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fbae774859720dbdfbc92e68a654ef9d63852728 | By . Peter Allen . PUBLISHED: . 05:15 EST, 5 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:34 EST, 5 September 2013 . Theory: A hired assassin with military experience may have murdered a British family and a French cyclist in the Alps for just £420 each, a witness has claimed. Engineer Saad al-Hilli, pictured, was killed alongside his wife and her mother . A hired assassin with military experience may have murdered a British family and a French cyclist in the Alps for just £420 each, a witness has claimed. The chilling claim was released today on the first anniversary of the massacre which left Iraqi-British . engineer Saad Al-Hilli, 50, his wife Ikbal, 47, and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, . 74 all dead. One French investigating source said: 'The contract could be linked to an inheritance dispute within the Al-Hilli family.' The . source confirmed that an 'English witness' had suggested the entire . Al-Hilli family was targeted by a 'mercenary' from the Balkans who was . paid the equivalent of just £1680. British police officers involved in the . Anglo-French investigation have so far refused to comment on the . enquiry, but their counterparts in Annecy confirmed that suspicions . about a contract killing are 'high on the agenda'. French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45, was . also killed in the shootings, close to Lake Annecy in France. The Al-Hilli's daughters, Zainab, . eight, and Zeena, five, who were both in the car, were left orphaned and traumatised following the shooting on September 5 last year. A total of 21 bullets were used, with none damaging the bodywork of the family BMW in which the Al-Hillis were sitting. Instead, bullets passed straight through a car window before finding their human targets. At least five others ended up in the body of the cyclist, Mr Mollier, with the gunman reloading at least twice, ballistics reports suggest. French detectives are also following up claims that a French convict was offered '100,000 euros (£84,000 ) 'to eliminate an Iraqi settled in England', according to today's Le Figaro newspaper. Grim: A source says an 'English witness' suggested the entire Al-Hilli family was targeted by a 'mercenary' from the Balkans. This shows the family car at the murder scene . The horrific killings of the Al-Hilli family in one of the most scenic areas in the French Alps has baffled detectives. Since the murders a year ago, a number of theories have emerged as to why the family were slaughtered. French investigating sources believe an inheritance dispute within the Al-Hilli family could be a motive. Speculation: The killings in the French Alps have left a trail of suspected theories. This shows French Gendarmes close to the murder scene last year . There have also been revelations of a possible connection to the former regime of Saddam Hussein. It followed claims that the deposed tyrant may have deposited £840,000 into a Swiss bank account in the name of victim Said al-Hilli's father. At one stage, detectives believed they had been shot by a serial killer with a hatred of tourists. Police said they had linked the murders of the British family with the mysterious death of another tourist last July. Other theories have speculated that the French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, a 45-year-old nuclear industry worker, was the primary target. There have also been claims that a mystery motorcyclist seen around the Alpine beauty spot could have carried out the killings. This suggests that someone may have explored a number of options before finally ordering a hit. Saad's . brother Zaid Al-Hilli, 54, was arrested at his home in Surrey in June . on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, but has since been bailed. Zaid, . who has proved he was in the UK this time last year, denies any . wrongdoing and there is no concrete proof for any of the claims about . the killings being commissioned. Suspect: Saad's brother Zaad Al-Hilli, 54, pictured, was arrested at his home in Surrey in June on suspicion of conspiracy to murder but has since been bailed . But . the French now routinely leak information allegedly linking Zaid to the . murders, while attempting to close down other lines of enquiry. Annecy . prosecutor Eric Maillaud said the brothers were in dispute over their . father's inheritance, which included the £1 million family home in . Claygate, Surrey. 'Saad was scared of his brother,' said Mr Maillaud. 'It's for this reason that he changed the locks of the house.' Today there were also claims from the French sources that the brothers had a 'visceral hatred' for one another and that Saad's 'paranoid fear' was so great that he kept an illegal Taser stun gun for personal protection. Saad had also started using satellite technology through his smart phone which enabled friends to track his every move. The brothers' father, Kadhim, died in . Spain two years ago aged 85, leaving several properties and the . equivalent of more than £600,000 in a Geneva account. The French now claim Zaid had attempted to 'siphon' money from the account, and to fabricate his father's will in his favour. However, Mr Maillaud admitted that . there was currently not enough evidence to charge Zaid, and that other . theories could not be discounted. The murder scene - an . isolated mountain layby - reopened a few days after the killings, and . today floral tributes were already beginning to appear where the family . BMW had been parked. Probe: Sources close to the investigation have suggested that the killings could be linked to an inheritance dispute within the Al-Hilli family. But no evidence has been produced to support the suspicions. This is Saad Al Hilli's home . Saad's seven-year-old daughter, Zainab, was beaten over the head with the butt of the suspected murder weapon - a Luger P06 in 7.65mm Parabellum. Her four-year old sister, Zeena was left deeply traumatised after hiding beneath the skirts of her dead mother in the back of the BMW for eight hours before being discovered by gendarmes. Both girls are now in the care of extended family, following a court battle with surrey social services who wanted to keep them with foster parents. French police still believe they may still unlock the secrets of what happened through finally remembering what they saw. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Iraqi-British .
engineer Saad Al-Hilli, his wife and her mother all shot dead .
The Al-Hilli's daughters, Zainab, .
eight, and Zeena, five, both traumatised .
Claims that a contract for an assassin could be linked to inheritance dispute .
Suggestions the family was targeted by a .
'mercenary' from the Balkans . |
fbaeceb45d675c775ea7106b60cdcf5097d7f7d1 | Introducing the world's highest car showroom. On the 112th floor of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, bosses of the Ford motor company showed off their new model - a yellow Mustang. A team of six engineers travelled with the special Mustang from Ford's world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, in the United States, to Dubai aboard an Emirates Airlines flight. Scroll down for video . A team of engineers and mechanice spent 12 hours re-assembling the car in the world's tallest building . The showing off of Ford's yellow Mustang made floor 112 of the Burj Khalifa the world's highest car showroom . Once the car arrived in Dubai, it was transported to the base of Burj Khalifa and carefully separated into six sections that could be transported to the 112th level via the building's lifts. The team re-assembled the vehicle over approximately 12 hours. The Burj Khalifa measures 2,717ft. The re-assembling was complete when Ford executive chairman Bill Ford placed the pony badge on the Mustang on the 112th floor. It's a city full of tall buildings, yet they are small in comparison to the Burj Khalifa which was graced with a Ford Mustang . Ford executive chairman Bill Ford with the Ford Mustang at the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, in Dubai . The yellow Mustang glimmers in the Dubai sunlight atop the Burj Khalifa skyscraper . How the Burj Khalifa stands head and shoulders above other giant structures . At the ceremony in Dubai Mr Ford recalled how, in 1965, the company had placed a 1965 Mustang Convertible atop what was then the world's tallest building - the Empire State Building in New York. Building on the Burj Khalifa - which includes a hotel, the world's highest nightclub, restaurants and office space - started in September 2004. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the same architecture firm behind the Willis Tower in Chicago and the new One World Trade Center in New York. After delays the building, surrounded by 27 acres of landscaped gardens, opened on January 4 2010. | The car was taken apart and then re-assembled over a 12-hour period atop the giant skyscraper in Dubai .
Burj Khalifa project was started in 2004, and now stands 2,717ft above ground level .
Back in 1965 Ford had placed a car at the then-tallest building in the world - The Empire State Building . |
fbaf467865bad608b3dd481012e42b6efb936d44 | Editor's note: Uwe Reinhardt is James Madison professor of political economy at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. From 1986 to 1995 he served as a commissioner on the Physician Payment Review Committee, established in 1986 by Congress to advise it on issues related to the payment of physicians. Uwe Reinhardt says health costs are rising at unsustainable pace, gobbling up middle-class incomes. (CNN) -- Watching the angry outbursts at town hall meetings on health reform and the continuing public ambivalence about current efforts to reform our health system almost makes me wish that the reform effort fails. Perhaps Americans need to be taught a basic lesson on the economics of employment-based health insurance before they will feel as smugly secure with it as they do now and before they will stop nitpicking health-reform efforts to death over this or that detail. And America's currently insured middle class will be increasingly desperate if health reform fails. Millions more such families will see their take-home pay shrink. Millions will lose their employment-based insurance, especially in medium and small-sized firms. And millions will find themselves inexorably priced out of health care as we know it. Milliman Inc., an employee benefits consulting firm, publishes annually its Milliman Medical Index on the total health spending by or for a typical American family of four with private health insurance. The index totals the family's out-of-pocket spending for health care plus the contribution employers and employees make to that family's job-related health insurance coverage. The Milliman Medical Index stood at $8,414 in 2001. It had risen to $16,700 by 2009. It is likely to rise to $18,000 by next year. That is more than a doubling of costs in the span of a decade! Since 2005, the index has grown at an average annual compound rate of 8.4 percent. Suppose we make it 8 percent for the coming decade. Then today's $16,700 will have grown to slightly over $36,000 by 2019. Economists are convinced that this $36,000 would come virtually all out of the financial hides of employees, even if the employer pretended to be paying, say, 80 percent of the employment-based health insurance premiums. In the succinct words of the late United Automobile Worker Union leader Douglas Fraser: . "Before you start weeping for the auto companies and all they pay for medical insurance, let me tell you how the system works. All company bargainers worth their salt keep their eye on the total labor unit cost, and when they pay an admittedly horrendous amount for health care, that's money that can't be spent for higher [cash] wages or higher pensions or other fringe benefits. So we directly, the union and its members, feel the costs of the health care system." ("A National Health Policy Debate," Dartmouth Medical School Alumni Magazine, Summer 1989: 30) Unfortunately, very few rank-and-file workers appreciate this fact. Aside from their still modest out-of-pocket payments and contributions to employment-based insurance premiums, most employees seem sincerely to believe that the bulk of their family's health care is basically paid for by "the company," which is why so few members of the middle class have ever been much interested in controlling health spending in this country. The price for that indifference will be high. If efforts at better cost containment fail once again, and health care costs rise to $36,000 on average for a typical American family of four under age 65 -- as almost surely it would -- that $36,000 will be borne entirely by the family. That family's disposable income would be much higher if the growth of future health spending was better controlled. And, as noted, many smaller firms will stop altogether providing job-based health insurance. It would be a major problem for families with an income of less than $100,000 a year. In 2007, only about 25 percent of American families had a money income of $100,000 or more. Close to 60 percent had family incomes of less than $75,000. Here it must be remembered that the wages and salaries of the solid American middle class have been relatively stagnant in recent years and are likely to remain so for the next decade. Unemployment is not likely to fall significantly soon, regardless of what stock prices do on Wall Street. Indeed, often stock prices rise as firms lay off workers to drive up profits through leaner payrolls. This prospect -- relatively stagnant family incomes combined with family health-care costs that double every decade -- is what America's middle class should contemplate as it thinks about the imperative of health reform. It is a pity that this central issue seems to have been shoved aside by mendacious distortions from Sarah Palin, Betsy McCaughey, Rush Limbaugh and other extremist commentators seeking to frighten Americans with their prattle about "death panels" and "pulling plugs on granny" that no bill before Congress even remotely envisions. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Uwe Reinhardt. | Uwe Reinhardt: Consider what will happen if health reform fails .
He says health costs have already doubled in a decade .
Reinhardt says dollars spent on health care come out of wages for middle class . |
fbb003243886521a8d4b729915810d079e295dd8 | It might not be the most likely place to find a duchess. But as Sarah Ferguson gathered in a huddle with dozens of schoolchildren around tennis star Novak Djokovic, who was busy planting trees, she looked entirely at ease. The Duchess of York was in the small Serbian town of Kadina Luka, near Ljig, with the tennis champ as the two opened a new primary school for underprivileged local children. She arrived in the early hours of Monday morning at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport for a charitable visit with the Djokovic Foundation. Mucking in: The Duchess of York watches with her new little pals as Novak Djokovic digs holes for saplings in the grounds of the new school . The two opened a refurbished primary school at 7am yesterday morning, after he met her in Belgrade. The school, based in a small town in the centre of Serbia, is the first to have been . renovated by the charity as part of its project Skolica Zivota (Little School Of Life). And the charitable pair were not afriad to get their hands dirty. While Novak dug holes to plant saplings, the Duchess of York entertained the gaggle of children, keeping them in her thrall. Despite the fact she can only have slept for an hour or two, the duchess kept smiling throughout the day. Worthwhile cause: The duchess, who is a patron of the charitable foundation, insisted on flying in, saying it is 'not all about attending glittery parties' Natural: Prince Andrew's former wife, who also enjoys a career as a writer and television personality, made an easy addition to the crew . Patron: The Novak Djokovic Humanitarian Foundation was founded in 2007 by the tennis champ and says its goal is to create a 'lasting change' in the lives of children in need in Serbia . British former royal Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is pictured arriving at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport . Children's education is a cause close to the Duchess's heart. She . is an ambassador of the foundation and believes this 'means more than . just going to glittery parties' and so wanted to see their work firsthand. And her work, and that of Djokovic, is indeed vital: It is known that fewer than 44 per cent of children between three and a half and five actually attend school. Prince Andrew's former wife opened the school with Djokovic and is currently on her way back to London. While engaging in charitable work, she also enjoys a career as a writer and television personality. Sarah Ferguson landed at Belgrade airport in the early hours of this morning . The Duchess appeared in good spirits as she made her way through the airport into her waiting car . Novak Djokovic beat Milos Raonic in . straight sets yesterday, lifting Serbia to a 2-2 tie with Canada in the . Davis Cup semi-finals. The Novak Djokovic Humanitarian Foundation was founded in 2007 by the tennis champ. Its . goal is to create a lasting change in the lives of children in need in . Serbia, and its work takes them to the most socially underprivileged . communities in the country. Tennis champion Novak Djokovic started his foundation in 2007 . The Duchess put her best foot forward in a pair of snazzy slipper shoes from Pretty Ballerinas yesterday. The black slip-ons feature a bright red heart detail and are made of leather and suede. At £150, they may have the royal seal of approval but they don't come cheap. But their low heels make them a comfortable choice for travelling in. | Sarah Ferguson, 53, arrived in Belgrade late last night to open school .
Joined by tennis star Novak Djokovic who is founder of school .
Only 44% of three and a half to five-year-olds in Serbia attend school .
Many children receive no early education and struggle with literacy .
Duchess helped Djokovic open renovated primary school near town of Ljig . |
fbb04544fd13449b5a9d0f337cb985e1256b98c3 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . If you like the look of Google Glass, but hate its $1,500 (£1,000) price tag, then this alternative may soon be able to meet your fashion needs. Dubbed the Fun’iki glasses, the $150 (£90) device lights up in different colours to send alerts about new messages, phone calls and app activity. The glasses feature different modes of flashing lighting for different situations, ranging from ‘disco’ and ‘party’ to ‘relax.’ Dubbed the Fun’iki glasses, this $150 (£90) device light up in different colours to send you alerts about new message, phone calls and app activity . It even lets you send messages in Morse code. You can type in the text into an app and the glasses will flash with the message. The 1.2oz (38.5g) device was spotted by Engadget at CNET’s Japan Live 2014 event and is expected to go on sale later this year. As well as lighting up when there is a notification, Fun’iki can also emit a beep so that wearers never miss a text again. As well as lighting up when there is a notification, the glasses also emit a beep so that wearers never miss a text again . The glasses themselves are powered by USB rechargeable Li-ion batteries and include an automated light sensor that adjusts the brightness of LED . The LEDs are embedded into the frame itself, which means it should be possible to create a pair of prescription lenses for the frame. Weight: 38.5g . Wireless: Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology . Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery Charging via USB to power adapter . Light: Six Full colour LED light . Audio: Built in speaker . Sensors: Accelerometer / Ambient light sensor . Button: One mechanical push button . Price: $150 (£90) and expected to be on sale later this year . The glasses themselves are powered by USB rechargeable Li-ion batteries and include an automated light sensor that adjust the brightness of LED. ‘Sometimes, it’s considered impolite to check a mobile or take out a smart phone during business scene, but you won’t miss any important information from now on without touching a mobile,’ Tokyo-based Matilde, who created the device, wrote on its website. Yesterday, more than two years after Google launched its Glass Explorer scheme in the U.S, the programme was finally made it available to gadget fans in the UK. Now any British resident aged over 18 can buy a Glass prototype from the official website for £1,000 - as long as they have a valid credit card. But with such a steep price tag, the Fun’iki glasses may just prove to be a fashionable alternative. The LEDs are embedded into the frame itself, which means that it should be possible to create a pair of prescription lenses for the device . | $150 (£90) Fun'iki glasses light up in different colours to send alerts .
These alerts could be a new messages, phone calls or app activity .
The glasses also feature different modes of flashing lighting for different situations ranging from ‘disco’ and ‘party’ to ‘relax’
They are expected to be sold by Tokyo group Matilde later this year . |
fbb0541cca0655e73e2a4657820bddcb4f174d69 | Liverpool are sweating on the fitness of key midfielder Lucas Leiva amid fears that he could be set for a month on the sidelines. The Brazil international only lasted 15 minutes of Saturday's 0-0 draw with Everton after damaging his thigh and he will undergo a scan on Monday to discover the full extent of the problem. Lucas was absent for the 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup with an abductor problem but this is a different, more serious issue and is almost certain to keep him out of a sequence of key fixtures. Liverpool are sweating on the fitness of key midfielder Lucas Leiva (left, pictured on Saturday) The Brazil international lasted just 15 minutes of Saturday's 0-0 draw with Everton after damaging his thigh . Lucas, who was replaced by Joe Allen, will undergo a scan to discover the full extent of the problem . Starting with Tuesday night's Barclays Premier League clash with Tottenham, Liverpool have an FA Cup fifth-round tie at Crystal Palace, two Europa League games with Besiktas and a trip to Southampton on their schedule in February and how they fare in those games will have a bearing on their ambitions. Should Lucas be absent for all those matches, it would be a major blow for manager Brendan Rodgers, as Liverpool's form had significantly improved since he restored the 28-year-old to the starting line-up. Lucas had been a target for Inter Milan in the January transfer window but Rodgers made it clear that he wanted to keep him and it has not gone unnoticed that the only Premier League defeat they have suffered in the last two months - at Manchester United on December 14 - came when Lucas was not in the team. Lucas had been a target for Inter Milan in the January transfer window following his fine form for the Reds . Lucas's absence through injury would be a major blow for Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers . There is a concern, though, that Liverpool will have to do without Lucas for a sustained period. This is not the first time Lucas has had a thigh injury ruin his progress: during Rodgers' second Premier League game in charge of Liverpool against Manchester City in August 2012, he ruptured his quad muscle and ended up being sidelined for three months. Both player and manager - who is giving a scheduled press conference on Monday afternoon - will be desperate to avoid a similar lay-off. Injuries are starting to have an impact on Rodgers' plans. He hopes Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho will be fit to face Tottenham after they picked up knocks against Everton, while Adam Lallana is also battling to be fit after missing the trip to Goodison Park. 'The only downfall of being in cup competitions is the number of games,' Rodgers said after the 0-0 draw. 'But whatever happens with injuries to players the squad will be better for the experience. 'If we are playing one game a week we are not in cup competitions and not doing as well as we would want. We want the games to come, this is a challenging year, but we will be better when we come out of this year and so will the players. 'Phil Coutinho had a knock on his knee and Raheem had a knock on his foot. We had fresh players on the bench to bring on and hopefully they will be fit for Tuesday.' Raheem Sterling (pictured) and Philippe Coutinho picked up knocks against Everton . Rodgers is hoping Sterling and Coutinho (pictured) will be fit for Tuesday's match against Tottenham . | Lucas picked up an injury during Liverpool's 0-0 draw with Everton .
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will know more after a scan on Monday .
Lucas could be out for a month following the injury .
CLICK HERE for all the latest Liverpool news . |
fbb08167c760d382bc620718a341d884961e81ed | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:28 EST, 6 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 22:15 EST, 6 April 2012 . The mother of a 14-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who . weighed 28 pounds when she died has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter . at a court in southwest Ohio. Angela Norman, 42, of Dayton, Ohio, is accused of allowing . her daughter to die through neglect in the worst case of malnutrition the . county coroner had ever seen. Makayla Norman was covered in bed sores and showed other . signs of neglect when she died on March 1, 2011, said court authorities. Left to die: Makayla Norman had numerous bed sores and showed signs of massive malnutrition when she died on March 1, 2011, according to authorities . Mrs Norman pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony count of . involuntary manslaughter and to single misdemeanor and felony counts of . endangering children at Montgomery County Common Pleas Court in Dayton, north . of Cincinnati. The county coroner's office attributed the teen's death to . nutritional and medical neglect complicated by her chronic condition. 'She . was the worst malnourished child this office has ever seen,' said Ken . Betz, director of the coroner's office. Angela Norman was indicted on the three counts last . November. Three nurses who authorities said were to administer or monitor the . girl's care also were charged. Angela Norman, the mother of a 14-year-old who had cerebral palsy and weighed 28 pounds when she died last year pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Friday, April 6, 2012 . Norman remained in jail with bail set at $250,000. Her attorney did not immediately return a call to his office. Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. said that Angela Norman did . not provide sufficient food or proper care for the child, resulting in her . death. The two felony counts were related to Makayla Norman's . death. The misdemeanor count of endangering children involved another daughter, . the prosecutor said. Mollie E. Parsons, 42, of Dayton (left) and Kathryn Williams, 42, have both been charged in connection with Makayla’s death . Norman had been scheduled for trial April 18 with the other . three defendants who have pleaded not guilty in the case. Mollie E. Parsons, 42, of Dayton, is charged with . involuntary manslaughter, failing to provide for a functionally impaired person . and tampering with records. Kathryn Williams, 42, of Englewood, and Mary K. Kilby, 63, . of Miamisburg, both registered nurses, are each charged with failing to provide . for a functionally impaired person and failing to report child abuse or . neglect. Mary K. Kilby, 63, of Miamisburg, a registered nurse is charged with failing to provide for a functionally impaired person and failing to report child abuse or neglect . The teen was confined to her home and was supposed to be . cared for by her mother and Parsons, a licensed practical nurse who was . supposed work six days a week at the home, according to the prosecutor. Williams was paid to supervise Parsons, visit and inspect . the living conditions, and do a physical assessment of the girl every 30 to 60 . days. Kilby was scheduled to visit every six months to also check . on conditions of the home and assess the girl's health, needs and care, the . prosecutor has said. An agreement has not yet been reached on a specific . sentence for Norman. Sentencing is set for April 24. | Makayla Norman, 14, was riddled with bed sores .
Girl weighed only 28 pounds when she died .
'She was the worst malnourished child this office has ever seen', said coroner . |
fbb13c7db391f60621a9488af955c6dcf452d545 | By . Rob Cooper and Emma Clark . UPDATED: . 05:57 EST, 23 June 2012 . Phil Gannon, 58, pictured arriving at Liverpool Magistrates Court yesterday, was found guilty of two counts of using abusive or insulting words . A Liverpool fan has been found guilty of hurling racist abuse at fans and players during a football match - after his actions were captured on live television. Father-of-four Phil Gannon, 58, was caught on camera performing a racially offensive monkey . impression during the FA Cup fourth round clash between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on January . 28. Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today banned Gannon from attending matches for four years. Gannon was also accused of hurling racist abuse at Patrice Evra during the game, the first between the Premier League rivals . since an eight-match ban was imposed on Liverpool striker Luis Suarez after the . FA found him guilty of racially abusing Mr Evra. In the 23rd minute of the game the TV camera panned over . fans in the lower Centenary Stand, where Gannon was sitting with two friends, . and he was seen to position his hands under his armpits. The coverage, broadcast worldwide by ITV, quickly spread . across social networking site Twitter and complaints were made to police, the . court heard. One trial witness also told the court he heard Gannon say . towards Evra in French: ‘Tu es petit noir homme merde’ , which in English translates . as ‘You little black s*** man’. Gannon, a carpenter and joiner from Heol Meirion, Barmouth, north Wales, repeatedly shouted abuse . including ‘pikey b*******’ at opposing . fans throughout the game, the bench was told. He also shouted: ‘F*** off you spastic mutants’ in the . direction of disabled supporters watching the game nearby, a witness said. The court heard the offences were racially aggravated, . despite Gannon’s claims that the 'monkey' gesture was a reference to 'cavemen' and that he never abused Evra in French. Defending solicitor David Woods accused anyone who identified the gesture as racist as being racist themselves.He said: 'If you equate monkeys with black people then you are as racist as the person who is doing it. 'By looking at the gesture in that way then you assume that someone is being racist.'The prosecution say it's a clear racist gesture and the defendant says it isn't as he was saying the Manchester United fans were cavemen in relation to their actions towards him.' But the chairman of the bench, who declined to give his . name, said they deemed it to be a monkey gesture, adding that it was 'clearly . racist' and the bench also believed that Gannon shouted a racist insult at Evra . in French when he came towards the touchline. Scroll down for video. Race abuse: Gannon making the racist monkey gesture during Liverpool's game against Manchester United . 'There is no doubt that this was a racist remark,' he said. Gannon sat about eight rows back from the pitch at the . Anfield Road end of the Centenary Stand, the court heard, about 20 to 30 yards away from the Manchester United fans. Gannon's friend, Malik Alam, who attended the match with him, gave evidence in his defence. Alam, of Asian origin, said: 'He was not doing a monkey gesture. He was doing a sort of caveman dance. Rude gesture: Phil Gannon in his Facebook picture . 'Phil is definitely not racist. He has black grandkids and wouldn't be friends with me if he was. 'I wouldn't stand for him saying anything racist or making any racist gestures, but I know he is not like that.' Nevertheless, he was . found guilty of two counts of using abusive or insulting words within the . hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused alarm or distress. Gannon, of Heol Meirion, Barnmouth, was made subject to a four year football banning order which prevents him from attending any soccer match in England or Wales. He is also barred from from travelling to any town or city in England or Wales where Liverpool FC are playing a match, during a period four hours before the fixture, during the match and for four hours afterwards. He fined £165 and ordered to pay £15 victim's surcharge and £300 court costs. After his gesture was shown on television, his Facebook revealed his interests include 'inter-continental rioting' and 'global regime change'. He was also a member of a Facebook group called 'Luis Suarez is . innocent'. Race row striker Suarez, 25, was banned for eight matches for abusing Evra during a match at Anfield earlier in the season. Liverpool fans complained that the . forward, 25, had been harshly treated after he was given a suspension - and campaigned for his name to be cleared. Facebook: Phil Gannon is a fan of the group 'Luis Suarez is innocent'. Suarez, 25, was banned for eight matches for racially abusing Patrice Evra . Interests: Gannon, 58, wrote on his Facebook page that he is into 'inter continental rioting'. His wife Karen, 50, has said he is 'no racist' Target: Patrice Evra, centre, during the game on January 28 at which Gannon racially abused him from the stands . Banned: Suarez, centre, was given an eight match ban for abusing Evra, left, during this league match at Anfield in October . | Phil Gannon, 58, was caught on camera hurling racist abuse during a game . |
fbb160ddf443a09dd71285eb05a04d100e6b2d9c | By . Toby Harnden . PUBLISHED: . 15:03 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:58 EST, 1 November 2012 . Barack Obama headed back onto the campaign trail today for the first time after Superstorm Sandy struck and said now is not the time for 'petty differences' between parties, but then went on to attack his rival Mitt Romney. Obama, who is visiting three key swing states today, told the crowd at an airport rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin: 'All the petty differences that consume us in normal times seem to melt away. ‘There are no Democrats or Republicans during a storm, just fellow Americans.’ Back on the trail: President Obama waves to supporters in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday after resuming his presidential campaign . Standing by her man: First Lady Michelle Obama speaks during a campaign appearance at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville, Florida . Obama said today: ‘Our hearts go out . to those who have lost their loved ones. We pledge to help those whose . lives have been turned upside down. ‘In the end we're all in this together - that we rise and fall as one nation, one people.’ He added: ‘We've also been inspired these past few days. Because when disaster strikes, we see America at its best.’ The spirit seen after Sandy, he said, had ‘carried us through the trials of the last four years’. In focus: Supporters take photographs as Michelle Obama walks to the stage at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida . Looking forward: Michelle Obama takes centre stage at a campaign event in Florida to support her husband . Strong: Michelle Obama clenches her fists as she speaks at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville, Florida . Purple patch: Michelle Obama smiles as she takes the applause in Jacksonville, Florida . Sounds good: Stevie Wonder performs at a campaign event attended by First Lady Michelle Obama at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville . In the pink: Supporters - some younger than others - cheer as they wait to hear from Michelle Obama at the rally in Miami . But Obama then contradicted his high-minded appeal for bipartisanship to attack Romney. ‘He’s . saying he’s the candidate of change,’ he said. ‘Well, let me tell you . Wisconsin, we know what change looks like. And what he’s offering isn’t . change. Obama described . Romney’s proposals on taxes, social policy and regulation as a return, . adding that ‘turning Medicare into a voucher is change, but we don’t . want that change’. He said; . ‘know what change looks like because I fought for it,” he said. “And . after all we’ve been through together, we sure as heck can’t give up . now.' Good to see you: Mr Obama made a quick stop in Wisconsin before heading to Las Vegas . Broad smile: President Obama grins as he waves at supporters in Wisconsin before heading to Las Vegas . Matter in hand: Speaking in Wisconsin, Mr Obama said: 'When disaster strikes, we see America at its best. There are no Democrats or Republicans during a storm. Just fellow Americans' Winning smile? President Barack Obama shakes hands with supporters during a campaign stop at Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, Wisconsin . Ready for action: The President looks relaxed as he disembarks Air Force One at McCarran International Airport for a campaign event in Las Vegas . Made to feel welcome: The President waves to supporters upon his arrival in Las Vegas . Seeking a second term: President Obama addresses a campaign rally on the campus of the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas . High five: President Obama meets a young boy as he arrives in Denver, Colorado, for the third leg of his day's campaigning . Flying visits: The President went to Colorado after making campaign appearances in Wisconsin and Nevada . Deep in conversation: President Obama and New Jersey governor Chris Christie showed a united front . Obama advisers . believe that the images of the president comforting survivors of Sandy . on a visit to New Jersey yesterday has given him fresh hope of . re-election in five days time and halted Romney's momentum. A poll taken in the wake of Sandy . found that 80 per cent of likely voters approved of Obama’s response to . the storm and the president incorporated the hurricane into his stump . speech after campaign hostilities resumed. Meanwhile, Romney appeared in Roanoke, Virginia. He said Obama had run out of ideas. ‘I . mean, unfortunately what you've seen before your very eyes is a . campaign that keeps on shrinking and shrinking and shrinking to smaller . things,' he said. ‘He's . been out talking about how he's going to save Big Bird and then playing . silly word games with my last name, or first, and then attacking me day . in and day out. Reaching out: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney greets supporters at a campaign event at a window and door factory in Roanoke, Virginia . Rooting for Romney: Supporters wave signs and American flags as the Republican presidential candidate appears at the campaign event in Roanoke, Virginia . Anticipation: Republican supporters in Roanoke, Virginia, cheer as they wait to hear Mitt Romney speak at the campaign event . Sex appeal: A female supporter holds up a sign as former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney makes a speech at the campaign event in Roanoke, Virginia . Visit: Virginia's Republican senator, George Allen (left), and the party's presidential candidate, Mitt Romney (second from left), take a tour of Integrity Windows in Roanoke . Debate in the downturn: Mitt Romney (centre) speaks to owners and workers at Bill's Barbecue in Richmond, Virginia, which has gone out of business . Food for thought: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stands with his hands in his pockets as he hears from Bill's Barbecue owner Rhoda Elliott (in red, back to camera) Anxiety: Romney listens to Bill's Barbecue owner Rhoda Elliott (in red, center) during his visit to the now-closed restaurant, before attending a campaign event in Richmond, Virginia . Election drive: Mitt Romney arrives on his campaign bus at Meadow Event Park in Richmond, Virginia . Romney in Virginia: The Republican candidate speaks in Doswell (left) and arrives on stage at a campaign stop at Meadow Event Park in Richmond (right) 'Attacking me doesn't make an agenda, doesn't get people back to work. We don't need the Secretary of Business to understand business. 'We need a president who understands business, and I do. That's why I'll help get this economy going.' Obama is spending the last Thursday of the 2012 election campaign hitting three swing states that he won comfortably in 2008 – Wisconsin, Nevada and Colorado. Romney is also on defence, trying to shore up Virginia, which Republicans hoped would be safe by now, with three events there. Trick or treat: Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan (left) joins his family on a Halloween outing. His sons Charles and Samuel went as 'spooky goblins', daughter Liza dressed as Katy Perry, and wife Janna donned a hat. Ryan's sister-in law Zoe Ryan (third from right) holds her daughter Zaydee May . Electioneering: The name 'Romney' is spelled out in sand during an aerial tour of the Atlantic Coast taken by President Barack Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Wednesday . VIDEO: Obama speech from Wisconsin . | Obama visits swing states after taking tour of storm-hit New Jersey .
First Lady Michelle Obama appears at Florida campaign event .
President: 'When disaster strikes, we see America at its best'
Obama promises change, describes Romeny's policies as a return .
Republican rival Mitt Romney campaigns in Virginia . |
fbb20e57dbe409243cfd347c67091164115734f9 | By . Meghan Keneally . The Sherpa community has threatened to strike if their insurance levels are not doubled and more financial safety nets are put in place after 16 of their colleagues died in the worst accident Mount Everest has ever seen. The Sherpas are the main breadwinners for their families in the extremely poor country and for years their relatives were paid minimal amounts if they died on the mountain. As 13 men died and three remain missing yet presumed dead after a piece of ice broke lose early Friday when they were going to fix the ropes for international groups, the compensation rate is being revisited and many of the Sherpas are demanding action before they go back to climbing. Heartbreaking: Sherpas just recently had their life insurance payouts to their relatives (like the pictured relatives of one of the Sherpas who died last week) increased from $4,600 to $10,400 which is barely enough to pay for their Buddhist funerals but now they are pushing to have that figure doubled . The payouts to Sherpas' families are minimal and many times don't even cover the costs of traditional Buddhist funeral ceremonies let alone help replace the income the guide work generated . Government-mandated death insurance for the local guides hired to help bring adventurers and their gear up the harrowing mountain was recently raised from $4,600 to $10,400, but now they are threatening to stop climbing unless they get assurances that it will be boosted to $20,800. The $4,600 death and accident insurance fee that had been the standard rate for years was never enough, and families regularly went into debt in order to give their loved ones a full Buddhist ceremony meant to speed up the soul's journey towards reincarnation. That number was doubled earlier this year, but it has not addressed the continuing problems of inequality surrounding the Everest climbs: foreign groups and adventurers pay upwards of $50,000 or $60,000 to make the storied trek, but the Sherpas see very little of that money. The Nepalese ministry of tourism gets a much larger cut, and now the Sherpas have demanded that a portion of the visa fees be set aside for a relief fund. The government has issued 334 permits this season, up from 328 last year. Emotional: Daughter of Ang Kaji Sherpa, one of the victims of the Mount Everest avalanche on 18 April, collapses during the cremation ceremony at Syambhu . A Nepalese woman holds her hands together in prayer during the cremation ceremony on Monday . Documentation: A Nepal government report names the victims of the tragedy and reveals they were on an 'NBC Everest Expedition' Outside Magazine reported last year that the Sherpas were set to receive other bumps in payments in early 2014, with their health coverage jumping from $575 to $4,000. The rescue insurance, which goes towards helicopter fees when Sherpas fall or are incapacitated at high altitudes, went from $4,000 to $11,000- but that still did not cover the costs of an emergency ride which regularly costs somewhere around $15,000. The Associated Press reported that the group's third and final demand in light of Friday's accident- calling for the creation of a monument in honor of the fallen Sherpas- is the only one that the government has already agreed to, but the others are still being considered. 'We will do what we can, keeping with the standard practice to provide compensation,' Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh said Monday. They also want assurance that the government will bring regulations to protect them in the future. The ceremony took place at the Syambhu in Kathmandu, Nepal, after the avalanche on Friday . Buddhist monks attend prayers for Nepalese mountaineers as their fellow guides threatened to boycott expeditions on Monday . Prayers were also said for the three Sherpas who were never found after the avalanche . 'The government has made no big response even after a big tragedy like this. Until they hear our pleas we will continue to put pressure,' Sherpa Pasang of the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association said, adding they plan to meet top government officials later in the week. The role as a Sherpa has always been a dangerous one but the men are relatively well compensated: more experienced guides can earn upwards of $6,000 during the three-month busy season which begins in May. By comparison, the national salary average is closer to $700. When tragedy strikes, the logistics and chains of responsibility when it comes to the hiring process also complicates the payouts. Western groups typically hire expedition companies- many of which are based in America and Europe- which then hire trekking companies based in the Nepalese capital of Katmandu or closer to the base of the mountain. Deadly force: The avalanche that killed at least thirteen Sherpas is pictured as it barrels down Mount Everest . Final moments: Rescuers recovered the body of one mountain guide on Saturday after an ice avalanche swept the lower slopes of Mount Everest, bringing the death toll to at least 13 in the deadliest accident on the world's highest mountain . In most situations, the government insurance is bought either in full by the local trekking company or is split between them and the larger- and typically more wealthy- touring company. When it comes to Friday's accident, MailOnline exclusively reported at least five of the Sherpas were on the mountain after being hired by local trekking companies to work as the crew for Peacock Productions, a film crew associated with NBC who were preparing for a now-cancelled TV special. Two of the fatalities were explicitly listed as being a part of the NBC Everest Expedition and three others were hired by Adventurist Expeditions, an Everest climbing company that the wingsuit jumper at the heart of the Discovery Channel special had previously worked with. Rescue . mission: Nepalese mountain rescue workers pictured lifting an injured . climber shortly after the avalanche on Mount Everest at around 6.30am on . Friday . Survivor: Dawa Tashi Sherpa, pictured, is one of several guides who were rescued from the mountain . NBC and Discovery officials would not specifically state which sherpas or what tour companies the networks employed at Everest when MailOnline made repeated inquiries, but a part of the Peacock . Productions crew currently at Everest Base Camp did confirm that five members of their larger crew were among the fatalities. The Peacock Productions crew had been working with Alpine Ascents International, a Washington state-based tour company who arranges Everest treks and works with different local Sherpa guides and groups. MailOnline has been in touch with the company about the Sherpas they hired but the owner who is currently in Nepal was unable to return our calls due to the busy situation at base camp. Six of the 13 dead bodies were cremated on Monday as part of an elaborate Buddhist ceremony in Katmandu that was attended by hundreds. When . the Nepalese government released this list, only 12 were dead and four . were missing. The latest reports have the number of fatalities up to 13 . but they have not disclosed who is the new fatality. Name of expedition . NBC Everest Expedition . Adventurist Everest Expedition . AAI Everest Expeditions . AC Everest Expeditions . Jagged Globe Everest Exped. Himalayan Ecstasy Lhotse . Everest Chinese Dream . Name of Trekking Company . Shangrila Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks . Shangrila Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks . Summit Nepal Trekking . Himalayan Ecstasy Treks . Seven Summit Treks Pvt. Ltd. Names of sherpas . Mingma Nuru Sherpa- dead . Derji Sherpa- dead . Dorjee Khatri- dead . Then Dorjee Sherpa- dead . Phur Temba Sherpa- dead . Ang Tshiri Sherpa- dead . Nima Sherpa- dead . Tenzng Chottar- missing . Phurba Ongyal Sherpa- dead . Lakpa Tenjing Sherpa- dead . Chhring Ongchu Sherpa- dead . Pasang Karma Sherpa- dead . Asman Tamang- dead . Ankaji Sherpa- missing . Pem Tenji Sherpa- missing . AAsh Bahadur Gurung- missing . | Avalanche on Mount Everest killed at least 13 local guides on Friday and the three who remain missing are presumed dead .
Sherpas are collectively bargaining for greater government-mandated life insurance and the creation of a relief fund .
Five of the guides were assisting daredevil wingsuit jumperJoby Ogwyn's climb up the mountain for a televised special to air on Discovery Channel .
Discovery Network, which sponsored the stunt, said it has been cancelled .
Six avalanche victims were cremated on Monday in a Buddhist ceremony . |
fbb27cd71b898685635106209936688a4c28a6ee | Joe Biden added a page to his lengthy book of gaffes on Thursday night, mocking the plight of overlooked vice presidents everywhere by asking a Harvard University audience, 'Isn't it a b**ch?' During a speaking appearance at Harvard's Institute of Politics, senior Sietse Goffard rose to ask a question and first noted that 'I’m the vice president of the student body here.' 'Isn't it a b**ch,' Biden quipped. 'I mean – excuse me – the vice president thing?' Amid laughter, he quickly backpedaled from the latest in his long string of public blunders. Scroll down for video . 'Isn't that a b**ch,' Biden ask Harvard University's student body vice-president. 'I mean – excuse me – the vice president thing?' Harvard senior economics major Sietse Goffard guffawed when Biden sympatized with his second-banana syndrome . 'I’m joking, I’m joking,' he insisted. 'Best decision I ever made.' 'That was a joke. That was a joke,' Biden said of his colorful take on always being second. Goffard told him: 'I hope you love your job.' 'I do actually,' Biden responded. 'I love that guy I work with.' Biden, a rumored 2016 presidential candidate, is a walking gaffe top-ten list known for his mastery of the inappropriate and flat-out wrong. During this summer's U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, he told Africa's heads of state that their continent was actually a country. 'There's no reason the nation of Africa cannot and should not join the ranks of the world's most prosperous nations in the near term,' he said. And Thursday night wasn't the public's first glimpse of his more colorful vocabulary. Biden famously told President Barack Obama during a White House ceremony that his Affordable Care Act law was 'a big f***ing deal' – a comment that his lapel mic caught and broadcast nationwide. Four years ago he noted in a diplomatic face-palm moment how Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen's mother had 'lived in Long Island for ten years or so' before her death. 'God rest her soul,' Biden said somberly, before realizing that 'wait – your mom’s still ... your mom’s still alive. Your dad passed. God bless her soul.' In 2012 he made the sign of the cross while on stage to address a group of more than 1,600 conservative rabbis in Atlanta. Reporters guffawed later that year when he tried to capture the spirit of President Theodore Roosevelt's famous 'Speak softly' philosophy, by noting that 'the president has a big stick. I promise you.' Biden spoke to a capacity crowd at left-leaning Harvard on Thursday night, answering questions at the Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Mass. It brought back memories of a 2008 photo-op outside Biden's home where he told journalists that he had just returned from 'a successful dump,' which turned out to be a trip to a nearby landfill. Two months later during an Ohio campaign speech, Biden criticized then-GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain for what he called a 'last-minute economic plan' that did 'nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class.' 'It happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs.' Several of Biden's most cringe-worthy moments have riled conservatives who say their own political stars would have been pilloried in print and on television if they had made similar comments. 'You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent,' he told an Indian-American man in 2006, with a C-SPAN camera rolling. 'I'm not joking.' | Obama's VP spoke to Harvard political student group at the Kennedy School of Government .
'Isn't it a b**ch? I mean – excuse me – the vice president thing?' Biden quipped after a student said he was Harvard's student body VP .
'I’m joking, I’m joking,' Biden quickly insisted, 'best decision I ever made'
One-man gaffe squad is known for saying the least appropriate thing on any given day . |
fbb2e6af9ea4a254de39a85fad9ebb1e85272f9d | Quadruplets born to a Dallas-area minister and his wife already share something with their father. The boy and three girls delivered Monday at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine arrived on their dad's 36th birthday. Josh Hall, who's a youth pastor at Gateway Church in Fort Worth, said he's 'ecstatic' about his expanded family. Brooks, Sadie, Elle and Ivy join two sisters - 4-year-old Zoe and 2-year-old Kaytlin. Scroll down for video... Forty finders and forty toes: A tiny hand reaches out for Dad . Happy Birthday! Joshua Hall will never forget his 36th birthday when his wife Anna Hall delivered quadruplets at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine . Proud dad: Elizabeth Watkins, RN, settles newborn Hall quad in NICU while Joshua Hall, father of the quads, watches. The four babies were delivered at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine on May 5 to Anna and Joshua Hall, Fort Worth residents . Planning ahead: The couple announced to the world on Facebook that they were having four babies earlier this year . Before there were six: Josh and Anna Hall pictured here n a beach holiday before their children were even though of! A Baylor spokeswoman on Thursday said mother Anna and the quadruplets, born more than a month premature, are in good condition. Hospital officials say Brooks at birth weighed 3 pounds 11 ounces, Sadie was 2 pounds 15 ounces, Elle was 3 pounds 6 ounces and Ivy was 3 pounds 5 ounces. Elle and Ivy are identical twins. 'We feel very blessed to welcome these four new children into our family,' the proud dad said. The family already has two other girls, 4-year-old Zoe and 2-year-old Kaytlin. One of four: The quads - three girls and one boy - arrived May 5, which is Mr. Hall's birthday . Big family: Joshua and Anna Hall welcomed quadruplets on Monday, Joshua's birthday, The babies - one boy and three girls -- are the first set of quadruplets ever born at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine . The infants started arriving at 1:58 p.m. Brooks came first and weighed in 3 pound s,11 ounces, followed by Sadie at 2 pounds, 15 ounces . Recovering: Mrs. Hall had been hospitalized on bed rest at Baylor Grapevine for several weeks . My firstborn son: Dad, Joshua, watches over Brooks who was first to arrive. The only boy to arrive in the quads that were born . 'It was an exciting afternoon here,' said hospital President Steve Newton. Nurse manager Susan West said that the hospital delivered more than 2,500 babies last year. 'Since this is the hospital's first set of quads,' West said, 'this birth is extra special to us.' The average quads are born at about 29.5 weeks, said Dr. Sherri Kappler, medical director of the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Anna Hall 'was able to reach almost 32 weeks, which was great news for the babies,' Dr. Kappler said. A full-term baby is born between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation. Anything prior to that is considered premature. About 10 percent of all newborns require special monitoring in the NICU, making sure that they are breathing, feeding and developing properly. Memorable: Nurse manager Susan West said that the hospital delivered more than 2,500 babies last year. 'Since this is the hospital's first set of quads,' West said, 'this birth is extra special to us.' Reaching out: The parents of quads, Joshua and Anna Hall reach out to feel their newborns . Sleep tight: The babies will remain in hospital for a few more weeks as they are looked over . Visitors: Parents of six, Joshua and Anna Hall take a look at their newborns . The quad babies will remain in the hospital for a few weeks. 'Because these babies are often very small, they need special care to aid in growth and development before they can go home. Breathing and feeding may be difficult for these tiny patients,' the hospital said. 'We are just praying everybody is going to be good sleepers good eaters. It is going to be fun,' added mother Anna. In March, Steven and Michelle Seals gave birth to quintuplets, four girls and a boy, at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Spiritual: 'We feel very blessed to welcome these four new children into our family,' Josh Hall said. Checking up: Most quadruplet pregnancies last 29.5 weeks. Anna Hall's pregnancy lasted close to 32 weeks . Blessed: The Halls already have two daughters who are four and two years old. Making their big day extra special, the quadruplets were born on dad Josh's birthday . Neonatal intensive care clinical staff settles Hall quads - three girls and one boy - into their new surroundings after their birth, May 5 . | Anna and Joshua Hall became proud parents of quadruplets .
Three girls and one boy were born at 32 weeks .
Brooks was first at 3 lb, 11 ounces .
Sisters Sadie at 2 lbs 15 oz; Elle at 3 lbs, 6 ounces; and Ivy at 3 lbs, 5 ounces came next .
Elle and Ivy are identical twins . |
fbb30b5776b00e3b75d3a05d26b97855b0cc05c3 | Sicily, Italy (CNN) -- The Portuguese CASA 295 military plane lifts off from an airstrip in Sicily and roars into the skies above the Mediterranean, scouring the blue seas below for signs of life. The state-of-the-art surveillance aircraft is flying for Frontex, the European Union's border patrol agency. Its mission isn't only to stop people from being smuggled onto the continent's southern shores -- it's to save lives. The plane patrols the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily, including the area around Lampedusa, an Italian island near the African coast that migrants have been trying to reach in often unseaworthy boats. In October more than 300 migrants died when their boat capsized near these shores, and Frontex is hoping to prevent that from happening again. INFOGRAPHIC: How illegal immigrants enter the EU . The Frontex crew took CNN along on a surveillance flight. Human trafficking in the region is big business, and we were not allowed to identify any of the mission's crew member for fear they could be targeted by gangs of smugglers. "On the missions, every week we find three or four targets of interest," the aircraft's captain told CNN. "The main goal is to detect targets of interest that Frontex [give us the coordinates for] ... we go there and we check it out and then we transmit everything to Frontex." Fishing boats are often targets of interest because they are sometimes used to smuggle people from Africa to Europe. Often those vessels will be old, rusty and overloaded with migrants as the traffickers try to maximize their profit per journey. In some cases, sailing ships have been used for people smuggling as well. On our flight the crew also spotted an abandoned rubber boat, which might have been left there by people who made it to shore in Europe. OPINION: Europe's immigration nightmare just beginning . The plane is outfitted with infrared sensors and a belly camera that can identify and track targets at great distances. The crew will look for vessels that have an unusually high number of people on board, but they're also checking to see whether a ship move strangely in the water -- a possible sign that it is overloaded with migrants under deck. Several high profile incidents involving migrant boats from northern Africa have thrust the issue of illegal immigration to the forefront of European politics -- and now the EU is looking for ways to better regulate immigration while protecting the lives of those who try to make it to the continent. An increasing number of ill-equipped migrant ships are getting into trouble during their voyages towards Europe, and the Italian Navy and Coast Guard often need to speed to the rescue to save those on board. Most of them end up in migrant camps in Italy, Greece or Malta. The Pozallo camp in southern Sicily is one of the bigger ones, with over 400 people living on site. OPINION: EU must solve crisis to deserve Nobel Prize . One of those recently saved from the seas is Henry Linus from Nigeria. He says the ship he was on got into a storm and was adrift at sea before they were rescued. "There was no food, [there was] excrement inside the boat. People were vomiting inside the boat, we were vomiting everywhere. It was horrible," he told CNN. Linus added that if given the chance to do it all over again, he would not try to make the treacherous journey to Europe. Andrea Tassara is the Commander of the Italian Coast guard in Pozallo, one of the busiest Coast Guards in Europe. He always has two high-speed boats on standby that can go about 30 knots and take on as many as 130 people from other boats or from the sea. Tassara says he and his men are appalled at some of the boats they come upon while patrolling the Mediterranean. "The most dangerous thing is when you see a boat that is made of really old wood. God knows how it is held together and it can fall apart just by our ships coming close," he said. But many people are so desperate that they are willing to take their chances. That cost more than 300 people their lives on October 3rd, when a boat originating from Libya was so overloaded and unstable that it capsized when a fire on board the vessel caused its passengers to panic. OPINION: What's the place of outsiders in Europe? Most of those who drowned were Eritreans. At the Pozallo camp we met an Eritrean man who said that he was supposed to be on the boat that sank, but that it was so full he was rejected and had to wait for a later ship. He says many people who had spent the last couple of years fighting their way through African deserts to the coast had died in the shipwreck. "Some of us had parents or wives or children on there, we were part of that group. But fortunately the boat was full and we were obliged to stay," he told CNN. Italian Coast Guard Commander Tassara says the increase in migrant boats trying to get to Europe is huge, even though he cannot put numbers on it. He says the waves of ships usually stop in the fall and winter months, but this year there has been no let-up. He attributes that in part to good weather conditions on the sea, but also to the growing despair in places like Syria, Eritrea, and Nigeria, where many are now trying to flee the violent extremist group Boko Haram. It does not look like those waves will stop. Even if Europe further beefs up its patrols on its borders, they might be able to contain migration for a while, but they will never be able to stop it. | CNN goes on patrol with EU border agency searching Mediterranean for migrant boats .
Thousands of migrants attempt to enter Europe illegally through Mediterranean each year .
More than 300 migrants died in shipwreck near Italian island of Lampedusa in early October .
Italian Coast Guard says there has been no let-up in number of migrant boats in 2013 . |
fbb37acc3554887770fc027e9a2f0a0d7ee34456 | New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- Three people were shot amid celebrations surrounding the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl win, police said Monday. The shootings occurred at about midnight, at the intersection of Iberville and Bourbon streets, in the Crescent City's French Quarter, authorities said in a statement. None of the victims -- a 25-year-old man, a 30-year-old woman and a 36-year-old woman -- had life-threatening injuries, New Orleans, Louisiana, police said. The 25-year-old was shot in his right ankle and both women were shot in their left shin. All three were treated and released in good condition. "According to investigators, the victims stated that they were standing with a crowd when they heard gunshots and observed that they had been struck," the police statement said. Several officers were in the area and responded quickly to the call of shots fired, according to the statement. CNN affiliate WWL-TV of New Orleans reported Monday that two people had been detained in connection with the incident. In the police statement, issued Monday, authorities asked those with information to contact them. | One man, two women were shot around midnight in French Quarter .
None of the victims had life-threatening injuries .
CNN affiliate WWL-TV reports two people detained in connection with shooting . |
fbb381ce847d2fc79cfcfed67c5b59275f48a3bc | Austerity-hit Britain is spending a larger share of its wealth on foreign aid than any other G8 member nation, despite making huge spending cuts at home, a report revealed yesterday. The G8 'accountability' review showed that between 2011 and 2012 several countries decided to rein in their foreign aid budgets. Japan, Italy and the US chose to focus on helping their own citizens, handing out a smaller percentage of their national income than the year before. Italy was even given a 'red light' warning for failing to meet 'internationally agreed targets'. But cash-strapped Britain spent 0.56 per cent of national income on aid against 0.19 per cent in the US and just 0.03 per cent in Russia. Scroll down for video . Aid: Barack Obama has reduced US spending on foreign aid to 0.19 per cent of national income while Britain under David Cameron (right) has increased overseas spending to 0.56 per cent . Cuts: Russia under Vladimir Putin (right) spends only 0.03 per cent of national income on aid while Britain is set to hit 0.7 per cent this year . And we are now on course to spend 0.7 . per cent of our national income on overseas aid by the end of this . financial year, despite dropping a plan to enshrine that commitment in . law. The report, published as David Cameron . hosted the G8 summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, will renew . complaints that Britain's aid commitments make us the 'soft touch' of . the international community. Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence . Party, said: 'These figures prove that the Government wishes to . burnish its moral credentials at the expense of ordinary taxpayers. 'Britain's foreign aid budget is . rising while hospital accident and emergency departments, libraries and . other public services are being cut back or closed.' Tory MP for . Shipley, Philip Davies, a longstanding critic of the Government's . foreign aid commitments, said: 'Other countries are making more sensible . decisions about their priorities given the tough economic times we are . in. We are now the mugs of the world. We're spending money we haven't . got. 'They are making sure their spending . across the board is being cut, not just on domestic things. I'm afraid . it proves that our argument that if we do it everyone else will follow . suit is just pure humbug.' Mr Davies also rejected Mr Cameron's . argument that Britain's lead on aid boosted its standing on the world . stage. 'We'd be chairing the G8 whether or not we were giving this . amount of money,' he insisted. 'It is a nonsensical argument. The truth is the Prime Minister made a promise he should not have made. 'He has now boxed himself in but he . should be brave enough to say he made it in good faith but the economic . situation is now so much more tough and more difficult than anyone . anticipated that he has to react.' The UK's aid spending stood at 0.56 . per cent of national income in 2011/12, or £8.55billion, rising to . £8.813billion in 2012/13. But the total is soaring this year to . £11.554billion, or 0.7 per cent of national income, and will go up to . £12.162billion in 2014/15. Shake: Mr Obama and Mr Putin staged a show of unity at a G8 press conference last night, despite deep divisions over how to end the slaughter in Syria . Matthew Sinclair, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'It's absurd that the UK continues to increase the size . of its aid budget far faster than the rest of the G8 despite the huge . financial pressures at home. 'If the Department for International . Development made better use of its existing budget and cut out lots of . waste and bureaucracy, ministers could achieve even more abroad without . increasing the burden on hard-pressed British families. 'Countries in far better economic . health aren't spending anywhere near as much of their national income . on overseas aid, so it beggars belief that our Government is still . hiking the amount of our money it is committing.' However Brendan Cox, from the IF . campaign against global hunger, said: 'UK governments deserve real . credit for delivering aid increases that have helped save millions of . lives. 'But with one in eight people in the . world going hungry it is high time that other countries also stepped up . to the mark and provided the cash they have promised.' Last week, Mr Cameron attempted to . justify Britain's aid spending, insisting: 'National interest is not . just about standing up for yourself but standing up for what's right. 'When a country like Somalia fractures . and breaks, that affects us, not just in the terrorism threatened on . our streets, or the flows of mass immigration but in the piracy off the . Horn of Africa that affects British trade. 'When there is instability in the Gulf it affects us too – because 100,000 British citizens live there. 'On the other hand, as nations develop . and as their middle class grows – that presents huge opportunities for . an exporter like Britain. 'We made the decision to protect the . aid budget because I believe this commitment is in Britain's long-term . interests. Yes, this is a moral issue, but it is an economic one too.' | Between 2011 and 2012 several countries reined in foreign aid budgets .
But cash-strapped Britain didn't and spends 0.56% of national income .
Britain's aid make us the 'soft touch' of .
the international community . |
fbb436f0dbba9dda4d358dc9464f67f23e15ad5f | (CNN) -- Canadian ski resort gondola cars that were left dangling and swaying with terrified skiers inside failed because ice buildup snapped a supporting tower, the resort said Thursday. One gondola car is suspended above an icy creek at a ski resort near Whistler, British Columbia. In a rare occurrence called ice-jacking, water seeped into the lower section of the lift tower and turned to ice Tuesday at Whistler Blackcomb resort, 177 kilometers (110 miles) north of Vancouver, a resort official said in a press release Thursday. The lift hangs from a tower that is spliced into two parts. Extremely cold temperatures caused the ice buildup that exerted 800 tons of pressure between the two parts that hold the tower together, causing them to rupture, according to Whistler Blackcomb. The section of the lift affected by the accident had 15 cars going up the mountain and 15 coming down at the time, but they weren't carrying a lot of passengers, according to Doug Forseth, senior vice president of the resort. He said 53 passengers had been rescued from the stranded cars. No skiers at the Whistler, British Columbia, resort were seriously injured. "The towers are not normally designed to allow for any water penetration and so this failure is a very unusual situation," said Warren Sparks, senior vice president of Doppelmayr Canada, the engineering firm that investigated the accident. They are trying to figure out what caused the water to pool. He said independent structural engineers are examining the tower from Vancouver-based CVMM Consulting Engineers. "The evidence so far indicates a sudden rupture rather than a fatigue failure over an extended period," Sparks said. At least two gondola cars broke away and hit the ground, both from relatively low heights near the tower that split, and caused the system's heavy cable line to slacken, according to Tyler Noble, a reporter for CNNRadio affiliate CKNW in Vancouver. "One hit a bus stop and the other hit a house," Noble said Wednesday. "Another one was suspended over a creek, but everyone is out of that car." The broken Excaliber Gondola was not operating Thursday. Whistler engineers checked eight similar towers across the two mountains of the resort. All passed those inspections, and are open Thursday, the release said. The British Columbia Authority says it does not expect to rescind operating permits on any lifts at the resort, other than the Excaliber Gondola. Jeff Colburn, general manager of Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho, said a lift tower at his resort was similarly damaged by ice in December 2006. The damage was discovered in the morning before the slopes opened, so no one was endangered, he said. The damaged tower was replaced in about three weeks, Colburn said, and the resort's business was not significantly disrupted. "We check our towers in the summer now, and we also check before we open up for ski season as well just to make sure they don't have any water in them, and we've worked with the manufacturers," he said. Holes have been drilled in the bases of towers so that water can drain out, Colburn said. CNN's Ashley Fantz and Jim Kavanagh contributed to this report. | "Ice-jacking" caused a lift at a Canadian ski resort to fail, Whistler resort says .
Water in supporting tower caused it to rupture .
Two gondola cars broke away and hit the ground, one dangled over frozen creek .
Lift tower at Idaho resort suffered similar damage in December 2006 . |
fbb445278eb3dd2e285f4ce678065d931292d08e | Thousands of Eurostar passengers are stranded again for a second day after a power outage was claimed to have brought the Channel Tunnel to a halt. Travellers were hoping to take journeys they abandoned yesterday after the route was shut by a lorry fire, causing chaos and triggering compensation bills running into the millions. But just as services were back up and running, 11 more Eurostar trains with room for up to 8,000 people were cancelled. Eurostar appeared to blame operator Eurotunnel - which issued a heated denial. Cancelled: Another 11 Eurostar trains have been cancelled after the firm claimed there was a problem with the overhead power supply inside the Channel Tunnel which led to it being shut for two hours . Dispute: Eurostar appeared to blame Eurotunnel, which operates the route - but Eurotunnel denied it had experienced any power problems when called by MailOnline. 'No, we haven't,' said a spokesman . Trains were already only running through one of the twin tunnels today, while firefighters inspected possible damage to the other from yesterday's lorry fire. That meant trains were having to run close together in batches in one direction before the line was cleared for a batch running in the opposite direction. Eurostar said the only available tunnel had to be closed for two hours this morning after 'Eurotunnel experienced new power supply problems'. But a Eurotunnel spokesman told MailOnline: 'No, we haven't. We've been running single-line services throughout the day as we said we would. '[For Eurostar] there were issues with having to manage the timetable. As far as our business is concerned we said we would run single-line services throughout the day. We have done that and we continue to do that. 'The media are trying to create another event, another disruption, to services in the Channel Tunnel.' Eurostar, however, stuck to its version of events - saying it believed the problem involved overhead power lines inside the tunnel itself. Queues: More than 100 stranded Eurostar passengers queued from 6am at London's St Pancras station today as they tried to rebook onto a train today. Many services were full as priority was given to previous bookings . Waiting around: Thousands of passengers were again left stranded in the St Pancras terminal today . Eurotunnel operates the tunnel itself and runs Le Shuttle, a car and freight service, through it. It is true that the firm's timetable has not been disrupted today, because it was not running to a published timetable in the first place. Instead passengers were told to turn up at their pre-booked time, to be put on the first available train. At one point there was a five-hour wait, according to Eurotunnel's website, up from a predicted 90 minutes this morning. By 5pm Eurotunnel passengers still faced a three-and-a-half hour wait for a train in Folkestone and a five-and-a-half hour wait in Calais. Six Eurostar trains from London, two from Paris and three from Brussels were cancelled today. The cancelled departures from London St Pancras were the 2.04pm, 3.31pm, 5.04pm, 6.04pm, 6.31pm and 8.04pm. The firm admitted some stranded passengers could face a second night away from home - with official advice being to avoid London's St Pancras station altogether and book for another day. A spokesman said: 'Eurotunnel experienced new power supply problems this morning which meant that both tunnels were again closed for two hours. 'This closure was a separate incident, unrelated to the problems experienced yesterday.' French couple Etienne and Charlie Soren - whose train was cancelled yesterday - rebooked onto the today's 5.04pm only to find it, too, had been wiped from the schedule. 'We made five phone calls yesterday to get places, but now we are told we have to start the process again because our train has been cancelled,' said Mr Soren, 35. 'I have never experienced anything like this. It is a disaster. Spending one more night here was okay, it was the weekend, luckily we could afford another night. 'Now we have come from the hotel with all of our luggage and baby things expecting to get on a train and they just say there is absolutely no way we are getting on another train. 'Now we have to spend money on a hotel. Flights would cost us hundreds of euros and we would have to wait until Eurostar decides to refund us. They should pay for our bills. 'I do not believe that they can't just put more trains on into the night. They say the service stops at 8pm - that is ridiculous. How are all these people ever going to get home?' Calm after the storm: The scene at 8.30am beyond the check-in terminals as those stranded headed home . Eurostar strongly advised passengers to come in person only if they were booked on a specific seat, with all trains delayed by up to an hour as one of the twin tunnels remained shut. More than 100 people defied advice to queue up at London's St Pancras station from 6am to exchange yesterday's tickets, only to be told the next train was full. But later the terminal at St Pancras was quiet as others appeared to have heeded advice not to turn up without a new booking. Staff insisted more services would be running tomorrow, with engineering works planned to take place overnight to make more sections of the tunnel functioning again. 'Eurostar plans to run a full service and passengers are advised to check-in as normal. 'As Eurotunnel will not be completely operational Eurostar services may be subject to delays of up to about 30 minutes.,' a spokesman said. But the company is facing a compensation bill running into the millions for the widespread disruption over the past two days. Aside from the cost of refunding tickets and laying on an extra service at 8am today, it was offering passengers £250 - £50 for meals, £50 for taxis and £150 for a London hotel. One passenger, photographer and musician Laurent Fritz, said: 'I arrived at St Pancras at 6:20am. There were around 150 people waiting to exchange tickets, but the service opened at 7am. Chaos: Thousands of Eurostar passengers faced queues yesterday for refunds and compensation . Which Eurostar trains are cancelled today? London to Brussels 14:04 train 9136 . London to Paris 15:31 train 9036 . London to Brussels 17:04 train 9148 . London to Brussels 18:04 train 9152 . London to Paris 18:31 train 9048 . London to Brussels 20:04 train 9162 . Brussels to London 15:56 train 9145 . Paris to London 16:43 train 9045 . Brussels to London 17:56 train 9153 . Paris to London 18:43 train 9053 . Brussels to London 18:56 train 9157 . Will other trains run? Yes. Eurostar trains were leaving up to an hour late while Eurotunnel passengers faced waits of up to five hours, which later reduced. Eurostar bookings for today . Anyone who was already booked on a train for today (Sunday) will not lose their seat, unless it's on one of the cancelled services. Turn up as normal half an hour before departure. Eurostar bookings from yesterday, or bookings cancelled today . Passengers need to refund their ticket or exchange it for another one. Passengers should call 03432 186 186 and are 'strongly advised' against going to the station in person. How to claim compensation . Those stranded can claim £50 per night for taxis, £50 for meals and £150 for a London hotel. Receipts can be presented to Eurostar in person or in the post to claim the money back. Eurotunnel bookings . Customers were offered a transfer to a ferry yesterday. If still stranded they should turn up today to exchange their ticket. 'At 7.30am they told us that the first train from St Pancras to Paris was full, so they added a new train with 800 seats for all passengers that couldn't leave London yesterday. 'They were saying the train would leave at 9.05am.' Services resumed on Eurotunnel at 2.45am UK time from Britain and 4.30am French time from France. Empty trains were sent through the tunnel to ensure it was clear and customers were being offered transfers to ferries until the service restarted. Previous delays on the car and lorry shuttle have forced Kent Police to implement Operation Stack, lining up thousands of vehicles along the M20 motorway as they wait for a departure. A spokesman said: 'It's always in place ready to go but we are not expecting to have to do it today.' One witness claimed passengers were given gas masks yesterday after two of the north tunnel's carbon dioxide alarms sounded at the French end just before noon. A 'smouldering load' was found on board a truck which was being carried in one of the vehicle shuttles, and although the fire was not serious the tunnel is still being checked for damage. Huge queues built up at St Pancras as services were cancelled and similar scenes were reported in Paris, with many holidaymakers forced to look for alternative transport or hotels. A Eurostar spokesman said: 'As Eurotunnel has advised us that its north tunnel will remain closed all day, Eurostar services will be subject to delays of between 30 and 60 minutes. 'All passengers who are booked to travel today (Sunday 18 January) should check-in as normal half an hour before departure. 'Services are already very busy and availability is limited. If you were on a cancelled train and need to travel urgently, please call our contact centre on 03432 186 186 and we will try to re-book you on a service departing after 12.00 (GMT). 'We would strongly advise passengers whose journeys were impacted by the problems in Eurotunnel not to come to our stations unless they have rebooked through our contact centre. 'We are sorry for the inconvenience that passengers have experienced.' | Trains resumed after all were cancelled yesterday stranding thousands .
But more cancelled today after 'power outage shut tunnel for two hours'
Some Eurostar passengers could face a second night away from home .
Firm faces bill in the millions with those stranded paid up to £250 each .
Eurostar said issue was with operator Eurotunnel - which denied claim .
'We've been running throughout the day as we said', said a spokesman .
Officials insisted more services would be available tomorrow . |
fbb53b3cbc3bbaf7f1a7a081bbd72826356e4c27 | The Prince of Wales has condemned the Taliban massacre of Pakistani schoolchildren as a 'sickening' example of those who kill in the name of faith. There has been outrage across the world after gunmen from the Pakistani Taliban went from class to class at the Army Public School in the city of Peshawar killing school children and their teachers. Prince Charles spoke out against the attacks during a visit to the London Cathedral of a community of Middle Eastern Christians. Scroll down for video . Prince Charles today condemned the mass murder of 141 children by the Pakistani Taliban . He was speaking during a visit to the London cathedral of a community of Middle Eastern Christians . Charles said the attack was a 'horrific reminder' that Muslims are themselves victims of 'violent extremists' Some of the worshippers have fled persecution in their homelands, but in recent months the spread of Islamic State fighters has brought further misery for them as their family members at home in Iraq or Syria have been forced to flee for their lives. At a special service held in Charles's honour, he told the congregation of the Syriac Orthodox Church, based in East Acton, west London: 'And as I have said before, it seems to me that all faiths to some extent shine a light on the divine image in every human life. 'And if that is so, then surely to destroy another human being is to desecrate the image of the Divine. To do so in the name of faith is, surely, nothing less than a sacrilege. 'I need hardly say that the murder of 141 people, 132 of them children, in Peshawar yesterday by fanatics claiming to act in the name of Islam was a sickening example of such sacrilege. 'But also a horrific reminder that Muslims themselves are the victims of the violent intolerance of the extremists.' Some of the worshippers who met Prince Charles have fled persecution in their homelands . The Prince of Wales talks to Abdulahad Denha who fled Isis fighters from Mosul in northern Iraq . Prince Charles talks to Kais Dawood and his wife Selwa who fled Iraq during his visit to St Thomas cathedral . The Cathedral is the focal point for the UK worshippers of the Syriac Orthodox Church whose followers are spread across the Middle East from southern Turkey to Syria, Jordan and parts of India. Charles had visited St Thomas Cathedral a year ago to the day and like last year he heard the personal stories of those who were living with the knowledge their family and friends were being persecuted in their homelands. Vean Al-Saka, 35, was comforted by the prince after she burst into tears while explaining how her brother and sister were forced to escape Islamic State fighters. Ms Al-Saka, who is an undergraduate at Newcastle University, said after meeting Charles: 'I don't know what's happening to them, all I know is they are in tents, they need help, they left everything behind - Charles was very sympathetic.' The visit was the third that Charles has made in recent weeks to Christian communities in the UK whose families are facing persecution in their homelands. He said in his speech: 'For now, the possibility of returning to the lands in which your families and communities have lived for so many centuries is, indeed, remote. 'However, I do pray most fervently that the situation there will change; that peace will return; that the time will come when you feel it is safe to return to your homeland and that, once there, you will be free, together with those of other religions, to celebrate your faith without any fear of persecution.' In his address, Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, leader of the Syriac Church in the UK, told the prince that he was the 'King of Peace'. He added: 'Yes, this is the truth and this is how we feel. You have spoken about the plight of the Christians in the Middle East, you have felt the pain and suffering of the indigenous people.' Before leaving Charles was presented with a necklace for Prince George, traditionally given to newborns in the Syriac community, that was made from gold and featured a tiny bell. | Prince of Wales spoke out against massacre of Pakistani schoolchildren .
Made speech at London cathedral of community of Middle East Christians .
Said it was 'horrific reminder' Muslims are themselves victims of extremists . |
fbb587ed2df02aa71945fb14be697fc37273b864 | Fire officials said Darryl Ferguson (pictured during previous arrest), 55, confessed to causing a blaze at an Islamic institute in Houston . A homeless man has been arrested and charged with arson for a fire that destroyed a building at an Islamic institute in Houston, fire officials said on Monday. The blaze early on Friday at the Quba Islamic Institute destroyed one of three buildings there, but no one was injured. Fire officials said Darryl Ferguson, 55, confessed to causing the blaze – but he claimed it was an accident as he was led away by officials, according to a Houston news website. Ferguson had been staying in the area and was considered a suspect by investigators. They were looking for him on Monday when he apparently approached them on his bicycle. Ruben Hernandez, from the Houston Fire Department’s arson squad, told Chron.com: ‘We asked if he wanted to talk to us in our office. Mr Ferguson made an admission.’ Ferguson has been linked to a number of crimes in the past, including credit card abuse, trespassing, possession of a controlled substance, prostitution and assault. Authorities said that someone used an accelerant in the 5am Friday blaze, according to one of the imam's sons, 25-year-old Ahsan Zahid. Mr Zahid said that an investigator told him that the incident was a suspected arson, and that the fire was not an accident. On Friday, the Houston Fire Department (HFD) said in a release it was investigating and could not yet name the cause of the fire. Earlier Twitter users had directed their fury at a Texas man who allegedly said on social media that the center should burn down. According to The Daily Kos Herron wrote on social media ‘let it burn… block the fire hydrant’. The Daily Kos reported that Herron is a Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Department (CBVFD) volunteer. Scroll down for video . Charged: Mr Ferguson is pictured here being led away by officials investigating the blaze in Houston . The fire, which completely destroyed the contents of a storage shed, is thought to have been arson. Pictured is Ahsan Zahid, an assistant imam at the center, at the scene of the devastation . Aftermath: The fire completely destroyed the contents of a storage shed at the Quba Islamic Institute . Texas has the US's eighth-largest population of Muslims, according to the Texas State Historical Association . A LinkedIn profile lists a man of the same name as working for the fire department and Herron's own Facebook profile features him in front of a fire truck dressed in overalls. However, CBVFD said in a statement sent to Daily Mail Online early Monday that Herron is not affiliated with the organization whatsoever. The statement said 'There have been recent post on social media from someone stating they are a member of our Fire Department and have posted hate messages against the Islamic Community. 'Please know that this person, Dustin Herron, is not a member of the Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Dept; nor has he ever been a member of our fire department. 'We are in the process of trying to track down Mr. Herron regarding the comments he made. We have also notified the Galveston County Sheriff Dept. regarding Mr Herron falsely stating he is a fire fighter within our organization. Online activity: Dustin Herron, pictured, allegedly wrote online 'Let it burn...block the fire hydrant' regarding the Quba Islamic Institute fire . Uproar: Herron allegedly posted this message on social media. Daily Mail Online could not independently confirm the authenticity of the post . 'We have received many e-mails regarding his recent social media post and comments. 'Please know that our Volunteer's give 100% effort 100% of the time.' One tweet against Herron asked him 'why the hate? Serve and protect? Or just hate?' Another said 'you are an embarrassment to all public safety officials and volunteers, what you posted about the Islamic center is shameful!' Both Herron and a spokesman for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) did not immediately return requests for comment early Monday from Daily Mail Online. The FBI said Saturday that they are monitoring the situation and could take a more active role in the investigation, according to Reuters. The Council on American Islamic Relations's Texas office has called for possible hate crime motivations to be looked at in the investigation. Federal agencies are expected to become more involved if that is the case. No injuries were reported in the fire, which largely took place in a storage building and is thought to have caused $100,000 in damage. The contents of the building, which housed the institute's computers, lights and equipment for a renovation, were completely destroyed. Authorities said the blaze started at 5am and caused an expected $100,000 worth of damage before firefighters were able to put it out, according to one of the imam's sons, 25-year-old Ahsan Zahid . The Houston Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire, though they reportedly told Mr Zahid that it did not start by accident . The center has a place to pray, holds community events, offers Arabic classes and also runs a Sunday School. The Quba Islamic Institute is asking for donations through their website qubahouston.org, and Zahid told Daily Mail Online that they had raised $2,500 as of Saturday afternoon. The institute said a man had driven past the institute and mockingly yelled 'Allah' on Thursday. A man with a covered face was chased away from the building earlier in the week. The Muslim center had been scheduled to host a talk by a former Guantanamo Bay guard who converted to Islam after the experience, Terry Holdbrooks, on Friday night. Zahid said that the event took place despite the fire and that 'all programs, activities, and prayers have, and will continue as scheduled'. The Islamic Institute used its Facebook page to reach out for donations and ask for tolerance in the wake of the fire, but their posts soon saw an influx of anti-Muslim commenters . Two suspicious incidents happened in the week leading up to the fire, including a man with a covered face who had to be chased away from the building . The center's Facebook account responded to abuse on Facebook by thanking offensive users for their perspective . The institute's Facebook page has also come under attack from posters who have insulted Islam repeatedly on posts where the center is explaining what happened in the fire. The institute has defended itself against the Islamophobic posts by thanking the users for their perspective and urging tolerance. The possible hate crime follows on the death of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that federal investigators are looking into for motives of religious hatred. Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23; his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, were buried Thursday. Texas has the US's eighth-largest population of Muslims, according to the Texas State Historical Association . The annual Texas Muslim Capitol Day in Austin was targeted by anti-Islam protesters last month, the Los Angeles Times reported. In 2011 the Houston Fire Department said that someone had deliberately set fire to a mosque on the other side of the city. The Quba Islamic Institute is a gathering place for prayer and community events, but also holds Arabic and Sunday School classes . | Fire destroyed a building at the Quba Islamic Institute in Houston on Friday .
Blaze caused $100k worth of damage before it was put out by firefighters .
Drifter Darryl Ferguson, 55, told investigators that he started the fire .
He apparently told investigators that he started the blaze 'by accident'
Ferguson has been arrested and charged with arson over the incident .
It follows stream of online anti-Muslim abuse posted in the wake of the fire . |
fbb6097883ca2e242684f9598eb9c85d4cb4425e | By . Emine Sinmaz . PUBLISHED: . 19:07 EST, 10 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:04 EST, 11 March 2013 . As heir to the throne, he’s certainly not short of a bob or two to spend on a new coat. But it seems Prince Charles would rather make do and mend when it comes to his trusted old gardening jacket, which he was seen wearing on last night’s special edition of Countryfile on BBC1. He had attempted to disguise the holes and tears in his worn-out coat by patching them up with an array of green and brown materials. Scroll down for video . Charles and the coat of many colours: Prince Charles, pictured right, wore an old gardening jacket with rips and holes while 'hedging' on Countryfile . Frugal: The old coat is covered with patches of green and brown where it has been mended . The Prince said: ‘I got somebody to patch it up with leather and now I can hardly move.’ Prince Charles also showed off his expertise in the traditional craft of hedge-laying on his Highgrove Estate. He enthused about his passion for the art, in which the plant stems are cut and bent over to form a thick hedgerow. He said: ‘I love it. It’s terrific . exercise and at the same time it’s a sort of hobby or interest to see if . you can get better at doing it. Expertise: Prince Charles lays a hedge at Highgrove. He says he loves undertaking the traditional craft in a special edition of Countryfile . Green-fingered: The Prince of Wales chats to presenter Julia Bradbury. He guest-edited the weekly rural affairs programme . ‘When you first lay a hedge, if you . do it well, it looks so marvellous and then the fun is to see three or . four years later, it looks like a hedge that’s always been there.’ The prince had agreed to guest-edit the weekly rural affairs programme as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations. During the show he also talked about . the importance of protecting the world for future generations, . ‘particularly grandchildren.’ Asked whether the prospect of . becoming a grandfather made him feel old, he replied: ‘Of course it does . to a certain degree because you can’t believe that suddenly that is . beginning to happen in your life. ‘It’s a lovely thought and I’ve looked forward enormously to – that relationship with a grandchild.’ Conservation: Prince Charles spoke about the importance of protecting the countryside for future generations on the show . Telly ho: The prince, centre, shares a laugh with Countryfile's (from left) Matt Baker, John Craven, Julia Bradbury and Adam Henson . | The royal also spoke of his enjoyment of hedge-laying on BBC's Countryfile .
He guest-edited a special edition of the popular programme aired last night .
The 64-year-old also says walking is like an addiction to him . |
fbb61fffa173d94b78aa33d6cca4c3703afd36aa | Have you ever had that sinking feeling? Well Max Miller, a student from Northeastern University in Illinois, certainly came close to the murky depths as he experienced a titanic kayaking disaster. The amateur oarsman was filmed in a state of wild panic as his watercraft slowly started dipping below the surface of a weed-ridden river. 'Sarah help me, my kayak's sinking,' he wails to his friend, while pulling an array of tearful facial expressions at the camera. Scroll down for video . Sinking feeling: Max Miller, a student from Northeastern University in Illinois, experienced a kayaking disaster . Help! The amateur oarsman was filmed in a state of wild panic as his watercraft slowly started dipping below the surface of a weed-ridden river . Caught on camera: 'Sarah help me, my kayak's sinking,' he wails to his friend, while pulling an array of tearful facial expressions . However, Sarah appears to see the funnier side of things as she watches from a distance recording the debacle. At one point she urges Max to stand up on the river bed, while holding back giggles. But poor Max seems unenthused about the idea. 'No it's too deep,' he sobs. He gets even more agitated as weed sticks to his paddle and gets on his shirt. At that point, he hits his limit and tosses his paddle into the river. 'Oh my God, I don't know what to do,' Max pines. No sympathy: Max's friend Sarah appears to see the funnier side of things as she watches from a distance recording the debacle . Not at one with nature: Max gets increasingly agitated as weed sticks to his paddle and gets on his shirt . 'What do you want me to do? I don't know how to help you. You need to go to land and flip your kayak over,' Sarah responds. The footage then cuts to show Max submerged in the water wearing a life jacket with his kayak tipped upside down. He continues to dramatically flounder around, with his boat failing to correct itself. Sarah reassured YouTube viewers that Max escaped the disaster unscathed. To date more than 1.5million have watched him in action. Many have sympathized with his pain, however one commenter sarcastically remarked: 'Future Navy Seal in training.' Max was attempting to kayak on a river in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, when he ran into trouble last summer. This year, maybe it will be better to stick to dry land. Taking a dip: The footage cuts to show Max submerged in the water wearing a life jacket with his kayak tipped upside down . Online hit: To date more than 1.5million have watched Max in action, many have sympathized with his pain . | Max Miller, a student from Northeastern University in Illinois, was filmed in a state of panic as his watercraft started sinking in a weed-ridden river .
To date the video has been watched more than 1.5million times . |
fbb64167cbe118bbac2b20698b956bcd0c204d0d | By . Sara Malm . Justin Bieber has been accused of abusing a flight attendant on a private jet until she was forced to hide in the cockpit. The troubled teen singer and his entourage were also said to have smoked so much marijuana on the flight between Canada and New Jersey that the pilots were forced to wear oxygen masks. Bieber, 19, his father Jeremy, 38, and ten friends travelled on the leased jet to Teterboro airport ahead of the Superbowl and were allegedly so verbally abusive towards the female flight attendant that she refuses to work for him again. Scroll down for video . Accused: When Justin Bieber, pictured in New York on Monday, flew a . private jet from Canada to New York City to watch the Superbowl he . allegedly smoked to much marijuana on the plane the pilots had to wear . oxygen masks . Despite several warnings, the singer and his father Jeremy would not stop verbally abusing the flight attendant, and she eventually hid in cockpit with the pilots to avoid Bieber and his entourage. According to an official report, Justin Bieber and his father Jeremy were 'extremely abusive' towards the flight attendant. ‘The captain of the flight stated that he warned the passengers, including Bieber, on several occasions to stop smoking marijuana,’ the official report of the incident, obtained by NBC News, reads. ‘The captain also stated he needed to request that the passengers stop their harassing behavior toward the flight attendant and after several warnings asked the flight attendant to stay with him near the cockpit to avoid any further abuse.’ On the morning after the jet was searched, Justin Bieber was spotted out in NYC posing for pictures with his adoring fans in the snow . False alarm: A police search found nothing suspicious and Bieber and his entourage were free to go . In trouble again? Justin Bieber, seen here on Wednesday, may have once again come under suspicion for using drugs . The New York Post reported that police detected 'a strong odor of pot' and sent drug sniffing-dogs on board. According to a TMZ report, the singer was flagged by US. Customs officials upon landing in New Jersey because he has two criminal cases pending in Florida and in his native Canada. News of the latest incident tops off a week full of legal trouble for the Canadian star.On Wednesday, he turned himself into Toronto authorities after being charged with assault. TMZ reported that the fight with the limo driver began when Bieber asked for the music to be turned up. The driver obliged, but not as much as Bieber was hoping, so he apparently stuck his hand through the partition to do it himself. The driver swatted his hand away and then it errupted into a full-on smack fest as Bieber then hit the driver in the head multiple times. He already faces a charge of driving under the influence after getting caught drag racing in Miami. Bieber has pleaded not guilty to DUI, resisting arrest without violence and driving without a valid license in the Miami case. A preliminary toxicology report released Thursday showed that he tested positive for marijuana and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax. Bieber told police after the arrest that he had been smoking marijuana and had taken a prescription drug, saying that his mother gave him the medication. Being held: The private plane that allegedly brought Bieber, his father, and their entourage to New Jersey's Teterboro airport was searched by authorities after landing . Role model: Bieber's father, Jeremy, is said to be going to watch the Super Bowl with his music star son this weekend . Bad week: Bieber was arrested for DUI in Miami last Thursday (pictured) and turned himself in on assault charges in Canada on Wednesday, but also has outstanding vandalism charges against him in California . His father was with him while they were in Florida and was at his side in Canada on Wednesday. Late Thursday, Bieber posted a photo of his father, Jeremy, with a praise-filled caption. 'I have the greatest Dad in the world. He's taught me how to love, learn, and stay true to myself. I will forever be grateful because he was my superehero,' he wrote on his Instagram photo. In California, the singer remains under investigation for an egg-tossing incident that left his neighbor's house with thousands of dollars in damage. If Bieber is charged in that case, a California judge may look at him more harshly in light of the Florida and Toronto cases, said Stan Goldman, a criminal law professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Bieber has not addressed the vandalism claim in California, and his attorney Howard Weitzman has said the singer's legal team believes their client is innocent in the Toronto case. His court date for the Miami DUI incident has been set to March 3, two days after he turns 20. A Miami-Dade County judge set trial for the three misdemeanors; driving under the influence, resisting arrest and driving with an invalid license. Bieber's lawyers have already filed a written plea of not guilty and initial trial dates are often delayed. Beliebers: After word spread of the star's landing, fans gathered outside the gates of the private airport hoping for a glance of the troubled star . | Justin Bieber took a private jet from Canada to Teterboro, New York City .
Plane 'reeked of pot' and pilots forced to wear gas masks to avoid inhailing .
Bieber and entourage were so offensive to attendant she hid in cockpit .
Jet was searched with sniffer dogs but no unsmoked marijuana was found .
Third incident in 2014, after arrests for DUI in Miami, and assault in Toronto . |
fbb77bbf172f867dcd563be71acaae6308832f9d | Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will meet in the semi-finals at the China Open - but second seed Rafael Nadal was a shock quarter-final casualty. Nadal was beaten 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 by world No 56 Martin Klizan, who will face third seed Tomas Berdych in the second semi in Beijing. One service break apiece in the first set led to a tie-break which the Spaniard eventually won 9-7. Rafael Nadal is out of the China Open losing in three sets to world number 56 Martin Klizan . Klizan beat second seed Nadal 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 in their quarter-final encounter on Friday . Klizan will face third seed Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals after taking the scalp of Nadal . And, although he broke in the third game of the second set when Klizan sent a backhand wide, the Slovakian saved a break point in game seven and broke back in the next on his way to taking the set. In the decider, Nadal had to brilliantly save a break point in his first service game, but broke in the fifth game, only to immediately drop his serve twice in a row. That left Klizan serving for the match and he finished the job in style, with a flying cross-court smash to round off a hold to 15. Nadal lost his serve twice a row in the deciding set as Klizan sealed a historic victory . Berdych was imperious in beating John Isner 6-1, 6-4, breaking the American's usually formidable serve twice in the first set and again at the start of the second. Thirteen clean winners in the second set saw him home. Djokovic is bidding to win the ATP World Tour 500 level event for the fifth time in six years and he made short work of Grigor Dimitrov in his quarter-final to continue his unbeaten career record at the tournament. Having breezed through the first set 6-2, he looked on course to repeat that scoreline in the second when he had two match points on Dimitrov's serve. The Bulgarian saved both and broke back to trail only 5-4, but double-faulted at 15-40 in his next service game to hand Djokovic a 6-2, 6-4 win in 90 minutes. Klizan will face Berdych next, who beat John Isner 6-1, 6-4 in their quarter-final tie . Djokovic told atpworldtour.com: 'The second set was up and down. But generally it was a good performance.' British number one Murray won last week's Shenzhen Open and Djokovic continued: 'I've seen a little bit of his matches this week. He's hitting the ball very well. 'Every time I play him, it's a huge challenge. It's a very physical match, a lot of long rallies. I do not expect anything less tomorrow.' Novak Djokovic will face Andy Murray in the other semi-final on Saturday after beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4 . Djokovic says he is expecting a tough match against Murray, who defeated US Open champion Marin Cilic . Murray raced into a 4-1 lead in the opening set as Cilic's serve crumpled under the first signs of pressure. Cilic crafted two break points for himself, but Murray saved both before breaking for a third successive time. The second set was on serve most of the way but, having gone 5-4 up, Murray finally found more cracks in Cilic's serve to set up three match points, taking the the second as Cilic slipped trying to return his sliced backhand. Women's top seed Serena Williams withdrew ahead of her quarter-final against Sam Stosur due to a knee injury, which was heavily strapped during her three-set win over Lucie Safarova. Women's top seed Serena Williams has had to withdraw from the China Open with a knee injury . She follows her sister Venus in pulling out of the tournament and said: 'It throbs just sitting, standing. I felt it mostly serving because I'm landing on my left knee. That was really killer for me. 'I haven't had time to get an MRI scan yet, but I'll do that and see what the problem is.' The world number one's exit gave Stosur an automatic pass to a semi-final against third seed Petra Kvitova after the Czech dispatched Roberta Vinci 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 on Friday. Fourth seed Maria Sharapova was untested in a 6-0, 6-4 win over Svetlana Kuznetsova and will face Ana Ivanovic, who also received a walkover due to second seed Simona Halep's hip injury. Fourth seed Maria Sharapova will face Ana Ivanovic in the semis after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-0, 6-4 . The pair met in the semi-finals of August's Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, Ivanovic victorious in three hard-fought sets before losing the final to Serena Williams. 'It was a very tough match we had in Cincinnati. I was just a point away from winning the match,' Sharapova told wtatennis.com. 'It was a tough one to lose. 'She's been playing really well so far this year, very consistent. I always look forward to our matches - I think they're always competitive.' | Second seed Rafael Nadal is out of the China Open held in Beijing .
Nadal lost 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-3 to world No 56 Martin Klizan .
Klizan will face third seed Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals . |
fbb830ff4169be180afc0fe3d5a80b6b8d2ee067 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:16 EST, 8 March 2012 . UPDATED: . 19:36 EST, 8 March 2012 . A former Los Angeles police detective was found guilty today of the 26-year-old murder of the wife of her former lover in a case that hinged on a single piece of evidence - DNA from a bite mark on the victim's arm. Stephanie Lazarus, 51, of Los Angeles, beat and shot dead Sherri Rasmussen, 29, in February 1986 . after her lover John Reutten wed the hospital nursing director instead . of her. The first-degree murder conviction came after a three-week trial that included testimony from a forensic expert who said the DNA was a match to defendant Lazarus. Shock: Stephanie Lazarus (right) listens as she is found guilty of first-degree murder in Los Angeles today as her attorney Mark Overland (left) turns away . Shattered: Lazarus's attorney lays a hand on her back after she is found guilty today of killing the wife of her former lover Sherri Rasmussen . Her defense attorney countered that the . DNA was packaged improperly and deteriorated while stored in a coroner's . freezer for two decades. He also suggested there might have been . evidence tampering. The case was submitted to jurors on Tuesday after intense closing arguments by both sides. After a day and a half of deliberation, the panel of eight women and four men delivered its decision. Victim Sherri Rasmussen was bludgeoned and shot to death in 1986 in the condo she shared with her husband of three months. Detectives initially believed two robbers who had attacked another woman in the area were to blame. But two decades later, a cold case team using DNA analysis concluded the killer was a woman and authorities began looking at Lazarus as a suspect. During the trial, prosecutors focused on the relationship of Lazarus and John Ruetten, who became her lover after they graduated from college. Love triangle: John Reutten, right, married former hospital nursing director Sherri Rasmussen, 29, left, before Stephanie Lazarus, 51, killed her in 1986 . He testified that he never intended to . marry Lazarus, although they were intimate for about a year. He also . said she enticed him into having sex with her shortly before his . wedding. 'Here's the deal,' he testified. 'It was clear she was very upset that I was getting married and moving on.' 'Heaven has no . rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.' Prosecutor Shannon Presby . Lazarus' lawyer, Mark Overland, ridiculed the claim of a fatal attraction between Lazarus and Ruetten, saying she never tried to reunite with her former lover after his wife was gone. 'So this obsessing with John must have fizzled out I guess,' he said. Shocking close-up death pictures of the . battered face of Mrs Rasmussen were presented to jurors during the trial of . Lazarus, showing one eye swollen shut and the other wide open. Mrs Rasmussen's mouth was open wide, her . hands held up as if in a defensive posture. Fatal jealousy: Sherri Rasmussen (pictured left) was brutally murdered by LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus (right) in 1986 . Justice: Neil and Loretta Rasmussen, parents of Sherri, who was beaten and shot in 1986 . Lazarus went on to marry another . policeman and adopt a daughter. She rose in the ranks of the Los Angeles . Police Department, becoming a detective in charge of art forgeries and . thefts. Overland also pointed to the lack of physical evidence against her. No blood, fingerprints, hair or fibers connected her to the scene. But prosecutor Shannon Presby told jurors the case was based on more than just DNA. At the outset of the trial, he said it featured 'a bite, a bullet, a gun barrel and a broken heart'. Convicted: Lazarus married another policeman and adopted a daughter . He said a bite on Mrs Rasmussen's arm . contained saliva that was matched to Lazarus's DNA more than two decades . after the killing. Lazarus' gun was never found, but Mr Presby called experts to testify that bullets fired into Rasmussen's body matched those issued to police officers in 1986. Mr Presby drove home the idea in his closing . argument with a familiar line from poet William Congreve: 'Heaven has no . rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.' Lazarus' husband attended most of the trial along with other family members. Ruetten sat across the courtroom with Rasmussen's family. The defendant and her white-haired former boyfriend never looked at each other. But their past moved before them on screen as both sides showed pictures of them as a young couple. Among the trial's most dramatic moments came when Ruetten testified tearfully about finding his wife slain. He said it never entered his mind that Lazarus might be responsible. Last month, Rasmussen family lawyer John Taylor said: ‘It took 26 years to get here finally. The family is pleased to get the trial going.' It was the first time in living memory that an active-duty LAPD officer was arrested on a murder charge and later convicted, according to the Los Angeles Times. Scene: Lazarus broke into the newlyweds' townhouse then bludgeoned and shot Sherri Rasmussen to death after a confrontation that left blood on the walls . | Stephanie Lazarus, 51, tried in Los Angeles court for 26-year-old murder .
'Beat and shot dead Sherri Rasmussen, 29, after ex-boyfriend married her'
Shocking photos of Rasmussen's battered face shown to jury . |
fbb93cccde6abeacca7d700254c43a1b750088f1 | Nothing can keep Karla Sanchez San Martin, one of Mexico's few female bullfighters, from facing off against her bovine opponents. On Tuesday, the ambitious matador-in-training vowed to return to the ring by mid-January, two days after she and several others were gored by what she said was a 'very smart' bull. The 26-year-old bullfighter, who fights under the stage name of 'Karla de los Angeles,' suffered a pair of gashes to the thigh and buttock when she was gored twice by the 1,090-pound beast Gamusino. Scroll down for video . Bull warrior: Mexican matador Karla Sanchez San Martin vowed to return to the ring by mid-January after being gored twice by the same bull Sunday (pictured) in Mexico . Survivor: Karla Sanchez San Martin, one of Mexico's few female bullfighters, poses for a portrait in her hospital bed in Mexico City Tuesday during her treatment for a pair of gashes to the thigh and buttock . 'From almost the beginning, he was hunting me,' De los Angeles said from the hospital room where she was recovering from a 9 ½ inch wound to the thigh and 6-inch slash to the backside. De los Angeles was going in for the kill when the bull lifted his head, caught her with a horn and tossed her into the air. Bloodied and bandaged up, De los Angeles re-entered the ring at the Plaza de Toros de Mexico to finish off her formidable opponent. 'But the bull had already learned,' she said, noting he held his head high, making it hard for her to drive the sword in. He caught her a second time with a lifted horn and tossed her to the dirt, goring her again. A 1,090lb-bull named Gamusino threw Karla de los Angeles up over his head on Sunday as she went in to kill it . Another bull in Sunday's fight leapt over the ring wall, crushing a spectator's face. Another man, identified as a bull breeder, also suffered injuries to his hand. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. 'It was one of those afternoons where the accidents happened one after the other, that leaves a bad taste in the mouths of those in the ring and the stands,' the Plaza Mexico bull ring wrote in an article on its web site. De los Angeles said of the wounds, 'the truth is, right now it hurts a little bit' but 'this is not going to discourage me.' She said she has a fight on January 18, 'and I'm going to be there.' Federico Dominguez, de los Angeles' assistant, was also gored by the massive bull, BBC reported. Gamusino injured two different assistants as well as a farmer after he leaped over the ring and went into a walkway, according to AFP. One of the assistants reportedly had a concussion and is in serious condition. Some 5,000 people went to the bullring on Sunday, as part of a ten-day event, the wire service reported. After being attended to by medics Ms de los Angeles continued the fight only to be gored a second time . Speaking to Picture Radio in Spanish, de los Angeles said, 'I'm sad because I could not cut off an ear and I could not kill a second bull. 'It was [a very bloody run], there were many mishaps, thank God, so far as it goes, we're fine,' she told Picture Radio. 'You have to accept it as it is, to recover and what comes.' De los Angeles' Facebook shows that in addition to being a female bullfighter, she is also the mother of a three-year-old daughter. AFP reported that it was the first time three female Mexican bullfighters participated in an event at the Plaza de Toros de Mexico. During General Francisco Franco's reign, women in Spain were not allowed to be matadors, BBC reported. That has since changed, though not many bullfight professionally. Family: In addition to being a female bullfighter, de los Angeles is also the mother of a young girl . | Karla de los Angeles was competing in the world's biggest bullring Sunday .
She was gored twice, suffering cuts to her thigh and backside .
The bull then went on to gore assistant Federico Dominguez .
The 26-year-old matador and young mother plans to return to the ring next month . |
fbb9bf28f051dead7f07f519a0383394efb78e34 | By . Thomas Jacobs . Jack Whitehall is the latest person to poke fun at Roma new boy Ashley Cole by doing his own version of the 'lurking' images photos that have gone viral. The comedian, who received a call up by the Class of 92 for their friendly fixture with Salford City on Thursday, can be seen standing alone awkwardly as both sides pose for a picture before the game. Whitehall has joined in the fun after Cole was caught on camera left on the periphery in a squad photo taken last month. Cole, who signed for AS Roma on a free transfer from Chelsea in July, has taken the virals well - humouring some with replies via his Twitter account. Here are the best efforts from the internet wizzes who have pounced on Cole’s unfortunate team photo. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Ashley Cole train with Francesco Totti at new club Roma . Joker of the pack: Comedian Jack Whitehall (far right) pokes fun at Roma defender Ashley Cole . Close-up: Roma veteran Francesco Totti mimics Ashley Cole's lonely stance during a club photoshoot . Lone ranger: Francesco Totti (far right) has poked fun at team-mate Ashley Cole by doing his own version of the lonely 'awkward' photo that went viral . Major incident: Looks like here that Cole (left) was in the thick of the action as Suarez sinks his teeth in . Left back (nearly out of shot): Ashley Cole appears shy and reserved in a team photo at training with Roma . Awkward! Ashley Cole shared a meme of himself 'lurking' in the background the picture his ex-wife Cheryl used to announce her shock wedding to Jean-Bernand Fernandez-Versini on his Twitter page on Wednesdaay . Left out: Cole (far right) was left off the plane to Brazil for the World Cup this summer and has been reminded by this post . Missing out: Cole (left) has been depicted on the fringes of several hilarious viral pictures such as this Oscar selfie . New Formation: Cole will hope to integrate better than this with his new colleagues . Hand of God: Cole (left) has been placed into some historic situations such as Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' Former Gooner: Who knows if Cole (far left) misses playing for Arsenal but he'll want such camaraderie at AS Roma . Into the unknown: New Roma left-back Cole is adapting to life in Italy as these pictures go viral . Out of the Woods? Roma's latest star (left) will want to prove he can make it in Italy after eight years at Chelsea . | Comedian Jack Whitehall has poked fun at Ashley Cole by mimicking his 'awkward' photo .
Whitehall can be seen standing awkwardly alone during team photo in Salford .
Whitehall appeared as a second-half substitute during Class of 92's defeat to Salford City . |
fbb9c3efcc6f7587fe01af7c9accb3354c22e9da | After another appearance as an emergency centre back at West Ham in March, Michael Carrick was asked about the role he has filled all too frequently for Manchester United over the years. ‘You have to adapt,’ said the England midfielder. ‘There are different jobs to do in certain games, different formations that you have to adapt to. That is not something that bothers me. I could do without centre-half at times, especially against Andy Carroll, but that is something you have to live with.’ Still, Carrick could hardly have expected to be back at the heart of United’s defence in his first game under Louis van Gaal in last weekend’s Manchester derby. Michael Carrick (right) could play the rest of the season at the heart of Manchester United's defence . Louis van Gaal's defensive injury woes forced the Dutchman to bring on Carrick at centre back on Sunday . Here is how United finished their 1-0 derby defeat against City at the back... Antonio Valencia (winger) Michael Carrick (midfielder) Paddy McNair (a kid) Luke Shaw (a prospect but a rookie) Fit again after ankle surgery in the summer, Carrick came off the bench just before half-time at the Etihad to fill in once again when Chris Smalling was sent off for a second booking. He finished the game playing alongside teenager Paddy McNair after Marcos Rojo was stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder. Van Gaal may be forced to start with the same unlikely partnership at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, although he also has the option of Tyler Blackett. With Rojo joining Jonny Evans (ankle) and Phil Jones (shin splints) on the sidelines, however, Carrick is preparing to drop into defence once again. ‘If I need to play there then fine,’ he said this week. ‘I have not had a lot of football recently so I will play anywhere. ‘It’s not somewhere I have played an awful lot of games. I have had spells of playing there over the years, playing two or three or four games in a season. But I don’t mind.’ Paddy McNair (left) and Luke Shaw (right) were part of United's makeshift defence against City on Sunday . The England international looked assured at the back as United lost 1-0 to rivals Manchester City . Nemanja Vidic was deemed past his sell-by date at Old Trafford but is now playing in Serie A for Inter Milan . United’s injury problems in defence this season have raised questions over Van Gaal’s decision not to bring in a specialised centre-back in the summer despite losing Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand and spending more than £150million on new players. The latest names to be linked with a move to Old Trafford are Ron Vlaar of Aston Villa and FC Porto’s £10m-rated Bruno Martins Indi, but Van Gaal’s hands are tied until the January transfer window opens in nearly two months’ time. It means that this may not be the last time that Carrick is pressed into duty as an emergency defender by the Dutchman, and the 33-year-old’s track record in that position suggests that it represents something of a gamble. He impressed in the 2-0 win at Upton Park in March, having previously played next to Evans in a 5-0 win over Wigan in 2011 and in a back-three alongside Patrice Evra and Darren Fletcher during a 3-1 Champions League win over Wolfsburg two years earlier. Chris Smalling was shown a second yellow card for this challenge on James Milner and will now be suspended . United's spending included a summer buy on defender Marcos Rojo who is now out with a dislocated shoulder . In fact, last summer Gary Neville suggested that Carrick would be an ideal candidate if Van Gaal was to persevere with the three-man defensive system he has long since discarded. But more often than not it has been an awkward fit. Many fans will remember Carrick being outjumped by Marouane Fellaini for Everton’s winning goal on the opening weekend of the 2012-13 season after he was forced to fill in for the injured Ferdinand at Goodison Park. Subsequent appearances as a centre back alongside Evans against Braga and then Vidic against Fulham that season proved little better, even though United recovered to win 3-2 on both occasions. Winger Antonio Valencia (right) started the Manchester derby at right back for United . Carrick is no stranger to having to fill in at centre back for the Old Trafford club . Prior to that, Carrick was at fault for one of Blackburn’s goals as United suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to the Premier League’s bottom club on New Year’s Eve in 2011, and was also part of a back-three alongside Fletcher and Ritchie De Laet that was taken apart in a 3-0 defeat at Fulham in 2009. There could be no blame attached to his performance at the Etihad last week as 10-man United came close to salvaging a draw after falling behind to Sergio Aguero’s strike. But as a gifted player known more for his passing technique than his tenacity faces the prospect of another spell in defence, Carrick has more reason than most to bemoan United’s baffling injury problems under Van Gaal. VIDEO Old Trafford defensive crisis for Van Gaal . Like our Manchester United Facebook page . | Michael Carrick could drop back into Manchester United defence .
Carrick came off the bench against Manchester City to fill in at centre back .
Louis van Gaal's defensive problems worsened on Sunday .
Chris Smalling sent off against City as Marco Rojo dislocated shoulder .
United face Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday . |
fbb9ee0cd46e05461b31205fbd1171008a988d69 | The Duke university student who outed the freshman who pays her tuition by starring in porn films as 'Belle Knox' is facing an online backlash. Thomas Bagley, a Phi Delta Theta pledge who is majoring in computer science and mathematics, recognized Knox after watching her performance on an X-rated website. However, Bagley has not emerged from the saga unscathed, with his predilection for hardcore pornography trumpeted far and wide and his decision to out Knox gaining him almost as many detractors as the teen pornstar. Scroll down for video . Secret sharer: Thomas Bagley says he regrets the decision to out Belle Knox to his fraternity brothers . Joy: Knox previously said that her experience in porn has brought her 'unimaginable joy' One such person is Mike Kulich, the . head of Monarchy Distribution, a pornography distribution company. '[If] he can shame girls for doing porn, I can shame him for watching it,' he said recently, reports The Daily Dot. Kulich, . whose work includes such award-winning films as 'Asses for the Masses' and 'Cray Cray Vajayjay,' has made a habit of offering big bucks to . controversial figures, including accused murderer Amanda Knox and shamed . former PR exec Justine Sacco, whose racist tweet saw her fired from her . job. In an open letter to . Bagley, Kulich thanked him for being such a fan of the porn industry, . estimating that he must spend $200 a week to subscribe to the site. 'I'm sure your parents are proud,' he writes, before suggesting Bagley gets good grades when he is not masturbating. Kulich then offers Bagley $10,000 'to live out (his) fantasies.' 'We will make you a celebrity because it is apparent how much you love porn and attention,' he writes. Empowered: Belle Knox has been doing the rounds of cable news shows and writing op-eds about porn and feminism . Financial burden: Knox says she first starting working in the adult film industry to pay her $47,000 in tuition . Bagley has disabled his Twitter account following the Belle Knox controversy. He told the Duke Chronicle that he now regrets his actions. 'She told me that I ruined her life,' Bagley said. 'I certainly would take it back. I would take pretty much that whole night back.' And while he is getting a taste of his own medicine, Knox has become something of a media darling, appearing on cable news shows and penning op-eds on the porn industry. Cyber attacks: Both Knox and Bagley have come in for bullying from trolls . Disengaged: Bagley has disabled his Twitter account after the media storm that came when he outed Belle Knox . On Thursday night she told CNN's Piers Morgan that she hasn't let the abuse and harassment she received after Bagley blew her cover get to her. 'I think 80 per cent of the world’s traffic on the Internet is pornography,' she said. 'And I think that probably every single person at some point in their life has watched pornography. 'So, I think it’s extremely hypocritical that the same society that consumes me is also condemning me.' Knox made headlines last month when Bagley spilled her secret at a fraternity event. After that the news spread like wildfire on the North Carolina campus and Knox says it got to the point where she felt unsafe, so the university let her take a few days off classes. Revealed: The Duke University student was outed as a porn star when a fellow freshman spilled the beans at a fraternity event last month . On her side: Knox says she's faced some hostility on campus - mostly from other girls - but that most people have been supportive . 'They've been very supportive of me. We're working really hard to make sure that I'm safe ,' she said. In . her CNN interview, Knox went into more detail about how she got into . the porn industry, while also voicing some of her regrets. She . says she decided to start starring in adult films when she received her . financial aid package for Duke and found out she was going to need to . pay about $47,000 a year. 'The . financial aid that I was given to pay for my tuition was insufficient . and just really an enormous financial burden on my family,' she said. Knox, who has two other siblings, decided to start shooting adult films since the pay was good and didn't require a huge time commitment. 'I set my own schedule,' she said, adding that she makes $1,200 a scene. 'I don't have to worry about not getting sleep or not doing my work because I'm working three jobs.' But she also says she hid her part-time job from her parents, which is something she now regrets. 'I regret not telling my family from the get-go. I think that was a really big mistake,' Knox said. Knox wouldn't go into detail about how her family has reacted to the news, but says she's not worried her porn work will come between them. 'My family loved me six months ago when I wasn't a porn star, so I don't know what would make them not love me now,' she said. Knox even went so far as to say that if her own future daughter wanted to go into porn, she would support her. 'I would want my daughter to make an informed decision about her career and I think it's absolutely her choice,' she said. But Knox admits that the news of her porn career has made life on campus difficult. Bullied: Knox says people have set up fake Twitter accounts and used them to harass her . Threats: Knox says both she and her family have received threats since her identity was revealed . She says she can't go out like she used to anymore because fellow students are hostile to her - especially other girls. However, . Knox says the majority of campus is on her side and supportive. She . estimated that 70 per cent of her fellow students, especially the LGBTQ . community, were behind her while the other 30 per cent of 'frat guys' and girls seem to 'hate' her . Also on the show, Morgan asked how Knox came up with her stage name. She . says the first name is for the princess in the Beauty and the Beast, as . well as the character Belle de Jour from British television drama . 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl'. She . takes her last name from Amanda Knox, the infamous 26-year-old . suspected of sexually assaulting and then murdering her British roommate . while studying abroad in Italy in 2007. 'She's . just a really interesting person. I'm not saying I support her or . anything...she just seems very intelligent,' the Duke student said. | Duke freshman Thomas Bagley who outed fellow student Belle Knox as a porn star has also been harassed .
The maths and science major has disabled his Twitter account following the controversy .
Most recently, he's been offered a starring role in his own porn film by porn mogul Mike Kulich .
Bagley reportedly recognized Knox in a film on the site FacialAbuse.com .
In an open letter dripping with sarcasm, Kulich offered to 'make his dreams come true' and praised him for his hardcore porn tastes .
'I'm sure your parents are proud,' he wrote .
Knox, meanwhile, says she has ignored her detractors and is making the media rounds, speaking about porn and feminism . |
fbba0f26ed373541f21e1c1f47516e369e435e83 | (CNN) -- Maria Sharapova battled to a three-set victory over American qualifier Alison Riske to reach the final of the WTA tournament in Birmingham on Saturday. The two-time winner at the Edgbastion Priory club will now play top seed Li Na, who was also taken to three sets before beating France's Aravane Rezai 6-1 3-6 6-3. The 19-year-old Riske had never won a match in a main WTA tour event before the pre-Wimbledon warm-up tournament, but did well to hit back after losing the first set to level with a 6-4 second set win. But former world number one Sharapova was not to be denied and swept through the decider 6-1 to earn a rematch with China star Li, who beat her in the semifinals last year. "It'll be good to play her again," Sharapova told the official WTA Tour Web site. "A year makes a big difference. I certainly don't like losing to the same person twice in a row -- I'm a big competitor." Li, who lost in last year's final to Magdalena Rybarikova, said she suffered from a lapse of concentration against the fourth-seeded Rezai, but recovered to earn another meeting with Sharapova. She will be bidding for her career third title on the WTA Tour and first since the Gold Coast in 2008, but aside from her 2009 win over Sharapova in Birmingham last year has lost their other five meetings. | Maria Sharapova into final of WTA Tour event in Birmingham .
Russian superstar will play Li Na of China in Sunday's showdown .
Sharapova taken to three sets by American qualifier Alison Riske . |
fbba314ce61421c4294ebc59042c2365172d6ef1 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:28 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:44 EST, 19 November 2013 . These Alaskan brown bears were clearly not in the mood to share their dinner. The pair got into a vicious fight over fishing rights in the river when one managed to catch a salmon, while the other was left empty handed. But rather than try to catch its own food, the bear tried to steal the fish straight from its rival's jaws. Face-off: The two bears stand on their hind legs as they square up to one another over the salmon . Fighting pose: The defending bear continues to hold the fish tightly in its teeth as it stares at the aggressor . Give it to me! The brown bear lunges at the freshly caught salmon in the river in Alaska . But the defending bear . would not give its snack away quite so easily and the two began . to fight over the fresh water fish. The confrontation was spotted in Katmai National Park, Alaska, by American photographer Tin Man Lee. The 36-year-old said the battle was especially fierce as the two bears were of equal size. The pair were pictured sizing each other up as they stood on their hind legs before the wrestling in the water and hitting each other with their giant paws. Mr Lee said: 'The two bears seemed ready to fight ferociously for rights to the fish. Powerful: The two bears show their brute strength as they scrap over the salmon . Grapple: Photographer Tin Man Lee said the confrontation was compelling because the two bears were equally matched . Victor: The defending bear managed to hold off the attack and keep the salmon it had caught . 'When they fought it was a stunning scene, it didn't last very long but it felt like it lasted much longer. 'One thing I have learned about bear behaviour is that they only fight with similar sized bears, if there is a clear size difference, the smaller one always surrenders and flees the scene. 'This was an especially interesting moment as they were almost equal but inevitably one of the bears had to surrender and leave without a salmon.' Alaska is home to all three species of American bear - the brown, black and polar bears. The state contains about 98 per cent of the U.S. brown bear population with an estimated 30,000 individuals. | Fight between the two brown bears was captured on camera by Tin Man Lee .
Enormous bears wrestled over the salmon in Katmai National Park, Alaska . |
fbba7d4bfd30e8018a2157de7173068667677715 | (CNN) -- Can ideas get you high? My approach to creating content is focused on pulling people out of their intellectual comfort zones. I'm interested in presenting ideas in unique ways that challenge people to question their assumptions. My mode of presentation is short-form video -- basically I create fast cut, impassioned "idea explainers" that explode with enthusiasm and intensity as they distill how technology is expanding our sphere of possibility. I want big ideas to have aesthetic relevance. I want to tickle people's intellectual sensibilities and instill a sense of wonder. I think big ideas should get people high! My short videos, which I call shots of philosophical espresso, are trailers for these ideas. They are not a substitute for a book or academic paper -- they are instigators. My work is simply another way for wider audiences to engage with these ideas. My goal is for those who might not be inclined toward heady discourse to find a way still to connect to these ideas. Psychologist Nicholas Humphrey coined the term "the biological advantage of being awestruck" to describe his theory on why our unique ability to be enthralled was, somehow, biologically selected for in a Darwinian sense. He believes this quirk of our consciousness imbues our lives with a sense of cosmic significance that over the course of history has resulted in a species that works harder not just to survive but to flourish and thrive. To "awe" gives us a "raison d'etre." A reason for being. You can learn more about Humphrey's idea in my video "A Movie Trailer for Awe." Humphrey says being enchanted by the magic of experience, rather than being just an aid to survival, provides an essential incentive to survive. "We relish just being here," he says. "We feel the yen to confirm and renew, in small ways or large, our own occupancy of the present moment, to go deeper, to extend it, to revel in being there, and when we have the skill, to celebrate it in words. ..." As pop philosopher Alain De Botton wrote in "The Art of Travel," "There is an urge to say: I was here, I felt this, and it matters!" And this sense of cosmic awe continues to manifest itself in the age of technology, as Erik Davis wrote in his book "TechGnosis": . "Collectively, Human societies can no more dodge sublime imaginings or spiritual yearnings than they can transcend the tidal pulls of Eros. ... "We are beset with a thirst for meaning and connection that centuries of skeptical philosophy, hardheaded materialism cannot eliminate. ... Today we turn to the cosmic awe conjured by science fiction, or the outer-space snapshots of the Hubble telescope as it calls forth our ever-deeper, ever-brighter possible selves." Terence McKenna, in his book "Food of the Gods," wrote about the origins of human language: this unique, often ecstatic expression of consciousness that bursts forth as morsels of meaning encoded as vocal patterns. He believes the origins of language stem from our early use of psychedelic compounds, which caused a sort of "ontological awakening" of our species and thus acted as an early catalyst for religion, cosmic feelings of awe and a desire for transcendent experiences. These experiences, to borrow the words of Tim Doody, re-contextualize oneself as a marvelous conduit in a timeless whole, through which molecules and meaning flow, from nebulae to neurons and back again. Early shamans, Davis wrote in "TechGnosis," became ecstatic technicians of the sacred. Regardless of whether you buy McKenna's theory, he does provide a compelling case for the relationship between "cosmic, out-of-body euphoria" and the cognitive leaps to which it can give rise. Some of our greatest poets, scientists and other thinkers have attributed some of their greatest inspiration to the use of these psychedelic chemicals and their resulting out-of-context perspectives. But it's not necessarily the chemicals themselves I'm interested in, but rather what they do to our sense of perspective and our reference points. My focus is the subjective experiences they seem "to occasion." Tom Robbins explains: . "The plant genies don't manufacture imagination, nor do they market wonder and beauty -- but they force us out of context so dramatically and so meditatively that we gawk in amazement at the ubiquitous everyday wonders that we are culturally disposed to overlook, and they teach us invaluable lessons about fluidity, relativity, flexibility and paradox. Such an increase in awareness, if skillfully applied, can lift a disciplined, adventurous artist permanently out of reach of the faded jaws of mediocrity." In my mind the key idea here is that of being forced out of context. We don't necessarily require psychedelics for this, although they might offer a shortcut. What we require is a bold new attitude and a sense of humility that accepts the ambiguity of many of our so-called truths, habitual thought patterns and cultural reality tunnels. By accepting the need to constantly de-condition our thinking to approach the world with new eyes, we can reconnect with our sense of awe and wonder. As Michael Pollan wrote, "In order to see things as if for the first time, we must remember to forget." Bucky Fuller used to say "dare to be naive." Oftentimes, our sense of what we think we know is precisely what prevents us from approaching situations free of prejudice. "Banality is a defense against being overwhelmed," Pollan wrote in his book "The Botany of Desire." This makes perfect sense to me: In a world where disruption is the new normal, and technological change is happening at an exponential rate; a world where we are bombarded with media messages, and where "attention" is the new limited resource, it seems easier to recoil away from all the mindblowingness going on, and instead look for reasons to be bored. The mundane can be quite comforting for those terrified of leaving their comfort zone. And this where I think my work serves the purpose of infecting people with wonderment. My short videos are "digital psychedelics" meant to "de-center" the self, dwindle the broadcast of the ego and provide people with a long view, "big picture" perspective on humanity, technology and how their symbiosis might make a dent in the cosmos. As Alan Harrington wrote in "The Immortalist": "We must never forget we are cosmic revolutionaries." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jason Silva. | Filmmaker Jason Silva makes short kaleidoscopic videos on how ideas interrelate .
He says he aims to show how technology is expanding our sphere of what is possible .
Silva: Big ideas should instill a sense of wonder in people as if they're high on drugs . |
fbba81960bde94aeacd5bafd37ed5ebaea976db2 | Anchorage, Alaska (CNN) -- It's 3 degrees and snowing outside the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage, but inside the operations center, things are heating up. Geologist Michelle Coombs monitors the Redoubt volcano from the Alaska Volcano Observatory. "This is kind of the nerve center, if you will," says geologist Michelle Coombs, who is at the helm of a bank of video monitors showing readouts from sensors on Mount Redoubt, a volcano about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage. The sensors measure seismic activity on the volcano's summit. Scientists at the observatory combine that information with data gathered from daily airplane flights to the volcano to measure gases and try to figure out if and when Redoubt is going to blow. "We're seeing lots of little earthquakes right now," says Coombs. "As that magma rises, it breaks rock as it gets to the surface, and it also it gives off gases, and that leads to the seismic activities were seeing now." When the magma, or molten rock, makes it to the surface, the volcano will erupt. A siren goes off, and one of the video monitors goes haywire. Is the mountain erupting? Learn more about Mount Redoubt » . "That's just a little alarm. There was just a little bit of increased seismic activity," Coombs says reassuringly. "It's a special kind of earthquake particular to volcanoes called a long-period earthquake. It has more to do with fluid and gases than with breaking rock." Watch Coombs keeping an eye on Redoubt » . Since the monitors first showed increased activity on January 23, the observatory has been staffed 24 hours a day. Scientists here are calling in reinforcements; several geologists from the Lower 48 have been making their way north to help. Coombs thinks Redoubt will erupt within days or weeks. No one lives near the mountain, which sits on the Cook Inlet and is largely surrounded by glacier ice. That means there is no direct danger from lava flows, but huge clouds of ash could spread throughout Alaska. When Redoubt last erupted in 1989, it spread ash across Alaska for five months. "Geologists like to use the past as a key to the future, and previous historical eruptions of Redoubt have produced ash clouds of up to 40,000 feet above sea level," says Coombs. She notes that at current weather conditions, "it would take about three hours for that ash to leave the volcano and arrive in Anchorage." The ash is composed largely of silica, which is similar to tiny fragments of glass. Down on the ground, the ash can be dangerous to breath in and can damage cars as their engines draw the ash into their engines. But it is usually a nuisance. However, in the sky, the ash clouds can create very dangerous flying conditions for jets. "For jet aviation, it's a very severe hazard because jet engines run at a very high temperature. And once that silica-rich ash gets ingested into the engine, it can remelt and coat the insides of the engines and freeze up those engines," says Coombs. "That's really the major thing we are trying to avoid here." The day after the 1989 eruption of Redoubt, a 747 flew into an ash cloud near Anchorage and all four engines stalled. The pilot was able to get two of the engines restarted, and the plane landed safely. Coombs says airspace around the volcano and Anchorage may be closed if Redoubt erupts. When the alarms aren't blaring, Coombs sends out the official Twitter feeds from the observatory and tries to stay warm. She is eight months' pregnant. "People have been joking, 'Are you going to name him redoubt?' " she says with a laugh, then shakes her head and gets back to her monitors. | In the cold Alaskan winter, geologist keeps watch on Mount Redoubt .
Michelle Coombs thinks the volcano will erupt within days or weeks .
The biggest danger could be ash getting in a jetliner's engines .
At Alaska Volcano Observatory, they're getting extra help, monitoring 24/7 . |
fbba922456e1995130f95646a611e8b961c9c629 | (CNN) -- As Florida Republican operatives look past Tuesday's primary, they are clear about what it will take to carry their state in November -- winning swing voters. While the 2012 GOP presidential race has sometimes seemed like a competition among the Republican White House hopefuls over who can appeal to the party's hard core, the fall campaign will be about winning the middle, according to a CNN survey of 47 Florida GOP insiders -- state legislators, political consultants, fundraisers, veterans of previous primary campaigns, tea party advocates and a variety of other party activists. Which do you think is relatively more important to winning Florida in the general election? Having a nominee who can win swing voters: 83% . Having a nominee who excites the conservative base: 13% . Both (volunteered): 4% . That overwhelming verdict comes in part because of the belief that conservatives will show up at the polls just to vote against the incumbent, President Barack Obama, even if they're not thrilled with the GOP nominee. "Swing is key," said one Florida GOP insider. "The base will be motivated anyway." Echoed another: "Conservatives will be there regardless." CNN Florida Insiders Survey: 'Romney stepping up his game' Another key voting bloc in Florida in the general election will be Hispanic and Latino voters. The GOP insiders thought that Mitt Romney would be their best bet in the fall. Who do you think would have the strongest appeal to Hispanic and Latino voters in the general election? Mitt Romney: 64% . Newt Gingrich: 33% . Rich Santorum: 1% . When the Florida insiders were asked how easy it would be to get behind a prospective nominee, only one candidate among the remaining contenders seems to face a severe enthusiasm deficit when it comes to the fall campaign -- Texas Rep. Ron Paul. His isolationist views on national security are anathema to many Republicans, and his libertarian bent can also cause some concerns among social conservatives. Would you have a hard time enthusiastically supporting any of these candidates if he was the nominee? Ron Paul: 71% . Newt Gingrich: 28% . Rick Santorum: 24% . Mitt Romney: 9% . "Ron Paul is Ron Paul, but Newt simply doesn't fit the profile of a winning GOP candidate in Florida," said one party insider who is unaffiliated with any of the campaigns. "You have to be able to excite the conservative base and not turn off swing voters. Swing voters (would) flee from Newt faster than that golf ball his by Alan Shepard took off on the moon." Polls that currently show Romney with the best chance to defeat Obama are one of the reasons why the former Massachusetts governor is a favorite among the party establishment. "I'd have a hard time supporting anyone other than Romney because I know none of the others can beat Obama," said one Florida GOP insider. Still, another Florida GOP insider lamented, "I think this is the weakest field we have ever put forth in my lifetime. The CNN Florida insiders were surveyed from Thursday afternoon through Saturday. The survey was conducted over the Internet. The Florida insiders were given anonymity for their individual answers to encourage candid responses. Just under half of the insiders said they were formally aligned with one of the presidential campaigns, and half said they had neither endorsed any candidate nor were they working for one. Overall, one-third of the insiders backed Romney, while just under one-sixth supported Gingrich. If only the responses from insiders currently unaligned with any of the candidates were tabulated, the results predicted the primary vote would be Romney 39%, Gingrich 32%, Santorum 15%, Paul 10%, and other 2%. Here are the names of the participants in the survey: Brian Ballard, Slater Bayliss, Kim Bertron, Sally Bradshaw, Bertica Cabrera Morris, Christian Camara, Al Cardenas, David Cardenas, Len Collins, Nelson Diaz, Jose Diaz, Brett Doster, Charlie Dudley, Tom Feeney, Jose Fuentes, Rich Heffley, Ann Herberger, Brecht Heuchan, Christina Johnson, David Johnson, Frederick Leonhardt, Carlos M. Lopez-Cantera, Jose Mallea, Alberto E. Martinez, Nancy McGowan, Will McKinley, Kathy Mears, Paul Mitchell, Kris Money, Ana Navarro, Esther Nuhfer, Jeanette Nunez, Andy Palmer, Van B. Poole, Marc Reichelderfer, Todd Reid, Jim Rimes, Monica Rodriguez, Sarah Rumpf, Terry Sullivan, Frank Terraferma, Todd Thomson, Cory Tilley, Tom A. Tillison, Greg Turbeville, Susan Wiles and Brian Yablonski. | "Swing is key," says one Florida GOP insider .
The fight in the fall will not be focused on exciting the base, it will be about winning the middle .
Latino Republicans make up a key block, and Romney seems to have their support .
Most insiders say they'd have a hard time supporting Ron Paul if he were nominated . |
fbbb37ade7605b33afb817b77460bf178d36efeb | A Russian university is planning to create a 'Noah's Ark' consisting of the frozen DNA of every creature that has ever lived. Moscow State University has received the country's largest-ever scientific grant to embark on the project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2018 and will be based in a 430sq km site on campus. The institute, which has received 1billion rubles (£12.6million) to help get it off the ground, aims to cryogenically freeze and store cells which are capable of reproducing. The 'Noah's Ark' project aims to collect cellular materials from every creature to have ever lived . Viktor Sadivnichy, the university's rector, likened the gigantic project to a modern-day 'Noah's Ark', RT reported. He explained: 'It will involve the creation of a depository - a databank for the storing of every living thing on Earth, including not only living, but disappearing and distinct organisms. 'It will also contain information systems. If it's realised, this will be a leap in Russian history as the first nation to create an actual Noah's Ark of sorts.' The announcement marks the latest, and most ambitious, of the world's DNA banks which have increased in numbers in the past decade following breakthroughs in technology and growing concern about species extinction. These are known as frozen zoos - the most well known of which is that at San Diego Zoo. Staff at the research centre have sperm, DNA and other animal matter frozen in liquid nitrogen since 1976. It currently holds about 8,400 samples from over 800 species. Britain also maintains the Frozen Ark Project, which is run by a consortium of biological societies, zoos, museums and research facilities. Its website states preserved viable cells will enable biologists to 'reverse the dangerous loss of genetic variation that can cause infertility and early death in breeding programmes'. The enormous DNA database will be held in a building at Moscow University Campus (pictured) It holds a remarkable 28,604 frozen DNA samples, of which more than 7,000 are from species on the 'red list' of endangered animals. This includes the Spiny Lobster, the Channel Islands Fox, the Bonefish, the Indiana Bat and Cat's Paw Coral. But Russia's historic Noah's Ark project is not the first of its kind for the country - a storage facility in the remote Siberian wilderness aims to use the natural cold of Siberia's thick permafrost to preserve seed and plant samples for up to 100 years. At least 1.5million seeds from plants and vegetables will be housed in the cryostorage unit in Yakutsk, protecting many of the world's important foods and endangered plant life against climate change, war, and disaster. There is already a small unit containing 100,000 samples (pictured) on the site, but a new extension will mean many more seeds can be stored . | The world's most ambitious DNA bank will be created at Russian University .
Its directors aim to freeze biological matter of every creature to have lived .
The landmark project has received 1billion rubles (£12.6m) in funding .
Nicknamed 'Noah's Ark', it will be used as a 'databank' of cellular materials . |
fbbb4596ad280a5ddc67e3d5d65c5686d8fc79c8 | (CNN) -- Two people accused of killing a man they met through Craigslist pleaded guilty in Pennsylvania. They entered their pleas early Tuesday, according to Trisha Cotner, administrative assistant for the district attorney of Northumberland County District Attorney's Office. Miranda Barbour, 19, and her husband, Elytte Barbour, 22, are charged in the 2013 death of Troy LaFerrara, 42. He was stabbed and strangled in their car after connecting with the couple through a Craigslist companionship ad, police said. Investigators tracked the couple through phone numbers in LaFerrara's phone. Police said the couple wanted to kill someone together for the thrill. They had been married for only three weeks at the time of the slaying and had moved from North Carolina to Pennsylvania after tying the knot. Earlier this year, Miranda Barbour told the Daily Item newspaper of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, that she had killed at least 22 people over six years across the country. She stood by that statement in an interview with the same newspaper a week ago. Sunbury Police Chief Chief Steve Mazzeo said in March he had passed along the information to other jurisdictions. "I'm not saying I do or don't believe it," he said then. Jailed husband of self-professed serial killer: 'I still love her' Alaska: No evidence Barbour killed someone here . CNN's Haimy Assefa and Ralph Ellis contributed to this report. | Miranda Barbour and her husband are charged with murder in Pennsylvania .
Police said they met the man through a Craigslist companionship ad .
Miranda Barbour has claimed to have killed at least 22 people . |
fbbbf4797a28c2c3fcbb8a4ac29b9ac5f611f49b | (CNN) -- Ten years ago this week, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell declared that genocide had been committed in Darfur and that the government of Sudan and the janjaweed bore responsibility for those acts. Even though it did not actually trigger a legal obligation to act, many hoped that using the "g word" meant that the United States was crossing the Rubicon and committing itself to stopping the violence in Darfur, Sudan's most troubled region. The janjaweed, however, are still at large in Darfur -- and with the Sudanese government's help, they are now arguably more powerful than ever. It is this reality that makes it so disturbing that the United Nations recently declared that getting weapons out of this militant group's hands is no longer "relevant" to their work. After all, janjaweed fighters formed the backbone of the genocidal attack forces that the Sudanese government unleashed on Darfur 11 years ago. When the spotlight finally fell on the ethnically motivated killing in the region, it was clear that these men committed some of the very worst crimes against humanity. The looming specter of their attacks kept displaced Darfuri refugees trapped in camps and, as long as the janjaweed were at large, their victims would not be able to go home. In recognition of this reality, the U.N. Security Council ordered the Sudanese government to take steps to disarm the janjaweed, but it did little toward this goal. Fast forward to last month, and the Security Council voted to keep peacekeepers in Darfur for another 10 months. At a time when budgets are already stretched, the vote was hailed as a final lease of life for the mission, which has been accused of covering up its failure to protect Darfuri civilians. But buried among small technical tweaks to the mandate's language, the Security Council made a huge concession to the government of Sudan by deeming aspects of the peacekeepers' work -- including monitoring, verifying, and promoting efforts to disarm the militias -- "no longer relevant." Why has this happened? Some have argued that any attempt to disarm the janjaweed was doomed to fail because, in practice, taking away their weapons would also mean taking weapons away from Darfur's powerful Arab tribes. Others said that it was hard to know who exactly the "janjaweed" were. But with its latest resolution, the United Nations seems to be saying, in effect, the janjaweed are no longer of concern. The facts on the ground show just the opposite. Today, the same brutal forces that carried out those crimes remain the primary threat to civilian security in Darfur. Indeed, the janjaweed have been openly embraced by the government of Sudan. And despite for years denying it had any connection to the fighters marauding across Darfur, the government has, under the banner of the Rapid Support Forces, allegedly welcomed many of these brutal fighters back to the scene of their old crimes, in uniform and newly armed and equipped. Already this year, the Rapid Support Forces have reportedly been in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile, where they have been accused of burning civilian areas to the ground, raping women, and displacing non-Arab civilians from their homes. In exchange, the Sudanese government has showered these janjaweed reincarnate with praise and rewards. By giving these forces a new name and official status, the Sudanese government seems to have convinced the Security Council that Darfuris are no longer living under the threat of janjaweed attacks. Just as bad, the United Nations seems reluctant to even use the word janjaweed, at least according to Aicha el Basri, a former spokeswoman for the operation, who wrote in Foreign Policy that "since the deployment of UNAMID in 2008, only one mention of the word janjaweed has appeared in the more than 30 reports that [the UN] has issued on Darfur." In declaring that efforts to disarm these fighters are no longer relevant, the United Nations effectively endorsed the Sudanese government's flimsy claim that things in Darfur are getting better. Meanwhile, the killing continues. | Ten years ago this week, Colin Powell declared that genocide had been committed in Darfur .
Janjaweed fighters formed the backbone of attack forces unleashed on Darfur, says Akshaya Kumar .
Security Council has voted to keep peacekeepers in Darfur for another 10 months, Kumar says .
But Kumar argues new guidelines overlook ongoing threat posed by fighters . |
fbbc4b6504ece0c717bb76c2b7e450d952cc7539 | (CNN) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross called on Israel to allow it immediate access to Gaza, saying a trip into Gaza City revealed weak children laying with their dead mothers and other "shocking" scenes. Israeli artillery fires a shell toward Gaza from the Israel-Gaza border on Wednesday. Red Cross workers and four ambulances from the Palestine Red Crescent Society managed to enter the Zaytun neighborhood of Gaza City on Wednesday, according to a written release. The crew found four children, too weak to stand, next to their dead mothers in a house containing 12 corpses, the statement says. Other houses revealed more wounded and three more corpses, the release said. It said Israeli soldiers posted near the houses ordered the rescue team to leave the area -- an order the team refused. "This is a shocking incident," said Pierre Wettach, the ICRC's chief official for Israel and the Palestinian territories. "The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded. Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded." A spokesman for Israel's military said early Thursday that the Red Cross's news release was the first he had heard of the alleged incident. Speaking after midnight, the spokesman said he was unsure if Israel has received a formal request to investigate. "We do make every effort and our soldiers do put themselves at risk" to help wounded civilians, the spokesman told CNN's Christiane Amanpour. The Red Cross release said the children and other wounded were taken to ambulances in a donkey cart because earth walls erected by Israeli soldiers made it impossible for the ambulances to reach their neighborhood. Watch psychologist describe how war affects children » . It said the group was told more wounded people were in the neighborhood, and demanded that Israel grant it and the Red Crescent immediate access and safe passage to search for them. The Israeli spokesman said the military has established a 24-hour liaison to maintain contacts with humanitarian organizations. The Israeli military operation in Gaza has killed at least 680 people and injured more than 3,000 since it launched December 27, Palestinian medical sources said Wednesday. Thirty percent of the deaths are women and children, according to the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, citing statistics released Tuesday by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Seven Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed since the operation, the Israeli military reported. Israel says the purpose of the operation is to stop Hamas militants from firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. | Red Cross: Workers found weak kids with dead mothers during trip into Gaza City .
Team found wounded people, corpses, Red Cross says .
Red Cross official: Israeli military didn't help the wounded .
International Committee of the Red Cross demands access to Gaza . |
fbbc4dbc26dc197b6f09c645487cf60e3d288c99 | The BBC wasted almost £100 million on a failed IT project because senior executives ‘did not have sufficient grip’, an inquiry has found. The Digital Media Initiative was riddled with confusion, delays and inadequate controls, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said yesterday. And even though the scheme was axed last year, parts are still operational and costing licence fee payers £3 million a year, the public spending watchdog revealed. Damning: The BBC was accused not having a grip on the huge project which ran into trouble, costing £98million . The . findings are the latest blow to the BBC over DMI, which was launched in . 2008 in order to digitise the Corporation’s archives so that staff . could easily share and download material remotely. But it quickly ran into delays, eventually costing the licence fee payer £98.4 million when it was scrapped last May. However, . yesterday’s NAO report revealed that until last month DMI still cost . £5.3 million a year to run because of costly software licences and . maintenance contracts. Sacked: John Linwood, pictured, whose £280,000 contract was terminated . When . the Digital Media Initiative (DMI) was launched in 2008, it was hailed . by BBC chiefs as 'the single most important initiative we are working . on'. But before a year had . elapsed, it was floundering so badly insiders referred to it as 'Don't . Mention It.' The BBC originally appointed IT firm Siemens to implement . the scheme. But it ditched the company in 2009 as the project floundered . and took it back in house. By then, £26million had already been wasted but it is understood the BBC later recouped the cost from Siemens. In . February 2011, the National Audit Office condemned the corporation over . its handling of the DMI after it ran 21 months behind schedule. The . public spending watchdog found the expected gains had been overstated . and the difficulty of delivering it was underestimated. The Public Accounts Committee criticised the BBC for awarding the contract to Siemens without putting it out to open tender. The . project was meant to allow production staff to access all video and . audio material - for example last year's Olympics coverage - on their . computers. As hundreds of . staff moved to the corporation's new headquarters in Salford, this would . prevent them having to transport tapes of archive material by road from . London, reducing production costs. But the costs of the project continued to spiral to £98.4million until it was finally halted in May. The . BBC said it has now reduced the amount to £3 million, but admitted it . has not yet switched off its old system, which costs an additional . £780,000 a year to maintain. Bosses were also criticised for failing to ensure ‘clear accountability’ for the project. Instead, responsibility was shared between finance head Zarin Patel, . chief operating officer Caroline Thomson and technology boss John . Linwood, who was sacked over the debacle last year. The . report said Miss Patel – who was paid £337,000 a year – did not even . attend some meetings and sent a member of her team instead. Next . week, the trio will be grilled over their roles by MPs on the public . accounts committee, alongside members of the BBC Trust and former . director-general Mark Thompson. Labour . MP Margaret Hodge, who chairs the committee, last night said she was . shocked by the ‘astronomic losses’, adding: ‘This report reads like a . catalogue of how not to run a major programme. These failures go right . to the top.’ Yesterday’s . report comes after accountant PriceWaterhouseCoopers last month found . DMI was ‘not fit for purpose’. NAO chief Amyas Morse said: ‘The BBC . executive did not have sufficient grip on its DMI programme. Nor did it commission a thorough independent assessment of the whole system to see whether it was technically sound.’ Dominic . Coles, the BBC’s director of operations, said: ‘As we have previously . acknowledged, the BBC got this one wrong. 'We took swift action to . overhaul how major projects are managed after we closed DMI last year.’ | Digital Media Initiative (DMI) was supposed to give staff archive access .
National Audit Office says BBC was slow to act after it ran into trouble . |
fbbcecae507f2f21e45c1b1702ff3860a4b299de | By . Will Stewart . and Chris Pleasance . Police used batons and tear gas to stop Ukrainian demonstrators from storm the main government building in Kiev today. The ugly scenes followed the biggest rally since the Orange Revolution nine years ago as more than 50,000 people demanded closer ties with the European Union. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign a pact with the EU last week and opposition leaders allege the decision was dictated by Russian president Vladimir Putin. Tens of thousands of protesters attended the rally in Ukraine yesterday calling for closer ties with the EU after President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign a landmark pact last week . After the main rally a group of around 100 activists tried to storm the main government building in Kiev but were forced back by riot police using batons, tear gas and sound grenades . Eugenia Tymoshenko (left), daughter of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko (right), also attended the protesters and read a letter from her mother to the crowd which called the decision 'humiliating' The Kremlin is calling for Ukraine to join a Russian-led Customs Union, and has threatened trade sanctions if it does not. Police estimated the rally attracted 23,000 protesters, while opposition groups estimated they had hit their 100,000 target. While the main rally, during which people waved flags and banners which read 'We are not the Soviet Union, we are the European Union' and 'I Love EU', passed off peacefully, a hardcore of activists then took their anger to the government building. The main square was turned into a sea of Ukrainian and EU flags while protesters chanted pro-Europe slogans . Despite protesters trying to force their way inside the building there were no arrests and police did not try to break the demonstration up . The demonstrations were the largest since the Orange Revolution in 2004, also against Viktor Yanukovych, after allegations that he rigged the election. The race was eventually re-run and he lost, but then won again in 2010 . Several hundred people had to be forced back by police using batons, tear gas and sound grenades, though there were no arrests and the rally was not broken up. Opposition leaders have now called for the protesters to stay overnight and have set up tents in Independence Square, though it is unclear how many have remained. Elsewhere during the two-hour demonstration jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko issued a statement which was read by her daughter, Eugenia . In it she urged people to keep protesting to 'force Yanukovych to change his humiliating decision' and sign up to a pact with the EU. Eugenia also sung the national anthem alongside opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk as they encouraged protesters to stay overnight to show their support for the cause . Protesters have set up camp in the centre of Kiev as temperatures in the capital near freezing point . Demonstrations calling for closer ties with Europe have continued into the evening with more clashes with police . 'Don't let him humiliate us all in this way,' she added.'It's our road map to a normal life.' The protesters responded with chants of 'Freedom to Yulia' and 'Down with the gang,' referring to Yanukovych's government. Tymoshenko has been in jail since 2011 on abuse of power charges which she says were ordered in a vendetta by Yanukovych, and which the West believes were politically motivated. earlier in the day angry activists had shouted 'revolution' while they scuffled with riot police . In the cities of Lviv and Sevastopol protesters also gathered to mimic the demonstrations in Kiev (pictured) Opposition party UDAR claim that their leader Vitali Klitschko, the boxing champion, was prevented from attending the rally after his plane was denied permission to land in Kiev. He was instead forced to land in another airport much further away, after returning from meetings in Europe. Protests also spread across the country, including to the Western city of Lviv where 10,00 people gathered, and also to Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula where the Russian navy is stationed. President Yanukovych held secret talks with Russia earlier in the month leading to allegations that he is a puppet of the Kremlin and acting on orders from President Putin . Opposition leaders claimed o have hit their target of 100,000 demonstrators, while police put the number at 23,000 . There pro-Western and pro-Russian demonstrators clashed in the centre, leading to police closing off several streets. The Orange Revolution took place in 2004 against the current President, Viktor Yanukovych, after allegations of widespread vote rigging in an election which he won. Thousands of people took to the streets each day until, under international pressure, the race was eventually re-run with the initial loser, Viktor Yushchenko, being declared victor with 52 per cent of the vote. Yanukovych won the next election in 2010, however, after a watchdog said he had conducted it fairly. | More then 50,000 protesters took to the streets of Kiev today .
They were demanding closer ties with Europe in a pact with EU .
President Viktor Yanukovych was due to sign treaty but made a U-turn .
Opposition leaders claim it was because of pressure from Russia .
Hundreds tried to storm main government building after rally .
Protesters have now set up tents and some are staying overnight . |
fbbd09f2099e3418f098f896d1162dfc310402af | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 08:35 EST, 2 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:13 EST, 2 April 2012 . When a couple became trapped in the upstairs bedroom of their burning home, they no doubt feared the worst. But thanks to the actions of Britain's tallest paramedic - who put his enormous frame to good use - the couple are now alive and well. Lincoln Dodd - nicknamed ‘Tiny’ by his friends - plucked the middle aged couple from their burning house by using his giant 6ft 8ins frame as a human ladder. Hero: Paramedic Lincoln Dodd, left, has been given a bravery award after he plucked a middle aged couple from a burning building by using his 6ft 8ins frame as a human ladder. He is pictured with colleague Steve Hargest . Incredibly, the 41-year-old managed to lift . the pair above the flames after arsonists set fire to their home in . Belmont, Hereford, last September. The terrified man and wife scrambled down his shoulders and back - literally using his huge body as a ladder - before safely reaching the ground. The former A&E nurse, who has served as a paramedic with West Midlands Ambulance Service for seven years, has now been given a bravery award for his heroics. He said: 'Someone had poured petrol through the letterbox and set it alight, the couple were trapped upstairs. 'I realised I could reach them if they lowered themselves from the upstairs window where they were trapped. Rescue: Mr Dodd, 41, managed to lift the couple above the flames after arsonists set fire to their home in Belmont, Hereford, last September . 'I put my hands up so I could reach their ankles and lowered them onto my shoulders so I could get them down. 'When I was younger I used to get mates up on my shoulders for fun, but this is the first time I’ve ever done that for work purposes. 'I don’t know of anyone in the service bigger than me, when you turn up on jobs you get comments about your height from the people you see, but you have to deal with that. 'There are a couple of rather short paramedics at our station, and we have turned up looking like little and large a couple of times but I tend to work alone.' The married father-of-four, from Hereford, who weighs 21 stone, admits his size does have its disadvantages. He added: 'Cottages are my enemies on the job, I have to duck to get in and out of the ambulance and to go through standard doors, but fortunately I’ve only had one mishap. 'My size has it’s disadvantages, when I first started the job I was all fingers and thumbs trying to do the more intricate jobs, but you learn to work around it. 'When I was younger I knocked myself out going through a door, I was running and forgot to duck, floored myself. 'But all in all it’s not too bad, I’m pretty flexible so I can squeeze myself into spaces. I recently had to crawl into the front of a crashed Vauxhall Zafira, around the person in the driving seat, so you learn to live with it.” Mr Dodd is one inch taller than the second tallest paramedic who stands 6ft 7ins tall and is from neighbouring Shropshire. | Britain's tallest paramedic managed to lift husband and wife above the flames after arsonists set fire to their home .
The terrified couple scrambled down his shoulders and back before safely reaching the ground . |
fbbd9106147085653645f0ae51fb1a8eac94910d | By . Sam Peters . Kevin Pietersen hit 29 from 27 balls, but was upstaged by big-hitting Jason Roy as Surrey beat Worcestershire by three-wicket in the NatWest t20 Blast quarter-final at the Kia Oval. Roy’s stunning 52 from 23 balls, including three sixes and eight fours, took his run tally to 619 from 14 innings in this summer’s Twenty20 competition at an average of 47.61 and helped Surrey overhaul Worcestershire’s modest 141 for nine with 3.3 overs to spare. There was a little bit of a wobble after Roy’s exit, with Worcestershire fighting hard in the field to take seven Surrey wickets on a slowish pitch, but Robin Peterson finished matters in the 17th over by swinging Shaaiq Choudhry’s left-arm spin for six and then driving the next ball through mid-off for four. Star performer: Jason Roy hit 52 from just 23 balls during Surrey's convincing t20 Blast win . Mitch McClenaghan’s first two overs went for 33 runs as he bore the brunt of Roy’s strokemaking. When Roy was out, mis-hitting Shantry to mid-on from the fourth ball of the sixth over, it was left to Pietersen and the rest of Surrey’s international-packed middle order to complete the job. Pietersen hit five fours, but he then pulled Joe Leach to mid-on at the start of the 12th over and Surrey made rather heavy weather of the remaining chase. Next best: Kevin Pietersen was also in good form for the winning side, scoring 29 off 27 balls . Watch the ball run: Pietersen keeps an eye on the ball after flicking a shot towards the boundary . In the end, Peterson — who finished on 24 not out from 12 balls, with a six and three fours — saw them home in the company of Gareth Batty. Having been put into bat, Worcestershire suffered from losing wickets at regular intervals, with Jade Dernbach, Matthew Dunn and Peterson claiming two wickets apiece. The visitors were reduced to 97 for six when opener Richard Oliver was dismissed by Peterson for a 36-ball 34 — Worcestershire’s top score — and never recovered. | Former England international hit 29 from 27 balls but Roy struck three sixes and eight fours to steal the limelight from his Surrey team-mate .
Roy has now racked up 619 runs from 14 innings during this summer .
Surrey beat Worcestershire's run tally of 141 for nine with 3.3 overs left . |
fbbd9fdd5b872606d042f7ec6cdab26f5d5433e4 | North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il demanded $10 billion in cash and half a million tons of food as a precondition of holding a summit with the South . North Korea's former leader Kim Jong Il demanded $10 billion in cash and half a million tons of food in 2009 as a precondition of holding a summit with the South, a former South Korean president has revealed. Former president Lee Myung-bak said he refused to pay anything for holding talks, despite the fact one of his predecessors, president Kim Dae-jung, held the first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in 2000. Kim Dae-jung was initially credited with bringing in a period of warming ties between the countries, but that achievement was later tarnished by the revelation that he helped channel $500 million to the North. The two Koreas remain technically at war because their 1950-53 war ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. Lee was president from 2008 to 2013 and says in his memoir, which is to be published next week, in 2009 North Korea began proposing a summit meeting between him and Kim Jong Il. The proposal came after senior North Korean officials visited Seoul to pay their respects to the late Kim Dae-jung, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reconcile with the North. His efforts were damaged when a close associate was convicted in 2006 of pressuring the Hyundai conglomerate into sending $500 million to North Korea shortly before the 2000 summit. Kim Dae-jung's immediate successor, Roh Moo-hyun, met Kim Jong Il for a second summit in 2007. Lee says one of the North Korean officials who visited Seoul, Kim Ki Nam, told him that Kim Jong Il had said it wouldn't be difficult for the leaders of the two Koreas to meet again if agreements signed during the 2000 and 2007 summits were carried out. Five days after the meeting, Lee claims North Korea called for a 'considerable amount' of rice, fertilizer and other aid shipments in return for a summit. Ex-South Korea President Lee Myung-bak reveleaed the list of demands made by the North in his new book . Lee said: 'The document looked like some sort of standardized "summit bill" with its list of assistance we had to provide and the schedule written up.' Reuters obtained an advance copy of chapters on North Korea today. The book refers to a list sent from the North 'as a condition for a summit' that included 400,000 tons of rice, 100,000 tons of corn, 300,000 tons of fertilizer, asphalt worth $100 million and $10 billion for the establishment of a development bank in North Korea. 'We shouldn't be haggling for a summit,' Lee wrote. In the book Lee claims Kim Jong Il continued to push for a summit with the South before he died in late 2011, but it did not materialize because he refused to acknowledge a 2010 torpedo attack on a South Korean naval vessel. Lee, a conservative who ended a decade of liberal rule in South Korea, pushed Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, left office without ever meeting the North's leader. South Korea's former President Roh Moo-hyun (right) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (left) shake hands at a welcome ceremony for Roh Moo-hyun in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, on October 2 2007 . Parts of the memoir reveal that senior intelligence officials from the two Koreas made secret visits to each other's countries to explore summit possibilities in 2010, when two deadly attacks blamed on Pyongyang killed 50 South Koreans. The Cheonan was torpedoed in 2010, killing 46 sailors. South Korea blamed the North which denied any involvement. Lee says a North Korea envoy who visited Seoul that year was later publicly executed after returning to the North. Both Kim Jong Il's successor, Kim Jong Un, and current South Korean President Park Geun-hye said this month they were open to the idea of talks. It would be the third summit meeting since the two Koreas were divided 70 years ago, although chances seem low as the countries bicker over the terms for talks. Last Friday North Korea demanded the lifting of sanctions imposed by Lee's government after the 2010 sinking as a condition for resuming dialogue. North Korea's current leader Kim Jong Un (pictured) who is the third son of former leader Kim Jong Il . The first summit in 2000 prompted an era of cooperation between the rivals, but also became a source of criticism in South Korea. Conservatives said Seoul's then 'sunshine policy' of providing generous economic aid to Pyongyang with few strings attached supported the North's nuclear and missile developmen and allowed it to continue staging provocations against South Korea. Lee halted such aid and refused to implement rapprochement projects signed in the second summit in 2007. His actions earned him public loathing in North Korea, where state media called him a 'rat' and a 'traitor.' Lee also saw tension spike sharply after his inauguration. A soldier killed a South Korean tourist in North Korea in 2008, and North Korea staged long-range rocket and nuclear tests in 2009. On the sidelines of a regional conference in Beijing in October 2009, Lee says Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told him that Kim Jong Il had sent a message that he wanted a summit. Lee says he was willing, but didn't want to pay for the meeting and wanted the North's nuclear program on the agenda. Later in 2009, officials of the Koreas met secretly in Singapore, and North Korea insisted on economic aid in exchange for a summit. Prospects for summit talks were further hurt after a South Korea-led international investigation blamed North Korea for torpedoing the South Korean warship in March 2010. The North then launched an artillery strike on a South Korean island that killed four people in November of that year. North Korea has denied involvement in the ship sinking. North Korea's state media did not immediately comment on the contents of Lee's memoir. | Former North Korea leader Kim Jong-Il made demands in return for summit .
List included 400,000 tons of rice, 100,000 of corn and 300,000 of fertilizer .
Also wanted $100 million of asphalt and $10 billion to found a new bank .
Ex-President of South Korea has revealed the list of demands in new book .
Conservative former leader Lee Myung-bak said he refused to pay for talks . |
fbbdc1b7f11cb2d572713829833c778b94ced2ea | Few honeymooners could hope for such a magical moment. But one photographer celebrating his wedding was lucky enough to witness a stretch of beach lit up by bioluminescent phytoplankton. Will Ho stumbled upon the awe-inspiring sight on a windy night in the Maldives. Scroll down for video . The minute creatures are thought to emit light when they are stressed and as Mr Ho said the evening was a windy one, it is likely the organisms were agitated by waves (pictured) Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. It occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi and microorganisms such as phytoplankton. The word comes from the Greek 'bios' for living and the Latin 'lumen' for light. Bioluminescence is a type of light energy produced by a chemical reaction. Different types of animals use bioluminescence in different ways. Deep sea squid use it for counter illumination camouflage so they match their environmental light, but Anglefish use it to lure prey with a light-up dangling appendage from their head that draws in smaller fish, which they can eat. Fireflies use bioluminescence to attract mates by flashing their abdomens, while their larvae use it to repel predators. Millipedes also glow to put predators off of eating them. The Taiwanese photographer saw tiny organisms, which glow like fireflies, riding waves and being washed up on the beach, to create dazzling patterns in the shallow water. The minute creatures are thought to emit light when they are stressed and as Mr Ho said the evening was a windy one, it is likely the organisms were agitated by crashing waves. He took a couple of photos of glowing footsteps, which are caused as the organisms can be present in wet beach and get stressed when they are trodden on, making it possible for a person to see an illuminated path of where they have walked. While bioluminescent phytoplankton has . been known about for some time, it is only recently that biologists have . worked out what causes them to glow. The photographer, who was celebrating his wedding, was lucky enough to witness a stretch of beach lit up by bioluminescent phytoplankton . The Taiwanese photographer captured tiny . organisms, which glow like fireflies, riding waves and being washed up . on the beach, to create dazzling patterns in the shallow water. The bioluminescent phytoplankton can survive in the sand and glow if they are trodden on, so that footsteps are illuminated (pictured right) Marine Biologist Jorge Ribas told Discovery News the water is filled with bioluminescent phytoplankton called Lingulodinium polyedrum. The microorganisms glow when stressed and reasons for their agitation include strong waves, a kayaker’s paddle splashing the water or a surfer carving up the water. Mr Ho said: 'It was lucky for me to see such beautiful scenery and I took several pictures as great memories, but it's sad to see the garbage on the beach (centre) when I zoomed in the picture in my laptop.' He took the photos on a beach in the Maldives near a Thai restaurant that can be seen lit up in the background . ‘It was lucky for me to see such beautiful scenery and I took several pictures as great memories, but it's sad to see the garbage on the beach when I zoomed in the picture in my laptop,’ Mr Ho wrote on his Flickr page. The glowing beach phenomenon has been spotted around San Diego, California on a fairly regular basis since 1901, but there, the water appears slightly red because of an algal bloom, known as a red tide. Mr Ho took photos of glowing footsteps and glowing clusters of the plankton on the beach (pictured), which are caused as the organisms can be present in wet sand and get stressed when they are trodden on, making it possible for a person to see an illuminated path of where they have walked . Here, Mr Ho takes a photo of glowing initials in the sand to commemorate his honeymoon . | Taiwanese photographer Will Ho took the pictures on a windy night in the Maldives while on his honeymoon .
The waves are lit up by bioluminescent phytoplankton - tiny organisms that glow like fireflies when they are agitated or stressed . |
fbbdf12a10e1d01e3a7dd01c451dc67e9a6eaa81 | By . Sam Shead . PUBLISHED: . 13:08 EST, 10 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:42 EST, 11 September 2012 . A pub regular who has visited the same boozer every day for 72 years has been honoured with a plaque on his favourite chair - where he has drank a staggering 30,000 pints. Arthur Reid, 90, has popped into The Griffin Pub almost every day at 3pm since turning 18 to enjoy a pint or two of his beloved Courage bitter. He has his own special glass behind the bar and now an engraved gold plaque has been placed on the back of his favourite chair to mark his 90th birthday. Arthur Reid, 90, enjoys a pint of Courage bitter at his local in South Gloucestershire where he has been a regular for 72 years . The Griffin pub in Warmley gets Arthur to test new brews before getting them on tap . A special plaque on pub regular Arthur Reid's chair at The Griffin pub . The retired council worker, who left school at 14 to work as a labourer and never married or had children, said he had never been tempted to find another watering hole. He said: 'I used to get up very early every morning and was paid seven and sixpence for working an 80 to 100-hour week - there was no such thing as holidays back then. 'I've always worked hard and enjoyed visiting the pub - I've never seen the need to go much farther. 'I've been coming here a long time and hope that I can carry on for some more years to come.' Arthur still nips into the pub in Warmley, Gloucestershire, every day at 3pm unless he has a hospital appointment. His sister Margaret Lee-Sze-Tsiok, 65, organised a surprise party at the pub to celebrate his landmark 90th birthday. Arthur (far left) at The Griffin in the 1940's when he often had a bit more than just one pint . Arthur (right) having a good time with a few of his drinking mates in the 1940s . Suited and booted: Arthur (bottom right) and the pub skittles team in the 1950's . Manageress . Asia Matczak said: 'He missed a couple of days last winter because of . the bad weather, but usually, when it gets to around 3:30 and he's not . here, we're like "Where's Arthur?"' Asia, 42, estimates Arthur has supped an impressive 30,000 pints in the family-friendly pub, as he used to drink more when he was younger . She said: 'He walks a lot for an old gent - he walks to the shop every day and walks to the pub on his way home. 'I often see him out and about with his cane. The Griffin pub as it appeared in the 1930's in the village of Warmley, Bristol . 'He has a pint of Courage without fail, and sometimes has another half, or a bit more if some of his friends come in. 'He is friends with everyone. He loves being listened to, and is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Arthur is a really good man.' A pint of Courage costs £2.75 at the pub, meaning if he were to buy all his drinks at today's prices, he would have spent an eye-watering £82,500 on booze. Asia, who has run the pub for two-and-a-half years, said: 'He used to drink only bitter when we didn't have a large selection of other beers. 'I have employed Arthur to check out and test some of the brews I was thinking about having. 'If he didn't like them, he'd tell me and I wouldn't get them on tap.' | A pint of £2.75 Courage bitter every day at 3pm .
30,000 pints equates to £82,500 in today's money .
Manageress gets him to try brews before selling them behind the bar . |
fbbe6457dc2e39beb9794e84464ba7566f4fb120 | Royal Bank of Scotland has apologised for misleading a parliamentary committee over its treatment of small businesses. Sir Philip Hampton, chairman of RBS, admitted evidence given by two executives was wrong – but insisted they made an ‘honest mistake’ when discussing the controversial Global Restructuring Group before the Treasury Select Committee. Andrew Tyrie, committee chairman, said they had been ‘wilfully obtuse’. RBS has apologised for misleading a parliamentary committee over its treatment of small businesses . The row over the bank’s treatment of small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, is the latest in a series of scandals for RBS since it was bailed out by the government in the financial crisis. Deputy chief executive Chris Sullivan and Derek Sach, head of the GRG unit, were summoned by the committee in June to discuss claims that it destroyed small firms for profit. They flatly denied that GRG, which is now being shut down, was a ‘profit centre’. Sir Philip Hampton, chairman of RBS, insisted they made an ‘honest mistake’ when discussing the controversial Global Restructuring Group before the Treasury Select Committee . But Mr Sullivan later wrote to Mr Tyrie to clarify – and Sir Philip has now admitted the initial evidence was wrong. ‘The evidence the bank’s representatives provided was not correct,’ he said in a letter to Mr Tyrie on August 22, made public yesterday. He added that the men ‘did not intend to mislead’. Mr Tyrie said: ‘It was materially incorrect on a crucial point and unacceptable. RBS has done the right thing and apologised.’ Labour MP John Mann said: ‘How much more is there to come? This is a bank the state owns, having bailed them out, and we are still getting misled.’ A spokesman for RBS said: ‘The bank has apologised unreservedly for any confusion caused. This was not intentional.’ | RBS apologises for misleading MPs over treatment of small businesses .
Chairman Sir Philip Hampton says it was an 'honest mistake'
Latest in series of scandals for RBS since it was bailed out by government . |
fbbeb2a096c0f2b75954647280f3619c33bf8ee8 | By . Tom Mctague, Mail online Deputy Political Editor . UKIP leader attended a dinner hosted by Elton John . Nigel Farage has been rebuffed by music star Sir Elton John after hinting that he could publicly back UKIP. The UKIP leader yesterday revealed he had been invited to a dinner party thrown at the pop star’s home. Mr Farage claimed the pair had ‘got on very well indeed’ and had chatted about politics. Speaking about the dinner, Mr Farage yesterday said: ‘Maybe I’ve got a big announcement to make. You never know.’ But a spokesman for the singer dismissed the suggestion that inviting Mr Farage for dinner meant Sir Elton would be supporting UKIP. The spokesman told Pink News: ‘Elton will not be favouring any party.’ Mr Farage attended Sir Elton’s house as a guest of Lord Black of Crossharbour, the former media baron who served three years in a US jail for fraud. The UKIP leader said that he had been invited by Sir Elton and his partner David Furnish to a dinner six or seven weeks ago. Speaking to the internet radio station Fubar, he said: ‘It was a private dinner but, yeah, we talked about politics and current affairs and these things. I got on very well with Elton John indeed.’ He added: ‘He really truly understands — as a guy that comes from an ordinary background — that the gap between rich and poor is getting wider and wider and that lots of working-class lads are not being given the chance these days to achieve their best.’ Asked if the star understood ‘the European question’, Mr Farage said: ‘Oh, I don’t want to speak for him but I think that . . . he’s no idiot. He knows what’s going on in the world.’ Later in the interview, Mr Farage accepted it was unlikely the singer was about to become a UKIP member. He said: ‘No. This speculation often runs away with itself. ‘But I tell you what — he does host a very good dinner. The food was magnificent and the wine — the wine! — the wine, it was even better.’ Mr Farage hinted that Sir Elton might be considering supporting UKIP. But a spokesman for the singer-songwriter dismissed the suggestion . In 2008 Sir Elton and Mr Furnish each donated £10,000 to the Liberal Democrats to support Brian Paddick, a former deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, to become London mayor. He has also revealed that Gordon Brown is a friend but would not say whether he would vote Labour. | Singer-songwriter hosted a dinner attended by the UKIP leader .
Asked about the dinner Mr Farage said he had a 'big announcement' to make .
But the pop star's spokesman said: 'Elton will not be favouring any party' |
fbbef78c1735808e5ecbbedbd578f6c86628945b | By . Louise Cheer . Almost every single 2013 Holden Commodore and Caprice is being recalled after a potential fault with the front seatbelts was found. The car manufacturer is recalling a total of 42,000 vehicles from the VF Commodore and WN Caprice range - models that went on sale in May last year. A public recall was issued by Holden on Monday afternoon - a week after a confidential message was sent to the company's network of 230 dealers. The 2013 Commodore, released just last year in May, is being recalled because of a fault in the front seatbelts . The message ordered them to stop selling any more new Commodores and Caprices, and told them not to transfer the cars to other showrooms. It has been discovered the seatbelt pre-tensioner - which automatically tightens the seatbelt in the event of a crash - can make contact with the seatbelt buckle unit under the seat. This could potentially cause an electrical short and disable the pre-tensioner in the crash. Pre-tensioners are meant to catch the seatbelt's slack just milliseconds before airbags are deployed. The manufacturer said no one had reported the fault. It has been advised that owners of the 2013 Commodore and Caprice model should contact their nearest Holden dealer. Dealers will then inspect the car and correct the fault. | A front seatbelt fault has been discovered in the manufacturer's 2013 fleet .
Holden issued a public recall on Monday, a week after dealers were warned .
Fault lies with the seatbelt pre-tensioner - it could disable during a crash .
Holden said no customers had reported the front seatbelt fault . |
fbbf300d06e9e0a65fb7df9f0dea454d4647c809 | By . Wil Longbottom . Last updated at 4:58 PM on 4th January 2012 . There was double humiliation at Penn State's final football game of the season, after one student dressed up as anti-paedophile mascot 'Paedobear' to protest at the sex scandal cover up at the college. The unknown fan dressed in the provocative outfit during Penn State's 30-14 defeat in the Ticketcity Bowl in Dallas, Texas, and carried a sign that read: 'Keep quiet and don't tell anyone.' The game between the Nittany Lions and Houston Cougars at the Cotton Bowl stadium was taking place without Penn State's long-serving coach, Joe Paterno, who was sacked in November over the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal. Scandal: Jerry Sandusky denies more than 50 charges of alleged abuse of young boys. Right, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno was sacked after it emerged he had failed to act on warnings about possible abuse . Charges: Last month Sandusky, pictured with wife Dottie, waived his right to a preliminary hearing . Sandusky, assistant coach to Paterno . for 30 years, faces more than 50 child sex-abuse charges over decades of . alleged abuse of young boys. Wearing . the costume was apparently the idea of a University of Texas fan, . furious at the apparent cover up of Sandusky's alleged abuse. A . user on the university's sports message board, Ghost of LL, wrote: 'The . conspiracy undertaken by the staff and administrators of the . Pennsylvania State University to cover up the rape of children so as not . to damage its precious football program is shameful. 'For . a decade, Penn State employees, agents, trustees and officers - from . the janitor to the president of the university all the way up to the . Lord High Football Coach - knew that Jerry Sandusky was raping children, . and doing so on Penn State property.' Message: The fan was wearing a bear suit in reference to this internet meme - 'paedobear'. Originally it was used to signify illegal pornography, but is now used to signify paedophilia . Sandusky has said he is innocent of . more than 50 charges stemming from alleged sexual assaults over 15 years . on 10 boys at his home, on Penn State property and elsewhere. The scandal prompted the sacking of Hall of Fame football coach Paterno and the school's long-time president, Graham Spanier. Former athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz also face charges of perjury and failure to report a crime. The appearance of the 'Paedobear' is the latest blow to the college since the scandal erupted last year. Last . month, Sandusky waived his right to a preliminary hearing just before . the first witness was due to testify against him in a Pennsylvania . courtroom. The 67-year-old said: 'We fully intend to put together the best possible defence and stay the course for four full quarters.' His attorney, Joe Amendola, then told reporters if they believed claims against his client they should call 1-800-REALITY - the number of a gay-sex phone service. And another of his lawyers, Karl Rominger, claimed he had showered with boys from his Second Mile charity to 'teach them basic hygiene skills'. The image of the 'Paedobear' is apparently used as a signal in online message boards that illegal pornographic images have been posted, although not necessarily paedophilia. It has since been used to indicate the existence of child pornography or to mock paedophiles and draw attention to their actions. | Fan dressed in provocative outfit at Penn State's 30-14 defeat in Ticketcity Bowl, Dallas .
Student carried sign saying: 'Keep quiet and don't tell anyone'
Former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky denies more than 50 charges of alleged abuse of young boys .
Two college authorities face charges over cover-up of alleged abuse . |
fbbf31c8141cda0ea3380006a0b65b385fc207ae | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:35 EST, 21 June 2013 . Jaymin Abdulrahman admitted throwing her six-day-old baby girl down a bin chute but had denied her intention had been to kill her . A mother who threw her newborn baby 40ft down a tower block rubbish chute while suffering from post-natal depression was jailed for two and a half years today. Jaymin Abdulrahman, 25, accepted she put her six-day-old baby girl down the chute but told the jury she had not planned the incident and had 'lost control of her thoughts' at the time. The baby, who cannot be named . for legal reasons, miraculously survived but suffered skull fractures and brain injuries after . she fell into a bin store at a block of flats in . Wolverhampton last September. Experts estimated the force the impact was the equivalent of being in a 30mph car crash without a seat belt. Today a jury of seven men and five women found Abdulrahman guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm but cleared her of two other charges including attempted murder. Birmingham Crown Court heard how Abdulrahman initially told police that her child had been kidnapped by strangers but the baby was found a few hours later, apparently lifeless, at the bottom of the chute. Prosecutors alleged that the Iraqi national deliberately placed her baby daughter into the chute with the intention of killing her. But Abdulrahman, who accepted that she put her baby into the chute, told the jury she was 'tired, sad and exhausted' in the week after her daughter's birth and unaware of why she was crying. Rachel Brand QC, defending Abdulrahman, told the court that her client had been suffering from a post-natal psychosis - a severe form of post-natal depression. Describing Abdulrahman, who came to . the UK from Iraq in 2011, as a competent and loving mother, Miss Brand . also argued that her illness meant she was not capable of 'forming an . intent to either kill or cause really serious injury to her baby'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . The baby was found in a large bin wrapped in a piece of material after she was thrown down the rubbish chute . Speaking through a Kurdish . interpreter, Abdulrahman told the court she was in tears while cleaning . her bathroom shortly before placing the baby in the chute. 'I was extremely sad,' she told jurors. 'I went to the living room, I put the baby in a rubbish bag and I threw her away. 'After I had done so, I just couldn't believe what I had just done, and I couldn't understand why I did it. I was in shock.' Answering questions from Ms Brand, . Abdulrahman added that she had not 'planned' to do what she did and had . not thought about what she was going to do. 'Even now as I am speaking to you, I . am still in a state of disbelief of what I have done. I have lost . control of my thoughts when I did so. 'I can't tell whether I was crying at . the time or not, but I have done this. I wasn't aware of what I was . doing. If I thought that by doing so I would do some harm to the baby, I . wouldn't have done it.' Jailing Abdulrahman, judge Mrs Justice Kate Thirlwall said she accepted that the incident was not premeditated and that Abdulrahman was suffering from post-natal psychosis - a severe form of post-natal depression - at the time. She said: 'On September 2 last year you gave birth to your baby daughter. Investigation: Police tape gives residents in the block of flats that the chute is not to be used following the incident . 'Six days later you placed her in a black bin liner and you placed that bin liner in the rubbish chute and closed that chute. 'She fell from the fifth floor. She sustained critical head injuries from which she will never fully recover. 'You gave a false story to your husband and to the police about the baby being abducted. That story was obviously nonsense. 'It's quite clear that the jury were satisfied that you were suffering from postpartum psychosis (severe post-natal depression) at the time you acted. 'Anyone who sat through the whole trial will understand exactly how they came to that conclusion. 'As you said yourself, you were her mother. You should have been her guardian. You will have to live with the consequences of your actions for the rest of your life.' Abdulrahman was told she will serve half of her sentence in prison before serving the rest on licence. She showed no emotion as she was led down from the dock. Prosecutor Andrew Smith QC said the baby girl suffered serious brain injuries and was likely to need intensive support from medical professionals. He also said it was unlikely she would be able to feed herself orally and that she was developing the signs of a severe form of cerebral palsy. Abdulrahman's barrister Rachel Brand QC told the court: 'When you describe this as an utterly tragic case, one cannot be accused of exaggerating. 'This was a life shattering event for this little family. 'She (the baby) makes steady but slow medical progress. He (Abdulrahman's husband) has been constant in his attendance at the hospital and that's where he stays now. 'He's not here but I know he will welcome her back with open arms.' Abdulrahman moved to the UK to live in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, with her arranged marriage husband Mohamad Amin, 32, in August 2011. She told the jury she was happy in the marriage and she and her husband started trying for a baby as soon as she arrived in Britain before she eventually fell pregnant early in 2012. But days after giving birth, the court heard Abdulrahman suffered post natal depression. On the day she attacked the tot she also smashed up the Moses basket which she also lobbed down the rubbish chute. Police released a shocking digital reconstruction of the baby's fall which revealed it took just 2.2 seconds for the tot to fall from the fifth floor of the tower block to the ground. Experts said the impact the baby suffered was the equivalent of her being in a car crash at 30mph without wearing a seat belt. The baby was found in a communal rubbish area on the ground floor by Mr Amin wrapped in a headscarf-like material and surrounded by broken pieces of the tot's Moses basket. | Jaymin Abdulrahman, 25, threw six-day old child down chute at block of flats in Wolverhampton last September .
Baby girl survived but suffered severe skull fractures and brain injuries .
Mother, originally from Iraq, was suffering from severe post-natal depression .
Abdulrahman guilty of inflicting GBH but cleared of causing GBH and attempted murder at Birmingham Crown Court today .
Judge Kate Thirwall: 'You will live with this for the rest of your life' |
fbbfe46046b92b0d707e6f68836b2baf10f8a42c | Wanted: Police killed Donald Hux, the ex-husband of Sandy Carl Huckabee's wife Amy, in a shoot out Sunday night. He was the main suspect in the death of both Amy and her current husband Sandy . Police have killed the man who murdered the cousin of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and the suspect shot ex-wife dead during the ensuing fire fight. The shootout occurred in the late hours of Sunday night, after they found Donald Hux, 36, following a frenzied manhunt. The investigation began when Sandy Carl Huckabee was found dead in his Arkadelphia home, 70 miles south west of Little Rock, Arkansas. Sandy Carl is the first cousin of the state's former governor and one-time Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Sandy was married to Amy Huckabee, who was the ex-wife of Donald Hux. The former spouses had three children together, and after killing Sandy, Hux took the children and Amy 80 miles south to El Dorado, Arkansas. Police finally found Hux, hours after he had dropped the children off safely at an unknown location in El Dorado and switched vehicles. 'In the events that followed, Donald Hux shot Amy Huckabee followed by deputies fatally wounding Hux,' the police press release reads. Union County Sheriff's Captain Clark Burton said the children were not hurt. Relatives: Mike (left) and Sandy Carl (right) Huckabee grew up together in Hope, Arkansas and the former governor said their mothers were sisters. Sandy was found dead in his home Sunday morning . Divorced: Donald Hux and Amy Huckabee are divorced and have three children from their time together. Hux dropped their children off at his parents' house Sunday morning, and killed Amy . Scene: Sandy Carl Huckabee's body was found in his Arkadelphia home and is said to have suffered a trauma to his head . Officers in Arkadelphia learned about the . situation and went to the Huckabee home to do a welfare check and found . Sandy Huckabee's body inside. Sandy . appeared to have suffered a head trauma, but little else is known about . the crime scene. no weapons were found at the scene, and police have . said that they consider Hux to be armed and dangerous. Second time lucky: Amy (right) was married to Donald Hux before she married Sandy Carl Huckabee (left) The little that is known about the relationship between Amy Huckabee and her ex-husband is troubling. A local paper said that there are police records of Hux sending harassing communications to his ex-wife from jail several months ago. He pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanour assault in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, which is not far from Amy Huckabee's home town of Springhill. Jim Harris, a spokesman for Huckabee . when he was governor, said the former Republican governor was travelling . but had learned of the distant relative's death. 'I've been in Washington all day. Sandy was my first cousin. Our mothers were sisters and we grew up as . kids in Hope. It's been a horrible day for everyone, especially those . kids,' Mike Huckabee told a local news station by email. At . the time of his death, Sandy worked as a clinical psychologist and had . previously worked in the public school system in Arkadelphia. The . Union County police department is due to reveal updated details in a . press release Monday morning, but the press conference was pushed back . as the sheriff has not arrived yet this morning. 'They had a late night last night,' the receptionist told MailOnline. Mike Huckabee, the Former Arkansas Governor and U.S. presidential hopeful speaking to voters in 2007 . Making moves: The manhunt continues for Donald Hux, and he is considered armed and dangerous . | Manhunt for ex-husband ends with headcount as both the suspect, Donald Hux, and his kidnapped ex-wife Amy Huckabee are pronounced dead .
Investigation began when Sandy Carl Huckabee, the cousin of former governor Mike Huckabee, was found dead in his Arkansas home . |
fbc042b5b69c107985dec9026b07ed863230c92f | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The final runoff of Egypt's first free elections in recent memory has ended and the result is clear: Islamist parties have swept the popular vote. Should the international community worry? In every Arab country where popular uprisings have pushed dictators out of power, Islamist parties have become the most powerful political force. That has caused anxiety among progressive Arabs and a great deal of confusion in the West. After all, the uprisings that were optimistically labeled the "Arab Spring" were supposed to herald a blossoming of freedom, democracy and equality. Do Islamist parties believe in freedom, democracy and equality? If you ask them, you will hear a symphony of reassurances and contradictions, punctuated by an occasionally jarring declaration, as when Egypt's Salafi Nour Party proclaimed that "democracy is heresy." If there were a surprise in Egypt's parliamentary elections, it was the strong showing of the ultraconservative Salafis, who would like to turn the social clock back by several centuries and return to the rules that governed Muslim lands in the days of the Prophet Muhammad, about 1300 years ago. The Salafists have proposed banning women and Christians from holding office, ending alcohol sales and cutting off the hands of thieves. They call Christians and Jews "infidels." The other electoral surprise, in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world, is just how badly liberal groups -- the ones who launched the uprisings and embrace the kind of democracy we would recognize in the West -- fared at the polls. The Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brotherhood came on top in Egypt's latest election, taking about 40% of the vote. The Salafis came in second with about 25%. This means that Islamist parties captured a whopping two-thirds of the vote. The winners will form Egypt's first democratically-elected parliament, which will choose the people who write the country's new constitution. The Salafis' extreme views have helped the Brotherhood look moderate, which is exactly the image they want to project to the West. Leaders of parties affiliated with or inspired by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood who have won elections in Tunisia and even in Morocco, where King Mohamed VI allowed elections to prevent an uprising, say they support democratic principles. When speaking to the Western media, they have especially tried to send out a reassuring message. But occasionally they have slipped up. In fact, the Muslim Brotherhood is still trying to sort out where it stands on many issues. A case in point is the peace treaty with Israel. The group has said it has no intention of revoking the treaty. But a few days ago, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Rashad Bayumi, told the newspaper Al Hayat that the Brotherhood would never recognize Israel, is not committed to the peace treaty and would take steps to change it. At the moment, liberal Egyptian activists are more focused on how to wrest power from the military. But, assuming that battle succeeds, their attention will turn to what an Islamist government would mean. Both the Salafis and the Brotherhood acknowledge plans to impose Sharia, the traditional Islamic law. The difference is that Salafis want to do it immediately. The Muslim Brotherhood, which has learned patience during decades of operating underground, says it will bring it back gradually, over many years. It wasn't very long ago the Muslim Brotherhood declared it would not allow a Christian to become president. About 10% of Egyptians are Coptic Christians, who have endured brutal attacks since the uprising that ended the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. But the Muslim Brotherhood has been steadily toning down its rhetoric. Throughout the region, the long-time leaders of Islamist organizations, which had been banned by regimes often supported by the U.S. and its European allies, are emerging as powerful politicians trying to convince the rest of the world to trust them. Countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, all need Western tourists and their hard currency. The last thing they want is to spook investors and worsen their already dire economies. In the West, some are convinced that this turn of events spells disaster. They don't believe the Islamists' claims to moderation and think they are biding their time and will eventually show their true, radical colors. After all, the Muslim Brotherhood has deep extremist roots. One of the major figures in the organization's history, Sayid Qutb, had a passionate hatred of the U.S. and the West. His views on the Jews fed the worst anti-Semitic conspiracy theories among his followers. It's hard to imagine all of this has suddenly evaporated. And yet, the Brotherhood also has a strong pragmatic streak. While it is true that it provided the ideological fuel for al Qaeda and for the Gama'a al-Islamiya and Islamic Jihad -- the group that assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as punishment for making peace with Israel -- it is also true that these terrorist groups emerged after the Muslim Brotherhood renounced violence. So, what do Islamists really hope to accomplish? Washington doesn't need to wait for an answer to that question before it starts responding to this uncertain situation. In fact, it can already start helping to shape the future of the Arab world by strongly promoting the ideals it supports. The Egyptian people have not studied democracy the way Americans or Europeans have. President Obama and his counterparts in other liberal democracies should help explain the West's vision of democratic principles and tolerance. They should talk about how democracy does not just mean majority rule; it also means protection of minorities, equality for women and for people of all religions. It means rule of law and an independent judiciary. The West should make clear that those leaders who help preserve peace and build that vision of society in the emerging Arab democracies will have its support while those who don't will not have its backing. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frida Ghitis. | Islamist parties in Egypt swept the popular vote in the latest round of parliamentary elections .
Frida Ghitis asks whether the international community should worry .
Some of the Islamists are still trying to sort out where they stand on many issues .
Ghitis: U.S. can help shape Arab world by promoting democratic ideals . |
fbc04ecde8997affe5d2975ede034716a0e9f0f4 | By . Simon Jones . Sunderland have expressed an interest in signing Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni. The Argentinian is a free agent despite Palace holding initial talks over extending his contract. Gus Poyet is interested in Speroni having lost Keiren Westwood and Oscar Ustari, who is looking to return to football in Spain. Uncertain future: Julian Speroni's contract is due to expire next month . Stalwart: Speroni has played almost 350 times for Palace since his switch from Dundee in 2004 . The 35-year-old was an almost ever-present between the sticks this season for Palace, making 39 appearances as the Eagles defied the odds to beat the drop under Tony Pulis. Speroni has played 349 times for the south London side since his £500,000 switch to Selhurst Park from Dundee in 2004. Busy summer: Gus Poyet will look to strengthen his Sunderland squad after their struggle against the drop . Meanwhile, Sevilla are keen on Sunderland midfielder Alfred N’Diaye. The Senegal international midfielder has been deemed surplus to requirements on Wearside. | Black Cats considering summer swoop for Argentinian keeper .
Speroni available on a free transfer with contract at Palace set to run out .
Eagles lining up Norwich City's John Ruddy as possible replacement . |
fbc0601c7af0ec2d3451028fa4b00806a27e7d6e | (CNN) -- A 12.76-carat pink diamond has been unearthed in an Australian mine, the largest ever found in the country. Christened as the Argyle Pink Jubilee, the diamond was found in mining giant Rio Tinto's Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia's East Kimberly region. The Argyle mine is the world's largest producer of pink diamonds, with Rio Tinto reporting that the mine generates more than 90% of the global market supply. "A diamond of this caliber is unprecedented -- it has taken 26 years of Argyle production to unearth this stone, and we may never see one like this again," said Argyle Pink Diamonds Manager Josephine Johnson in a statement. Rio Tinto expects that after two months of assessment and planning, it will take ten days to cut and polish the diamond into a single stone. The finished stone will be offered for sale during the company's annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender later this year. According to Australia's Herald Sun, the diamond will be worth at least US$1.07 million. However, it is premature to judge the stone's significance at this point, according to Sotheby's Asia department head of jewelry, Chin Yeow Quek. "It is hard to judge a stone in the rough. It really depends on how large the rock will be polished downed to," he said, explaining that diamonds tend to lose at least 50% of their weight during the polishing process. "It also depends on the [intensity of] color and clarity," he added. He cited as a benchmark the 24.78-carat fancy intense pink diamond sold by Sotheby's Geneva office in November, 2010 for more than US $46 million, which set the world's auction record for any diamond and jewel at US$1.86 million per carat. Natural pink diamonds are considered one of the most valuable types of diamonds, and are typically found in museums, fine auction houses, and on the hands of royalty. The company said the Argyle Pink Jubilee is in a similar light pink color to the 24-carat Williamson Pink that Britain's Queen Elizabeth II received as a wedding gift. | A 12.76-carat rough pink diamond was found in a West Australian mine owned by Rio Tinto .
The diamond was the largest rough pink diamond ever found in Australia.
Named the Argyle Pink Jubilee, the polished product will be offered for sale later this year. |
fbc0ad0d88f8c0ecd59dcd3160209376a984f9c9 | No one expected this. Less than a week after he lifted the World Cup trophy in Rio de Janeiro, Germany captain Phillipp Lahm has retired from international football. Yes, there had been the odd report prior to the World Cup. Lahm himself had admitted in February that he would not rule it out as a possibility. But it didn’t seem like a real consideration. Few believed him. Many still didn’t believe it as Bild reported the story on Friday morning. It wouldn’t have been the first time that the newspaper’s anonymous sources had been mistaken. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Germany captain Lahm retires from international football . Out with a bang: Philipp Lahm (centre) has retired from international football after winning the World Cup . Champions! Lahm with the trophy in Rio (left) and at Germany's victory parade in Berlin (right) But by mid morning, Lahm’s agent had confirmed the rumour. The Bayern player was stepping down from international duties with immediate effect. 'It is the right time for me to go,' said Lahm. With 30 years and 113 caps, Lahm is certainly not leaving in his prime. His departure will nonetheless be a hammer blow for Germany. Throughout the tournament in Brazil, he proved himself not only to be one of the most tactically intelligent and diverse players on the planet, but also a worthy leader. He had to fight for that accolade, with many questioning his strength and leadership qualities along the way. Others saw him as a little too arrogant. When he officially inherited the captaincy from Michael Ballack in 2010, many were unhappy with the manner in which he did so. Since then, though, Lahm has proved time and again that he is the perfect leader for this team. He was quiet but confident, leading his team by example, whether playing at left back, right back or in central midfield. Captain fantastic: Lahm played in midfield and at right back as Germany won the World Cup . Winner: Mario Gotze grabbed the only goal of the World Cup final in extra time against Argentina . He has been greeted with overwhelming praise, with compliments from Lukas Podolski, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and even Chancellor Angela Merkel. 'I would like to articulate my huge respect for Philipp Lahm and what he was done for our national team,' said Merkel. His critics will no doubt see the same old arrogance in his decision to step down now, just days after his finest hour. Bild claimed that Lahm was 'quitting while he is ahead', while TZ mused that he is a 'perfectionist'. But this decision was not a spontaneous act of vanity. The decision was allegedly made in the autumn of last year, and he informed coach Joachim Low of his plan the morning after the World Cup Final. Wolfgang Niersbach, president of the German FA, said that 'it was clear within minutes of speaking to Phillipp that there was no way I was going to talk him out of it'. Like his football, Lahm's decision was considered and confident. Where it all began: Lahm made his debut for Germany in a 2-1 win over Croatia in 2004 . Dejected: Lahm was part of the Germany side that lost to Spain in the Euro 2008 final . There are also footballing reasons to step down. The move into midfield is something which has seen less success for Germany than it has for Bayern Munich. At 30, he can no longer make the marauding runs up and down the right that he used to. For the national team, though, he is still more of a right back than a midfielder. Lahm is leaving the national team as world champions, with no shortage of defensive talent that can be raised to replace him over the next two years. He is also leaving them with a captain. Bastian Schweinsteiger has shown, not least in the World Cup Final, that he can lead this German side as much as anyone, and is almost certain to take over the armband. As Lahm himself said, "I am leaving this team in complete harmony". Lahm, meanwhile, will continue to play for Bayern at least until his contract runs out in 2018. Pep Guardiola rates him as the finest player he has ever coached, and will certainly not allow him to let up before then. Germany will survive without Lahm but he will leave a gap. As a leader and a footballer, Lahm was without doubt one of Germany’s finest captains. Playing on: Lahm will continue to play for his club side, German champions Bayern Munich . | Phillipp Lahm has retired from international football .
He won 113 caps for Germany, scoring five goals .
Lahm captained his side to victory in the World Cup final this summer .
Midfielder will continue to play for club side Bayern Munich . |
fbc0f4401938996d8e6f2425bf24de00e3894a1a | A mother-of-two has been found stabbed to death at her home - directly opposite the house of a father jailed this week for killing a prostitute after a botched penis enlargement. Company director Emily Munemo's body was discovered just yards from the house of twisted killer Michael Wenham who was yesterday jailed for life for killing a prostitute. Police were called to the house in Hillingdon, London, following reports of a stabbing and paramedics were sent out but could not save Ms Munemo's life. A mother-of-two has been found stabbed to death at her home in Hillingdon, London - directly opposite the house of a father jailed this week for killing a prostitute after a botched penis enlargement. Road pictured . She died around an hour after their arrival. Murder detectives have swept the house for clues and a 35-year-old man was arrested in Hayes on suspicion of murder - and was today being quizzed by officers at a West London Police station. A police spokesman confirmed inquiries were still ongoing, but it is not believed the attack was linked to Wenham's trial. Police forensic teams dressed in white overalls were today seen at the £305,000 two storey house. Company director and health worker Emily Munemo set up Muney Ltd in October 2012 and ran the business from her home, where she had lived in 2008. Within hours of Ms Menemo's death, her neighbour Michael Wenham was jailed for gruesomely murdering young prostitute Karolina Nowikiewicz. Close by: Ms Munemo's body was discovered just yards from the house of twisted killer Michael Wenham (L) who was yesterday jailed for life this week for killing Karolina Nowikiewicz (R) Father of three Wenham nearly decapitated his Ms Nowikiewicz with a Stanley knife in a 'chilling and brutal' attack based on a gory horror film after a botched penis enlargement operation left his genitals two inches smaller. A judge heard Wenham, aged 36, had flown to the USA for £15,000 penis enlargement operation, but the botched surgery resulted in it shrinking by two inches and he flew out for a second operation a month before the attack. The bisexual also had fantasies about becoming a serial killer and had his wife of eight years Dawn, aged 34, humiliate him by saying how small his penis was. Police forensic officers working at the scene of the previous killing on the same Hillingdon road last February . The killing closely resembled the climax to the film, in which a group of American backpackers are lured into an eastern European hotel and tortured. An expert psychologist told the court he believed that Wenham's overactive libido had been transformed into a homicidal rage because he was unable to satisfy his sexual desires following the failed operation. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Emily Munemo found stabbed in he house in Hillingdon, London yesterday .
Mother died just yards from home of prostitute killer Michael Wenham .
Police have arrested a man, 35, and are quizzing him at London station . |
fbc13895cd910e5edccfb18a320b21c4496bde79 | Marseille has become the focus of emergency French government talks after the son of a football boss was gunned down in the street on Thursday in the city's latest gangland killing. Adrien Anigo - whose father, Jose Anigo, is the sporting director of Olympique Marseille - was the second person in a day to be killed in the region of the southern port city - and the 15th murder since the start of the year. The 30-year-old was shot dead in the middle of the day by two men on a motorbike while he was getting out of a rented Renault Twingo. Shooting: Police and forensic experts investigate the scene where Adrien Anigo was murdered . The killing is being seen as part of a worrying and increasing gangland culture in a city rife with drugs and political corruption - even in the year it holds the title of European Capital of Culture. Last month, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault ordered . 130 extra riot police and 24 investigators to Marseille, which has France's second-biggest population and a . large immigrant community. Authorities say AK47s are available in the region for €500 each, and that execution-style killings - described by the state prosecutor as . Marseille's 'regrettable speciality' - are becoming increasingly common. Anigo, a restaurant owner, had been under investigation by police over armed robberies of jewellery stores and involvement in a local gang. Gunned down: The 30-year-old son of Olympique Marseille's sporting director was shot dead by men on a motorbike as he was getting out of his car . Investigation: Anigo was already under investigation by police and was due to appear in court over armed robberies of jewellery stores . Bloodbath: The men who shot Adrien Anigo fled the crime scene on a motorbike . He was due to appear in court, having been jailed in the past before being released because of a judicial error, according to French media. The father-of-two suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head, as he was targeted by the men who fled the scene. His killing came hours after gunmen shot a 24-year-old as he arrived for work in the town of La Ciotat, some 20 miles from Marseille. Jose Anigo, the director of one of France's oldest and most popular clubs, grew up on a poor estate before becoming a player at Marseille. He has denied having any mafia or crime links of his own, telling the Journal du Dimanche two years ago: 'The street sucked in my son, but that's got nothing to do with anyone but the justice system.' Popular: Olympique Marseille, with players such as Andre Pierre Gignac, pictured left (with Eric Abidal of AS Monaco, right) is one of the best-loved clubs in France . Crisis: The incident, which took place in broad daylight in front of passers-by, was the second in a day - the first involving a 24-year-old man gunned down by masked motorbike men at La Ciotat just outside Marseille . Tourist numbers have risen sharply in Marseille in the past six months, with the city aiming to attract 10 million visitors this year as it holds the Capital of Culture title. Officials have had some success at cracking down on drug-smuggling, particularly the heroin trade, but it is still a hub on the cocaine route through Europe from Africa. The death toll has not reached last year's total of 24 gang killings in the Bouches-du-Rhone area including Marseille. However, unemployment remains above the national average, with more than 20 per cent of Marseille residents below the poverty line and more than 40 per cent youth unemployment in some parts of the region. Marseille's right-wing major Jean-Claude Gaudin has accused politicians in France of 'Marseille-bashing'. Crackdown: A suspect is led away by police as part of an anti-drugs operation in the city, which has seen the deployment of around 150 extra officers, including riot police . 'Chicago of the South': High unemployment, particularly among young people, is blamed for the persistent drug trade in the city . Dead end: Poor housing estates are said to be focal points for an underground economy of drug deals between youths with few prospects . French interior minister Manuel Valls called on political parties to unite to solve this crime issue in the city. He said: 'I understand the anger of the Marseille people but we need time [to act] against drug-trafficking and daily delinquency.' Marie-Arlette Carlotti, a government minister competing in the Socialist primary race to choose a Marseille mayoral candidate next year, said 'real mafia networks' must be neutralised. 'We have to find out where the money is, the white collars, because there are bosses in all this, even if the mafia is less well-organised than it was in the past,' she said. 'We have to look at exterior signs of wealth, trace the networks to their bank accounts in protected places.' Marseille's drug trade became famous . in the 1971 Hollywood film The French Connection, named after the . postwar heroin gangs in the city. By the late Sixties, about 80 per cent of heroin in the US was trafficked from Marseille. Enforcement: Government officials hope a heavy police presence will neutralise mafia-like networks in the southern French port city . Gangland: AK47s are said to be available in the city for a few hundred euros . | Adrien Anigo, son of Olympique Marseille boss Jose Anigo, gunned down in French city .
Shooting is 15th murder in region since start of this year .
Marseille's mayor and officials call for end to in-fighting to solve gangland crisis in city .
French Prime Minister last month ordered 130 police officers and 24 investigators to crack down on Marseille drug trade . |
fbc20dd782b5a5fafaf88a2039bf0a10fe65d393 | It may be almost an entire decade since the Boxing Day tsunami wiped out 230,000 people in southeast Asia, but for Richard Nott it is as raw as if it happened yesterday after the unthinkable loss of his son and daughter-in-law. Richard will never forget the joy he felt when he received a call from his son Christian, and his wife Moi, to say they were pregnant on Christmas Day in 2004. But that feeling of overwhelming happiness only lasted 24 hours as the Sydney couple died in a beach hut in Khao Lak, Thailand when the 98-foot freak waves smashed in from the Indian Ocean. 'I didn't want them to go to Thailand because of the social unrest - it never occurred to me that a tsunami would be the problem,' he said. Scroll down for video . Christian and Moi Nott's wedding day just two months before the tsunami took their lives in Thailand - pictured with his father Richard (left) and his sister Fiona (right) Their whole lives were ahead of them as they had announced to their families that they were pregnant on Christmas day - the day before the tsunami hit . Christian, 34, a chef and photographer, and Moi, 31, a Channel 9 producer, met about five years earlier and had been living with Richard for six months in the family home in Pymble, on Sydney's north shore, before the horrendous tragedy. 'Most people say opposites attract but they were both very similar - we used to say Moi was a clone of him,' he said. If the 72-year-old could describe his son in one word it would be 'rejoice'. 'His positive attitude was his art of living,' he said. 'He was exuberant and demonstrative about his feelings something I never experienced from my father - he was the antithesis of that.' Richard was only able to bring himself to watch their wedding video just last week. 'It was a combination of great joy and despair,' he said. 'They would have been wonderful parents - I almost had a chance to be grand dad and make up for the mistakes the first time around.' Richard was only able to bring himself to watch Christian and Moi's wedding video last week . Richard said the emotions were as raw as if the couple had just died yesterday . Since his wife died of a heart attack 30 years ago - when Christian and his sister, Fiona, discovered their mother's body - Richard took on the role of both father and mother. 'A day away of someone you love is equal to a year - so 10 years in some ways seems like 100 years,' he said. 'It's such an emotional involvement for us and our friends.' With the incredible capacity to see the positives of enduring such an unspeakable tragedy, Richard said it could have been worse as Fiona, who had just been holidaying with the couple in Vietnam, had originally planned to also join her brother and sister-in-law in Thailand. 'If she wasn't invited to a wedding in Sydney - I would have lost the lot of them,' he said. 'So when you look at adversity you have got to think how much worse off you can be.' Christian and his sister Fiona (left) had a close bond that could never be broken . Moi was so similar in personality to her husband that she was described by Richard as a clone of his son . On the fateful day, while waiting for the news of Christian and Moi's whereabouts, Richard fell off his roof when the ladder slipped away while he was cleaning the gutters and broke several vertebrae. His daughter Fiona, who lives in Hong Kong but was home for Christmas, took charge in coordinating the search for their bodies. Christian's body was found within a few weeks by computer generating a match with his teeth from a photograph. But his wife's remains took many more months to retrieve - then both bodies were flown back to their families six months later. Richard could not speak highly enough of how the Thai and Australian authorities handled the unprecedented crisis. 'It was incredible,' he said. 'The government even offered to do another post-mortem when they came home.' Fiona is returning to Thailand with her father for the 10 year anniversary of the Boxing Day tsunami . Christian and Moi's bodies were returned to their families in Australia six months later . A year later, the couple's belongings were retrieved including carry bags, wallets, phone and their wedding rings. 'I asked for a hair lock but he was too far gone,' he said. 'They told me his body was in tact because he had two or three broken ribs which means he would have passed and subsequently drowned.' A decade on, Richard still dreams about his son three times a week. 'He sometimes appears as a small boy and sometime as a grown man - it reopens the immediacy of the situation - so yes 10 years has passed in record time,' he said. 'He did appear to me in a dream once and told me the whole tsunami never happened to him and his life was still carrying on,' he said. 'He said he has moved into another dimension which we are not a part of but we are still there with him in our own way.' The couple died in a beach hut in Khao Lak, Thailand (pictured) when the 98-foot freak waves smashed in from the Indian Ocean . Richard said he has to move forward otherwise he would 'roll into a ball and pull the stone across the cave and fade into nothing'. 'But the loss and the emotional yearning and loneliness of not having them there is still as raw as it was 10 years ago,' he said. 'It doesn't seem to soften things to that extent with someone that you are profoundly connected to.' Richard, who went to Thailand six months after the horror and then two years later, is going over again with his daughter, Fiona, for the 10 year anniversary. After The Wave - the untold story of the Boxing Day Tsunami Australian documentary premiere will air on Sunday December 14 at 8.30pm on SBS ONE . Richard asked for a lock of his Christian's hair but he was 'too far gone' | Christian and Moi Nott died on Khao Lak, Thailand in Boxing Day tsunami .
Couple were on honeymoon and announced day before she was pregnant .
Richard Nott speaks of devastation of losing his son and daughter-in-law .
He will visit Thailand with his daughter for 10 year anniversary this year .
SBS documentary, After The Wave, airs on Sunday at 8.30pm . |
fbc23716b6d7622ce1f195196c3ceb01b5bb1bbc | (CNN) -- Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari has won the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Friday. Former Finland President Martii Ahtisaari twice worked to find a solution in Kosovo. "Ahtisaari is an outstanding international mediator," said Ole Danbolt Mjoes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. "Through his untiring efforts and good results, he has shown what role mediation of various kinds can play in the resolution of international conflicts." The committee cited Ahtisaari's "significant" part in establishing Namibia's independence and his "central" role in solving the question of the Indonesian province of Aceh in 2005. Watch as Finland celebrates the announcement » . Ahtisaari twice worked to find a solution in Kosovo -- first in 1999 and again between 2005 and 2007. He also worked with others this year to find a peaceful solution to the problems in Iraq, the committee said. Ahtisaari and his group, Crisis Management Initiative, also contributed to resolving other conflicts in Northern Ireland, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa, the committee said. "The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to express the hope that others may be inspired by his efforts and his achievements," Mjoes said. The committee awards the peace prize annually according to guidelines laid down in the will of its founder, Alfred Nobel. He specified the prize should go to whoever "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The prestigious prize includes a medal, a personal diploma, and 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.4 million) in prize money. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore shared last year's prize with the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change. The committee plans to award the prize to Ahtisaari on December 10 at Oslo City Hall in Norway. The peace prize is one of five Nobel prizes awarded annually. The others -- for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature -- were announced this week and will be awarded in Stockholm, Sweden later this year. | Committee cited Ahtisaari's "significant" part in Namibia's independence .
Worked with others this year to find a peaceful solution in Iraq .
Helped broker a deal in troubled Indonesian province of Aceh in 2005 .
Ahtisaari left office in March 2001 . |
fbc2659599e47c754349d382f0283e0c40216538 | Manchester United travel to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon searching for redemption after the 4-1 mauling they suffered there last season. But how should Louis van Gaal's side set themselves up tactically? Sportsmail's Martin Keown takes a look. MANCHESTER UNITED . Watching Marouane Fellaini at the World Cup, he did well operating in a midfield three. In his last two United games he has played in a similar role – on the side of a diamond that can become a three. He looked much better for it. It’s a role that allows him to break forward from deep but also help out and cover when needed. United have finally found some rhythm and the system seems to be improving, but the problem now for Van Gaal is picking out his best XI. Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini has flourished for Manchester United in recent weeks . Fellaini points to the name on his back after scoring for United away at West Bromwich Albion recently . Spanish playmaker David Silva will miss the derby after coming off injured against Newcastle United . 18-6 The aggregate scoreline to City in the last five PL meetings . 47 Goals scored by City’s strikers in 2014. That’s almost twice as United’s tally (26), . 476 Goals in 167 Manchester derbies. That’s an average of 2.9 per game. MANCHESTER CITY . Last year City found the perfect balance between defence and attack, but this season they are struggling. You have to admire Pellegrini’s philosophy of playing with two strikers but to continue their incredible record in this fixture – they have won five of the last six Premier League Manchester derbies – City need an extra midfielder. With David Silva out, they will miss a lot of creativity so they could use two holding midfielders and push Yaya Toure forward. It’s time for Toure to come alive and there’s nothing like a derby game to bring out that passion and desire. Yaya Toure faces a fitness test on Saturday to determine whether he'll face Van Gaal's United the day after . Sportsmail's Martin Keown asserts that it is time for Toure to come alive from midfield this season . | Louis van Gaal's Manchester United travel to City on Sunday .
Marouane Fellaini has upped his game in a midfield three recently .
Yaya Toure - if fit - needs to takes control of the midfield battleground . |
fbc2bb59bffe80c19924d32b92f13513d78fdf9a | Planes that travel faster than the speed of sound using radical 'hybrid wing body' designs could be the future of travel, according to concepts developed by Nasa. The US space agency has been working with manufacturers to design the next generation of planes that will make travelling around the world faster and more fuel efficient. Its archive of designs reveals just how different planes may appear in as little as ten years, with radical designs featuring needle-like bodies, sleek fuselages and delta wings. This computer-generated image shows a possible future 'flying wing' aircraft in flight over populated areas. This kind of design, produced by Northrop Grumman, would most likely carry cargo and then also carry passengers. Nasa says something like this could be in service in 2025 . One of the most popular designs is something called the 'hybrid wing body,' which is sometimes described as a blended wing body, according to a report in Gizmodo. In this design, the wing blends seamlessly into the body of the aircraft, which makes it extremely aerodynamic and creates dramatic cuts in fuel consumption, noise and emissions. In 2012, Nasa successfully tested the X-48C - a 'hybrid wing-body' plane with a greater internal volume for passengers and cargo. The triangle-shaped plane is reminiscent of spy planes and designed to cut through the air more efficiently. With a 21 ft (6.54 metre) wingspan, the aircraft was an 8.5 per cent scale model of a heavy-lift, subsonic airplane with a 240-foot wingspan that could be developed in the next 15 to 20 years for military applications. Our ability to fly at supersonic speeds over land in civil aircraft depends on the ability to reduce the level of sonic booms. Nasa has been exploring a variety of options for quieting the boom, starting with design concepts and moving through wind tunnel tests to flight tests of new technologies. This rendering of a possible future civil supersonic transport shows a vehicle that is shaped to reduce the sonic shockwave . The 'double bubble' D8 Series future aircraft design concept comes from the research team led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Based on a modified tube and wing with a very wide fuselage to provide extra lift, its low sweep wing reduces drag and weight; the embedded engines sit aft of the wings. The D8 series aircraft would be used for domestic flights and has been designed with a 2030-2035 timeframe . This is radically different to the 'double bubble' D8 Series future aircraft design concept which comes from a research team led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Based on a modified tube and wing with a very wide fuselage to provide extra lift, its low sweep wing reduces drag and weight; the embedded engines sit aft of the wings. 'The idea there is to take some of the lift that you would normally get from the wings and try and move that to the fuselage,' said Michael Rogers, a research at Nasa's Ames Research Centre. 'Another thing that's done to enable laminar flow on this vehicle is to reduce the sweep of the wings. It is easier to maintain laminar flow if the wings, instead of being swept back like a lot of modern commercial transports, are more sort of perpendicular to the side of the body of the plane. Supersonic could be superseded by something even faster. Mach 2.5 is about the speed limit for gas-turbine engines. Any faster and the temperature and pressure of air entering the engine is too high for the turbo machinery inside. To fly at hypersonic speed - Mach 5 and above - requires a different type of engine. A supersonic-combustion ramjet, or scramjet, has no moving parts. Instead of the rotating compressor and turbine in a jet engine, air is compressed and expanded by complex systems of shockwaves under the front of the aircraft, inside the inlet and under the fuselage at the rear. Scramjets have been under development for decades, but a breakthrough came in May 2013, when the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Boeing X-51A WaveRider flew for 240 seconds over the Pacific on scramjet power, reaching Mach 5.1 and running until its fuel was exhausted. The next step is to build a high-speed cruise missile, able to strike distant targets in minutes, not hours. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works - builder of the Mach 3.5 SR-71 Blackbird spyplane - has unveiled plans to develop a successor, dubbed the SR-72. Designed for reconnaissance and strike missions, the SR-72 would combine turbojet and ramjet/scramjet engines to enable the aircraft to take off from a runway, accelerate to a Mach 6 cruise, and then return to a conventional runway landing. If it can secure funding from the U.S. Defense Department, Lockheed Martin believes a prototype could be flying as soon as 2023 and the SR-72 could enter service by 2030, potentially paving the way for commercial applications of scramjet technology. This future aircraft design concept comes from the research team led by GE Aviation. Much lighter and more aerodynamic than current aircraft with the same capacity, the 20-passenger aircraft would reduce fuel consumption and noise and enable business jet-like travel between more than 1,300 airports. It features ultra-quiet turboprop engines and virtual reality windows . The 'Icon-II' future aircraft design concept for supersonic flight over land was created by Boeing with the help of Nasa. Its design is meant to save fuel. It also achieves large reductions in sonic boom noise levels that will meet the target level required to make supersonic flight over land possible . This idea for a possible future aircraft is called a 'hybrid wing body' or sometimes a blended wing body. In this design, the wing blends seamlessly into the body of the aircraft, which makes it extremely aerodynamic and holds great promise for dramatic reductions in fuel consumption, noise and emissions . Aeronautics engineers are also working to define a new standard for low sonic booms. They have been busy gathering data in order to create new, quieter planes that could help overturn the current ban on supersonic flight over land. ‘Lessening sonic booms - shock waves caused by an aircraft flying faster than the speed of sound - is the most significant hurdle to reintroducing commercial supersonic flight,’ said Peter Coen, head of the High Speed Project in Nasa’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Washington. ‘Other barriers include high altitude emissions, fuel efficiency and community noise around airports.’ 'We are nowhere near the maximum that we can get out of this industry,' added Nasa engineer Ruben Del Rosario. 'There is a lot of work to do.' This artist's concept shows a possible future subsonic aircraft using a boxed- or joined-wing configuration to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency. This design of an aircraft that could enter service in the 2020 timeframe . Boeing's advanced vehicle concept centers around the familiar blended wing body design like the X-48. What makes this design different is the placement of its Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines on the top of the plane's back end, flanked by two vertical tails to shield people on the ground from engine noise . The Silent Efficient Low Emissions Commercial Transport, or Select, future aircraft design comes from the research team led by Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation.Deceptively conventional-looking, the concept features advanced lightweight ceramic composite materials and nanotechnology and shape memory alloys . | Nasa's archive of future aircraft concept designs feature needle-like bodies, sleek fuselages and delta wings .
One of the most popular designs is something called the 'hybrid wing body' which improves aerodynamics .
Similarly, the 'double bubble' D8 Series future aircraft design uses a very wide fuselage to provide extra lift .
Aeronautics engineers are also working to define a new standard for sonic booms to improve travel speed . |
fbc37ccd354cc1c6759292bd7441b3437ecb1ad2 | These days, both violent video games and Congress have come under fire in the media and the court of public opinion, albeit for different reasons. Now, McGraw Hill Education hopes to change the perception of both gaming and the nation's lawmakers with "Government in Action," a 3-D multiplayer game. Designed for the college freshman American government course, which is taken by more than 750,000 students every year, the game allows players to experience the intricacies of life as a U.S. representative -- and explain why actually getting legislation passed isn't always as easy as it would seem. For today's digital generation, it may prove a fresher approach to complex subject matter than the traditional textbook. Rep. John Tierney, D-Massaschusetts, who worked with game developer Muzzy Lane Software, hopes this game will be another tool to get students interested in learning more about how Congress works. "The ability to interact rather than just reading a text in this technology-driven age will probably drive more interest," Tierney said. "Video games with a core educational component may supplement traditional materials, such as textbooks, and may enable students to improve their understanding of certain subjects." The game begins with the player getting elected to the House of Representatives, with two years to get re-elected. According to Stephen Laster, chief digital officer at McGraw-Hill Education, the goal is to build up political capital, awareness, approval and influence in multiple ways. Gameplay takes place both in Washington and in the player's home district. The game will randomly assign players a congressman and political affiliation, and the president of the United States will also be randomly determined with each play. The game allows players to meet with the president and go to the Supreme Court. "Players will need to work with both national and local media, appease local and national lobbyists, hold fundraisers and find co-sponsors of bills that will keep their constituents happy and align with their own political ideologies of left, centrist or right," Laster said. "In multiplayer, which supports up to 18 players, fellow classmates can join together to co-sponsor bills, and the game's been designed to be customizable based on how the instructor wants to utilize it during his class or throughout a semester." The game, which is part of the McGraw-Hill Practice suite of hands-on, experiential learning games, was tested in schools across the country, including Georgia Perimeter College, Collin Community College in Texas, California State University, San Diego State, Richland College in Texas and Clayton State in Georgia. Professor Jason Seitz of Georgia Perimeter College said the game helped his students tie all of the concepts in his course together to develop a deeper understanding and knowledge of the subject. "With an engaged classroom, I can spend less time transferring facts and more time exploring implications," he said. Despite the negative press that video games sometimes get, they're changing the way subjects are being taught in classrooms across the country. According to a March 2012 survey of teachers, 32% use games two to four days per week, while 18% use them every day. An overwhelming 70% of teachers agreed that using digital games boosts motivation and engagement, and 62% of teachers said that games make teaching easier. Dave McCool, president and CEO of Muzzy Lane Software, said the challenge with serious games is to make them both fun and educational. While there have been proven benefits of using games as part of educational curriculum, educational games aren't flooding the market. "The fact that 'Oregon Trail' and 'Carmen Sandiego' still stand out after 30 years isn't great from the perspective of how powerful good, serious games can be," McCool said. McCool's team is expanding "Government in Action" to work on iPad and Android tablets to take advantage of touch controls. The iPad version of the game will make its debut at the 2013 SXSWedu conference in Austin, Texas. "Educators seem to have more tools available to them than ever before, and there's no doubt that, when appropriately utilized, technology has the capacity to enhance the classroom experience," Tierney said. "The key, of course, is to familiarize and excite teachers to maximize its use in the most positive way." As is the nature of gaming, "Government in Action" has been designed to be addictive. Instructors have found that students will replay the game again and again to explore myriad options, as well as to compete on the leaderboard. Making virtual government fun is quite an achievement. Now, if these game developers could just translate that into the real-world government, that would be something else. | "Government in Action" lets players serve as a member of Congress .
The game from McGraw-Hill is designed to be used in college classrooms .
Player, who's newly elected, is randomly assigned a party and district .
Congressman hopes game will help students understand lawmaking . |
fbc42076a8b5b3ed8d8fb01c25ab2645ea17692e | Washington (CNN) -- Nearly one of every 10 state prisoners is sexually victimized during confinement, according to a Justice Department study released Thursday. The Bureau of Justice Statistics examined data collected in surveys of former prisoners about their time behind bars. The officials found that most of the victims had been abused while they were in state prisons, but a small percentage were molested in local jails or halfway houses. The victimization rate of 9.6% is more than double the rate cited in a report on the subject in 2008. However, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an arm of the Justice Department, cautioned that the previous study was based on a survey of current inmates in both state and federal institutions. The nature of the sexual incidents did not change. Female prisoners were more than three times as likely to be victims of sexual abuse as male prisoners. Prison staff sexual misconduct was prevalent. The study noted nearly seven in eight such incidents involved perpetrators of the opposite sex. More than 75% of the former prisoners who reported staff sexual misconduct were male inmates who said they had interaction with female staff, the report said. Violence associated with the sexual incidents was found to be common. "Among all victims of inmate-on-inmate sexual violence, a quarter said they had been physically held down or restrained, and a quarter had been physically harmed or injured," the report said. About 29% of the victims reported bruises, black eyes, sprains, cuts and scratches, but 23% reported more serious injuries, including stab wounds, internal injuries, and broken bones. In response, the Justice Department announced it is establishing rules "to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual abuse in confinement facilities" The steps include screening inmates for risk of being sexually abused or sexually abusive, and training prison employees. "The standards we establish today reflect the fact that sexual assault crimes committed within our correctional facilities can have devastating consequences for individual victims and for communities far beyond our jails and prisons," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a written statement. | The victimization rate, 9.6%, is more than double that of a different 2008 study .
Female prisoners were more than three times as likely to be victims, the study found .
The Justice Department announces new rules aimed at cutting down abuse . |
fbc427e1bc2cf82ac3756c8c7de4249b52e56505 | Speculation surrounding Lukas Podolski's future has intensified after the German forward was left out of Arsenal's squad for their match against Everton. The 29-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs, including Galatasaray and Wolfsburg while the Italian press claim Juventus are close to a deal for the former Bayern Munich man. And there now appears to be some grounding to those rumours after Podolski posted a picture of inside Cologne's stadium while his team-mates prepared to face Everton. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Arsene Wenger acting cagey over Lukas Podolski rumours . Squad: While Podolski's team-mates per pare to face Everton the German forward was back in his home town . Arsenal confirmed that Podolski was not in Germany, but the forward had not travelled to Goodison Park either. Podolski, Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker all returned to Arsenal training this week after being given extra time off. But while the other two both start for Arsenal later, Podolski did not even make the squad. He tweeted: 'I won't be present in person but my thoughts are there with you lads. good luck at the match, go and represent, bring us the 3 points.' Germany international spoke recently of his love for Cologne (or Koln) in the German newspaper Bild. Transfer: Both Podolski and the club have consistently denied that the forward is looking to move . He said: 'When I was finally back on the ground, I felt the typical Cologne euphoria, joy, and the hunger of the people for the Bundesliga. We all want to see FC there permanently. 'My attitude towards the club has never changed since the youth. It is the club that owns my whole heart. And I wish coaching staff, team, club and especially the fans good luck and to have a big season.' Cologne are back in the Bundesliga after two seasons in the second tier. You can Like our dedicated Arsenal Facebook page here. Training: The German forward trained with Arsenal this week but was left out of the squad to face Everton . It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . | Lukas Podolski left out of squad to face Everton .
Arsenal could be prepared to sell World Cup winner .
Galatasaray, Wolfsburg and Juventus all keen on 29-year-old . |
fbc44601f5baf606683f0732be48edb91b72af37 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 23:51 EST, 8 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:37 EST, 9 July 2012 . Posing for a picture on their wedding day, Elber and Con Twomey look every inch the perfect couple, ready to start a new life together and raise a family. In another image, their beautiful son Osin plays with a toy with the smile of a contented and happy baby. But the couple's dreams for their young family have now been torn apart following an horrific head-on collision which led to the deaths of their two-year-old son and unborn baby. Heartbreaking: Elber Twomey, 36, and her husband Con, 39, remain in a critical condition in hospital but their son, Osin, died in the horrific crash in Torquay, Devon. The couple are pictured on their wedding day . Beautiful: Osin is pictured playing with a toy. He died following the crash on Friday . Two-year-old Osin Twomey, pictured as a baby with his mother Elber Twomey, died in the crash. Mrs Twomey, aged 36, and her husband Con, aged 39, are both fighting for their lives in hospital . Scene of crash: A black Vauxhall Vectra driven by a Polish man in his 20s, collided with the car, carrying the family-of-three in Torquay, Devon . Mrs Twomey, 36, and her husband, 39, . remain in a critical condition in hospital after a Polish driver . collided with their vehicle in Torquay on Friday. The . Polish man, in his twenties and who lived in Torquay, was arrested . before being taken to hospital, where he subsequently died. The Vauxhall Vectra he was driving collided with a Volkswagen Golf carrying the family-of-three in Hamelin Way at 2.45pm. Police are investigating claims . the Polish driver ploughed into the family’s car head-on to take his own . life, killing a two-year-old boy and critically injuring his parents. The family, from Ireland, had been visiting the English coast when the accident happened. A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman . said the Mrs Twomey, a school teacher, and her husband have undergone operations. Closed off: The incident was witnessed by a police officer who was on the scene at Hamelin Way . Treatment: All four occupants of the cars were taken by air and land ambulances to Torbay Hospital in Torquay and Derriford Hospital in Plymouth . He said: 'The male driver remains in . intensive care in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth and in a critical . condition having undergone surgery. 'The 36-year-old woman, who was a . front seat passenger, was initially conveyed to Torbay Hospital but . later transferred by land ambulance to Derriford Hospital where she . remains in a critical condition. 'The female casualty was pregnant and . an operation was carried out to save the unborn child. However, the . child did not survive.' The road was closed for more than 10 hours while the vehicles were recovered and forensic examinations took place. A police major crime investigation . team and serious collision investigation unit are both looking into the . circumstances of the crash. Concern: Paul Netherton, Assistant Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, described the incident as 'extremely traumatic' The crash was witnessed by a police officer who was immediately on the scene. Twenty-five emergency service . vehicles attended the incident, along with three air ambulances, . including one from Dorset, which helped to take all four occupants of . the cars to hospital. The spokesman said: 'The weather . conditions at the time were challenging, with heavy rain falling . creating an extremely difficult working environment for the emergency . services and was very traumatic for all involved. 'Family liaison officers have been appointed to support the families.' Paul Netherton, Assistant Chief . Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'This was an extremely . traumatic incident where emergency services were working on the family . at the scene and subsequently in ambulances and at the hospital, and it . has been traumatic on all those involved. 'It was a head-on collision at speed. The black Vectra was coming down the hill and appears to have swerved . into the path of the oncoming car.; . He added the adverse weather . conditions being experienced throughout the country did not contribute . to the cause of the collision. Mr Netherton said because the driver . of a police car witnessed the crash, the force has referred the matter . to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of course. The officer's police car had not been pursuing the vehicles. Any witnesses are asked to call police on 101 and quote log 0405 of July 6. | Eye witnesses claim the Polish driver ploughed into the second car deliberately but police have not commented on the allegation .
He was arrested before being taken to hospital, where he subsequently died .
Family were on holiday from Ireland when crash happened in Torbay, Devon .
Mother and father are in a 'critical life threatening condition' in hospital . |
fbc4914c00ef4a4264cc0e6a08cc29613c2a37c3 | (AOL Autos) -- As we're in the midst of a trend that equates green with cool, just about every automaker is showcasing ecologically-minded concepts at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. (Thank you Lamborghini for bucking the trend ... vehicles in their display are powered by gasoline gulping V10s and V12s.) Explorer America Concept . Wisely supporting the green trend, Ford chose to combine two important concepts in the debut of a single vehicle, the Ford Explorer America. Compared to Ford's current SUV champ (the regular production Explorer), the America concept is smaller, lighter, more efficient and more refined. Moving away from traditional truck-like body-on-frame construction, the America is a lighter-weight unitized design. The styling may be a hint at what a future Explorer might look like. But even more important than the styling is what's under the America's short hood. The V6 engine debuts a combination of technologies that delivers the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder with the power punch of a big V8. Here are the highlights of the technology that Ford will roll out in the 2009 Lincoln MKS luxury sedan; the so-called Eco-Boost engine features turbocharging and direct-injection. Readers with some automotive background know that turbocharging has been around over 100 years and that direct-injection style fuel injection is also not new. Diesel engines have positioned fuel injectors within the combustion chambers for several years. See other hot concept cars » . However, for the first time, Ford has combined these two features on a gasoline engine. The result is an affordable line of 4- and 6-cylinder engines that deliver excellent economy, reduced emissions, and impressive power. The 3.5-liter Gasoline Turbo Direct Injection V6 in the Explorer America is claimed to produce 340 horsepower, more than the base 4.6-liter V8 in a Ford F-150 pickup truck. Ford also pointed out that while a GTDI engine is more expensive than a similar engine without GTDI, it's a technology that will pay for itself. Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president in charge of Global Product Development told us, "The EcoBoost technology is affordable. Compared with the current cost of diesel and hybrid technologies, customers can expect to recoup their initial investment in a 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine through fuel economy savings in approximately 30 months. A diesel will take the average driver 7.5 years to save enough on fuel to pay for the option, while the cost of a hybrid will take nearly 12 years of driving to recoup." While we understand the concept of saving fuel and money, we're not exactly sure what the Explorer America's implies. Perhaps this is what Captain America would drive ... after all, there's plenty of room in this 6-passenger mid-size SUV for his shield and other members of the Justice League. Regarding names, we'd actually like to see the return of the Bronco nameplate. But we'd still let Captain America drive if he asked nicely. E-mail to a friend . | Explorer America concept car turns popular model green .
Has 3.5-liter gasoline Turbo Direct Injection V6 engine .
Body is a lighter-weight unitized design . |
fbc4a2632eb38dbc5d3273b683e1bbf701b1e49a | By . Lucy Waterlow . PUBLISHED: . 07:24 EST, 12 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:05 EST, 14 July 2013 . It has been a year of firsts for luxury accessories brand Symthson in their 126-year history. They unveiled a new flagship store in London in February and then last month opened their first store in Asia. Now the British brand have announced they will join London Fashion Week for the first time by hosting an event on Sunday, 15 September. A Smythson spokesperson told Vogue that 'the outing will celebrate the brand's key bag of the season - the Panama - a tote designed in both red and blue'. VIP support: Samantha Cameron attended the Smythson store opening ceremony last month in Hong Kong . Expanding: The Hong Kong store is the brand's first standalone shop in Asia . Credit for the brand's expansion can partly be attributed to the effect of Samantha Cameron, their former creative director who has since become a global ambassador for the brand in her role as Britain's 'first lady'. The 40-year-old stepped down from her job in 2010 when her husband became Prime Minister and she was pregnant with daughter, Florence. Bag of the season: Their London Fashion Week event will celebrate the Panama tote . But she has remained involved with the company as a creative consultant and last month cut the ribbon to officially open their stand-alone store in Hong Kong. While she was there, she told the South China Morning Post she's delighted at how the brand has evolved over the years. She said: 'I joined (Smythson) around 1996. I've . always been a fan of the brand so it was great to go in and 'have a . fiddle'. I think it's been great but it's been an . evolution rather than a revolution.' Symthson was founded by Frank Symthson in 1887 specialising in luxury leather stationary, diaries and bags. Mrs Cameron said the company have worked hard to stay true to Mr Symthson's vision while also moving the collections forward with modern touches. She said: 'When I arrived, we honed the aesthetic. We did a lot with colour and certainly expanded the women's products, relaunching handbags, as they'd always been a strong part of [founder] Frank Smythson's original collection. I went very much back into the archives.' She added that under the guidance of chief executive Andy Janowski, 'everything we've done is think about what's relevant today, both in the aesthetics and practicality, and what's going to be relevant tomorrow.' As well as travelling to Hong Kong for the recent store opening, Mrs Cameron was also involved in the unveiling of the new London store in Sloane Street in February as she hosted a tea party as part of their official celebrations. Bags of style: The wife of the PM carried a Smythson bag as she attended their new London store opening in February . So it's likely she will also make a personal appearance at their London Fashion Week outing. Mrs Cameron is keen to play down her own part in the brand's resurgence pointing instead to it being due to the 'cool Britannia' vibe spreading globally thanks to the royal wedding, Queen's jubilee and London Olympics. She said: 'Its been fantastic that Britain has been (experiencing this). Whether it's the royal wedding, or the Olympics, or our fantastic fashion designers, its great to be part of that.' | British brand will host event in September .
Outing will celebrate their Panama bag .
SamCam was creative director and is still supports company .
She said it's great to see how they have evolved during 126-year history . |
fbc527d9e180bfb6b382dc4037788dfc2ba8ff74 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:03 EST, 3 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:39 EST, 3 September 2013 . A Navy veteran and father-of-two has been shot and killed by armed men who tried to steal his car on Sunday. Erroll Williams, 27, was shot dead during an apparent carjacking in the early hours at a gas station in North Carolina. Mr Williams, from Rockingham, was gunned down as he tried to escape from the men who abducted him at Fayetteville gas station shortly before 5am. Scroll down for video . Brutal end: Authorities are hunting for the men who shot and killed a 27-year-old Navy veteran and father of two, Erroll Williams . Two men forced Mr Williams into the car while another man followed in a separate vehicle. As the Navy veteran tried to escape after several blocks, he was shot dead. The men went back to the gas station and stole the surveillance camera at gunpoint. The three suspects then drove away in a gray or silver Kia Sportage. A manhunt has been launched for the three suspects who have so far not been identified. Police are looking for three men, one of whom entered the gas station store wearing a black T-shirt, black baseball cap and silver chain with a cross. Police have yet to provide a motive for the crime and it is unclear if Mr Williams knew the men who attacked him. MailOnline was awaiting a response from Fayetteville Police Department. Chilling: Police are hunting this man and two others after they kidnapped Mr Williams before gunning him down in North Carolina . Ambushed: Authorities are hunting for the men who shot and killed 27-year-old Navy veteran Mr Williams . The victim's sister Sadie Everett told WRAL: 'It's horrible to take somebody's life like that, over nothing.' Miss Everett believes that her brother must have seen his attackers' faces, causing them to shoot him. Mr Williams' family gathered on Monday to pray for the young father. After leaving the Navy, he had gone to work at Smithfield Packaging in Tar Heel. Armed and dangerous: The men returned to steal the surveillance tape but an image had already been given to police . Abduction: Three men were being hunted by police after the fatal shooting of a Navy veteran in the early hours of Sunday . | Errol Williams, 27, was shot dead in North Carolina on Sunday .
Police searching for three suspects after serviceman was shot as he tried to escape . |
fbc56db5dde234f47f797d47bd6e4bd7c1f9364b | (RollingStone) -- Just one week after being released from prison, Lil Wayne has already finished a new song and is ready to put it out. "We're trying to put it out, like, tomorrow," Cortez Bryant, Wayne's manager, told Rolling Stone. "We got a crazy song. If not tomorrow, definitely next week." Photos: Lil Wayne returns to the stage with Drake . After spending a few days celebrating, visiting with family and joining Drake onstage in Las Vegas, Wayne settled into Miami's Hit Factory studio early Tuesday. Mack Maine, president of Wayne's Young Money label, tweeted, "It's official Wayne laid his 1st verse!!!! Torture!!!!" Timeline: The criminal history of Lil Wayne . Videographer/DJ Scoob Doo, who was at the session, told MTV News, "Wayne picked up right where he left off with a 15-hour recording session of nonstop work." He also tweeted a competition, offering a prize to anyone who could guess how many songs Wayne recorded during the session. Copyright © 2010 Rolling Stone. | "We got a crazy song -- if [it's not out] tomorrow, definitely next week," Wayne's manager says .
Wayne settled into Miami's Hit Factory studio Tuesday for a 15-hour recording session .
The president of Wayne's label, tweeted, "It's official Wayne laid his 1st verse!!!!" |
fbc5863218ae8ef3afc4dfaffd52fb8866404703 | By . Heidi Parker . and James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 17:33 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:16 EST, 14 January 2014 . Kanye West is now a suspect in a battery investigation after the rap star allegedly chased down an 18-year-old boy into a chiropractor's office today and punched him after the teen apparently hurled racial slurs at the Grammy winner and his fiancée, Kim Kardashian. The unidentified 18-year-old man, has now told Beverly Hills police that he wants to press charges against the Yeesuz star and law enforcement sources in LA have confirmed that Kanye is now officially a suspect and that the matter has been referred to the LA County DA for possible prosecution. The dramatic altercation allegedly unfolded this afternoon at around midday as Kardashian, 33, entered a furniture store - and the teenager screamed "F**k you bitch... Shut up n****r lover, stupid slut,' as he held open a door for her. Scroll down for video... Alleged . victim: The 18-year-old man covered his face as he left a building in . Beverly Hills on Monday amid reports he wants to press charges against . Kanye . Not a good Monday: Kanye West (left, seen in Beverly Hills) allegedly . hit an 18-year-old boy after he insulted fiancée Kim Kardashian (right, . same day but separately) The Beverly Hills Police Department arrive at the offices of the chiropractor where Kanye West was allegedly involved in a violent incident with an 18-year-old on Monday. The rapper had already left the scene . Kim first ran into the man when he held the door for her so she could walk into a furniture showroom in Beverly Hills - just before midday today. 'As Kim walked in, the guy allegedly said, 'F**k these . fa**ot-ass n****rs' referring to the paparazzi,' TMZ reported. The reality star told the young man that the N-word was not appropriate to use. That's when the teenager turned on the TV star, screaming, 'F**k you bitch. Just trying to help you. Shut up n****r lover, stupid slut.' A perturbed Kardashian then allegedly phoned Kanye, 36, to tell him what was happening. Then, according to TMZ, 'when the guy realized Kanye was on the phone he allegedly said, 'F**k you N****r.' - so that the rap star could hear. However, just minutes later, an enraged Kanye arrived to meet up with Kim and learn face-to-face what had happened. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are seen leaving their home today and heading to a medical office building today in Los Angeles, before West allegedly assaulted an 18 year old man after he harrassed and screamed at Kim . Ugly situation: The boy opened the door for the reality star, but he turned on her after she told him he shouldn't use the N word . Kanye and Kim then stormed into the office and . reportedly found the teen sitting there. 'Witnesses say Kanye punched . the guy and Kim screamed, 'We have it all on tape'. A third party had to separate the two men and shortly after police were called. Beverly Hills Police officers arrived on the scene but West and his fiancée had already left, the BHPD confirmed on Monday. However, the 18-year-old said he wanted to press charges. 'Kanye was named as a suspect by the victim as well as witnesses. He had left prior to our arrival, and detectives are currently investigating,' Beverly Hills Police Sgt. George DeMarois told the New York Daily News. 'The named suspect was identified as Kanye West by the victim and several witnesses,' police said according to a Beverly Hills Police Department statement. The BHPD are now conducting a follow-up investigation in regards to misdemeanor battery charges. Representatives for West have not responded to a request for comment, while a rep for Kardashian had no comment about the incident. Nasty day: The beauty was called a 's***' by a stranger as she was trying to make an appointment . However, a witness who spoke to E! Online told a slightly different story that did not include a physical altercation. 'Kim and Kanye were meeting for an appointment today,' a source on Monday told E! Online. 'Kim arrived later than Kanye. En route into the building Kim saw a young man yelling racial slurs at the paparazzi. 'Kim told him he shouldn't use racial slurs and he turned on her and verbally assaulted her,' said a source who witnessed the event to E! Online. The source backed up the claim that the young man began to verbally abuse Kardashian telling her to 'shut the f**k up' and that they then continued their conversation inside an office building. 'The two ended up in a stairwell where the man was in her face and continued to verbally assault her,' the insider added. 'She was genuinely scared.' It was then that Kardashian took a phone call from her fiancé. 'Kanye called her phone and she answered and the man continued yelling at her,' the source told E! Online. 'Kanye overheard and came running down...he confronted the guy.' 'The guy continued with the slurs,' the source said. 'He was in Kanye's face and wouldn't stop. He was taunting him. Police were called to the scene.' He left in style too: The 36-year-old took off in Kim's Mercedes-Benz G-wagon after the alleged altercation on Monday . The young man was later seen leaving the medical building with a sweatshirt wrapped around his head. A source close to Kim Kardashian told People.com that it was the young man who started the entire incident. 'Kim was walking into a furniture meeting for their new home,' the source tells PEOPLE. 'Kanye was there ahead of her for the meeting. So Kim gets there and walks into the building with a million paparazzi trailing her.' It was then that the man began to fire racial and homophobic insults at the paparazzi - which led Kardashian to admonish him. The man then began to scream at her and hurl racial ephithets at Kanye and about her. 'At this point Kim was seriously afraid for her life,' the source continues. 'He was going nuts. Kanye came down to help her but then the guy ran into a chiropractic office so Kim and Kanye walked in after him.' It was then at one point that Kanye hit him - 'barely'. Kanye West is already facing charges battery and attempted grand theft after another altercation with a photographer at LAX last summer. Photographer, Daniel Ramos told police that he was taking pictures of Kanye when the suspect attacked him. West's lawyer, Blair Berk has entered a plea of not guilty on his client's behalf and the case is scheduled to be heard on January 23. Rob Wilcox, spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney's office, said each of the two charges carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail. Shaken up: The mother to North looked upset after the reported rumble . Kim had been seen getting out of her . Mercedes-Benz G-wagon on Monday morning, wearing white slacks and beige . high heels along with stripped button-down shirt and a denim jacket. Kanye had been spotted at the same location in a Yeezus shirt and shiny black slacks with construction boots. Photo . agency x17online told MailOnline, 'There was a row between Kanye and a . guy over verbal treatment of Kim entering a building. 'She arrived in her truck and Kanye arrived a little later in his Lamborghini,' x17 added. 'He . went into the building and allegedly assaulted the guy who abused Kim . and then left the building... he drove off in Kim's truck. She later left and drove his Lamborghini home.' He came in style: The Yeezus artist arrived in a matte black Lamborghini . | Kanye West 'to be investigated by LA County District Attorney' after allegedly chasing down a teenager who shouted racial abuse at his fiancée Kim Kardashian and punching the 18-year-old .
The alleged fight occurred today in Beverly Hills in a chiropractor therapist center foyer .
The Yeesuz star allegedly had to be pulled away from the teen after bursting into the reception area and throwing a punch . |
fbc5a1d79c79cbdbc8741b59dd570c4c7779f1f6 | (CNN) -- The Louisiana State Police said Tuesday that they have joined the FBI in investigating allegations that New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis had the ability to eavesdrop on opposing coaches for nearly three seasons. "By placing an investigator with the FBI team, we'll go through the allegations and see where they take us. All we have now are allegations of illegal use of wiretapping and eavesdropping," Louisiana State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson said. When asked specifically whether the allegations involve Loomis, he responded, "Yes." ESPN reported this week that the Saints manager had a device in his Superdome suite that was wired to allow him to hear members of the opposing coaching staff from 2002 to 2004. The stadium suffered severe damage in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ripped through the city. Citing anonymous sources, the report said it could not determine for certain whether Loomis ever used the system. On Monday, Saints spokesman Greg Bensel called the report "1,000% false -- completely inaccurate." "We asked ESPN to provide us evidence to support their allegations, and they refused. The team and Mickey are seeking all legal recourse regarding these false allegations," he said. Interim head coach Joe Vitt addressed the report Tuesday, calling it "ludicrous," "juvenile" and "irresponsible." "It's absolutely ludicrous. It's impossible," he said about the wiretapping allegations. "That's something from 'Star Wars.' " Jim Haslett, former Saints coach and current defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins, similarly cast doubt on the ESPN report. "At no time during my tenure as head coach with the New Orleans Saints did Mickey and I discuss monitoring opposing team coach's communication, nor did I have any knowledge of this. To my knowledge this concept was never discussed or utilized," he said in a statement. The statue of limitations for wiretapping crimes is typically five years, according to CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin. When asked how that fact might figure into the investigation, Edmonson said, "Let's find out that if the allegations are factual and if state law has been compromised first. Then it will be up to the U.S. attorney or district attorney to review the matter." A spokesman for the National Football League said Monday that the league had no prior knowledge of the wiretapping accusations, which come on the heels of another Saints scandal. This month, the NFL upheld penalties it imposed against the Saints and members of its coaching staff for the team's bounty program. The unprecedented punishment was handed down in March after an NFL investigation found that the team had an "active bounty program" during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. During this time, players were purportedly offered payments if they managed to hurt opposing players and knock them out of a game. The stiffest penalty handed down -- an indefinite ban -- was given to Gregg Williams, the Saints defensive coordinator who, over the offseason, moved to take that same position with the St. Louis Rams. Head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entire 2012-13 season. Loomis was suspended without pay for the season's first eight regular-season games, while Vitt was suspended without pay for the first six regular-season games. The team was also fined $500,000 and ordered to forfeit its second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013, the NFL has said. The league may consider "modifying the forfeiture" of the 2013 draft pick, assuming other conditions are met, it has said. The NFL has yet to impose penalties against individual players involved in the bounty program, but Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that they, too, bear some of the responsibility. "The evidence is quite clear that the players embraced this. They enthusiastically embraced it. They put the vast majority of the money into the program, and they actually are the ones playing the game," he said during an NFL Network interview. "I think everyone bears responsibility here. We've held the executives and the coaches to a higher standard, but the players need to recognize, they need to make sure this isn't happening either." CNN's Rick Martin contributed to this report. | NEW: Interim head coach says the accusations are "ludicrous" and "irresponsible"
ESPN reports that Saints GM Mickey Loomis could eavesdrop on opposing coaches .
The Saints are already in hot water over their bounty program .
A Saints spokesman calls the report "1,000% false" |
fbc5c3727cbe31919b54a0017ade5eaaf1c60c85 | The owner of the St. Louis Rams has announced intentions to build a massive new NFL stadium and entertainment complex in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood. Stan Kroenke revealed the grand plan to the LA Times on Monday. In addition to an 80,000-seat stadium, the billionaire and his partners are proposing an adjacent 6,000-seat performance venue. Los Angeles was home to the Rams from 1946 to 1994 and, as St. Louis scrambles to come up with a plan for a new stadium in order to retain the team, the City of Angels appears ever more likely to get a pro football team after two decades without one. Returning to LA? St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke has announced grand plans for an 80,000 seat NFL stadium in Los Angeles. The Rams called LA home from 1946 to 1994 . Kroenke and his Rams currently have a 30-year lease at St. Louis' outdated Edward Jones Dome. Unless the city reaches an agreement on a new venue with Kroenke by March, he has the option of converting the lease to month-to-month. The Rams' lease requires the Edward Jones Dome to remain among the top quarter of the 32 NFL stadiums, based on various criteria. The Rams and St. Louis remain $575 million apart in the negotiations, the LA Times reports. The city along with Governor Jay Nixon were expected to announce a proposal by the end of January. To help make his gleaming plans a reality, Kroenke has partnered with Stockbridge Capital Group, who own the 238-acre Hollywood Park racetrack adjacent to the Ignlewood plot where Kroenke intends to place his so-called City of Champions Revitalization Project. 'We are excited to unveil an expanded plan that will bring a world-class sports and entertainment district to Hollywood Park,' Stockbridge founder Terry Fancher told the LA Times in a statement. 'We are committed to working with [the Kroenke Group] to build a project that will put Inglewood back on the map as home of the truly great sports and entertainment venues.' Kroenke purchased a plot of land in Inglewood adjacent to the Hollywood Park track (pictured). The park owners are working togather on the proposal, which also contains a 6,000 seat performance venue . Speculation about Kroenke's intentions has run rampant since he purchased the land one year ago, meanwhile this newest Los Angeles NFL stadium proposal is among two others that currently have clearance to be built. One is the Farmers Field proposal located in downtown Los Angeles. The other is real estate billionaire Ed Roski's proposal in City of Industry, the LA Times reports. While these two projects are ahead of the game in terms of bureaucratic hurdles, neither project is backed by a team owner as Kroenke's is. However, as the LA Times notes, the threat of moving to Los Angeles has been a powerful team owners have leveraged in the past to entice their home cities and states into okaying new stadium deals. Kroenke and his associates say they plan to have enough signatures to get the proposal on Inglewood's municipal ballot in 2015. Outgrowing St. Louis? The city of St. Louis has until March to come up with plans for an updated stadium or the Rams can convert their lease to month-to-month . The Rams' lease requires the Edward Jones Dome to remain among the top quarter of the 32 NFL stadiums, based on various criteria . | Billionaire developer and St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced plans Monday for an 80,000-seat stadium in Inglewood, California .
The Rams played in LA from 1946 to 1994 and St. Louis could lose the team should the city's efforts to negotiate a deal for a new stadium fall through .
Kroenke has teamed up with the owners of the 238-acre Hollywood Park site to which they plan to add a 6,000 seat performance venue . |
fbc6256a71add70ba6cd64e7bc29166ce45e80be | Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has hinted for the first time that he is keen to bring Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman to the club. Roma coach Rudi Garcia – who faces Van Gaal and United here in America this afternoon – said on Friday that the Dutch international would not be leaving Italy. However, Van Gaal said at his press conference on Saturday morning that he will wait for Strootman to recover from ligament surgery before deciding whether to make a bid. VIDEO Scroll down to watch The goals showing why Louis van Gaal wants Kevin Strootman . Close relationship: Louis van Gaal (centre) is a great fan of Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman (left) On the mend: Kevin Strootman is recovering from injury after surgery on his cruciate ligament . Making his mark: Louis van Gaal (right) is overhauling United's squad and may move for Strootman . He said: 'I never usually say anything about individual players. It is my vision that we talk about a team and not individual players. 'But Strootman I can judge. He is injured for more than six months. We have to wait and see how he comes back. It is not easy to say how he comes back from injury, but we will wait and see.' Van Gaal conducted an open training session at Denver Broncos’ Sports Authority Field on Saturday. This time there were none of the histrionics that were a feature of training in Los Angeles earlier in the week but the 62-year-old’s hands-on approach was once again clear. One thing that was noticeable was that . Van Gaal an all his staff wore identical old-fashioned black football . boots, in stark contrast to the multi-coloured footwear sported by the . United players. Making his point: Louis van Gaal talks to goalkeeper Sam Johnston as the rest of United's players watch on . Juan way to do it: Louis van Gaal instructs midfielder Mata as Manchester United train in Denver . No let up: Louis van Gaal makes his feelings known to Wayne Rooney (centre) during United training . All smiles: Louis van Gaal beams as he addresses United's players during a open training session . During a session that lasted more than an hour, the United manager concentrated on set-pieces and shooting practice. Afterwards, Van Gaal claimed his major mission at Old Trafford was to train his players’ minds rather than their bodies but dismissed suggestions it would be tough to introduce a more technical style of football to the club’s English players. He said: 'The important thing is that I am training the players not in the legs, but in their brain. Brainpower. That is important thing. I say things how they are, it is my direct character. But they can do it. 'At Bayern Munich they had always played 4-4-2 and I introduced the system they are playing now and it was a different thing for the players. But they did it. Talking tactics: Louis van Gaal and his assistant manager Ryan Giggs have a chat during a break in training . Men in black: Van Gaal (right) and his staff all wore identical black football boots during training . 'Here, they are willing to pick up all the information that we show and say and that is very important. They want to perform our philosophy, but we have to wait and see how it develops. 'I see progression every day, but also not always good things. We are here to improve, though. My philosophy is always there. 'You must take into account the quality of the opponent and give team a structure to cope. Off the pitch also there are many rules the players must fulfil for me.' | Dutch star Strootman out for at least six months after ligament surgery .
Strootman missed the World Cup through injury .
Roma manager Rudi Garcia has said Strootman will not be leaving the club .
Manchester United take on Roma in a pre-season friendly on Saturday . |
fbc673334bb035f3421d3244c6da26d0b49cc391 | By . Becky Barrow and Rob Davies . PUBLISHED: . 18:22 EST, 16 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:36 EST, 17 July 2012 . Lord Turner arriving to give evidence to the Treasury Select Committee at Portcullis House yesterday . The manipulation of key interest rates by Barclays is just 'the tip of the iceberg', the City's regulator warned yesterday. Barclays was fined a record £290million and its three most senior managers have been forced to resign over its involvement in the rigging of Libor, the inter-bank lending rate. Speaking before MPs on the Treasury Select Committee, Lord Turner, chairman of the Financial Services Authority, said other banks may find themselves implicated in the financial scandal. He added: 'We don't know, but I would be amazed if this was everything.' His colleague, Tracey McDermott, acting director of financial crime at the FSA, confirmed it is investigating seven other banks. In a further twist, Jerry del Missier, the former chief operating officer at Barclays, told MPs he was clearly told by Bob Diamond, his former boss at the bank, to cut Libor during a telephone conversation on October 29, 2008. He said: 'I took the action on the basis of the phone call that I had had with Mr Diamond.' Mr Diamond strenuously denies he gave such an instruction. Mr del Missier, who is rumoured to have been paid £6.5million last year, said: 'He [Bob Diamond] said that he had a conversation with Paul Tucker of the Bank of England, that the Bank of England was getting pressure from Whitehall around Barclays, the health of Barclays as a result of Libor rates and that we should get our Libor rates down.' Accusation: Jerry del Missier, the former chief operating officer at Barclays, told MPs he was clearly told by Bob Diamond, pictured, to cut Libor during a telephone conversation on October 29, 2008 . Andrew Bailey, head of the regulator's prudential business unit, said of Barclays: 'There was a problem with this institution and that problem came from the top'. Asked whether he meant Mr Diamond, he said: 'Yes.' It also emerged yesterday that Barclays staff told Stephen Morse, the head of compliance at the bank, about the controversial instruction to lower Libor. Last night, Barclays refused to reveal whether or not Mr Morse still works for the bank, although he is currently listed as 'inactive' on the City regulator's list of authorised people. | Lord Turner said other banks may find .
themselves implicated in financial scandal .
Former chief .
operating officer at Barclays said Bob .
Diamond asked him to cut Libor in a phone call . |
fbc69bc9faf070c5bf27bdcbdf3d61a3360a6ecb | By . Ian Drury . PUBLISHED: . 04:21 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 29 July 2013 . The parents of a war hero killed in Afghanistan have spoken of their disgust after his widow sold a medal honouring his sacrifice. Fusilier Simon Annis’s young wife Caroline, 26, listed the Elizabeth Cross on the online noticeboard Gumtree for just £500. The medal, which recognises the loss borne by Service families, was awarded to her after her 22-year-old husband died in an explosion in Afghanistan. 'Callous': Fusilier Simon Annis' wife Caroline sold his Elizabeth Cross over the internet for £500 . 'Insulting': Fusilier Annis' morther Ann said she would have re-mortgaged her house to get her son's medal back . But Fusilier Annis’s devastated parents have criticised their daughter-in-law for not offering it to them before selling it. Pete and Ann Annis have now paid the new owner £1,757 – more than three times the initial listing – to retrieve the medal. They only found out that the Cross had been put up for sale when a friend spotted an advertisement online. Mrs Annis, 49, last night branded her daughter-in-law as ‘callous’ and ‘despicable’. She said: ‘It’s as if my boy’s life meant nothing to her. ‘It was terribly insulting that she didn’t offer us the medal instead of sneakily selling it.’ Fusilier Annis, from Salford, was serving with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in the feared Helmand Province. He and his wife had been married for just a few months when he was killed on his six-month tour of duty. Along with comrade Fusilier Louis Carter, 18, he died on August 16 in 2009, trying to save their severely wounded commander, Lance Corporal Jamie Fullarton, 24. The soldiers had been advancing into Sangin, a Taliban outpost dubbed the most dangerous place on earth. During the mission, L/Cpl Fullarton triggered a bomb, badly injuring himself and three others. Fusiliers Annis and Carter rushed forward to help the wounded. As they carried their commander away on a stretcher, they set off a second blast – killing them both. L/Cpl Fullarton later died of his wounds. Paying tribute to her husband following his death Caroline Annis described Simon as the ‘perfect husband, son and brother’. ‘He will be sorely missed by all of us,’ she said at the time. ‘He was a true hero who made all of . us so very proud and he will always have a place in our hearts. We will . love and miss him always.’ Sacrifice: The Elizabeth Cross was presented to Fusilier Simon Annis' bride Caroline after he was killed in an explosion in Helmand in 2009 (file picture) But four years after Fusilier Annis’s premature death, his young widow – who had fallen out with the soldier’s family and is now in a new relationship – advertised the Elizabeth Cross on the internet. It was snapped up by a dealer in Altrincham, who paid £1,200 – £700 above the initial asking price – and then placed it with the London Medal Company, a shop that specialises in selling military memorabilia. The London Medal Company insists it did not make a profit on the transaction. Heartbroken Mr and Mrs Annis have said they would have re-mortgaged their house in order to retrieve the award. When asked about her decision to sell the Elizabeth Cross, Caroline said: ‘It was given to me as next of kin and it was mine to sell.’ Two years ago Fusilier Annis’ family were sickened when his grave was desecrated by vandals. Twenty small crosses, three wreaths and two crosses were taken from Hollins Park Cemetery in Warrington. His mother said then: ‘It is a smack in the face of Simon’s memory.’ | Fusilier Simon Annis, 22, killed by a bomb in Helmand in 2009 .
Wife Caroline presented with posthumous Elizabeth Cross as next of kin .
Pete and Ann Annis have bought it back from new owner for £1,757 .
Soldier's widow is in a new relationship and has a young daughter .
Caroline says soldier's parents have not spoken to her in four years . |
fbc6e3dcadf9e33de712899bc4423aa41c582791 | Nancy Birtwhistle: She took a controversial shortcut on last night's Great British Bake Off . Great British Bake Off contestants are supposed to pride themselves on home-spun skills and recipes handed down the generations. Now one of them has ditched tradition – in favour of the microwave. Judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were visibly shocked when grandmother Nancy Birtwhistle, 60, popped her dough in for a five-minute blitz at ten per cent power. The idea behind Mrs Birtwhistle’s shortcut was to help the enriched sweet dough for her Lincolnshire plum bread rise faster, thereby stealing a march on her fellow competitors. But baking experts also expressed dismay at the trick, saying microwaves have no place in any self-respecting baker’s kitchen. Contestants on last night’s quarter-final were given only two-and-a-half hours to produce a perfect loaf, which Mrs Birtwhistle’s rivals complained was barely enough time to prove and cook their dough. On hearing about the mircrowave quick-fix, Miss Berry turned indignantly to her fellow judge and said: ‘You never use a microwave do you?’ Hollywood said he did not, adding: ‘It destroys the protein structure, because you force in heat. It tends to break down, so it can destabilise the dough.’ Baking experts also criticised Mrs Birtwhistle. Mike Holling, executive director of the Craft Bakers Association, said: ‘All it will have done is cook the dough while it is rising, instead of allowing it to rise at its own pace. You can’t rush these things. I never thought I’d see a microwave on Bake Off.’ Mrs Birtwhistle, from Barton-upon-Humber in Lincolnshire, admitted she was ‘a bit scared’ that her plan would backfire. She added: ‘This could be my death knell. It should be all right. It’s been all right when I’ve tried it.’ Thanks to the extra heat provided by the microwave, her dough rose to an impressive size. However, Hollywood was unconvinced. ‘What you’ve got is something that is under-proved, or the proteins have indeed been damaged and then it rips and falls,’ he said, adding: ‘It’s got a good structure. I think it’s slightly underdone.’ He said Mrs Birtwhistle should have made her dough longer and thinner instead, to allow it to rise of its own accord. Miss Berry was more positive, saying she thought the fruity loaf was ‘absolutely scrumptious’. Yesterday’s star baker was builder Richard Burr, 38, the fourth time he has scooped the accolade, while 17-year-old Martha Collison, the show’s youngest-ever contestant, was eliminated. No time to spare: Mrs Birtwhistle (left) puts the dough in for a zap as hot Mel Giedroyc (right) looks on . Judges Paul Hollywood (left) and Mary Berry (right) were left visibly shocked at the microwave shortcut . | Nancy Birtwhistle, 60, popped dough in for five-minute blitz at 10% power .
Idea was to help speed up process of rising sweet dough for plum bread .
Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood left visibly shocked and experts dismayed .
Contestants were given two-and-a-half hours to produce the perfect loaf . |
fbc73e29ea4bf7169d1ed0afabe91c25707c0fc9 | Support: Sarah Palin last night said that if she lived in South Carolina she would vote for Newt Gingrich as Republican presidential candidate . Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin threw her support behind presidential candidate Newt Gingrich last night. But she drew short of backing him, saying that if she lived in South Carolina she would vote for Gingrich to prevent Mitt Romney becoming the Republican nominee. Palin said she wants to see the Republican primary continue. Should frontrunner Romney win Saturday's primary vote in South Carolina then he will stand against President Barack Obama for election later this year. At this stage, Palin said she wants to keep the Republican nomination open as the GOP candidates are improving as the contest continues. She told Fox News: 'If I . were a South Carolinian... I would want to see this thing continue because iron . sharpens iron, steel sharpens steel. These guys are getting better in . their debates. 'If I had to vote in South Carolina, in order to keep . this thing going, I'd vote for Newt. And I would want things to . continue. More debates, more vetting of candidates.' Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008, considered entering the presidential race last year but ultimately decided not to. She still holds sway among tea party activists. As Saturday's South Carolina primary vote approaches, Gingrich yesterday levelled a forceful new attack on Romney, calling the frontrunner's former private equity firm 'exploitive'. Gingrich had attacked Bain Capital before, but his comments before a gathering of business leaders in Columbia contained some of his harshest rhetoric yet. After lagging behind in the Iowa causes . and the New Hampshire primary, Gingrich is hoping a strong showing in . the nation's first Southern primary will re-energise his White House . bid. Scroll down for video . Campaign trail: Newt Gingrich speaks in Columbia, South Carolina, yesterday. Palin drew short of backing Gingrich, but said she would vote for him to prevent Mitt Romney becoming the Republican nominee . Where eagle dares: Gingrich speaks to supporters alongside his wife Callista at the Art Trails Gallery in Florence, South Carolina, yesterday . As Saturday's South Carolina showdown approaches, a poll yesterday showed that Mitt Romney now enjoys the backing of 37 per cent of Republicans across the U.S. The Gallup poll followed Monday night's hotly contested GOP presidential candidate debate in Myrtle Beach. Romney's nearest rivals, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, both polled at 14 per cent each. He held little back in his criticism of Romney, saying that, in at least some instances, the Bain model has meant 'leverage the game, borrow the money, leave the debt behind and walk off with all the profits. 'Now, I'll let you decide if that's really good capitalism. I think it's exploitive. I think it's not defensible.' Gingrich continued that what Romney engaged in 'is not venture capital'. 'Venture capital is when you go in and put in your capital and you stick it out,' he said. Gingrich has faced rebuke in some quarters as attacking the GOP bedrock of free enterprise in his criticism of Romney and Bain. Lining up: Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Gingrich pose for a photo at the start of the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate in Myrtle Beach on Monday . Candidates: (From left) Rick Perry, Santorum, Romney, Gingrich and Ron Paul take part in Monday's debate at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center . But he argued yesterday that raising questions about Romney's track record at Bain should not be confused with an attack on capitalism. He said: 'I'm proud of real capitalists. I'm proud of guys who say to their workers I'm in it with you. If I lose money and you lose a job we lost together because we both tried.' Earlier in the day, Gingrich said at a town hall meeting in West Columbia that a Muslim-American seeking office in the U.S. would have to publicly renounce Islamic law to receive his backing. When asked if he could support a Muslim for office, the former House speaker replied that it 'would depend entirely on whether the person would commit in public to give up sharia,' or Islamic law. Gingrich said he is totally opposed to Islamic law and supports a federal law that would pre-empt it. 'A truly modern person who worshipped Allah would not be a threat,' he said. | Former Alaska governor wants Republican primary to continue .
She calls on South Carolinians to vote for Newt Gingrich .
If Mitt Romney wins Saturday's vote, he will become Republican nominee . |
fbc74f98272ef8c429ab02d463519972dbb8a41d | (CNN) -- If not for the hue of their skin or their ethnicity, 24 soldiers who faced death in service to their nation would have received the most prestigious medals for their valor long ago. But they were born and fought in a time when such deeds were not always fairly acknowledged. On Tuesday, the U.S. government corrected the oversight. President Barack Obama honored 24 Army veterans with the Medal of Honor -- the country's highest military award, given to American soldiers who display "gallantry above and beyond the call of duty " -- for their combat actions in Vietnam, Korea and World War II. "No nation is perfect, but here ... we confront our imperfections and face a sometimes painful past, including the truth that some of these soldiers fought and died for a country that did not always see them as equal," Obama said. Only three of the soldiers are alive to receive the recognition. The rest -- soldiers with last names including Garcia and Weinstein and Negron -- are dead. Of the 24 honored, 10 never came home. The body of one -- Cpl. Joe Baldonado -- has never been recovered, Obama said. For the few who survive, such as Melvin Morris, this day has been more than 40 years in the making. He was fresh-faced and 19 when he volunteered to go to Vietnam. In 1969, the Army Green Beret "charged into a hail of fire" to save his injured comrades and retrieve the bodies of the fallen, even though he was shot several times and bleeding. The Army would later say his actions on the battlefield that day showed "determination possessed by few men." "The staff sergeant recovered a fallen comrade ... and took out several bunkers even after he was shot several times," Obama said. He was honored in 1970 with the Army's Distinguished Service Cross award. Today, at age 72, Morris -- who is African-American -- received his nation's most esteemed military honor. "It makes me very proud that they are going back and looking at records," Morris told CNN. But it was never about a medal for Morris, who joined the Army in 1959. On September 17, 1969, he was on a search-and-destroy mission with his company when he learned the commander of another company nearby had been killed. "Immediately it came to me that I had to recover his body," Morris said. "...Leave no man behind under any circumstance." Morris was shot three times -- in the chest, arm and left ring finger -- as he carried the casualties out of the line of fire. He was then trapped in the firefight. "The only thing I could do is fight, to hope I could get out," he said. And fight he did. He was later evacuated from the battlefield. Less than a year later, he returned to duty in Vietnam where he would be decorated again for his actions in combat. There are others, too. Men like Santiago J. Erevia, a radiotelephone operator from Texas who in 1969 tended injured comrades in Vietnam's Quang Tin province when his position came under attack. According to the citation, Erevia took out three machine gun bunkers with grenades and gunfire. He then returned to care for his wounded comrades, crawling from one wounded man to another to administer aid. And there were men like Jose Rodela, who, while commanding a mobile strike force in Vietnam's Phuoc Long province, "was wounded in the back and head by rocket shrapnel while recovering a wounded comrade," according to a military commendation. Still he single-handedly assaulted and knocked out a mortar position before returning to lead his men. Morris, Rodela and Erevia wore Army uniforms as they accepted the medal, which was placed around their neck by Obama. "In the thick of the fight all those years ago, for your comrades and your country, you refused to yield," the President said. In 2002 Congress -- as part of the Defense Authorization Act -- set up a review of Jewish and Hispanic veterans who had served in combat since the middle of the century "to ensure those deserving the Medal of Honor were not denied because of prejudice," explained the White House. The congressional action was later amended to open the door for any serviceman or woman denied the award due to discrimination. One of those who posthumously received the award is Leonard Kravitz, an assistant machine gunner in the Korean War. He is the uncle and namesake of actor and rock musician Lenny Kravitz. CNN's Barbara Starr and Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | NEW: ''The only thing I could do is fight," honoree Melvin Morris tells CNN .
President Barack Obama honors 24 veterans with the Medal of Honor .
White House says they were passed over for the top medal because of discrimination .
Only three of them are still alive; they served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam . |
fbc77c75967ef6e3226d8855839d1fc1b7bec409 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:55 EST, 8 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:14 EST, 10 December 2013 . American Airlines and US Airways have reached a deal with the government that lets the two form the world's biggest airline . A judge refused to block a merger between American Airlines and US Airways on Saturday evening, saying a bankruptcy judge correctly rejected arguments made by a lawyer for some consumers. San Francisco attorney Joseph Alioto argued that the deal would harm fliers because it would result in less competition and higher prices. U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska repeatedly noted that his arguments relied on outdated facts, had no evidence to support them and sometimes made no sense. The New American Airlines: US Airways and American Airlines officials plan to sign the papers to make the marriage final, prior to the start of market trading Monday . Cleared for takeoff: US Airways CEO Doug Parker, who becomes American Airlines Group CEO on Monday, will ring the opening bell for NASDAQ as the new stock symbol, AAL, starts trading . One happy family: American Airlines and US Airways are set to combine to become the world's biggest airline . 'There is nothing in the record from . which I can make a finding that your clients are likely to be . irreparably injured -- personally,' she said. American . is owned by AMR Corp. and is based in Fort Worth, Texas. The company . has said it plans to complete the merger with Tempe, Ariz.-based US . Airways on Monday. Preska . said a federal bankruptcy judge was 'correct in all respects' in . deciding last week to let the merger proceed. She also refused to stay . the effect of her ruling while Alioto appeals to the 2nd U.S. Circuit . Court of Appeals. Alioto complained Friday to Preska that he'd gotten 'the bum's rush, with all due respect, by the bankruptcy court.' Deal: Under the proposal, American and US Airways would sell 104 takeoff and landing slots at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, 34 slots at La Guardia Airport in New York . Preska . said Alioto had failed to show consumers would suffer irreparable harm . or that he was likely to succeed in his effort to temporarily block the . merger until a trial could be conducted on his antitrust lawsuit. Lane . said last week that even if Alioto won his lawsuit, he could demand . additional divestitures by the two airlines but could not wreck the . merger. Alioto's case lacked . proof, said Attorney Dan Wall for US Airways Group Inc. 'We're here on . just attorney argument and rhetoric,' he said . The . merger means American, United, Delta and Southwest will control more . than 80 per cent of the U.S. market. A series of mergers in the industry . since 2005 has reduced nine big airlines to four . In August, the Justice Department had sued to block the merger, saying it would hurt competition and produce higher prices. But regulators settled their case in exchange for the airlines' promise to surrender some coveted landing rights at Reagan National near Washington and LaGuardia in New York and a few gates at five other airports. Competing . low-cost carriers will also be given more access to airports in Boston, . Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Miami, the government said. 'This . is very good news and we are grateful to all who have made it happen,' said Doug Parker, CEO of US Airways, and incoming CEO of the combined . airline, which will be based in Dallas/Fort Worth and go by the . American name. 'We are pleased to have this lawsuit behind us and look forward to building the new American Airlines together.' Under the terms of the settlement, the airlines will divest 52 slot pairs at Reagan and 17 slot pairs at LaGuardia. The airlines will also surrender two gates each at Boston's Logan airport, O'Hare, Dallas Love Field, Los Angeles and Miami. 'It provides more competition than exists today in this industry,' Baer said. 'That is good news for consumers all across the country who will benefit from more choices and more competitive airfares.' What next: The settlement still needs to be approved by the Federal District Court in the District of Columbia as well as a judge overseeing American Airlines¿ bankruptcy proceeding. The merger could deal could be done by mid-December . After completion of the required divestitures, the combined company expects to operate 44 fewer daily departures at Reagan and 12 fewer daily departures at LaGuardia than the approximately 290 daily DCA departures and 175 daily LGA departures that American and US Airways operate today. Parker said the combined airline must still decide which destinations to drop because of the lost slots at Reagan and LaGuardia. But he said they would be announced with enough time for the airlines that acquire the slots to decide whether to continue serving those communities. 'We do indeed serve some communities that it is unlikely will be served by those that pick up these slots,' Parker said. Tom Horton, CEO of American, said the loss of slots is relatively modest, totaling about 15% of the combined airlines' slots at Reagan and 7% at LaGuardia. But the airlines said the changes wouldn't reduce total employment at the new company. 'This is an important day for our customers, our people and our financial stakeholders,' Horton said. 'This agreement allows us to take the final steps in creating the new American Airlines.' Saving the day: America West bought out US Airways in 2005. The airline was days away from being liquidated. America West CEO Doug Parker headed up the new airline, a post he still has to this day and will continue with the new American Airlines . End result: After completion of the divestitures, the combined carrier expects to operate 44 fewer daily departures at DCA and 12 fewer daily departures at LGA. Today, the airlines operate 290 and 175 flights respectively at those airports . To maintain its service to small and medium-size airports that US Airways warned might suffer from a reduction in slots at Reagan and LaGuardia, the combined company announced plans to use its gates at Reagan to serve those communities. Another part of the settlement also committed the combined American to maintain its hubs in Charlotte, New York's JFK, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago O'Hare, Philadelphia and Phoenix. For a period of five years, the merged company will continue daily service from those hubs to each of the states participating in the lawsuit: Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia. Delta Air Lines issued a statement welcoming the agreement and saying the airline 'looks forward to the opportunity to acquire slots that will be divested under the agreement, particularly at Washington-Reagan National Airport.' Delta said it is the airline best positioned to continue competitive non-stop flights from Reagan to small and midsize cities that could otherwise see service reduced or eliminated. Early days: Piedmont Airlines began in 1931 and the merged with US Airways in 1987 . 1939: Richard du Pont, of the DuPont chemical dynasty, founds All American Aviation, providing airmail service in Pennsylvania and the Ohio valley . 1948: Piedmont Airlines begins flying out of its base in Winston-Salem, N.C . 1949: All American transitions to passenger service. Pacific Southwest Airlines begins operations with service in California . 1953: All American changes its name to Allegheny Airlines. 1968: Allegheny merges with Indianapolis-based Lake Central Airlines. 1972: Allegheny acquires Mohawk Airlines, based in Utica, N.Y. 1978: Deregulation comes to the U.S. airline industry. Airlines are free to pick their own routes and set their own fares. 1979: Allegheny changes its name to USAir. It enters Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas. 1983: America West Airlines begins operations in Phoenix. 1986: Piedmont acquires Empire Airlines and its Syracuse, N.Y., hub. 1987: Piedmont Airlines and San Diego-based PSA become wholly-owned subsidiaries of USAir Group in two separate deals. 1992: USAir takes a 40 percent interest in the Trump Shuttle. Hourly flights from New York are offered to Boston and Washington, D.C., on what is now called USAir Shuttle. The airline takes full control of the shuttle five years later. 1993: USAir and British Airways announce an alliance plan, under which USAir gives up its London route authority. Three years later the partnership falls apart and USAir is left without lucrative spots at Heathrow airport. 1997: The airline changes its name to US Airways. 2000: United Airlines announces a deal to buy US Airways for $4.3 billion but the merger is blocked the following year by the Justice Department. 2002: US Airways enters Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization on Aug. 11. 2004: The airline files for bankruptcy protection for the second time in as many years on Sept. 14. 2005 America West announces on May 19 plans to buy US Airways out of bankruptcy. US Airways was days away from being liquidated. America West CEO Doug Parker heads up the new airline, a post he still has today. 2006: Parker makes an unsolicited $8.5 billion bid for Delta Air Lines which was restructuring in bankruptcy court. The airline rebuts the offer, with its CEO calling US Airways 'the worst of all potential merger partners.' 2009: On Jan. 15, flight 1549 hits a flock of geese and loses power in both engines shortly after taking off from New York's LaGuardia Airport. Capt. Chesley B. 'Sully' Sullenberger ditches the airplane in the Hudson River. All 155 passengers and crew survive. 2010: US Airways and United once again discuss a merger only to have United ultimately chose to merge with Continental. 2011: AMR Corp., the parent of American Airlines, files for bankruptcy protection on Nov. 29. US Airways hires advisers to study a possible combination. 2012: US Airways and American disclose on Aug. 31 that they have signed a non-disclosure agreements and started confidential merger talks. Feb. 13, 2013: The boards of American and US Airways approve a merger creating the world's biggest airline. The deal is publically announced the next day. Aug. 13, 2013: The Department of Justice, six state attorneys general and the District of Columbia filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block the merger, saying it would lead to higher airfares. Nov. 12, 2013: American, US Airways and the DOJ announce a settlement to the suit, requiring the airlines to give up takeoff and landing slots at Reagan National and LaGuardia airport . Dec. 8, 2013: U.S. Supreme Court rejects last-ditch effort to block American Airlines-US Airways merger . From many sources: Allegheny became US Air in 1979 . | Settlement paves way for world's largest airline .
Merger will harm competition as just four airlines will control more than 80 per cent of air travel in the U.S.
Agreement also opens door for low-cost carriers at several U.S. airports .
Passenger group believes merger will result in higher fares and reduced choices .
The two airlines can sign papers before the financial markets open Monday . |
fbc7be55e4bf7a61c19317582c945cae3f5af73f | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 08:40 EST, 17 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:12 EST, 17 December 2012 . A desperate woman threw herself 50ft into a river after claiming government planners stole her home. She kept rescuers at bay in Guangzhou, . Guangdong province, China, for two hours as she clung on to the side of the . bridge before letting go of the railings and plunging into the Zhujiang river. The woman, named as Lia Sun, jumped in protest at the amount of compensation given to her family for their land in a nearby village, which she said was a fraction of its true worth. Desperate: The woman plunged 50ft into the river in the protest over the sale of her family home . Protest: The woman kept rescuers and police at bay for two hours before letting go of the railings . Shock: Passers-by look on as the woman hurls itself into the water . Dressed only in a thin top and tracksuit bottoms and without any shoes, the woman was pictured as she hurled herself into the rivers. Passersby and two police officers can be seen watching on as she lets go of the metal barrier. A police spokesman said an investigation will be launched after the stunt gained national attention. He said: 'The woman has a very strong belief that her family has been cheated. 'We have contacted the officials in the village she comes from and they have agreed to investigate.' Hopeless: She is pictured plummeting towards the Zhujiang river . Rescue: Waiting divers rush to collect her after she hits the water . Investigation: After she was plucked out of the water by police, officials confirmed they would investigate the house payment . It is the latest in a series of flare ups between villagers and local officials over the issue of compensation paid for land. In September last year, villagers in Guangdong ransacked government offices during a protest at forced land sales and further unrest was caused months later when a villager died in police custody. Between 2004 and 2008 there were also violent clashes over land grabs in which farmers and protesters were killed. Guangzhou is China's third largest city with a population of about 13million. | Woman named as Lia Sun, 31, threw herself into the Zhujiang river but was rescued by police in Guagzhou .
She said her family was paid fraction of the true worth of their land .
Local officials have been instructed to investigate the claim . |
fbc7cc3abbf7b7eacdaf20be8231e7c17fb7a806 | (CNN) -- "Admit it, you're lonely. In the end, whatever you say, you must be so lonely." So said the otherwise obliging radio presenter when he interviewed me about a recent BBC article in which I had defended singledom. Read more: Single? You're not alone . After so often being asked at dinner parties or other social occasions, why I was not partnered, I had realized that the question is innately hostile. If I were to ask a similar question, "Why have you settled for him?" or "How did you get stuck with her? Are you so afraid of being alone?" this would be thought rude and intrusive. Read more: Still single? What's the matter with you? Increasingly, we realize our relationships might not or need not endure. Increasingly, we are choosing to live alone. And yet being or remaining single still is still too often considered a deviant status, a second best, a failing. We don't need stories of how to become couples. They are legion. We need stories about how to be single. We need them whether we are gay or straight. We need them whether we are single by choice, through separation, divorce, or bereavement or because this, for you, is how life has turned out. Read more: The stigma of being single in Shanghai . I did not claim the single state to be superior to coupledom -- nor ever will -- but that it is equally valid, as capable of joy, variety, adventure and eventfulness. And, yes, as liable to loneliness -- with the proviso that no one is quite as lonely as those who fear being alone. And why wouldn't we fear being alone? Aren't we encouraged in this fear? Every pop song has it so. Every movie touching on human relationships. Every advert selling us not just the better life, but the best life. Your family fear for you. Your friends. Sometimes you might frighten yourself. You are nothing, nothing, nothing if you don't have someone else to complete you? And who would want to remain a spinster? Ugly word. The word is innocent: the connotations are unkind. Doesn't it suggest that, withered, alone and childless, you have failed at life? Rebrand the word. Call yourself Spinsta! Say it like Gangsta! Fight for your rights -- or simply vote, as 68% of single women did for one candidate over another, and let it be understood that your interests are not in the economy, but your own sex life and your need for free birth control. Read more: The two kinds of single women . But then single people are most often defined by their sex life, muddily defined at that. A single person is sexless, celibate, repressed -- or the very reverse. Historically, the bachelor has had an easier time of it, but who calls himself a bachelor these days? Doesn't it sound suspect? Perhaps these male spinsters have "issues"? Aren't lying about their sexuality? Aren't they emotionally retarded? Might they be users, fearful of real commitment? They will be punished. They do not know how lonely they will become. Even the gay bachelor can no longer escape. That gay relationships need protection of the law is both right and necessary, but why is the true confirmation of our sexuality to be in thrall to the tyranny of coupledom that for so long did us so little favor? People have told me that I have been brave to speak out as a single person. It did not seem so. It seemed timely and necessary. It seems right to keep on saying so. But, yes, I must be lonely, mustn't I? Despite all I believe and say, I must be lying to myself. I must realize I am failing at life. Read more: Jim Friel's blog . So, more or less, thought a therapist on that radio show. Much of his work was with single people. Sad single people. There can be no other kind. They sit alone in bars -- or, at least, the men do: the women dare not go out at night. He counseled such people, and he had discovered that each had sustained a psychic wound in childhood. He led them to a point where they realized that only union with another person could heal that wound. He did not know me -- he did not know me at all -- but he suspected this was my story, this was my life, and how it and I might be healed. I told him that I did not spend my time alone at bars, that I had, as single people do, friends. I had relationships, that my life was full. I told him that I was no more wounded than any coupled person, and that I looked with horror at any advice that led me to use another person as a band-aid. I cannot deny that I am sometime sorrowful, sometime lonely. I am human. Simply being human, single or coupled, means one has, running though oneself, a vein of sorrow, but I wonder, when the coupled person considers that vein of sorrow within themselves if they are not tempted to call it, I don't know, "My husband"? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jim Friel. | As single man, Jim Friel often faces "innately hostile" question: Why are you single?
He asks: "Why is confirmation of sexuality to be in thrall to tyranny of coupledom?"
He doesn't claim single state to be superior to coupledom -- but it is equally valid . |
fbc83589ae9de6cc86f153e12030782eb3e3656b | By . Katie Amey for MailOnline . Stunning forks of lightning were captured on camera during an electrical storm, which raged above Houston, TX, earlier this week. The sky is completely lit up as two branches of lightning streak through the night sky. Watch as the bolts, which are hotter than the surface of the sun, extend outward almost indefinitely. Brilliant white-blue flashes of lightning, such as these, are caused by electrically-charged clouds. This isn't the first massive thunderstorm to cause such a stunning light show to explode above the state's largest city in recent months. Houston also experienced a 'super-lightning storm' in April of this year. Houston's breathtaking lightning storm begins with a fork extending from the bottom right of the screen . Within seconds, the entire night sky is lit up as branches of lightning zigzag above the skyline . These brilliant flashes are created when strong air currents cause electrons to be discharged . | Forks of lightning were captured on camera during Texas electrical storm .
Brilliant white-blue bolts completely illuminate the city skyline . |
fbc8b759e79e248ca7193730517db432a9cc88ec | (CNN) -- In January, I brought my 4-year-old daughter to Robinson's Arch, the section of Jerusalem's Western Wall reserved for egalitarian prayer without gender segregation. My husband and I, both Conservative rabbis, explained to her that this sacred space once formed part of the ancient Temple compound, and we helped her to place a folded-up prayer note in the cracks between the stones. It was a sweet moment and one made possible by lengthy negotiations between the Israeli government and the Reform and Conservative denominations of Judaism, as well as the women's prayer group known as Women of the Wall. While the Orthodox authorities who govern the main plaza of the Wall mandate gender segregation, the agreement to create an enhanced prayer space at Robinson's Arch allows Jews of all denominations to pray at the Western Wall without compromising our egalitarian beliefs. But at the end of February, the Jerusalem District Court approved an agreement between two government subsidiaries to transfer management of Robinson's Arch to an organization of religious right-wing settlers, Elad, posing a new threat to the ability of liberal Jews to pray at this site without checking our values at the door. Today, the Jerusalem district court will hear a complaint by the Israeli Attorney General's Office that the Housing Ministry organized the transfer without authorization. North American Jews must join in this opposition. Elad exists in order to move Jewish settlers into Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, so as to establish facts on the ground that will obstruct any peace agreement. For this, Elad raises $6 million a year from American Jews. This money funds legal maneuvers to evict Palestinian families from their homes and the establishment of Jewish settlement compound in Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. Elad also manages the City of David archaeological site in East Jerusalem. Leading Israeli archaeologists have complained about the use of this site for ideological propaganda tourism. There is little question that if Elad takes over the archaeological park connected to Robinson's Arch, per the current agreement, our prayer space will similarly be used as a settler propaganda mill. I recently visited Silwan, the neighborhood that has suffered the most from Elad's activities. New fortresses, with Israeli flags flapping over barbed wire barriers, now tower over the humble homes of longtime Arab residents. Armed guards accompany the settlers wherever they go. Those who argue that Jews must be permitted to move into any area of Jerusalem must understand: This is not a question of diversifying the neighborhood. It's a hostile takeover. It is aimed at ensuring that East Jerusalem will never become part of a Palestinian state and, in fact, that no such state will ever come to be. The Reform and Conservative movements, as well as Women of the Wall, responded swiftly and furiously to the announcement that Elad may take control of Robinson's Arch. In a strongly worded joint statement, they argued that an Orthodox organization cannot be trusted to maintain the area as a place for egalitarian prayer. This anger is justified. The very suggestion that an Orthodox group would manage the prayer space reserved for non-Orthodox prayer reveals how tone-deaf some sectors of the Israeli government have become to the voices of North American Jews, the vast majority of whom believe that men and women should be equal in prayer as in other parts of life. But the danger of transferring power to Elad goes far beyond the question of who may pray where. This organization seems to have little stake in the debate over egalitarian prayer and in fact has announced its intent to respect existing agreements. More concerning is the possibility that those of us committed to egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall will end up supporting the expansion of settlements and the erosion of the peace process through our donations and entrance fees. The endless negotiations over religious pluralism in Israel have exposed the fissure between North American Jews, who are Israel's greatest financial and political supporters, and the Israeli religious establishment. On issues such as the right of women to lead services at the Wall, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and even Orthodox American Jews have been willing to issue strong statements and even protest at the Israeli Embassy. The current crisis over ceding control of an egalitarian prayer space to an organization of right-wing settlers has blown apart the delusion that North American Jewish leaders can criticize Israel on issues of religious pluralism while staying away from criticisms of settlement policy. The two are too deeply intertwined. Rejecting the Orthodox hegemony that has placed the main plaza of the Wall off-limits to egalitarian prayer services also means loosening the grip of settlers on Israeli politics. | Prayer space at Western Wall may become politicized, Rabbi Jill Jacobs writes .
She says a portion open to both men and women is being ceded to a settler group .
Jacobs says people who want to pray together don't want to be endorsing settlers .
She says Israeli authorities, North American Jews should oppose the move . |
fbc8cb114918bcb207cbae58fde1fcb9d86f7309 | (EW.com) -- Emily Wickersham is joining "NCIS" full-time. The actress, who was cast in the role of NSA analyst Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop back in September, has been promoted to a series regular, CBS announced Monday. Wickersham, who has also appeared on "The Sopranos," was originally slated for three episodes but according to producers her work with the team has proved a success. 'Bones,' 'Arrow,' 'NCIS: LA,' 'Vampire Diaries': Find out what's next . "Emily Wickersham's Ellie Bishop is proving to perfectly compliment the NCIS team," said executive producer Gary Glasberg in a statement. "Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious. Great things are planned for Bishop and we couldn't be more thrilled to have her on board." Wickersham, whose first episode airs November 19, fills an empty series regular spot on the show that has been there since the second episode of the current season, when Cote de Pablo's Ziva left the show. (Since Ziva's departure, the storyline has focused a fair amount on the team's reaction to her sudden departure. ) 'NCIS' boss previews team without Ziva: 'It's going to take time for our characters to move on' Ellie Bishop, who is described as "a mysterious mixture of analytic brilliance, fierce determination and idealism," will be introduced when it is discovered that the Secretary of the Navy was bugged during a confidential briefing, a security breach Bishop described in exact detail two years ago in a threat analysis report. Working side-by-side with Gibbs and the team, Bishop will cross-examine the case file to help determine who is behind the crime. When EW spoke to star Michael Weatherly earlier this year, when the cast had already had time to work with Wickersham, he said, "We're excited about having Emily join us on these little adventures we do every week, and seeing how she is in the world that we create together ... I hope the audience likes her as much as we did right away." 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. | Emily Wickersham's now a series regular on "NCIS"
She was originally supposed to appear in only three episodes .
Her promotion follows the exit of Cote de Pablo . |
fbca3f5213437da623bf68d1331803305242a40c | Cleansing: Mrs Newton-John, pictured last week in Melbourne, Australia, flew in a Catholic priest to carry out an exorcism at her Florida home . Grease star Olivia Newton-John ordered an exorcism at her $5.6million Florida home to expel the spirit of a suicide victim. Mrs Newton-John, 64, flew in a Catholic priest to conduct the ritual after Christopher Pariseleti, a 41-year-old contractor, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the house last month. She is said to have ordered the cleansing ritual to reassure potential buyers that the property is not haunted. The singer, 64, her husband John . Easterling, 61, and two other friends attended the ceremony last week, . where prayers were spoken and holy water sprinkled around rooms in the . house, according to the Sunday Express. The decision to hold the ritual was made after comedian Rosie O'Donnell pulled out of buying the home, for which she had previously offered $5.6million. Despite the star cutting the asking price for the home by $320,000, there are still reportedly no interested parties. An Orlando estate agent said: 'Unfortunately there is a grim notoriety to the house and people are put off by that. Whoever buys the home will always know that someone blew their brains out in there. It is not the nicest housewarming present.' Home: The property, said to be worth $5.6million, is in Jupiter, Florida . Ritual: Olivia Newton-John and John Easterling, pictured, asked a Catholic priest to ritually cleanse their home . It was also reported that Mr Pariseleti, a married father of two, killed himself after he was refused a loan by Mrs Newton-John to keep his business afloat, and chose to do it on the property to disrupt the sale. Tragic: Construction company owner Christopher Pariseleti, 41, killed himself with a shotgun last month . Officers in Jupiter revealed Mr Pariseleti's identity last month after an autopsy, which found he had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The custom home builder was working on Newton-John's $5.6 million mansion, jointly owned by Mrs Newton-John and Mr Easterling,, who were out of town at the time of the shooting. A police statement said: 'This case investigation has been . classified as a suicide and there are no suspicious circumstances . surrounding the death of Mr Pariseleti.' Jupiter . Police spokesman Scott Pascarella said it appeared Mr Pariseleti had . brought the handgun used in the incident to the house himself. 'Based on preliminary information, we believe the gun did not belong to anyone in the house,' Pascarella said. Mr Pariseleti was the owner of Pariseleti Construction Inc. He had reportedly been working on this property for several months. Local residents say he was a well-liked figure. Neighbor Marilyn Barfield told Celebuzz that Mr Pariseleti was popular as he was often working on different properties in the community. 'He's . a longtime contractor of Olivia's. He did the total remodel on the . house,' Mrs Barfield said. 'He was just the nicest person you ever want to . meet. I can't believe it.' 'There was only one other person . working over there at the time that I could see. I thought it could be . the pressure cleaner working on the driveway. I didn't think it was a . gun.' Cordon: Police taped off the home after the suicide . For sale: Police responded to a possible suicide . at the $5.6million house in Jupiter at 12.15pm yesterday and Tequesta . Fire Rescue confirmed they found a man's body at the scene. A for sale . sign can be seen right . A statement from Mrs Newton-John's publicist at the time said: 'Olivia and her husband John are in shock over the . tragic event that occurred at their Florida home yesterday. 'At . this time we are awaiting additional information from investigators . but, can confirm that the couple was not in Florida at the time and the . deceased was not a family member.' Newton-John's . hits include You're The One That I Want with John Travolta from the . 1978 film Grease. The singer and her husband were trying to sell the . home and had reportedly found a buyer in Rosie O'Donnell, who sold her own Miami mansion for $16.5 million in . June. But she is now said to have pulled out of the deal in the wake of the suicide. Buyer?: Rosie O'Donnell, though to be a potential buyer, is now said to have pulled out . Lavish: The home was expected to sold for $5.6 million . Property records show the couple have . owned the four-bedroom, four-bathroom home, which sits on 0.35 acres . overlooking the water, since 2005. Jupiter . Inlet Colony is a coastal community in Palm Beach with around 360 . residents and 240 homes. Tiger Woods and Kid Rock also have properties . in the area. Fame: Olivia Newton-John, left, shot to fame in 1978 after appearing as Sandy Olsen in Grease opposite John Travolta (right) Away: Olivia Newton-John and her husband John Easterling were not at the home during the shooting . | Mrs Newton-John and her husband John Easterling ordered the ceremony .
They flew in a Catholic priest to their Florida home last week .
He was there to cleanse the property with holy water after Christopher Pariseleti, 41, killed himself with a handgun there last month .
Comedian Rosie O'Donnell, who was set to buy the property, is thought to have pulled out . |
fbca6a0bc71df2d33210629577f4007c5362d8f9 | Beijing, China (CNN) -- Twenty-five years ago, when tanks and automatic rifles silenced massive political demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, I was TIME magazine's correspondent in China. For me, memories of the crackdown start in the early evening of June 3, and end with a mad dash at the wheel of a Toyota sedan, driving through checkpoints to a safe house with hunger strikers, Liu Xiaobo and Hou Dejian. Liu, one of China's prominent intellectuals and writers, was imprisoned four times after the Tiananmen crackdown, and in 2010 was awarded the Nobel Peace prize. Hou is a singer-composer, better known in China as composer of the "Descendants of the Dragon," a patriotic tune popular in Taiwan and the mainland. A few years before the crackdown, he "defected" from Taiwan and became a celebrated compatriot on the mainland. Tension builds . In the early evening of June 3, as word spread that the authorities were losing patience with protesters in central Beijing, I decided to see for myself what was going on. As I stepped off the curb on the Jianguomen bridge, I saw a convoy of army trucks stranded on the bridge, about five kilometers east of Tiananmen Square. Students and their supporters milled around them, chanting "Xia lai! Xia lai!" (Come down!). Minutes earlier, an armoured personnel carrier of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) plowed through the crowd and rammed one of their own army trucks bound for Tiananmen Square. Many civilians had clambered onto the truck when it was hit and toppled over. Some managed to jump off, but one man was crushed to death. "They're killing us," shrieked a young woman. Nearby I saw civilians surround another army truck, pleading with the soldiers to turn around and go home. The young soldiers listened silently. Some cried. Then the civilians started to pull the soldiers off the truck and led them past the body of a man curled up on a pool of blood, his head crushed. This harrowing scene was captured on the cover of TIME Magazine's June 12 edition. I hung around for an hour or so, talking to people and eavesdropping on conversations. Then, worried that the Chinese authorities might cut international phone service, I returned to my apartment to file my story. It was nearly midnight when I hit the "send" button. Final showdown to come . I thought it was the lead story of the day. I did not realize that the fiercest shooting was taking place at Muxidi, around seven kilometers west of the Square, where thousands of people had stood behind the barricades at various intersections to halt the advance of the military troops. In the morning of June 3, I sat down with two fellow TIME reporters who had been covering the Tiananmen story from the outset. We agreed that the final showdown between the protesters and soldiers was looming. Martial law remained in place, and troops and tanks were poised to retake the Square. When and how it would happen, we could not tell. To ensure that we covered what seemed like the end-game of the protracted student protests, we agreed to do two things: 1. We would work on three "shifts" through the next day (I volunteered to do the midnight-to-dawn "graveyard shift") and 2. We would file reports via our snail-paced modems as soon as possible, in case international phone links were abruptly cut off. Just past midnight on Sunday, June 4, 1989, I was preparing to rush to Tiananmen Square to do my reportorial "shift." The phone rang and I grabbed it as I slung my satchel bag over my shoulder. It was an American friend, a well-connected expatriate company manager married to the daughter of a retired Chinese general. "Be careful, Jimi," he advised. "Heard the assault order has just been given. Stay indoors." I thanked him for the tip. Not long after I hung up, the phone rang again. It was Sandra Burton, TIME's Beijing bureau chief, calling from the vicinity of the Square. I was supposed to relieve her for the graveyard shift. "They're shooting live bullets here," she said urgently. "Don't come here anymore. Phone New York and tell editors what's going on." It was Saturday noon, New York time, and I knew the latest weekly edition was about to go to press. I frantically dialed New York and promptly reached a top editor. "We're switching covers," he said decisively. "You guys have seven hours to file. Stay out of the firing line. Remember, no story is worth dying for," he said calmly. The TIME cover story that week told the horrific account of that fateful night. Since then, the Tiananmen story has been told and retold countless times all over the world with that day's harrowing tales and bloody images. Race to a safe house . Of course, the story didn't end there, though the lead article had gone to print. I drove to the TIME office to file more reports from TIME reporters and photographers. Remarkably, international phone lines remained open despite occasional threats to close them. Still, the bureau's two computers and one telephone modem were agonizingly slow. I tuned in local radio stations to monitor official news reports and commentaries, and started phoning sources. A septuagenarian Beijing resident told me: "I've seen World War II, I saw the communist occupation of Beijing in 1949, but I've never seen such a pili pala (hail of gunshots)!" I banged away at the bureau computer until nearly noon. With the story filed and the magazine put the "bed," I was preparing to leave the bureau when the phone rang. A female caller wondered if I could drive over to the Capital Hospital to pick up my friend Hou Dejian so he could go to a safe house. She made it sound so easy. It was not. In late May, just as the Tiananmen protests were petering out, Hou and three young Chinese intellectuals, led another round of "hunger strike" on the Square and gave a boost to the sagging student movement. When the PLA troops encircled the Square in the early morning of June 4, Hou helped broker the agreement with the army officers to open a corridor for the protesters to leave the Square safely. From the Square, it turned out, Hou took refuge in the Beijing hospital not far from the Square. Could I help? I hesitated but then agreed. I drove past carcasses of trucks and debris from the barricades along the virtually empty streets. Only helmeted PLA soldiers brandishing AK-47s stood stiffly at every other corner. As I pulled in front of the Capital Hospital, Hou and two other fellow hunger-strike leaders emerged from the gate and jumped into my car. On our way toward the safe-house, we stumbled into a group of PLA troops in one intersection. "Shall I proceed?" I ask the trio. "Yes," replied Liu. "No other choice," Hou agreed. We drove past the checkpoint and made it to their destination. Once inside the safe house, I was rewarded with three separate debriefings and eyewitness accounts of what happened on the Square when the PLA came to clear it. Months later, Hou gave me the ultimate compliment by sending a cassette tape of his latest songs. On the cover, he scribbled: "To the bravest driver in Beijing." | Jaime A. FlorCruz was TIME's correspondent in Beijing 25 years ago .
He filed stories from Tiananmen Square and drove hunger strikers to a safe house .
Passengers included later Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo and singer Hou Dejian .
FlorCruz saw people surround tanks, soldiers crying and violence . |
fbca752468709d94a64bd4255722f07758e7d83d | Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud dealt with the news he will be out for the rest of 2014 by watching his side qualify for a 17th consecutive Champions League group stage on TV with his left foot elevated on a pile of blankets. The France international striker underwent surgery on Wednesday after picking up an injury later revealed to be a small fracture near his ankle in the dying minutes of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Everton. After Arsenal beat Besiktas 1-0 courtesy a goal from makeshift striker Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger revealed he could be without his number one marksman until as late as January. VIDEO Scroll down for Arsene Wenger: Red card was harsh, Giroud out until December . Laid-up: Olivier Giroud's wife Jen posts a picture of the striker watching Arsenal beat Besiktas . Saviour: Giroud celebrates scoring the equaliser for Arsenal against Everton in their 2-2 draw . Nightmare: Arsenal physio Colin Lewin attends to Giroud after he sustained an ankle injury late in the match . ‘He had surgery today and it went well but he will be out for competitive action at top level until end of December, beginning of January,' Wenger revealed after the match. The absence of Giroud, who picked up the freak injury when the ball smashed into the sole of his boot forcing his foot towards his shin, leaves Wenger with a short supply of recognised strikers. But the manager says the set-back won't force him into a panic purchase. ‘I don’t know yet [on signing another striker] but we try to look around and we want quality. We have that with Walcott coming back soon - we have Podolski, Sanogo and Campbell too. ‘You can't always buy if you have a problem. If you have an injury after September 1, you have to live with it. ‘I bought Sanchez to be a striker. Walcott can be very good. Sanogo and Podolski can play there. Ask Campbell what he is, he will say a striker. They are players of quality and we will see.’ On target: Alexis Sanchez celebrates his first goal in an Arsenal shirt with Jack Wilshere (left) Right place, right time: Sanchez slotted home after the ball fell to him in the penalty area . Relief: Gunners players surround Sanchez after his vital goal put them into a 17th Champions League . It was indeed Giroud's understudy Sanchez who delivered the vital goal for Wenger on the stroke of half-time but it would have been tough viewing for Giroud as the Gunners battled to hold on. Giroud’s wife, Jen, posted a picture of her husband with his injured leg elevated as he watched Wednesday's game on TV. Giroud was rushed into surgery after seeing a specialist on Wednesday. The injury may have an impact on Wenger's movement in the transfer market both coming in and out of the club. Lukas Podolski was thought to be heading to Juventus but a loan move is now in doubt, while Wenger may need to strengthen the frontline further. Yaya Sanogo was in good form in pre-season, scoring four goals against Benfica in the Emirates Cup, but Wenger refuses to panic just yet and is still looking ahead to the Beskitas clash. It's not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There's £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . VIDEO We pushed Arsenal all the way - Bilic . | Arsene Wenger said Olivier Giroud could be out until early January .
French striker Giroud suffered a fracture in his leg against Everton .
Giroud watched Arsenal qualify for the Champions League on TV .
Stand-in striker Alexis Sanchez scored the winner against Besiktas . |
fbcac13851cc6714961cc8336a9d4f61c7838de1 | Belfast, Northern Ireland (CNN) -- Security was tight in Northern Ireland on Saturday for a contentious annual march by a Protestant group. Saturday's march by the Apprentice Boys through the mainly Catholic city of Londonderry is the largest of several they hold during the year, mainly in summer. The march commemorates the Siege of Derry in 1689, when thousands of Protestants died. Before the Londonderry parade was due to begin at 12:30 p.m. (7:30 a.m. ET), local members were also holding smaller "feeder" parades in their own areas. A feeder parade in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast, a flashpoint for sectarian violence, happened peacefully Saturday morning. Trouble flared in Ardoyne and other areas of Belfast last month after a decision to allow another Protestant parade to pass through a mainly Catholic neighborhood on July 12, a day when Protestants march to celebrate the victory of England's King William III over his ousted Catholic predecessor, James II, in 1689. Dozens of officers were hurt in days of violence surrounding the annual event, known as The Twelfth. Journalist Peter Taggart contributed to this report. | The Protestant march passes through a mainly Catholic city .
Saturday's march is the largest by the Apprentice Boys group .
Smaller marches are also taking place elsewhere Saturday . |
fbcb4f81dbd672aaafa3082c235eed9da3317497 | By . Daily Mail . PUBLISHED: . 17:08 EST, 9 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:28 EST, 9 May 2013 . Youtube joined the paid-content streaming video fray today as it officially outlined its selection of premium channels, many with a decidedly nostalgic bent, starting at $0.99 per month. Roger Corman's campy B movies, children's shows like ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘Inspector Gadget,’ and inspirational monologues by celebrities - these are among the offerings on 30 channels that will soon require a paid monthly subscription on YouTube. Although the world's largest video site has rented and sold movies and TV shows from major studios since late 2008, most people watch videos on YouTube for free. Classics: A screenshot shows The Henson Company's premium Youtube channel, one of 30 initially offered as the video giant enters the paid content market . It's the first time YouTube is introducing all-you-can-watch channels that require a monthly fee. The least expensive of the channels at will cost 99 cents a month but the average price is around $2.99. In the field of paid video content online, YouTube is playing catch up to services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon, all of which have millions of paying customers. Netflix shares soared in April after the runaway success of its original series House of Cards and expects similar returns from their release of new episodes of Arrested Development, a comedy that once aired on Fox. But with a billion monthly visitors from around the globe, the Google-owned video service hopes to quickly add subscribers and add to the money it already makes from online advertising. ‘This is just the beginning,’ said . Malik Ducard, YouTube's director of content partnerships. The site plans . to roll out a way for a broad number of partners to also launch pay . channels on their own soon. Campy: Roger Corman, whose credits included the cult camp classics Piranha and Little Shop of Horrors, will also have his own paid channel . And kids: Alongside Corman's classics will be channels offering old kids favorites like Inspector Gadget. Teh channels start off at 99 cents per month, but each is priced differently . Corman, . a producer and director whose influential cult classics like ‘Deathrace . 2000’ and ‘Piranha’ earned him an honorary Oscar in 2009, said he's . kept his 400-film library off of video streaming sites until now. In . an interview with The Associated Press, he said he turned down an offer . from Hulu for about $5,000 to $6,000 per film several years ago, but . sees promise in the YouTube offering. His channel, ‘Corman's Drive-in,’ will cost subscribers $3.99 per month for a rotating selection of 30 . movies, refreshed with new interviews and clips from films that are in . production. It is set to launch in June. ‘I . believed for many years that the future of motion picture distribution, . particularly for the independents, is on the Internet,’ said the . 87-year-old director. ‘I think the time is now.’ YouTube will keep slightly less than half of the revenue generated by the subscriptions. Corman's . wife and producing partner Julie Corman said they were taken aback at . YouTube's potential after a clip of their 2010 movie ‘Sharktopus’ went . viral with 11 million views. If even 1 percent of those viewers signed up for a subscription, it would amount to a healthy revenue stream, she said. ‘The numbers are astonishing. We're waiting for the fireworks display,’ she said. Different: Until now, the Google-owned company has largely been known for ad-driven content that is free to users. It now joins paid providers Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon . | Legendary 'Piranha' creator Roger Corman to have his own channel alongside the Jim Henson Company, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and around 30 others . |
fbcb58b9bf6e2ec0423dc0fcd32f6e13bf094518 | By . Paul Thompson . PUBLISHED: . 09:56 EST, 25 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:49 EST, 25 August 2013 . A sex education teacher has been accused of raping a 14-year-old student from her school. Rachelle Gendron is also alleged to have sent the teen photos of herself naked and topless during their affair. Prosecutors said the 27 year old sent dozens of text messages during the course of the affair which began last October. Charged: Former sex-ed teacher Rachelle Gendron, 27, was arraigned in court Friday on charges that she raped a 14-year-old student . Gendron looked visibly shaken and close to tears as she was arraigned on five rape charges aggravated by the age difference. She later openly wept in the courtroom watched by her mother as she was granted bail. Gendron was also charged with enticement of a child under the age of 16. Prosecutors told Worcester Superior Court they have strong evidence to support the charges. 'We have in our possession a number of text messages, as well of photos of Ms. Gendron in various states of undress with genitals and breasts exposed from the victim's cellphone, that support the allegations against her,' said Assistant District Attorney Cheryl Riddle. Gendron worked as a health and sex education teacher at North Central Charter Essential School in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. She was fired from her job after being arrested on the sex crime charges. Unemployed: Gendron has since been fired from her job as a teacher at the North Central Charter School in Fitchburg, Massachusetts . According to the indictments Gendron had sex with the boy three times in October of 2012, once in January and again in March of 2013. Sometime from April to March she enticed the boy, one indictment alleged. Gendron’s attorney Andrea Levy issued a statement denying the charges. 'My client Rachelle Gendron pleaded not guilty to the indictments. An indictment is merely an allegation and it’s the Commonwealth’s obligation to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt as to each and every element as to the offenses to which she is charged,' the statement said. 'She maintains her innocence and that’s why she entered the pleas of not guilty.' Gendron began teaching at the school in 2008. A graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, Gendron earned her B.A. in English and studio art (Summa Cum Laude). Gendron is a sister of Phi Beta Kappa and 'enjoys sleeping late, singing opera, healthy excess and anything "impractical,"' according to an online profile. Shame: Gendron's mother attended her daughter's hearing Friday, left. Gendron was visibly shaken as she listened to prosecutors speak of the sexual photographs found on the 14-year-old's phone . Still living with her parents: The 27-year-old Gendron has been living with her parents at their Fitchburg home ever since she graduated from college in 2004 . Police had begun investigating Gendron back in May, according to Fitchburg police Sgt Glenn Fossa. After Gendron’s arraignment on Friday, the North Charter school issued a statement expressing their 'shock and concern'. 'The North Central Charter Essential School’s highest priority is the safety and well-being of our students and we are both shocked and concerned by the allegations against the former employee in question,' the statement read. 'Upon first learning of those allegations, we took prompt and appropriate action consistent with the best interests of our students, which included swiftly terminating the individual and fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities investigating this matter. Until this matter is resolved, however, we cannot offer further comment.' Prosecutor Riddle requested a $5,000 bail. Defense attorney Andrea Levy asked for no bail on the promise Gendron return for her next court day on October 10. Judge James R. Lemire set bail at $2,000. Gendron is not allowed to contact the victim, not allowed to teach or have contact with children under 16-years-old, and must abide by a harassment order issued in Fitchburg District Court. Aggravated rape charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison in Massachusetts. | Former sex-ed teacher Rachelle Gendron was arraigned in court Friday on charges that she raped a 14-year-old student .
Prosecutors say they have evidence obtained from the victim's phone of Gendron in various states of undress .
They say she had sex with the victim five times .
If convicted, Gendron faces a minimum of 10 years in prison . |
fbcc629d6d52c3bca0e7b1c3723ad1d2257087d9 | By . Margot Peppers . PUBLISHED: . 19:35 EST, 11 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:35 EST, 11 February 2013 . Fashion designer Alfred Fiandaca - who was responsible for many of Ann Romney's campaign trail looks - has passed away at 72 . The fashion designer responsible for many of Ann Romney’s campaign outfits has passed away at the age of 72. Alfred Fiandaca - whose designs were favored by Mrs Romney during the 2012 Presidential race - died Saturday of a major stroke in West Palm Beach, Florida. Fiandaca divided his time between Boston, New York and Palm Beach, and is survived by his daughter, son and spouse, Carl Bartels. After founding his eponymous line in 1960, the designer opened up his first shop in Boston, Massachusetts. His tailored skirt suits and elegant dresses soon attracted the attention of political figures in Washington, among them Joan Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson. Actresses Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn also wore his creations. Mrs Romney, 63, had been a supporter of his ever since her husband Mitt was governor of Massachusetts. On the campaign trail, relatively unknown Fiandaca earned recognition for being the go-to designer for the Republican candidate's wife. Mrs Romney wore a crisp cream-colored skirt suit from his fall 2006 collection to the first presidential debate. Mitt Romney's wife Ann (pictured at the first Presidential debate in October) was a fan and friend of Fiandaca, and wore many of his designs on the campaign trail - including this cream skirt suit . The former Republican candidate's wife wore the fashion veteran's pink skirt suit (left) on the campaign trail and black leather ensemble (right) on the Jay Leno show . And the edgy black leather skirt suit she sported on the Jay Leno show was also one of his creations. Although Fiandaca was a Democrat, he . had no qualms about dressing the wife of the former Republican hopeful, . both of whom he counted as friends. In an interview with New York Magazine . last year, the fashion designer's rep described him as 'apolitical', . noting that he had dressed just as many Democrats as Republicans. His designs are sold in boutiques in Boston and Palm Beach, as well as an atelier in Manhattan's Garment District. Fiandaca was known among friends and in social circles in New York and Palm Beach for his outgoing and friendly demeanor. A third-generation member of the garment trade, the fashion veteran began cutting clothes when he was only nine. His glamorous designs have earned him recognition in the art world as well as the fashion world. In 2000, the Massachusetts College of Art presented an exhibition on his forty years of work, as well as creating a scholarship in his name. | Fiandaca was a favorite among political wives including Joan Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson and Nancy Reagan .
Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn also wore his elegant designs . |
fbcc69fb557cfe200d6c799c624e4abcfaa6fb56 | ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- Some Florida amusement park visitors may enjoy space-themed roller-coasters, but the first vehicle they board at Orlando International Airport may be the most futuristic ride of their vacation. Four hydrogen shuttle buses are part of the fleet at the Orlando International Airport. The airport is testing four Ford shuttle vans equipped with internal combustion engines modified to run on hydrogen instead of gasoline. "It's quiet, it doesn't shake like diesel, it doesn't have that diesel smell," said Rafael Sanchez, who has been driving the vans for a year. The quieter engine makes conversation inside the bus easier than in conventional vehicles. "Hydrogen is one of the many technologies we are exploring, trying to become more of a green airport," said Ronald Lewis, director of airport operations. Vehicles powered with hydrogen engines are different from the many vehicles across the nation that run with the help of hydrogen fuel cells -- which are the gold standard of green machines. The use of hydrogen in internal combustion engines is far less efficient than in the fuel cells. The modified engines aboard the Ford E-450 shuttle buses are 6.8 liter V-10s. The airport's fleet also includes three gas-electric hybrid vehicles and 24 biodiesel buses. The facility also powers its maintenance equipment -- such as lawnmowers and tractors -- with biodiesel. But like many experiments with alternative fuels, the price is very high and the long-term outcome is unknown. Proponents of hydrogen technology have long had a chicken-and-egg dilemma over whether to build million-dollar fueling facilities or to wait until more vehicles are in use. Energy companies are reluctant to pour money into expensive fueling stations without a lot of hydrogen vehicles around, but consumers are not likely to buy a vehicle without adequate places to fill up. "It is clear nothing is going to displace gasoline or diesel for 20, 30, maybe 40 years," said John Lapetz, who has been working on alternative fuels at Ford for more than 20 years. The Orlando project has several goals: To get average consumers acquainted with hydrogen and to acquire data on the buses' performance in a setting where they are in use almost nonstop. Lapetz said it's an effort to use a technology that customers take for granted (the internal combustion engine), while preparing for the day when drivers can complete the divorce from fossil fuels. At the Boggy Creek Hydrogen Fueling Station in Orlando, the hydrogen is produced on-site. "We are doing a process called steam methane re-forming, which is natural gas to hydrogen," said Puneet Verma, manager of biofuels and hydrogen at Chevron Technology Ventures, one of the players involved in the project. During a careful fueling process, technicians check for leaks of the highly flammable hydrogen -- leaks both in the bus and the fuel pump. Because a fossil fuel, methane, is used to make the hydrogen, the buses are about 12 percent cleaner than gasoline or diesel when their entire carbon footprint is measured. "We view the hydrogen efforts as a technical success," said Verma. "This is the first time we have been able to demonstrate actual production of hydrogen at the station. It's not necessarily an economic success yet." "The ultimate goal is hydrogen fuel cell cars," Verma said. "The hydrogen internal combustion engine buses are much less expensive to manufacture, but they consume a lot more hydrogen." Verma said the buses are "valid transition technology" aimed at quickly building significant demand for hydrogen, which would then justify an expensive infrastructure. The hydrogen test project also includes the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Ford Motor Company, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Progress Energy and SeaWorld. Hydrogen buses began shuttling SeaWorld employees in February from the park's outer parking lots to their workplaces. "The environment is really an important part of SeaWorld's culture here," said Kelly Bernish, director of environmental health and safety at Busch theme parks SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Bernish described the venture as another opportunity for "employees to feel like they can impact the environment by using this kind of vehicle, that will lessen our footprint on the world." SeaWorld's Discovery Cove animal training supervisor Jay Tacey said "somebody has to get the ball rolling. Until somebody takes that first step, there's always going to be the 'what if?' " Airport Operations Director Lewis said being in on the hydrogen experiment early could pay off in the long run. "We are hopeful that since they built the facility here, the only one in the southeast United States, that there will be a long-term usage for it." | Orlando airport tests cleaner hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines .
Smoother, quieter engines require million-dollar fueling stations .
Testers hope to learn more by gathering data from nonstop shuttle usage .
Hydrogen engines cheaper than hydrogen fuel cells, but they use more hydrogen . |
fbcc893497efa57a819ae0b71efcb8783533c11b | Lord Nelson's famous warship HMS Victory may have been painted the wrong colour after historians examining the ship found no evidence of the well known 'bumblebee' design in its original paintwork. Hundreds of fragments of the ship's original paint have been studied, with experts concluding that the hull was mostly black with varnished timber - not the pale orange and black design adorning the ship in a Portsmouth drydock today. The paint analysis may lead to HMS Victory being repainted in its traditional colours, and casts doubt on the legend that the current design was introduced on Lord Nelson's orders during an 1803 refit. Wrong colour: HMS Victory may have been painted the wrong colour after historians examining the ship found no evidence of the well known 'bumblebee' design in its original paintwork . Questions: The paint analysis casts doubt on the legend that HMS Victory's current design (masthead pictured left) was introduced on the orders of Lord Nelson (right) during an 1803 refit . Experts at the University of Lincoln's conservation institute described the current design as a 'hideous orange' that was brought in about 100 years after the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar. By that point HMS Victory had become a symbol of Britain's naval strength, and it is thought the bumblebee pattern was added during a renovation to give Nelson's flagship a more distinctive look. 'What you see today is largely an early 20th century invention of what an 18th century warship looked like,' the institute's founder Michael Crick-Smith told The Times - adding that the team's work was inspired by a item on the Antiques Roadshow. Mr Crick-Smith's team were able to peel back 72 layers of paint one-by-one to by the reveal the ship's changing decoration since it was first launched on May 7, 1765. According to the research, the ship was originally a simple black and vanished wood design when it first saw action at the Battles of Ushant in 1778 and 1781, the Siege of Gibraltor in 1782 and the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797. Is this really how it was? HMS Victory was depicted with two-tone paintwork in this painting of the Battle of Trafalgar by Turner from 1822 - 17 years after the event . History: Mr Crick-Smith's team were able to peel back 72 layers of paint one-by-one to by the reveal HMS Victory's changing decoration since its launch on May 7, 1765 . Later in 1797, HMS Victory was . declared unfit for service as a warship and was converted to a hospital . ship to hold wounded prisioners of war. Within . two years the ship returned to war service and, by the time Lord Nelson . hoisted his flag in Victory on 18 May 1803, it had been painted a light . shade of ochre - a kind of pale, rust colour. The research also suggests HMS Victory's deck - on which Lord Nelson was shot and killed by a French sniper during the Battle of Trafalgar - was a pale cream colour, not the bare wood often depicted in classical paintings. Meanwhile cabins on the ship, including the one belonging to Lord Nelson, are thought to have been much plainer than they look today. 'These were working spaces, not country houses at sea as they appear now,' Mr Crick-Smith said. Although it had been in service for 40 years by the time, HMS Victory's most famous moment came during the Battle of Trafalgar, when it was used as Lord Nelson's flagship. During the battle, Victory led 27 British ships to triumph over 33 from the French and Spanish navy. The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships, without a single British vessel being lost. The battle was seen as confirmation of Britain's naval supremacy - in part due to Nelson's unorthodox tactics. He went against traditional naval convention and divided his smaller force into two columns directed perpendicularly against the larger enemy fleet. The result was a decisive British victory, with the commander of the joint French and Spanish forces, Admiral Villeneuve, captured along with his ship Bucentaure. The battle is widely seen as Britain's greatest naval victory, but during the action Nelson was fatally wounded by a French sniper on the deck of HMS Victory. His body was brought back to England where he was given a state funeral. Nelson's death secured his position as one of Britain's most heroic military figures and numerous monuments, including Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square have been created in his memory. | Paint fragments suggest orange and black pattern was a modern addition .
The original HMS Victory is believed to have been black and bare wood .
Analysis may mean Lord Nelson's Battle of Trafalgar flagship is repainted . |
fbcce9d16590a782818c010b48d9c94434372498 | Serial killer Rodney Alcala, known as the ‘Dating Game Killer' due to his appearance on the famous television game show more than 30 years ago, was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison on Monday for murdering two New York women in the 1970s. Alcala, 69, already on death row in California for raping and mutilating four women and a 12-year-old girl in the Los Angeles area, was extradited to New York in June to face charges in the murders of flight attendant Cornelia Crilley, 23, and Ellen Hover, 23, the daughter of a nightclub owner. Crilley was found strangled in her Manhattan apartment in 1971. Hover's body was found in the woods of Westchester County, north of New York City, in 1977. The Manhattan district attorney's office brought charges against Alcala last year after conducting new interviews with more than 100 witnesses. Convicted California serial killer: Rodney Alcala was sentenced to at least 25 years in jail on Monday for murdering two New York women in the 1970s. Other killings: Alcala, 69, is already on death row in California for killing four women and a 12-year-old girl in the Los Angeles area . ‘I want to thank the family and friends of the two victims for their eloquent statements,’ Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Bonnie Wittner told the courtroom, which was packed with friends and family of Crilley and Hover. ‘This kind of case is the kind I've never experienced and hope to never again,’ Wittner said before turning away from her microphone and breaking into tears for a few seconds. ‘Sorry,’ the judge said as she gathered herself to continue. ‘I just want to say I hope the family finds some peace and solace.’ Wittner sentenced Alcala to 25 years to life in prison. The serial killer had already been sentenced to lethal injection in California for his 2010 conviction on the five Los Angeles area murders which he committed between 1977 and 1979. Alcala will now be returned to San Quentin, where he is actively appealing his death sentence. For the families and friends of the two murdered Manhattan women, the chance to confront Alcala and watch him being led in and out of court in handcuffs, offered a degree of closure, they said. ‘Mr. Alcala I want you to know that you broke my parents’ hearts and they never really recovered,’ Crilley's sister, Katie Stigall, 63, of Rockland County, said in an emotive victim impact statement. Measure of closure: Tearful family members at the Manhattan Supreme Court in New York on January 7, 2013, said they felt a measure of comfort and closure . Emotional day: Katie Stigell, left, sister of victim Cornelia Crilley and District Attorney Cyrus Vance, right, spoke in the court room after Alcala was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on Monday . Working as a professional photographer, Alcala, who is said to have an IQ above 160, lured his victims by offering to take their pictures, authorities say. While he has been incarcerated in New York, he has not had library privileges so he has not been able to conduct research and work on his case and he intimated in court on Friday that he is eager to resume work on trying to get himself off death row. Decades of suspicion, an indictment last year and 18 months of legal maneuvering over extraditing him culminated last month when he arrived in New York City on a U.S. Marshals Service plane. The convicted serial killer was placed in police custody. Alcala was indicted in January 2011, after the Manhattan district attorney's cold-case unit re-examined the cases, looked at countless documents that emerged during the California trial and conducted their interviews with the dozens of witnesses. 'It is my hope that this indictment brings a small measure of peace to the families and friends who have spent decades searching for answers, and justice,' Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance told the New York Post this summer. California authorities had said they were exploring whether Alcala could be tied to cases in New York and other states. They had released more than 100 photos, found in his storage locker, of young women and girls. 'These cases were built one brick at a time, as each new lead brought us closer to where we are today,' District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said when Alcala was indicted, adding that he hoped the indictment 'brings a small measure of peace to the families and friends who have spent decades searching for answers, and justice.' Young victims: Photos of Cornelia Crilley, left, and Ellen Hoover, right, who were murdered by Rodney Alcala in the 1970's were pictured at the Manhattan Supreme Court in New York . Hover, a Manhattan socialite with a degree in biology, was seeking a job as a researcher, a private investigator for her family said at the time. A talented pianist, she was 'enamored of the counterculture of the late 1960s,' her cousin Sheila Weller wrote in a 2010 Marie Claire magazine piece about Hover's death. Weller said last month she was gratified by Alcala's indictment in her cousin's death. Hover's disappearance and Crilley's death made headlines and spurred extensive searches in the early 1970s.TWA offered a $5,000 reward for information about Crilley's killing. Hover's relatives papered walls and kiosks with posters. A note in Hover's calendar for the day she vanished showed she planned to have lunch with a photographer she had recently met, according to the family's private detective and news reports at the time. Her lunch date's name, authorities later said, was an alias that Alcala used. Alcala had been a suspect in Crilley's death for several years. New York Police Department detectives investigating her killing went to California in 2003 with a warrant to interview Alcala and get a dental impression from him. A forensic dentist later found that a bite mark on Crilley's body was consistent with Alcala's impression, a law enforcement official said in December. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Photographer: Alcala, pictured in the late 70s around the age of 35, had . over 100 photos of unidentified young women and girls in his possession . which police are still trying to use to identify more potential victims . Admittance: Alcala seen during his previous murder trail in 2010 pleaded guilty to killing the two young women in New York City in the 1970s . Alcala has been behind bars since his 1979 arrest in one of the California killings -- the murder of Robin Samsoe, 12, of Huntington Beach. Before that arrest, he also served a prison sentence on convictions of giving marijuana to a minor and kidnapping and trying to kill an 8-year-old girl. Alcala had attended college and worked briefly as a typist at The Los Angeles Times, according to a 1979 story in the newspaper. He made his way onto a 1978 episode of 'The Dating Game,' the matchmaking show that was a hit in its era. Introduced as a photographer with an affinity for motorcycling and skydiving, the long-haired, leisure-suited Alcala won the contest. But the woman who chose him over two other contestants ultimately chose not to go on a date with him, saying he was 'too creepy.' Alcala’s conviction last year came after a series of trials, overturned convictions and strange courtroom moments. Acting as his own lawyer, the convicted serial killer offered a rambling defense that included questioning the mother of one of his victims, showing a clip of his appearance on 'The Dating Game' and playing Arlo Guthrie's 1967 song 'Alice's Restaurant.' Alcala fought his extradition to New York, saying he needed to stay in California to attend court hearings and do other preparatory work on his appeal. Passions: Alcala, believed to have taken these two women's photographs, described himself as a photographer with a passion for motorcycling and skydiving when he made an appearance on a TV dating show he won . Old-fashioned legwork : The cold case unit of the Manhattan district attorney's office brought charges against Alcala last year after conducting new interviews with more than 100 witnesses . | Rodney Alcala, known as the ‘Dating .
Game Killer' due to his appearance on the famous television game show in 1968, was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison for murdering two New York women in the 1970s .
Alcala, 69, is already on death row in .
California for raping and mutilating four women and a 12-year-old girl .
in the Los Angeles area between 1977 and 1979 . |
fbcd19386a1a9fb17571ba42137a475abc93e08b | Sportsmail's Martin Keown reflects on England's 3-1 victory over Scotland at Celtic Park on Tuesday. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring for Roy Hodgson's side before captain Wayne Rooney struck twice in the second half to seal victory over their closest rivals. England celebrated a 3-1 victory over Scotland at Celtic Park in an international friendly on Tuesday . Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came in well off the touchline for his goal but his all-round game was not good enough. He didn’t work hard enough off the ball and England cannot afford to carry anyone defensively. When Scotland had the ball, Oxlade-Chamberlain too often went into rest mode and Andrew Robertson stole a march on him too many times down the flank. He is always a threat going forward but he needs to get into a defensive position much quicker and learn to cut out the ball down the line. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the opening goal as he glanced home Jack Wilshere's cross . Wilshere was often caught out of position defensively at Celtic Park . He was guilty of not doing that for Arsenal against Swansea recently too and that left Calum Chambers far too exposed at right back. Oxlade-Chamberlain took his goal very well but there are still areas of his game that need improving. England need to get Jack Wilshere on the ball more. He’s our playmaker and is supremely talented and England weren’t looking for him enough against Scotland. When they did finally get him on the ball, we saw with the goal just what he is capable of. But Wilshere is partly to blame too. He was sometimes standing in positions where he couldn’t receive the ball that easily from his team-mates. He needs to work harder to find the space so the rest of the team can get him on the ball in dangerous positions. Wilshere produced a superb assist for England's opening goal and was a creative threat . The attitude of England’s players impressed me. They did not seem to have an eye on protecting themselves ahead of the return of the Premier League, they were fully committed. Danny Welbeck put in plenty of tasty challenges and Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw in particular looked well up for the game. This fixture might be a friendly by name but it clearly mattered more than that to Roy Hodgson’s men. It was good to see them showing some strong fighting spirit. England striker Danny Welbeck puts in a sliding tackle on Steven Whittaker . | England beat Scotland 3-1 at Celtic Park on Tuesday .
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened scoring for England .
Arsenal winger must track back defensively and not go into rest mode .
England must get playmaker Wilshere on the ball more . |
fbce33d26133187a9180ebd5c0a4d4c336c1dcd6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:07 EST, 15 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:16 EST, 15 January 2014 . The Little Couple star has released a new picture showing her in a hospital bed as she receives chemotherapy treatment. Jen Arnold, the matriarch of the TLC reality show, has taken the opportunity to thank her own mother as she goes through treatment for a rare form of cancer. 'My parents have been a great support during this challenging time! Love them! @judy_arnold,' she wrote as her lookalike mother posed beside her in the hospital bed. Grateful: Jen Arnold posted this photo to her Twitter account alongside her mother during chemotherapy treatment . The neonatologist-turned-reality star has been actively updating her fans about her health over social media ever since announcing the diagnosis in December, shortly after she and her husband brought their second adopted child to their home in Texas. Dr Arnold and her husband both have dwarfism due to a genetic condition, and her cancer diagnosis came after she had already been very open about their fertility struggles. In addition to posting photos of her adorable toddler Will, she regularly updates about how '#ChemoSucks' and the victories of accomplishing everyday tasks like taking down the Christmas decorations. An initial setback came when her chemotherapy had been postponed for a week because of low blood counts, but said the 'silver lining' was that she was able to have 'a better Xmas' with her family. Updates: Arnold has been very open during her illness and updating her thousands of fans often . Adjusting: The neonatologist and mother-of-two has decided to wear a wig for much of her treatment . She certainly made the most of it, baking cookies with her son Will, 3, and daughter Zoey, 2, while her husband Bill Klein cooked an Italian feast for Christmas Eve. She also shared pictures of her boy enjoying his presents on Christmas morning. Arnold, who has been wearing a wig, detailed the terrifying moment that she learned something was wrong in an interview with People magazine. 'There are moments I feel just terrible,' she told the publication. 'I can't believe it is happening. Other times, I feel like this is just a bump in the road.' The couple adopted son, Will, from China and they were in India to bring home their new daughter Zoey in October when Arnold began bleeding. Brave: Anrold, 32, is being treated for stage 3 choriocarcincoma, a cancer sparked by a non-viable pregnancy she had suffered . Family: Jen and Bill hold their son Will's hands as they walk to lunch. The couple adopted him from China last year . Desperate to stay with her daughter but feeling increasingly faint, Arnold made the difficult decision to return home. Once back in the U.S., she was diagnosed with stage 3 choriocarcincoma, a cancer sparked by a non-viable pregnancy she had suffered. Her fertility issues have been well documented on the show, and she was shocked when she became pregnant in August - although she said she was not surprised that an ultrasound showed the baby had no heartbeat. 'I had figured it wasn't going to be viable,' she told People magazine. The embryo was removed but cells were left behind and sparked the quick-growing cancer. She began intensive chemotherapy while her husband was still in India. But the mass in her uterus failed to respond to the chemo and grew four times its size - and then three tumors appeared in her lungs. 'Sometimes I think, "Seriously? Really? How can this be happening?"' she told People. Doctors were forced to give her a hysterectomy - which they saw as their last resort because of Arnold's small airway. | The 39-year-old was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer of the uterus after bleeding during a trip to adopt her daughter in India .
Is now in the midst of chemotherapy and has decided to wear a wig .
She had fallen pregnant in August but the embryo had no heartbeat and when it was removed, leftover cells led to the cancer .
Doctors later learned she had three tumors on her lungs . |
fbce3676058065ef58d55399466f05f62940d968 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 05:14 EST, 27 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:22 EST, 27 October 2013 . Swollen stomach: Hayley Barley, 24, suffers with Hirschsprung's disease which regularly causes her abdomen to swell to the point she looks pregnant . A mother-of-four has told of her anguish of constantly having to tell strangers she is not pregnant because of a rare condition which causes her stomach to swell. Hayley Barley, 24, suffers from Hirschsprung's disease which regularly causes her abdomen to swell to the point where she appears heavily pregnant. Mrs Barley revealed she is regularly asked for her due date and offered seats on buses from well-meaning people who have mistaken her serious bowel condition for pregnancy. She said: 'It's nice that people are kind, but their kindness just makes me feel more self-conscious. 'I'm normally size eight, and it's devastating to go through such a drastic change.' Mrs Barley, who is mother to Frankie, aged five, Sommer, four, Marshall, three, and one-year-old Caitlin, is being supported by her husband Frank, 42, as she prepares to undergo a life-changing surgery in December to remove most of her damaged bowel. The operation, which surgeons hope will stop the alarming swelling, will require her to be fitted with a colostomy bag. 'It's ruining my life,' she said. 'I have kids to look after, which is difficult enough without having to deal with my condition. 'I try to laugh it off when I'm out and about and people congratulate me for my 'pregnancy'. I keep a smile on my face, but it's always a difficult thing to hear. 'It's very thoughtful when people offer me their seat if I'm standing on a bus, but it also makes me feel awkward.' People are usually diagnosed with Hirschsprung's disease when they are children, but Mrs Barley did not begin to experience the stabbing pains and swelling associated with the condition until she was 12-years-old. Rare: Mrs Barley is often mistaken for being heavily pregnant by strangers who ask when her due date is . The condition means that part of her large intestine doesn't have any nerves, making it extremely difficult for material to pass through her digestive system. The result is frequently painful and dangerous bloating. Her stomach swells over the course of a month until the point where she is so bloated that moving and bending is extremely painful for her. She has visited hospital 69 times since 2009 for emergency procedures to relieve the pressure on her abdomen. If left untreated the condition, which is diagnosed in approximately one in 5,000 children, can lead to life-threatening infections. Even doctors have been misled by Mrs Barley's outward appearance. Drastic measures: Mrs Barley, who is normally a size eight, now intends to have an operation to remove most of her bowel to stop the bloating . She recalled: 'In December last year the pain became unbearable. My belly was the biggest it had ever been, and I couldn't stop being sick. 'Frank volunteered to look after the kids while I went to see a doctor. The first thing the GP asked was how far along I was. 'I tried to explain I wasn't pregnant and went through my medical history. But after he felt my stomach he was sure I was expecting and he even suspected I was in labour. 'He told me to go to hospital, explaining that the symptoms of my condition might have masked an actual pregnancy. 'I attended hospital but, of course, I wasn't pregnant at all.' Now Mrs Barley, from Birmingham, is coming to terms with having a colostomy at the age of 24. She said: 'It's a drastic step but I'm looking forward to not being in constant pain. Some people might look at me and think my 'baby bump' is a blessing, but it's been nothing but a curse.' Brave decision: Mrs Barley, pictured with her husband Frank, 42, knows the surgery is a drastic step but says it will be worth it to end the pain of her condition . | Mother-of-four Hayley Barley, 24, suffers from Hirschsprung's disease .
The serious bowel condition frequently causes her stomach to swell .
She is often asked her due date and offered seats on public transport .
Mrs Barley will now have an operation to remove most of her bowel . |
fbce7267a31be073d5d394811141d5120b5770fd | Reindeer meat may be considered a delicacy in some countries, but 30,000 years ago our European ancestors preferred eating mammoths. Cuts of reindeer were instead saved for their canine companions, according to research at Předmostí, a prehistoric site in the Czech Republic. The Gravettian people used the bones of more than 1,000 mammoths to build their settlement, as well as creating incredible ivory sculptures. Scroll down for video . Researchers at University of Tübingen wanted to know whether the Gravettian culture harvested the bones from already dead mammoths, or if they hunted them for food. Artist's impression of a mammoth pictured . But researchers at the University of Tübingen wanted to know whether the Gravettian culture harvested the bones from already dead mammoths, or if they hunted them for food. Scientists carried out an analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in human and animal fossil bones from the site. They then tested to see whether the Gravettian people ate mammoth meat by examining the bones alongside bones from dogs at the site. Reindeer meat may be considered a delicacy in some countries, but 30,000 years ago our European ancestors preferred eating mammoths. Cuts of reindeer were instead saved for their canine companions, according to research at Předmostí, a prehistoric site in the Czech Republic . Pictured is a Gravettian Upper Paleolithic Venus figure holding horn or cornucopia . Gravettian culture flourished 31,000 – 22,000 years ago in the European Upper Paleolithic era. The phase was characterised by a stone-tool industry with small pointed blades used for big-game hunting, such as bison, horse, reindeer and mammoth. It is divided into two regional groups: the western Gravettian, mostly known from cave sites in France, and the eastern Gravettian, with sites for mammoth hunters on the plains of central Europe and Russia. The culture appeared at a time when Neanderthals were being displaced by modern humans, who had entered Europe from Africa and the Middle East some 15,000 years before. During this process, Neanderthals retreated to the southern half of the Iberian Peninsula. The Gravettian people are famous for the many Venus figurines they created, which are widely distributed in Europe. Another famous prehistoric discovery of this period are the hand stencils in Cosquer Cave close to Marseilles. They discovered that the culture probably left behind large amounts of mammoth carcasses as shown by the finding that brown bears, wolves and wolverines also ate mammoths. Surprisingly, dogs in the settlement did not show a high level of mammoth consumption, but rather consumed reindeer meat. Scientists believe reindeers were hunted by the Gravettian people for their antlers to make tools, and their meat was also a small part of their diet. The culture appeared at a time when Neanderthals were being displaced by modern humans, who had entered Europe from Africa and the Middle East some 15,000 years before. The study confirms that mammoths were a key component of the prehistoric diet in Europe 30,000 years ago, and that dogs were already being looked after by humans. Separate research has found that the sudden appearance of dwellings built from mammoth bones was due to humans hunting alongside the earliest domesticated dogs. In May, Pat Shipman of Penn State University took a fresh look at European archaeological sites built with mammoth bones. 'One of the greatest puzzles about these sites is how such large numbers of mammoths could have been killed with the weapons available during that time,' she said. Professor Shipman used information about how humans hunt with dogs to formulate a series of testable predictions about these mammoth sites. 'Dogs help hunters find prey faster and more often and dogs also can surround a large animal and hold it in place by growling and charging while hunters move in. Both of these effects would increase hunting success,' she said. 'Large dogs like those identified by Germonpré either can help carry the prey home or, by guarding the carcass from other carnivores, can make it possible for the hunters to camp at the kill sites.' The study confirms that mammoths were a key component of the prehistoric diet in Europe 30,000 years ago, and that dogs were already being looked after by humans (artist's impression pictured) Předmostí I is a prehistoric site of the Gravettian people located near Brno in the Czech Republic . | Fossils were uncovered at prehistoric Předmostí site in Czech Republic .
Scientists studied nitrogen stable isotopes in human and animal fossils .
They found the culture left behind huge amounts of mammoth carcasses .
Dogs ate reindeer meat, probably discarded by their Gravettian owners .
The study shows how dogs were already being looked after by humans .
It also confirms importance of mammoth in the prehistoric human diet . |
fbcf0ea555d16c246697826bbb75e523b33ae30b | An Ohio teen driver and his instructor were killed during a Monday afternoon lesson after the young student drove past a stop sign and was hit by a minivan. Joseph Franks, 16, was reportedly behind the wheel of while 48-year-old Thomas Smith of Key Driving School instructed him, according to The Toledo Blade. Their vehicle drove past a stop sign at a Waterville Township intersection and was hit by the minivan - causing it to move off of the road, flip over and land in a nearby home's front yard. Both were killed at the scene. Driver: Joseph Franks, pictured, was killed during a driving lesson on Monday, along with instructor Thomas Smith . Minivan driver Kathleen Woods, 48, was also knocked off the road in her vehicle, and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the paper says. All three drivers wore seat belts during the crash. Neither car seems to have tried to brake. Cars used in driving instruction must have brakes on their passenger sides, where the instructors sit, Lt. Bill Bowers of the Ohio Highway Patrol told the Blade. The car involved in Monday's crash was to be inspected by police as part of their investigation. The driving school's owner, Bonnie Lech, told the paper the school's cars have the required two sets of brakes, for the driver and the instructor. She said she was waiting for the Highway Patrol's report about the crash to find out what happened. Support: Evergreen High School classmates of Joseph Franks, pictured, have reportedly planned to wear red on Tuesday in his memory . Accident: the two vehicles involved in Monday crash are seen here. Joseph Franks, driving the sedan seen left, was killed, as was his driving instructor Thomas Smith. Minivan driver Kathleen Woods survived and was treated for what authorities say were not life-threatening injuries . She said she was asking people to pray for the victims of the crash. 'My heart cries out for them,' she said. 'I don't have the words to say how bad I feel because I hurt so bad for them.' Twitter users and classmates of Franks at Evergreen High School have organized a plan to wear red at school on Tuesday in his memory, NorthwestOhio reports. Friends told the station that Franks was 'a happy guy' and 'a man of no worries. | Driving student Joseph Franks, 16, and instructor Thomas Smith, 48, were both killed after Franks drove past a stop sign during a Monday afternoon lesson .
Their vehicle was hit by a minivan - causing it to move off of the road, flip over and land in a nearby home's front yard .
Minivan driver Kathleen Woods, 48, was hospitalized for injuries that were not life-threatening .
Franks' classmates called him 'a happy guy' and 'a man of no worries' |
fbcf0fdf6e5ab75fc1d23cc4d649528a49902b0e | Grant Hanley has withdrawn from the Scotland squad for the 2016 European Championship qualifier against Poland on Tuesday night, the Scottish FA have confirmed. The Blackburn Rovers defender picked up a knee injury in the 1-0 Group D win over Georgia at Ibrox on Saturday. Hanley has struck up a partnership with Norwich City's Russell Martin under manager Gordon Strachan who has Brighton's Gordon Greer, Christophe Berra of Ipswich and Aberdeen's Mark Reynolds as possible replacements. Grant Hanley has withdrawn from the Scotland squad with a knee injury ahead of the clash with Poland . Hanley played in Scotland's 1-0 win against Georgia in Group D at Ibrox on Saturday . Poland sit top of the section with six points from two matches following their shock 2-0 home win over world champions Germany on Saturday. Martin, though, is armed with research on Bayern Munich danger man Robert Lewandowski and confidence from Scotland's recent performances on the road. 'We will watch all the videos on him before Tuesday,' said the 28-year-old. 'He is a fantastic player but the staff here prepare us for everything. 'But I'm sure we have seen enough of him in the Bundesliga with the goals he has scored to know how dangerous he is. So we will be ready.' Martin partnered Greer in the 1-0 friendly win over Poland in Warsaw in March which Lewandowski missed through injury. Russell Martin (left) is fully prepared to face Poland frontman Robert Lewandowski and confidence is high . Scotland stars (from left to right) Craig Bryson, Chris Martin, Craig Forstyth, Ikechi Anya, Christophe Berra arrive at Glasgow Airport on Monday . Scotland have also won in Croatia, Macedonia and Norway under Strachan and Martin is sure they can add another away win to their record against the confident Poles. 'We have had a lot of matches like the one we will get on Tuesday over the last 18 months and the way we have dealt with them has been brilliant,' he said. 'If we can keep that level up I'm confident we can get a result. 'Mentally it is a boost that we have already been to Poland this year and won. We know we can go there and do it. 'They had a couple of players missing on that night, but the way we are playing at the minute, we can be confident of going anywhere and putting in a performance that we can be proud of. 'The manager is always on to us that he wants us to put in a showing that we can be proud of. We did that against Georgia and we have to do the same against Poland on Tuesday.' Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher and Gordon Strachan appeared in good spirits upon arrival at the airport . | Grant Hanley picked up knee injury in 1-0 Group D win over Georgia .
Blackburn centre back will miss Scotland's qualifier against Poland .
Tuesday night's opponents Poland sit top of the group after shock win over world champions Germany . |
fbcfc454b04925a126a1bf1282b428058506ecfd | To paraphrase "The Social Network," if Abraham Lincoln had invented Facebook, he would have invented Facebook. But in a tall tale that would have made the Great Emancipator proud, a blog post saying that he did just that was making the rounds Wednesday. And some online media outlets were quick to take the bait. Blogger Nate St. Pierre, a consultant who works with blogs and other Web businesses to help grow their sites, posted a fantastic yarn Tuesday about stumbling upon a tombstone in Wisconsin that ultimately led him to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois. There, he discovered an 1845 patent filed by Honest Abe for a sort of personalized newspaper in which "every Man may have his own page, where he might discuss his Family, his Work, and his Various Endeavors." Each page would feature a profile picture at the top left. The user's name, address and profession would appear at the top. On a sample page, Lincoln shared two poems he "liked," a short story about the Pilgrims and details about what he did that day (went to the circus). "Put all that together on one page and tell me what it looks like to you," St. Pierre wrote. "Profile picture. Personal information. Status updates. Copied and shared material. A few longer posts. Looks like something we see every day, doesn't it?" In short: Lincoln envisioned a paper version of Facebook, 160 years before Mark Zuckerberg. Except for the fact that none of it is true. "I just wanted to have fun with it," St. Pierre said Wednesday. "I've done this before. Every couple of years, I do a hoax. I knew this would go big but didn't expect those dozens of outlets to just run with it without 30 seconds of fact-checking." For careful readers, St. Pierre's post is sprinkled with what should have been plenty of red flags. For one, he writes that his search began after he discovered an apparent friendship between Lincoln and legendary huckster P.T. Barnum. You know, the guy widely believed to have said, "There's a sucker born every minute" and "You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time." (Both of those quotes, by the way, may not have actually been said by Barnum.) He even quotes Wikipedia's entry calling Barnum "an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes." The tombstone in question supposedly belonged to a carny who brags on it about how he "bluffed" Lincoln and Barnum in a poker game. And photos like the one shown on the page Lincoln supposedly created wouldn't appear in newspapers for several more decades. "I just did it for fun: an homage to P.T. and his hoaxes ... and Abe's tall tales," St. Pierre said. "Just something fun like that for the modern day." But he also wanted to make a bigger point: "That the Internet would fall over itself to be first and share without checking." In the first 24 hours after he posted, the article was shared on Facebook more than 10,000 times, St. Pierre said, adding that his personal blog got more than 50,000 visitors. Forbes magazine posted a story under the headline "Abraham Lincoln Filed a Patent for a Dead-Tree Facebook in 1845." By Wednesday morning, that story had been pulled. "A Forbes contributor took Nate St. Pierre's story at face value," a spokeswoman said in an e-mail. "Once Forbes realized it was a prank, the article was pulled from the site." Tech blog ZDNet did the same. As of Wednesday afternoon, the story was still online, with a note saying that it's a hoax and with some, but not all, of the fake information crossed out. (Hey, a page view is a page view, right?) At tech blog The Next Web, a story was followed by another pointing out that the too-good-to-be-true story was, in fact, too good to be true. The first line of the original story? "You can't make this stuff up, folks." Next Web writer Drew Olanoff said the story was popping up elsewhere online when he posted it under the site's "Shareables," section, which features mostly fun, light-hearted stories. "While it probably should have been marked as fiction by the author, who is obviously extremely imaginative, these things do happen," he said in an e-mail. "I'm sure it got him the attention he was seeking." For his part, St. Pierre said, he enjoyed watching tech bloggers on Twitter first share the story but then argue amongst themselves about who got fooled first. "Dude, you both got punked," he said with a laugh. And while St. Pierre's story was made up, he may have gotten a little closer to the 16th president's true nature than he realized. Lincoln never envisioned creating a way for his contemporaries to share cute pictures of their cats, much less play FarmVille (which no doubt would have seemed less exotic in rural 19th-century America). But he did become the only U.S. president in history to hold a patent for an invention. According to the Smithsonian, Lincoln filed in 1849 for a patent on a tool designed to lift ships off of sandbars. That tool, much like Abe's proto-Web startup, never became a reality. | Blog post about Abraham Lincoln and Facebook fools the Web .
Blogger Nate St. Pierre wrote that Lincoln patented a personal newspaper .
The fake paper would feature personal information and "status updates"
He meant it to be a joke, but several news sites reported it as fact . |
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