ft cliff and survived by landing in the sea below . A lucky black labrador survived a 100ft fall after she plunged off a cliff and landed in the sea below. The pet dog called Pippa was being taken for a walk near Swanage, Dorset, when she suddenly became excited at seeing the sea in the distance. She ran off from owners Daniel and Katy Pordage, dashed 500 yards across two fields towards the edge of the cliff without realising the danger. Pippa landed in an area of water between two rocks 100ft below and suffered just an injured front paw in the fall. Two climbers who were abseiling down to scale the cliff at Anvil Point plucked the dog out of the water and held on to her until a lifeboat crew arrived. Pippa was taken aboard and ferried to the lifeboat station where she was reunited with her relieved owners. Mrs Pordage, . a 27-year-old veterinery nurse, looked at the three-year-old and . thought she had broken her front right leg but a further examination . revealed just a damaged tendon. Her . and her husband, a 32-year-old web designer from Hythe, near . Southampton, were enjoying a break on the Isle of Purbeck with their . dogs, Pippa and Marley. They had been walking the two dogs off their leads when Pippa made a bolt for it. Mr Pordage said: 'We were quite a way back from the cliffs, there were two fields and a path between us. Pippa just saw the blue sea and decided to wanted to go in the water and darted straight for it. 'I chased after her and called her to come back. I got to the edge of the cliff and couldn’t see her anywhere. 'I thought that she couldn’t have been stupid enough to go over the edge but she was. Then I heard a dog barking from below.' The cliffs west of Anvil point where . Pippa the dog had a miracle escape after she plunged off a 100ft cliff . Relieved: Dog Pippa with her owners Katie and Daniel Pordage . Pippa ran off from owners Daniel and Katy Pordage, dashed 500 yards across two fields towards the edge of the cliff without realising the danger . A coastguard team and lifeboat crew from Swanage arrived at the scene and the rescuers found Pippa sat on rocks with two climbers. Mr Pordage said: 'She was extremely lucky because she fell into the water between two areas of rocks. 'Katy is a veterinary nurse of 10 years and had a look at Pippa and thought her leg was broken but the vets discovered it is just a damaged tendon that needed a bandage. 'Pippa doesn’t often deviate from us when we are walking her so it was a shock when she sprinted off.' A spokesman for the Swanage lifeboat, said: 'Luckily, Pippa fell in the only bit of water on the beach below. The lifeboat located the dog sat on a rock with two climbers that happened to be in the area. 'The lifeboat then returned to Swanage where the dog was reunited with her very grateful owners. We would like to remind dog owners to please take care when walking dogs along the coast path.' | Pippa the dog was being taken for a walk near Swanage, Dorset .
Suddenly she became excited at seeing the sea in the distance .
Pippa dashed towards the cliff edge without realising the danger .
She landed in an area of water between two rocks 100ft below . |
fa2d07dcbbea3f1fe32cb0c44d47b2603e0b435d | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 08:33 EST, 3 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:28 EST, 4 January 2013 . A 38-year-old woman has been arrested after she tried to purchase several . iPads with a food stamp card. Tracy Browning, of Louisville, KY, attempted to buy two iPads at Walmart with her Electronic Benefit Transfer card. But when the transaction failed she allegedly assaulted a store clerk and ran from the Valley Station Walmart with the gadgets. Charges: Tracy Browning, left, has been arrested after she allegedly tried to purchase several iPads with a food stamp card at a Walmart store . Police say Browning went to another . Walmart in the area a short time later and again attempted to buy . several iPads again with the card,, reported Whas11.com. She was stopped at the scene while allegedly attempting to flee with the iPads. Browning, according to police, has been banned from all Walmart stores due to previous incidents with the store, reported . She was taken to the Louisville Metro Jail and charged with robbery, shoplifting and trespassing. Thwarted: Police say Browning went to another Walmart in the area a short time later and again attempted to buy several iPads with an EBT card . | Tracy Browning, a 38-year-old from Louisville woman, was jailed after she allegedly tried to purchase several iPads with a food stamp card .
When transaction was denied, she allegedly assaulted a store clerk and fled from the store with the merchandise . |
fa2e17a85b9d6a0efce89e4e7b7b3e9f01592db4 | JEFF POWELL's tribute to the Real Madrid legend who passed away on Monday . The world of football is in mourning after the death of legendary Real Madrid forward Alfredo Di Stefano at the age of 88. The former Argentina, Spain and Colombia star suffered a heart attack near the club’s Bernabeu stadium on Saturday afternoon and passed away on Monday. Real Madrid’s honorary president was attended to by emergency medical services after suffering a cardiac arrest that reportedly lasted 18 minutes and he had been kept in an induced coma in the coronary unit at the General Universitario Gregorio Maranon Hospital in the Spanish capital. VIDEO Scroll down to watch some of Di Stefano's finest moments in a Real Madrid shirt . European champion: Di Stefano of Real Madrid poses with his incredible haul of five European Cups . Sad loss: Di Stefano celebrates with the original European Cup after Real beat Reims 4-3 in the 1956 final in Paris . 1945–1951 River Plate Played 66 Goals 49 . 1951–1953 Millonarios Played 102 Goals 90 . 1953–1964 Real Madrid Played 282 Goals 216 . 1964–1966 Espanyol Played 47 Goals 11 . However, his condition took a tragic turn for the worse on Monday afternoon and one of football’s most iconic names has died. A Real Madrid statement read: ‘Real Madrid announces that Honorary President Alfredo Di Stefano has passed away today at 5.15pm at the General Universatario Gregorio Maranon Hospital in Madrid. ‘The President of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez and the Sporting Director of the club wish to express their deepest condolences and pass on all their care and affection to his children, relatives and friends. ‘Real Madrid extends its condolences to Maridistas throughout the world and to all those who are affected by the loss of the greatest player of all time.’ VIDEO Di Stefano was greatest ever - Perez . Past and present: Di Stefano (left) and Portuguese great Eusebio (right) unveil Cristiano Ronaldo . Golden touch: Ronaldo is presented with his European Golden Boot in 2011 by Di Stefano and Eusebio . Honour: Ronaldo receives the Alfredo Di Stefano Award at the Premios MARCA de Futbol Gala in 2013 . Company: Di Stefano (right) with president Florentino Perez, Ronaldo and manager Carlo Ancelotti . Legendary status: Di Stefano, here raising his glass during a tribute for his contribution to sport at the Argentina Embassy in Madrid, is Real Madrid's second highest goalscorer of all time . Iconic match: Di Stefano (right) scores the first goal of the 1960 final at Glasgow's Hampden Park. Real destroyed Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 . 1 Raul 142 games, 71 goals . 2 Cristiano Ronaldo 103, 67 . 3 Lionel Messi 86, 67 . 4 Ruud van Nistelrooy 73, 56 . 5 Thierry Henry 112, 50 . 6 Alfredo Di Stefano 58, 49 . 7 Andriy Shevchenko 100, 48 . 8 Eusebio 65, 46 . 9 Filippo Inzaghi 81, 46 . 10 Didier Drogba 87, 42 . Di . Stefano, who was born Alfredo Stefano di Stefano Laulhe in Buenos Aires on July 4, 1926, was an integral part of the Real Madrid side that won five . consecutive European Cups between 1956 and 1960 and he was voted . European player of the year in both 1957 and 1959. He . scored more than 300 goals across 11 seasons with the Madrid side and . is the club’s second highest scorer behind Raul, with 307 goals in all . competitions. Di Stefano was the European Cup's top scorer with 49 goals in 58 matches before being overtaken by Raul. The Argentine is now sixth on the all-time list, having also been surpassed by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry. On the international scene, he represented Spain on 31 occasions and also played for Argentina and Colombia. Argentine heroes: Di Stefano (left) with Deigo Maradona in 1995 . Legend of the game: Di Stefano with United heroes Sir Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes (left, third right) and with Real forward Raymond Kopa after the 1957 European Cup win (far right) VIDEO: Watch Di Stefano score for Real v Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 . Cristiano Ronaldo tweeted: 'Don Alfredo leaves us, but his memory will last forever in our hearts. Legends never die. Thanks for everything Maestro. #EternoAlfredo' Sir Alex Ferguson, in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News, described di Stefano as ‘the greatest' and recalled seeing his ‘fantastic balance and poise’ as a teenager in the schoolboy enclosure at Hampden Park for the 1960 final. 'I was very sad to hear the news. Even at 88 it is a bit of a shock. I saw him two years ago before our Real Madrid game and he looked fine and looked full of health so it is disappointing to hear the news. 'He had a fantastic balance and poise. If you look at one of the goals he scored in the final against Eintracht Frankfurt it was completely what we are saying about the balance and poise, unbelievable he was. ‘The amazing thing about that game, being a Rangers fan, was that Eintracht Frankfurt had beaten Rangers in the semi-finals and they were looked on as Gods, but they came to Hampden and were annihilated by Real 7-3. ‘I was in the schoolboy enclosure, I was playing with Queen’s Park at the time, and it was a fantastic experience to see that game. It was the first time we had seen a lap of honour after a game. ‘In terms of European finals, to see 10 goals in one game, you won’t see that again. It was a golden period for Real Madrid with di Stefano, and for them to win it five times and for di Stefano to have scored in all five finals was quite an amazing record.’ The two would cross paths 23 years later when Ferguson, then manager of Aberdeen, met a Real Madrid side managed by Di Stefano in the 1983 Cup Winners' Cup final. Against the odds it was Ferguson's Scottish underdogs who won the trophy that night, with the Glaswegian impressed by Di Stefano's grace in defeat. 'My greatest memory of course is when Aberdeen beat Real Madrid,' he added. 'I was honoured to be in the same game as Real Madrid but to come up against Di Stefano was an incredible experience for me. 'When you mention the great players they had they were household names. Aberdeen were a team on the rise and after the game he was very generous and he said Aberdeen had a team that money can't buy, a soul and a family spirit. 'He couldn't say any more in praise of a football team and that was very generous of him. He had a fantastic life and I was really proud to have been associated with him in a small way.' Jose Mourinho: 'It was with immense sadness I learned of the death of Alfredo Di Stefano, a wonderful man I had the fortune to know during my time in Madrid. 'Of course I first send my thoughts to his family and friends, but also this is a very sad day for football and football fans, which we all are, when we lose a special person like this. 'Alfredo was the best Real Madrid player in history - winning five consecutive European Cups - and one of the greatest of all time. 'Rest in peace Alfredo.' Yohan Cruyff tweeted: 'I have always had a good friendship over the years with Alfredo Di Stefano. We have lost a good man and a great footballer. RIP, my friend.' Sir Bobby Charlton told manutd.com : I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Alfredo Di Stefano's passing. As one of the stars of the legendary Real Madrid team, I think Alfredo was one of the best players I ever came across and an extremely intelligent footballer. ‘He was somebody I really respected, having watched him from the stands at the Bernabeu and then played against him. I have many fond memories of my time with Alfredo and feel privileged to be able to call him a good friend. The footballing world has lost a great player and a great man. ‘I'd like to send my condolences on behalf of everybody at Manchester United to his family and our friends at Real Madrid.’ Gary Lineker tweeted: ‘Alfredo Di Stefano has died. One of the greatest players ever. Scored in 5 successive European Cup finals. A feat never to be matched. #RIP’ David De Gea: ‘A sad day for the world of football. One of the greatest has passed away. RIP Don Alfredo di Stefano.’ Diego Simeone tweeted: ‘Don Alfredo has left us, one of the greats of world football. Farewell maestro.’ Manchester United tweeted: ‘We’re sad to hear @RealMadrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano has passed away. The thoughts of everybody at #mufc are with his family and the club.’ Barcelona tweeted: 'FC Barcelona expresses its condolences for the death of Alfredo Di Stefano, honorary president of Real Madrid. Rest in peace ' Iker Casillas tweeted: ‘RiP Don Alfredo, the greatest. A . Madrid legend, you will always be with you. The MAESTRO will always be . remembered.’ Sepp Blatter: 'Sad to learn of Di Stefano’s passing, the most complete player I’ve seen. My favourite player. A legend is gone. RIP'. Juan Mata: RIP Alfredo di Stéfano. One of the greatest has passed away. My condolences to his family and friends. Pele added: 'He was a trailblazer, and most of all, he was a legend of the game. God rest his soul. 'Today, the openness between Latin American players and European clubs is very much due to the work of Alfredo Di Stéfano. 'Back when we played, Santos and Real Madrid were for many years primary rivals, for having the best football teams in the world.' | Di Stefano suffered cardiac arrest on Saturday .
Former forward represented Spain, Colombia and Argentina .
Born in Buenos Aires, he was Real Madrid’s second highest scorer .
Member of Real Madrid side that won five consecutive European Cups between 1956 and 1960 .
Scored opening goal in iconic European Cup final of 1960 when Real beat Eintract Frankfurt 7-3 at Hampden Park . |
fa2e2e151ad4d90df0dbec90be605844e6af7016 | By . Sarah Griffiths . We're regularly encouraged to pay close attention to the environmental cost of our holidays, but now there's a cruise to take a tour of the devastation that mankind has allegedly caused. Tourists can now take a trip through the melted Northwest Passage to see the sights of the Arctic, while it still exists as we know it. The luxurious month-long grand tour will give climate-curious tourists the chance to see endangered Arctic animals such as polar bears in their quickly disappearing natural habitat. The ultimate journey? Departing from the Gulf of Alaska, (mapped) the 31-day journey will navigate the Northwest Passage, around Alaska and into the Beaufort Sea, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and on to Greenland, before ending in New York City . Sail date: August 16, 2016 – for 32 days . Ship: Holds 1,070 passengers plus crew, weighs 68,000 tonnes and is 13 decks tall. Itinerary: Flexible with ‘expedition days’ finalised 14 hours in advance to coincide with favourable weather conditions. Possible adventures: Helicopter, Zodiac and kayaking trips plus Tundra treks with guides. Experts: 14 naturalists, explorers, scientists, historians and photographers on board. Extra lectures and photography workshops will be available and a local Arctic guide will give an insight into the Inuit community. Wildlife: Seals and walruses will be seen throughout the trip. In Davis Strait, Crystal Serenity might encounter humpback whales and Beluga and bowhead whales are possible. Musk-ox might be seen on shore, either in Canada or Greenland, and the Northwest Passage boasts teaming colonies of kittiwakes, guillemots and murres. The company said: ‘In general, wildlife along the Northwest Passage is unpredictable and often difficult to spot… while polar bears thrive in this region, there is no guarantee that any will be seen on the transit or that the ship will be able to approach within a few miles.’ Temperature: Highs of 9°C (48F) during the day and lows of –2°C (28F) at sea. Environmental impact: Not currently known. Conservationists claim that warmer . temperatures are threatening the animals’ existence and the cruise . is designed to give wildlife enthusiasts the chance to see a plethora . of creatures unique to the Arctic, while they still can, tapping into what some might say is a form of 'disaster tourism'. There is no mention of the . environmental impact of the journey itself, however, with some experts estimating that cruise trips are far more damaging than journeys taken by aeroplane. The ‘once-in-a-lifetime expeditionary voyage’ is being offered by Crystal Cruises from almost £14,000 ($24,000) and is set to appeal to wildlife lovers and those curious about our changing world. The luxurious Crystal Serenity cruise ship will be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage, ‘a mystical Pacific-Atlantic sea route far beyond the Arctic Circle that for centuries captured the imaginations of kings, explorers and adventurers,’ the firm says. It is only in recent years that the passage has become passable in the summer, because of melting ice. Until 2009, the Arctic pack ice prevented regular marine shipping throughout most of the year, but climate change has reduced the pack ice and made the waterways more navigable. Departing from the Gulf of Alaska, the . 32-day journey will navigate the Northwest Passage, around Alaska and . into the Beaufort Sea, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and on to . Greenland, before docking in New York City. ‘The company says: ‘Here in the Land of the Midnight Sun, you will bear witness to breath-taking landscapes that few have ever seen, from spectacular glaciers to towering fjords, and experience nature that is truly wild.’ The trip is two years in the making and the first cruise will depart on August 16, 2016. In the lap of luxury: The luxurious Crystal Serenity cruise ship (pictured) will be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage, 'a mystical Pacific-Atlantic sea route far beyond the Arctic Circle that for centuries captured the imaginations of kings, explorers and adventurers,' the firm says . See them while you can: Tourists will be taken on ‘unplanned . expedition days’ to take in wildlife such as of polar bears (stock image pictured left), narwhals, (right) musk oxen and Caribou. But the company warns that endangered animals such as the polar bear may prove elusive . The company has been planning the cruise for over two years. It chose the August-September sail date because it says it is the optimum time of year to navigate the Northwest Passage. ‘This . is when the Arctic ice significantly recedes allowing vessels to safely . transit with minimal risk of encountering ice concentrations,’ the . company says. ‘And here in a land where the sun rarely sets, you have more time to absorb every last detail of this extraordinary journey.’ Tourists will be taken on ‘unplanned expedition days’ to take in wildlife such as of polar bears, narwhals, musk oxen and Caribou. They could also go kayaking in protected bays and trekking in the tundra with professional guides and scientists as well as taking a tour of the environment in small Zodiacs – rubber motorised boats. An escort vessel will follow the cruise ship packed with ‘adventure equipment’ including a platform for wilderness landings and a helicopter. The crew will be accompanied by a 14 naturalists, explorers, scientists, historians and photographers to point out and document the sights. ‘Once-in-a-lifetime experiences include the chance to see rare wildlife in its purest form - from humpback, beluga and bowhead whales, to seals and walruses, musk-oxen on shore and teaming colonies of kittiwakes, guillemots and murres in flight,’ according to the brochure. Holidaymakers will also have the chance to meet indigenous people in small groups, which the firm says is designed to benefit and not disrupt the locals and their way of life. The cruise claims to balance ‘rare adventure with intimate exploration,’ but there is no mention of its carbon footprint, which may seem unusual seeing as the itinerary is designed to appeal to people who love the great outdoors and are interested in the rapidly changing landscape. Crystal Cruises has not disclosed figures showing the cruise’s environmental impact on its icy surroundings. But . estimates made in 2013, indicate that the carbon footprint of a cruise . ship can be three times as large as a flight, if measured per customer, PopSci reported. A spokesman for the company told MailOnline: 'Crystal . Cruises will, as it always has, meet or exceed all environmental . regulatory requirements for the regions in which our ships sail with . respect to air, water and garbage discharge. 'For . the Northwest Passage transit this includes the voluntary use of . 0.1per cent sulfur content Marine Gas Oil which is extremely clean . burning and is well in excess of the existing environmental . regulations. This, along with a relatively slow transit speed and using . one third of our engines for a vast majority of the cruise, will . achieve our goal of minimising our carbon footprint.' Getting less icy: The trip is two years is two years in the making and the first cruise will depart on August 16, 2016. This satellite image of the Northwest Passage shows the ice retreating in August 2012 . In 2008, cruise company Carnival said that on average, its ships released 712kg of carbon dioxide per kilometre. Taking into consideration the number of passengers they carried, experts worked out that a journey was 36 times as damaging as a Eurostar trip when it came to carbon emissions, although unlike the Eurostar, people were living on board for a period of time. As well as damaging emissions, the United Nations Environment Programme's magazine, Our Planet, estimated that the average cruise ship generates 7.7lbs (3.5kg) of rubbish per holiday maker, every day, The Telegraph reported. Some of the ships also emit sewage and bilge water, with one cruise ship estimated to produce 19 tonnes of solid waste daily, according to Outside Online. As the ships are designed like small floating cities, they are more than a mode of transport and cannot be directly compared to flights, but like cities consume large amounts of power. In a book entitled Paradise Lost at Sea: Rethinking Cruise Vacations, expert Ross Klein claims that some ships have a carbon footprint that is three times as large as a Boeing 747, if averaged out by the number of passengers on board. Figures from a carbon offsetting business, Climate Care, suggest that the ships emit twice as much carbon dioxide per mile as aeroplanes and can also belch out sulphur - which causes acid rain - if barrel bunker fuel is used, which is less refined than diesel. Amazing scenery: Holidaymakers could go kayaking in protected bays and trekking in the tundra with professional guides and scientists who will help them understand the various animals and landscapes of the Northwest Passage (pictured) Air pollution from ships can equivalent to 12,000 cars and one estimate places it as high as 350,000 cars, Resource UK reports. A spokesman for the cruise company said: 'Crystal has a well-trained and environmentally-conscious crew, and we will operate, as we always do, with a “nothing overboard” policy. No garbage or food waste of any kind will be thrown overboard. 'Some garbage will be burned in the incinerator on board, while other trash, recycling and food waste will be collected and stored on board the escort vessel. This waste will then be offloaded outside of the Arctic communities into specific collection facilities that are equipped to handle these waste streams.' Rod Downie, polar programme manager at WWF-UK, old MailOnline: 'The loss of Arctic summer sea ice is perhaps the most visible sign of climate change on our planet. 'With new international shipping routes such as the Northwest passage opening up as a result of less sea ice, the risk of major shipping accidents and trans-boundary oil spills increases. 'These would have massive long-term impacts for Arctic communities and wildlife, including polar bears and beluga whales. It is increasingly urgent that the International Maritime Organisation in London agrees a robust Polar Code for safe and environmentally responsible shipping in the region.' | Luxurious month-long grand tour will give tourists the chance to see endangered Arctic animals and threatened icy landscape .
Trip is set to appeal to lovers of the great outdoors but there is no mention of the cruise's environmental impact in the brochure .
'Once-in-a-lifetime expeditionary voyage’ is being offered by Crystal Cruises from almost £14,000 (£24,000)
Ship will embark from the Gulf of Alaska on August 16, 2016 .
Company claims its cruise ship will be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage - a sea route that's becoming more accessible due to melting ice .
Holiday includes expeditions, kayaking trips and lectures by experts . |
fa2e42e6aa494eba86886391df70cca307dba392 | By . Stephen Adams . and Eve Mcgowan . Lungs from heavy smokers should be more widely used in transplants to boost the number of life-saving operations taking place, says a leading charity. Despite the increased risks of getting cancer, doctors argue more patients with terminal illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis, should be given the choice of having ‘reconditioned’ lungs from a smoker or older person, which can give them years of extra life. Dozens of patients in Britain die every year while waiting for ‘perfect’ lungs, they say, when their lives would be prolonged if surgeons were able to use more ‘sub-optimal’ organs. Some people often have to wait many years for an organ transplant, and some say relaxing the rules regarding lungs of smokers may help those on the donor waiting list . The proposals have been drawn up by transplant surgeons and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, who are writing to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to try to persuade him to relax guidelines that control the quality of donor lungs. Smokers’ lungs are already used in four in ten transplant operations in Britain. But researchers say this could be increased to more than half if doctors were less selective. Andrew Fisher, professor of respiratory transplant medicine at Newcastle University, said lungs from the heaviest smokers could be used more frequently. He added: ‘Common sense suggests accepting lungs from a donor who smokes can’t be healthy. ‘But what is more risky? To wait for a “perfect lung” that may never arrive, or take one that may not be ideal?’ He said evidence showed patients who received a smoker’s lungs were 20 per cent less likely to die within three years than those who stayed on the waiting list. Prof Fisher said technological advances meant poorer-quality lungs could be reconditioned using a machine he has helped create. Bronchial tree of lungs. These can become severely damaged through heavy smoking . He said: ‘The ex-vivo lung perfusion machine improves condition of the organ by exposing them to a nutrient solution and oxygen.’ But the appeal comes just 18 months after cystic fibrosis sufferer Jennifer Wederell, 27, died of lung cancer following a double transplant. She was told the lungs came from a heavy smoker only after the cancer was spotted. Last night her widower David Wederell, 29, said: ‘We should not prevent someone from becoming a donor, smokers included. But we must ensure the transplant process is totally transparent.’ He said they were told Jennifer had the killer disease months after the transplant they thought would save her. ‘We were incredulous this hadn’t been mentioned before her transplant. Jennifer spent seven months enduring gruelling cancer treatment and died a painful, tortuous death.’ The charity also wants lungs from elderly donors to be used more. | Leading charity says people should be more open to different lungs .
Cystic Fibrosis Trust 'reconditioned lungs' should be an option .
Dozens of patients die each year waiting for the 'perfect lungs'
The trust says that the option would help people live longer . |
fa2e86796ea79aee6525531673dbd7cb685d7a47 | (CNN) -- Desperately seeking Secretariat. We could use a new you. A superhorse to make our hearts pound the way your hooves did. A four-legged stud to give us a break from cheating golfers, dog-torturing football quarterbacks and doped-up bike racers and baseball sluggers. Kentucky Derby day is upon us again. It has been 40 years since you, Big Red -- hey, no one who knew you called you Secretariat -- took the Derby, then the Preakness, then the Belmont Stakes (by a ludicrous 31 lengths) for what we like to call horse racing's Triple Crown. Incredibly, in all three races -- I repeat, ALL THREE -- Secretariat still owns the fastest time. After he died in 1989, they discovered Big Red's heart to be more than twice the normal size. This handsome chestnut was half colt, half Ferrari ... a mean, russet running machine. Watch Secretariat's historic Belmont race . A horse is a horse? Of course, of course, yet not a one has won a Triple Crown since 1978, when Affirmed did it. And no steed in lo these 40 years has had anything close to Secretariat's popularity, pizzazz and -- OK, I gotta do it -- animal magnetism. Saturday afternoon, it's time for yet another wild mid-Eastern roundup. An equine chorus line of toddler-seeking-tiara 3-year-olds will be saddled up in Louisville for the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby, a horse race so old, the first one was run 10 years after the Kentucky-bred Abe Lincoln got assassinated. Place your bets. Verrazano? Goldencents? Orb? Oxbow? Overanalyze? Itsmyluckyday, maybe? They'll be at the post, barring late scratches, with quite a few others for the Run for the Roses, so it's definitely going to be somebody's lucky day. Is there a Secretariat in the bunch? A magnificent nag who will make tongues wag in the months ahead? A horse that can give the sport of thoroughbred racing a badly needed golden goose? A way to change the sports-fan conversation from the usual MLB, NBA, NCAA, NHL, PGA, NASCAR blah blah blah? I sure do hope so. But don't hold your breath. Bleacher Report: Kentucky Derby coverage . Consider the track record of the Kentucky Derby's past nine winners: . • I'll Have Another (2012), Hurt, scratched from Belmont, has not run another race. • Animal Kingdom (2011), Hurt after Belmont, did not run again in 2011. • Super Saver (2010), never won again, retired in October 2010. • Mine That Bird (2009), never won again, retired in November 2010. • Big Brown (2008), retired in October '08. • Street Sense (2007), retired in October '07. • Barbaro (2006), Hurt in Preakness, never ran another race. • Giacomo (2005), won one more race, retired in '06. • Smarty Jones (2004), lost in Belmont, never ran again. Kings for a day, for a fortnight, for a few weeks. Then no more. Each cashed a ticket in the I Won The Derby lottery, but that's about it. In, out. What we're looking for is a horse that can run and keep running, let us go see him do his thing. (And I don't mean pet him in a pasture after he's put out to stud.) We want a horse for the ages, a winged Pegasus to become the subject of myths. Secretariat went to the post only a few months more after donning his Triple Crown, but at least crowds did get to come out and see him race at Arlington Park, at Saratoga, at Belmont again, even in Toronto before he was free to go sire baby Secretariats. (Whoa, Big Red!) Seabiscuit didn't run in a Kentucky Derby, but he definitely had the kind of super-popularity I mean. For his match race with War Admiral in 1933, they say 40,000 came to the track while 40 million tuned in on the radio. Now there's an A-list star. We nearly had another in Smarty Jones a few years back. I was on Long Island when his run in the 2004 Belmont drew an astounding crowd of 120,139, which they say to this day is the largest crowd ever to attend a New York sporting event of any kind. Smarty was a party. He was undefeated. But he got caught from behind that day at the wire and then hung up his horseshoes for good. That swift little colt could have become 10 times the size of Taylor Swift, and I don't mean on a scale. He could have been a cover model for American Bridle, had a hundred thousand followers at any track in America and a million on Twitter. We were a little giddy over I'll Have Another a year ago, after he won the Derby and Preakness, but his humans withdrew him from the Belmont at the last minute. I'll Have Another never had another. He'd had enough. Check, please. Horse racing ain't what it used to be. So many great tracks of old, gone. Bay Meadows, Bowie, Garden State, Hialeah, Longacres, Narragansett, so many more, open no more. Attendance at our surviving tracks is way down, coast-to-coast. Lines at the $2 windows aren't usually too long. On the other hand ... "People can now sit on their couch and watch -- and bet -- on races, eliminating the need to go to the track or even to a wagering facility," said Bob Mieszerski, long one of America's top turf writers and handicappers who is now director of publicity at California's Hollywood Park. "I still believe the on-track experience is special, but in this day and age of traffic and high gas prices, I understand why people don't want to make the trek to the track." Churchill Downs will have its usual huge throng Saturday, with TV ratings to match. So wouldn't it be swell if a superhorse could ride to racing's rescue? "A superhorse may spark interest for awhile," Mieszerski respectfully disagreed, "but I have never agreed with those who believe a Triple Crown winner is going to be some magic elixir for whatever ails racing. The Kentucky Derby is a spectacle, and a lot of people who couldn't care less about racing will show up just to say that they were there. The same goes for TV.'' Probably, Bob. I still feel a superhorse could pack 'em in at the track, from Aqueduct to Santa Anita, from Thistledown to Oaklawn, from Gulfstream to Del Mar, if we were given a chance to jump in our cars and go see the animal everybody's talking about, the Next Secretariat. Two bucks on Orb for me, please. I feel lucky. | It's been 40 years since Secretariat won the Triple Crown .
No horse has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978 .
Despite lack of "superhorses," interest in Kentucky Derby is still high .
Race will be run Saturday . |
fa2e882dc32c1e2e47b5675f5a8747c80882d7dc | By . Mark Duell . Two love rivals who moved in together when the woman they loved died fell out so badly that one tried to kill the other, a court heard today. Mark Motteram, 45, and Steve Cook, 37, put any romantic rivalry behind them so they could raise Anne Motteram’s children together. Mrs Motteram had three children with ex-husband Mr Motteram and one with her new partner Mr Cook. But she suffered a fatal heart attack at her home in Southampton aged 40. Family: Pictured in 2011, Mark Motteram (left), 45, and Steve Cook (right), 37, put any romantic rivalry behind them so they could raise Anne Motteram's children together . Mr Motteram and Mr Cook then vowed to raise the children together as an ‘unconventional family’. But Winchester Crown Court was told that the animosity between them became too great. They eventually went their separate ways and became embroiled in a ‘bitter custody battle’ over Mr Cook and Mrs Motteram’s youngest daughter, four-year-old Catherine. Mr Cook moved to Derby, where he won custody of his daughter on the condition she took four short holidays a year in Southampton. He dropped her off for her first visit and went straight to Southampton Central Police Station where he told officers he had ‘concerns for the children’s welfare’. Disgruntled Mr Cook - annoyed that Mr Motteram had access rights - claimed there was a stash of drugs in the house and no food, the court heard. It led to police raiding the property, where they found healthy food, a full freezer, and no sign of drugs. The false allegation angered Mr Motteram, who armed himself with a 4in kitchen knife when Mr Cook arrived to collect his daughter at the end of the week. Tom Wright, prosecuting, said Mr Motteram lunged at Mr Cook as he opened the door, stabbing him once in the chest, on November 26 last year. Fathers: Mrs Motteram had three children with ex-husband Mr Motteram (left) and one with her new partner Mr Cook (right). But she suffered a fatal heart attack at her home in Southampton aged 40 . The court heard there was no animosity between the pair at the time Mr Cook started a relationship with Mrs Motteram, but things deteriorated after her death on February 26, 2011. 'The circumstances surrounding this case are tragic. Mr Motteram is remorseful and wishes it was himself he harmed' Keely Harvey, defending . Mr Wright said: ‘After Mrs Motteram’s sad demise, the children and two men did try making a go of things as a family. Unhappily, the two men did not get on well - friction and animosity led to that situation breaking up. ‘The break-up was acrimonious and was exacerbated by the custody battle that then went through the court.’ Mr . Wright told the court Mr Cook contacted police to report his welfare . concerns, and added: ‘Whatever Mr Cook’s motivation, the effect was to . further sour Mr Motteram’s attitude towards him. Relations: Luke Motteram, 18, son of Mark . ‘When he went to collect Catherine at the end of her stay, he rang the doorbell and Mr Motteram immediately lunged at him with a kitchen knife. The knife struck Mr Cook just below the ribs, above the abdomen. ‘Perhaps because Mr Cook was on his guard - and expected Mr Motteram to be angry - he was able to grapple with Mr Motteram and get the knife off him as they fell to the ground.’ Mr Cook was taken to hospital by ambulance where he was treated for the non-life-threatening wound. Mr Wright said: ‘When police arrived, Mr Motteram was calm, co-operative and compliant. He readily accepted he had stabbed Mr Cook and confided to the officer that it had been his intention to kill Mr Cook. ‘In interview he explained his animosity had been building, and over the previous weeks he had nurtured a strong desire to do him harm and to kill Mr Cook.’ Keely Harvey, defending, accepted Mr Motteram had told officers he intended to kill Mr Cook - but insisted he never meant it. She said: ‘This is an offence born more out of love for a child than hate for Mr Cook. The circumstances surrounding this case are tragic. ‘Mr Motteram is remorseful and wishes it was himself he harmed. Catherine spent a happy week with the family and was well cared for. She did not want to go back home.’ Mr Motteram shook his bowed head repeatedly as he sat in the dock, weeping loudly. Sobs could also be heard from the public gallery, where Mrs Motteram’s older children from a previous relationship sat with those she had with Mr Motteram - Luke, 18, and Toni, 15. Mr Motteram admitted wounding with intent and was jailed for four years. An alternative count of attempted murder, which Mr Motteram denied, was dropped. The judge, His Honour Mr Justice Teare, said: ‘There are mitigating factors but that does not excuse what you did.’ Mr Cook and Mrs Motteram had two other children together but both tragically died - one was stillborn and the other was delivered after Mrs Motteram’s death but died a week later. 'After Mrs Motteram’s sad demise, the children and two men did try making a go of things as a family. Unhappily, the two men did not get on well - friction and animosity led to that situation breaking up' Tom Wright, prosecuting . Speaking after the case, Flower of Justice church pastor Bob Light, who is now raising Mr and Mrs Motteram’s son Ben, ten, said: ‘The family are devastated. ‘This has been an incredibly tough time for them and is not going to get any easier. They have lost their mother and have now been deprived of their father. ‘It is a tragic case but they are doing their best to help each other through these tough times and will stick together.’ Speaking shortly after Mrs Motteram’s death, Mr Motteram said of his unusual relationship with Mr Cook: ‘People do think it is strange but we have always got on. Now it is more important than ever. ‘It is a weird situation but the most important thing here is the kids and what is best for them.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Mark Motteram and Steve Cook tried to raise Anne Motteram’s children .
She had three children with ex-husband Mr Motteram, one with Mr Cook .
But she suffered fatal heart attack at her home in Southampton aged 40 .
The men vowed to raise children together as an 'unconventional family'
But court hears that the animosity between the men became too great .
Mr Motteram admitted wounding with intent and is jailed for four years . |
fa2ebb581c39586b8bb86b4d6df9a5062941ca88 | Morganza, Louisiana (CNN) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of potentially several bays of the Morganza spillway on Saturday afternoon, a move intended to spare some areas from severe flooding while redirecting water into others. "We think there is a successful operation going on right now," Col. Ed Fleming, the Corps' New Orleans District Commander, told CNN an hour after the first floodgate was opened. Fleming explained that the difficult decision to open the spillway, and similar ones made in recent weeks, is being done to address a historic excess of water in the Mississippi River system, including its tributaries. On Saturday afternoon, the river was cresting near Helena, Arkansas, at 56.4 feet -- 12.4 feet above the flood stage, the level at which the river may begin flowing over its banks -- the National Weather Service noted on its website. That crest, or high point of water, was moving slowly and steadily southward. The move in Morganza, about 115 miles northwest of New Orleans, will lower anticipated cresting levels -- as well as lessen the potential for severe flooding caused by things like overtopped levees and cracks in flood-control structures -- along the rising Mississippi River and divert water from Baton Rouge and New Orleans. But it will flood parts of low-lying south-central Louisiana. Fleming said that one or two other additional bays of the flood-control structure would likely be opened Sunday, and more gates could be opened later depending on water levels. The Corps could choose to let out as much as 600,000 cubic feet of water per second, with Saturday's opening leading to the release of 10,000 cubic feet per second. "As the river needs it, we'll open it," said Fleming, referring to the spillway's bays. By 2:30 p.m. Saturday, all those "within the first 24 hours" -- meaning, those who should see flooding caused directly by the spillway's opening -- had evacuated, Fleming said. The opening came after several days of warning, as residents in the flood zone prepared to move to save their lives, even if their homes were washed away. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal predicted this week the high water resulting from the Morganza spillway opening could impact 3,900 people and 2,600 structures. "Right now, a lot of people are real nervous about it. It's sad," said Larry Doiron, a resident of Stephenville, a town that could face flooding because of the spillway's opening. "We need to have protection so that they don't flood us." He said his subdivision would likely be fine, as it was built at a relatively high elevation, but that his neighbors were building additional levees and putting out sandbags. Seven Louisiana parishes -- Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, Iberville, St. Mary and Terrebonne -- will likely be affected by the first opening of the spillway since 1973, according to the Corps. Fleming said Saturday that the spillway will likely be open for weeks, and it will be at least until that long that those who have evacuated can safely return. That's because that, even after the river crests at a certain point, it will take considerable time -- in some cases, weeks -- before it falls back below the flood stage. Morgan City, which sits on the banks of the Atchafalaya River, is among those communities expected to see rising water. The Corps has joined with state and local authorities to build-up safeguards in that community of about 11,600 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "Really, we're just waiting," said Evie Bertaut, who has lived in Morgan City for 50 years. Officials believe that the levees will protect the city from flooding, but some are taking preliminary precautions, she said. At Sacred Heart Church, where Bertaut works, people spent the day Friday moving important documents such a baptismal, marriage and financial records to the second floor. "Most people are getting their photographs together, things that you can't replace in case you have to go," she said. The river's slow pace has given emergency responders more time to prepare, forecasters said. But while the slow-moving water gives residents extra time to get ready, it also means that land could remain under water for some time. Louisiana state authorities have been working with federal and local counterparts to combat flooding -- or, in some cases, prepare for it -- in 19 of its 64 parishes. That includes bringing in 700 National Guardsmen, as well as state police officers and prison inmates to lay down sandbags, direct traffic and otherwise deal with the crisis, the state's office of homeland security and emergency preparedness said in a release Saturday. They have brought in and laid out thousands of linear feet of HESCO flood-control material, as well as rought in hundreds of yards of reclaimed asphalt, sand and other substances aimed to keep floodwaters at bay. The National Weather Service said that as of noontime Saturday, the river was at 16.8 feet in New Orleans, just a fraction below flood stage. It is expected to crest May 23 at about 19.5 feet. The New Orleans levees are built to withstand 20 feet, according to the weather service. Still, the effects there could be felt soon: The U.S. Coast Guard said floodwaters could close the Mississippi River to ships at the New Orleans port as early as Monday morning. To help New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that it will open 52 more bays at the Bonnet Carre Spillway just north of the city, diverting water into Lake Pontchartrain. That will mean a total of 264 bays will be open in the 350-bay spillway. In Vicksburg, Mississippi, the river is expected to crest at 57.5 feet May 19. This would be significantly above the flood stage at Vicksburg of 43 feet. Homes that were built between the levee and the Mississippi River were the first affected. "We estimate that every home built on the river side of the levee from Memphis all the way to the Louisiana line is flooded," said Mike Womack, executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. Residents near Vicksburg counted on a levee for protection. In addition to the mainline levee along the river, starting near Vicksburg and extending northeast for more than 20 miles, a so-called backwater levee offers shelter. The backwater levee is designed to keep water from backing into the Yazoo River delta and is designed lower than the mainline levee so that water can flow over it. That level is expected to be reached Monday, said Charlie Tindall, attorney for the Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners. The backwater levee was being "armored" by a heavy plastic coating to prevent it from washing out, he said. "There's a chance it might not make it through an over-topping event," said Mississippi Levee Board Chief Engineer Peter Nimod about the backwater levee. "There is a risk. We don't think it will break, but we want people to be prepared." "It's hard to plan for a multi-100-year event," he said. Nonetheless, 1.4 million acres in Mississippi, including 602,000 acres where crops are growing, could flood, said Rickey Grey of the state's Department of Agriculture. Across the South and lower Midwest, floodwaters have covered about 3 million acres of farmland, eroding for many farmers what could have been a profitable year for corn, wheat, rice and cotton, officials said. CNN's Ed Lavandera, Mariano Castillo, Mia Aquino and Erica Henry contributed to this report. | NEW: A Corps official says: "We think there is a successful operation going on"
NEW: 19 of Louisiana's 64 parishes are expected to see flooding, a state agency says .
One of potentially several bays of the Morganza spillway opens Saturday .
It will flood the Atchafalaya River Basin, but lessen damage down the Mississippi . |
fa2ec3a278f4d2a08c300a923a91d1b4d27fb8d0 | The man who threatened to blow up the Australian embassy in Jordan after being deported from the Gold Coast in August last year may have been motivated by a family matter. Ali al-Hasanat, 37, is on trial in Amman accused of threatening to kill Australian tourists and bomb the Australian embassy in the Jordanian capital, through messages and a 'picture of a bullet' sent via his Facebook account. Hasanat's Facebook profile shows him making expletive-laden threats against the Australian government and posting pictures of himself showing young children how to hold machine guns and pistols. Ali al-Hasanat is accused of threatening to kill Australian tourists and bomb the Australian embassy in Jordan . Hasanat's Facebook profile shows him posing with his young 'brother' who is holding a machine gun . Hasanat moved to the Gold Coast from Jordan in 2001 and became an Australian resident in 2004, the ABC reported. While in Queensland he received more than 30 criminal convictions, for reasons including drug dealing and breaching court orders. He was also sentenced to multiple stints in jail, including eight months in 2008 for threatening, using a carriage service to menace or harass and assault occasioning bodily harm. Hasanat was sentenced again in 2011 to 24 months in jail after he imprisoned a woman against her will in a Gold Coast apartment and held a knife to her throat. In April he made an expletive-laden threat against the Australian government . Hasanat lived in Australia between 2001 and 2013, in that time receiving more than 30 criminal convictions . The 37-year-old is not believed to be part of any terrorist organisation, with a close friend telling the ABC he is a 'lone wolf' but is erratic due to his use of the drug ice. In Jordan's state security court in Amman this month, Hasanat was accused of using the internet 'to carry out activity that could expose Jordan to acts of aggression' following his threats against the Australian embassy. He denied any wrongdoing during the hearing, but faces up to 15 years in jail if found guilty. The trial was adjourned earlier this month to give Hasanat time to find a lawyer. His threats against the Australian government appear to have been motivated by a family matter. Hasanat shows a boy how he describes as 'may [sic] brother' how to correctly hold a pistol . In Queensland he was sentenced to multiple stints in jail, including eight months in 2008 for threatening, using a carriage service to menace or harass and assault occasioning bodily harm . 'To any mother f***er from Australian government in or outside Australia this message is for you as you can tell I am not wearing a mask or hiding my identity you have been denying me my daughter for over 10 years now for no reason at all,' he posted on Facebook in April. 'Listen here you putrid son of a b****s stupid ignorant alcoholics I am no indian or aboriginal [sic] if you f*** with me I will have to f*** with you dying for my daughter will be an honour for me. 'I am not scared of dying for this cause you have 6 months from today which means you have till 26/10/2014 to fix this and give me a right to be a father.' While living in Australia, Hasanat had a son with a Gold Coast woman, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. In court in Amman this month, Hasanat was accused of using the internet 'to carry out activity that could expose Jordan to acts of aggression' The pair had arguments over social media in May, with Hasanat abusing the woman when she did not respond to some of his messages. In July, she wrote to him saying she loved him and was planning to move to Jordan, adding that she was 'hurt' that he faked his own death in a car crash. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said Hasanat's visa had been cancelled. 'The individual was removed from Australia and has been permanently excluded from Australia,' Mr Morrison said. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said Hasanat's Australian visa had been cancelled . | Ali al-Hasanat accused of threat to bomb Australian embassy in Jordan .
Hasanat's threats against Australia appear to be motivated by a family matter, with the man saying he hasn't seen his daughter in 10 years .
The 37-year-old was deported from the Gold Coast in August last year .
While in Queensland he received more than 30 criminal convictions, for reasons including drug dealing and breaching court orders .
He made expletive-laden threats against the Australian government online . |
fa2f0ee01a53728230575964fa64e510efda0c81 | By . Sarah Griffiths and Jo Riley . PUBLISHED: . 08:13 EST, 13 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 13 August 2013 . The secret of a 700-year-old bone crypt under a village church, which is stacked with hundreds of skeletons, has been solved by a team of scientists. The 13th Century charnel chapel, one of only two in the UK, contains the remains of around a thousand people and has been shrouded in mystery for more than seven centuries. Villagers have long believed the disarticulated skeletons at the Holy Trinity Church in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, were victims of the plague or soldiers from the nearby battle of Naseby. Villagers have long believed the disarticulated skeletons (pictured) at the Holy Trinity Church in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, were victims of the plague or soldiers from the nearby battle of Naseby . Research by experts at the University of Sheffield's Department of Archaeology suggest the crypt, which looks like something from a Hollywood horror film set, was a medieval monument for pilgrims and villagers who prayed among the bones of their ancestors . Now research by experts at the University of Sheffield's Department of Archaeology suggests the crypt, which looks like something from a Hollywood horror film set, was a medieval monument for pilgrims and villagers who prayed among the bones of their ancestors. 'There have been rumours surrounding the bones for hundreds of years and I wanted to put them to rest and work out the real reason why the crypt was built,' said Jenny Crangle, an osteo-archaeologist. 'Many people believed it was used as a sort of rubbish bin to get rid of unwanted human remains, such as plague victims, but actually I think it was a place of pilgrimage.' The 13th Century charnel chapel, one of only two in the UK, contains the remains of around a thousand people and has been shrouded in mystery for more than seven centuries . Many people believed the crypt was used as a sort of rubbish bin to get rid of unwanted human remains, such as plague victims, but actually I think it was a place of pilgrimage. Here, local school boy Oliver de Marco-Payne visits the site . At one time there is believed to have been hundreds of bone crypts all over Britain, but they were lost during the Reformation. This one was re-discovered in 1700 by accident when a grave digger fell into the bone house and came across the skeletons. Since then stories have grown about who the skeletons are and why they got there. At one time there is believed to have been hundreds of bone crypts all over Britain, but they were lost during the Reformation . the 700-year-old crypt lies underneath Holy Trinity Church in Rothwell, Northamptonshire (pictured) Ms Crangle, who has been researching the ossurie for five years, has been using modern scientific techniques to solve the medieval mystery of the bones, which include 800 human skulls. 'All the theories stemmed from 1700, so we have been using modern methods to try and unpick them,' she said. 'We know the bones did not belong to soldiers as they are a mix of men and women and the marks which people thought were battle scars were actually made after they were dead. This one was re-discovered in 1700 by accident when a grave digger fell into the bone house and came across the skeletons . Ms Crangle, a scientist who has been researching the ossurie for five years, has been using modern scientific techniques to solve the medieval mystery of the bones, which include 800 human skulls, some of which are pictured . 'We also know they are unlikely to have been plague victims as people who died from the plague were given the same burial rights as everyone else and no one would have wanted to dig them up and move them.' She said there had also been a rumour that the crypt only contained femurs and skulls, but in fact it contained complete skeletons at one time. 'We now believe there would probably have been hundreds of these crypts around the country at one time and they were a place for people to visit and pray for the dead,' she said. She does not think the jumble of bones belonged to soldiers as they are a mix of men and women and the marks which people thought were battle scars were actually made after they were dead . Scientists think the bones were moved into the crypt from graves, but they could have come from lots of different cemeteries. Holy Trinity Church is pictured (left) and skulls (right) 'We believe the bones were moved into the crypt from graves, but they could have come from lots of different cemeteries.' Ms Crangle and her team now hope to secure funding to use carbon dating techniques to work out the age and sex of the victims and where they were from. 'It has been a very exciting project so far and we want to continue to find out more about the skeletons,' she said. 'For hundreds of years people have had the wrong impression about the crypt and seen it as a horrible place, but for medieval people it would have been a religious place to visit, much like going to a grave today.' The archaeologists hope to secure funding to use carbon dating techniques to work out the age and sex of the victims and where they were from to solve the mystery of the jumble of bones once and for all . | University of Sheffield researchers suggest the crypt was a medieval monument for pilgrims and villagers who prayed among the bones .
Villagers have long believed the skeletons at the Holy Trinity Church in .
Northamptonshire, were victims of the plague or soldiers .
At one time there were believed to have been hundreds of bone crypts all over Britain, but they were lost during the Reformation . |
fa30d21eaefcb465ccd5bb6cdea158618973d289 | (CNN) -- Turkey is a "source of inspiration" to show how Islam and democracy can go hand-in-hand, the country's deputy prime minister has told CNN. In an interview with Richard Quest, Ali Bababcan -- deputy to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- said the country had been able to demonstrate how "Islam and democracy can function together." He continued, "a country which has a population 99% as their faith in Islam can also be a country which are subscribing to the universal values of the EU." Read more: Pirelli CEO: Europe must change austerity policies . Bababcan's comments come as Turkey continues to push for European Union membership, an ambition questioned by some who point to the country's already strong economy and powerful geographical position. Turkey made its application to join the EU in 1987 and has had a customs and trade union with the 27-nation bloc since 1996. While negotiations for the country's full EU membership began in October 2005, progress has been frustratingly slow as countries including Germany and France question Turkey's suitability for EU status. Read more: Finnish PM: Eurozone nations must follow the rules . Babacan said Turkey -- a country flanked by Europe and Middle East hotspots such as Syria and Iraq -- is subscribing to the western-style democracy. He said the EU acts as a "very important external anchor" on issues such as democracy and human rights. Turkey's economic performance, however, stands in stark contrast to many countries within Europe. The International Monetary Fund expects Turkey to grow 3.5% this year, while many European countries suffer prolonged recessions. Read more: GE Europe chief eyes investment in Germany . Turkey -- a country of 74 million people -- is one of Europe's fastest growing economies and is attracting investment from industries including automotive, power, construction and defense. This has prompted some to question Turkey's drive to be part of the EU, instead pointing to its potential as a bridge between the East and West. Philipp Reuter, director for Turkey at business consultancy Frost & Sullivan, told CNN that it is not necessary for Turkey to become a fully-fledged member of the union. He said Turkey has more to gain economically by aligning itself with a region historically known as "Levant," and to which he has added North Africa. The region includes countries such as Iraq in the Middle East to Algeria in North Africa. Read more: No brakes on growth at Brembo . Global corporations are now basing their regional offices in Turkey, Reuter said. Microsoft, CocaCola, Huawei and BP all have bases in the country, from which they oversee operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. But Babacan, is his interview with Quest, said the government is focused on European membership. "We believe the EU should be more of a global entity and Turkey will contribute its position as a real global actor, not a European project, but more of a global project," he said. Babacan points to Turkey's services industry and banking sector as an example for Europe and the eurozone's embattled single currency. He added: "Our banking system is doing very well... we have put strict regulation, very strict supervision mechanisms for our banks and every single bank has been restructured, recapitalized." | Turkish Deputy PM Ali Bababcan said that Turkey is becoming a "source of inspiration" for many countries .
He says Turkey shows how Islam and democracy can go hand-in-hand .
Bababcan's comments come as Turkey continues to push for European Union membership .
The ambition is questioned by some who point to the country's already strong economy . |
fa3115ce291a6c5d019febb5336d3c8ba5eb7f3a | Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- The younger son of political activist Aung San Suu Kyi left Myanmar Tuesday after a long-awaited visit with his mother, from whom he'd been separated for a decade. Kim Aris was seen arriving back in Bangkok, Thailand, later in the day. Aris had been in Myanmar for a little more than two weeks visiting with his mother. He last saw his Nobel Peace Laureate mother in 2000, when he spent about two weeks with her, according to one of her attorneys. Suu Kyi was released from house arrest on November 13, after spending most of the past 20 years under house arrest or in prison. Suu Kyi release came after national elections in Myanmar. Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party boycotted the November 7 elections, faulting the country's ruling military junta. Before the election, the regime had enacted a new law that forced the Suu Kyi's party to choose between honoring her as its leader and risking the party being declared illegal, or ejecting Suu Kyi from the party and contesting the elections. Generals in Myanmar refused to allow international monitors to oversee the elections and overhauled Myanmar's constitution in a way critics say is aimed at tightening the regime's grip. The constitution now requires more than 100 military nominees in parliament. Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962. CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report. | Suu Kyi was released from house arrest on November 13 .
They had been separated for a decade .
The political activist has spent most of the past 20 years under house arrest or in prison . |
fa313b25e7f5894f8f1cce1171480f6617c28e6b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:37 EST, 16 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 16 January 2014 . The World Association Of Newspapers And News Publishers is meeting Culture Secretary Maria Miller . A world body on Press freedom has warned that the British Government’s plans for a Royal Charter on Press regulation could threaten the independence of newspapers and be used by ‘repressive regimes’ to justify censorship. The World Association Of Newspapers And News Publishers is visiting Britain and is meeting Culture Secretary Maria Miller and John Whittingdale, the chairman of the Commons culture select committee. The Royal Charter was drawn up by politicians and approved by the Queen last month, in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by journalists. It underpins with statute a new body . to oversee the regulation of the Press, with publications that refuse to . comply facing ‘exemplary’ damages in libel cases. Newspapers . and magazines have refused to sign up to the new regime over fears it . would bring to an end 300 years of Press freedom. Instead, . the Press is establishing a fully independent body to police its . activities, known as the Independent Press Standards Organisation . (Ipso). It will be able to impose fines of up to £1million for serious . and systemic wrongdoing. Vincent . Peyrègne, chief executive of the World Association, said that the . Government’s plans for Press regulation could have ‘far-reaching . consequences across the globe’. The organisation’s missions are normally reserved for regimes where there are severe concerns about censorship, which have included Ethiopia, Libya, Yemen and Burma. Mr Peyrègne said: ‘Any threats to the independence of journalism in Britain could be used by repressive regimes worldwide to justify their own controls over the Press. ‘We will endeavour to investigate all elements that threaten the United Kingdom’s position as a bastion for free and independent media with the same rigour as we have approached other international Press freedom hot spots in nearly 70 years of defending freedom of expression worldwide.’ The delegation is also speaking to freedom of expression and civil society groups, professional bodies, various industry representatives and academics. The mission includes representatives of newspapers in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Canada, the United States and Pakistan. The delegation hopes to publish its UK report in February. | The World Association Of Newspapers And News Publishers warns charter could threaten independence of newspapers . |
fa31d50fdcd7d59f3412e8702b0829f189bad2d4 | Album sales are at an all-time low in the United States. Vinyl sales are at their highest for 15 years. Everybody says streaming is the future, yet major artists are pulling out of streaming services. And in tech-oriented Japan, CDs still account for 85% of album sales. The current state of the music industry is anyone's guess. Spotify . Technology is transforming the way music is created, shared and enjoyed, and where we will go from here is hard to predict. The latest shock to the system is Taylor Swift's decision to break up with Spotify, the popular music streaming service that has 40 million active users -- one quarter of which are paying subscribers. With the release of her latest album, entitled "1989," Swift -- arguably music's most popular artist at the moment -- requested that all her back catalog be removed from the service. The move, which would be risky for most other artists, helped boost sales of the album to 1.3 million units in its debut week, the best performance in the industry since 2002. With no legal option other than buying, fans obliged. Spotify says that over 70% of its revenues go to artists, but just between $0.006 and $0.0084 is paid for each play, depending on the artist. Others before Swift have pulled out: Thom Yorke famously described the service as "the last desperate fart of a dying corpse," and his solo works are not available for streaming. Other no-shows include The Beatles, who have an exclusive deal with Apple. And yet, Spotify is now earning some artists more money than iTunes in Europe, as was revealed at the Web Summit technology conference in Dublin by Willard Ahdritz, CEO and founder of Kobalt, a company that represents thousands of musicians. That means that streaming is becoming, in some instances, more profitable than album sales. Predicting the hits . Elsewhere in the digital world, social media is becoming a dominant contributing factor to the popularity of an artist, and it's also generating a huge amount of data that can be a powerful tool for trend analysis. Public social data is like a crystal ball that can help the music industry predict who's going to become the next big thing. A company called Next Big Sound specializes in precisely these types of predictions. By tracking streams and collecting data from the Internet -- new Twitter followers, Facebook likes and Wikipedia page views -- the company says it can estimate the likelihood of an artist making it into the Billboard Top 200, which charts album releases, over a year before it happens. Making the charts is not easy. Speaking at the Web Summit, Alex White of Next Big Sound pointed out that in the last year, only 961 artists made the Billboard Top 200, and just 204 of those were entering it for the first time. The Billboard Top 100, which tracks singles rather than albums, is an even more exclusive club: out of 249 artists appearing, just 43 were debuting. Despite the charts favoring established artists, it's never been so easy to make, share and discover new music. "At the end of the 90s you needed a full blown musical studio to make real music," said Eric Wahlforss, co-founder of streaming service Soundcloud, "now all you need is a laptop. Even an iPad can be enough. Music making is for everyone. Technology has made it cheaper, accessible and more powerful." Soundcloud was launched in 2007 and allows users to upload their music and embed it anywhere, offering a powerful tool for discovery. It has evolved significantly over the years, skewing its balance in favor of listeners and introducing algorithms that spot protected material. "We care a lot about copyrights and we have automatic filters that can block content on behalf of copyright holders," said Wahlforss. "We want to go to a billion monthly listeners, and welcoming major labels is a key point of the journey there." The service, which currently boasts 175 million monthly listeners, has just announced a licensing deal with Warner Music, and is introducing a paid subscription model next year. "If you have those numbers, naturally you want to generate revenue, and that's what we're focusing on at the moment," said Wahlforss. A matter of taste . Even though music discovery has evolved rapidly in recent years, there is still no consensus on which technology is the best to analyze someone's musical taste. According to Kevin Lee, who was among the founders of the Beats headphones brand, we might need to start from scratch. "Even with all this music, at any given time I still only have about five to 10 songs that I love and listen to, but I have to believe there may be 100 that would really touch me in the same way," he said. "I feel we need a new technology that can figure that out." Lee now heads Sol Republic, a rising brand of audio products, and thinks that in the future we'll have headphones capable of analyzing a user's emotional response to a song, and then suggesting something similar. "It takes three seconds for you to know whether you like a song or not. There's something about our ears and our body and our mind that figures that out so quickly, and we need to find a technology that can do that for us," he said. Apple bought Beats earlier this year for $3 billion, in a strong statement about the significance of headphones in this industry: because we listen to so much music through our phones, hidden away in our pockets, it's what's on our heads that counts. But Lee thinks that headphones have become too ubiquitous. "I hope people will discover this thing called the speaker," he said. "Right now you need a large, expensive speaker to get good sound, but we had the same problem with headphones and we solved that. I'm confident that we'll manage to shrink speakers in size without compromising sound quality: when we figure that out, people will change the way they listen to music at home." One thing, however, does seem likely: "Streaming is the way of the future," said Soundcloud's Eric Wahlforss. At the end of the Web Summit, sharing the stage with the final panelists, U2's Bono joined the discussion, defending Spotify's royalty model, and arguing that streaming is, indeed, what lies ahead, even amid the many uncertainties. "The remunerative bit still has to be figured out," he said. "This is an experimental and exciting period. So, let's experiment and see what works." Read more: Never cook again -- now you can print your own pizza . | The future of the digital music business is still uncertain .
Taylor Swift recently pulled out of streaming service Spotify .
Next Big Sound uses social data to predict future hits .
"Streaming is the way of the future," says Soundcloud co-founder . |
fa32387a23ffbb618670eae4a8e0122a3877da49 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 06:25 EST, 25 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:54 EST, 25 August 2012 . Big-ticket item: Sales of iconic Aga cookers are in decline . At the height of Britain's property boom, no eye-wateringly expensive farmhouse conversion was complete without a gleaming Aga in the high-spec kitchen. But in 2012, with the country still firmly in the grip of recession, sales of the pricey cast iron cookers are in decline - prompting the manufacturer to target China as a new market for growth. Announcing a sharp drop in half-year profits, Aga Rangemaster blamed the lack of activity in the property market as customers delayed buying big ticket items. Some Aga models can cost over £5,000. The firm, which also produces . fridges, sinks and stoves, said it expected markets in the UK and in . Ireland to remain tough 'for some time'. Half-year pre-tax profits at the Leamington Spa-based company were £1.6 million - compared with £4.2 million a year earlier. Revenues in the first half were 1.8 per cent lower at £119.2 million. Aga Rangemaster is planning to concentrate on boosting sales in North America as well as China in a bid to rejuvenate profits. Chief executive William McGrath said: 'With the established UK and Irish markets likely to remain weak for some time in the current economic environment, the onus is on new markets such as China and on raising market penetration in markets like North America, where our market position is not yet fully developed.' He said the firm was busy developing new products, including a five-oven electric Aga due to be launched next month, and had driven sale volumes of its classic Aga four per cent higher with the help of promotions and stock clearances over the half year. The Aga cooker was invented in Sweden in 1922. Luxury: The cookers surged in popularity during Britain's property boom, when they were used to bring a touch of tradition to modern, luxury kitchens . | Aga Rangemaster has announced a sharp drop in half-year profits .
Lack of activity in the property market blamed for decline .
Firm set to target China and the U.S. in a bid to boost sales . |
fa33305badc5d9d5f711bec45aa1087b1a4ae570 | By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:08 EST, 22 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:54 EST, 23 July 2013 . A Norwegian woman at the center of a Dubai rape claim dispute says she has been pardoned and is free to leave the country. Marte Deborah Dalelv said she was given back her passport Sunday by the public . prosecutor's office and that her 16-month sentence for having sex . outside marriage has been dropped. The 24-year-old designer claimed she was . raped in March by a co-worker, but she was charged with the sex offense . after going to police in Dubai in a case that highlighted the clash . between the city's Western-friendly atmosphere and its Islamic-based . legal codes. Relief: Marte Deborah Dalelv said she was given back her passport on Sunday by the public prosecutor's office and that her 16-month sentence for having sex outside marriage has been dropped . Pictured left Marte can be seen arriving at the Norwegian Seamen's Center in Dubai with her laywer, and right, she can be seen sharing a moment with ambassador to the UAE, Afe Elin Bjerke . The designer has been staying at the center ever since she was sentenced last week. She can be seen left smiling after the decision to pardon her was made, and right, hugging a friend . At the center she posed up for a picture (left) in front of portrait of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, late ruler of Dubai before leaving with her lawyer, right . Her sentencing last week stirred outrage in the West. Speaking . this weekend of her ordeal, the Norwegian claimed during an . interview about the assault police asked her: 'Are you sure you called . the police because you just didn't like it?' They . took her passport away and she was convicted and sentenced on charges . of having unlawful sex, making a false statement and illegal consumption . of alcohol. Her alleged rapist was sentenced to three months less prison time than she got. Norwegian businesswoman Marte Deborah Dalelv, 24, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for extramarital sex after she reported being raped . Ms Dalelv said the attack happened after she had been out at a bar with her colleagues and friends. She told CNN that she had a male co-worker to escort her to her room as the hotel was 'large and confusing' and she did not want to be wandering aloe as she had been drinking. She said she realised the room was not hers, and after initially objecting when he pulled her inside by her handbag, she agreed to go in 'to calm the situation down'. Her next memory, she says, is waking up on her front while he was raping her. When the hotel wake-up call knocked on the door, she dressed and went down to reception to call police. Up to a dozen make officers arrived and took statements from Ms Dalelv and her alleged attacker. When she arrived at Bur Dubai police station, she said police asked her of events to officers, 'Are you sure you called the police because you just didn't like it?' She replied: '"Well of course I didn't like it." That is when I knew, I don't think they are going to believe me at all.' She was then examined and tested for alcohol and locked in a prison cell for four days without explanation. Eventually she was able to contact her . parents on the third day and ask them to contact the Norwegian Embassy . who arranged her release. She claims she was advised to claim that the rape was in fact voluntary in order for the issue to 'go away'. But she was then charged with making a false statement. Scroll down for video . Waiting game: Marte Deborah Dalelv, pictured in Dubai, faces an uncertain future as Norway doesn't have an extradition treaty with Dubai . Ms Dalelv claims she was fired from her position with Al Mana Interiors - which is owned by Janet Jackson's husband, Wissam Al Mana - during the ordeal. A spokesman for the Qatari billionaire's company, Al Mana Interiors, strongly denied the claims from Marte Deborah Dalelv, saying instead its representatives were 'by her side' throughout the 'ordeal' and that the firm was forced to let her go after she 'declined to have positive and constructive discussions about her employment status.' Dalelv was sentenced to one year and four months in jail but as Norway has no extradition treaty with Dubai, her future is uncertain. Dalelv claims she was fired from her position with Al Mana Interiors - which is owned by Janet Jackson's husband, Wissam Al Mana - during the ordeal . Dark side: Having been detained in Dubai since the assault in March, Ms Dalelv has now been found guilty of sex outside marriage, drinking alcohol without a licence and perjury and was jailed for 16 months . Janet . Jackson married the Qatari billionaire in a secret ceremony last year. The pair have been together for three years after meeting in 2010. The young Norwegian woman's horror story is not unique. Earlier . this year Australian Alicia Gali, 27, spoke of how she was thrown in a . Dubai jail for eight months after she reported a rape. Gali was working at hotel chain Starwood when her drink was spiked in the staff bar. She . awoke to find that three colleagues had raped her, but when she went to . a hospital for help, they turned her over to the police and she was . charged with illicit sex outside marriage. Under . UAE law, rapists can only be convicted if either the perpetrator . confesses or if four adult Muslim males witness the crime. Under . the Sharia-influenced laws, sex before marriage is completely forbidden . and an unmarried couple holding hands in public can be jailed. Foreigners jailed in Dubai are deported immediately after completing their sentences. | Norwegian Marte Deborah Dalelv was in Dubai on business trip when raped .
She reported rape to police but was charged for having sex outside marriage .
She has now been sentenced to 16 months in prison .
Her alleged rapist was sentenced to three months less prison time than her . |
fa3348da47608419c564e42125a34d8d513bbde3 | By . Wills Robinson . A father attacked his baby son in hospital while the little boy was being treated for injuries he had inflicted in a previous violent outburst, it has been revealed. The child was taken to Rotherham District Hospital in South Yorkshire when he was less than three weeks old where medical staff found he had suffered severe head injuries and ‘forceful shaking’. While he was still being treated for his injuries his father attacked him again - leaving him with extensive bruising. Scroll down for video . Shocking: The baby boy, who was less than three weeks old, was being treated for head injuries in Rotherham District Hospital, South Yorkshire, when his father attacked him . Police are investigating the incident which took place in January, but no arrests have been made. The shocking details of the father’s violence against the child emerged as a family judge banned him from seeing his son - saying the baby would be in ‘real danger’ if any further contact took place. Judge Annabel Carr QC, sitting at Sheffield Family Court, said the injuries suffered by the boy could only have been caused by the father and it was ‘not possible’ they were accidental. After the initial outburst, the child had been unresponsive for about an hour, but the father did not take him to hospital - saying he didn’t know where it was - and waited for the baby’s mother to return home. The baby was initially treated for an infection, but scans revealed bleeding on the brain and social workers became involved after doctors suspected the infant had been assaulted. While he was still in hospital recovering from those injuries, the baby suffered further harm. The father called in a duty nurse as he was changing his son’s nappy and claimed he had ‘tripped’ on the wheel of a cot and dropped the baby face down on the bed. After demonstrating to the nurse how he had fallen, the father said: 'I cannot believe this has happened'. The judge said doctors were ‘deeply suspicious’ of both sets of injuries and, following extensive tests which ruled out natural causes, Rotherham Borough Council launched care proceedings. The council did not take any issue with the mother’s care and accepted she is a ‘concerned and loving parent’ who is capable of caring for the baby. During the family court hearing, the father’s version of events was ruled out by doctors, who said it was simply ‘not possible’. Medical staff also concluded that both sets of injuries could not have been caused by anything other than deliberately inflicted trauma. Judge Carr said the father’s evidence was ‘neither credible nor reliable’, adding that his failure to alert the mother sooner when the baby first fell ill was an attempt to cover up the harm the child had suffered at his hands. Civil case: Judge Annabel Carr QC banned the father from seeing the child at Sheffield Family Court, saying the child would be in 'real danger' if they were to remain in contact . She said: 'There can be no other explanation as only the father was present and therefore only he knows what happened. 'He left it to the mother and grandfather to raise their own concerns and to seek help for the baby, unaided by him. 'The only explanation is that these were inflicted injuries, as all the medical evidence now supports.' She found that both sets of injuries could only have been caused by the father and ordered that he should have no contact with the baby. The judge said: 'Those findings having been made, it makes any contact - supervised or otherwise - in the immediate future a very real risk and danger for the child. 'I have to bear in mind that, on the second occasion, this baby was in a place of safety yet came to be injured by severe bruising over his head and body, the explanation given by the father simply not being a possibility. 'As such, for the time being, there can be no safe contact between this child and the father.' | Infant was being treated at Rotherham District Hospital, South Yorkshire .
Was brought in with a blow to the head and had suffered 'forceful shaking'
Father attacked him while he was being treated - causing extensive bruising .
When nurse arrived - the parent claimed he tripped and dropped the child .
Judge at Sheffield Family Court banned the father from seeing his son .
Annabel Carr QC said baby would be in 'real danger' if left in his care .
Police are investigating the incident but no arrests have been made . |
fa3391d2a8abcf50bbdd7e7f140d3cd55e3fc31f | Two of the off-season's longest-running transfer sagas were finally concluded when French international Samir Nasri signed for Manchester City, while winger Juan Mata agreed to leave Valencia for Chelsea. Nasri -- who signed for Arsenal in 2008 from Olympique Marseille -- signed a four-year deal, making him City's fourth big-money capture of the current transfer window following the arrivals of Gael Clichy, Sergio Aguero and Stefan Savic. "I think he is a fantastic player because he has technique [and a good] mentality," Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini told the club's official web site. "I know him from when he played for Marseille because I followed him when I was at Inter...but in the last four years in the Premier League he improved a lot and now I think he's a top player." The move took place a few hours before an injury-hit Arsenal met Udinese in a crucial European Champions League second leg qualification match. The Gunners take a slender 1-0 lead to Italy. If Nasri had played he would have been ineligible to appear in Manchester City's own Champions League campaign, potentially jeopardizing the move. "It's a big relief. It was a long, long negotiation," Nasri said in an interview, also with the club's official web site. "Now I am City player which is what I wanted from the start." "I was a little frustrated, I told the [Arsenal] manager [Arsene Wenger] I wanted to leave... Today is a big day for me. It is a new start." In west London, Chelsea announced that they too had signed one of Europe's most coveted wide players with the capture of Spanish international Juan Mata. The 23 year old -- who has already won 11 caps for the world champions -- trained with the squad and will be available for Saturday's English Premier League match against Norwich City. "Right from the first moment there have been good feelings all around me," Mata told Chelsea's official web site. "Valencia was a big club anyway but I have left to join a bigger club and it is all about the opportunity to win trophies and I have that here." | Manchester City has announced the signing of Samir Nasri from Arsenal .
It's the fourth big-money signing to join City this transfer window .
Meanwhile Chelsea sign Spain winger Juan Mata from Valencia .
Mata likely to make EPL debut against Norwich City Saturday . |
fa33ec8a2f4c4e4405e6b3e15d4e80cfe45fdaef | By . Peter Lloyd . Published: . 08:30 EST, 11 September 2013 . After two years of allegations and a gruesome eight-day trial, Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell was finally exonerated from some of the worst crimes imaginable yesterday. The jury at Manchester Crown Court took just five hours to clear the 48-year-old of twelve sex offences against a young girl, including five of rape. The father-of-two had been left ‘fighting for his life’ in both a legal circus and a media scrum. Michael Le Vell: Innocent, but named and shamed. Exactly WHEN will men get pre-conviction anonymity in rape trials?, asks Peter Lloyd . In his willingness to co-operate, he revealed his private self for public scrutiny: a ‘troubled man’ who chain-smoked, drank up to 12 pints a night, had a string of one-night stands and an affair with a younger woman while his wife had cancer treatment. Now, he is free. But, like thousands of men all over the world, Le Vell’s life has already been destroyed by a system which considers men’s innocence a bonus - not a baseline. And it has to end. The case not only proved that pre-conviction identification doesn’t work, but reiterated a very pertinent question: why, in our best-ever age of equality and human rights, are men still being denied their right to anonymity ahead of a guilty verdict? It is - quite frankly - inhumane and has no place in a civilised society. Naturally, the Crown Prosecution Service defended the case being brought to trial, saying: ‘It is for the jury to determine whether a defendant is guilty or not and we of course respect the verdicts they have reached today.’ But the CPS is not middle England. Regardless of yesterday’s ruling, millions of onlookers will favour their own agenda-driven conclusion to that of an informed jury. Haters across the world will decide that he is guilty by default. That he is a rapist simply because he is male. Or working class. Or an alcoholic. Perhaps even all three. They will gather around the water cooler and say: ‘there’s no smoke without fire’ or ‘he looks the type’. This, ladies and gentlemen, is precisely why a court of law, not a casual observer who is not armed with all the evidence, should convict a defendant. Haters across the world, including some of the most sexist women in journalism, will decide that he is guilty by default. That he is a rapist simply because he is male . Let’s be clear: Le Vell is not a man I would like to befriend, nor do I condone much of his behaviour. But my heart went out to him yesterday. For all his faults, for all his demons, he is a victim of our politically correct (yet morally incorrect) legal system. A creaking, dilapidated machine which has scant regard for men’s rights and the immortality of a rape allegation. Earlier this year, one of the legal profession’s most prominent women - deputy High Court judge Maura McGowan - agreed. She recommended that men be granted pre-conviction anonymity in rape trials as standard. Tellingly, her opinion is held by the majority of Britain. In 2010, a poll conducted by MailOnline showed that 67 per cent of readers want pre-conviction anonymity for rape defendants, as opposed to 33 per cent who don’t. Originally, the law agreed. In 1976, the Labour government introduced anonymity for both the alleged victim and the accused. It operated this way until 1988, when guidelines were relaxed to help police investigations. At the time, the media was far less powerful, less global, less permanent than it is today. There was no internet, no gossip magazines, no mobile phones and no social networking sites. Police techniques and technology were also less refined, so a lack of anonymity helped them. Now, things are different. Dramatically so. And - once again - the law should change to reflect this. Why? Because a ‘not guilty’ verdict is no longer enough to repair the planet-sized crater of damage caused by weeks of daily headlines across the globe. Perhaps more importantly, it’s also a human right to be innocent until proven guilty. Suspiciously, feminists like Julie Bindel disagree. In fact, she once said being falsely accused wasn’t so bad. 'A fair number of celebrities have been accused of rape in the past and do not seem to have suffered longer term,' she wrote in the Guardian. 'To say that an accusation ruins lives is perhaps a sweeping generalisation.' Perhaps she should speak to Peter Bacon. In 2009, he was cleared by a jury in just 40 minutes after being falsely accused of rape by a woman he met through a one-night stand. Although he was exonerated, the incident was so traumatic that he changed his name and left the country. His life was utterly destroyed. Meanwhile, the accuser kept her anonymity - and, for all we know, went on to accuse others. Where’s the fairness in that? 'For all his faults, for all his . demons, he is a victim of our politically correct (yet morally . incorrect) legal system. A creaking, dilapidated machine which has scant . regard for men’s rights and the immortality of a rape allegation' Less than one year ago, in December 2012, the former boyfriend of Amy Winehouse suffered a similar situation when he was the subject of a malicious, fictitious allegation. Reg Traviss was eventually acquitted - but only after his name had been tarnished and his character assassinated. During the case, London’s Southwark Crown Court heard that his accuser was ‘so drunk she couldn’t stand up or walk’ - but CCTV footage secured by Traviss’ brother (not the police) proved otherwise. Had it not been for this auspicious turn, he would’ve been serving a ten-year sentence. ‘It was absolute torture being locked in a glass box in court listening to shocking lies being said about you,’ he told The Sun. ‘I was so close to my life being over - and I had done nothing wrong.’ His lawyer, Ian Winter QC, added: ‘What is unbelievable is that if we hadn’t found them coming out of the club on CCTV, which the police had totally failed to identify, there was a real risk of a miscarriage of justice.’ That’s because not every allegation is true. And, sadly, not every case that reaches court deserves to be there. Even UK charity Rape Crisis admit that almost five per cent of rape allegations are fake - 'exactly the same as any other crime'. This means that countless men will be named and shamed in the media. Simply because they are male - not because they are guilty. It goes without saying that I despise rape - I despise any crime of that ilk. But what I equally hate is injustice. And, contrary to yesterday's verdict, that's exactly what has been handed to Michael Le Vell . To say this doesn’t matter is not only insane, but dangerous. It also smacks of a darker gender agenda. Ironically, women like Julie Bindel are enraged at the concept of pre-conviction anonymity, yet so few of them are equally outraged by the false accusers who betray the sisterhood (and the real victims of rape - both male and female) with their lies. Yet these women are damaging rape justice more than pre-conviction anonymity ever could. Yes, I sympathise that not every case is reported. I also sympathise that not every victim gets justice. But none of these facts validate the hell imposed on innocent sons, brothers, fathers and boyfriends every single day. Even Labour peer Lord Corbett, who introduced the 1976 law providing mutual pre-conviction anonymity, argued this until his death in February 2012. He told the Evening Standard in 2002: ‘Rape is a uniquely serious offence and acquittal is not enough to clear a man in the eyes of his family, community or workplace. He is left with this indelible stain on his reputation. The case for matching anonymity for the defendant is as strong now as ever’. He was right in life and he’s right in death. Besides, the benefit of mutual anonymity would cut across both genders, helping victims as well as conserving fair trials. For a start, it would deter anyone from making false claims out of spite, seeing the accuracy of convictions rise - not fall. Secondly, it could make testifying easier for those who’ve come forward. Identifying the accused often inadvertently identifies the victim, which adds immense pressure for them. It’s all wrong. The issue is made even more complex when our government officials muddy the waters of truth. In 2010, an official enquiry report led by Baroness Stern - a prison reform campaigner - ordered Harriet Harman to stop misleading the public about rape statistics. For years she’d been pumping misinformation that only six per cent of rapists are brought to justice, when the reality is very different. It is much higher. But Harman’s creepy spin is symptomatic of another problem, because the way we criminalise men in these situations seems to have become political, rather than judicial. Instead of securing robust, fair trials, people now want a system were woman have all the power - and men are on the back foot - as if this would guarantee justice. It won’t. Our modern-day legal system should not be throwing men to the lions in a bid to prove it opposes rape. It is not a PR exercise for the police or the CPS. It is peoples’ lives. It goes without saying that I despise rape – I despise any crime of that ilk. But what I equally hate is injustice. And, contrary to yesterday’s verdict, that’s exactly what has been handed to Michael Le Vell. Sadly, there are thousands of other men who, unbeknown to them, are next in line. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that 'UK charity Rape Crisis admit that almost 1 in 10 rape allegations are fake'. We are happy to clarify that this figure was mistakenly derived from a 2005 Home Office study which stated that police statistics claiming 8% of rape allegations were false, was in fact incorrect and that the figure of false allegations sits at around 3%. The most recent CPS study of false allegations gives a statistic of less than 1%. We apologise for this error. You can find statistics and research from Rape Crisis on their website: www.rapecrisis.org.uk/commonmyths2.php . | Father-of-two left 'fighting for his life' in both legal circus and media scrum .
Why, in our best-ever age of equality .
and human rights, are men STILL denied the right to anonymity .
before a guilty verdict?
Men's rights campaigner and writer Peter Lloyd says it is time the 'unjust' legal system was overhauled .
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that 'UK charity Rape Crisis admit that almost 1 in 10 rape allegations are fake'. We are happy to clarify that this figure was mistakenly derived from a 2005 Home Office study which stated that police statistics claiming 8% of rape allegations were false, was in fact incorrect and that the figure of false allegations sits at around 3%. The most recent CPS study of false allegations gives a statistic of less than 1%. We apologise for this error. You can find statistics and research from Rape Crisis on their website: www.rapecrisis.org.uk/commonmyths2.php . |
fa349ebc1a6346c990e376f2604aa3d2d8c66e4d | Meticulous preparation helped Pierluigi Collina become one of the finest referees we have seen in football. And he had certainly done his homework before Chelsea's Champions League encounter with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in 2005. 'I knew that at corners everything was done by Chelsea to help John Terry head the ball,' says the Italian in an interview prompted by Sportsmail's campaign to put a stop to wrestling in the penalty area. 'Blocking. Certain tactics. My focus had to be around Terry.' In the 76th minute of the second leg of a tense last-16 tie, Chelsea earned what proved the all-important corner. The score was 4-4 on aggregate, with the Catalans set to advance on the away-goals rule. As Damien Duff delivered the ball, Collina had those legendary piercing eyes fixed on Chelsea's captain. Chelsea defender John Terry (left) rises highest to score a header against Barcelona in March, 2005 . Terry's team-mate Ricardo Carvalho (second from right) had pushed over Barca keeper Victor Valdes . Barca's players appealed to referee Pierluigi Collina but the Italian official allowed Terry's goal to stand . 'What I saw was the opponent almost handle the ball in trying to stop Terry — and I saw Terry head the ball cleanly and the ball then finish in the net,' he says. 'I gave the goal and I felt confident I had achieved the correct result. But afterwards, when I watched the video of the game, I realised that what I had completely missed was contact between Ricardo Carvalho and the Barcelona goalkeeper, Victor Valdes. Had I seen that, the goal would not have been given. But it was impossible for me to see something so far away from where I felt my focus needed to be.' Collina recalls this story to illustrate a point after agreeing to join the debate raging in the English game following a spate of high-profile incidents in the Barclays Premier League. Led by Sportsmail's Hands Off In The Box campaign, which Collina has been following, there is now a desire among senior English referees and members of the Premier League hierarchy to tackle those masters of the dark arts. Collina believes extra officials can be a big help . Collina does not wish to interfere in what he respectfully recognises as 'a domestic issue'. But he will discuss, in his role as UEFA's chief refereeing officer, how the problem has been addressed by European football's governing body. In Collina's opinion, the introduction of additional officials standing at the side of the goal has gone a long way to eradicating incidents of blocking and wrestling in the Champions and Europa Leagues. Such cheating was something he considered a serious problem, and he was a central figure in finding a solution. 'We introduced additional referees to the Europa League in 2009 and the Champions League in 2010, and we started to see these kinds of incidents less and less,' says Collina. 'Incidents can still occur. They can still be missed because, at the end of the day, we are talking about human beings here. But based on our experience this in no longer a major issue in UEFA competitions. 'My point with that Chelsea game is the fact that, as a referee, you will know which players are most likely to commit these kinds of offences. So with one pair of eyes that is the area you will attempt to concentrate on. You will do your best. 'But a second pair of eyes, in the form of an additional referee, gives you more control of the penalty area, which of course is where most of the important decisions in a game will be made. 'It isn't a perfect system but it is a good system and it works in two ways. Firstly because, of course, it is difficult for one person to see everything. He can focus on the most risky players but an additional referee, who communicates with the referee using a microphone, can see something more. 'I can tell you about Howard Webb, and two games he refereed — one at Euro 2012 and a Champions League semi-final game between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich last season. 'There were two decisions that were made based on what the additional referee had seen. We know this because we have listened to the conversations.' Extra officials placed behind the goals in European competition have helped stop wrestling according to Collina . Collina believes an extra pair of eyes behind each goal gives the referee more control of the penalty area . Collina explains that there is another reason why additional referees are effective in tackling the problem. 'As a deterrent to the players,' he says. 'It's like when you drive your car and you see a policeman on the side of the road. Even if you are not speeding you instinctively slow down. If the players know there is another set of eyes looking for these offences, they are less likely to offend. 'There has been a misconception that additional referees were brought in simply as an alternative to goalline technology. This is not the case but I'll give you an example of where there is a crucial difference. 'In the Scottish Cup final last season additional referees were used. At one point a St Johnstone player has a header saved by the goalkeeper before the ball rebounds back off the player and crosses the line. 'Goalline technology would have said 'no goal' in the first instance and 'goal' in the second. What it would not have seen was the fact that the ball came off the St Johnstone player's hand the second time. The additional referee did see it and the goal was disallowed. Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross (right) conceded a penalty against Swansea for grabbing Wilfried Bony . Manchester City supporters get behind Sportsmail's Hands Off In The Box campaign outside the Etihad . City defender Eliaquim Mangala (third from right) got physical with Paul Dummett in the Capital One Cup . 'When you had the case of mistaken identity last season involving (Alex) Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs, in Arsenal's game against Chelsea, I do not believe this would have happened had there been an additional referee. It is very difficult for one person in that area. Mistakes can still be made but fewer important mistakes will be made if the officials have more control in the penalty area.' Additional referees are now employed in domestic leagues in Italy, Belgium and Turkey, as well as the Champions League and Europa League. But Collina says more than 30 domestic leagues now use the additional referees system in what might be considered their more important matches. 'Last season I featured in a television programme for Sky in England with Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness,' adds Collina. 'At first they were very sceptical about the system. But after I showed them a series of incidents on video to illustrate where it can be useful, their opinion completely changed. Then they felt additional referees should be used in all leagues. The benefit to them was clear.' | Former referee Pierluigi Collina has been following Sportsmail's Hands Off In The Box campaign .
UEFA's chief refereeing officer admits penalty box wrestling is a problem .
Collina thinks that extra officials behind each goal help stop grappling .
He realised the difficulty of seeing everything when John Terry scored a header against Barcelona in a Champions League game in 2005 . |
fa34d63cea3108a162b143afcb545507cca5ceca | Jose Mourinho has lashed out again at the Football Association and Sky Sports, accusing them of operating with double standards in pursuit of violent conduct charges against players. Mourinho demanded to know why the rules which applied to Diego Costa did not apply to other players in the Barclays Premier League. He did not mention Robin van Persie but he was talking about the Manchester United striker, who escaped a violent conduct charge after he appeared to throw an elbow into James Tomkins' face during a 1-1 draw at West Ham on Sunday. VIDEO Scroll down for Jose Mourinho: Van Persie should be banned for elbow on Tomkins . Jose Mourinho makes an elbow gesture as he discusses why Robin Van Persie should have face retrospective action for his elbow on James Tomkins . Manchester United striker Van Persie catches Tomkins in the face during the 1-1 draw against West Ham . Tomkins complained after the match that he thought Van Persie's challenge was malicious . The West Ham defender turns away holding his head after the challenge with Van Persie . The Chelsea boss mimed an elbow and said: 'A player did this in the face of somebody else and nothing happened. The same thing happened last season when Ramires was suspended and one week later a Man City player kicked a player at Norwich, who was on the floor and nothing happened. I'm used to it.' Ramires was banned for four games last April when cameras caught an off-the-ball elbow on Seb Larsson. It was missed at the time but treated as his second red card of the season. Michael Oliver was the referee in charge of Chelsea's Capital One Cup semi-final against Liverpool, after which Costa was banned for three games for stamping on Emre Can. Oliver told the FA that he had not seen the Costa stamp, opening the door to a disciplinary charge. At West Ham, referee Mark Clattenburg awarded a free-kick, indicating he had seen the clash, but did not show Van Persie any card. Mourinho explained that he 'needed time to understand' why Diego Costa was given a three-match ban . Chelsea striker Diego Costa (right) moves towards the ball after Emre Can takes a tumble off the pitch . As they were in different competitions, there is a slightly different disciplinary process. The Football League operate by the 'old' system which allows referees to look at a situation again, while the Premier League is led by a three-man panel of ex-referees who step in if they believe the officials have missed something, after reading the referee's report of the game. 'The same people who suspended my player didn't want to suspend a player this weekend,' said Mourinho. 'A player could have been suspended this weekend and he wasn't. I am still processing that information.' Costa (right) sits next to Cesc Fabregas at Stamford Bridge after being banned for three matches . Speaking of the incident, Hammers boss Sam Allardyce said this morning: 'From a challenge point of view I thought it was pretty naughty. He (Van Persie) had a look to see where the defender was and then took him out basically. 'The assistant referee gave a foul but he didn't think it was more serious. Tomkins should be fit to play tomorrow night which is the most important thing for us.' Mourinho also shed more light on why he had decided to shun the media following Costa's three-match ban. Romelu Lukaku (left) was sold by Mourinho after failing to make an impact at Stamford Bridge . He said: 'I'm fine. I was in a good mood. I needed more time to forget why my player was suspended. 'I needed more time to understand why some are punished and others aren't.' The Everton contest on Wednesday night sees the return of Romelu Lukaku to Stamford Bridge after the Belgium forward struggled to break through into Mourinho's plans and was allowed to leave the club. The Portuguese manager said: 'He proves every weekend that he's a good player. Nobody has doubts at Chelsea that he's a good player. Lukaku has scored 10 goals so far this season for Roberto Martinez's side . 'We know Romelu is a good player. (Andre) Schurrle is a good player, (Kevin) de Bruyne is a good player, (Juan) Mata is a good player. 'They are good. We don't sell garbage. We sell top players. 'We sell top players, we get top fees. (Without) top fees we don't sell them, we keep them. 'That's football, that's life, that's market. The player wishes sometimes to be in clubs where they become clearly the first option. That's football, that's life. 'If he's happy, that's good. He wanted to play all the time.' | Jose Mourinho believes Man Utd star Robin van Persie should have faced retrospective action for elbow on James Tomkins .
Diego Costa was handed three-match ban for apparent stamp on Emre Can during Capital One Cup clash against Liverpool .
Chelsea boss Mourinho claims Van Persie 'could have been suspended'
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fa34f371407d0746cc062a38b14c07412b5186f4 | Chinese authorities have exposed some of the 007-style gadgets that students have been caught using to try and cheat their way through tough university entrance exams. Security staff in Jinlin, Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces have revealed students are using sophisticated radio vests in order to receive help from someone outside the hall. Pupils take pictures of the tests using a button-hole camera hidden in a pen or watch, then use a copper antenna loop stitched into their clothing to beam it out of the hall to someone sitting with a receiver. Chinese authorities have revealed techniques used by pupils to cheat tough university entrance exams. This system uses a copper antenna (top) to beam images out of the exam hall, then a cheap mobile connected to a hidden earpiece (bottom right) to get answers back, with batteries to power the ensemble (left) Students take pictures of test papers and questions using button-hole cameras hidden in pens (pictured, camera circled) which are then sent to someone outside the hall using an antenna . Police display receiver equipment used by somebody outside the exam hall to pick up the pictures. That person then looks up the answer, before reading it back to the student . The helper then looks up the answer . to the question, and relays it back to a mobile phone hidden on the . pupil in the exam hall.The speech is picked up via the mobile, then sent . on to a hidden earpiece. Police . in Hubei, Shandong and Hebei provinces have busted a number of . suspected criminal groups helping senior year students to cheat on the . National Higher Education Entrance Examination. The exam, known as the 'gaokao', takes place on June 7 and 8 this year, and will be taken by 9.5million children hoping to get into universities across the country. Education is highly valued in China, with many parents sending their children miles each day just to go to school, and many are afraid they will be harshly punished for failure. 'Education and police authorities will continue to investigate crimes including stealing and selling examination papers, leaking information to exam sitters, providing equipment designed for cheating, and cyber attacks on exam websites,' said an education department spokesman. The mobile is connected to a hidden earpiece which allows the pupil to listen to the answer without attracting attention from exam invigilators . The whole kit can be concealed inside something as small as a vest, with the antenna stitched into the neckband and everything else tucked into pockets or down trousers . Authorities in China say they have rumbled criminal gangs manufacturing these systems for students. They favour cheap mobile handsets as they are easier to dismantle and then rebuilt including the antenna and earpiece . He warned that cheating students would . be stripped of the enrollment qualification for a period ranging from . one to three years. Parents involved will also be seriously punished. Earlier this week it was revealed how one Chinese school has become a place of pilgrimage for anxious parents and children who come to pray there. The school has an outstanding academic record, which has led to superstitions among locals that praying there will help pupils pass exams. The school also has a huge 'tree of knowledge' that stands inside the grounds, which people think has magical powers to make children excel in tests. Another, slightly more sophisticated, system sees the camera hidden in a watch (bottom left) which then transmits wirelessly to a receiver (in the box) with a person feeding answers back through and earpiece (right, in the small white box) Exam invigilators have now been equipped with radio signal detectors and hand wands they can use to scan students during tests to see if they are broadcasting data to someone outside the hall . A much less sophisticated system has pupils writing on their hands with ultraviolet pens, then using a tiny black-light hidden in a different pen to reveal the answers in the exam hall . | Authorities in China released pictures of gadgets used to cheat exams .
Pupils using hidden cameras to take pictures of papers and questions .
Antenna sends image to someone outside who relays answer using earpiece .
Tough entrance exams are taken across the country by 9.4million students .
Students terrified that families will punish them harshly if they fail tests . |
fa3627172b40123a70ad08322405a564242d6f56 | PUBLISHED: . 11:49 EST, 11 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:11 EST, 11 January 2014 . Staff in a Kenyan morgue were shocked when a man who had been pronounced dead regained consciousness and began calling for help. Hospital authorities have launched an investigation into why Paul Mutora, 24, was declared dead and his body taken to a morgue for embalming. He had been rushed to the hospital in a . critical condition after drinking insecticide in an apparent suicide . attempt following an argument with his father. On Thursday afternoon two mortuary . attendants heard noises coming from a side room and when they found the . man breathing, they 'took to their heals screaming,' a witness told . Kenya's Star newspaper. Scroll down for video . Resurrection? Paul Mutora regained consciousness and began calling for help hours after having been pronounced dead . Mr Mutora, a married father-of-one from . the town of Limuru, had been taken 30 miles to Naivasha District Hospital, 55 miles north-east of Nairobi. On Wednesday his condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead at around 11pm and taken to the morgue. Mr Mutora's father and other relatives . visited his body at the morgue on Thursday morning and returned home to . start making arrangements for his funeral. After his shock recovery, Mr Mutora was taken back to the hospital's male ward and medics say he is now out of danger. Row: Paul Mutora and his father (pictured) fell out before the 24-year-old drank insecticide in an apparent suicide bid . Hospital superintendent Dr Joseph Mburu . told television network KTN Kenya that the anti-poison drugs given to Mr . Mutora upon arrival at the hospital may have wrongly given the . impression he had died. He said: 'The effect of atropines can be sometimes to slowing of heart rate and most of the time it causes dilation of the pupils. 'These two observations are used to make a conclusion that someone has lost their life,' he said. A groggy Mr Mutora said: 'This was a mistake from the start. Investigation: Dr Joseph Mburu said the hospital would investigate how such a mistake could have happened, but he suggested a colleague had misunderstood how Mr Mutora would respond to the drugs given to him . 'I apologise to my father as I prepare to go and take care of my wife and child.' Several family members blamed the hospital for being careless. Dr Mburu said the hospital was investigating how the wrong diagnosis had occurred. He told KTN 'the person who was working in that ward seems not to have understood the effect of some of the drugs which I used' to treat Mr Mutora's poisoning. | 24-year-old man from central Kenya was rushed to hospital .
He had drunk insecticide in an apparent suicide attempt .
Pronounced dead, he was taken to the morgue to be embalmed .
The anti-poison drugs may have made him appear to have died .
Hospital is investigating how the mistake could have happened By .
Abigail Frymann . |
fa36b9331f26e57775a7317c45e57c867206a6c9 | Sixteen state firefighters were placed on paid administrative leave for unrelated policy violations that grew out of an investigation into allegations of firefighters having sex on fire trucks, officials said. The investigation began in May after Orville Fleming, fire academy instructor and battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, was charged with murder in the death of a former escort who became his girlfriend. Fleming's estranged wife told Sacramento County sheriff's investigators and reporters then that she had viewed a video showing the victim, Sarah June Douglas, 26, having sex with her husband and other firefighters on fire trucks. 'The investigation has already determined that allegations of a sex tape are unfounded,' CalFire spokeswoman Janet Upton said. There also was no use of prostitutes or other improper sexual activity on state time or equipment, she said. Scroll down for video . Scandal in the fire department: Sixteen firefighters with CalFire have been placed on leave in relation to an inquiry that was launched after a woman claimed to have discovered a sex tape showing her firefighter-husband having sex in a fire truck. Authorities say no sex tape was discovered and that the firefighters on paid leave leave were suspended for other unrealted policy violations. Above, an image of a CalFire fire truck . Sacramento County deputies previously said they never found a video, but CalFire asked the California Highway Patrol to investigate because of the seriousness of the allegations. The formal results of the investigation are expected early next month. Upton said the firefighters were placed on paid leave on suspicion of 'a variety of policy violations unrelated to allegations of a sex tape.' Further details were not disclosed. The majority of the employees are or were full-time instructors at the department's fire academy in Ione, where Fleming worked, 40 miles southeast of Sacramento, she said. Highway Patrol spokeswoman Fran Clader said she would not comment, referring inquiries to CalFire. Mike Lopez, president of the union representing department employees, and union spokesman Terry McHale both said they were given no details on the allegations faced by the suspended firefighters. Brutal murder: The wife of former firefighter instructor Orville Fleming (left) claimed to have seen the sex tape during a murder investigation into the death of his 26-year-old mistress Sarah June Douglas (right) 'If there are employees who broke protocols or procedures with academy or department policies, that's a very sad situation that nobody's proud of,' Lopez said. Without knowing the particulars, it is too soon to know if the union would help employees with any appeals of their pending discipline, he said. Fleming's estranged wife, Meagan Fleming, could not immediately be reached for comment. Orville Fleming was arrested following a two-week manhunt after Douglas' body was discovered in the home they shared. The couple of two years allegedly met through an escort site, and police said at the time of Fleming's arrest that he may have used that same site to meet another woman shortly after Fleming was murdered. Both Douglas' mother and sister knew she was dating Fleming, who filed for divorce from his wife in October 2013. The two were waiting for his divorce to be finalized before tying the knot. Accusations: Fleming has been accused of stabbing to death his fianceé Douglas in May 2014. The two had been dating for two years, after meeting on an escort website. Her body was discovered in the home they shared together . Just before she was found dead, Douglas had expressed fears about Fleming to her sister Stephanie. Just before midnight on May 1 she called her sister and said: 'That [SOB] left the gas on. I think he's trying to kill my birds.' Stephanie then her her sister saying 'Whoa, you scared me' before the man later identified as Fleming was heard starting an argument with her on the other line. Stephanie says she heard her sister scream before the line went dead. Fleming is next scheduled to appear in court in March. He has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. His attorney, Peter Kmeto, said he was aware of Meagan Fleming's comments but he never found a sex tape as part of his investigation, and Monday's developments will have no bearing on the criminal case. Pleading innocence: Fleming has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and is due back in court in March . | Authorities say no evidence of a sex tape was found but that the 16 placed on leave are believed to have violated other unrelated policies .
Most of the firefighters placed on leave were instructors at the CalFire Academy in Ione .
Inquiry was launched after one of the academy's instructors was arrested for allegedly murdering his prostitute girlfriend Sarah June Douglas, 26 .
Orville Fleming has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is due in court in March .
During the murder investigation, his estranged wife claimed to have found a video showing him and his mistress having sex in a fire truck . |
fa372ff9f45e6da581c7138cc5e19cdd80f71277 | (CNN) -- Leandro Benitez scored both goals as Copa Libertadores winners Estudiantes de La Plata beat Pohang Steelers 2-1 in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to book their place in the Club World Cup final. The Argentine side will now face either Barcelona or Atlante on Saturday after a turbulent second half at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium saw the South Korean side finish with just eight players. Benitez opened the scoring with a free-kick on the stroke of half-time, curling home a 25-yard strike that deceived goalkeeper Shin Hwa Yong. The same player doubled his account eight minutes after the break before things took a turn for the worse for the Asian champions when Hwang Jae-Won received a second yellow card three minutes after the goal. Brazilian striker Denilson made light of that loss to give his side a chance with a 71st-minute strike -- but within six minutes the Korean side had lost another two players. Kim Jae-Sung was first to go moments after the goal and keeper Shin followed five minutes later to leave Pohang with eight men. Mexicans Atlante and European Cup winners Barcelona will meet on Wednesday in the second semifinal. | Leandro Benitez scores both goals as Estudiantes de La Plata beat Pohang Steelers 2-1 .
The result puts the Argentine side into the Club World Cup final where they face Barcelona or Atlante .
The South Korean side finish with just eight men after having three players sent off . |
fa373cabb917febf452c05a5c29442425bd88bef | Mysterious rocks that shine and emit a strange vapour have been discovered in Mexico. The rock fragments, which were found in the state of Sonora, emit vapours that are said to have a chlorine-like odour. The emanating gas has also been reported to produce a colour change in materials including paper and cardboard. Brazil Weird News has reported the discovery of unusual shining vapourous rocks in Mexico. The rocks, which were found in the state of Sonora, emit vapours that are said to have a chlorine odour . A metallurgical laboratory in Copper del Mayo, Mexico, is currently testing samples of the material. ‘We don't know what these rocks are but mining companies operating in the region are interested in analysing them in their laboratories,’ said technical secretary of Novojoa's Civil Defence, Juan Manuel Ramirez Sandoval, according to the Brazil Weird News report. According to the commander of the region’s Fire Department, the public are concerned about the damaging effects that these rocks may pose. The vapours have also been reported to produce a colour change in materials including paper and cardboard. A metallurgical laboratory in Copper del Mayo, Mexico, is currently testing samples of the material . ‘We do not know where they came from these stones,’ he told Brazil Weird News. ‘They can have fallen from some truck, perhaps. We also don't know if the gas is something like a toxic substance or if the stones are radioactive. ‘Only a careful study can determine their origin, if these rocks are of the Earth... or not.’ Last year, an unamed woman had to undergo surgery on her leg after rocks spontaneously combusted in her pocket. The 43-year-old woman had enjoyed a day with her family at Trestles Beach, San Diego. During the visit, her children had collected seven unusual-looking rocks - orange and green in colour - and the woman had put them in the right pocket of her cargo shorts to carry home. Captain Marc Stone, a spokesman for Orange County Fire Authority, explained that the woman began to feel intense heat emanating from her pocket as she was standing in the kitchen of her San Clemente home. Her clothing and skin began to burn as the heat intensified, and she also suffered second-degree burns to her hand as she tried to remove the rocks from her pocket. It has been suggested that the rocks contained phosphorite. A chemical chain reaction could have ignited them as they were been subjected to friction in the woman's pocket as she walked. Phosphorus in rocks, or phosphorite, is . usually deposited by sediment - dissolved phosphorus from continental . weathering that is brought to the oceans by rivers and streams. | The rocks, which were found in the state of Sonora, have a chlorine odour .
They produce a change in colour in materials such as paper and cardboard .
A lab in Copper del Mayo, Mexico, is currently testing samples of the material . |
fa37e0089683116333785bc784e4c5406683da4d | By . Steve Doughty . The annual British social attitudes poll revealed that 95 per cent of the population think immigrants should speak English (file picture) Most people in Britain think immigrants should speak English and have their access to benefits restricted, but there is a ‘disconnect’ between politicians’ attitudes and public opinion on the issue, a survey has found. The annual British social attitudes poll revealed that 95 per cent of the population think the English language is the cornerstone of Britishness. Around three out of four said you must be born in Britain or have lived here for most of your life to be classified as British, and six out of ten think EU migrants should wait three years before claiming benefits. The poll of 3,000 people was carried out by the state-funded NatCen group last year. It found that politicians contributed to anti-immigrant sentiment because of a ‘growing disconnect’ between the ‘Liberal political class’ and mainstream public opinion on the issue. The study says: ‘There is a clear and intense demand for action on the issue from one section of the electorate, a demand that politicians ignore at their peril. ‘Yet responding to the concerns of the voters worried about immigration today risks alienating the rising sections of the electorate whose political voice will become steadily louder in elections to come.’ The survey, which has been run every year since 1983, found there has been a hardening of attitudes to immigration in the last decade – the numbers of participants who believe that people must speak English to be British has gone up from 86 per cent to 95 per cent. Across the same period, the percentage of people who say that to be British you must have lived here most of your life has gone up from 69 per cent to 77 per cent. The survey also revealed that 77 per cent want immigration reduced. The survey by NatCen also revealed that 77 per cent people in the UK want immigration reduced (file picture). The same percentage believe people have to have lived in the UK for most of their adult life to be British . NatCen’s chief executive Penny Young said: ‘In an increasingly diverse, multi-cultural country, we might expect people to be more relaxed about what it means to be British, yet the trend is going in the opposite direction. 'It is now harder to be considered British than in the past and one message comes through loud and clear, if you want to be British, you must speak English. ‘As we debate whether Ukip’s vote will hold up in the general election, the survey shows that the public is yet to be convinced that politicians have got a grip on immigration.' Scots would like to keep the trappings of British life even if they vote to become independent, according to the poll. The British social attitudes survey found that nearly two thirds of Scots would like to keep the Queen, four out of five want to keep the pound, and only one in seven would lose the BBC. The majority also want to keep Trident submarines and the nuclear deterrent at Faslane. But one in three people in England and Wales think Trident submarines should be based outside an independent Scotland. Professor John Curtice from NatCen said: ‘If Scotland does leave the United Kingdom, Scotland and England will have to find ways of getting along.’ | Annual British social attitudes poll of 3,000 people revealed latest findings .
95 per cent of population think people must speak English to be British .
The survey also revealed 77 per cent of people want immigration reduced . |
fa37e4eb0ddc1cdf16c9c3d84cffdb7457e773fe | The World Cup is approaching and excitement is building at 100 mph, but that's nothing compared to the top speed of these stars' motors. Whether going for the class of a Maybach, or the speed of a Ferrari, these stars have the money and fuel to burn. One footballing petrolhead even has a £4million colleciton. Check out the expensive engines below. VIDEO Scroll down for Mario Balotelli's luxury car collection shown off by fiancée . Cristiano Ronaldo – Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 . Officially recognised as the best player in the world, Ronaldo’s car exudes the same type of panache the Real Madrid man does with the ball. The Lamborghini Aventador is not a shy car with a lofty 700 brake horsepower (BHP) to help the vehicle reach a top speed of 217mph. The Ballon d’Or winner’s car comes in a stealthy matte black to add that extra touch of understated style. However all this flash will set you back a hefty £267,000. Power: Cristiano Ronaldo won the Balon d'Or for his performances for Real Madrid and Portugal . Top speed: Ronaldo taking a drive with his son in a Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 . Lionel Messi – Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale . A car befitting of a player held in the same regard as the greatest of all time. When needing to get from A to B, Messi uses a his Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale. His vehicle comes in a clean looking white, reaches a top speed of 188mph and costs upwards of £107,000. Certainly a worthy drive for the only man who can stand toe-to-toe with Ronaldo in world football. Magician: Lionel Messi will be hoping for a superb World Cup having scored just once in the competition . Best for the best: Argentina star Lionel Messi parks his Maserati in Barcelona . Wayne Rooney – Aston Martin Vanquish . For the talismanic Englishman it is fitting to choose a car that is British. The Aston Martin Vanquish is a car which expresses the same class on the road that Rooney does on the field. It set Rooney back £166,000, but with a top speed of 183mph and a booming engine of 565 BHP it is most certainly a car for a superstar. British man: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney's choice of car is quintessentially British . Wazza: Wayne Rooney arrived to training with Manchester United in his Aston Martin Vanquish . Samuel Eto’o – Maybach 57 S Xanatec Coupe . At one time Eto’o was the highest paid player in the world. He is said to have a fleet of cars costing an astonishing £3.98million. Of his collection the car that stands out is his Maybach Xanantec Coupe. It costs £600,000 and has a huge presence on the road, similar to that of the Cameroonian captain’s on the pitch. He has also been seen driving around the streets of Knightbridge in his Aston Martin One-77. Outstanding: Samuel Eto'o's huge Maybach Xanantec Coupe costs £600,000 . Flash: Samuel Eto'o poses with his two Maybachs, and has a collection worth around £4million . Mario Balotelli - Ferrari F12 . Super Mario is not known for being sky, and this Ferrari 12 is a perfect match to the Italian's fiery personality. In Milan red, the former Man City star has made a change from his Bentley Continental Supersports in camouflage, which he used to roam the streets of Manchester during his time in England. Here he is, giving it a good hose down. Boys and their toys at the highest level. Gunned: Italy striker Mario Balotelli sprays his Ferrari F12 down at the car wash . Classic: Former Man City star Balotelli shops in Italy with his car, in fiery Milan red . Star man: Balotelli will perform on football's centre stage with Italy in Brazil . Neymar – Audi R8 GT . The man with the weight of a nation on his shoulders and the face of the Brazil World Cup. The talented forward chooses to cruise the roads in the Audi R8 GT. Costing nearly £148,000, it reaches top speeds of nearly 200mph. Neymar has decided to keep the design simple and sleek in a bright white paint job and a classical red leather upholstery interior. The man: Neymar is expected to be Brazil's star at the World Cup on home soil this summer . Samba style: World Cup poster boy Neymar drives this Audi R8, worth nearly £150,000 . PS... One man who can take comfort in his motor . Ribery – Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder . Ribery, referred to as ‘the jewel of French football’ by the legendary Zinedine Zidane, will miss out on being the focal point of France’s bid for World Cup glory after picking up an injury. But Ribery can take comfort on the road with his Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Able to reach 201mph and costing £133,000, his ride comes in an eye catching bright green so he is never out of the spotlight. Unfortunate: Ribery is unlucky to miss out on France's World Cup campaign with an injury . Motor: Franck Ribery will miss the World Cup, but has this Lamborghini Gallardo to comfort him . The car profiles were put together by Carmudi, the world’s fastest growing online car classified player . | Ronaldo drives a 700 brake horsepower Lambourghini Aventador .
La Liga rival Lionel Messi sits pretty in a £107,000 Maserati GranTurismo .
Wayne Rooney went British with an Aston Martin Vanquish .
One petrolhead player even has a £4million car collection . |
fa3872737c7343b77919ea6ccf1b4cca096a6fd5 | (CNN) -- The relationship between China and the United States is "the most important" bilateral relationship in the world, a former Chinese foreign ministry official said Monday. Victor Zhikai Gao, now the director of the Beijing Private Equity Association, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that the United States should deal with Beijing "with respect" and not be "too abrasive." "That's the minimum thing we can ask for, I believe," he said on the eve of talks between President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao. Gao pointed out that China is now the United States' largest creditor nation, holding foreign reserves of more than $2 trillion, about two-thirds of which are assets that are denominated in U.S. dollars. "China-U.S. relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world," Gao said. Obama appears keen to put past U.S.-Chinese disagreements behind him as he seeks Chinese cooperation on a host of issues from the global economy and climate change to nuclear proliferation. He's also looking to China for leadership on how to deal with repressive regimes such as Myanmar and Sudan, both of which are friends of Beijing and major energy suppliers to China. Critics of the U.S. president say he is downplaying what was once a central tenet of U.S. foreign policy, the promotion of human rights and democracy, in order to persuade China to help the United States achieve its foreign policy goals. But Obama insists America "will never waver in speaking up for the fundamental values that we hold dear." Gao acknowledged global concern about China's human rights record, admitting the situation is not perfect. "But if you look at today's human rights issues, and comparing that with what we had 30 years ago, 20 years ago, or 10 years ago, then China has made great improvements," he said. Gao said China and the Chinese people are great admirers of America. But he said, "China's foreign policy is underlined by the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. If it is only up to the United States to discuss human rights issues in China, this is unbalanced." He also tried to reassure critics in the United States, some of whom have accused China of manipulating its currency to keep the cost of Chinese goods artificially low, about the impact of China's rapidly expanding economic power. By some estimates, China's economy will be the same size as the U.S. economy by 2025, though there will still be a huge gap in economic output per person. "Let me make the record straight. Over the past few months since the outbreak of the financial crisis, China has continued to purchase Treasury bonds issued by the U.S. government, rather than reducing them in any way," he said. "So I think the American people need to realize that China has applied a very steady hand and very responsible hand in dealing with issues involving the dollar." Gao said China has no desire to be an enemy of the United States. "Both China and the United States need to give each other due respect and need to incentivize each other. And then we can work together towards a better peace and better world." | Victor Zhikai Gao is now the director of the Beijing Private Equity Association .
Gao says the United States should deal with Beijing "with respect"
Gao says China has no desire to be an enemy of the United States . |
fa38eec6087b2ff87af40070cb462c7ff8a9d372 | (CNN)Sia's new video, "Elastic Heart," features 28-year-old actor Shia LaBeouf and 12-year-old "Dance Moms" star Maddie Ziegler, both dressed in dirty, flesh-colored leotards, playfully approaching, touching and running from one another in a zoo-like cage. Internet, start your outrage. "the video definitely has got this weird pedophile vibe," wrote Irrational Action on YouTube. "this video did make me uncomfortable at PARTS ... maybe its because maddie is like 12 and shia is almost thirty and i watch dance moms too so I really see her for her age," wrote YouTube commenter Esther Jonson. "The new sia video is disgusting ! Like the song made a bit of sense then the video was like abacajavalaoavwpabsh @maddieziegler that's not u," added Suza aka suz on Twitter. Elle magazine described it as "creepy naked." Though the video is probably better viewed as interpretative dance -- as other commenters observed, it may be about Sia's relationship with her father -- the singer apologized if it was misconstrued. "I apologize to those who feel triggered by #ElasticHeart My intention was to create some emotional content, not to upset anybody," she tweeted. Others got her point. "Wish people would shut up about the supposed 'peaodophilia' in @Sia new video! It's beautiful! Dont be scared of Art," tweeted Helen Anderson. The attention hasn't hurt. On YouTube, "Elastic Heart" has received 4.3 million views in the one day since it was posted. | Sia's "Elastic Heart" video features Shia LaBeouf and "Dance Moms" star Maddie Ziegler .
The contrast of the two leads some to cry "pedophilia" |
fa39392ea5fefd0dea392d7e87189d468d578d21 | By . Damien Gayle . Nintendo has admitted that it's latest console, the Wii U, has flopped, causing serious problems for the company behind such iconic games franchises as Mario Brothers and the Legend of Zelda. The Japanese video games maker had been counting on the new console to revive its fortunes amid cut-throat competition from Microsoft's new XBox One and Sony's recently released PlayStation 4. But despite the highest U.S. spending on consoles for three years in the run up to Christmas, the company has been forced to slash its sales forecast for its flagship device by 70 per cent. Flop: Nintendo has announced that sales of its Wii U tablet have been abysmal, forcing it to slash its sales forecast by 70 per cent and issue a warning of a ¥35billion ($336 million) operating loss in the year to March . 'We failed to reach our target for hardware sales during the year-end, when revenues are the highest,' the Osaka-based company said in a statement. 'As a result, the sale of high-margin software fell far short of our projections.' Nintendo now says it expects an operating loss of ¥35billion ($336 million) for the year to end-March, after poor sales of its Wii U and 3DS game machines during the crucial holiday season. The move reverses its previous forecast of a ¥100billion profit and would mark the third consecutive year of operating losses for the embattled company. The warning comes just three months . after Nintendo stood by its sales projections for the Wii U, and amid a . general spring back in consumers' demand for new video games consoles. Sales . of video games hardware in the U.S. last December were up 28 per cent . compared to the previous year, with shoppers taking him $1.37billion . worth of the technology in the run up to Christmas, Bloomberg reports. 'Far short of our projections': Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata holds up one of his company's tablet-style Wii U consoles . 'The newest consoles from Microsoft and Sony are off to a tremendous start,' said NPD Group analyst Liam Callaghan. 'Xbox One led consoles sales in December, while PS4's two-month total makes it the best selling console during the two-month launch window.' The Wii U's dismal sales are a major blow to Nintendo president Satoshi Iwata, who has repeatedly had to scale back sales projections for the console as it failed to emulate the success of its hugely popular predecessor, the Wii. Mr Iwata told a briefing a year ago, when the company warned of its second consecutive year of operating losses, that he had 'made a commitment' to achieve an operating profit of ¥100billion or more in the year to March 2014. 'The fact that the 'Wii U strategy' has failed is disappointing and will likely trigger a sell-off as soon as the market opens,' said Makoto Kikuchi, chief executive of Myojo Asset Management. 'The company appears to have failed to differentiate the Wii U from the Wii,' he said, adding that his own 10-year-old son, who owns a Wii and DS, had shown no interest in the Wii U. Despite the surge in U.S. sales of rivals' machines, commentators are warning that the whole industry faces fierce competition from non-specialist hardware like smartphones and tablets boasting thousands of inexpensive games apps. Ownership of such devices, dominated by Google's Android OS and Apple's iOS, has mushroomed in the past five years and shifted the gaming goalposts into consumers' pockets. Nintendo on Friday also warned of a net loss of ¥25billion for the year ending on March 31, a substantial reversal from its prior projection of a ¥55billion profit. It now expects revenues of ¥590billion, down 36 per cent from its prior forecast. It cut its full-year dividend to ¥100 from ¥260. The company slashed its global Wii U sales forecast for the business year by almost 70 per cent, to 2.8 million units from 9million, and its 3DS sales forecast to 13.5million units from 18million units. Nintendo shares have fallen almost 10 per cent since hitting a two-and-a-half year high of 15,880 yen on January 10. The stock climbed 55 per cent in 2013, in line with a 57 per cent rally by the benchmark Nikkei average but underperforming a 91 per cent surge by rival Sony. | Nintendo had been counting on the Wii U to revive its fortunes .
It now expects its third consecutive full-year operating loss . |
fa39aa230f6b3c1a6c47c38a76f0a56552e38704 | By . Leon Watson . Fighter jets had to be scrambled twice after Russian bombers practised off the coast of Alaska and then came within 50 miles of California, it emerged today. The North American Aerospace Defense Command confirmed U.S. air defense systems were triggered twice by nuclear-capable Tu-95 Bear H aircraft last week. A spokesman said incursions began on Monday at around 4.30pm . Pacific time when radar detected four bombers . approaching the U.S. air defense zone near the far western Aleutian . Islands. In this U.S. Navy stock picture, a F-18 Hornet strike fighter intercepts a Russian Tu-95 Bear long rang bomber . Two U.S. Air Force F-22 jets were scrambled and intercepted the turbo-prop powered bombers over the Aleutians. Two of the Bears, believed to be based at the Russian strategic base near Anadyr, Russia, turned around and headed west toward the Russian Far East . The remaining two bombers then flew south-east. At around 9.30pm they entered the U.S. northern air defense zone off the coast of Northern California. The USAF air defense systems were trigged for a second time and two U.S. F-15 jets were deployed. They intercepted the bombers before they turned around and . headed west. Norad spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told the Washington Free Beacon: 'The last time we saw anything similar was two years ago on the Fourth of July.' A defense official said the four bombers also were supported by two IL-78 aerial refueling tankers that were used for mid-air refueling during the operation this week. A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft had to intercept two Tu-95 Bear H aircraft last week . The Tu-95 is a long-range strike aircraft capable of carrying nuclear cruise missiles. Other versions are equipped with intelligence-gathering sensors and electronic warfare gear. It has a range of around 9,400 miles without refueling. Davis said the aircraft 'acted professionally' and the bombers appeared to be conducting a training mission. 'They typically do long range aviation training in the summer and it is not unusual for them to be more active during this time,' he said. 'We assess this was part of training. And they did not enter territorial airspace.' A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft executing a supersonic flyby . The bomber incursion is the latest Russian nuclear saber-rattling amid stepped up tensions over Moscow's military annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Texas Republican Mike Conaway, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, called the Russian flights 'intentional provocations', the Washington Free Beacon reported. 'Putin is doing this specifically to try to taunt the U.S. and exercise, at least in the reported world, some sort of saber-rattling, muscle-flexing kind of nonsense. Truth of the matter is we would have squashed either one of those [bombers] like baby seals.' 'It's a provocation and it's unnecessary. But it fits in with [Putin's] macho kind of saber-rattling,' he said, adding that he expects Russia will carry out more of these kinds of incidents in the future. The Tu-95 Bear is the fastest propeller-driven airplane ever built. It was originally designed to carry two nuclear bombs to targets in the continental U.S. Later versions carried cruise missiles for long-range . stand-off missions. The Bear has also been used for reconnaissance, . especially by the Soviet/Russian Navy which used the aircraft to locate . U.S. aircraft carrier task forces. Last month, in a . maneuver straight out of the Cold War, a Russian fighter jet purposely . flew 100-feet in front of the nose of an American spy plane in April, US . officials confirmed on Monday. The fly-by over the Sea of Okhotsk between Russia and Japan was described by one US official as 'straight out of a movie'. The . same U.S. official said the Russian jet put the lives of the US Air Force . RC-135U in danger and called it 'one of the most dangerous close passes . in decades.' It is the . latest source of concern for U.S. officials since a heightening of . U.S.-Russian tensions following Moscow's intervention in Ukraine. In mid-April a Russian Su-24 fighter made low-level passes over a U.S. Navy ship in the Black Sea. An RC-135U is a highly specialized reconnaissance plane known as 'Combat Sent.' There are only two such planes in the U.S. Air Force; both are assigned to the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Their . crews are from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron and the 97th . Intelligence Squadron of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and . Reconnaissance Agency. The . 'Combat Sent' aircraft are equipped with communications gear designed . to locate and identify foreign military radar signals on land, at sea . and in the air. The . crew is composed of two pilots, one navigator, two airborne systems . engineers, at least 10 electronic warfare officers and six or more . technical and other specialists. | Air defense systems triggered twice by Tu-95 Bear H aircraft .
Incursions began on Monday at around 4.30pm .
Pacific time .
F-22 jets were scrambled near the far western Aleutian .
Islands .
Two of the four aircraft turned back, but the other two carried on .
Then, 50 miles off California, two U.S. F-15 jets were deployed . |
fa39c367428c62395ae45ada742a06c27e7a0c8b | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 12:46 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:32 EST, 21 August 2013 . Britain's sizzling summer is set for one final flourish - just in time for the bank holiday weekend. Forecasters are predicting more sunny weather and temperatures of up to 27degrees in the South East. More than 6million people are expected to take advantage of blue skies and a long weekend by visiting the country's most popular hot spots. Scorching: Thousands of sunseekers were on Bournemouth beach again today hoping for another heatwave . Blue skies ahead: Britain's hot spots are likely to be busy again as the warm weather continues . Packed: Brighton beach was full of tourists again today enjoying Britain's sizzling summer . Pack the sun cream: Crowds of families who are already enjoying the summer holidays flocked to Weymouth Beach in Dorset . No end in sight: Blue skies are likely to attract millions more tourists over the long weekend . Final fling: Hot summer temperatures have seen a boom in visits to the UK's tourist spots . The AA estimates 16million drivers will be out over the holiday period. And airports are also likely to reach crush capacity, with millions more taking advantage of the long weekend to head abroad. A summer of hot weather at home has given the UK economy a welcome boost and more warm temperature this weekend will help generate a further £1billion, according to VisitEngland. Hundreds of enthusiastic music fans began pouring into the Reading Festival site today long before doors even opened for ‘early-bird’ campers. The event, set to attract 90,000 fans a day, gets underway on Friday when American rock legends Green Day are set to headline the main stage. Forecasters have predicted largely dry and sunny weather for the area, meaning music fans may escape the customary festival mudbath. Around 4.5million people are planning to take a holiday in the UK involving an overnight stay, and a further 1.8million are going overseas. But 7.5million remain undecided about whether to stay home or make a trip and will make a decision based on how the weather turns out. Those staying at home will be able to take advantage of the lifting of some English roadworks on major routes, although restrictions will remain in place at some busy spots. VisitEngland’s strategy and development director Louise Stewart said: 'July’s heatwave saw an increase in late bookings and a real boost for the tourism industry after a harsh winter and slow spring.' Celebration: Up to 90,000 music fans will descend on Reading for the annual festival . Fun in the sun: Revellers have started arriving for Reading Festival which takes place this weekend . Scorcher: Bank holiday getaways could be worth up to £1billion for the UK economy . Undecided: Around 7.5million Britons are waiting to see how the weather turns out before choosing whether to stay at home or go away . For those staying at home the best of the weather is likely be in south east England, where temperatures could reach as high as 27C (81F) on Friday before dipping to around 22C (72F) for the rest of the long weekend. Other areas may get showers or longer periods of rain. Motoring and traffic organisations forecast that Friday will be the busiest day on the roads, with the AA reckoning as many as 16 million drivers will be out over the holiday period. Travel organisation Abta said Spain remains the number one destination for British holidaymakers, particularly the Balearic and Canary Islands. The Spanish city of Barcelona is also proving popular for a bank holiday city break. Other top destinations include France, the Greek Islands and Turkey, while top city-break destinations include Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Dublin and New York. Hotting up: Londoners relax in warm temperatures today which could reach up to 27 degrees for the August Bank Holiday . Summer days: The sunshine is expected to continue over the weekend - at least in the South East of England . Sizzling: Highs of 27 this weekend would be 11 degrees hotter than last August . Congestion likely: The AA estimates around 16million drivers will be out over the weekend . Getaway: Millions of Britons will take advantage of the long weekend by taking a trip abroad . Abta said domestic tour operators are seeing demand in south coast and south west resorts in England as well as the Channel Islands. In south east England, around 425,000 passengers are expected to depart from Heathrow Airport, 255,000 from Gatwick, 125,000 from Stansted, 70,000 from Luton and 15,000 from Southend. In addition, 160,000 are due to depart from Manchester, 69,000 from Birmingham, 35,000 from Newcastle, 47,000 from Bristol and 30,000 from Leeds Bradford. More than 160,000 will also be leaving from Scottish airports and 60,000 will travel with cross-Channel high-speed train company Eurostar. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: 'The bank holiday weekend is always one of the busiest of the year as we see holidaymakers jetting off to enjoy the end of their summer breaks. The return of the good weather here in the UK will also provide another boost for domestic tourism.' | Friday expected to be hottest day then cooler thereafter .
Best temperatures to be found in the South East .
At least 16million drivers will be on Britain's roads over holiday weekend . |
fa39d2bd19c4e2349c4efe1d2e9557ce46df2214 | A Chinese man who was abducted from his father's vegetable stall 24 years ago has finally been reunited with his father. Sun Bin was just four years old when he was taken from the market in the city of Chengdu in south-eastern China's Sichuan province. The 28-year-old was then sold to his adoptive parents, a childless couple in the city of Xuzhou, almost 1,000 miles away, for £250. Scroll down for video . Reunited: Father and son collapse in each others arms as they meet for the first time in 24 years . Long lost son: Sun Bin 28, was kidnapped from the market where his father sold vegetables when he was just four years old, and sold to a childless couple 1,000 miles away from his family home . 'The fact that they had paid the men who stole me from my real parents always meant there was a distance between us,' Sun Bin says. 'I admit I grew to love them for their kindness as years went by, but I knew that I had to try and find my real parents. 'When I was old enough to start to look for my real parents on my own, I didn't tell them at first because I didn't want to upset them.' Sun Bin started looking for his biological parents in 2010, and as part of the search he supplied a DNA sample to a to a government backed database - and found a match. His father Ku, 45, and mother Lo, had spent four years travelling around China in the hope of finding their son, but gave up in 1995. Together again: Sun Bin and his father Ku, 45, from Suchuan province were reunited thanks to a DNA test . Emotional: Sun Bin collapses in his father's arms, left, and finally gets to meet his younger sister, right . Family memories: Sun Bin and his father are photographed in 1991, just days before he was kidnapped . 'I still have this photo that was taken of him four days before he vanished,' Ku said at the reunion. 'I had been working selling vegetables in a food market in Chengdu and had taken him with me. I was dealing with a customer and when I looked round he had gone. 'All I had left of him was this photo taken during the mid-autumn festival, when he was four years and 15-days-old.' 'My wife and I travelled everywhere, and she became sick with worry over the years. She used to suffer from blackouts and I believe it was part of the reason that she eventually died before her time.' Ku and Lo finally stopped looking for Sun Bin in 1995 when they had another child, a daughter, but Lo never got over losing him and she died in 2011, of a 'broken heart'. Memories: Ku shows his son the last photograph of them together, taken in 1991 before the kidnapping . Family: Sun Bin, centre, with his father Ku, right, and the younger sister he never knew he had . Heartbreaking: Sun Bin visit's his mother Lo's grave with his father; she died in 2011 of a 'broken heart' Ku said: 'I gave up in 1995 because I need to spend time with the child I did have, and look after her health and provide for her. 'Before that though I travelled all over the country, every time there was a lead, followed it up. We found so many rescue children but we never found our son, and in 1995 we drew a line under it and stopped.' He said he had not expected much from the DNA database and was overjoyed when he got the call to say his son had been found. Police from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, said they are investigating the case and have arrested a suspectand accomplices who sold Sun Bin to his adoptive parents. Sun Bin says that although he is overjoyed with meeting his father and the sister he never knew he had, he is saddened for his adoptive parents. He said: 'I don't want them to be punished, and I will look after and care for both my families.' | Sun Bin, 28, was kidnapped in Chengdu in 1991, when he was four .
He was sold to a couple almost 1,000 miles away, for £250 .
His parents travelled around China for four years looking for him .
Sun Bin's mother never recovered and 'died of a broken heart'
Thanks to a DNA test, Sun Bin has now been reunited with his father . |
fa3afbad1ca8164f0a42450650f7f80c446d9b7b | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 05:31 EST, 4 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:45 EST, 4 April 2013 . A builder was stunned to receive a parking ticket - after a bus stop was painted around his truck. Steve Hall, 44, parked his pick-up in Bath, Somerset, at 6.40am but returned later to find yellow lines painted around it and a £35 fine stuck to his windscreen. Unbeknown to him, pranksters had removed a series of cones marking out a stretch of road where council contractors were due to outline the new bus stop. Fined: Steve Hall returned to his pick up truck in Bath to find that contractors had painted a bus stop around it and a parking fine attached to his windscreen . Discovery: A prankster had removed cones from the stretch of road where council contractors were due to mark out the bus stop . Bizarre: Mr Hall, who works for a building company, said the contractors even left paint on his tyres as they painted round the vehicle . Mr Hall, of Corsham, Wiltshire, said: 'I parked there as normal in the morning, and there were no signs out. I just couldn't believe it when I got back to my truck. 'I have never had a parking ticket in my life. It is not as though I just go around parking anywhere thinking I can get away with it.' Mr Hall, who works for a building company, said the contractors even left paint on his tyres as they painted close to the vehicle. His partner Gemma Aplin said: 'At first we thought it was a joke, like someone messing around. We usually leave our truck there and walk into town, as there is nowhere to park in the city centre.' Comical: The yellow lines stop at the wheel of the car and are then continued at the other side . Shock: Mr Hall said he could not believe what he found when he returned to his vehicle . Luckily Bath and North East Somerset Council says it will quash the ticket if Steve appeals.A council spokesman said: 'The ticket should not have been issued. It will be rescinded upon appeal from Mr Hall. 'Our contractors checked that the area was coned-off in the evening to allow work to take place the following day. 'They were removed by a member of the public. Regarding the tyres, if Mr Hall writes to us with details we will raise [it] with our contractors and investigate.' | Steve Hall, 44, left pick-up truck on stretch of road in Bath at 6.40am .
Returned to find yellow lines had been painted around it and £35 ticket .
Pranksters had moved warning cones marking out position of bus stop . |
fa3b263b18ec5366524ffc3f48a82448f07971d2 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 09:04 EST, 20 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:59 EST, 20 August 2013 . The parents of a teenager who died in hospital four days after he took a legal high imported from Holland, have described him as 'a normal young man who loved music and football.' Adam Hunt was discovered collapsed in his bedroom by his mother Bernadette, and he told her that he had taken Alpha Methyltryptamine, or AMT, which he had ordered from the Netherlands. The 18-year-old is also believed to have taken etizolam, which is also a psychoactive substance. Adam Hunt was discovered collapsed in his bedroom by his mother Bernadette, and he told her that he had taken Alpha Methyltryptamine, or AMT, which he had ordered from the Netherlands . She immediately called for an ambulance and the Adam, from Southampton, Hampshire, was rushed to hospital. Doctors treating him said that his condition was 'life-threatening' after he was admitted to Southampton General Hospital on Wednesday last week. Adam was put in a medically-induced coma and on Sunday - four days after taking the drugs - he died. He was described as a 'much loved son' whose interests ranged from football and music to clothes and girls. 'He loved football and was a Saints season ticket holder. His musical tastes were eclectic ranging from Oasis to drum 'n' bass,' his mother and father, Darren, said. 'He did well at school and just two years ago he left with 11 GCSE A-C passes and had gone on to study electrical engineering at college in an attempt to follow in his dad's footsteps. 'He loved travel as well and was due to go on holiday in the next few weeks with one of his best friends to New York where he had planned an itinerary of sight seeing and restaurant visiting as he was also very keen on food. 'He was very thoughtful and caring and loved his family and friends dearly. One of the things we will always remember though about him was his fantastic sense of humour. It is very hard to think we will not get to laugh or talk with him anymore. His mother immediately called for an ambulance and Adam, from Southampton, Hampshire, was rushed to hospital . The 18-year-old was placed in an . induced coma for four days and died in hospital after apparently taking the . legal high he bought online . 'His life had such potential and was all in front of him, sadly it has been cut prematurely very short.' A police spokesman said that the exact cause of Adam's death is yet to be established. Officers are preparing a report for the Hampshire Coroner on his death. Originally developed as an anti-depressant, AMT is a psychedelic drug which releases serotonin and can have effects similar to LSD and ecstasy. However, it can have side effects such as nausea and anxiety. Since June 2012 two deaths in Hampshire have been attributed to AMT, including trainee doctor Doug Ferguson, aged 19 years, from Chandler's Ford and a 33-year-old Andover man. Detective Constable Jonathan Hyland, of Hampshire police, warned: 'The clear issue is that people who state they have a strong view about not taking controlled drugs are importing and purchasing drugs which they read online are a substitute for controlled drugs. 'People incorrectly believe that these 'legal highs' are then both safe and appropriate alternatives to street drugs. Doug Ferguson is believed to have died after taking the legal high AMT while celebrating the end of term . 'Just because something is not illegal does not make it safe. 'It only becomes clear it is not safe when someone becomes severely harmed by taking it and subsequent investigations reveal substances within the compound can be lethal. 'If you are considering taking any type of non personally prescribed drug, I would urge you to consider for a few minutes - before you use the substance - how your family would feel, finding you in need of critical medical attention.' An MP today called for the Government to spearhead a European bid to prosecute businesses selling deadly 'legal highs' following the deaths of three men in just a year. Southampton Itchen MP and former Home Office minister John Denham wants a united legal attempt to prosecute anyone selling such drugs across Europe. Mr Denham said: 'I would suggest to the Government that we need a concerted attempt to use every legal move we can to bring these people down if they can be identified as selling these drugs. 'We need to take the profit out of it and throw the book at people. 'Only part of the answer is regulation and there does need to be more education. 'The very phrase 'legal high' is dangerous because it gives the impression that it must be OK - otherwise it would be banned.' | Adam Hunt discovered collapsed in his bedroom by his mother Bernadette .
She said he'd taken AMT, which he had ordered from the Netherlands .
18-year-old also believed to have taken etizolam, psychoactive substance .
His parents have paid tribute to their much loved, thoughtful son . |
fa3b31dc0eae7c4df95a11a071b7e3e84c5c6519 | London (CNN) -- As three members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot appeared in a Moscow court charged with hooliganism, the Twittersphere lit up with pictures and messages of support from around the world. Pussy Riot band members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, were sentenced to two years in prison after performing a song criticizing President Vladimir Putin inside Moscow's Christ Savior Cathedral in February. "Mother Mary please drive Putin away," the band had screamed during the offending gig, their faces covered in the neon masks which have now become synonymous with their campaign. Famous friends . Celebrity supporters including Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, actress and model Bianca Jagger and Robert Smith of The Cure, tweeted their disgust with the charges, calling for greater freedom of speech in the country. "I hope you can stay strong and believe that I, and many others like me who believe in free speech will do everything in our power to support you and the idea of artistic freedom," Paul McCartney posted on Twitter. Actress Mischa Barton tweeted: "I can't believe sentencing #pussyriot to2 yrs in jail.as someone who lived in Moscow and has filmed& seen inside the jails my heart goes out." While the young women awaited their fate in Moscow, balaclava-clad campaigners gathered outside Russian embassies across Europe and the U.S., sharing their photos across social media. "#PussyRiot supporters outside London embassy shout 'Shame' and 'Putin scum' as they hear of guilty verdict," Moscow news channel RT London Bureau tweeted. Amnesty UK urged its Twitter followers to join the demonstrations, posting: "2 years in jail. #PussyRiot sentence is a bitter blow for freedom of expression in Russia." Outside the court in Moscow however, not everyone was backing the Pussy Riot cause, with civil activist Oleg Kozlovsky tweeting: "Some anti- #PussyRiot demonstrators were heard chanting "Burn the witches!" Hello Russia, this is 21st century." In Kiev, members of the feminist activist group Femen reportedly used a chainsaw to cut down an orthodox cross which had been erected in memory of victims of political repression. The feminist group is best known for demonstrating topless and revealed on Facebook they had also been charged for taking a chainsaw to the Ukraine Independence Monument, saying: "FEMEN says if russian activists will be sentenced to prison terms, FEMEN will show their chainsaw for Putin and Gundyaev." Russian opposition leader and former world chess champion Gary Kasparov was also reportedly arrested after attending demonstrations outside the court in Moscow. Photos of him supposedly being assaulted by police were quickly posted on Twitter. "He was not there to protest, simply to attend, and the police cornered him and dragged him into the police van," Kasparov's assistants posted on his Facebook wall. "He was beaten but says he is okay. He isn't sure what will happen next. It seems the police are waiting for orders from above. He says he was standing calmly speaking with journalists when police pushed through and grabbed him." As the three young women sat in a glass cage awaiting their sentence, a rolling stream of messages of support continued to flood Twitter. Campaigners shared the locations of demonstrations, photos and news updates. As one young journalist and supporter Jessica Haworth tweeted: "Freedom of speech is one of the most important basic human rights. Such a sad day. Still sad, still angry. #PussyRiot". | Pussy Riot's two-year sentence sparks anger on Twitter and Facebook .
Celebrity campaigners share messages of support, photos, news updates .
Ukraine feminist group, Femen, arrested after chainsawing monument in show of solidarity .
Russian opposition leader Gary Kasparov supposedly assaulted by police outside Moscow court . |
fa3b52df7899909c964d133097cfcdc36e7b7d59 | (CNN) -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has nominated a 14-year-old boy who died tackling a suicide bomber outside his school for a top civil award for bravery. Aitazaz Hassan Bangash has been hailed as a hero in Pakistan for the sacrifice he made to protect his schoolmates. The Sitara-e-Shujjat is the same honor awarded to Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani schoolgirl who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban for her efforts to promote education for boys and girls. A statement from Sharif's office Friday said Aitazaz's "brave act saved the lives of hundreds of students and established a sterling example of gallantry and patriotism." The nomination follows a campaign on social media for the teenager to be recognized. The ninth-grader was on his way to school Monday in the Hangu district of northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when the bomber, dressed in a school uniform, asked him where the school was, the teen's cousin, Musadiq Ali Bangash said. He and Aitazaz became suspicious, the cousin said. "The other students backed off, but Aitazaz challenged the bomber and tried to catch him. During the scuffle, the bomber panicked and detonated his bomb," he said. Aitazaz and the bomber died at the scene. Witnesses say the blast injured two other people. Hangu is a troubled district bordering Pakistan's tribal areas. It is rife with sectarian violence, with attacks against Shia and Sunni Muslims. "It was a great sacrifice to save the lives of hundreds of both Shia and Sunni students, who were in morning assembly," Musadiq said. CNN's Zahir Shah Sherazi reported from Peshawar, Saima Mohsin from Islamabad and Anna Maja Rappard from Atlanta. | A teenager who died tackling a suicide bomber outside his school is nominated for an award .
Aitazaz Hassan Bangash has been hailed as a hero in Pakistan for saving his schoolmates .
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says his "brave act saved the lives of hundreds of students"
Teenager's cousin says Aitazaz challenged the bomber after becoming suspicious . |
fa3b8cd2dd739dc40fc7acf7749657f7d6f8ab15 | Hackers Lizard Squad have allegedly disrupted gaming on XBox Live and Daybreak Games this weekend. The group, who work anonymously, reportedly issued a 'DDos' (distributed denial of service), on Friday for Daybreak Games, formerly Sony Online Entertainment, which confirmed server problems for multiplayers. On Monday, Lizard Squad claimed to be attacking Xbox. A Microsoft spokesperson told Daily Mail Online: 'On February 15, we experienced a brief service interruption to Xbox Live and quickly restored services to normal.' Visitors playing Xbox One at a gaming event in Shanghai, China last July. Hackers Lizard Squad claimed on Monday to have hacked Microsoft's gaming console . One Twitter account, attributed to the Lizard Squad, tweeted in the early hours of Monday: 'A bird told us #xboxlive will be #xboxlivedown shortly. Weird' This was followed by: 'Anyone else notice how quiet @Xbox & @XboxSupport were when we knocked the networks off earlier for 3 hours? #xboxlive' A separate Lizard Squad account tweeted: 'Xbox (360) Live #offline' before adding: 'brb. More to come, it's about time to re-ignite lizardsquad.' Gamers were reporting problems with their services on social media. In December, Sony Corp's PlayStation Network suffered connection problems for several days after hackers attacked the video game network. Lizard Squad claimed responsibility for disrupting both the PlayStation Network and Microsoft Corp's Xbox Live on Christmas Day. Several accounts attributed to the Lizard Squad were tweeting on Monday about attacking Xbox. A Microsoft spokesperson told Daily Mail Online: 'On February 15, we experienced a brief service interruption to Xbox Live and quickly restored services to normal' Sony has been the victim of some of the most high-profile security breaches in history. In late November, Sony Pictures' computer system was taken down by hackers protesting the film, The Interview, which depicted the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. President Barack Obama has blamed the North Korean government for the attack. Lizard Squad claimed responsibility for attacks on the PlayStation Network in early December and August of this year. The August attack coincided with a bomb scare in which Lizard Squad tweeted to American Airlines that it heard explosives were on board a plane carrying an executive with Sony Online Entertainment. In 2011, hackers stole data belonging to 77 million PlayStation Network users. | The Lizard Squad reportedly issued a 'distributed denial of service' on Friday for Daybreak Games, formerly Sony Online Entertainment .
On Monday, Lizard Squad claimed to be attacking Xbox but Microsoft has so far not commented .
A Lizard Squad account tweeted: 'Xbox (360) Live #offline' before adding: 'brb. More to come, it's about time to re-ignite lizardsquad' |
fa3bf6189f23c813d78e46e7be60485125d7d1b3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A new book about convicted murderer Jodi Arias reveals the killer’s nymphomania and victim Travis Alexander's inability to stay away from her helped lead to his grisly 2008 murder. HLN TV host Jane Velez-Mitchell’s new book about Arias and the Mesa, Arizona murder of her on-again off-again lover Travis Alexander details the torrid affair that preceded the grisly 2008 crime. Exposed: The Secret Life of Jodi Arias hits shelves August 20 and goes far deeper into the sordid tale’s sexual underpinnings than any reports have gone thus far. Scroll down for video... Deadly attraction: HLN TV host Jane Velez-Mitchell details the mutual sexual obsession between Jodi Arias and the man she murdered leading up to the crime in Exposed: The Secret Life of Jodi Arias . The New York Post published an excerpt from the upcoming book. ‘Jodi elicited Travis’ reckless forbidden passion,’ writes Velez-Mitchell of the practicing Mormon. ‘Unfortunately for her, it was also what Travis loathed, as it came with more and more guilt each time.’ Velez-Mitchell says a close friend of Alexander’s described Arias as a ‘sexual dynamo.' ‘We were driving one day,’ revealed Taylor Searle, ‘and [Travis] was talking about Jodi and was describing how she was a nymphomaniac. He was explaining that Jodi had gotten herself off eight times in one day. It might have been nine, or it might have been 13.’ Velez-Mitchell reveals a deeply unhealthy, sexually charged dynamic between Alexander and Arias that extended even after Alexander broke things off with his future murderer in 2007. Insatiable: Velez-Mitchell reveals that Travis Alexander, though a practicing Mormon, just couldn't stay away from Jodi's forbidden fruits . Not long after the breakup, the two began having sex again. And according to the book, Alexander was desperately torn between following the dictates of his Mormon faith and those that came from inside himself. Desperate to stay near her obsession, Jodi offered to clean Travis’s house for $12.50 an hour. And unable to stop himself from keeping her around, Travis gave Jodi the keys. ‘Unfortunately, giving Jodi access to his house meant Travis was able to keep his addiction to his guilty pleasure full-blown. The pusher was right there serving him his drug on a silver platter,’ writes Velez-Mitchell. But as Travis began to date other women and distance himself from his fiery former lover, Jodi became progressively unhinged. Motive? As Arias awaits the sentencing portion of her trial, Exposed: The Secret Life of Jody Arias puts together the pieces of her sordid life that led to the murder of Travis Alexander . ‘Whether it was because of his upbringing or Jodi’s skills in the bedroom,’ writes the TV host, ‘Travis clearly had a difficult time deciding what he was going to do about Jodi.’ And Travis’s forays into the ‘dark side’ were hurting his chances of leading the normal Mormon life he so desired. ‘Already, she was having Mormon guilt about kissing Travis to the point where he had an erection,’ writes Velez-Mitchell about a Mormon girl Travis dated after She was so naïve about the situation inside his pants, she assumed it was something he could control, not an act of nature. She also thought it was somewhat her fault that she had not done enough to keep his thoughts clean.’ Addict: Velez-Mitchell writes that Alexander called Arias a 'sexual dynamo' and likens his desire for her to that of a junkie and his drugs--deadly but irresistible . Jodi’s behavior became progressively erratic—she began stalking Travis when he was with other women and hacking into his Facebook account. She would show up to his home naked and unannounced. Though she eventually moved back to her home town in California, the world would soon learn how quickly she returned to Travis’s Arizona home. On June 4, Arias showed up in the early morning hours. She and Alexander had one long and final sexual encounter. That evening, Jodi would stab her former lover some 29 times, shoot him in the face, and slice him ear-to-ear. Their insatiable sexual affair had come to a bloody end. | HLN TV host Jane Velez-Mitchell writes that Travis Alexander had a full-blown addiction to sex with Jodi Arias .
Exposed: The Secret Life of Jodi Arias hits shelves August 20 . |
fa3df27cf6b030901326627c2437b981aa6ba264 | (EW.com) -- Bilbo Baggins went after treasure this weekend, and he found a lot of it — just not quite as much as he did last year. Peter Jackson's latest Middle-earth adventure The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug earned $73.6 million in its opening weekend, marking a 13 percent drop from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey's $84.6 million bow in December 2012. Smaug notched the fourth-best December opening weekend ever, after An Unexpected Journey, I Am Legend ($77.2 million), and Avatar ($77 million), and although it undercut its predecessor's debut, Warner Bros., who co-financed the film with MGM for about $225 million, can't be too disappointed with the result. The first Hobbit film finished with $303 million domestically and over $1 billion worldwide. Even if Smaug can't match those figures (if it plays like Journey, it's headed for $263 million domestically), it will be a hugely profitable venture for the studio. In order to differentiate it from the first Hobbit, Warner Bros. marketed The Desolation of Smaug by focusing heavily on Evangeline Lilly's elvish character, Tauriel, who didn't appear in J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, as well as Orlando Bloom's Legolas, who returned for the prequels, and Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug. Still, audiences, which were 60 percent male and 64 percent above the age of 25, weren't all convinced to give the series a second try after being turned off by the more juvenile An Unexpected Journey. The film pulled in 49 percent of its weekend gross from 3-D ticket sales, and IMAX screens made up $9.2 million of its haul. Crowds issued Smaug an "A--" CinemaScore grade. In second place, Disney's animated musical Frozen didn't melt despite the heat of dragon's breath. The film fell only 30 percent to $22.2 million in its third weekend, giving it a remarkable $164.4 million — already more than its $150 million budget. At the same point in its run, Tangled had earned $115 million en route to a $200 million finish — and that film is a perfect comparison since it also opened wide over Thanksgiving weekend. If Frozen maintains its current pace, it will hit $285 million domestically. With no new family films on the horizon, it will be the top family choice over the upcoming holiday break. Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas unwrapped only $16.2 million this weekend, marking the lowest-ever start for one of Perry's popular Madea films — and the second-lowest start ever for Perry as a director after 2007′s Daddy's Little Girls, which opened with $11.2 million. The last Madea entry, 2012′s Madea's Witness Protection, opened to $25.1 million, but Christmas, which cost Lionsgate about $25 million to produce, fell far short of that number. What makes that performance particularly shocking is that advance ticket sales were booming. If there's a silver lining, it's that, unlike the rest of the front-loaded Madea films, Christmas has the potential to hold up nicely in the two weeks leading up to the actual holiday. Audiences gave the picture an "A--" CinemaScore. Two blockbuster sequels rounded out the top five. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire dropped 50 percent in its fourth weekend to $13.2 million, giving it a scorching $357 million total — and all against a sensible (for a movie of this scale) $130 million budget. It took the first Hunger Games five weeks to reach the same total on the way to a $408 million domestic finish, so Catching Fire still seems poised to break the $400 million mark. One rung lower, Thor: The Dark World grossed $2.7 million in its sixth frame and has now amassed $198.1 million. It will eke past the $200 million mark soon, and while that's no gross to shake a hammer at, it's slightly disappointing considering the original Thor earned $181 million and Disney was no doubt hoping for more than an 11 percent boost following The Avengers' run — especially given the fact that Iron Man 3 earned 31 percent more than Iron Man 2 ($409 million vs. $312 million) earlier this year. 1. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug -- $73.6 million . 2. Frozen -- $22.2 million . 3. A Madea Christmas -- $16.2 million . 4. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -- $13.2 million . 5. Thor: The Dark World -- $2.7 million . In limited release, American Hustle proved its mettle with an eye-popping $115,000 per theater average — the second best of the year after Frozen's $243,390 premiere weekend in one theater. Hustle, which was directed by David O. Russell and stars Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, and Jennifer Lawrence, grossed $690,000 from only six theaters, and now appears ready to thrive when Sony pushes it into 2,500 locations next weekend. It certainly outshined Disney's Mary Poppins tale Saving Mr. Banks, which took in $421,000 in 15 theaters for a still solid $28,067 location average. The Tom Hanks/Emma Thompson vehicle expands to about 2,200 theaters next week. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | New film had a 13 percent drop from "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
Disney's animated musical "Frozen" came in second place .
Tyler Perry's latest 'Madea' film struggled . |
fa3e3cd362de54f015110619b35c409866f79868 | Writer Sally Wainwright yesterday claimed TV viewers are too sensitive to violence against women but never offended by assaults on men. Referring to an episode of her hit drama Happy Valley in which a policewoman was brutally attacked in a cellar, Miss Wainwright said she wanted to make the scene even more graphic but was stopped by the BBC. The show attracted criticism from viewers for showing 'gratuitous' violence against women. Sally Wainwright, the screenwriter for Happy Valley, defended the latest episode where a policewoman (Sarah Lancashire) was brutally attacked in a cellar . Episode four of the first series attracted 15 complaints after it showed police sergeant Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, savagely beaten. As the show ended, she collapsed in the road, her face covered in blood, leaving viewers guessing whether or not she had died. Defending the scenes, the 51-year-old writer, who revealed the BBC also restricts swear words in her scripts, said: 'I actually wanted it to be a lot more violent, but the controller of BBC1 [Charlotte Moore] wanted me to pull the violence in. The show had attracted criticism from its viewers who claimed it had shown 'gratuitous' violence against women . Ms Wainwright claimed TV viewers are too sensitive to violence against women but never offended by assaults on men . 'And thank God she did … I thought the fuss that was made was ridiculous … violence is horrible, we shouldn't pretend it isn't. It was part of the story – it explains who this man [the attacker] is. He's a psychopath … and it should be awful when we see a woman treated like that. But I don't think it was gratuitous.' She added: 'I find it odd that we often see violence against men and that isn't made an issue of at all.' An average of 7.2 million viewers tuned in to Happy Valley last year and the bleak drama set in West Yorkshire is to return for a second series. | Screenwriter Sally Wainwright defended the latest episode of Happy Valley .
Hit BBC drama showed a policewoman getting brutally attacked in a cellar .
It attracted criticism from viewers for 'gratuitous' violence against women .
Writer said viewers are too wary of violence against women but not on men . |
fa3ebc7da46a88345729698f04e5e9411f271aa8 | (CNN) -- Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs are used by the military to provide nutritious and compact meals for the troops. The meals spark memories good and bad, for those who ate them in the military and even for some civilians who used them during disasters, when food was not readily available. Harald Schweizer was 19 when this photo was taken in the summer of 1968 in Vietnam. He is holding a C ration. CNN.com readers shared their stories and memories of MREs and C rations. Some of the responses have been edited for clarity and length. Here is a selection: . Michael Reimers of Gresham, Oregon MREs are the fancy ones. We had C rations. Probably left over from WWII! For my 21st birthday in 1982 I was on border patrol at the Czech border and my friends snuck in two beers and made a cake for me out of what was available. They took a fruitcake that was in something like a tuna can tin and they mixed hot chocolate mix with grape jelly to make the frosting and added a candle and two German beers and we were in business out in the woods. It was very cool being with all my buddies and them doing that for me. Ronald Mervyn of Burton, Michigan I served in the army from April 1985 to February 1988. MREs were not all that bad. I liked the chicken ala king, the dehydrated potatoes patty and the chocolate chip cookies the best. They were all edible. I wish I could have brought some home to share with family and friends. Steven Carrigan of Salina, Kansas I served in the U.S. Marine corps. Did I eat MREs? You bet and a lot of them. They get the job done but always needed a bit of spicing up, Tabasco sauce that someone would bring to the field, usually. Cold weather affected them more than anything. Nothing worse than getting the beans and franks in cold weather. The beans would be semi-hard and the franks rock solid. The preservative that they are in gels up and looks like petroleum jelly. Had to carry them next to your body to get them warm. To me the worst one was the chicken ala king, disgusting. The desserts were always good. Some guys had recipes that you could mix together two or three MREs and have a pretty good meal if you had heat and the time to cook it. Even though I thought I left them behind when I left the military, I still have them in the car during the winter and when I do ice fishing. They are great in a pinch. Annette Sweet of Leavenworth, Kansas This is a different side of life all together; I believe the best memories were how to heat your MRE before they came out with the heating pouch. Spaghetti, wow that was a good one, the best way to serve it was to take your MRE cheese, a mini bottle of the Tabasco that came in the pack and mix it all together and place on the hood of your Humvee on a hot day or by the heater on a cold day. Umm good. Now, the worst ever that I believe they came out with was the loaf, I can't even say whether it was meat or vegetables but it really left a very heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach. You can never forget the ham slices; unfortunately they forgot to slice it, it was about ½ inch thick filled with gristle and very salty, very hard to digest. The different assortments of all the MREs were, as I call them, Charms candy, hard as a rock and stuck to your teeth; Tootsie roll, huge and didn't taste like chocolate; Chicklet gum, send you straight to the throne; the peanut butter and crackers, well, a bit oily but I considered a keeper. Oh, by the way, they did have real coffee. I believe it was Tasters Choice, not sure though. And fruit loaf, what can you say about a loaf? Once a loaf, always a loaf, and staying with tradition of blended items, you mixed a pack of the powered cream they gave you for the coffee in with just a smidgen of water and you had peaches ala mode. I never went hungry, but sometimes I never was full. I have retired now and have come to appreciate what is good food. It's being a civilian, sitting at a real table, with silverware, plate and glass, looking back on where I came from and knowing that I can't go back in body but in spirit. From a retired soldier, just keeping it real. To all my comrades that came before me, with me and after me, God Bless you and thank you for all that you do. Suzanne Yeltnuh of Ahwatukee, Arizona I was a victim of Hurricanes Jeanne, Frances and Wilma. We had no power for 21 days and the stores were out of food. I stood in lines for hours for ice and MREs and was very thankful. I actually think they are very good! Now that I moved to Arizona, at least I don't have to worry about hurricanes!Watch as civilians taste MREs . Clarence Ragland of Tucson, Arizona I not only had MREs, but I also had their predecessor, the C ration! C-rats, as they were called, came with a can opener called a P-38, and were OK. The MRE has come a long way since its inception, and the chicken ala king was one of the best. Still have some at home, although I retired from the Air Force in 2000. Megan Sterrett of APO, New York While I was in the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, I sent an MRE to my children so they could see what they were like. My daughter, who was in the second grade, took it in to school for show and tell. One of the girls in the class declared that she would rather eat sand, to which my daughter replied, "Well you can chose to eat this or choose to die." It's always interesting to get a child's perspective on things. You never know what they will come up with.Explore the history of U.S. combat rations . Gary Burton of Clarksville, Tennessee My father served in Vietnam and related this story to me about the old C rations they were served to eat. He said the canned sponge cake was an "acquired taste," so instead of eating it, they opened a petcock valve on the nearby helicopters and filled the cake and tin with aircraft fuel. When lit, the sponge cake would burn for hours and allow the men to heat the rest of their meal with it. David Hollingsworth of Baltimore, Maryland I was a member of the 18th Airborne Corps F.A. b 5/8th Artillery in August 1990; among the first troops from Fort Bragg to deploy in that area. MREs were considered pretty OK meals to eat until my unit was linked in a special mission with the French troops. Their rations were of something that came off of our dinner tables. (Real food!) We would trade them every night for food until they realized what the big fuss was all about. I know real sardines and things of that nature might not sound as appetizing as other foods. However, compared to the MREs we were eating, the French troops' food was a delicacy to most. Mark Grocki of Birmingham, Michigan I have not served in the military, but I have eaten MREs on backpacking trips through Michigan provided to me by a friend's cousin who serves in the Marines. I've always looked forward to them, and have found the entrees like Mexican rice, beef stew, and ham and cheese omelets rather tasty. The crackers and various snack items are good on the go, too, but don't drink the water from the heating element! When asked by other people, "What do they taste like?" I have only one word for them. "Freedom." E-mail to a friend . | CNN readers recall good and bad memories of MREs .
"They get the job done but always needed a bit of spicing up"
Meat-vegetable-loaf "left a very heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach"
Canned sponge cake an "acquired taste" |
fa3ee01518c166d10f4671dad6931ededfc456eb | By . Mark Duell . Vigil: Stephen Sutton (pictured with his mother Jane) succumbed to multiple tumours earlier this month . The mother of an inspirational teenage cancer victim who raised almost £4million for charity today called on well-wishers to ‘do something to make others happy’ in his memory. A two-day vigil for 19-year-old Stephen Sutton, who succumbed to multiple tumours earlier this month, is due to start tomorrow at Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire. Mr Sutton's bravery in facing his terminal illness while urging people to enjoy life became a global phenomenon, reaching millions of people. His mother Jane Sutton said: ‘The continued love and support for Stephen is wonderful and a great comfort.’ She has called on people at 11am on Friday to ‘do something that makes you and others happy in Stephen's memory’. The timing will coincide with a Thumbs Up For Stephen event - which is being publicised with the Twitter hashtag #ThumbsupforStephen. It has been organised while the vigil is under way. The vigil starts at 7pm on Thursday, when people are welcome to light a candle, lay flowers, reflect by the coffin and sign a book of condolence in the young campaigner's honour. Mrs Sutton added: ‘I want people to have the chance to come and pay their last respects to Stephen. ‘It is important that the vigil at Lichfield Cathedral has an opening and a public farewell, so I invite people especially to come and be part of these two moments and remember Stephen. ‘Stephen wanted to put the fun in funeral, so don't feel you need to wear black. It's a celebration of his life and achievements.’ She added: ‘If you can't make it, remember to take a moment at 11am on Friday morning to give a thumbs up for Stephen. Inspirational: Mr Sutton's bravery in facing his terminal illness while urging people to enjoy life became a global phenomenon reaching more than five million people worldwide . ‘This could be via Thunderclap.it, #ThumbsupforStephen, or you could give the thumbs up to a stranger, have a cup of tea and a slice of cake, think a positive thought, clap, cheer, or even perform a random act a kindness. Do something that makes you and others happy in Stephen's memory.’ At 6pm tomorrow, Mr Sutton's coffin will . leave his home in Burntwood, Staffordshire, by horse-drawn carriage, . entering Lichfield by The Bowling Green. Thumbs up: Prime Minister David Cameron met Mr Sutton while in hospital, and said he had never met anyone 'with such a zest for life' It will pass along The Friary, Swan Road and Bird Street before entering The Close. The coffin will be taken into the cathedral at 7pm and laid in a place of honour. There is to be a short opening ceremony at the cathedral at 7pm and the cathedral will remain open until midnight for people to pay their respects. Doors reopen at 7am on Friday, before a public farewell ceremony at 3pm. At 3.45pm on Friday, Mr Sutton's coffin will exit The Close and leave Lichfield for a private family funeral. Over the past few days people touched by Mr Sutton's memory have tied hundreds of yellow ribbons up around his home town. Mr Sutton's campaign to raise awareness and money for the Teenage Cancer Trust attracted huge support, earning praise from celebrities like Russell Brand, Simon Cowell, Ricky Gervais and Jason Manford. Prime Minister David Cameron met Mr Sutton while in hospital, and following his death on May 14, said: ‘I can hardly think of anyone I've met with such a zest for life, and such a belief that you can get things done, and who wanted to live every minute. He was absolutely inspiring.’ Before dying, Mr Sutton - who was working his way through a bucket list - said: ‘I don't see the point in measuring life in terms of time any more. I'd rather measure life in terms of making a difference.’ The social media campaign website Thunderclap.it has rated the Stephen's Story drive as having a total global reach across the internet of 5.11million people. Remembered: The vigil starts at 7pm on Thursday, when people are welcome to light a candle, lay flowers, reflect by the coffin and sign a book of condolence in the young campaigner's honour . The Stephen's Story Facebook site, where . the teenager gave regular updates on his work and latterly his . deteriorating health, now has 1.2million likes. Meanwhile, the total amount raised on Mr . Sutton's JustGiving fund-raising page now stands at £3.96million - the . single largest ever amount raised for the Teenage Cancer Trust. 'The continued love and support for Stephen is wonderful and a great comfort' Jane Sutton, mother . Staffordshire County Council's leader Philip Atkins said the vigil would be an ‘unprecedented event’ and showed how Mr Sutton's campaign had triumphed in bringing people together. He said: ‘Stephen Sutton's story is truly an inspirational one and people will undoubtedly be turning out in their thousands to pay their respects to Stephen and commemorate his spirit, courage and amazing achievements in his short life.’ It is estimated that up to 40,000 people will turn up over both days to honour the former Chase Terrace Technology College student. | Two-day vigil for Stephen Sutton will start tomorrow at Lichfield Cathedral .
19-year-old from Staffordshire succumbed to multiple tumours on May 14 .
Mother Jane Sutton said: 'The continued love and support is wonderful' |
fa3ef231b3a9dd8b1585713960d1cc120945f84e | (CNN) -- Every year Apple has a special one-day shopping event on Black Friday, offering moderately lower prices for many of its gadgets, and this year is no exception. Apple's Black Friday sale is now live in the U.S. and internationally, with savings mostly hovering around the 10% mark for more expensive items and climbing to 20-40% for cheaper ones. This year, you can save $41 on an iPad, $31 on an iPad 2 and iPod touch, $101 on the new MacBook Pros as well as MacBook Air and $7-$21 on a range of gadgets, including the Apple EarPods, Apple Magic Mouse and the Time Capsule. Check out the full list of items on sale here and let us know what you think about this year's Black Friday savings at Apple in the comments. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Apple typically puts its products on sale on Black Friday .
The sales are modest, but the company rarely offers deals .
Most discounts are about 10%, with some products taking bigger cuts .
You can save $41 on an iPad or $101 on the new MacBook Pros . |
fa3f0f2998fd2ed627d4eeb935822fd1235df6a1 | By . Louise Boyle and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:52 EST, 2 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:52 EST, 2 June 2012 . The military mothers who posed for photographs while breastfeeding in their uniform were out of line, the Washington Air National Guard said on Saturday. Terran Echegoyen-McCabe and Christina Luna are pictured nursing their babies on an Air Force base in an image that they said was intended to raise awareness of the right to breastfeed in public. But the controversial photoshoot was a violation of regulations against using the uniform to promote a civilian cause, according to Guard spokesman Capt. Keith Kosik. Proud: Servicewomen Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, left, breastfeeds her twin daughters while wearing her uniform alongside colleague Christina Luna and her little girl at Fairchild Airforce Base outside Spokane, Washington . He told the New York Daily News the pair were not expected to . face disciplinary action but that the incident warranted a formal . response for educational purposes. The striking image has seen a flurry . of comments, from supporters who say breastfeeding is a 'fundamental . right' to another who compared it to 'defecating in uniform'. The photos were taken for the Mom2Mom Breastfeeding Support Group, set up by a military wife and mother-of-three to raise awareness of all women's rights to breastfeed in public. Mrs Echegoyen-McCabe is pictured . breastfeeding her 10-month-old twin girls on her lunch break during a drill weekend as a member of the Air National Guard. By her side is friend Mrs Luna who feeds her toddler. Crystal Scott, founder of Mom2Mom, asked the women to pose for the support group she founded in January to help those who live and work at the Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane, Washington. Mrs Scott has lived on the base for four years with her husband Kevin, an instructor, and their three children Gavin, ten, Aiden, four and one-year-old Roman. It was her idea to asked photographer Brynja Sigurdardottir to photograph the mothers in their fatigues ahead of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August. Following the photoshoot two weeks ago, the image of the military mothers breastfeeding was posted online and became a red-hot issue. Mrs Scott told MailOnline: 'We were not expecting it. We went to bed and the next morning, we were getting calls, comments and emails. Nurture: Founder of Mom2Mom Crystal Scott also posed with her son Roman to raise awareness of breastfeeding in public . Although there has been a rally of . support, one Facebook comment compared the image of the mothers in . uniform to 'urinating and defecating'. Mrs Scott said: 'No one can agree on everything and everyone is 100 per cent entitled to their opinion. 'But to compare breastfeeding to other bodily functions like defecating and urinating? It's disheartening and saddening.' She added: 'We've done nothing wrong. We're not disgracing the uniform, we are very proud. 'We can only hope that it brings positive changes not only for military but for women across the board to show them they don't have to hide in the closet.' 'We love our military. We don't want to go against them at all.' There are currently no clear regulations as to whether or not a military member in uniform is allowed to breastfeed. We've done nothing wrong. We're not disgracing the uniform, we are very proud. Crystal Scott, founder of Mom2Mom Breastfeeding Support Group . There has been much confusion over this issue with some servicewomen being asked to move to private rooms while at the same time nothing has been said to women feeding their babies from bottles. The Mom2Mom Facebook page has been flooded with comments. Tracy Mueller Schoesler wrote: 'What strong beautiful women who are not just fighting for the freedoms of this country but for themselves and their children! Breastfeeding is a fundamental right in or out of an uniform!' One supporter Anna Krause commented: 'This is great. You are still A mom no matter what.' Another Jessica Emerick said: 'I . can't believe someone would have the audacity to judge or criticize this . photo, or any nursing mother. It's pitiful.' However there have been detractors. One fellow . soldier Rita Trujillo commented: 'I as one of many women who fought . long and hard to be accepted and respected as fellow soldiers and the . right to wear these uniforms feel shocked, angry at these published . photos.' Bringing about change: Trysta Chavez also posed for a photograph with her baby after seeing a lack of support for women breastfeeding in public . Statement: Mrs Chavez was among the women who allowed themselves to be photographed for a campaign for National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August . Robyn Roche-Paull, a lactation consultant and a U.S. Navy Veteran wrote a book and has a blog called Breastfeeding in Combat Boots which aims to make women's position clearer while breastfeeding and serving their country. As she writes: 'There are NO polices or regulations in any of the military branches that either approve OR disapprove of breastfeeding in uniform.' She said that arguments against were based on the fact that it shows a woman to be nurturing and therefore 'unprofessional'. U.S. law states that a woman may breastfeed her child at any location in a Federal building or on Federal property. | Air National Guards pictured nursing their children at Fairchild base, near Spokane, Washington .
Washington Air National Guard says they were out of line .
One Facebook comment compared image to 'defecating' in uniform .
Founder of Mom2Mom Breastfeeding Support Group says 'We are not disgracing the uniform, we are very proud' |
fa3f2c6e2a2490c5f741cfc41378ade224f2a70c | BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- A few weeks ago, 22-year-old Tatiana Gulenkina felt bad. Tired with a headache and high fever, Gulenkina knew she was coming down with something. Yet she wasn't sure with what. Besides getting vaccinated, there are other ways to boost your immune system to ward off being sick. "My symptoms were apparently the same as for regular flu: coughs, sneezes, high temperature, sore throat and headache." she says. But when her boyfriend took her to the doctor, her diagnosis was a little little bit of a shock. "I had the swine flu!" Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped counting the number of reported H1N1 virus incidents in this country, the American Medical Association says many of its members are starting to see more cases of the illness, along with early bouts of seasonal flu and colds. It's just that time of year when a lot of nasty bugs are out there. So the question is, what's the best way to protect yourself? Health experts will tell you the most effective way to fight the flu, including the H1N1 virus, is to get vaccinated, which causes your own body to make antibodies that target specific illnesses. After immunization, it takes up to 10 days for the vaccines to take effect. But there are other ways to boost your immune system to ward off being sick during the winter. Why boost your immune system? It's what protects you from diseases. It's designed to defend the body against millions of toxins, parasites, bacteria and microbes that would love to invade the body and make it their home. But in order to protect you, your immune system has to be healthy. If it begins to break down, then germs can attack and cause you to become ill. That's why taking care of your immune system, especially this time of year, is a must. And the best way to start is with good nutrition. You need to eat the right foods. "Your nutrition profoundly affects your ability to fight these diseases," notes Katherine Tallmadge, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. That means fill up your plate with lean protein, including chicken, fish and fat-free dairy products. Why protein? "The molecules that fight disease are made of protein," Tallmadge says. Watch more on how to rev up your immune system » . And think fats. Good fats. Certain fats improve cellular function and the ability to fight disease. For instance, when people eat more liquid oils, as opposed to hard, saturated fats, the fats end up in their cell walls. With liquid oils predominantly in the diet, cells are more flexible, communicate better and are more able to fight disease . "More olive oil, canola oil and nuts. These are healthy fats," says Tallmadge. Tallmadge also reminds us to include fruits, vegetables and whole grains in our diet. These contain important antioxidants that keep your blood levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene, zinc and B-vitamins high. Which also means think vitamin supplements. But not too many. Nutritionists like Tallmadge warn that you can ingest too much of one particular vitamin or supplement and throw off the nutritional balance of your body, which can affect the immune system. "Get nutrients naturally through the foods you eat," Tallmadge says. As for vitamin pills, she recommends "just taking a multivitamin with minerals so that all your bases are covered." If you think you need more of one particular supplement, talk to your doctor, she says. Although good nutrition is key for a healthy immune system, exercise is equally important. Studies have shown that moderate, regular exercise can boost the immune system. But doctors warn don't overdo it. Too much high-intensity activity, such as a marathon or triathlon, can make a person more susceptible to illness for as long as three days after the workout. Says Dr. David Johnson, an orthopedic surgeon at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., and avid swimmer: "Exercise gets the blood pumping, which helps our heart, our circulation system, all our muscles and organs work better. But if you do too much, in too little time, it can hurt the body." A daily 30-minute walk can do the trick. And don't forget to rest. A few studies point to shut-eye as a way to boost the immune system, and the National Sleep Foundation says getting the right amount of sleep is part of the "staying well" puzzle. Though the exact ways sleep works and how it rejuvenates the body's immune system are still a mystery, sleep experts agree that adequate rest is necessary to keep a healthy body. "Research shows that everyone needs sleep, and that it's a critical factor in your health, weight and energy level," says Dr. Marc Schlosberg, a neurologist who works with the sleep lab at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, also in Washington, D.C. "Plus, it cuts down on stress." Scientists and doctors have known for years that long-term, chronic stress can create negative changes at the cellular level of the body, which can severely hurt the immune system. So if you can, try to chill out. Take a break, do some yoga. Walk your dog. Pet the cat. Anything to calm the soul. As for Tatiana Gulenkina, she thinks she might have caught H1N1 flu on her campus, but she's not sure. As a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, stress is just part of a her busy life. But after a week of rest , fluids and ibuprofen, Gulenkina is feeling much better and hopes to get through the rest of the winter without other illnesses. | Most effective way to fight flu, including H1N1 virus, is to get vaccinated .
Eat lean protein, fat-free dairy products and good fats to boost immune system .
Moderate, regular exercise and adequate rest are necessary to keep healthy . |
fa4043d32059cc54cc55946965b81721d384c9f3 | (CNN) -- Recessionistas, rejoice: Shauna Miller is thrusting Walmart into the style spotlight. Penny Chic, the 24-year-old stylist's blog, features looks fashioned entirely from the contents of the megastore's aisles. Think Miley Cyrus' line, never Marchesa -- and $5 pumps that trump $500 heels. "More people shop at Walmart than anywhere else in the country, and yet no one in fashion talks about it," she said. "I want to make great style accessible to everyone." It began as a stylist's challenge -- a way to showcase her aesthetic talents in a fresh way. But after loyal followers grew by the thousands, Miller made Penny Chic her full-time job. Now, she said the website averages 52,000 unique visitors per month. "It was amazing -- I still can't believe it," Miller said. "It makes me feel like I am doing my part in a way, in the most that a stylist could do: giving people chic outfits at the lowest cost." See San Francisco street styles . Ensembles, updated daily and displayed simply, typically range from $20 to $40. Miller selects Walmart pieces for versatility, often opting to mix and match or, in one case, doubling a necklace as a headpiece. "It's a hands-on experience," she said. "I have to touch and feel and look. I get a shopping cart and go through every item in the men's, women's, jewelry, lingerie departments." Miller keeps her favorite goods and then returns the rest. Every aspect of Penny Chic is fueled by frugality, she said. "After college, it was difficult to immediately find a job," she said. "I know what it's like to be on a tight budget." Photo shoots never involve glamour or high production, she said. Models need not apply. Work begins when Miller returns from a local Walmart with plastic bags full of ballet flats and scarves and beads. Then, she recruits a friend to play dress-up at her parents' house. After 10 minutes of careful styling (and giggling), the friend-model poses for Miller's mother's Nikon D200 camera. It's worlds away from her previous work at a Parisian fashion house. "There's never the stranger variable in the mix -- we're all very close," Miller said. "I don't want anyone to pout or try to look sexy. We just laugh and have fun." See Boise street styles . For now, Miller's bargain hunting will remain exclusive to Walmart. But her blog posts aren't affiliated with the store. "If Walmart offers me money, I won't take it," she said. "It keeps my blogging pure, prevents it from becoming an advertisement." Penny Chic styling may expand to other nationwide budget-friendly chains, however. She and her friends will soon launch tip-laden online video streaming on Penny Chic. Despite her retail lust for Chanel and Manolo Blahniks, Miller said future endeavors will focus on affordability. "This process has taught me that fashion is fleeting," she said. "Trends come and go. You have to work with what you have, and make it work." | Penny Chic blog features outfits entirely from Walmart .
Creator Shauna Miller lusts after Marchesa but can afford discount store .
She styles the outfits, her friends model them on her website .
The stylish ensembles on her blog range from $20 to $40 . |
fa41308c6cca9fdf009e549a79b517b4c55482fb | Cairo (CNN) -- To say that Elhamy Elzayat misses the glory days when huge numbers of visitors flocked to Egypt's ancient sites is probably an understatement. A veteran of the travel industry who now heads the Egyptian Tourism Federation, he's seen his business take hit after hit as the country's stability unraveled in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring. "I have six cruise ships," he laments. "They are not operating for three years now." Better times could soon be around the corner. Elections this month to choose a new president are seen by many as an opportunity to draw a line under months of turmoil and return to stability. The vote is likely, however, to raise fresh concerns over visitor safety and ongoing outbreaks of sometimes deadly violence. Yet Elzayat is optimistic that, despite the problems, a new marketing campaign will succeed in winning back the visitors he and the rest of the country's tourism industry so sorely miss. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism launched its "We miss you" message earlier this month, using social media to promote a glossy video that portrays the nation as a luxury destination for big spenders. Instead of focusing on the country's famed antiquities, the video features dancers, shopping malls and ritzy hotels. Campaign's crucial timing . "I expect this campaign to bear fruit by the beginning of August," Elzayat says. The timing and the tone of the "miss you" message is crucial. With Egypt's traditional visitors from North America and Europe not expected to return in their previous numbers for years to come, the country is instead turning to wealthy Arabs from Persian Gulf nations. Up to 70% of Egypt's tourists have traditionally come from Europe, with the Gulf making up another 20%. The greatest numbers in recent times have come from Russia, followed by Germany, the UK, Italy and France. The hope is that shortfalls in traditional visitors can be made up by encouraging Arabs, particularly from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, to consider Cairo as a travel destination for this year's Eid holiday. The end to the traditional Muslim fasting month of Ramadan is due to fall on July 28. "Arabs are definitely high spenders," says Elzayat. "They shop. They gamble. They drink. They do everything." In contrast, he says, visitors from Russia and the UK, in particular, tend to go on low-cost tours. "You don't have big spenders coming from Russia," he says. "Some of the Arabs, they are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in three days." Gambling and drinking . Gulf Arabs are known for their love of Egyptian nightclubs and casinos, engaging in activities -- gambling and consuming alcohol -- that are forbidden in their home countries. Night is the preferred time for these tourists. Big money is dropped at casinos, in particular, the Omar Khayyam at the five-star Marriott Hotel on central Cairo's upscale Zamalek island. During a recent midday visit to the casino, before the "We miss you" campaign has had a chance to do its work, five middle-aged Kuwaiti men could be seen at the roulette wheel. In a matter of less than half an hour, thousands of dollars were laid out in plastic chips, and lost. It's money that's desperately needed. Since the January 2011 revolution that removed President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's tourism industry has suffered deep losses, estimated at more than $2.5 billion on the back of a 32% drop in visitor numbers. The tourism federation says those that do visit the country are making shorter trips, leading to a 43% drop in hotel occupancy. "But the big disaster is the decrease in the average spending," Elzayat says, pointing out that the average outlays were higher even two decades ago when the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and subsequent Gulf War was hurting business. "It's down to $60 [a day] for all tourists. If you compare this figure to 1992, it was $135." The tourism ministry says its "We miss you" campaign -- or "Wahash toonah" in Arabic -- aims to portray Egypt as a destination unruffled by upheavals, including the resurgence of violence that followed the 2013 ouster and arrest of former leader Mohamed Morsy. "Life has never been interrupted in any of the cities," says ministry spokeswoman Rasha Azaizi. "Egypt is still a safe destination, if you know where you are going and what you are doing." Despite the ministry's assurances of safety, calm has not entirely returned to Cairo, home to some 20 million people. Travel warnings . The U.S. Department of State continues to warn travelers that ongoing political and social unrest in major cities has increased the risk of violence, including gun and explosive attacks. It warns that women have been targeted in sexual assaults. In one incident on May 19, three policemen were killed and nine others injured when unknown gunmen opened fire near a university. The attack took place when security forces confronted students loyal to Morsy's Muslim Brotherhood who were protesting against the military-led government in charge since the former leader's arrest. A government spokesman, Ehab Badawy, characterized the latest incident as an attempt to disrupt Egypt's democratic process. He pledged that a crackdown that has seen 16,000 people arrested would "create a peaceful and stable and prosperous future." "There is no place in Egyptian society for those who resort to violence of any kind in an attempt to undermine the state," he said in a statement. One day after the killings, a trickle of foreign tourists could be seen entering Cairo's Egyptian Museum, home to the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb, apparently unaware of the most recent attack. Brian Klipstein, 22, said he had flown in from Chicago a day earlier and had gotten up at 4:30 am Tuesday to begin a two-day visit to Egypt. He managed to tour both the Giza and Saqqara pyramids before arriving at the Egyptian Museum. "I really like what there is to see," he said. "At the same time, it's not an easy travel." The Egyptian Museum is located on the edge of iconic Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protests that pushed President Hosni Mubarak from office in 2011, and Morsy in 2013. To reach the museum's main entrance, Klipstein walked along a side street lined with 24 Egyptian Army tanks. "It's a little intimidating, but it's actually a bit reassuring," he said. Aniqua Bokhari, another American visiting the museum, is in Cairo for the summer, interning at a UN agency. She has an unusual perspective, having been present in Egypt during the 2011 revolution and again when Morsy was removed. "I feel completely safe," said Bokhari, 24, adding that she felt at ease in Cairo because her dark looks mean she is sometimes mistaken for an Egyptian. "I say it all the time, I love Egypt and I love Egyptians. This is my favorite place." Carol Berger is a journalist based in Cairo who writes for publications including the Guardian and the Los Angeles Review of Books. | Tourism experts in Egypt say revenues are down by nearly $2.5 billion as visitor numbers plummet .
Egypt's new "We miss you" campaign targets wealthy Arabs from Gulf nations .
The campaign has been launched in time for the Eid holiday, marking end of Muslim fasting month of Ramadan .
Traditional visitors from North America and Europe not expected to return in their previous numbers for years to come . |
fa41ebc55df1d22899ff256f493294ddf6bb6ca6 | Most people wouldn't choose to hang out with their gran while watching Nicki Minaj twerking and grinding on their computer screen - but most people aren't Kevin Droniak. In the latest instalment of the 17-year-old YouTube star's adventures with his grandma BFF, the pair sit down to watch the American R&B star's provocative Anaconda music video, while he films her hilarious reaction. The clip has already racked up almost half a million views, proving to be another hit for Droniak, from Newtown, Connecticut, and his firecracker nan, who lives in Shelton. Scroll down for video . Kevin Droniak, 17, watched Nicki Minaj's provocative Anaconda music video (pictured) with his grandma BFF . 'Why would I want to watch this?' Grandma asks the teen as a scantily glad Minaj bumps and grinds on screen. 'No I don't like it, it's not my style.' Diplomatically, she then adds: 'I wouldn't want to watch it every day.' Grandma starts by noting that the video is not for her age group, but then adds: 'Even if I was 20 I wouldn't like it.' Commenting on Minaj's skimpy attire, she announces: 'You're looking for trouble if you dress like that.' But although Grandma insists that she does not find Minaj's video 'hot', she complimentary about the controversial rapper's famous physique. She says: 'She's slim all over, she's got a figure. Kevin's hilarious video is the latest installment of the YouTube star's adventures with his gran. Above, Nicki Minaj (right) is pictured donning gold chains in her racy Anaconda music video, while a dancer twerks (left) Why would I want to watch this?' Grandma asks the teen as a scantily glad Minaj bumps and grinds on screen. 'No I don't like it, it's not my style'. Above, a still from Nicki Minaj's video . 'If she wants to be that, that's her business, that's none of my business.' But Grandma is less than impressed when her grandson announces that Minaj is the sort of woman he would like to marry. 'Your marriage would never last if she was doing this,' she states. Droniak and his grandma's rise to YouTube stardom began about two years ago when the teen decided to capture his gran's priceless wisdom by setting up a secret camera in her car. That first video went viral, and since then Droniak has continued to capture their hilarious conversations - even after revealing his sneaky filming to his grandma. Commenting on Minaj's skimpy attire, Kevin's gran announces: 'You're looking for trouble if you dress like that' In early August, Kevin showed her the YouTube videos he had posted of her and expected a furious reaction. True to form, he filmed her watching herself, and her priceless reaction showed that she finds the videos almost as funny as her thousands of fans. After the big revelation, Kevin admitted that his grandmother became a little more wary when a camera is around. But the teen assured the followers of his YouTube channel - which now total nearly 200,000 - that he will continue to capture more adventures with his gran. | Kevin Droniak, 17, sits down with grandma to watch Anaconda music video .
His grandma can't hide her disgust at the rapper's twerking and grinding .
She dismisses her grandson's suggestion that Minaj is the kind of woman he would like to marry, claiming 'it would never last'
The clip has already racked up almost half a million views on YouTube .
Kevin, from Newton, Connecticut, has filmed gran a number of times before . |
fa42176a6eb8f9d7311f69fd89e330fcf6e8df38 | Australia has emerged as the top country with the most overpriced housing market in the world, with properties overvalued by 33 per cent. In the latest issue of The Economist, the nation's property prices are measured against average incomes and topples Canada, New Zealand and France for the number spot. The country's position as one of the most expensive housing markets is further solidified when comparing prices and rents. Scroll down for video . Under this comparison, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and Belgium are the only four countries which have higher overvaluation than Australia, sitting on 55 per cent. According to the same data, China is undervalued on 38 per cent. This is accounted for by the Chinese market being flooded with properties as newly constructed apartment buildings sit empty around built-up areas, according to Property Observer. But it is a different story at home where demand for Australian properties has exceeded supply, which accounts for the increase in prices. Australia has come out on top as the nation that has the most overvalued real estate in the world after a record growth of 4.2 per cent in housing prices . This comes as new figures show house prices in Australian capital cities have recorded their strongest gains in winter since 2007, increasing by 4.2 per cent in the three months to the end of August. RP Data figures showed Melbourne and Sydney were the only capital cities to record double-digit dwelling value growth over the past year. Melbourne outperformed Sydney over winter but Sydney was the leader year-on-year, with house prices increasing 16.2 per cent in Sydney compared with 11.7 percent in Melbourne. Melbourne (pictured) and Sydney led the growth figures, recording double-digit dwelling value growth over the past year . All other capital cities trailed behind with Adelaide recording a 5.9 percent rise year-on-year, followed by Brisbane with 5.4 percent, Darwin with 5.4 per cent, Perth with 3.5 per cent, Hobart 2.8 per cent and Canberra with 1.4 perc ent. RP Data research director Tim Lawless said Sydney and Melbourne housing markets were driving these two tier conditions. He added that he expected dwelling values to increase again this Spring. 'Considering the ongoing high rate of auction clearance rates, a generally rapid rate of sale and the ongoing low interest rate environment, it's likely that dwelling values rise even further over the next three months,' Mr Lawless said. 'Consumer confidence is also moving in the right direction now after the post-budget slump which will add fuel to the exuberant buying and selling conditions we have seen during winter.' | Australia's real estate market was compared to a number of other countries .
These included New Zealand, France, Canada, Belgium and the U.S.
Meanwhile China's property prices were undervalued by 38 per cent .
It comes as Australia sees a record climb in house prices of 4.2 per cent . |
fa43145c1ab0357139ce6e481c61964c8ca09001 | An unsatisfied customer in California is suing the author of Fifty Shades of Grey and a British sex toy company for unspecified damages, claiming a lubricant they released under the S&M book's brand failed to deliver the pleasure it promised. The lubricant - Fifty Shades of Grey: Come Alive Pleasure Gel for Her - was one of many erotic products released by Lovehoney in conjunction with the novel's author, E.L. James, who approved each item. The arousal gel's packaging said users would 'experience enhanced orgasms and stimulation as every tingle, touch and vibration intensifies'. It also featured a quote from the tome's main character and narrator, Anastasia Steele, reading: 'I surrender, exploding around him — a draining, soul-grabbing orgasm that leaves me spent and exhausted.' Failed to make me come alive: California woman Tania Warchol claims the $14.99 'Come Alive Pleasure Gel' - which promises to deliver 'stimulation as every tingle, touch and vibration and intensifies' - did not work . However, the unhappy consumer, Tania Warchol, said the lubricant - which costs $14.99 - failed to perform, and also claims the slippery substance is incompatible with latex, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Warchol said she bought two tubes of the gel from an Adam & Eve store in California. She is seeking a refund and punitive damages. Warchol has also filed her lawsuit as a class action, inviting other California residents who were also displeased with the product to join her effort. 'Based on (the) Defendants' representations, (the) Plaintiff believed the Product has powerful aphrodisiac qualities and would increase her sexual pleasure as advertised,' reads the complaint, which was obtained by THR. 'The Product did not deliver the purported benefits.' Warchol also claims the lubricant has been mislabeled, because anything purporting to be an 'aphrodisiac' needs approval from the Federal Drug Administration. Steamy: While the Fifty Shades of Grey movie will be released next week, it is not involved with the lawsuit . Sued: Author E.L. James attends the "Fifty Shades Of Grey" New York Fan First screening at Ziegfeld Theatre on February 6, 2015 in New York City . The product has been on shelves for the last four years, following the runaway success of the book in 2011. However their popularity has increased ahead of the release of the much-hyped film adaptation, starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, which hits cinemas on February 13. The range also includes nipple clamps, two different dildos and a Fifty Shades Of Grey Soothe Me After Spanking Cream, which 'boasts the luxurious aroma of sandalwood, bergamot and musk, Christian’s signature scent'. Universal Pictures, producers of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie, has not been named in the lawsuit, because they are not affiliated with the products. E.L. James - who sold the film rights to her book series, a trilogy, to Universal Pictures and Focus Features in March 2012 - has not commented on the suit. She attended the film's world premiere in New York on Friday night. Runaway success: The products were released following the popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2011 . According to Entertainment Weekly, the lawsuit will have numerous obstacles to overcome in order to be successful. Above all, the action will have to prove the fact the lubricant did not work, which may be tricky to say the least. Elle magazine describe the lawsuit as 'insane'. | California woman Tania Warchol bought the $14.99 gel twice .
'The Product did not deliver the purported benefits,' the lawsuit says .
She has filed a class action, inviting other consumers to join her effort .
Suing E.L. James and manufacturer Lovehoney for unspecified damages . |
fa43cbe63a3ec159c3df3bb910d0ebd4aacd7760 | Manchester United fans have been crowned the noisiest when following their team away from home in the Premier League despite the lack of very much to shout about in the early part of the season. Louis van Gaal's side didn't win a game on their travels until November 22 at Arsenal - after five away matches in the top-flight - and were fortunate to secure three points then. But that slump didn't stop supporters backing United more vocally than any other side in the top flight. Manchester United fans have been crowned the noisiest when following their team away from home . Liverpool supporters were voted the second loudest in the Premier League over the past year . West Bromwich Albion fans are said to get behind their team less than any other club . Stoke - who travelled to Crystal Palace last Saturday - are 10th in the list of the loudest . 1. Man United; 2. Newcastle; 3. Liverpool; 4. Crystal Palace; 5. Chelsea; 6. Man City; 7. Arsenal; 8. West Ham; 9. Southampton; 10. Stoke; 11. Cardiff*; 12. Norwich; 13. Swansea; 14. Sunderland; 15. Everton; 16. Aston Villa; 17. Leicester; 18. Spurs; 19. Fulham*; 20. Hull; 21. QPR; 22. Burnley; 23. West Brom . *includes relegated sides . They also closely followed by both Newcastle United and Liverpool, while Arsenal are down in seventh. In a Carlsberg survey taking in last year's three relegated sides, West Bromwich Albion find themselves rock bottom, with Burnley and Queens Park Rangers not too far ahead. Surprisingly Everton are down in 15th, with Crystal Palace fourth and Manchester City sixth. Fans were quizzed on the top talking points of 2014, with England supporters voting Germany as their second team. Wayne Rooney's stunning 50-yard strike away at West Ham United was named the goal of the year, with the World Cup winners' 7-1 semi-final demolition of Brazil the moment of 2014. Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring against Sam Allardyce's West Ham United in September . Germany's 7-1 demolition of Brazil during the World Cup semi-final was crowned moment of the year . Wayne Rooney's 50-yard strike away at West Ham last season was voted goal of the year . Carlsberg conducted a review of 2014 to celebrate the Carlsberg Fan Squad Festive Football Calendar and the alternative Christmas Day message. The message to the nation will see Jeff Stelling look back over a bumper year of football with his Boxing Day review. Grab your cold turkey sandwiches and check it out at midday on CarlsbergFanSquad.co.uk. | Louis van Gaal's side didn't win away until at Arsenal on November 22 .
Liverpool and Newcastle are third and second respectively .
Wayne Rooney's goal at West Ham voted the best of the year by fans . |
fa443c32f5adfec52cecc3cd7f582a3292478fba | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- With moments of silence punctuated by somber music, readings of names, and tears, Americans held solemn memorial services Thursday to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. President Bush comforts a mourner Thursday at the dedication of the Pentagon's 9/11 memorial. Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld returned to the Pentagon to help dedicate a memorial to victims of the attack there. "Today we renew our vows to never forget how this long struggle began and to never forget those who fell first," said Rumsfeld, who despite his high office helped carry the wounded from the burning building seven years ago. "We will never forget the way this huge building shook. We will not forget our colleagues and friends who were taken from us and their families. "And we will not forget what that deadly attack has meant for our nation." Watch Rumsfeld speak » . Rumsfeld donated hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money to help build the Pentagon memorial. President Bush followed Rumsfeld at the lectern. "On a day when buildings fell, heroes rose," Bush said. "... One of the worst days in America's history saw some of the bravest acts in America's history." Watch Bush speak » . After the ceremony, participants moved through the memorial, finding and touching the benches honoring loved ones, colleagues and fellow citizens. Earlier, a bagpiper walked alone across the Pentagon memorial playing "Amazing Grace." Watch the bagpiper's moving solo » . Seven years ago, al Qaeda terrorists used hijacked airplanes to attack the World Trade Center and the Pentagon -- the twin symbols of America's financial and military might. Another hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania. iReport.com: 'I just sat in my car and cried' At the Pentagon, the ceremony dedicated a memorial to the 184 victims killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building's west wall. An American flag was raised smartly to the top of a flagpole, then slowly lowered to half-staff, and a band played the national anthem. Watch and listen to Thursday's ceremonies » . At the White House, President Bush and first lady Laura Bush, along with Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, observed a moment of silence on the South Lawn at 8:46 a.m., the moment when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. In New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced a moment of silence also at 8:46 a.m. Throughout the day's ceremonies, he was also to call for moments of silence to mark the time the second plane hit the south tower, the fall of the south tower, and then the fall of the north tower. Watch an audio slide show about that day » . "We come each year to stand alongside those who loved and lost the most, to bear witness to the day which began like any other and ended as none ever has," Bloomberg said. Flanked by police officers, firefighters and other officials, Bloomberg quoted what he called an Irish proverb: "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal." Watch Bloomberg honor the victims » . Relatives then began to read the names of the 2,751 victims at the crash site, commonly called ground zero. Moments of silence were also observed at 9:03 a.m., the moment in 2001 that the south tower of the World Trade Center was struck by United Airlines Flight 175; 9:59 a.m., when that tower fell; and 10:29 a.m., marking the collapse of the north tower. The New York Stock Exchange observed a moment of silence before its opening bell sounded. In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, spoke for less than two minutes at a ceremony to remember the 40 passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, who perished after the hijacked plane went down in a field there. Watch Americans remember 9/11 victims » . It is believed that the passengers and crew, aware of the fate of at least some of the other hijacked planes, fought back against the men who had taken control of their aircraft, leading to its crash. The services were held at a temporary memorial near the western Pennsylvania crash site. McCain and his Democratic counterpart, Sen. Barack Obama, agreed to suspend campaigning for the day. Both candidates were to take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the World Trade Center site at 3:30 p.m. | NEW: Former defense secretary donated thousands for memorial .
'On a day when buildings fell, heroes rose,' president says .
Day 'began like any other and ended as none ever has,' New York mayor says .
Watch 9/11 memorials in New York and Washington on CNN.com Live . |
fa4470aadaf14ca8cc3239c2e0c300a040feecd4 | By . Grant Miles . Adnan Januzaj says that he is happy to carry the burden of wearing the Manchester United No 11 shirt famously worn by Ryan Giggs for 20 years. He wore the shirt for the first time during United's defeat to Swansea at Old Trafford. Januzaj admitted feeling a mixture of pride and pressure. 'It was a big honour for me and my family and I was very happy to have it given to me,' the Belgian midfielder said. No pressure: Januzaj insists he is happy to wear the Manchester United number 11 shirt . Young promise: Adnan Januzaj makes a jinking runs past Wayne Routledge during United's defeat to Swansea . Fierce competition: Januzaj tries to take the ball past eventual match-winner Gylfi Sigurdsson . 'There is pressure on me because there was a legend in front of me who had it for 20 years, but I am really happy with that.' Januzaj downplayed Manchester United's loss to Swansea and insists nobody should read into the result. There are high hopes for the 19-year old this season, but the United midfielder is simply focusing on the next game. He added: 'It was a very disappointing match but it's only the first one of the season so it's nothing,' 'We'll move on to the next one now.' | Adnan Januzaj wore the number 11 shirt for the first time against Swansea .
Ryan Giggs wore the same shirt for 20 years at Manchester United .
Januzaj says it was a big honour for him and his family when he was handed the number . |
fa44b5a2d93dfd70ec586211014905e24a962907 | A young boy was killed the day after Christmas while riding a scooter he had received just one day earlier as a present. Roman Martinez of Upland, California was in front of his home on his new electric Razor scooter on Friday when he accidentally rode into the path of an oncoming car. He was airlifted to the Loma Linda University Medical Center where he later died. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Ramon Martinez (above) was killed on Friday when he rode his scooter into the path of an oncoming car . Scene: It all happened outside his home in Upland, California (above) 'The juvenile rode out of the driveway directly into the path of the oncoming Honda,' said a report released by the California Highway Patrol which was obtained by KTLA. The driver of the car then 'applied her brakes but was unable to stop prior to colliding with the juvenile.' The driver stayed on the scene and was not taken into custody. The boy's godmother, Kathy Barnes, was still having trouble dealing with the tragedy. 'I just think people need to be a little more mindful, especially in neighborhoods,' she said. 'This is a neighborhood. Kids live here.' As for Martinez, she said that the young boy was a 'really good kid' who was 'always happy' and had a 'good sense of adventure.' | Ramon Martinez was killed on Friday while riding his electric Razor scooter outside his home in Upland, California .
The boy, who received the scooter as a Christmas gift, rode it into the path of an oncoming car .
The driver of the car stayed on the scene and was not charged or taken into custody . |
fa4526508f2525227e270e181a7ee77cbb68c895 | One million British children classed as healthy by the Government's official statistics are dangerously unfit, according to shocking new research. Academics warn that an epidemic of inactivity means many slim-looking children have 'hidden' fat which puts them at risk of an early death from type 2 diabetes or heart disease. They warn that a national schools strategy to monitor children's health is failing to identify many of those at risk because it does not officially class them as overweight. Scroll down for video . An epidemic of inactivity means many slim-looking children have 'hidden' fat which puts them at risk . It uses a measurement known as body mass index (BMI), which estimates the number of overweight or obese school-age children at about three million - nearly 30 per cent of all five- to 18-year-olds. But the latest research, using a more accurate method to measure actual body fat, indicates one million more children are carrying too much fat around their internal organs. It provides mounting evidence that Britain is facing a childhood obesity crisis - and suggests the Olympic legacy of 2012 is failing to create healthier and more active young people. The scientists have described a generation of 'Tofi' kids - who are 'Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside'. They say as many as one in seven children recorded by schools as having a healthy BMI are at risk of developing life-limiting diseases. Last night, after being confronted with the research, Public Health Minister Jane Ellison admitted BMI 'isn't a perfect measure'. But despite the evidence, officials say there are no plans to change the system. Child obesity expert Professor David McCarthy, of London Metropolitan University, who led the research, said the number of unfit youngsters had been 'clearly underestimated'. Research indicates one million more children are carrying too much fat around their internal organs . He added: 'There's a raft of children who have been overlooked because they have a “healthy” BMI. This matters because the more fat you have, compared to muscle, the more likely you are to develop type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease in later life. If they maintain that body composition into adulthood, or it gets worse, they are going to be at high risk of these diseases.' The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), introduced in 2006, records children's height and weight at ages four to five, and again when they are ten and 11. These measurements produce a BMI for each child, which indicates whether they are within a healthy range or not. However, BMI is known to be poor at distinguishing between overweight children and those who are naturally muscular. As a result of the programme, parents have received official letters warning them that their sporty, active children are overweight. In the unpublished study of more than 1,000 children, Prof McCarthy used a Tanita 'bio-electrical impedance' machine that passes a low electrical current through the body to determine how much weight is fat and how much is muscle. The . research found 15 per cent of those classed as having a healthy BMI . carried high levels of fat, but low levels of muscle. One eight-year-old . boy recorded a healthy BMI of 17.7 but was found to have 23 per cent . body fat and low muscle mass. Another . boy, aged nine, had a healthy BMI of 19 but carried more than 28 per . cent body fat, making him technically obese - despite not appearing . overweight. Meanwhile, the study found one in ten children labelled . overweight using BMI were healthy - equivalent to 300,000 children . nationwide. Prof . McCarthy said: 'Many children find playing on the computer more . enjoyable than hopscotch or tag, as they did 40 years ago. I think we . have underestimated the importance of installing good physical activity . habits early in life.' Tam . Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said: 'The NCMP is not producing a . true and accurate picture of obesity in this country. We need to see . inside children with sophisticated scientific equipment to find hidden . fat - otherwise we are failing to address a growing problem. 'There should be a scanning unit visiting schools, and children should be measured annually. We're making decisions on how to combat obesity based on inadequate information.' Child fitness expert Dr Gavin Sandercock, at Essex University, said: 'The least fit and healthy children in our studies are the ones who are underweight, not the overweight ones. Prof McCarthy thinks we have underestimated the importance of installing good physical activity habits . BMI isn't related to health at all - it's a height-to-weight ratio - and because it's so insensitive it's not fit for purpose. I can't think of a worse way to measure children's health. It fails them.' Childhood obesity is known to be a growing problem in the UK which has been blamed on poor diet and lack of exercise. Once established, it is hard to treat - making early intervention more crucial. Overweight children are more likely to become obese adults and therefore have a higher risk of premature death, disability and long-term health problems. Most of the serious consequences will not develop until adulthood. The NCMP is administered by Public Health England. Dr Ann Hoskins, director of children, young people and families, said: 'We have to look at the totality of evidence, which concludes the BMI Centile is the most suitable indicator of body fat and overall weight in childhood.' Minister Jane Ellison said: 'We know BMI isn't a perfect measure but it is recognised internationally as the most reliable way to estimate body mass. It is recommended by the World Health Organisation. 'There is still much to do and we are clear that families need a balanced diet and regular exercise to be healthy.' | Academics warn many inactive slim-looking children have 'hidden' fat .
One million more kids are carrying too much fat around their internal organs .
One in seven with 'healthy' BMI are at risk of developing life-limiting diseases . |
fa45382cd682623e4199ede39cc04b0ace36bf16 | British officials were last night accused of ‘political interference’ in a crucial report on international climate change. The economic impact of global warming was ramped up in the final draft by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Shortly before authors wrote the final version, a British Government official passed scientists a note complaining about an earlier, more moderate draft. British officials were last night accused of 'political interference' in a crucial report on international climate change . The official, from Ed Davey’s Department for Energy and Climate Change, said the economic section of the report was at best an ‘under-estimate’ and at worst ‘completely meaningless’. The final document, published today in Japan, increases the predicted economic impact of global warming. Critics said the suggestion of political interference by the Coalition, which set out to be the ‘greenest government ever’, was alarming. Tory MP Peter Bone said: ‘It is always the same with climate change. If the facts don’t suit them, they change it to suit them. ‘A Government official interfering with an independent scientific report is ridiculous. What you want … is what the independent scientific community thinks – not what people want them to say for their political purposes.’ The IPCC report is the first comprehensive analysis in seven years of the global consequences of climate change. It warns that the world is ‘ill-prepared’ and that the effects are ‘already occurring on all continents and across the oceans’. Rising temperatures, droughts and heatwaves will threaten food supplies and human health, while hundreds of millions of people will be hit by coastal flooding, it finds. The report, by more than 300 authors, informs policy decisions of governments around the world. But one of its contributors has accused the IPCC of being too ‘alarmist’ – and demanded his name be withdrawn. Professor Richard Tol, an economist at the University of Sussex, said the drafts had been changed to make the findings more ‘apocalyptic’. He said colleagues ‘drifted too far to the alarmist side’ and were likening climate change to the ‘four horsemen of the apocalypse’. His section of the report, based on 18 economic studies, predicted in early drafts that global warming of 2.5C would cut economic output by between 0.2 and 2 per cent a year – much less than previous estimates of up to 20 per cent. But the final IPCC report labels his predictions ‘incomplete estimates’. It states: ‘Losses are more likely than not to be greater … than this range.’ Britain, among other nations, lobbied for this highly significant change. On Friday, before final drafting discussions, the British government submitted a note faulting the draft. It said: ‘The quoted figures of 0.2 to 2 per cent of GDP [gross domestic product] are at best an under-estimate, and at worst completely meaningless.’ Other governments including Belgium, France and Norway also complained. But Chris Field, co-chair of the IPCC writers, last night dismissed criticism of the last-minute alteration and said the final report gave a ‘much clearer picture’. Despite praising Professor Tol as a ‘wonderful scientist’, Professor Field of Stanford University, added: ‘There were a couple of meaningful errors in the way Richard had done his analysis.’ Mr Davey said: ‘The science has spoken … This evidence builds the case for early action … We cannot afford to wait.’ A DECC spokesman said climate change impacts could be ‘catastrophic’, adding: ‘These cannot be underestimated and the UK Government, as well as other countries, are seeking to make sure this is understood the world over.’ But Professor Gordon Hughes, an environmental economist at Edinburgh University, said: ‘The IPCC has been a political body ever since it started … this is political interference. | Final document increases predicted economic impact of global warming .
It has been drafted by UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .
It says rising droughts and heatwaves will threaten food supplies . |
fa455c4c3ef6ba2eb79bcbff981ca83fa1060189 | TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- There was a smile, a quick wave hello, a brief chat. Yet, despite the exchange of pleasantries, the simmering tensions between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and one of the nation's most powerful clerics became quickly evident at a major ceremony in Tehran on Monday. From left: former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Sadeq Larijani and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad and former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani were attending the inauguration of Sadeq Larijani -- brother of Iran's prominent parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani -- who was tapped by Iran's supreme leader to be the new judiciary chief. It was only the second time Ahmadinejad and his political rival Rafsanjani, a reformist who has been a vocal critic of the hard-line regime in place, sat under the same roof since the disputed June 12 elections drew a rift among Iran's Islamic leadership, Iranian media reported. Photos from the scene show Ahmadinejad exchanging friendly waves with Rafsanjani and Sadeq Larijani, who was wedged between the rivals. The three appeared to be chatting amicably before Larijani made his acceptance speech. Just minutes later, Ahmadinejad alluded to Rafsanjani, one of the richest men in Iran, in a searing address that called for the prosecution of "the power-holders and the wealthy," state-run Press TV reported. But the president, who showed up more than an hour late for the ceremony, hustled out of the ceremony when Rafsanjani, the head of the Assembly of Experts that is in charge of selecting the supreme leader, took the podium, according to the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), which is aligned with Rafsanjani. The bad blood between the two high-profile figures goes back to the 2005 presidential race, when Ahmadinejad defeated Rafsanjani. This time around, Rafsanjani supported Ahmadinejad's chief rival, opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi, in the race. Iran's election authority declared Ahmadinejad the overwhelming winner of the race, sparking hundreds of thousands of Iranians to take to the streets in protest. While hundreds have been released, the Islamic government has been prosecuting opposition figures en masse. Supporters of the trials have focused their rhetoric on Moussavi, fellow reformist Mehdi Karrubi and Rafsanjani, accusing the leaders of instigating post-election unrest and calling for charges against them. During his speech at Sadeq Larijani's inauguration Monday, Rafsanjani warned against the consequences of "unjust" verdicts in the trials, saying poor treatment of the detainees will cause society to "descend into chaos," Press TV reported . "In the case of delivering fair verdicts, society will have a sense of security," Rafsanjani said, according to Press TV, "and no one will feel helpless in asserting his violated rights." The treatment of detainees at Iran's prisons has increasingly become a divisive issue within Iran's Islamic leadership, as reformists continue to accuse the government of allowing abuse and torture in attempts to coerce false confessions. The newly appointed judiciary chief admitted to deficiencies in the judicial system and pledged to prosecute those who "violated people's rights," Press TV reported. | Two seem cordial at inauguration of Iran's new judiciary chief .
Then Ahmadinejad calls for prosecution of "the power-holders and the wealthy"
Rafsanjani is one of the richest men in Iran .
Bad blood between the two goes back to 2005 presidential race . |
fa456105a8ca020f355539179f9b619f501e6d2c | Naomi Watts is the latest to team up with Tommy Hilfiger to help women living with breast cancer. The Australian star has signed on as global ambassador for the U.S. brand's limited-edition handbag for Breast Health International, which aids the charity's Fund For Living. The 45-year-old actress joins current ambassadors Renée Zellweger, Carla Bruni, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and a host of other famous philanthropic women. Carry on: Naomi Watts is global ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger's limited-edition handbag for Breast Health International . The bag Ms Watts models in the ad costs $299, with $100 of every purchase going to the Fund for Living program. Shot in her Los Angeles home by famed photographer Patrick Demarchelier, the campaign features the stunning blonde carrying the blue pebbled-leather accessory, complete with a signature red, white and blue keyring.. She wears a blue knit sweater as she stands by a window overlooking her lush backyard. Ms Watts told WWD: 'The Fund for Living takes care of people and their very specific needs. 'Those people that need extra help - like taking care of their children, getting to the doctors, the little details. Can you imagine having to deal with that level of crisis and then trying to maintain a life if you've got children? This just helps with managing things, having that extra support.' In addition to the wonderful cause, the Academy Award nominee added that she is also a huge fan of the multi-functional bag, which is useful in transitioning from day to evening. Ms Watts explained: 'It's a really functional bag. You can use it for work, and you can use it for going out. I hate having to change my bag.' The bag will be available from the brand's website from September 25 and from certain Tommy Hilfiger stores globally for October 1. | The ad is for the brand's limited-edition handbag for Breast Health International . |
fa45951049ab69d76b4ac2a52fa387ef5a74987b | By . Laura Williamson . Follow @@laura_mail . ‘I’ve heard it said I must be gutted to have been brought up in a place like Peckham. Rubbish.’ Rio Ferdinand – ‘Rio: My Story’, 2006. Next to Leyton Square on Peckham Park Road in Southwark, south-east London, there is a blue circular plaque, discreetly placed on the side of a building. 'Rio Ferdinand,' it says in white letters. 'Peckham’s football legend, who lived on the Friary Estate.' Moving on: Rio Ferdinand will leave Manchester United on a free transfer this summer . Say cheese! Ferdinand takes a selfie upon arrival at the Changi International Airport . Blue for the red: A plaque commemorates Ferdinand's rise from the Friary Estate in Peckham, south London, to the top of the football world . Happy memories: Ferdinand lifts the 2008 Champions League trophy with Ryan Giggs after beating Chelsea . The plaque overlooks a patch of grass and a fenced concrete playground with buildings covered in brightly coloured murals. Ferdinand used to call it ‘The Adventure’. ‘That adventure playground was the hub of the estate,’ recalled Damien Mills, who was in the same school year as Ferdinand at Camelot Primary School on nearby Bird-in-Bush Road. ‘Everybody left their kids there, but we were all safe because they always knew where we were. ‘There were lots of single parents and it was a good place for us to go after school before everyone got called in for dinner. 'You could always hear Rio’s mum calling: "Ree-oh!” Everybody knew her voice.' Fun time: A play area inside the Friary Estate where Ferdinand spent some of his childhood . New boy: Ferdinand shows off his United shirt with then manager Sir Alex Ferguson after joining from Leeds for £29.1million in July, 2002 . Ferdinand was born on November 7 1978 in King’s College Hospital, Camberwell, and lived with his mother Janice and younger brother Anton in a two-bed flat in Gisburn House until he was 14. The Ferdinands' father, Julian, a tailor, moved to the nearby to the Yellow Brick Estate when Rio was nine and Anton was two. His parents never married. The Ferdinands’ council flat overlooked a patch of grass Rio used to call ‘Wembley’. The fading blooms of red roses mark it now, along with a sign saying ‘No Ball Games’. Not that this would have stopped Rio and Anton. Andy Morgan lived two doors along on the second floor of Gisburn House. He remembered the boys as ‘very civil and well-mannered’ - even when they were racing other kids from the estate across the car park. Mr Morgan told Sportsmail in 2010: 'We always thought Anton might be the better player, because he would always win their races. He just looked so natural.’ The young Rio was afraid of dogs, but Mr Morgan let him play with his mongrel, Ranger. He too recalls Rio’s mother calling her son's name as darkness fell, the signal that another day’s play was to end. Champions: Ferdinand shows off the 2006-07 Premier League trophy with Cristiano Ronaldo . Home ground: Ferdinand grew up on the Friary Estate in Peckham, south London . On target: Ferdinand scores a rare goal against Liverpool in a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in 2006 . ‘She was very strict,’ said Mr Morgan. ‘They were never in a lot of bother.’ Ferdinand has said he ‘learned all about life’ during those early days on the Friary Estate. He had to, after all. ‘You became street-wise but you got a sense of real values as well,’ he said in his 2006 autobiography. Mr Mills agrees. ‘I think, in a way, it helped Rio,' he told Sportsmail in 2010. 'There used to be a real community spirit. The older kids played football with the younger ones, and we aspired to be like them.’ Yet Ferdinand's upbringing was quite different from the lifestyle he and wife Rebecca have been able to give their children Lorenz, eight, Tate, five and Tia, three. The Friary estate would be scarred by the death of Damilola Taylor in a stairwell on Blakes Road, less than a mile from where the Ferdinands grew up, in 2000. Early doors: Ferdinand began playing youth football while living at Gisburn House . Passion: Ferdinand celebrates scoring the winning goal in Sir Alex Ferguson's last home game as United boss . Home sweet home: Ferdinand lived at 18 Gisburn House in Peckham as he began his football career . Ferdinand also knew and was at school with Stephen Lawrence, the 18-year-old who was stabbed to death waiting for a bus in Eltham, six miles south of Peckham, in April 1993. The North Peckham estate received a £290million investment in 2007 and the high-rise blocks are gone, but this is not the Peckham of Del Boy and Rodney. Mr Morgan, who has lived in Gisburn House for more than 40 years, described stepping over piles of rubbish to get out of the door. There are plenty of public sports facilities – basketball courts, concrete five-a-side pitches and climbing frames - but few kids playing on them these days. ‘The estate’s not the same now though, the warmth has gone,’ said Ferdinand in his autobiography. ‘Everyone keeps to themselves and it’s lost its heart. There’s hardly any kids playing outside there any more. It’s weird, almost eerie.’ Mr Mills added: ‘There were a lot of opportunities for Rio to go down the wrong path. We all know guys who didn’t make it; who just had too many other distractions. Captain planet: Ferdinand lifts the FIFA World Club Cup after victory over Ecuador's Liga de Quito in 2008 . Learning curve: Ferdinand believes living on the Friary Estate taught him to become 'street wise' Snap shot: Ferdinand takes photographs after arriving in Singapore . ‘For people outside the area, you think of Del Boy and Rodney, but I think a lot of the problems are the same as in any area of poverty. ‘It was too easy to get side-tracked and there were people who were as good as Rio, or better, who didn’t make it because they didn’t have that focus.’ Ferdinand certainly had focus, but he cannot have had much spare time, either. He represented Southwark in gymnastics at the London Games and attended the Central School of Ballet in Farringdon four times a week for four years, doing jazz dance, contemporary and modern ballet. He was also in a drama club at Peckham Settlement, a local resource centre. Aged 10 he represented Bloomfield Athletic and then spent a year at QPR before playing in midfield a little closer to home at Eltham Town. By the time he was 14 – and a pupil at Bluecoat School in Blackheath where he would achieve GCSEs in English, maths, drama, PE and science – the Ferdinands had moved to a three-bed flat in Latona Road, the other side of ‘The Adventure’. Janice married Peter St Fort in 1993 and when Rio’s half-sister, Sian, was born, the family needed a bigger home. The Latona Road flat was, however, nothing compared to the four-bed £300,000 detached house in Mottingham near Bromley that Ferdinand was able to buy the woman he called ‘Super Mum’ when he was 19. ‘All our possessions fitted into the front room,’ he said. Final bow: United's 1-1 draw with Southampton was Ferdinand's last game for the Old Trafford club . Moving on up: Ferdinand's family now live in this detached house in Kent . Hard man: Ferdinand is escorted from the pitch by Robin van Persie after being cut by a coin thrown from the crowd during a Manchester derby in 2012 . By then, Ferdinand had left Peckham behind and was making waves as a classy central defender for West Ham United. His move to Leeds United in November 2000, when he became the world’s most expensive defender, was only three years away. But although Ferdinand moved away from the Friary Estate he had called home throughout his childhood, ‘Peckham’s football legend’ has never forgotten his roots. They, too, have never forgotten him. The shop where Rio used to buy sweets after school and the butchers where his mother would buy meat are still there. People talk about Ferdinand fondly, and with considerable pride. There is a folder in Peckham’s prize-winning library chronicling the newspaper articles that chart Ferdinand’s progress. There have, of course, been considerable peaks and troughs during Ferdinand's career as a professional footballer but, for many, he remains the boy who raced home from school and dreamed of emulating Diego Maradona. ‘We’re really proud of what he’s done and always hoped he would make it,’ said Mr Mills. ‘Nobody in Peckham really realised you could be a pro footballer.' And it all started on an adventure playground in Peckham. | Rio Ferdinand has been told his Manchester United career is over .
Defender was given news in Southampton dressing room .
Former England captain was raised in tough south London neighbourhood of Peckham, notorious for murder of Damilola Taylor in 2000 .
Ferdinand grew into world's best defender from humble beginnings . |
fa45e975ed3b45b4e545127c37caf81a1ed26e7e | Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, landed in Havana on Monday for a private visit aimed at reducing tension between the Cold War enemies and seeing first-hand the economic reforms sweeping the communist island. But expectations are high that Carter also will work behind the scenes to secure the release of American contractor Alan Gross, who was recently sentenced to 15 years in a Cuban prison. Unlike his first visit in 2002, when then-President Fidel Castro personally greeted Carter on the tarmac, this time Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez was on hand to receive the former American leader. The Carter Center has called the three-day trip a non-governmental mission at the invitation of the Cuban government. On Monday afternoon, he met with Jewish leaders and the archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega. Carter declined to comment Monday when reporters asked him about Gross, shouting, "There will be a press conference later." A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday. Cuba accuses the U.S. Agency for International Development subcontractor of "subversive" work connecting people to the internet illegally, with the ultimate goal of undermining the government. Washington says he was simply helping the Jewish community connect to the worldwide web and has repeatedly said that bilateral relations cannot improve until Gross is released. Carter visited the Patronato Jewish center and Temple Beth Shalom. When Adela Dworin, the president of the temple, was asked if they discussed Gross, she said: "We didn't talk about politics. We told him about the Jewish community in Cuba, how many members it has, how we openly practice our religion, etc." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Carter before his departure to discuss the issue, according to Molly Koscina, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. "We hope President Carter will urge the Cuban government to immediately release Mr. Gross on humanitarian grounds," she told CNN. On Tuesday, Carter will have a face-to-face session with President Raul Castro. In many ways, the time is ripe. Castro has launched a major shakeup of the nation's Soviet-style economic model, paving the way for more small businesses and private enterprise. And just last week, Cuba released the last of 75 dissidents jailed in a 2003 crackdown on the opposition that prompted worldwide condemnation. So at least in theory, two of the major obstacles to bilateral negotiations have been lifted. | NEW: Carter visits a Jewish center and temple and meets with the archbishop of Havana .
The trip is officially to strengthen bilateral ties .
However, there are hopes the ex-president may try to lobby for an American prisoner .
The U.S. contractor was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison . |
fa46364e26eb89dc3388f9a0d1bdc372f3ceea39 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:55 EST, 8 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:48 EST, 9 July 2013 . Nelson was painted by John Whichelo in September 1805 after the young artist visited him at his home . The last portrait made of Admiral Lord Nelson before he was killed in the Battle of Trafalgar is expected to fetch £30,000 at auction tomorrow. Nelson was painted by John Whichelo in September 1805 after the young artist visited him at his estate in Merton, South London. While at his home, Nelson began plans for the Battle of Trafalgar and also said his goodbyes to lover Lady Emma Hamilton. He was killed in action a month later as he led the Royal Navy to victory against the French and Spanish. But just a month later, he was killed in action has he led the British navy to their famous win over Napoleon's forces. The profile portrait depicts a grey-haired Nelson in Vice-Admiral's undress uniform with the Star of the Order of the Bath pinned to his chest. The order was presented to Nelson following the British victory at Cape St Vincent in 1797, and it was pinned to his uniform when he was shot dead at Trafalgar. In 1838 Whichelo presented the portrait to Admiral William Parker after teaching his son to paint.It has remained in the Parker family ever since. The portrait is expected to fetch upwards of £30,000 when it goes under the hammer. Dr Gabriel Heaton, from auctioneers Sotheby's, said: 'This is a wonderful and poignant portrait of one of Britain's unambiguous heroes. 'It is all the more special because it was painted during a very short break in which Nelson returned home to his estate after chasing the Combined Fleet down to the West Indies. 'During his leave, a young painter called John Whichelo travelled to Nelson's house at Merton and painted him in pastel. Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 . 'Nelson would have undoubtedly had a say in how he was portrayed - the portrait is very similar to one by Simon de Koster, which was known to be Nelson's favourite. 'The portrait captures Nelson at an incredibly important moment in his life and in British history. 'There were many potraits of Nelson after his death, but this is the last one ever made in life. 'Nelson is a tremendously important figure, and one who a lot of people feel an emotional attachment to. 'He is very keenly collected and we expect there to be a lot of interest in this portrait.' The auction will be held at Sotheby's in London on July 10. | Admiral Nelson was painted by John Whichelo in September 1805 .
He was killed in action a month later during the Battle of Trafalgar .
The profile depicts a grey-haired Nelson in Vice-Admiral's undress uniform . |
fa4682fce7eb6a5e9d974121c3af74c518a37ed5 | By . Adam Crafton . Follow @@AdamCrafton_ . Manchester City have been praised for taking a stand against racism after Patrick Vieira took his elite development team off the pitch when one of his young players, Seko Fofana, was allegedly racially abused. Midfielder Fofana, 19, was sent off for kicking out at an opponent moments after he believed he was racially abused during the pre-season friendly against HNK Rijeka in Croatia on Tuesday. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Seko Fofana scoring for Manchester City in 2013 . Flashpoint: Seko Fofana (No 8) kicked out at a NHK Rijeka player after being allegedly racially abused . Seeing red: Fofana was sent off for kicking out at his opponent as the players come together . Taking a stand: Patrick Vieira (third left) walked on to the pitch after hearing what may have happened . Stopped: The match is abandoned as Vieira leads his team off the pitch in Croatia after the incident . It is understood Vieira, once alerted . to Fofana’s complaint, went on to the pitch and, after talking to the . referee and other City officials, told his players to leave the field. Piara . Power, the executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, . praised Vieira, saying: ‘The message it sends out is categorical. It is . just the sort of thing which will create change.’ But . the Croatia side rejected City’s account on Wednesday, claiming that . they had invented allegations of racism to cover up a poor tackle by . Fofana. Ranko Buketa, the . sport co-ordinator of HNK Rijeka, said: ‘It seems that this is the way . in which they are trying to hide a very hard tackle from a Manchester . City player that resulted in an exclusion, followed by a hasty and . illogical decision of the Manchester City coaching staff on the . withdrawal of the team from the field. The game was most of all within . the limits of fair play.’ Youngster: Fofana in action during an Under-21 match against Chelsea last season at the Etihad . Unfortunately, this isn't the first example in which a team have staged a walk-off after alleged racial abuse: . - In 2013, Kevin-Prince Boateng led his AC Milan team-mates off the pitch after black players were subjected to racist abuse during a friendly at fourth division side Pro Patria. The former Tottenham and Portsmouth forward kicked the ball into the crowd after 26 minutes of the goalless match in Busto Arsizio . - Later that year, Milan were rocked by another racism flashpoint as Kevin Constant reacted angrily to tormentors in a pre-season tournament but he was substituted rather than the match being abandoned. - Also in 2013, a Watford Under-19 side were taking part in the Wojtyla Cup in Rome when academy coach Dave Hughes ordered his players to leave the pitch after alleged racist abuse. He added that the fact they had six Nigerian players was evidence of their commitment to challenging racial prejudice. City . are continuing to piece together the evidence before submitting a . protest to the Croatian Football Federation and are prepared to take . the issue to UEFA and FIFA if the case reaches an unsatisfactory . conclusion. Fofana would be . the fourth City player to become a victim of racial abuse in just over . two years, following Mario Balotelli, Yaya Toure and academy star . Devante Cole, son of former City striker Andrew. Privately, . City are furious at the relaxed attitude towards racism in mainland . Europe, although an insider insisted that City are less concerned about . the punishment than being safe in the knowledge that they took the . correct course of action in leaving the field. Vieira . rates Fofana among the club’s most promising talents. The youngster was . said to be ‘deeply distressed’ by the incident and there was no . disguising the anger among staff and players as they flew back to . Manchester on Wednesday after a 10-day training camp in Croatia. No laughing matter: Vieira took his players off the pitch after allegations of racist abuse during pre-season . Making his point: Vieira was integral to Manchester City's players development and was in pre-season . Stepping in: After the incident, Man City coach Patrick Vieira stepped in to have the game cancelled . Previous: Kevin-Prince Boateng led his AC Milan team-mates off the pitch after black players were subjected to racist abuse in 2013 . VIDEO Racism in football won't change - Cole . | Vieira walked City youngsters off the pitch during pre-season in Croatia .
City midfielder Seko Fofana was allegedly the victim of racial abuse .
Friendly match was postponed after HNK Rijeka player allegedly racially insulted Fofana .
Piara Power, the executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, also praised Vieira for his actions .
Fofana is said to have been deeply distressed by the incident .
City boss Pellegrini also backed Vieira's decision .
Croatia side rejected City’s account on Wednesday, claiming that they had invented allegations of racism to cover up a poor tackle by Fofana . |
fa468b2010b2eee4cfed9f6f66d5ae8fec8362e1 | West Bromwich Albion have made an offer to free agent Shola Ameobi as Tony Pulis looks to strengthen his striking options. The former Newcastle centre forward is available for free after ending his contract with Turkish side Gaziantep. Pulis is determined to find support for Saido Berahino, and Ameobi provides an abundance of Premier League experience. West Bromwich Albion have made an offer to free agent and former Newcastle forward Shola Ameobi . No deal has yet been agreed, however, with Crystal Palace also monitoring the 33-year-old’s situation. But Albion have presented 6ft 3in Ameobi with terms and are edging ahead. Pulis has space in his squad with Georgios Samaras set to join Al-Hilal on loan. Buyers are also being sought for Brown Ideye, who has flopped dramatically since his club-record £10million move last summer. At this stage Albion want to sell the Nigerian rather than loan him out. Ameobi, who scored 79 goals in 397 games on Tyneside, knows the top-flight well and would fit into the Pulis system. He scored four goals in 11 games for Gaziantep but the club suffered financial difficulties and Ameobi cut his spell short this month. Tony Pulis wants support for Saido Berahino, and Ameobi provides Premier League experience . The Baggies spent £10m on Brown Ideye in the summer but now want to sell the Nigerian . | Shola Ameobi is currently without a club after leaving Gaziantep .
West Brom have now made an offer to the free agent .
Baggies manager Tony Pulis is looking to boost his attacking options .
Ameobi scored 79 goals in 397 games for Newcastle United . |
fa46a65a4d2c8565ebe83916f2dcf094317d000a | By . Lillian Radulova for Daily Mail Australia . and Reuters . It's the hospital where the surgeons fix missing limbs, repaint eyes and grow back the hair on some of Australia and New Zealand's most precious and well-loved possessions. The Doll Hospital in Sydney has restored more than three million beloved dolls and teddy bears across the country for more than 100 years. Geoff Chapman, 67, whose grandfather started the hospital in 1913, now continues the traditional family business –which restores a variety of toys from porcelain and antiques to the common rag doll - with the help of up to 12 other staff. Scroll down for video . The Doll Hospital in Sydney has has restored more than three million beloved dolls and teddy bears across Australia and New Zealand over more than 100 years . Chief Surgeon: Geoff Chapman, 67, whose grandfather started the hospital in 1913, now continues the traditional family business with the help of up to 12 other staff . Before and after: This composition doll, made from compressed wood chip, had its hair, eyes and lips hand-painted by Australian doll repairer Kerry Stuart whose hands can be seen using folded sandpaper to gently file the cheek (left) 'We're one of the last ones that does everything, when it comes to dolls, there's very few that are capable of that sort of work,' Mr Chapman told Reuters. 'We've had customers who've burst into tears when they saw their treasured doll or teddy as good as new.' The hospital was first set up by Harold Chapman Senior when a shipping mishap led the rubber bands holding together some celluloid dolls from Japan tear, forcing Harold to find a way to repair them. The business blossomed from there, booming during World War Two when restrictions on manufactured and imported goods meant new dolls were not easy to come by, forcing children to repair what they had rather than buy anew. The hospital was first set up by Harold Chapman Senior when a shipping mishap led the rubber bands holding together some celluloid dolls from Japan tear, forcing Harold to find a way to repair them . The business boomed during World War Two when restrictions on manufactured and imported goods meant new dolls were not easy to come by . Children were thus forced to repair what they had rather than buy anew. At this point, the hospital had 70 staff members working across six workrooms . At this point, the hospital had 70 staff members working across six workrooms. Now however, Mr Chapman says the majority of the hospital's work comes from older customers hoping to restore their childhood memories in order to pass them on to younger generations. 'I would say about 80 per cent of our work comes from 'big children,' he said. 'When they were children they possibly only got one doll, not a new doll every time you go down the supermarket like it happens today. That's why it's so emotional. The arms, legs and hands of composition dolls are pictured hanging on a line as the paint dries in a workshop of Sydney's Doll Hospital . A damaged doll is pictured on a workbench after having its head re-attached. The majority of the hospital's work comes from older customers hoping to restore their childhood memories in order to pass them on to younger generations . Gail Grainger, a 14-year veteran doll restorer, adds fingers to a damaged dolls hand. The hospital restores a variety of toys including bears, rocking horses and prams . 'It's both men and women, obviously more women are getting dolls and teddies repaired, but there's quite a few men attached to teddy bears too.' Kerry Stuart, who has worked at the hospital for more than 25 years compared her work to surgery, especially when it comes to dolls made from delicate materials. 'A lot of our tools are like surgeons', operating on human patients,' she said. 'The thing I like least is eyes. It's a very difficult balancing act to get them right, so it does take a while. Sometimes I have to do them three times before I'm happy with them,' she said. But with today's consumerist culture, the hospital is seeing less and less patients turn up at their doors. MsStuart, a 25-year veteran at the hospital, pulls the plastic head of a customers doll out of a bowl of hot water to soften the material before removing and replacing its old eyes . A badly-weathered composition doll has its flakey paint cut off before being repaired and repainted. With today's consumerist culture, the hospital is seeing less 'patients' turn up at their doors . A sharp blade is used to hand-cut old paint off a composition doll. Nonetheless, their work is truly an art form, a vanishing skill that each worker remains greatly enthusiastic about. 'My bear has lost his eyes, nose, mouth and some filling, can you fix him and how long will it take?' one question on their website reads. The reply: 'Yes we can add some new filling to his body, to fatten him up again. We can supply and attach glass eyes, so he will see again and we can also stitch a new nose and mouth for him too smell and taste again with. He will also come home with a beautiful new ribbon around his neck to brighten him up!' The hospital recently replied to a querie about fixing a teddy with the following:' 'Yes we can add some new filling to his body, to fatten him up again. We can supply and attach glass eyes, so he will see again and we can also stitch a new nose and mouth for him too smell and taste again with' Mr Chapman is pictured with employee Nadine Kosztka, as they inspect customers dolls that have been brought in for repair . Doll repairer Tamara Ottessen searches for replacement limbs . A doll restorer rubs a filling compound into the cracked head of a plastic doll . A trash can featuring discarded doll parts including a broken head, torso and limbs . | The Doll Hospital in Sydney has fixed over three million dolls across Australia and New Zealand in the last 100 years .
It first opened in 1913 but business boomed during World War Two .
In recent years, 80 per cent of the dolls that come in belong to adults who hope to pass down their precious childhood possessions to younger generations . |
fa477d5a62dd8b268c9fd111f2dd68144f520b15 | A 'supervolcano' eruption is the most catastrophic natural disaster that can hit our planet, short of an asteroid impact - and scientists now believe America's Yellowstone is more active than we thought. Two million years ago, an eruption of the supervolcano darkened the skies with ash from southern California to the . Mississippi River, releasing more than 500 cubic miles of ash into the sky. Now scientists believe that it was followed by a second eruption, around 6,000 years later - leading to fears 'explosive volcanism' from Yellowstone is more common than scientists thought. Etna erupts this year: Two million years ago, an eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano darkened the skies with ash from southern California to the Mississippi River, releasing more than 500 cubic miles of ash into the sky . Castle Geyser and sunrise Yellowstone National Park Wyoming: Researchers now believe that the huge 'supervolcano' beneath the park is far more active than previously thought . Researchers at Washington State University and the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre say the biggest Yellowstone eruption, which created the 2 million year old Huckleberry Ridge deposit, was actually two different eruptions at least 6,000 years apart. ‘The Yellowstone volcano’s previous . behavior is the best guide of what it will do in the future,’ says Ben . Ellis, co-author and post-doctoral researcher at Washington State . University’s School of the Environment. ‘This research suggests . explosive volcanism from Yellowstone is more frequent than previously . thought.’ The eruption of super-volcanoes . dwarfs the eruptions of recent volcanoes and can trigger planetary . climate change by inducing Ice Ages and other impacts. One . such event was the Huckleberry Ridge eruption of present-day . Yellowstone Park about two million years ago, which was more than 2,000 . times larger than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington. Short of a meteor impact, these super-eruptions are the worst environmental hazards our planet can face. Their results paint a new picture of a more active volcano than previously thought and can help recalibrate the likelihood of another big eruption in the future. Before the researchers split the one eruption into two, it was the fourth largest known to science. Steaming Mud Volcano at Yellowstone National Park in winter. Researchers now believe that the supervolcano beneath the park could be more active than thought . A car tries to outrun the dust cloud from a supervolcano in a documentary about the effects of an eruption . The new ages for each Huckleberry Ridge eruption reduce the volume of the first event to 2,200 cubic kilometers, roughly 12 percent less than previously thought. A second eruption of 290 cubic kilometers took place more than 6,000 years later. That first eruption still deserves to be called ‘super,’ as it is one of the largest known to have occurred on Earth and darkened the skies with ash from southern California to the Mississippi River. By comparison, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced 1 cubic kilometer of ash. The larger blast of Oregon’s Mount Mazama 6,850 years ago produced 116 cubic kilometers of ash. A BBC documentary imagines what might happen were the supervolcano under Yellowstone to erupt again - the red area is the huge ash cloud unleashed by the eruption . The study, funded by the National Science Foundation and published in the June issue of the Quaternary Geochronology, used high-precision argon isotope dating to make the new calculations. The radioactive decay rate from potassium 40 to argon 40 serves as a ‘rock clock’ for dating samples and has a precision of .2 percent. Darren Mark, co-author and a post-doctoral research fellow at the SUERC, recently helped fine tune the technique and improve it by 1.2 percent—a small-sounding difference that can become huge across geologic time. ‘Improved precision for greater temporal resolution is not just about adding another decimal place to a number, says Mark. ‘It's far more exciting. It's like getting a sharper lens on a camera. It allows us to see the world more clearly.’ The project asks the question: Might super-eruptions actually be products of multiple, closely spaced eruptions through time? With improved temporal resolution, in times to come, maybe super-eruptions will be not quite so super. | 'Explosive volcanism from Yellowstone more frequent than thought'
Eruption unleashed 500 square miles of ash .
Darkened skies from California to Mississipi River .
Most destructive natural disasters bar asteroid impacts . |
fa47ccd93367378b0cce7f1fbdccaee09bfe813f | Jeremy Meeks' steely baby blues and chiseled cheekbones may be attractive. His rap sheet -- not so much. The 30-year-old stirred a collective swoon nationwide after authorities in Stockton, California, posted his arrest mugshot on social media this week. The picture turned him into an overnight celebrity and prompted various memes, including photo shop images replacing his plain white T-shirt with spiffy high-end suits. But authorities say he's not such a model citizen. And this is not his first time behind bars. Meeks, a convicted felon who's served years in prison, was arraigned Friday on counts related to firearm possession, gang membership and probation violation. In the latest arrest, Stockton police stopped him and two others Wednesday during a joint law enforcement gang sweep, authorities said. Meeks was driving and one of the passengers, Terry Bailey, 23, was on probation. "A search of the passenger compartment yielded a 9mm round of ammunition and a small amount of what is believed to be marijuana," the San Joaquin County District Attorney said in a statement. "A search of the trunk located an unregistered and loaded ....45 caliber semiautomatic handgun along with two extended magazines." They did not say whom the guns belonged to, but everyone in the car faces felony weapons charges. Drawing fans ... Meeks' prior brushes with the law include resisting arrest and admitted ties to the Crips gang, authorities said. He also spent two years in prison in 2002 for a grand theft conviction, according to the District Attorney's office. "With his past history, he got out of being incarcerated and put his mind on focus to his family and started doing what he had to do," his brother, Bryan Varela, told CNN affiliate KOVR. "Living the dream that he always wanted." Despite his ill fame, the fans keep coming. His arrest mugshot is still a talker on social media. On Facebook, someone created a Jeremy Meeks fan page, which had nearly 90,000 Likes and counting early Saturday. "Criminal or not, if he looks good he just looks good," Santana Martin posted under his picture. "People are not saying he's right for whatever he did. They're just saying he looks good enough to make a mugshot look like a photo shoot." ... and critics . But others are unswayed by his looks. "The women who think that this guy is hot are only fueling the fire of criminals and crime, and if they're too ignorant to realize that then they deserve him," Clark Foreid posted. His fans may have to wait a little longer before they see him out of the jail setting. During the arraignment, authorities raised his bail to $1 million from $900,000 a day earlier. His next court appearance is Friday. Katherine Angier, who said she's his mother, has launched a fundraiser for his defense at crowdsourcing website GoFundMe. She posted pictures of Meeks with his son and other family members, describing him as a father and a husband who was on his way to work when he was arrested. He has no ties to any gang, she said. "He has old tattoos ... which causes him to be stereotyped," she wrote on the fundraiser page. "He's my son and he is so sweet. Please help him to get a fair trial or else he'll be railroaded." By early Saturday, she had raised $2,000. And some commenters on GoFundMe have raised a ruckus, blasting her efforts on her son's behalf. | Meeks, 30, became an Internet sensation after police released his mugshot .
Authorities say his looks don't translate into a model citizen .
He was arraigned Friday on counts related to firearm possession .
This is not his first time behind bars . |
fa4868fd5f0eb0c136c9484ccba224b638a4dd72 | By . Tom Mctague, Mailonline Deputy Political Editor . A Tory MP allegedly reduced to tears by David Cameron after rebelling on Europe has announced he will not stand at the next general election. Dudley South MP Chris Kelly is the ninth member of the 2010 intake of MPs to quit the Commons after a single term – sparking accusations that many are ‘giving up’ on the Prime Minister. It comes just days after rebel MP Douglas Carswell announced he was leaving the Tories for UKIP. Mr Kelly denied reports in 2010 that he had burst into tears after a showdown with Mr Cameron over a vote on Europe. The MP was accused of being more scared of upsetting his millionaire father than Mr Cameron. Scroll down for video . Businessman Chris Kelly (left) with his son Chris D Kelly (right), the Tory MP for Dudley . Veteran Tory MP Sir Tony Baldry will stand down at the next election, he announced today. The North Oxfordshire MP, who represents the Church of England in the Commons, blamed the decision to fix the length of each Parliament. He said: 'If I succeed in being re-elected at the forthcoming general election, given my age, most people will assume that Parliament will be my last. 'I think this creates a danger that I may be unable to be as effective as I would wish to be; and that the constituency will be distracted from more important issues by the need to choose my successor.' Announcing his decision to step down last night, Mr Kelly said: 'I would like to thank all those who have supported me since I was selected for Dudley South in September 2007. 'I would especially like to thank all those who voted for me at the general election in May 2010 and all of the friends and supporters who helped me for that election, as well as those who have supported my efforts since. 'I am proud to have served the good people of Dudley South for the past five years.' The Eurosceptic MP won Dudley South from Labour in 2010 with a majority of 3,856. Fellow Tory MP Conor Burns said: 'Very disappointed my colleague Chris Kelly will not contest his Dudley seat at the next election. We are losing the wrong people.' Michael Dugher, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, said Mr Kelly was ‘another Tory MP giving up on David Cameron’. He said: ‘Confidence in the Prime Minister is collapsing even inside his own party, with MPs formerly loyal to David Cameron throwing in the towel rather than fighting on. ‘Hardworking people desperately need a government which will deal with the cost-of-living crisis. Instead we have a weak Prime Minister and a divided Tory Party turning in on itself.’ In 2010 Mr Kelly was among several anti-EU Tories subjected to a four-letter onslaught by Mr Cameron as he battled to contain a rebellion over Europe. But the Tory MP insisted he did not cry. He told his local newspaper the Dudley News: ‘Man’s inhumanity to man and genocide is what makes me cry, not Prime Ministers. ‘There’s footage of me in the chamber completely dry eyed sat close to Bill Cash MP listening to his – and other members’ contributions – at precisely the time I was supposedly in tears or close to tears.’ Chris Kelly only entered Parliament in 2010, but has decided not to fight for re-election in 2015 . Mr Kelly was among 27 Conservative MPs who defied Mr Cameron amid reports that he was more terrified of upsetting his father, Tory donor Chris Kelly senior – a leading Thatcherite with robust views on Brussels – than his party leader. Mr Kelly junior was being paid about £4,000 a month for eight hours of work for his father’s truck dealership. It topped up his MP’s pay of £65,000 and helped him acquire a £30,000 BMW coupe, with his initials CDK on the number plate. Mr Kelly joined the family firm Keltruck soon after finishing his studies and has carried on as a non-executive director after becoming MP for Dudley South at the last Election. He resigned as a director of Keltruck Limited in April 2013. Mr Kelly was allegedly in a highly emotional state after he was summoned to Mr Cameron’s Commons office before the vote. The Prime Minister told him: ‘You are making a bloody terrible mistake, Chris, it will do your career and reputation no good at all. 'And you can bloody well forget about being a Minister.’ One MP said: ‘Cameron was effing and blinding at Chris and several others. 'Chris took it badly. We thought he was going to defect to the Government – then he joined the rebels. The talk in the tea room was that he was more worried about upsetting his dad.’ Mr Kelly junior refused to reveal if Mr Cameron had sworn at him. He said: ‘I was not close to tears at any stage.’ Asked if his father had intervened, he said: ‘What’s my father got to do with anything? I cast my vote according to my conscience and what is best for my constituency. That is the only thing I take into account.’ He added that it was ‘categorically untrue’ his father had made any threats, financial or otherwise. When Mr Kelly senior was asked if he had urged his son to defy Mr Cameron in the EU vote, he said: ‘No. He is his own man and makes his own decisions.’ | Chris Kelly is the ninth member of the 2010 intake to quit the Commons .
Dudley South MP's decision sparks accusations the Tories are 'giving up'
Mr Kelly denied he burst into tears after showdown with the PM in 2010 .
He was accused of being more scared of his father than the Prime Minister . |
fa4898c6a46a93b627fb4b3b7e32673bebca42a6 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 16:19 EST, 29 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:47 EST, 30 May 2013 . Apes throw a strop if they lose a bet, reveals a new study. Researchers discovered chimpanzees and bonobo monkeys exhibit emotional responses to outcomes of decision-making. Like some humans, chimpanzees and bonobos pout or throw angry tantrums when a risk-taking strategy fails to pay off, according to research. American researchers Alexandra Rosati, of Yale University, and Brian Hare, of Duke University, assessed the emotional responses and motivation of chimpanzees and bonobos living in African sanctuaries. These chimpanzees were study subjects at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo. Researchers discovered chimpanzees and bonobo monkeys exhibit emotional responses to outcomes of decision-making. Doctor Rosati said: 'Psychologists and economists have found that emotions play a critical role in shaping how humans make complex decisions, such as decisions about saving or investing money. 'But it was not known if these processes are shared with other animals when they make decisions about their important resources - such as food.' The apes in the study faced two different types of problems: one where they made choices about whether to wait to obtain larger rewards, and one where they made choices about whether to take a chance to obtain a high-quality treat, but risk obtaining a non-preferred food item if their gamble did not pay off. One of the bonobos who was a study subject at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo . The scientists found that both species displayed emotional responses to the outcome of their choice, but chimpanzees were more patient and likely to take risks than bonobos. When their choice yielded the less preferred outcome, both species displayed negative emotional responses including vocalizations similar to pouts and moans, scratching, and banging - a type of tantrum thought to reflect anger in apes. In the risky choice task, the apes even tried to switch their choice after the fact when they realised they had made a losing gamble, but never did so when their risk-taking paid off. Some of the emotional and motivational responses displayed by the apes were species-specific while others reflected individual differences in the animals. Based on their results, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the researchers concluded that apes do exhibit emotional responses to decision-making, like humans. They said that further research is needed to determine whether these emotional responses to outcomes can change the apes' future choices and decisions. | Researchers studied chimpanzees and bonobos living in African sanctuaries .
Found that both species .
displayed emotional responses to the outcome of their choice, but .
chimpanzees were more patient and likely to take risks than bonobos . |
fa48ec77dd7b9f588e35488c37c9dc6a2213a900 | (CNN) -- Move over, Ashton Kutcher. Christian Bale is going to give the role of Steve Jobs a go. Aaron Sorkin has confirmed to Bloomberg that the "Dark Knight" actor has been cast in an upcoming biopic about the Apple co-founder. Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed film "The Social Network," about the founding of Facebook, is at the helm of the picture and said of Bale's casting, "What we needed was the best actor." "He really is a phenomenal actor," Sorkin said. "He didn't have to audition." Bale will be in every scene, Sorkin said, and it's an "extremely difficult part." "He's going to crush it," Sorkin assured. The film is reportedly based on the "Steve Jobs" biography by Walter Isaacson, which the late Jobs sanctioned. Jobs died in 2011 following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Kutcher portrayed the innovator in the 2013 film "Jobs." Bale -- best known for playing Bruce Wayne/Batman in the "Dark Knight" trilogy -- will next be seen in Ridley Scott's "Exodus: Gods and Kings." | Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin confirmed Bale as the star .
The new film is based on a Jobs-approved biography .
Sorkin said Bale will "crush it" |
fa48fe411ff72259152fb081d94acef6f2b4499f | Treasury minister Danny Alexander said there should be a new offence of 'corporate failure to avoid preventing an economic crime' Firms which give advice on how to avoid tax will be treated as harshly as tax dodgers themselves under a new law set out by the Lib Dems today. Treasury minister Danny Alexander said there should be a new offence of 'corporate failure to avoid preventing an economic crime'. He likened the new law to prosecuting someone who acts as an accomplice to a burglar breaking into homes. The Lib Dems set out details of the new laws, which they say will form part of their manifesto if they cannot be put on to the statue book by the coalition before the election. The centrepiece would be a new offence of a corporate failure to prevent economic crime, including aiding or facilitating tax evasion. There would also be a penalty for those that facilitate others to commit tax evasion, so they face the same financial penalty as that repaid in tax and fines by the evader themselves. Codes of practice that apply to tax advisers would also be toughened to make it harder to help people and businesses to avoid tax. Mr Alexander said the idea would also see organisations who encourage tax evasion or make it easier for it to be carried out face the same level of fine as the evaders. Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC One, Mr Alexander said the idea would create a much stronger deterrent to companies helping tax dodgers. He said: 'Organisations, be they accountants, banks or whatever, who help people evade tax will be liable for this new offence and crucially liable for financial penalties. 'So, for example, if their customers have to pay back hundreds of millions of pounds in tax then those organisations should have to match that with hundreds of millions of pounds of their own money and I think that's a very tough disincentive to them to get involved in this in the first place. 'This is taboo. This is something that absolutely mustn't happen in our society and we still have a problem with some people thinking they can get away without paying their fair share of tax.' Mr Alexander went on: 'This is a Liberal Democrat idea for our manifesto. We've delivered a lot from our last manifesto tackling avoidance, tackling evasion. 'But I am going to seek to pursue this within Government over the next few weeks because I think we do have time potentially in the Budget or through other processes that are going through to take these ideas forward. 'But what I can say is if it we're not able to do that then we absolutely will be making this one of our key things in the general election.' The Lib Dems say their plan also includes making a commitment for the government to see the 'tax gap' - the difference between the total tax owed to the Exchequer and the amount actually collected - fall in each year of the next parliament. Mr Alexander said he wanted to make tax evasion as socially unacceptable as benefit fiddling or drinking and driving . In a statement, Mr Alexander added: 'These new measures will build on the successful strategy that is making tax evasion as socially unacceptable as benefit fiddling or drinking and driving. 'It is a crime, plain and simple. If someone helps a break into your home they end up in the dock as an accomplice. It should be the same if some helps a tax evader.' For Labour, Chris Leslie said nobody will believe Mr Alexander's 'warm words' as the Lib Dems have 'broken their promises on tax'. The shadow chief secretary to the Treasury said: 'Along with the Tories, they have totally failed to tackle tax avoidance and cut taxes for millionaires while raising VAT on families and pensioners. 'The amount of uncollected tax has gone up by £3 billion under Danny Alexander and George Osborne. 'This Government has refused to close loopholes which Labour has highlighted. And ministers still need to explain why there has been just one prosecution out of 1,100 names in the HSBC case and why the head of the bank was made a Tory minister.' Mr Leslie added Labour would have an immediate 'root and branch' review of HMRC to ensure it is 'up to the job'. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Lib Dems announce offence of corporate failure to prevent economic crime .
It includes aiding or facilitating tax evasion and would hit advice firms .
Alexander likens crime to a burglar's accomplice who helps break-in . |
fa491375fb99317f96cd050ae6e07d2ffa3ff109 | Valuable teeth have been stolen from some of the carcasses of the seven beached sperm whales that died on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, as authorities warn people of hefty fines if they go near the dead animals. Locals believe that the whales washed ashore on Sunday night while on the hunt for salmon and became stranded when the tide went out. The whales were found 50m offshore at Parara Beach, about 4km south of Ardrossan. Environmental department animal welfare manager Dr. Deborah Kelly told The Advertiser, they had been sent photos of the jaw which show teeth missing, each believed to be worth hundreds of dollars. Scroll down for video . Seven beached sperm whales have been confirmed dead on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia after getting into trouble during a low tide . 'The teeth contain a lot of biological information and it’s an important part of the skeleton so we would ask people to respect the prohibition zone,' she said. The South Australian government reminded people who were thinking of going near the whales, they could cop a fine, with anyone that is seen to come within 50 metres of the mammal, facing a fine of up to $100,000. The reasons are to protect the safety of beach-goers with the corpses likely to attract sharks. The SA National Parks and Wildlife (Protected Animals Marine Mammals) Regulations state that a person who is on land must not move closer than 50 metres to a marine mammal, whether it is on land or in the water, if it shows signs of disturbance, appears to be sick or injured, is stranded, is entangled or is a calf or pup. Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Animal Welfare manager Deb Kelly with standing in front of one of six sperm whales washed up dead in a rare mass stranding on the South Australia coast . When all the whales were found six were dead, with a seventh whale dying later on Monday. A fisherman also spotted an eighth sperm whale in shallow water north of the silo jetty. The whale was apparently ushered back out to sea by rescuers from the Environment Department. The trained staff were able to coax the huge whale into deeper water and prevent another death. Speaking to the ABC, Ardrossan caravan park manager Steve Ruddock said he smelt the whales before her saw them and revealed that some of them were splashing in the shallow water, desperately trying to reach deeper waters. 'Because they are so fresh, there's no smell, but it won't be long until they get on the nose, I'd say,' he said. 'There's three that are about that size, and the other three are a fraction smaller,' he said. 'We talked to a lot of the locals and there's been the odd sighting now and then on the sea, but this is very unusual,' Mr Ruddock said. Locals believe that the whales washed ashore last night, while on the hunt for salmon and became stranded when the tide went out . Environment Department regional co-ordinator Grant Pelton told Adelaide Now that the eighth whale was deeply distressed and was very close to breaching. 'DEWNR staff and a Department of Transport, Planning and Infrastructure Marine Safety officer located a live seven-metre sperm whale in 1.5 metres of water at Pt Vincent,' regional co-ordinator he said. 'The animal was very lethargic but after some time they managed to encourage it out into deeper water where it dived and they haven't seen it since. They will remain in the area to confirm it doesn't come into the shallows again.' Experts believe that there could be many explanations as to why the whales got into trouble. One such theory is that one of the whales was sick and went into shallow water, when it felt better it may have called for help from the rest of the pod. Another explanation may be that the pod were chasing food and got caught in the low tide. The whales were found 50m offshore at Parara Beach, about 4km south of Ardrossan . Dr Deborah Kelly said she was distressed to see the whales on the beach. 'This is rare,' she said. 'Unfortunately things like this have been happening for thousands of years.' Twitter users have taken to their social media accounts to express their shock at the freak event . Twitter has been set alight byt the mass death of seven whales in Ardrossan . It is still uncertain when the whales will be removed from the beach. With each whale weighing up to 50 tonnes the task may take a while. The Environment Department is hoping that post-mortems on the whales will lead to an explanation. A witness at the scene told the Advertiser that the whales covered an area of about 500m. A fisherman also spotted an eighth sperm whale in shallow water north of the silo jetty today.The whale was apparently ushered back out to sea by rescuers from the Environment Department . The witness said that one of the whales was still flapping it's tail this morning at 8am, but stopped a short while later. The National Marine Mammal Laboratory say male sperm whales can grow up to 60 feet and may live to be 50-70-years-old. They say that while sperm whales typically die of natural causes, they are known to mass strand. Twitter users have taken to their social media accounts to express their shock at the freak event. Sam Jacobs said: 'Pretty sad to hear about the 6 beached whales in my hometown Ardrossan,' Another Twitter user deb d said: 'Fingers crossed they make it back out to sea safely,' | Valuable teeth have been stolen from the carcasses of dead sperm whales .
Seven whales died on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia after they became stranded when the tide went out .
They were found 50m offshore at Parara Beach .
An eighth whale was coaxed back out to sea today .
Authorities warn people who go 50 metres near the dead mammals could face a fine of up to $100,000 . |
fa4936c5457bb4cb243ac7466e3ffdb21f80a45d | Just weeks after victory at The Open, Rory McIlroy is spying major glory again. The Northern Irishman posed as James Bond ahead of the USPGA Championship, and will certainly have a licence to thrill at Valhalla. McIlroy, who became the first European golfer to win three of the four majors since the Masters was founded in 1934, is seeking his second straight major after claiming the Claret Jug at Hoylake last month. VIDEO Scroll down for World No.1 Rory McIlroy looks forward to US PGA Championship . The name's McIlroy... Rory McIlroy: The Northern Irishman poses ahead of the USPGA at Valhalla . Moonraker: McIlroy poses in a lunar simulator in the Omega exhibition during a practice round . 'I've had a great run of golf and I've played well over the past few months,' the 24-year-old said. 'I said at the start of the year that golf was looking for someone to put their hand up and become one of the dominant players in the game. 'I felt like I had the ability to do that and it's just nice to be able to win a few tournaments and get back to where I feel like I should be, which is near the top of the world rankings and competing in majors and winning golf tournaments. All eyes on me: McIlroy signs autographs ahead of the final major of the season . On top of the world: McIlroy can continue a stellar season with another fine performance in Kentucky . VIDEO The Open Championship - Final Round highlights . 'I'm not necessarily sure you can call that an era or the start of an era, but I'm just really happy with where my golf game is at the minute and I just want to try and continue that for as long as possible. And the newly-crowned world No 1 is the man on a golden run and has been installed as the bookies' favourite after winning the WGC-Bridgestone last week. | McIlroy posed as the fictional spy ahead of the USPGA .
The newly-crowned world No 1 is favourite to win his fourth career major .
All eyes will be on the Northern Irishman as he bids to continue his fine form . |
fa4a0d4628d7158e390a061183971ab4f9a94ede | By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 07:56 EST, 22 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:56 EST, 22 April 2013 . John Galliano stepped out yesterday sporting a rather more relaxed look than usual. The controversial designer was seen at LAX airport in a bohemian style outfit including gladiator sandals with long green socks. The 52-year old is concentrating on rebuilding his reputation since being fired from the house . of Dior after an anti-Semitic rant was caught on camera a few years ago. His eponymous Paris catwalk show and a recent collaboration with Oscar de la Renta both met with rave reviews and today it was confirmed that the English designer will take up a teaching role at the famous Parsons design school in New York. John Galliano left LAX airport yesterday looking very bohemian and sporting pink glasses . The designer wore a rather mis-matched ensemble including gladiator sandals with long socks and a brightly striped woollen poncho over a jacquard jacket and T shirt, finished off with a baggy overcoat . Obviously opting for comfort on his flight, Galliano wore an over-sized khaki raincoat with a black trim, over a colourful jacquard jacket over a purple t-shirt underneath. He also sported army camouflage shorts and a brightly coloured woolen poncho, secured with a toggle clasp. The unconventional look was completed with a baggy beanie hat over his now long hair, and pink sunglasses. News that the designer will be taking a teaching role at Parsons The New School for Design in New York has delighted fashion students there. The master class will include a three-day workshop that will be taught by Galliano with the final . critique reportedly given by Galliano and Parsons Dean Simon Collins. According to Fashionista.com seniors in Parsons’s BFA fashion program received an email this weekend about a new course titled 'Show Me Emotion.' The course description says that it seeks to 'engage its participants by provoking the power of emotion in context of fashion practice and exploration of intuitive, perceptive manners of investigational making.' Dis Magazine published . the full letter Parsons sent out to students which describes the course . as: 'a master of tailoring, construction, research, and thematic . investigation, John Galliano is an unparalleled living legend capable of . blending and blurring the traditional boundaries of practice. A . technical genius, after more than twenty-five years of practice, what . inspires him most today is not a destination of a geographical sense but . the divergent journeys of the soul,mind, and reflection. Feeling, . thinking, perceiving, and responding shape his current creative identity . and he allows emotion to determine the depth of a collar, the volume . between body and sleeve.' It has been confirmed that the English designer will take up a teaching role at the famous Parsons design school in New York . While always an eccentric dresser, . Galliano’s recent ‘off duty’ look is a far cry from the super sleek, . high fashion outfits he wore while chief designer at Dior. He . has been seen dressed down numerous times over the last month, and . ignited criticism when one of his outfits appeared to be attempting to . copy the attire of Hasidic Jews - a claim Galliano vigorously denied. Galliano enjoyed a three week stint under Oscar de la Renta in the run up to New York Fashion week in Febuary, as the fashion elite, including Vogue editor Anna Wintour rallied around him to help with his come back. Mr de la Renta, 80, has insisted that Mr Galliano is one of the most talented men he has ever met. | The designer's airport outfit included socks, sandals and pink sunglasses .
Rebuilding fashion career after fallout from anti-Semitic rant in 2010 .
Latest show at Paris Fashion Week met with rave reviews .
Parsons design school confirms teaching role to students .
Masterclass with involve a three-day workshop and critique from Galliano .
Not clear if his 'dressed down' look will feature in next collection . |
fa4a2b8b4be35ef8be8582554e9be4987b7fc7f5 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 05:44 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:45 EST, 3 April 2013 . A doctor on one of France's most popular reality television shows has committed suicide just over a week after one of the contestants died of a heart attack. Thierry Costa killed himself in Cambodia, the setting of Koh-Lanta, a French version of Survivor, which was halted last week following the death of contestant Gérald Babin, the TF1 television channel has said. Costa's suicide note, published in full on TV1's website, said the media had made 'unfair accusations and assumptions' about his treatment of Babin. Suicide: Doctor Thierry Costa has killed himself just over a week after one of the contestants on one of France's most popular reality television shows died of a heart attack . Some media outlets had carried reports criticising the amount of time it took for anyone to treat Babin, 25, after his collapse. 'In the past few days my name has been tarnished in the media,' Dr Costa wrote in the note which was also shown on television news reports. According to a translation in The Times, Dr Costa said: 'In the 20 years since I took up medicine, I have always tried to work hard with respect for my patients, love of medicine and following the Hippocratic oath. 'I have the feeling today that all these efforts have been destroyed by untrue articles. 'I would never dare look anyone in the eye again in France without wondering if they were full of distrust for me. 'I am certain that I treated Gerald in a respectable manner, as a patient and not as a contestant.' Tragic: Gérald Babin died of a heart attack after falling ill during a tug-of-war task with other contestants on the programme . TF1 cited a statement from the show's producers Adventure Line Productions (ALP), that Costa's suicide should 'encourage those who accuse and comment indiscriminately to exercise responsibility'. Costa, who specialized in emergency medicine, had spent four seasons on France's longest-running reality show in which candidates must survive on an uninhabited island and compete in a series of challenges. Prosecutors in the Paris suburb of Creteil launched a preliminary investigation into Babin's death last week. Koh-Lanta was filming its 16th season on a Cambodian island when Gérald Babin fell ill during a tug-of-war task with other contestants. The 25-year-old was airlifted to a nearby hospital but suffered a series of heart attacks on the way and was later pronounced dead. The tragic incident came at the very start of a planned five-month stay on the island of Koh Rong. Contestants had jumped from a boat and were taking part in a tug-of-war contest when Mr Babin started to complain about cramps in his arms. Doctors examined him on the set and decided he should be taken to hospital on the mainland town of Sihanoukville. After he suffered from multiple cardiac arrests on the helicopter journey, hospital doctors were unable to save his life. Adventure Line Productions, which produces the programme, said that Mr Babin had undergone a medical examination before being accepted as a contestant. Popular: Koh-Lanta has been running on TF1 since 2001, and averaged 7.4million viewers in its latest season . Broadcaster TF1 said in a statement: 'The whole team from ALP and TF1, plus [presenter] Denis Brogniart, are devastated and share in the deep sadness of Gérald's family. 'All their thoughts are with his parents, sister, wife and friends.' The companies immediately decided to suspend filming and cancel the show's current season, and the cast and crew have now returned to France. Koh-Lanta has been running on TF1 since 2001, and averaged 7.4million viewers in its latest season. Halted: Filming was suspended and the show's current season has been cancelled following the death of Mr Babin . | Thierry Costa left suicide note saying media had made 'unfair accusations'
Doctor said name had been 'tarnished' by reports into Gérald Babin's death .
Contestant on Koh-Lanta died of heart attack during filming . |
fa4acb3c9904f50bbd725b993bf457c30a12ca04 | An Italian couple managed to escape from their wrecked car after part of a bridge collapsed during storms. Sussana Dursi, 47, and 62-year-old Roberto Bellocci were visiting Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah when a road over the Praia River fell through. The vehicle went about 150 yards downstream before it came to rest upside down in the swollen river - leaving the pair trapped inside. Tourists Sussana Dursi, 47, and 62-year-old Roberto Bellocci managed to escape from this car after it fell into the Praia Rive near Kodachrome Basin State Park, Utah, and turned over . The car travelled down the fast-flowing river for 150 yards before it flipped over and left the couple, who had travelled from Italy, trapped . A car was passing over the bridge when she came to the hole. She alerted her relative, a member of the Garfield Sheriff's Department, to the damage but didn't know a car had fallen through . The couple were somehow able to escape through a back window and climbed on top of the car, but they were still stranded. A short time later, another vehicle passed over the bridge and phoned her relative, a member of the Garfield County Sheriff's Department, to report the damage. However the caller was not aware a car had gone into the water. Deputy Clint Pearson arrived to inspect the damage but then started hearing faint cries for help over the fast-flowing river and then located the pair using a spotlight. He said: 'I pulled onto the bridge and could see that an the entire southbound lane was gone. There was nothing there, it was a big hole.' The pair somehow managed to climb through the back window of the car and make it onto the roof . He added: 'They were in a very bad spot, and I was afraid that we were going to lose them and they were going to go on down the river and they were going to be very dead in a very short period of time.' The two individuals suffered 'extreme hypothermia' and were taken to Garfield Memorial Hospital for treatment. They are expected to fully recover. Kodachrome Basin Sate Park was also evacuated with local officials having to build a temporary bridge to allow visitors to drive over the collapsed pathway. The extrem . Flash flooding caused the river to rise and subsequently eroded part of the embankment that supported the bridge. Authorities had to install a replacement so they could evacuate Kodachrome Basin State Park . | Sussana Dursi, 47, and 62-year-old Roberto Bellocci were visiting Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah during heavy storms .
They were driving across a bridge on the Praia River when it collapsed .
Vehicle went around 150 yards down the river before it turned over .
Couple were able to escape through back window and onto the roof .
Were retrieved from the water by police officer who found them when he went to inspect the bridge . |
fa4afccd8d48dbb04fcb772ea772b8664009a07a | Out with a wave and a whimper they went. Out without the slightest echo of Fabio Capello raging against the injustice of a disallowed goal. Or the sense of crushing disappointment following the penalties against Portugal that marked the end of Sven Goran Eriksson’s tenure and prompted David Beckham to quit the England captaincy in tears. During a spell in charge that almost now feels like a golden era for the England team, Eriksson had even led Brazil at the quarter-final stage four years earlier, only to then lose to a Ronaldinho lob that had David Seaman blubbing, too. VIDEO Scroll down to watch De Telegraaf's Valentijn Driessen: Roy Hodgson should resign . Tough to watch: Roy Hodgson stares at the ground alongside Ray Lewington and Gary Neville in the England dug-out . Halcyon days: England players look dejected after Ronaldinho's effort put Brazil 2-1 up in Shizuoka . Four years prior to that and it was Argentina on penalties, but only after that marvellous Michael Owen goal and the drama of Beckham’s dismissal. It was petulant. It had Glenn Hoddle raging at a young player for undermining what had been a fine England performance. But at least England went down fighting. At least they played with a bit of style and vigour. Here? There was nothing like that. There was just this sense of meek surrender. A sense that England had come to the greatest World Cup in history and pretty much stunk the place out. Roy Hodgson tried to give this encounter with Costa Rica some meaning, standing as he did in the dug-out for the entire match. He certainly acted as if it mattered. But if this was the first step towards a brighter future, the first step away from the nadir that was defeat by Uruguay, then why end the game with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in midfield? Greg Dyke, misguided though he was in the timing of his comments, said these matches here in Brazil would prove valuable experience for Euro 2016. Game-changer: Kim Milton Neilsen gives David Beckham his marching orders . Time old conundrum: England ended up with Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard in midfield . But what value, beyond sentiment, could there be in reuniting Gerrard and Lampard for 17 minutes when their failure to operate effectively as a partnership has been a source of frustration for more than a decade? ‘We need to improve, otherwise we would not be going home,’ said Lampard afterwards. ‘It is about the future and looking for them to get better.’ Well, quite. Hodgson may take comfort in the reception he and his players received from England’s fans at the end. But he shouldn’t kid himself into thinking it was an acceptance of failure. It was actually rather surreal; a response, you suspect, driven almost by pity. Nobody can claim it was anything other than a pitiful effort over the three matches, with this performance providing further evidence that Hodgson fails as an international manager where others succeed. Hollow applause: England's performance at the World Cup has been a disaster . Down and out: England players applaud their fans after ending their World Cup in the group stage . Louis van Gaal turned a dodgy Dutch defence against Australia into a superbly disciplined one against Chile. Here, England still looked vulnerable to long balls. Lampard seized on the positives. ‘It was amazing,’ he said of the reception they received at the end from the fans. ‘They were singing for the manager. It made you proud to be an Englishman. It makes you feel a bit bad we have not given them a longer stay.’ Lampard also said such support would help the younger players in the future. But they need more than that. They need leadership and guidance and a clear vision of how they should play. They need to know that this will never happen again. That the people in charge, the people in the highest offices at the FA, implement the changes to make damn sure it doesn’t happen again. Whether they will, of course, is another question entirely. | England went down fighting at previous World Cups .
There was nothing like that. There was just this sense of meek surrender .
If this was the first step towards a brighter future, then why end the game with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in midfield?
Hodgson may take comfort in the reception he and his players received from England’s fans at the end. But he shouldn't kid himself into thinking it was an acceptance of failure .
Nobody can claim it was anything other than a pitiful effort, with this performance providing further evidence that Hodgson fails as an international manager where others succeed . |
fa4aff8dab2d8b27d1526ff473b9c812d13d5ae4 | Sao Paulo, Brazil (CNN) -- Brazilian police fired tear gas Thursday to hold back a small group trying to work its way through Sao Paulo to the Arena Corinthians stadium to protest the World Cup. At least one person was arrested, CNN's Shasta Darlington reported from the scene, 7 miles (about 11 kilometers) from the stadium. Darlington and producer Barbara Arvanitidis were slightly injured when one of the canisters hit them. Darlington suffered a minor cut on her arm, and Arvanitidis was hit on the wrist. Critics are furious at the Brazilian government for spending $11 billion on the World Cup instead of low-income housing, hospitals and schools. A patchwork of plastic tents has appeared on an empty piece of land less than 2.5 miles (about 4 kilometers) from the World Cup stadium. More than 3,000 families have joined the squatter settlement known as the "People's Cup," hoping to use the global sporting event as a platform to pressure the government to provide low-income housing. Residents said rents began to soar when the stadium was being built. Rents in Sao Paulo have risen by double digits in recent years, far outpacing the increase in minimum wage, which is $360 a month in the city. In protests leading up to the games, the Homeless Workers Movement has become a major force in Sao Paulo, with marches of more than 10,000. Weeks ago, there were violent protests in the lead-up to the World Cup. Demonstrations were staged in 18 cities last month. The biggest and most violent was in Sao Paulo, where police shot tear gas and protesters threw rocks and smashed the windows of a car dealership and a bank. Taking advantage of the global attention focused on the country for the world soccer championship, other groups have staged protests to air their grievances -- from striking teachers and police officers demanding higher wages to homeless activists. Brazil 2014: Black Blocs to provide black mark? Five things to get you ready for the World Cup . Who are the real winners and losers of the 2014 World Cup? | At least one arrested as protesters make their way to World Cup stadium .
Critics angry at Brazil's government for spending $11 billion on World Cup .
Protesters hope to pressure government to provide low-income housing . |
fa4b664166d151c3684707a996c2acfa0dff3040 | Wanda Butts dropped the phone and screamed when she heard the news that her son was dead. Josh had drowned while rafting on a lake with friends. The 16-year-old didn't know how to swim, and he wasn't wearing a life jacket. "I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to believe it: that just like that, my son had drowned and he was gone," she said, recalling the 2006 tragedy. Butts had worried about her son's safety when it came to street violence or driving, and she said she had always warned him of those dangers. But water accidents never crossed her mind. "It did not occur to me that my son would drown because he didn't know water safety," she said. "Josh was never taught the basic life skill of learning how to swim." Josh was not alone in the black community. According to USA Swimming, 70% of African-American children cannot swim, compared with nearly 60% for Hispanic children and 42% for white children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African-American children between the ages of 5 and 14 are three times more likely to drown than white children in the same age range. As Butts tried to make sense of her son's tragedy, she realized she had passed her own inexperience to her son. Her father had witnessed a drowning when he was young and instilled in her a fear of water. "So as a child, I never went around water," said Butts, 58. "I never went swimming. I didn't know anything about water or life jackets and water safety." Because of this fear, Butts raised Josh without any exposure to water. But today, she is determined to prevent other mothers from doing the same. In 2007, she started the Josh Project, a nonprofit that provides low-cost swimming lessons for children in Toledo, Ohio. "After losing my son, I wanted to do something to help other people, to help another mother not have to suffer the way I do every day from the loss of a child drowning," she said. To date, the Josh Project has helped more than 1,000 children learn how to swim. "All children are at risk of drowning, but the majority of the children that the Josh Project serves are minority children, who we have found are more at risk," Butts said. Several cultural and historical factors can help explain why that is. One is the segregation of swimming pools during the 20th century, according to Jeff Wiltse, author of "Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America." Relatively few swimming pools were built to serve the black community back then, so much of a generation was denied the opportunity to swim, Wiltse told the BBC. Also, if parents can't swim, their children are far less likely to learn how, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Memphis. The study, sponsored by USA Swimming, found that a fear of drowning and a fear of injury prevent many African-American parents from putting their children in swimming lessons. It also found that many avoid swimming for cosmetic reasons, such as the effect chlorinated water has on their hair. Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2013 CNN Heroes . For some families today, it's still tough to find an accessible pool. "The public pools near our home have been closed in the past, and other places were not affordable," said Lisa Haynes, whose 14-year-old son, Joshua, is one of 60-plus students in the Josh Project this season. The swimming lessons take place at a local high school over four Saturdays for a total cost of $10. "I am less worried if (Joshua) is near water because he has the basics of how to swim," Haynes said. "And we're thankful for that." Butts is doing much more, however, than just providing swimming lessons. "She ups the awareness, and that is half the battle," said Shaun Anderson, a swimming coach who was so inspired by her story that he created a Josh Project swimming program at Norfolk State University in Virginia. "Once these communities learn how to swim, they will pass it down, which results in future generations that know how to swim." Butts said she has two goals for the future: One is to change the drowning statistics of minority children, and the other is to have an aquatic center where the children can swim daily instead of just once a week. "The joy on the faces of those children -- when they see that they can learn, once they get it -- they are so happy with themselves," she said. "And it's like all of them are my children. It's like I didn't lose my son." Want to get involved? Check out the Josh Project website at www.joshproject.org and see how to help. | The Josh Project has helped more than 1,000 children in Ohio learn to swim .
Most of them are minorities, according to Wanda Butts, whose son drowned in 2006 .
Statistics show that minority children are less likely than white children to know how to swim .
Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2013 CNN Heroes . |
fa4bb9b3495ba4454a5a6f1a112ee2d522a83f6f | (Wired.com) -- Acclaimed Public Radio International program "This American Life" has retracted an entire episode about working conditions inside Foxconn, the Chinese manufacturer that builds much of Apple's most popular hardware, after learning the reporter "partially fabricated" information about his visit to the factories. In the episode, PRI aired a monologue from reporter Mike Daisey, a self-proclaimed performer whose one-man show, "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," detailed alarming labor practices which he claimed to witness during his time visiting Foxconn. Among the many facts Daisey fabricated, according to PRI, were the number of Foxconn factories he visited, the number of workers he spoke with, as well a major lie about meeting with a number of workers who claimed to have been poisoned by chemicals used on iPhone assembly lines. "Daisey lied to me and to "This American Life" producer Brian Reed during the fact checking we did on the story, before it was broadcast," the show's host, Ira Glass, wrote in a blog post on Friday. "That doesn't excuse the fact that we never should've put this on the air. In the end, this was our mistake." The retraction came even as consumers lined up Friday to buy Apple's latest iPad amid protests over its treatment of workers -- protests that did little to dampen sales. Public debate rages on about working conditions inside of Foxconn's Chinese factories, which have for years been the subject of reports that employees endure long hours and unsafe working environment. Wired dug into the subject more than a year ago in a cover story after 17 Foxconn employees committed suicide. More recently, The New York Times reported a series of investigative pieces further detailing the undesirable jobs of Foxconn employees. In an unprecedented response from the normally stoic Apple, the company responded to the reports publicly by cooperating with the Fair Labor Organization for audits of its entire supply chain. An entire page dedicated to Apple supplier responsibility can now be found on Apple's website. Daisey issued a statement about the incident on his personal blog: . "I stand by my work. My show is a theatrical piece whose goal is to create a human connection between our gorgeous devices and the brutal circumstances from which they emerge. It uses a combination of fact, memoir, and dramatic license to tell its story, and I believe it does so with integrity. "Certainly, the comprehensive investigations undertaken by The New York Times and a number of labor rights groups to document conditions in electronics manufacturing would seem to bear this out." "What I do is not journalism. The tools of the theater are not the same as the tools of journalism. For this reason, I regret that I allowed THIS AMERICAN LIFE to air an excerpt from my monologue. THIS AMERICAN LIFE is essentially a journalistic -- not a theatrical -- enterprise, and as such it operates under a different set of rules and expectations." "But this is my only regret. I am proud that my work seems to have sparked a growing storm of attention and concern over the often appalling conditions under which many of the high-tech products we love so much are assembled in China." PRI's "This American Life" website was bombarded with traffic upon news of the retraction, buckling the site under the torrent of traffic. Apple, Public Radio International and Daisey did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wired confirmed that none of Daisey's U.S. performances of The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs were canceled after news of the retraction, save for one special broadcast: the April 7 show slated for performance at the Chicago Theater, which was originally sponsored by This American Life and Chicago public radio station WBEZ 91.5FM. Roberto Baldwin and Tim Carmody contributed to this report. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2011 Wired.com. | Public radio retracted an episode after learning Mike Daisey "partially fabricated" information .
"This American Life" producer Brian Reed says, "In the end, this was our mistake"
Daisey issued a statement about the incident on his personal blog . |
fa4c3b1c390460f446f871cbb07251a297dd6422 | (CNN) -- Dan Godshall and 21 other students at Slippery Rock University will not be allowed to graduate at their school's main ceremony because they recently visited Mexico. Dan Godshall was worried at first about telling his mother he wasn't able to be at the main graduation. The students, who returned this week after student teaching in Mexico, came back to the United States early because they were worried the border would be closed and they'd miss out on walking at their graduation. But now, they'll be walking in their own graduation, without any of their classmates, because the college feared they made have been exposed to the H1N1 flu outbreak in Mexico. "At first I was like, no way, no way," Godshall told CNN. "I had the irrational, 15-minute oh my God, oh my God, I can't go to my graduation." The students got the news from the school and received an e-mail from the university's vice president explaining the change. "The university has received hundreds of calls from students and parents who were worried about being exposed at the commencement ceremonies," the e-mail said. "We have an obligation to protect others from what they perceive is possible exposure to this virus." When he heard the news, Godshall was worried about how he would tell his mother that she wouldn't get to see him walk across the stage with the pomp and circumstance that everyone else will have. "I thought my mom was going to freak," he said. iReport.com: How should we handle swine flu . Senior Ryan Brisini said at first when he found out that he couldn't walk, he was "a little irked." "But we are a liability, and if you are going to try and do the best thing for the school and the entire graduation ceremony, we probably shouldn't be there," he said. So Brisini and Godshall took the news in stride. The 22 students will get a ceremony unlike anyone else in the school -- and the main graduation will see a video of their ceremony. "It makes us a little distinguished from the group," Godshall said. "We were already the Mexican group, the swine flu zombies, now it gives us something positive and everyone has to watch our ceremony." And with a small ceremony, only attended by the 22 students, their family and friends and university officials, senior Ryan Brisini thinks it will be more memorable. He won't have to sit next to a bunch of people he won't know, and he won't have to endure the lingering theatrics of a regular ceremony. "I think its kind of cool because when you are with people for an entire month you bond with them, and I can say I'm genuinely excited for everyone graduating, whereas at the main graduation I'd be with a bunch of kids I don't know," he said. "With this I can clap and cheer for everyone and genuinely be happy for them." Still, some students are upset they will miss out on the grandiose day. John Powell, who also went on the trip, told CNN affiliate WTAE-TV that the whole reason the group left early was so they could attend. "It hits me a little bit. It's a necessary evil, separating us. I don't agree with it totally, but I'm not in too big of a position to overturn it," Powell said. Watch Slippery Rock students tell their story » . WTAE reported the university, in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, says it has received hundreds of calls from concerned people. "There are concerns from the public perspective that they will be exposed," university spokeswoman Rita Abent told WTAE. "They may boo them. They may get up and walk out. And graduation should be a very respectful and a very celebratory time." Slippery Rock University isn't the only school making changes to graduation ceremonies because of swine flu fears. Cisco Junior College in West Central Texas is canceling Friday graduation ceremonies. Students will get their diplomas by mail, the college said. "We understand that many will be disappointed by our decision," college President Colleen Smith said in a statement. "However, we believe that it is more important to protect our students, employees and families than to proceed with graduation ceremonies at this time." Graduates at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, will get diplomas at commencement ceremonies Saturday but will have to live without part of the day's tradition. "Since direct contact is one of the ways flu viruses spread, we have decided to forgo the traditional congratulatory handshake as you come forward to receive your diploma and have your photo taken with your dean," the school told students in a letter posted on its Web site. Across the country thousands of elementary, middle and high school students are feeling the impact too. At least four high schools have canceled their proms this weekend, including Park City High School in Park City, Utah, according to CNN affiliate KSL-TV. Senior Kelly McGuire, who was getting ready for the prom on Saturday, is making last-minute changes because of the rescheduling. "That's a bummer, because it means we have to try to cancel our limo," McGuire told KSL-TV. "All cancellations have to be a week in advance. I have to cancel my tux, my corsage. It's going to be hectic." The Department of Education said that as of noon on Friday 433 schools, with a total of 245,449 students, in 17 states have been closed. Fort Worth schools will be closed at least until May 12, authorities said, announcing that one student was confirmed to have swine flu. The closure affects about 80,000 students. Texas school officials have postponed all interscholastic sports until at least May 11. Alabama has taken a similar step, stopping competitions until at least Tuesday. In Montgomery County, Maryland, 1,250-student Rockville High School joined the closed list Friday when state health authorities closed it until further notice because of a suspected swine flu case. There, too, athletics were taking a big hit, Assistant Principal Dyan Gomez said. Rockville's teams were even banned from traveling to other schools to compete this weekend, she said. CNN's Brad Lendon contributed to this report. | Slippery Rock University students who visited Mexico will have own graduation .
Student: "We are a liability ... we probably shouldn't be there"
Some students thrilled to get unique ceremony where they will know all graduates .
Schools postponing proms, canceling graduations over swine flu fears . |
fa4c7c46f5c8b0eb8ba7cdf0d3bce89a586a2dd0 | By . David Mccormack for MailOnline . The family of a 61-year-old father of four shot dead by cops at his New Mexico home on Wednesday are denying police claims that they were called to a domestic dispute and arrived to find the man 'suicidal' and brandishing a deadly weapon. John Rogers, a truck driver from Bloomfield, is survived by his wife Billie, their four children and 18 grandchildren. According to the police report, Bloomfield officers were responding to a domestic dispute at the Rogers home and when they confronted Rogers, who was armed. John Rogers, a 61-year-old truck driver from Bloomfield, New Mexico, was shot twice on Wednesday at his home by police, as his wife Billie looked on and screamed . Family demanding answers: John Rogers' family including his son Jonathan, left, wife Billie, center, and daughter Becky, right, are angry that police shot their father dead when they claim he wasn't armed and wasn't a danger to anyone . The family deny calling the police, although John Rogers' brother Abe told the Daily Times said that a family member had called a friend during a 'squabble' at the house on Wednesday morning. He said he believes that friend called the Bloomfield Police Department. The family denies that Rogers was armed when he was approached by officers. She describes seeing two police cruisers stop outside the house while she was inside doing some cleaning. Her husband was in the garage working on his motorcycle, she said. Before she could do anything, the officers shot and killed her husband. 'I seen a cop walking up towards him with his gun out, and I screamed,' she told KOB. 'I ran out the back door and… "boom boom." The family deny calling the police, although John Rogers' brother Abe said that a family member had called a friend during a 'squabble' at the house on Wednesday morning . John Rogers was shot dead by police outside his home in Bloomfield, New Mexico . 'Why? Why did they kill my husband?' The two 'boom' sounds were both officers firing their weapons, claims Rogers son Jonathan. He said that New Mexico State Police detectives told him two shots had been fired, one by an officer using his sidearm, the other fired from a shotgun. 'They said there was a struggle, and the officer pulled out his gun and shot him in the head,' said Jonathan Rogers. 'While he was still gurgling, they put their cold, steel boots to his neck.' Bloomfield Police Chief Randy Foster confirmed on Thursday that two Bloomfield police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation. 'Why did they kill my husband?' Wife Billie screamed as she saw two officers shot her husband dead . Foster has brought in New Mexico State Police to provide a thorough, unbiased investigation 'that people can be confident in.' According to the New Mexico State Police investigation that officers were responding to a call about a suicidal man. The family said they feel John Rodgers wasn't given a chance to surrender, and they don't believe he was a danger to himself or anyone else. 'We are being left in the dark; they aren't telling us anything,' said John Rogers' daughter Becky Medina. | John Rogers, a 61-year-old truck driver from Bloomfield, New Mexico, was shot twice on Wednesday at his home by police .
According to the police report, officers were responding to a domestic dispute and Rogers was armed when they confronted him .
His family deny that he armed .
According to a separate investigation by the New Mexico State Police, the officers were responding to a call about a suicidal man .
His family deny calling the police although they admit there was a 'squabble' and are now demanding answers from the cops . |
fa4d0583b300913d180c11ab9b4035d7372acb92 | A Western Kentucky University professor is "broken" but alive after surviving a 70-foot fall into a crevasse while climbing in Nepal. John All said he managed to make it out and to his tent, where he was picked up by a helicopter. "It probably took me four or five hours to climb out. I kept moving sideways, slightly up, sideways, slightly up, until I found an area where there was enough hard snow that I could get an ax in and pull myself up and over," he told HLN's "RightThisMinute" on Thursday. "I knew that if I fell at any time in that entire four or five hours, I, of course, was going to fall all the way to the bottom of the crevasse. Any mistake, or any sort of rest or anything, I was going to die." All fell into the crevasse Monday while conducting climate research on Mount Himlung in the Himalayas. He shot a short video immediately after the fall. In it, All's voice rises and falls with pain as drops of his blood speckle the white snow. He scans to the top of the crevasse, a narrow hole of light, and to its bottom, a seemingly bottomless pit. A ledge had stopped his fall. "Biggest problem was, because my ribs were so broken in my right side, I had to do everything with just my right foot, but not the upper part of my right leg, and my left leg, and then my left arm," he said. After he managed to make his way out of the crevasse, All said he rolled as much as he walked back to the tent. There, he called for a helicopter, which arrived within 16 to 18 hours, said All, who was alone when he fell. "If somebody else had been with me, we both would have died. There's no question. Because I would have fallen in the crevasse, they would have fallen on top of me, and we would have killed each other," he said. According to the crisis response firm that rescued All, he was flown to Kathmandu and transferred to a hospital there. Global Rescue said it was alerted to his situation via satellite text message relayed over the Internet. Asked by HLN how he is feeling, All replied "I am broken." Happily, he added: "It's amazing how broken a body can be and still be functioning." | John All was conducting climate research on Mount Himlung in the Himalayas .
He fell into a deep crevasse and managed to climb out .
"It's amazing how broken a body can be and still be functioning," All tells HLN . |
fa4e89d5220db5015e6970889b952121bf0608f8 | By . Sam Webb . A funeral directors has built up a collection of 405 urns of cremated ashes that grieving families have not collected over 40 years. Hundreds of urns are collecting dust on the shelves at B Matthews Funeral Directors in Southampton, Hampshire. Victoria Nethercott, a funeral director the company, said some families forget to pick up the ashes because there is a 'breakdown in communication'. Remains: A funeral directors in Southampton has built up a collection of 405 unclaimed sets of cremated ashes . But others are simply too upset to come and get them. She said: 'After a funeral, the ashes are kept at one of our branches until family members are ready to collect them. Victoria Nethercott, a funeral director the company, said some families forget to pick up the ashes, but others are simply too upset . 'However, we understand that there are many reasons why families may choose to leave the ashes in our care. 'For some, collecting them is too painful, in some cases it can be down to a breakdown in family communications on who will collect the remains. 'Others simply need more time to decide what to do with them. 'We feel is it our responsibility to now try and reunite these families with the cremated remains of their loved ones. 'We believe it is only right that every individual is given the opportunity of a peaceful final resting place.' The funeral directors has now launched an appeal to have the 405 unclaimed sets of ashes reunited with families. It comes after the company, which has been conducting funerals for more than 50 years, carried out an audit in their three branches in Southampton. They have already tried to track down some of the families. Some wanted the company to hold on to the ashes while others came in to collect them. The National Association of Funeral Directors has specific guidelines in place for unclaimed ashes, and recommends its members store them for a minimum of five years. | The Southampton undertakers has amassed the remains over 40 years .
Families often fail to collect because of a communication breakdown .
However, many mourners are simply too upset to take the urns away . |
fa4efb94d15e9d70a5411b7b98ce5701de3e5d70 | (CNN) -- Decades after the end of colonial rule, thousands of elderly Kenyans are getting compensation and an apology from Britain for years of torture during the fight for independence. Britain announced a £19.9 million ($30 million) settlement Thursday for human rights violations during its colonial rule in the East African nation. "The British government sincerely regrets that these abuses took place and that they marred Kenya's progress towards independence," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said. The victims had accused the former colonial master of a series of human rights violations, including rape, illegal detentions and castration. "The elderly victims of torture now at last have the recognition and justice they have sought for many years,"said Martyn Day of Leigh Day, the law firm that represented the plaintiffs. "For them, this significance of this moment cannot be overemphasized." In addition to the payout for the 5,228 victims, the UK said it plans to fund the construction of a memorial in Kenya to honor the freedom fighters. "This is part of a process of reconciliation," Hague said. He denied that the settlement could potentially open the floodgates for colonial-era claims from other former British colonies. Plaintiffs provided evidence of torture, and the amount of payout will be based on the scale, according to Donald Rabala, another attorney representing some of the fighters. The abuse occurred between 1952 and 1961, when fighters from the Mau Mau movement battled British forces for land and freedom. Colonial forces killed thousands of fighters and detained others, including Kenyans who were not part of the rebel group. Kenya went on to gain independence from Britain in 1963. Secret files . Day said the "long, hard struggle for justice" took four years. The Mau Mau veterans' claims, issued in 2009, faced resistance from Britain, which said the statute of limitations had expired. The veterans filed a lawsuit, but the British government asked the judge to throw out the case, saying it transferred all liability to Kenya when the country gained independence. Kenya rebuffed the blame and stood behind the victims. In January 2011, Britain found secret documents detailing the torture, which provided a big break for the case, Day said. Britain kept immaculate records that revealed systemic human rights violations, including graphic accounts of prisoner abuse, he said. The Foreign Office was ordered to produce all evidence relevant to the Kenya case, including hundreds of boxes of files, secretly smuggled out of Kenya ahead of independence. Court paves way for lawsuit . After the revelation of the secret files, a court ruled that there was enough evidence to proceed to trial. Last year, the London high court ruled that three Kenyans tortured during the colonial rebellion could sue the United Kingdom for compensation. Thousands of others followed suit. The three men who filed the original case made numerous trips to London to give their testimony. They are among the group that will be compensated. After the ruling last year, thousands of miles away in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, jubilant colonial-era fighters, balancing on canes, gingerly danced. Others prayed and wept. "It's a great day. I am as happy as the day I was released" from the detention camp, said Wambugu Wa Nyingi, one of the three original plaintiffs. Who are the Mau Mau? The Mau Mau insurgency was made up of Kenya's largest tribe, the Kikuyu. Its members were against British domination and fought colonial forces for years. During the uprising, as many as 150,000 Kenyans were incarcerated in what was then British East Africa, accused of joining resistance movements started by marginalized tribes. Among them were many civilians, including U.S. President Barack Obama's grandfather. Obama referred to his grandfather's incarceration in his memoir "Dreams from My Father," writing that he was held for six months by the British, but found innocent. CNN's Nima Elbagir contributed to this report from Nairobi, Kenya . | The abuse occurred from 1952 to 1961 .
Fighters from the Mau Mau movement battled British forces for land and freedom .
Colonial forces killed thousands of fighters and detained others . |
fa501d1f446830debda6912783681e8917c911d0 | By . Eleanor Crooks, Press Association . Patrick Mouratoglou believes Andy Murray is on track to do well at Wimbledon despite the deflating way in which his French Open ended. Murray had impressed on his way to the semi-finals for only the second time at Roland Garros only to suffer his worst ever grand slam defeat at the hands of Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard, who will bid for a ninth title against Novak Djokovic on Sunday, took just an hour and 40 minutes to win 6-3 6-2 6-1, Murray winning only 10 points on Nadal's serve in the match. Deflated: Andy Murray was flattened in straight sets by Rafael Nadal in Friday's French Open semi-final . No hiding place: The Scotsman was completely overwhelmed by the Spaniard, losing 6-3 6-2 6-1 . King of clay: Nadal is on track for an unprecedented ninth crown at Roland Garros . Murray will now seek solace in the grass of home, beginning the defence of his Aegon Championships title at Queen's Club on Wednesday before preparing to step out on Centre Court as the reigning Wimbledon champion. The 27-year-old had certainly expected better of himself, particularly having come close to beating Nadal on clay in Rome three weeks ago. He hinted it might take him a while to get over the drubbing, but Mouratoglou believes Murray can feel very positive about his form. The Frenchman, who coaches Serena Williams, told Press Association Sport: 'I think everyone was surprised. 'They had this match in Rome that was so good and that Murray played so well. I think that's the match that put him back on track, even though he lost it. We expected at least a battle, and there was no battle at all. 'If you don't put doubts in Rafa's mind, if you don't press on his weaknesses, then of course he's so dangerous. I think Murray let him play, he gave him too much time and he didn't hurt him. 'It was a bad day for him but I think he was too tired. When you're tired against Rafa on clay, you have zero chance, that's it. 'I think it was a very positive Roland Garros for Murray because his game is back to a very good level, and he knows it. This match he forgot already for sure. 'He gained a lot of confidence through this tournament. He knows what he needs to improve because it was obvious in this Roland Garros. Much too many ups and downs, going from offence to defence too many times for no reason.' Guru: French coach Patrick Mouratoglou watches on at last year's Wimbledon Championships . Guru: The 44-year-old is the current coach of US tennis superstar Serena Williams . Attention will now turn back to when Murray will appoint a new head coach, having been without one since splitting from Ivan Lendl in March. He rated his chances of having someone in place before Wimbledon, the most stressful two weeks of his year, as 50/50. Mouratoglou said: 'We have this saying in France that it's better to be alone than with bad company. 'If he doesn't find the right person yet then he has to wait but for sure it's important to be back with someone with new goals, to have new things to work on in your game, to have a different voice, to have something new to bring excitement back. 'But I think he can do well also without the coach because he has so much experience. He's won two grand slams and he'll have all the crowd behind him at Wimbledon, and he's playing well again. 'He shouldn't panic. If he has someone it's better, but if he doesn't he can still do well.' Murray admitted he would rather have a few days off to lick his wounds and recover from the physical strain of two tough weeks on the clay rather than heading straight onto the grass. It is at least a much less physical surface while, if Murray needs his spirits lifting, returning to the scene of his greatest triumph should be just the thing. Watchful eye: Murray is on the hunt for a new coach following his split with Ivan Lendl . Mentor: The Czech legend helped turn Murray into a two-time Grand Slam champion . 'I expect to play well there,' said the Scot of Wimbledon, which begins on June 23. 'I'm really looking forward to going back. I think it will give me a lot of positive energy. 'I'm glad I'm back playing to a level that was able to get me through to the last stage of slams. I just need that extra few per cent so that I can give myself a chance to try and win them again. 'But the grass will obviously help me. It's a surface I have always enjoyed playing on. I think it's been my most successful surface over my career. 'I'm really looking forward to Wimbledon especially. It's only two and a half weeks away, so I don't have too long to wait.' | Mouratoglou believes Murray is on track to defend his Wimbledon title .
The Scotsman was knocked out of the French Open by Rafael Nadal .
Lost in straight sets to the Spaniard in the semi-final at Roland Garros .
Murray's search for a new coach continues after Ivan Lendl split . |
fa504c455916762d29e3c9f6952cd07c635235f9 | (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama's sweeping health care legislation Thursday in a narrow 5-4 ruling that Obama says will provide up to 30 million additional Americans with health care. America doesn't have universal health care coverage -- what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls "a widely shared political aim of most countries" -- but neither do most other countries. Nearly 50 countries have attained universal or near-universal health coverage by 2008, according to the International Labor Organization. Several well-known examples exist like the UK, which has the National Health Service, and the Canadian public health care system. Here are more examples of countries have implemented near-universal health care. Brazil . Free health care coverage is recognized as a citizen's right in Brazil. Brazilians have both a private and public health care system, which was overhauled in 1988. The Sistema Único de Saúde, a nationalized program, provides primary health care, while a network of public and contracted hospitals delivers specialist care. About 80 percent of Brazil's population relies on public care, while the wealthiest 20% can afford private health care, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies report. Since the 1990s, Brazil has also provided universal access to HIV/AIDS drugs. During the three decades since the nation's major health care changes, infant mortality decreased and life expectancy increased by 10.6 years, according to a 2011 article in medical journal The Lancet. But the system hasn't been without problems, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies report, which alluded to gaps in the quality of care between various Brazilian regions. Rwanda . Since establishing a national health plan in 1999, Rwanda has insured about 91% of its population with health care -- a greater percentage than the United States. Rwanda has been dubbed "Africa's Singapore" by The Economist for its transformation since a devastating genocide in 1994. Watch Fareed Zakaria talk with Rwanda's president . The country has three health insurance plans, one for government employees, another for the military, and the third for the remaining population. The country commits about 20% of its annual spending to health, which is funded by tax revenues, insurance premiums and financial support from international donations, according to a WHO report. Since introducing health insurance, Rwanda has seen lower childhood mortality rates; more people are also receiving medical attention. But the country faces challenges from an increase in health services and making contributions more affordable for its poorest citizens, according to a WHO report. Thailand . By law, Thailand requires all patients to be covered by health insurance, regardless of their ability to pay. The WHO uses Thailand as an example of a low- or middle-income country that has been able to extend health coverage to all citizens. Introduced in 2002 as the "30-bhat scheme," (which is less than $1), the plan added about 14 million previously uninsured people to the Thai system. Prescription drugs, hospitalizations and services like chemotherapy, surgery and emergency care are free to patients, according to a WHO report. But the addition of millions of people to a health care system strained the existing structures, prompting criticisms of long waits, poor quality of service and shortage of service. South Korea . South Korea passed a law in 1977, mandating health insurance for industrial workers. During its rapid economic growth, health care became a priority for the government, which created the National Health Insurance. The system extended to universal coverage by 1989. The government merged more than 300 individual insurers into a single national fund, according to a WHO report. Korea's single-payer program has "been successful in mobilizing resources for health care, rapidly extending population coverage, effectively pooling public and private resources to purchase health care for the entire population, and containing health care expenditure," according to a report published in Health Policy Plan. But another report published in Health Affairs said that the public funding is limited, leaving "beneficiaries with relatively high payments." South Korea's expenditure on health care is 6.3% of the country's gross domestic product, compared with 18% in the United States. Moldova . The Eastern European country became independent with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. By 2004, it began a mandatory health insurance program with the aim of providing the entire population with basic health care. Employed Moldovans chip in a portion of their income through a payroll tax or a flat-rate contribution. Others who are unemployed or not working are insured by the government. Its National Health Insurance Company is the sole buyer of health care services and organizes emergency, primary and secondary care locally, according to a report by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, a joint partnership between European governments and the World Health Organization. Kuwait . Kuwait's level of health care is comparable to average European standards, according to the WHO's profile of the Middle Eastern country. The country began building up its health care system as it gained wealth from oil revenues. By the 1950s, the government implemented free comprehensive health care. This resulted in declines in general mortality and infant deaths, the report said. "Free health care was so extensive that it even included veterinary medicine," according to a local WHO report. Kuwait faces an aging population as well as an epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and obesity-related complications that place great demands on its health care system. Chile . The Chilean constitution guarantees rights to health protection. Chileans can opt for public care or get coverage from private health insurance companies. Wealthier citizens can buy insurance from the Instituciones de Salud Previsional or obtain coverage through their employer. A 7% income tax funds the public health care system, the Fondo Nacional de Salud, according to an analysis of health care reform in Chile. Public care includes free medical, dental and midwifery services, which are run locally. Private insurance tends to focus on specialist treatment. The existence of both public-private insurance has created inequities of care, prompting reform efforts in 2000 to increase equality across the country. Chile has guaranteed universal access to quality treatment for some conditions including certain cancers, HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, depression and dental care, which has improved care for the poor, according to the WHO. China . China announced an overhaul of its health system in 2009 to bring safe, affordable basic health services to all residents -- a tall order for a country containing 1.3 billion people. The government committed about $126 billion to reform the quality and efficiency of its health care, and ensure affordable and quality medication. But the issue of equity in health care persists. "There are still significant disparities in health status between regions, urban and rural areas, and among population groups," according to the WHO. China has seen increased life expectancy and reductions in infant deaths, but health observers stated in the WHO report the need to improve delivery of care. | Universal health coverage prevalent in Europe and several non-Western nations .
World Health Organization calls universal coverage "a widely shared political aim of most countries"
U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule shortly on Obama's sweeping health care reform . |
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