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fbefd79d02db0adf213bc9625c58f9a92c747010 | Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's position has been cast into further doubt after it emerged the club are monitoring Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto. Sportsmail revealed earlier this month that the Gunners will make a new No 1 a summer priority. And club scouts have made checks on Brazil keeper Neto - who is also a target for Liverpool and Juventus - ahead of a potential summer move. Arsenal are monitoring Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto as new No 1 is summer priority . Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has lost his place in the side in recent weeks . Szczesny has not featured for Arsene Wenger's side since the New Year's Day defeat by Southampton . David Ospina has started the last three Arsenal games without conceding a goal . Szczesny's future has been thrown into huge doubt in recent weeks after losing his place to David Ospina following a loss of form and his smoking shame at Southampton on New Years Day. The Pole is unlikely to accept spending a season on the bench and the arrival of a new keeper ahead of the next campaign could signal his departure from the Emirates Stadium. Speaking on Thursday, Wenger refused to confirm whether Szczesny or Ospina will at against Brighton on Sunday. Wenger regularly plays his second choice goalkeeper in the FA Cup and the manager's team selection on Sunday could provide a major clue towards Szczesny's long term future at the club. | Sportsmail revealed that Arsenal will make signing a new No 1 a priority .
Arsenal are monitoring Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto .
Wojciech Szczesny has lost his place to David Ospina in recent weeks .
The Pole has not played since the New Year's Day defeat by Southampton . |
fbf0a110d27a277ecd58786573a59ff2588fafa2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:21 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:33 EST, 17 March 2014 . A man from North Dakota had a lucky escape after a drunk driver crashed his car through the wall of his house. Nic Podoll, 28, was treated at a hospital and released after a motorist crashed his pickup truck into his home in Oakes. The Highway Patrol says the truck went through the dining room, living room and bathroom before coming to rest in a bedroom about midday on Sunday. Close call: A pickup truck crashed into the house injuring a 28-year-old man inside. The man's wife and 2-year-old daughter were not hurt . Almost killed: Alicia and Nic Podoll were sitting in the next room when a pickup truck careered through the walls of their house in North Dakota. Their two-year-old daughter was also nearby . Authorities say Mr Podoll was injured when he was struck by debris. His wife Alicia, 25, and 2-year-old daughter Anna, were not hurt. They were in the next room when the car crashed through the walls.[ . The patrol identified the driver of the pickup who veered off the highway as 38-year-old Dale Smith Jr. He was arrested for dui and taken to a hospital in Fargo. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for unspecified injuries and arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Narrow escape: Nic and Alicia Podoll were almost killed when a truck went through the dining room, living room and bathroom before coming to rest in a bedroom about mid-day Sunday . Minor injuries: Nic Podoll was slightly injured by some flying debris, but incredibly he and his wife, Alicia, for the most part escaped unhurt . Drunk: The Highway Patrol identified the driver of the pickup as 38-year-old Dale Smith Jr., of Oakes. He was taken to a hospital to be treated for unspecified injuries and arrested on suspicion of drunken driving . | Crash happened on Sunday afternoon after drunk driver veered off highway .
Nic Podoll and his family were sitting in the next room when the accident occurred .
Incredibly he was only slightly hurt by some flying debris whilst his wife and kid were unscathed .
Driver has been charged with DUI . |
fbf0c37b3a0be3359b0a889e8ba748a150aa29d5 | Despite her adorable appearance, Rieke the one-month-old baby orangutan was tragically rejected by her mother after being born. But the good news is the lovable baby monkey is on the way to the UK where she will be re-homed at a rescue centre. Rieke was born on January 12 at Berlin Zoo and soon afterwards it became clear to keepers that the little one was not being accepted by her mother, the 11-year-old Djasinga. Scroll down for video . Coming to Britain: Rieke the cute the baby orangutan is set to move in to the Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset . In order to make sure she has an upbringing as natural as possible, she is being transported to England and will live at the Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset. The orangutan's keeper Ruben Gralki, 36, said: 'We did everything we could to try and encourage a relationship between the two but several hours after birth it was decided that the baby would be separated from its mother and bottle fed.' Despite the worries around the relationship with her mother, the baby appears to be thriving and has become a massive hit in German social media. User Anke Angelka was a typical commentator when she wrote: 'This little girl is sugar-rush cute!' Adorable: The charming baby monkey was born in Berlin Zoo on on January 12 . Tiny: The baby weighed a tiny 1.8 kilograms, normally regarded as small for an orangutan but nevertheless the infant is healthy and strong . While another simply said: 'I. wanna. have. it'. Rieke is currently being cared for by three different keepers, who feed her with bottles. Once in Dorset Rieke will have a friend in the five-month old Sumatra orang-utan, Bulu Mata. 'It will be very difficult to give Rieke up after all of our teamwork, but this is the best place for the little orang-utan girl,' said Ruben Gralki, one of her zoo carers. 'We are definitely going to miss her all the same.' Rejected by mother: After her birth, it became clear to keepers that the little one was not being accepted by her mother, the 11-year-old Djasinga . Online hit: The baby orangutan is already popular with Germans after Berlin Zoo released pictures of the adorable new arrival . The baby weighed a tiny 1.8 kilograms, normally regarded as small for an orangutan but nevertheless the infant is healthy and strong. For 11-year-old mother Djasinga it was her first baby and sadly she failed to bond with the newborn . An exact date for her move has yet to be determined, but as soon as the paperwork for Rieke's move to England is cleared, the logistics will be worked out. Officials also said that it is most likely Rieke will be transported by car. Cheeky monkey: An exact date for her move has yet to be determined, but as soon as the paperwork for Rieke's move to England is cleared, the logistics will be worked out . Looking up: Once in Dorset Rieke will have a friend in the five-month old Sumatra orang-utan, Bulu Mata . | Adorable orangutan called Rieke was born on January 12 at Berlin Zoo .
Monkey is already huge hit online but has been rejected her her mother .
Now keepers have decided to move animal to a rescue centre in Dorset . |
fbf0e822ad49ea9b9192399eaf78f58887054936 | (CNN) -- Liverpool want to avoid playing on the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster and UEFA president Michel Platini says he will "do his utmost" to make it a reality. Liverpool fans had to be treated on the pitch as the tragedy unfolded at Hillsborough in 1989. The anniversary falls on April 15, one of two dates set aside for the second leg of this season's Champions League quarterfinal ties, the other being the previous day. European governing body UEFA issued a statement from Platini, rejecting reports that they had snubbed the appeal by Liverpool. "We are aware of the huge significance of the April 15 date for both Liverpool FC and their fans, and that is why we will do our utmost to make sure that the club does not have to play its UEFA Champions League second leg quarterfinal match on that day," Platini said. "This being the 20th anniversary of that tragic disaster in 1989 makes it even more relevant and we will take this into account." Ninety six people died when Liverpool supporters were crushed at the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough on April 15, 1989, before the start of their team's FA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest. A cousin of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was among the dead, and the England midfielder has urged UEFA to be sympathetic to the club. Gerrard told Press Association at the weekend: "We're still waiting to see whether UEFA will make us play on the day. That would be far from ideal given all the emotion that always surrounds the club on that day." Liverpool have never played a game on the anniversary of the tragedy. The Champions League quarterfinal draw takes place on Friday with four English clubs in the draw and no seedings in place. Liverpool reached the quarterfinals with a superb 4-0 home win over Real Madrid last week and followed it up with a 4-1 thumping of Manchester United to revive their Premier League title hopes. | Liverpool anxious to avoid playing on 20th anniversary of Hillsborough tragedy .
April 15 is one of the two dates nominated for Champions League quarterfinals .
UEFA president Michel Platini personally intervenes to ensure date stays free . |
fbf108fe215dbb9c4a741604704b09e78133a5bd | Poachers in search of ivory in northern Cameroon have slaughtered nearly 300 elephants for their tusks since mid-January, according to the country's minister of forestry and wildlife. Minister Ngole Philip Ngwese backed up a claim by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) that an armed gang of Sudanese poachers had killed the free-roaming elephants in the Bouba Ndjida National Park, on Cameroon's border with Chad. Park officials say many orphaned elephant calves have been spotted, and concerns are high the babies may soon die of hunger and thirst. One park official, Bouba Jadi, told CNN the deaths are worsening the situation for Cameroon's already threatened elephant populations. According to official estimates, there are between 1,000 and 5,000 elephants in Cameroon. Officials on a tour Monday saw at least 100 elephant carcasses. More carcasses are expected to be found in unexplored regions of the national park. A massive crackdown on poachers has been launched, according to officials in the west Central African nation. "It was common for armed gangs of poachers to cross from Sudan during the dry season to kill elephants for their ivory. But this latest massacre is massive and has no comparison to those of the preceding years," IFAW official Celine Sissler Bienvenu told a local newspaper, The Voice. She added that the ivory is smuggled out of West and Central Africa for markets in Asia and Europe, and money from ivory sales funds arms purchases for use in regional conflicts, particularly ongoing unrest in Sudan and in the Central African Republic. Cameroon shares a porous border with Chad. Armed insurgents from Sudan and the Central African Republic seeking elephants frequently travel through Chad. Observers in Cameroon have been blaming the raids on poorly trained and ill-equipped park guards, who are pitted against professional gangs of poachers. | Poachers are killing the elephants for their tusks .
The ivory is smuggled to markets in Asia and Europe, an animal welfare official says .
Money from ivory sales buys arms for use in regional conflicts, the official says . |
fbf1550978456da9b41e27609b75dd422bf8f789 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 03:34 EST, 1 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 1 June 2013 . A British adventurer bidding to row across the North Pacific Ocean has told of the terrifying moment her boat capsized in the dark, bringing back awful memories of her failed attempt the previous year. Sarah Outen, 28, has spent the last six days stuck in her tiny cabin, often strapped to her bed in case her rowing boat capsizes again. She is attempting, for the second time, to become the first person to row single handed the 4,500 nautical miles across the North Pacific Ocean from Japan to Canada. Her attempt last year was cut short after it was hit by the Tropical Storm Mawar. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . All at sea: Sarah in her boat Happy Socks as she rows 4,500 nautical miles across the North Pacific Ocean . Human . power: Sarah is pictured leaving Choshi Marina, Japan, in April for her . six month trip. If she completes the challenge she will become the . first person to row single handed from Japan to Canada . Sarah shaved her hair for the trip and suffered seasickness early on. She trained for months for the voyage . Speaking from her cabin in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean, Sarah, from Oakham, Rutland, told MailOnline she was hoping the weather would change today to allow her to resurface from her cabin and continue rowing. She said: 'It's been a challenge so . far. I always knew it would be a challenge to come back, both . emotionally and also physically. 'This ocean is a big, rough old ocean and I have certainly had my fair share of rough water so far.' The audacious attempt is in fact part of an even bigger challenge to loop the planet, using human power only, in her London2London: Via the World expedition. She embarked on the challenge in April 2011 and the first year saw her cycle and kayak more than 11,000 miles from London to Choshi, Japan. But last year her attempt to row solo across the North Pacific Ocean had to be abandoned after her boat Gulliver was badly damaged after being battered by 15 metre high waves and 80mph winds in the tropical storm. Home from home: Sarah drys her socks in the afternoon sun on her makeshift washing line on board . Phoning in: She can keep in touch using a satellite phone from her cabin where she stores her food and sleeps . The 28-year-old is the first woman and the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean which she completed in 2009 . She then spent nine months back home preparing to take on the challenge again and on April 27 she set off from Japan in her second bid to complete the six-month journey. Sarah, from Oakham, Rutland, said she had rowed 1,100 miles east of Japan in just over a month at sea in her new boat, Happy Socks. She still has about 3,200 miles to go before she reaches Canada, but has already capsized twice. She said: 'The first time was a bit of a relief actually because I was very nervous about it. 'Last year I capsized 20 times and it was really a frightening experience to be in the cabin with the water coming in, so I was quite nervous about it.' All . alone: She plots her journey from her cabin. She stores six months . worth of food on board and uses a desalination machine to convert . seawater into drinking water to cook, drink and wash . Charity: . Sarah's aim is to raise more than £100,000 in sponsorship for her good . causes - CoppaFeel!, The Jubilee Sailing Trust, MNDA and WaterAid . But while she may have been 'relieved' to survive the first capsizing, it was a much more frightening experience when her boat overturned for a second time this week. She said: 'Two nights ago I capsized in the dark and that really shook me up and brought back lots of memories of last year. 'This last week has been really quite rough weather and the wind has been blowing from the east, so it means it's both dangerous and I can't row in the direction I want to, so it's been pushing me back to Japan, which means I have been consigned to the cabin for the last six days. 'And when it's rough, in case you capsize, you have to strap yourself to the bed, so I have literally been laid down for six days, strapped to my bed which has been really quite uncomfortable.' Rescue: . Sarah first attempted the row in May last year, but the challenge was . cut short when she hit a typhoon several hundred miles off the coast of . Japan. She is pictured here being rescued by the Japanese coastguard . She was forced to abandon her boat Gulliver after being battered by 15 metre high waves and 80mph winds . Rescuers help Sarah to safety after her boat capsized more than 20 times and suffered irreparable damage . But she was hoping to be able to start rowing again today as the weather was due to change. She said: 'That is the good thing about being out here, it's a really good reminder that nothing lasts forever - you get some weather coming in but it will change after a few days. 'It looks like I should be able to start rowing again tomorrow. 'I'm definitely looking forward to having a good stretch and eating some cooked food. Sarah is aiming to raise more than £100,000 in sponsorship for her good causes - CoppaFeel!, The Jubilee Sailing Trust, MNDA and WaterAid. To follow Sarah's journey as she attempts to row across the North Pacific Ocean visit sarahouten.com. | Sarah Outen attempting to row from Japan to Canada for the second time .
Her first attempt was cut short after Tropical Storm Mawar hit .
Attempt is part of challenge to loop the globe using human power only . |
fbf19ec35c228df7a5201c4fb05553ef14901bb1 | Shamed former Tory peer Lord Hanningfield is set to be suspended from the House of Lords for claiming more than £3,000 for work he did not do, it was announced today. The former Essex County Council leader was caught turning up at Parliament to 'clock in and out' to claim his daily allowance before leaving minutes later to go home. Parliamentary sleaze chief, the Lords Commissioner for Standards, investigated 11 occasions when the peer spent less than 40 minutes in Parliament but claimed the full £300. He found that Hanningfield 'did not undertake parliamentary work' on these days and should be kicked out of the Lords until next year for ripping off the taxpayer. But, it emerged today that Hanningfield tried to avoid punishment by claiming he needed the cash to pay for staff to look after his animals. The former Lords opposition frontbencher and Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield has already spent time in jail for expenses fraud . He told the inquiry, set up to investigate his behaviour, that he had to fork out for staff throughout the year - even when Parliament was not sitting . The peer said his monthly staff wage bill amounted to 'approximately £1,500 alone' He revealed that he employed a man called 'Bruce' to 'care for Theodore (my Bernese mountain dog) and my chickens whilst I am in London'. Bruce, he added, 'also helps me to perform various administrative tasks (i.e. scanning, typing etc.) when working from home'. But the Lords Standards Commissioner, ex-Hampshire chief constable Paul Kernaghan, ruled that Hanningfield had ripped off the taxpayer for £3,300 in daily allowance claims by clocking in but not working. In making these claims Hanningfield 'failed to act on his personal honour', Mr Kernaghan said. It is the second time the peer has been caught ripping of Parliament's pay and expenses regime. He served nine weeks in prison in 2011 for fiddling £28,000 in expenses. Hanningfield will now be forced to repay the £3,300 he wrongly claimed this time. He also faces being suspended from the House of Lords until at least May next year - the maximum punishment available. Lord Hanningfield was given a peerage in 1998 before becoming the Tory leader of Essex County Council in 2001. The peer, who was born Paul White, ran the Chelmsford council for 10 years while also sitting in the Lords. But his career and reputation were left in ruins in 2011 after he was found guilty of fiddling his expenses and jailed for nine months. The trial heard how he claimed nearly £14,000 - including £174 for overnight stays in London when he was not in the capital. As a result, he was expelled from the Conservative Party - but was able to cling on to his position in the Lords as an independent. Under the archaic rules of the House of Lords, peers cannot be kicked out permanently - even if they have been jailed. After Hanningfield's suspension was lifted in early 2012 he began turning back up at Parliament - pocketing an average of £3,206 a month, tax free. However, just a year after his suspension was lifted he was caught 'clocking in' to claim his daily allowance without doing any work. In July last year he was filmed 11 times going into Parliament before coming out to go home within less than half an hour. Following an inquiry into the allegations the peer was today attacked by the Lords Commissioner for Standards. Ex-Hampshire chief constable Paul Kernaghan urged peers to suspend Lord Hanningfield for the rest of the Parliament - which runs until the next election in 2015. The Tory peer was caught by the Daily . Mirror claiming the daily attendance allowance on 11 days in July 2013 . when he had not done any work. Under . House of Lords rules, peers only have to sign-in personally in . Westminster to get their hands on the £300-a-day 'attendance allowance'. But in his report to . the House of Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee, which investigates . sleaze claims, the Commissioner said peers must also 'undertake . parliamentary work on the day of the claim'. The Commissioner said Hanningfield was unable to show that he undertook any parliamentary work on the days when he was caught clocking in and out in under an hour. The recommendation to suspend Hanningfield must now be approved by peers in the House of Lords before coming into force. Peers will be asked to approve the report and the suspension tomorrow. Despite Hanningfield's suspension, he will be able to take back his seat after the next election. Even peers jailed for serious criminal offences, like Hanningfield, cannot be permanently removed from the House of Lords. MPs lose their seats if they are sentenced to more than a year in prison. But peers can only be banned from the Lords for the duration of their sentence - or until the next election. Tory peer Lord Archer was jailed for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice in 2001. He had lied under oath during his 1987 libel case against the Daily Star over allegations he had sex with a prostitute. Yet he is still a peer and has been allowed to keep his seat. Jailed former media tycoon Conrad Black spent three years in a US jail for defrauding investors. He was released in May last year and may return to the Lords. Hanningfield and Lord Taylor of Warwick, both jailed for fiddling their expenses, have kept their seats in the House of Lords. They are all eligible for a £300 attendance rate. But Hanningfield, 73, speaking for the first time since the damning judgement was published this morning, insisted he was 'unaware' at the time that he was doing anything wrong. He said he regarded his peer's allowances as a 'de facto salary' and made it clear he intended to return to the House of Lords after his suspension. Lord Hanningfield, pictured here in his full Parliamentary costume, is now facing being kicked out of Parliament twice in his career. His behaviour has led to calls for peers to be able to be permanently banned from the House of Lords . Hanningfield said: 'Since my release from prison and return to the House, I have had but one goal in mind, and that is to return to work and continue to serve the taxpayer, something I believe I have tried my very best to do since I became a peer in 1998. 'Following my release from prison I was suffering from psychological and physical health problems, I was anxious about returning to the House following my suspension and while it was thoughtless of me to claim the full allowance on the 11 dates in question, considering I spent so little time on the parliamentary estate, I never attempted to hide any of these transgressions, simply because I was unaware that what I was doing was wrong. 'Nevertheless, I would like to thank my fellow peers, and members of the general public, for their ongoing support during what has been the most difficult period of my life. 'I regret that my mistakes have ultimately resulted in me being suspended from the House but would like to assure the people and organisations that I was in the process of helping that I will continue with the work that I have started, outside the Lords, to ensure that our efforts will not have been wasted upon my return. 'Like many other Lords, I believe the allowance to be a 'de facto' salary, something which the Commissioner himself conceded in his report, is an acceptable way to view it. 'As I have stated many times before, I claim the allowance on 100 days during the year, which amounts to an annual salary of £30,000 and no more. I also consider myself to be a working peer every single day of the year and regularly conduct parliamentary work outside of the parliamentary estate, from my home in Essex. 'And so, even if I am not speaking in the House or participating in a debate or vote, I am still required to travel to the House in order to claim the allowance, just as there are many more days a year where I will work all day and not claim at all. 'The fact remains that the Daily Mirror elected to follow me and monitor my movements over the course of a month in which I was decidedly unwell, and I maintain that had they chosen to do so in any other month since, they would have gleaned an entirely different account of my activities and efforts, one which far more accurately reflects my normal routine. 'The House of Lords does not offer any form of 'sick pay' and while I realise that my efforts to return to the House proved to be counter-productive, I rely on the aforementioned allowance in order to pay the various people whom I employ. 'It appears that I am now going to be reprimanded, on a technicality, as I could not provide "substantial" evidence of the work that must be carried out on the days in question, in order to justify the claim, even though that would appear to contradict the principal idea that the allowance may indeed be viewed as a 'de facto' salary. 'It will be difficult to recover from this most recent setback but that has never stopped me before. It will at least allow me the opportunity to complete the book I have begun to write on my life, and the last five years in particular.' Many MPs are concerned that continuing headlines about Parliament's expenses regime is undermining the public's trust in politics. Labour's John Mann has called for Lord Hanningfield to be banned for life . Labour MP John Mann called on the Government to introduce legislation in next month's Queen's Speech to automatically expel anyone committing a criminal offence from the House of Lords. The Bassetlaw MP said: 'A one-year ban is hopelessly inadequate. Lord Hanningfield should be banned for life. 'If this were a case of a benefits cheat who repeatedly offended, he would receive a significant prison sentence. 'A lifetime ban is the only appropriate punishment for the 'clocking in' Lord Hanningfield." Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'It's hard to imagine what else Lord Hanningfield could do to be thrown out of the House of Lords for good. 'It's welcome news that he's been suspended for the rest of this Parliament but taxpayers are right to be angry that he'll be back on the red benches in a year's time. The reputation of Parliament will be dragged even deeper into the mud if he has the cheek to take another penny from the taxpayer. 'The system should be reformed so those with criminal convictions can be expelled permanently.' | Lord Hanningfield claimed daily allowance 11 times without doing any work .
Needed cash to pay 'Bruce' to care for Bernese mountain dog and hens .
But sleaze chief says he should be suspended until the next election .
Archaic rules mean he cannot be kicked out of Lords permanently .
In 2011 he served nine weeks in prison for fiddling £28,000 in expenses .
Hanningfield insists he was 'unaware' that he was doing anything wrong .
Claims he has only been reprimanded on a 'technicality'
Says suspension will allow him to finish book on his life over last 5 years . |
fbf1d9e74de3d19a4ff5714e769db57cacb6f025 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 01:58 EST, 7 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:58 EST, 7 March 2014 . Police say they have evidence that two sisters found dead last month in the Pittsburgh home they shared were killed by their next door neighbor. Allen Wade, 43, turned himself in on Wednesday on charges including criminal homicide, robbery, theft and a firearms violation in the slayings of Susan Wolfe, 44, and Sarah Wolfe, 38, his former neighbors. Wade claims he is innocent of any crime, but surveillance footage and DNA sample link him to the crime, police say. Booked: Double-murder suspect Allen Darell Wade turned himself in to police Wednesday after he was charged with murder . 'I'm 100 per cent innocent. I didn't do . anything wrong,' Wade said as detectives took him from police . headquarters to the Allegheny County Jail. The two sisters of . Democratic Rep. Mary Wolfe, of Clinton, Iowa, were found dead February 7 . after police were called to their residence when they didn't show up for . work. Both women were found in the basement of the home they shared; . each was shot once in the head, police said. Sarah Wolfe, 38, was . a psychiatrist for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's . Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Susan Wolfe, 44, was a . teacher's aide at Hillel Academy in the city's Squirrel Hill . neighborhood. In a criminal complaint, . authorities suggested Wade attacked Susan Wolfe when she was home alone, . based on surveillance video from a transit bus Susan Wolfe rode home, . other video from Sarah Wolfe's employer and home alarm records that . enabled detectives to reconstruct some of the sister's movements the . night before they were found dead. Susan Wolfe's body was found . naked and doused with bleach and liquid detergent. Sarah Wolfe was . likely killed when she returned home from work later that night, the . video and alarm records suggest. She was found clothed but with a . blanket over her head. Her purse had been emptied. Smoker: A man fitting Wade's description withdrew $600 from the Wolfe sisters' accounts and bought two packets of Newport cigarettes at a nearby store . Police said . items belonging to the sisters - identification cards, credit and bank . cards, keys and cellphones - were missing. According to TribLive.com, Wade is also accused of stealing these possessions. The victims' bank accounts show that $600 was withdrawn using their debit cards after midnight on February 7. A surveillance video recorded a person in gray sweatpants and bright white shoes at an ATM in East Liberty withdrawing money at that time. The same person was captured on camera walking away from where Sarah Wolfe's car had been abandoned and toward the ATM. The person is then shown removing the sweatpants near a Midas Muffler shop. Police recovered the pants and found a business card that belonged to an associate of Susan Wolfe in the pocket. The man then walked to a Sunioco gas station at 1:08am and threw something into a garbage can then bought two packets of Newport cigarettes in the store. Detectives later found a pen with 'Iowa' on it in the gas station's trash, police said, which is believed to be from the home of the Wolfe sisters. 'Unimaginably sad': Matthew Bucholz, pictured with his late girlfriend Sarah Wolfe . The man from the surveillance footage was later identified as Wade. DNA testing from a bloodstain on the sweatpants matched Wade, police told TribLive.com. Police also found DNA from a . male and a female under Susan Wolfe's fingernails, and lab tests . determined Wade couldn't be excluded 'as a contributor to this mixture.' Federal . firearms records show Wade has bought eight handguns since 1997, but . they can't account for three of the weapons. Police haven't discussed . the type of gun used to kill the sisters. Wade was questioned by police late last month but released. He denied wrongdoing at the time. Lt. Kevin Kraus said Wade had since vacated the home next door to the . Wolfes' residence and police were searching for him Wednesday before he . turned himself in. They provided no other details on his surrender, . though Kraus said police were alerted to Wade's plans by monitoring his . Facebook page. On it, Wade professed his innocence, writing, 'I . would like for the world to know I am 100 percent innocent I would never . ever in any way Hurt a person so brutally it is not in my nature I have . always respected women and will always continue to do so I am being . framed to take the fall for this case and hopefully justice will prevail . ! (sic)' Tragic loss: Sisters Sarah and Susan Wolfe were found killed in the basement of the home they shared . Person of interest: The neighbor, pictured here (center) has been released without charge . Crime scene: The Wolfe sisters were found shot to death on in the basement of the home they shared (center) and police are questioning a neighbor who lived at 703 Chislett St (right) In a statement, Mary Wolfe said she was grateful for the Pittsburgh Police Department's efforts. 'I'm . extremely appreciative of the hard work and dedication of the . Pittsburgh law enforcement community and of the unwavering support my . family and I have received,' she said. Shocking discovery: Police outside the home of Susan and Sarah Wolfe on February 7 . Siblings bereaved: A Wolfe family photo, featuring murdered Sarah and Susan Wolfe, from 2002 . Pediatrics: Sarah Wolfe was an accomplished pediatric psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center . On Thursday February 6, Susan went to . work at the Hillel Academy at the normal time - about 7:25 a.m. - and . left about 5 p.m., apologizing that she couldn't stay late because she . had an appointment at 5:30. '[Susan always went to work] eager to start the day, greeted the children at the door, read them . books while waiting for other children to arrive ... Her smile was . infectious. She approached every day with optimism,' Dori Oshlag, the director of the center, said. On Friday, when Susan didn't show up for work, Oshlag got nervous and began calling her house about 8:20 a.m. but got no answer. Text messages and emails also went unanswered. 'And by noon, myself and the staff and administration realized we had to . make a difficult call to ask for help. The rest is history,' she said. By noon, Oshlag and other friends who'd noticed the women were missing, started calling police. Authorities performed a wellness check just after 1 p.m. and found the bodies. Each sister was pronounced dead at 1:48 p.m. Friday. Devastated: Iowa state Representative Mary Wolfe (right) is devastated by the loss of her two sisters . Both sisters had an excellent reputation amongst those who knew them best. Sarah Wolfe's boyfriend, Matthew Bucholz, posted a note on Facebook describing his deceased girlfriend as a 'beautiful, brilliant funny woman who worked as a children's . psychiatrist and was an old school riot "grrrl."...This whole thing is . unimaginably sad.' Her former landlord described her as a dream tenant who often put her February rent in Valentines Day cards, and who baked cakes and brought them over to her house for no special reason. 'We were just so happy to have her,' former landlord Kelly Carter told the paper.. 'She turned out to be a model tenant and a model neighbor and friend.' In November, Wolfe left her rental property and purchased the house on Chislett Street - where she and her sister were both found dead. Shortly after moving in, Wolfe's house was burglarized, according to Carter, whom she asked for help fixing a broken window. Carter says she advised her to get a burglar alarm, although it's unclear whether she did. Wade remained in police . custody, awaiting arraignment Wednesday afternoon. Under Pennsylvania . law, he cannot be released on bond because he's charged with homicide. Multiple women have previously filed protection-from-abuse orders against Wade. He was convicted of robbing a bank in Wilkinsburg and of simple assault for incidents that occurred in 2002. | Sarah and Susan Wolfe were found shot to death in the basement of the home they shared in Pittsburgh on February 7 .
Their neighbor, 43-year-old Allen Darell Wade, turned himself into police on Wednesday and has been charged with murder .
Security footage shows him at a gas station near the sisters' home shortly after their murders .
Wade insists that he is innocent and is being 'set up' |
fbf1f1a6f88fc090b3e5ec38ab388a11fbbbf77a | Teenagers down the years have typically rebelled by drinking, smoking and taking drugs – earning themselves a less than favourable reputation. Today they’re more likely to be found in their bedrooms surfing the web and playing video games on their computers, before sitting down to supper with their parents. Meet the ‘laptop generation’ – the new, more sensible breed of adolescent. Scroll down for video . Teenagers today are more likely to be found in their bedrooms surfing the web and playing video games . A portrait of 13-year-olds today shows they are more ‘sober and responsible’ than youngsters ten years ago. However, they enjoy fewer friendships, spend less time socialising after school, and are more likely to be at home for a family evening meal. The research suggests the rise of social media sites such as Facebook is behind the change, explaining why teens today are more like to say they ‘mainly spend time by themselves’. The Department for Education study, which compared 13-year-olds in 2004 and 2013, found a marked decline in ‘risky behaviour’ among youngsters, such as drinking and taking drugs. Just 32 per cent had tried alcohol compared with 52 per cent in 2004. Meanwhile, the proportion saying they mainly spent their spare time going out with friends fell from 50 per cent to 42 per cent, while the numbers saying they went round to a friend’s house dropped from 20 per cent to 13 per cent. At the same time, 22 per cent reported ‘mainly spending time by themselves’, compared with 9 per cent in 2004. And the proportion who ‘never went out’ doubled, from 5 to 10 per cent. Nearly half of girls – 47 per cent – and 30 per cent of boys reported using social networking or instant messaging sites ‘throughout the day’. 13-year-olds today shows they are more ‘sober and responsible’ than youngsters ten years ago and are being labelled the 'laptop generation' Research by the Department for Education suggests the rise of social media sites such as Facebook is behind the change, explaining why teens today are more like to say they ‘mainly spend time by themselves’ And more than a third of youngsters play computer games most days compared with 23 per cent in 2004. However, the study also found evidence that teens are enjoying closer and stronger relationships with their parents. The traditional family meal appeared to be making a comeback, with 52 per cent of children saying they shared a meal with their parents six times in the last week compared with 42 per cent in 2004. Overall youngsters were generally found to be more ‘positive about their school, home and personal lives’ than a decade earlier. The study concluded: ‘Young people were socialising less in person and spending more time on their own, although spending time with friends remained the most common leisure time activity. It also found a marked decline in 'risky behaviour' among youngsters, such as drinking and taking drugs, and revealed just 32 per cent had tried alcohol compared with 52 per cent in 2004 . ‘There was a parallel increase in the proportion of young people playing computer games. There was also a reasonably widespread use of social networking sites.’ ‘They appear more likely to make responsible choices than ten years ago. ‘The findings in this report are in line with other research suggesting this is a more sober, responsible generation of young people.’ Earlier this year, a Government-backed study showed that the number of schoolchildren who have tried cannabis or other illegal drugs has almost halved over the past ten years. Smoking, meanwhile, had dwindled to a 30-year low, with just 3 per cent of pupils reporting smoking a weekly cigarette. Drinking habits showed similar a pattern. However, experts have warned that a decline in personal contact – driven by increasing use of tablets, smartphones and laptops – is affecting the social skills of a generation. | 'Laptop generation' of teenagers more likely to surf web and play games .
13-year-olds today are more 'sober and responsible' than 10 years ago .
Rise of social media sites such as Facebook is said to be behind change .
A study by Department for Education found a decline in 'risky behaviour'
Just 32 per cent had tried alcohol compared with 52 per cent in 2004 . |
fbf1f1ef4102b4869a3a67cd89a1037db890ffff | Stephen Ward’s terror that he would be destroyed by the Establishment for his role in the Profumo scandal is revealed in his own words in newly released papers. The high-society figure, who introduced Minister of War John Profumo to Christine Keeler, a former topless model, made the comments in previously unseen, 50-year-old police statements. Their publication follows a 14-month Freedom of Information battle between this newspaper and the Metropolitan Police Service. Stephen Ward pictured in 1963 with Christine Keeler, who he introduced to Minister of War John Profumo . The 1963 scandal threatened to bring down the Government of the day. Profumo was exposed as having lied to Parliament about his affair with Keeler, and it was also reported that she had slept with Soviet military attaché Eugene Ivanov – a link that potentially compromised national security. Ward feared reprisals by the ruling Conservative Party. On April 26, 1963, he said: ‘I could bring down the Government, but I won’t do that. I think the Conservative Party are trying to get me, they will if they can to save themselves.’ The papers will reinforce fears that Ward was a scapegoat for the scandal, and that his subsequent conviction for living off the immoral earnings of Keeler – whom he had introduced to Profumo in 1961 – and Mandy Rice-Davies was a miscarriage of justice. The papers reveal how Ward, a successful osteopath, was initially happy to co-operate with police, but then began to fear the effect of the scandal on his life. On June 4, 1963, he told officers: ‘I entreat you to deal with this matter as quickly as possible as the strain is bringing me near to a nervous breakdown.’ In the same interview, Ward casts doubt on the strength of the case against him: ‘It is ridiculous to say I have received money for introducing girls to men. Ward being escorted from court by police at the height of the Profumo scandal. He later took an overdose of sleeping tablets and was convicted while in a coma, from which he never awoke . The political scandal revealed Minister of War John Profumo (left) to have been having an affair with Christine Keeler (right) ‘Of course I always had pretty girls around me. I also took them to parties and introduced them to other men, but if this was followed up by them, and the men gave them presents, surely I cannot be blamed for that?’ Ward was put on trial, but took an overdose of sleeping tablets shortly after the prosecution’s summing-up. He was convicted while he lay in a coma, from which he never awoke. On June 5, 1963, Profumo resigned from the Government, three months after telling Parliament rumours of his affair with Keeler were untrue. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is considering an application by Geoffrey Robertson QC to have Ward’s conviction overturned. | Documents show Stephen Ward feared he would be ruined by the Tories .
He introduced Christine Keeler to John Profumo, which lead to MP's affair .
Ward was tried at the Old Bailey for living off Keeler's immoral earnings .
But papers reinforce fears that he was a scapegoat for the MP scandal .
He told police: 'I think the Conservative Party are trying to get me' |
fbf247dd5911f496fe2a4f55382e6436a398ffcc | (CNN)Manchester United's Louis van Gaal and Sunderland's Gus Poyet were the latest managers to criticize the heavy Premier League schedule during the festive period but while the duo lamented their teams playing four games in 13 days, fans in England and around the world continue to enjoy the action on offer. The Premier League is, after all, the only major football league not to shut down over the holidays. Some supporters had more reason to cheer than others, and on that note, here's a look at the winners and losers in the Premier League during its busiest time of the season. Winners . Manchester City: One of the standout results over the Christmas period had to be defending champion Manchester City slumping to a 2-2 draw with Burnley -- at home and after holding a 2-0 second-half lead. But that was the lone blemish for Manuel Pellegrini's men, despite nearly squandering another two-goal advantage at home to Sunderland on New Year's Day. City collected 10 of 12 points, scoring 11 goals in the process without talismanic striker Sergio Aguero. City was also without the services of the perhaps equally influential Vincent Kompany in the heart of the defense. Once eight points behind Chelsea, City and the Londoners are now level atop the table. Tottenham: Harry Kane proved to be a hurricane that stormed past Chelsea on Thursday. He scored twice, assisted on another and won a penalty in the stunning 5-3 victory over a team that had previously had Tottenham's number. With fellow strikers Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor continuing to misfire, his emergence has come at the right time for Tottenham. Kane, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen make for an impressive attacking trio. Tottenham -- like City -- earned three wins and a draw to climb to fifth, only two points behind Southampton in the race for the final Champions League spot in England. Southampton: A freefall down the table, some would have said, was inevitable for the Saints after they lost five straight games heading into the Christmas rush. Yet Southampton turned it around in a hurry, gathering 10 points. It beat the struggling duo of Everton and Crystal Palace prior to drawing Chelsea and downing Arsenal. Sure the referee might have helped Southampton against Chelsea -- not awarding a seemingly clear penalty to the visitor -- but Southampton bossed proceedings against Arsenal. For all the talk this season of striker Graziano Pelle and midfielder Dusan Tadic, don't forget the work of fullbacks Ryan Bertrand and Nathaniel Clyne. Hull City: Winless in 10 games, Hull manager Steve Bruce was hoping for respite on Boxing Day against Sunderland. When Adam Johnson scored for the Black Cats in the first minute, though, it seemed like more bad luck was on the way for Hull. Hull, however, rallied for a 3-1 win and better form followed. After somehow losing to Leicester 1-0 -- hitting the post twice and firing 19 shots -- the Tigers eased past Everton 2-0 to rise to 15th. Burnley: How could a team that amassed a mere two points in four games be a 'winner,' you ask? Well, Burnley, seemingly doomed for relegation in October, showed plenty of grit even with a thin squad -- manager Sean Dyche named the same starting XI in all four games. The lack of rotation cost Dyche on Thursday, since he had to make three injury enforced subs within 40 minutes, but Burnley still rallied three times to draw Newcastle away 3-3. As if coming back against City wasn't enough. The two losses were narrow defeats to Spurs and Liverpool. If Eibar is a sentimental favorite in La Liga, Burnely -- now a point off safety -- is the Premier League equivalent. Losers . Everton: The honeymoon period is over for Roberto Martinez. Adored by the Everton fans last season -- enjoying success with a more attractive style than David Moyes' methodical approach -- Martinez's team lost all four games. It scored in only one of them. Lingering near a Champions League place early in the season, Everton now finds itself a mere four points above the relegation zone. West Bromwich Albion: Moyes' former assistant at Everton, Alan Irvine, didn't last long in his first stint as manager, getting fired after the sagging Baggies lost 2-0 to Stoke. But here's good news for the West Brom faithful: Tony Pulis is on the way. Pulis has never been relegated as a manager and is the reigning manager of the season in the Premier League, working wonders at Crystal Palace before leaving the Eagles on the eve of the current campaign. Crystal Palace: Irvine wasn't the first manager to go in the Premier League this season. That 'honor' went to Neil Warnock at Palace following a 3-1 home defeat to Southampton on Boxing Day. Warnock's second stint in charge at Selhurst Park started well enough but the team has won once since late September. Warnock said publicly that Palace needed strikers and it's not difficult to see why with a return of 20 goals. In the last seven, Palace has netted twice. Former Palace midfielder Alan Pardew is set to take over from Warnock. Aston Villa: When Aston Villa won three of its four first league games this season, relegation troubles appeared to be an afterthought. And despite Villa still being five points above the bottom three, it's hard to imagine its fans content. Palace's dearth in front of goal is nothing compared to Villa, which has scored 11 times in 20 games. In three draws and a loss in the past fortnight, the Birmingham-based club found the back of the net once. Chelsea: The festive period began perfectly for Chelsea. Playing at one of the toughest grounds in England, the Blues beat Stoke 2-0. Then came another 2-0 win, against a then in-form West Ham. Chelsea looked unstoppable. But slip-ups ensued at Southampton and Tottenham, with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho not happy with the referee on both occasions. A Mourinho team has always won the league when it has led at the end of a year, but Chelsea's dip has given Manchester City hope. | Chelsea dropped five points in its last two games during the festive period .
But Manchester City prospered in the Premier League, taking 10 of 12 points .
Other teams to excel included Harry Kane's Tottenham and Southampton .
Everton, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion all struggled, though . |
fbf291b3b0a99bc94d4a8cef80a95bb088bd54e1 | Allen Lambert, 65, used banned pesticides to kill ten buzzards and a sparrowhawk at the Stody estate near Holt, Norfolk, to protect its pheasants . A judge yesterday warned the rural aristocracy that they must take responsibility for the actions of their employees after a gamekeeper was spared jail for poisoning birds of prey. Allen Lambert, 65, used banned pesticides to kill ten buzzards and a sparrowhawk at the Stody estate near Holt in Norfolk to protect its pheasants. He claimed to have found the bodies in the 4,500-acre grounds and that he was being ‘set up’ by a local men with a grudge against him. But the explanation was dismissed as a ‘fairy story’ by the prosecution and he was found guilty of charges including killing the birds and possessing banned pesticides following a trial at Norwich Magistrates Court last month. The RSPB has described it as ‘the worst case of bird poisoning’ ever detected in England. Lambert faced up to six months behind bars and a £5,000 fine for the death of each bird between October 2012 and April last year but was given a ten-week suspended sentence. Sentencing Lambert at Norwich Magistrates’ Court, district judge Peter Veits said: ‘The only motivation I can see for this is to protect the birds the estate breeds for its shoot. ‘Those who employ gamekeepers have a strict duty to know what is being done in their name and on their property.’ Lambert had worked on the estate for 24 years and was originally employed by Ian MacNicol, who was president of the Country Land and Business Association from 1997 to 1999. The father-of-four died in 2006 and his family still own the estate. Lambert was caught after a member of public found the decomposing bodies of four buzzards and contacted police. John Hughes, defending, said his client had been verbally promised a home for life in the grounds but had been ordered to leave as a result of his arrest. Lambert, pictured leaving court, faced up to six months behind bars and a £5,000 fine for the death of each bird but was given a ten-week suspended sentence . Animal rights activists held placards as they waited outside Norwich Magistrates' Court for Lambert . Lambert was given a ten-week jail sentence suspended for a year. He was found guilty of charges including killing the birds and possessing banned pesticides. He admitted inappropriately storing a rifle. Lambert, who retired around the same time, refused to comment yesterday. The estate also declined to discuss the case. Detective Constable Richard Moden, of Norfolk Police, said: ‘Lambert has shown a total disregard for the laws surround the protection of wildlife.’ The RSPB released this photo, which nine of the buzzards which were killed by Lambert on the estate . The charity also released an image from the investigation showing dead raptors on the Stody Estate . | WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT .
Allen Lambert killed ten buzzards at estate near Holt to protect its pheasants .
RSPB described it as 'the worst case of bird poisoning' detected in England .
Judge said rural aristocracy must take responsibility for employees' actions .
Gamekeeper, 65, was given a ten-week sentence, suspended for a year . |
fbf2da7cd0a62f81edec705d48bbe47a9a6db004 | (CNN) -- Five-time champion Serena Williams survived an early injury scare to cruise into the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday. The American third seed rolled her ankle when 4-0 up in the opening set of her match with Romania's Edina Gallovits-Hall, but retained her composure to seal an emphatic 6-0 6-0 "double bagel" triumph. "I haven't had enough time to assess it yet," the 15-time grand slam champion told reporters after arriving at her press conference on crutches. "I saw the doctor again -- we're just going to see how it is in a few hours from now. "But I'll be out there on Thursday -- I mean, unless something fatal happens to me -- there's no way I'm not going to be out there competing. I'm alive. My heart's beating. I'll be fine." Williams' second-round opponent will be Garbine Muguruza, who survived a marathon third set against Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova to seal a 4-6 6-1 14-12 win. The 31-year-old also injured her ankle last year, at the Brisbane warmup tournament, and then lost in the fourth round in Melbourne. "It reminded me a lot of Brisbane. I thought, 'Oh, not again.' But, you know, I've had such a good year that I don't think it's anything negative," she said. "I've been injured before. I've played this tournament with so many injuries and was able to come out on top. "So for me, it's just another page, and a great story to tell the grandkids one day." Top seed Victoria Azarenka also advanced at the expense of a Romanian, recovering from 0-3 down in the second set to beat the unseeded Monica Niculescu 6-1 6-4. "Her game is definitely unusual, but I've known her since we played Under 14s, and she actually played a lot more spin back then -- it was all slice from both sides before," said the defending champion, who will next play Greece's Eleni Daniilidou. "Monica's unusual and tries to make you feel a little bit miserable on the court, like you don't know what to do, because every ball comes from different angles. So it's important to just keep your focus and execute your shots." Two grand slam champions went head-to-head in the Margaret Court Arena, with 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova edging past Italy's Francesca Schiavone -- who clinched the 2010 French Open title. Czech eighth seed Kvitova battled to a 6-4 2-6 6-2 win to set up a tie with British Olympic mixed doubles silver medalist Laura Robson. Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm made history by beating Russian 12th seed Nadia Petrova 6-2 6-0, becoming the oldest player to win a match at the Australian Open. The 100th-ranked 42-year-old broke a record previously held by Britain's Virginia Wade. "Playing at this age is really nothing," explained Date-Krumm. "I eat a lot, I sleep a lot -- last night I was in the bed before 10 p.m. I finished dinner at 7:30 already, then sleep before 10 like the kids! "Because after practice or after matches I'm always tired, so I just need to recover more. It's a simple life. Nothing special. "Of course I'm very happy to win today, but I don't play for records. Even if I lose, I still enjoy it." Italian seventh seed Sara Errani also fell at the first hurdle. The 2011 French Open finalist lost 6-4 6-4 to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. In the men's draw, four-time champion Roger Federer cruised through his opener against France's world No. 46 Benoit Paire, winning 6-2 6-4 6-1 in just 83 minutes. The second seed paid tribute to ATP Tour chief Brad Drewett following Tuesday's news that he will stand down as head of men's tennis after being diagnosed with the motor-neurone disease. "I saw him yesterday and he told me the news. I've known Brad ever since I came on tour ... I call him a friend," said Federer, who is looking for an Open era-record fifth win in Melbourne. The Australian, a former tennis pro, has played a key part in expanding the men's game into Asia, taking the season-ending championships to Shanghai before it switched to London in 2009. "He was so influential. He goes so far back and has touched so many people throughout his career as a player and then also as an executive and then CEO," Federer said. "It's been very hard to see him not doing so well, so we wish him the best. I worked with him very closely, especially the last few years now, and he deserved to be CEO and chairman." Federer will play fellow 31-year-old Nikolay Davydenko in round two after Russia's world No. 40 defeated Israel's Dudi Sela. U.S. Open champion Andy Murray began his bid for a third final appearance in four years at the Melbourne grand slam with a comfortable 6-3 6-1 6-3 win against Dutchman Robin Haase. Haase saved two match points, but world No. 3 Murray -- beaten by Federer in the 2010 final and Novak Djokovic last year -- shrugged off any suggestion nerves were negatively impacting his game. "If you aren't nervous, it shows that you're really not that bothered," said the 25-year-old Murray after setting up a meeting with Portugal's Joao Sousa. "When the nerves are there, sometimes it can be for 10, 15 minutes before you go on the court or the beginning of the match or the evening beforehand. They can affect you at different times. "But it shows that you care, and that's the positive you take out of it. Often when you are nervous, you can play your best tennis." Fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced at the expense of fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra, sealing a 6-4 7-5 6-2 success. Next up for the 2008 runner-up is Japan's Go Soeda. Canada's 13th seed and rising star Milos Raonic eventually hammered down 104th-ranked Czech Jan Hajek, smashing 30 aces to card a 3-6 6-1 6-2 7-6 (7-0) win in two hours and 35 minutes. He will next face fellow big server Lukas Rosol, famous for defeating Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 2012. | Serena Williams survives injury scare to reach Australian Open second round .
The third seed beat Edina Gallovits-Hall 6-0 6-0 despite rolling her right ankle .
Defending champion Victoria Azarenka battles to victory against Monica Niculescu .
Roger Federer and Andy Murray cruise to first-round wins in men's draw . |
fbf2e490f5ff02e24c9382e540dcdb30f2dcfd0c | (CNN) -- A police officer featured on the TNT reality show "Boston's Finest" apparently took his own life Tuesday, a police source said. Boston Police officials are not publicly revealing details of the death of Officer Pat Rogers, who appeared in several episodes of the first season of the unscripted series about the pressures of police work. . "The Boston Police department is investigating the unfortunate death of a member of the department," an official statement said. "At this time the circumstances are under investigation and the department asks that the media respect the privacy of the family." A Boston police source who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media said the preliminary investigation suggested it was a suicide. Rogers was a "really nice, well-liked guy" who served the people of Boston well, the source said. The show, which is produced by Boston native Donnie Wahlberg, begins its second season on TNT next week. Wahlberg tweeted his reaction to getting the news Tuesday night: "I am so deeply saddened tonight. My thoughts and prayers go out to a fallen brother of The Boston Police Dept." In a statement, TNT said: "We stand with the men and women of the Boston Police Department, and send heartfelt condolences to family, friends and fellow officers." People we've lost in 2013 . CNN's Lawrence Crook and Jane Caffrey contributed to this report. | NEW: "Boston's Finest" producer Donnie Wahlberg: "I am so deeply saddened"
The preliminary investigation suggests it was a suicide, Boston police source tells CNN .
Officer Pat Rogers was a "really nice, well-liked guy," police source says .
The show begins its 2nd season next week . |
fbf2f459627239a99999da81e2b3e02e34cbc438 | By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:17 EST, 13 December 2013 . A father has been refused permission to build an extension so his brain damaged son can get round-the-clock care because councillors say it would spoil the character of an upmarket neighbourhood. Special constable Reece Clarke, 21, from Thorpe Bay, Essex, suffered devastating brain injuries as the passenger in a police patrol car crash in July 2011. More than two years on, he is still in rehabilitation unit in Surrey and his father, Steve, applied for the bungalow extension so nurses could care for him there. The father of Reece Clarke, 21, was refused permission to build an extension on to his bungalow in Thorpe Bay, Essex, so that his brain damaged son (pictured) can get round-the-clock care at home . Reece Clarke was 19 when, in July 2011, the squad car he was travelling in crashed and flipped over in Broadmayne, Basildon. The special constable, based in Billericay and Wickford, was left with a brain injury, and multiple fractures. He was treated at Southend Hospital before his parents won a fight to get him treatment in a rehabilitation centre. Now 21, he is being cared for at Banstead Place in Surrey. A . six-figure compensation pay-out was agreed with police insurers in . April after the family took the case to the High Court in . London.Wickford-based . officer PC Ian Thompson, who was driving the car, was fined £250 by . Ipswich Crown Court in October last year after he admitted driving . carelessly. His colleague, PC Ian Thompson, was fined £250 by Ipswich Crown Court in October last year after he admitted driving carelessly. They were on their way to reports of an alarm sounding when the car was in collision with a taxi and flipped onto its side. The scheme, to build a two-storey extension to the back of the bungalow, which already has a room in the roof, and extend the front, was accepted by planning officers but rejected by Southend councillors this week. Out of 17 members of the development control committee, 13 voted down the conversion after almost 100 neighbours signed a petition objecting to it. Councillors from across the political spectrum lined up to defend the character of the cul-de-sac, whose bungalows were designed by notable Southend architect and builder F W Goldsworthy. Ron Woodley, independent councillor for Thorpe, said: ‘This application is a misguided attempt to turn a characterful bungalow into a full two-storey house. ‘The provision of roof lights to the first floor rooms and obscure glazing illustrates the unsatisfactory nature of this development. ‘It beggars my understanding as to why somebody would spend so much converting a bungalow into a sub-standard two-storey house when there are so many houses available.’ Fay Evans, Conservative councillor for Belfairs, said: ‘These are Goldsworthy bungalows. Old Mr Goldsworthy would be spinning in his grave if he knew what was happening.’ Out of 17 members of the development control committee, 13 voted down the conversion after almost 100 neighbours signed a petition objecting to it . David Garston, Conservative councillor for Southchurch, who admitted considering moving to the close, said: ‘This would put extra stress and strain on Thorpe Hall Close, which already suffers problems with parking.’ Mr Clarke will lodge an appeal against the decision on Monday. An independent planning inspector assigned by the Government will decide the appeal. The rejection of the plans could delay Reece Clarke’s long road to recovery as he struggles to get over his mother’s death. The former special constable’s devoted mother Wendy, who was his sole carer when he visited home, died unexpectedly in her sleep in October aged just 50. Reece was heartbroken and his father, Steve, is scared to break the news that the conversion has been turned down for fear it could set back his rehabilitation further. With tears in his eyes, 50-year-old Steve, from Shoebury, said: ‘I can’t tell him. If I tell him, he is going to flip. It might put him back a bit. ‘I kept promising him he would be coming home in June or July. If we tell him now he’s not, he is going to be distraught.’ Reece Clarke (left) remains at a special rehabilitation unit in Surrey, after the accident (scene, right) in 2011 . Reece’s 18-year-old sister, Chelsea, who attended the council meeting with her father, broke down after the decision was made. Before her premature death, Mrs Clarke with her husband had worked tirelessly to bring their son home from Surrey. Reece struggles to show facial emotion as a result of his brain injuries, but he cried for the first time since his accident when told his mother had died. Mr Clarke, who visited his son yesterday, now has to care for Reece himself when the 21-year-old visits at weekends. Trying to stay strong, Mr Clarke, of Admirals Walk, said: ‘With his mum dying, it has put a strain on the whole family. ‘In the past two and a half years we have been fighting the hospital, fighting the insurance companies and I’m trying to get this sorted. ‘This would have been his chance to come home and get some normal life back. ‘I care for him at weekends and it’s killing me. It thought this would be the one. ‘I just feel they haven’t looked at the plans.’ Police insurers agreed a six-figure sum to buy and convert a house for Reece in April. But no work can start until the plans are agreed. Reece Clarke's mother, Wendy, left, died unexpectedly earlier this year . Frederick William Goldsworthy built much of Thorpe Bay, including the Burges Estate. Southend historian Arthur Woodward said Goldsworthy properties were characterised by a gothic, almost church-like arch at the front door, often with intricate carvings all around them. Another trademark feature is tuck pointing, a highly-skilled and refined method of pointing, or re-pointing, red brickwork. A thin pencil line of mortar will then separate the bricks to form a precise, raised, profile. This practice is rarely used on new properties nowadays. Oak beams were another stand-out feature of the properties, and also play a major part of the bungalow on Thorpe Hall Close. Mr Goldsworthy’s son Jeff continues the family firm F W Goldsworthy in Christchurch Road, Southchurch. Mr Woodward said: 'It’s fair to say he built good quality properties across Southend.' | Father refused permission to extend house in upmarket neighbourhood .
Reece Clarke, 21, suffered devastating brain injuries when he was passenger in police patrol car crash .
Has had to spend more than two years in rehabilitation, and extension was to help him get round-the-clock care at home . |
fbf334d73cf614fed5930c199b17e6355dbd9402 | The young lovers accused of Bali’s ‘body in the suitcase murder' were reunited for a brief moment and pictured kissing and cuddling before being sent to the island’s notorious Kerobokan Prison. Indonesian police said today that their investigation into Heather Mack, 19, who is six months pregnant, and her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, 21, from Chicago, is now complete. State prosecutor Eddy Arta Wijaya said police have now formally handed over their investigation to prosecutors. Scroll down for video . Heather Mack, 19, and her 21-year-old boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, pictured in a cell at the prosecutor's office, are accused of murdering Miss Mack's mother and then hiding her body in a suitcase in a Bali hotel . Mack kisses her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer inside a holding cell at the prosecutor's office in Denpasar, Bali . State prosecutor Eddy Arta Wijaya said police have now formally handed over their investigation to prosecutors. Pictured, Mack and Schaefer speak inside the holding cell . An Indonesian interpreter, left, talks to Heather Mack, pictured cradling her pregnant belly, at the Indonesian prosecutor's office as the police handed the murder case over . Heather Mack, 19, looks out from a cell at the Indonesian prosecutor's office as she is transferred to the island’s notorious Kerobokan Prison today . They were transferred to the custody of prosecutors but were reunited in the prosecutor's office while awaiting transfer. They kissed and cuddled, and Schaefer stroked Mack's belly several times. From her cell, Mack told reporters: 'My baby is a girl, she is fine. I want her to stay in Bali so she can visit me anytime while I'm in jail.' The couple now await a court appearance when they are expected to be charged with premeditated murder. Prosecutors have 20 days to decide whether to formally charge the couple and bring the case to court. If they believe it is too weak, they can ask police for more evidence. Bali police Col. Djoko Hariutomo said that officers had questioned 12 witnesses and that their case included information from the FBI. The couple were seen kissing and cuddling and Schaefer stroked six months pregnant Mack's belly several times . Mack, who is six months pregnant, will be under medical observation at the notorious prison . She told reporters from her cell today: 'My baby is a girl, she is fine. I want her to stay in Bali so she can visit me anytime while I'm in jail' Officers brought the physical evidence to the prosecutors in large sacks, including the iron grip of a fruit bowl alleged to be the weapon used in the slaying and several computer hard drives containing hotel surveillance camera videos. The pair were arrested in August following the gruesome discovery of the body of Heather’s mother, Chicago socialite Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62, stuffed into a suitcase that had been loaded into a taxi outside the luxury St Regis Hotel. Police claim the pair plotted Mrs Mack’s murder following an earlier argument between Heather and her mother over money. But the lawyer for the teenager claims that the killing was not premeditated and that Heather had hid in the bathroom while her mother was bludgeoned to death in her hotel room. Police claim the couple plotted to murder Sheila von Wiese-Mack, pictured, following an earlier argument between Heather and her mother over money . The pair have been transferred to the notorious Kerobokan Prison (pictured) while they await a court hearing . According to a statement Miss Mack has given to police, she had no part in her mother’s murder, but went along with helping her boyfriend move the body out of a sense of duty because he was the father of her unborn baby, who is due in March. The account she has given to police - which her lawyer Mr Raja Nasution hopes will result in her receiving a lesser charge - paints a picture of a terrified young woman who waited in terror in the bathroom of room 317 while her boyfriend and her mother had a furious argument which resulted in Mrs Mack being beaten to death. Senior Police Commissioner Djoko Hariutomo told MailOnline: ‘If they are both convicted of murder they could face the death penalty. There is evidence here of premeditation.’ Tommy Schaefer, center, sits at the Indonesian prosecutor's office as police handed the murder case to the prosecutor in Bali, Indonesia . Miss Mack has told a different story, explaining that she was horrified when her boyfriend struck her mother and ran from the bedroom . They are said to have argued when Schaefer entered Mrs Mack’s room, his anger exploding when she referred to her daughter as expecting the child of a ‘n*****’ But Miss Mack has told a different story, explaining that she was horrified when her boyfriend struck her mother and ran from the bedroom. ‘Mr Schaefer had arrived at the hotel from the US at two o’clock in the morning of August 12 - just six hours before the murder - and Mrs Mack did not know he was coming,’ said Mr Raja. ‘In order to appease her mother, Heather suggested he go to her room and take with him a gift.’ That ‘gift’, police say, was a heavy fruit bowl from his room and, they insist, Schaefer did not intend to give it to her as a present because he was hiding it under his shirt, planning to use it to kill Mrs Mack following a fierce argument shortly after he arrived at the hotel. The argument is said to have continued when Schaefer entered Mrs Mack’s room, his anger exploding when she referred to her daughter as expecting the child of a ‘n*****’. He is said to have angrily told Mrs Mack that her late husband was a ‘n*****’ and she is alleged to have replied: ‘Yes, but he was a rich one.’ A police spokesman said today that Miss Mack will continue to be under medical observation while in Kerobokan Prison because she is pregnant . Chicago socialite Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62, was found dead inside a suitcase that was loaded into a taxi outside a luxury hotel on the Indonesian island . It is understood that Miss Mack has told police that her mother had reached out and grabbed Schaefer around the throat - and it was at that moment that he struck her on the head with the fruit bowl - before continuing to batter her with it as her daughter hid in the bathroom. As part of Miss Mack’s defence, her lawyer will argue that she had Mrs Mack’s blood on her shirt because she hugged her mother’s body. ‘Heather acted robot-like,’ said Mr Raja. ‘She wanted no part of what had happened but Mr Schaefer was the father of her child and she went along as if in a trance when he forced Mrs Mack’s body into the suitcase.’ Police have revealed that because the suitcase would not close properly with the body inside, the couple tied a sheet around it to keep the lid down - then placed it under their suitcases on a luggage trolley before accompanying a bellboy with it to a waiting taxi. The couple then left the hotel but found they could not leave the country as their passports were in the hotel's safety deposit box, which only Mrs Mack had permission to open. After checking into another hotel, the pair were arrested. . A police spokesman said that Miss Mack will continue to be under medical observation while in Kerobokan Prison because she is pregnant. It is understood she will have to share a cell with several other women prisoners because the jail is overcrowded. The body of Mrs Mack, who had been bludgeoned to death, was found in a suitcase outside the St Regis Hotel . Pregnant Miss Mack's lawyer will argue that she hid in the bathroom while her boyfriend and mother had an argument which led to Mrs Mack's death . | Heather Mack and Tommy Schaefer have been taken to Kerobokan Prison .
Police said Mack, who is pregnant, will be under medical observation there .
From her cell, Mack told reporters: 'My baby is a girl, she is fine'
Couple accused of murdering Mack's mother and hiding body in suitcase .
Sheila von Wiese-Mack was found stuffed in case outside hotel in Bali .
Miss Mack claims she hid in a bathroom while Schaefer killed her mother .
But police claim the couple plotted Mrs Mack's murder after an argument . |
fbf33ec5f9b833cbd537acf8c317bfefc7e7cfbf | West Ham striker Andy Carroll says manager Sam Allardyce is a grandmaster ready to tactically outclass Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho on Boxing Day. Allardyce believes January's goalless draw at Stamford Bridge - when Mourinho accused the Hammers of playing 'football from the 19th century' - was the turning point last season. Since West Ham have improved markedly to sit in fourth place at Christmas, their highest December 25 position in almost 30 years, ahead of Friday's game at Chelsea. Andy Carroll said that his boss Sam Allardyce has the tactical ability to outclass Jose Mourinho's Chelsea . The West Ham striker celebrates with team-mate Stewart Downing in their side's 2-0 victory over Leicester . 'We can do anything,' Carroll said. 'He knows just as much as us how to beat managers, their tactics. 'He knows what they are going to do against us. It's just a game of chess, really, looking a move ahead. 'He's not the same every week. He wants a win, but you've got to watch the teams, how they're playing, how we're going to break them down and win the game. 'He's got loads of different ways of attacking, we've got loads of dimensions to go forward. That's what our qualities are at the minute.' Carroll expressed compete faith in manager Allardyce saying under his charge West Ham 'can do anything' Allardyce managed to keep Chelsea from scoring when the two teams met at Stamford Bridge last season . The Hammers have one defeat in 11 games and Carroll attributes the transformation to Allardyce and changes in personnel. 'He's brought in some great players,' added Carroll, who has scored three times on his return from injury. 'He's changed the team around a lot and the players he's brought in have settled in nicely. 'All the lads are buzzing about at the minute, and it comes from that really: the manager's choice of players and how he wants to play now. 'We're playing great football, and I think any team that we play against is going to be worried about us. 'We've got more than one attacking option: play it on the floor, play it in the air, down the sides. 'There's a belief. Everyone's flying at the minute. Everyone's looking forward to every game. 'Every week we're thinking, oh there's another three points, potentially.' Confidence is at a high as West Ham sit in fourth place at Christmas, their highest position in almost 30 years . | Andy Carroll says Sam Allardyce can mastermind victory against Chelsea .
The Hammers have suffered just one defeat in their last 11 league games .
West Ham held on to a goalless draw in this fixture in last term's campaign . |
fbf3e5e53fc3e145da61f1bf86fd5e6737b24b84 | By . Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 17:18 EST, 29 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:41 EST, 30 October 2012 . Animal rights activists have published shocking pictures and video of hundreds of monkeys they claim were killed because they were too big for testing in British laboratories. The disturbing images show discarded dead monkeys stacked in piles on the floor or dumped in rubbish bins. Mutilated bodies can also be seen in a skip awaiting incineration, according to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. Shocking: Animal rights activists have published pictures of hundreds of monkeys they claim were killed because they were too big for testing in British laboratories . The group claims the unwanted healthy primates were given lethal injections in the heart and then burned on a monkey-breeding farm on the holiday island of Mauritius. British firms are said to pay £260 a time for the animals – but overseas labs are said to only be interested in those weighing less than 3.5kg. BUAV claims pregnant monkeys and babies are also being slaughtered at the Noveprim breeding farm, a major exporter of as many as 10,000 moneys a year to the UK, Spain and the USA. BUAV Director Sarah Kite last night called on the British government to order an immediate ban on the import of monkeys from the Indian Ocean island. ‘This is a cruel and senseless slaughter,’ she said. ‘It is unacceptable that monkeys who have been exploited for years are now simply discarded because they are of no further use to this company. ‘These monkeys should be released into the wild so that they can live out the rest of their lives freely. By importing monkeys from this company, the UK is perpetuating this appalling cruelty,’ she added. Disturbing: The images show discarded dead monkeys stacked in piles on the floor or dumped in rubbish bins . Concerns: Animals rights' activists claim pregnant monkeys and babies are also being slaughtered at the Noveprim breeding farm, pictured . Mauritius is the world’s second-largest exporter of long-tailed macaques for research. Three-quarters of the monkeys are used for toxicology tests on new drugs. The others are tested in studies for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and Aids. In 2011, 518 monkeys were exported to the UK from Mauritius. The previous year, the number was even higher at 1,059. Only America bought more. BUAV said it believes the killings started at the beginning of October and will continue until the end of next month. A Noveprim spokesman wasn’t available for comment last night. | WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES .
The disturbing images show discarded dead monkeys stacked in piles on the floor or dumped in rubbish bins .
Mutilated bodies can also be seen in a .
skip awaiting incineration, according to the British Union for the .
Abolition of Vivisection . |
fbf44bf6568c9a2c8614dd8be06adee357f095c4 | To the families of the victims, Ethan Couch was a killer on the road, a drunken teenage driver who caused a crash that left four people dead. To the defense, the youth is himself a victim -- of "affluenza," according to one psychologist -- the product of wealthy, privileged parents who never set limits for the boy. To a judge, who sentenced Couch to 10 years' probation but no jail time, he's a defendant in need of treatment. The decision disappointed prosecutors and stunned victims' family members, who say they feel that Couch got off too easy. Prosecutors had asked for the maximum of 20 years behind bars. "Let's face it. ... There needs to be some justice here," Eric Boyles, who lost his wife and daughter, told CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" on Wednesday night. "For 25 weeks, I've been going through a healing process. And so when the verdict came out, I mean, my immediate reaction is -- I'm back to week 1. We have accomplished nothing here. My healing process is out the window," he said. Lawyers for Couch, 16, had argued that the teen's parents should share part of the blame for the crash because they never set limits for the boy and gave him everything he wanted. According to CNN affiliate WFAA, a psychologist called by the defense described Couch as a product of "affluenza." He reportedly testified that the teen's family felt wealth bought privilege, and that Couch's life could be turned around with one to two years of treatment and no contact with his parents. Couch was sentenced by a juvenile court judge Tuesday. If he violates the terms of his probation, he could face up to 10 years of incarceration, according to a statement from the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office. Judge Jean Boyd told the court she would not release Couch to his parents, but would work to find the teen a long-term treatment facility. "There are absolutely no consequences for what occurred that day," said Boyles. "The primary message has to absolutely be that money and privilege can't buy justice in this country." His wife, Hollie Boyles, and daughter, Shelby, left their home to help Breanna Mitchell, whose SUV had broken down. Brian Jennings, a youth pastor, was driving past and also stopped to help. All four were killed when the teen's pickup plowed into the pedestrians on a road in Burleson, south of Fort Worth. Couch's vehicle also struck a parked car, which then slid into another vehicle headed in the opposite direction. Two people riding in the bed of the teen's pickup were tossed in the crash and severely injured. One is no longer able to move or talk because of a brain injury, while the other suffered internal injuries and broken bones. "There is nothing the judge could have done to lessen the suffering for any of those families," said defense attorney Scott Brown, CNN affiliate KTVT reported. "(The judge) fashioned a sentence that is going to keep Ethan under the thumb of the justice system for the next 10 years," he said. "And if Ethan doesn't do what he's supposed to do, if he has one misstep at all, then this judge, or an adult judge when he's transferred, can then incarcerate him." Earlier on the night of the accident, June 15, Couch and some friends had stolen beer from a local Walmart. Three hours after the crash, tests showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.24, three times the legal limit, according to the district attorney's office. "We are disappointed by the punishment assessed but have no power under the law to change or overturn it," said Assistant District Attorney Richard Alpert. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and we regret that this outcome has added to the pain and suffering they have endured." It is very rare, but not impossible, for prosecutors to challenge the sentence on the ground that it was too lenient, CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin said. "To give him a pass this time given the egregious nature of his conduct -- four deaths -- is just incomprehensible," she said. It is unfair that other young defendants without the same wealth could end up in jail for a lot less, said Hostin, of CNN's "New Day" morning show. "I think in terms of policy, this really flies in the face of our criminal justice system," she said. "There have to be consequences to actions, and that is what our system is about, even for juveniles." | Prosecutors had asked for a 20-year sentence for Ethan Couch .
"There needs to be some justice here," says victims' relative .
A defense psychologist reportedly described Couch as a product of "affluenza" |
fbf492d29fb052dbe7c79921c3957f775bc51a9a | By . Stephen Wright . PUBLISHED: . 11:11 EST, 23 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:16 EST, 23 July 2013 . The senior Crown lawyer who played a pivotal role in the conviction of two of Stephen Lawrence’s killers was today named the country’s top prosecutor. Alison Saunders, 52, is to succeed human rights barrister Keir Starmer QC as Director of Public Prosecutions later this year. The married mother-of-two - currently chief prosecutor in London - has overseen some of the country’s highest profile murder cases during her 27 year career in the Crown Prosecution Service. New appointment: Alison Saunders, pictured left, will take over the position of Director of Public Prosecutions from Keir Starmer QC at the end of the year . But she is best known for making the landmark decision to prosecute Gary Dobson and David Norris over the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. The pair, two of the original five murder suspects, were jailed for life last year after a forensic breakthrough in the case. Prior to their trial, Mrs Saunders had to navigate complex legal issues as Dobson had been previously acquitted of Stephen’s murder, and had to be prosecuted under the new double jeopardy laws. She becomes the first DPP directly appointed from within the CPS, and only the second woman in history to take up the role. High profile: Mrs Saunders made the landmark decision to prosecute two men over the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, pictured . Police chiefs and senior detectives regard her as a straight-talker who is not afraid to make finely balanced charging decisions. Married to a leading defence barrister, she is expected to adopt a lower profile than the man she is succeeding as the country’s top prosecutor. Her appointment follows Mr Starmer’s decision to step down as DPP at the end of October. She will take up her new post on November 1. It is understood Mrs Saunders beat off competition from senior CPS lawyer Alison Levitt QC to land the job. Ms Levitt is overseeing the prosecutions of dozens of journalists and police officers arrested under Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden. Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: ‘Alison will make an excellent Director of Public Prosecutions and is the right person to help the Crown Prosecution Service meet the challenges it will face in the coming years. ‘I am particularly pleased that Alison is the first head of the CPS to be appointed from within its ranks as proof of the high quality of the professionals that work within the service.’ Mrs Saunders said: ‘I am delighted and privileged to be appointed as the next Director of Public Prosecutions. ‘To lead an organisation of committed and professional staff is an honour, especially having worked for the CPS since its inception. ‘I look forward to carrying on with the fantastic work that Keir Starmer QC has undertaken, ensuring the CPS further improves and continuing with reforms, both within the CPS and more widely in the criminal justice system.’ Mr Starmer, who has faced criticism over some of his public pronouncements while DPP, said: ‘I have had the privilege of working with Alison Saunders for five years. She has been an outstanding leader within the CPS and she will make a first rate DPP.’ Court case: Gary Dobson, pictured left, and David Norris, right, went on trial for the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Both men denied the charge but they were found guilty by a jury . | Mother-of-two Alison Saunders is currently the chief prosecutor in London .
She took the landmark decision to prosecute Gary Dobson and David Norris over the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence .
The 52-year-old will succeed human rights barrister Keir Starmer QC as Director of Public Prosecutions later this year . |
fbf4bdeb49a025fe80c5932ac772aeead6394a2d | A baby in Brazil has been offered for sale for £267 (R$1000) on a website because the parent claims it will not them sleep. Brazilian police have launched an investigation into the advert, which was posted on Tuesday on the OLX classified website. The advert features a baby of only a few months old dressed in a blue outfit, alongside the caption: 'Cries a lot and did not let me sleep and I have to work to survive.' The disturbing advert for the newborn baby posted on OLX was live on the site for 12 hours . The author, who does not disclose whether they are a man or a woman, provides a contact name and number for the city of Aparecida de Goiânia in the central state of Goias. The advert was active for more than 12 hours on the site before the company withdrew it for breaching the terms and conditions by advertising ‘inappropriate content’. Police Child Protection officer, Marcela Orçai, from Aparecida de Goiânia, said they are trying to track down the person who posted the advert. The officer added that records from OLX indicted that a sale had not taken place. The child was advertised under the Babies and Children’s section. 'We are trying to locate the person who . posted the advert. We believe that the individual may live in the Campos . Eliseos neighbourhood of the city but the address given does not exist. Also the phone number listed has no connection with the case,' Orçai . explained. The officer warned that police would make the culprit 'answerable for their actions.' OLX classified website is the largest . consumer trading website in the world with a presence in some 107 . countries. Each month the company reports that it receives more than 100 . million users buying and selling goods and services on its free . classified site. The advert contained a contact name and number for the city of Aparecida de Goiânia in the central state of Goias . Police said the advertiser has offended whether they actually meant to sell the baby or not. Orçai said it was an offence to publish the baby's image and use the telephone number of another person 'fraudulently'. Digital law expert Rafael Maciel told O Globo the offence committed was negotiating the sale of a life. He said: 'If the person is the parent of the child then they can be charged under Brazil’s Children and Adolescents Act for publishing the image improperly. The crime carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. 'However, if that person isn’t linked to the child and has advertised the child without the parents’ consent, it is an even more serious offence of defamation and they can be jailed for up to three years.' Maciel said that it is precisely for this reason that the culprit should be prosecuted. 'Even though the company has removed it . from publication, and acted correctly, nothing guarantees that the image . was effectively erased and will not be posted in the future on another . site,' Police Child Protection officer, Marcela Orçai . The officer said: 'On the internet an image spreads very quickly, particularly on a site as well known as this one. Perhaps the author doesn’t realize the implications. It’s worth warning others not to do the same because the internet is not the place for this kind of joke. 'Even though the company has removed it from publication, and acted correctly, nothing guarantees that the image was effectively erased and will not be posted in the future on another site.' The lawyer pointed out that it is difficult for a website of this scale and with this level of transaction to monitor everything that gets posted beforehand. OLX, which was created in 2006 and begun operating in Brazil in 2010, made it clear that it has no involvement in transactions between advertisers and customers who use the platform. A company spokesperson said the advertiser would have automatically been obliged to accept the terms and conditions regulating the site and pledged responsibility for the material before posting the offending sale. In April this year a traveller was arrested on suspicion of selling her 12 year old daughter for R$5,000 (£1,340) in Cromínia, in the same state of Goiás. The child had been handed over to a 28 year old man. Police found the youngster and she was returned to her father. | Advert posted under Babies and Children's section of website OLX .
Baby in advert is just a few months old and dressed in blue outfit .
Police said they would make culprit 'answerable for their actions' |
fbf5023b7026a3187bf634e8623ad944c810427d | By . Snejana Farberov . and Associated Press Reporter . New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said that undergoing a weight-loss surgery just over a year ago was a 'life-changing decision.' Appearing on his monthly TownSquare Media radio show Wednesday night, Christie said he works out four days a week and has achieved better health. The 51-year-old governor has not revealed how many pounds he's shed so far, but he has become noticeably slimmer since secretly undergoing the stomach banding surgery last February. Scroll down for video . Then and now: It is estimated that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (pictured left in August 2012) has shed close to 100lbs (pictured Tuesday) since undergoing a Lap-Band surgery last February . Progress: The 51-year-old Republican said he works out four days a week and has achieved better health . He said he enjoys riding a stationary bike but does not like doing side-lift exercises with dumbbells. The possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate has said he's struggled with being overweight his entire adult life. According to a medical report released by Christie’s doctors last October, the governor has been struggling with high blood pressure and asthma, but was otherwise in good health. Nowadays, everywhere Mr Christie goes, he is showered with compliments on his trimmer figure from his constituents. ‘He looks amazing! He looks very healthy and happy and vibrant,’ Shannon Ruvelas told NJ.com said after a recent town hall meeting in Berkeley Township. ‘I’m expecting he’ll continue to look better.’ In response, the Republican governor usually smiles and says that he 'feels great.' Looking good: Christie, who is estimated to have shed around 100lbs so far, is getting compliments from constituents wherever he goes . While the usually outspoken Christie has kept mum about his goal weight, experts said he has lost 100lbs since last year. The 5-foot-11 politician underwent Lap-Band surgery in February 2013 and has since slimmed down to an estimated 320lbs. Amid speculations that the portly Mr Christie went under the knife with an eye to a potential presidential run in 2016, the government has maintained that his sole objective was to lead a healthier lifestyle. During yesterday's TownSquare Media radio show, Christie said he has not ruled out throwing his hat into the ring two years from now despite his aides' involvement in a traffic-blocking plot that has engulfed his administration. Watch more of Governor Christie's interview at TownSquare Media . Still a contender: Christie said he has not ruled out running for president in 2016 despite the politically damaging Bridge-gate scandal involving his aides . He said that nothing that has happened 'would make me think any differently about my ability to pursue that job or to perform in it.' The 51-year-old was considered an early front-runner for the Republican nomination, but his ranking has slipped since the Bridge-gate scandal broke. Mr Christie insisted he did not know about the political payback plot orchestrated by his aides, who blocked traffic near the George Washington Bridge apparently to punish a Democratic adversary. | Christie, 51, underwent Lap-Band surgery February 16, 2013 .
Experts estimated the 5-foot-11 governor has shed around 100lbs over the past year .
Governor revealed he enjoys riding stationary bike but is not a fan of dumbbells . |
fbf5bd723e4c01a5fa2d0236d6eebe90f6527c2f | (CNN) -- Could wild beach parties fueled by spring break tourism from the United States be in Cuba's future? They might be if Sen. Jeff Flake has anything to say about it. The Arizona Republican weighed in on the issue during Sen. John Kerry's secretary of state confirmation hearing on Thursday. "I've often felt that if we want a real get-tough policy with the Castro brothers," Flake said, "we should force them to deal with spring break once or twice." Flake said there was a serious message behind his quip. "The best way to foster change and progress toward democracy is to allow travel, free travel of Americans, to let them go as they wish," he said. Later in Thursday's hearing, another lawmaker said U.S. policy toward Cuba is no laughing matter. "To suggest that spring break is a form of torture to the Castro regime, unfortunately, they are experts of torture as evidenced by the increasing brutal crackdown on peaceful democracy advocates on the island," said Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Cuban government's handling of dissidents. But Cuban officials told the United Nations last year that the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power also put an end to authorities' use of torture. After Castro took power in 1959, Cuba went from being a favorite getaway for Americans to a forbidden destination. Diplomatic relations and direct travel between the United States and Cuba were cut off. U.S. citizens spending money on the island faced hefty fines for "trading with the enemy." While a decades-long trade embargo remains in place, travel is one part of the U.S. policy toward Cuba that has changed in recent years. The Obama administration has reinstituted legal travel to Cuba as a way to reach out to the Cuban people. Under the U.S. Treasury's "people to people" travel guidelines, tour operators have to plan nearly every moment of the trip, and "people-to-people" travel, at least in theory, excludes relaxing by the pool with umbrella-topped beverages. The relaxed travel restrictions are a good step, said Flake, who has long opposed the U.S. trade embargo and limits on travel to Cuba. But he encouraged Kerry to push for more travel opportunities for Americans in the island nation. "I don't think that that's a weakness or any capitulation at all," he said. "I think it's a way to show strength." CNN's Jill Dougherty and Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report. | Sen. Jeff Flake: Dealing with spring break would be "a real get-tough policy" for Cuba .
Travel is "the best way to foster change and progress toward democracy"
Sen. Robert Menendez says the U.S. policy toward Cuba is no laughing matter .
There is an "increasing brutal crackdown on peaceful democracy advocates on the island," he says . |
fbf5d5c3fc2d3ef3a5abc7f8b7c304ec686a19c6 | By . John Lee . PUBLISHED: . 21:17 EST, 16 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:12 EST, 16 February 2013 . For almost 50 years, he has been the very soul of secrecy and reticence, refusing even to admit he was ever a member of the IRA. But in the two weeks since Gerry Adams joined Twitter, the Sinn Féin TD and former MP and MLA has developed an extreme case of TMI – too much information. His 75 tweets – an average of more than five a day – have a collective embarrassment factor that makes MI6’s dossier redundant. Twit pics: Gerry Adams (pictured with a constituent named as Liam) joined Twitter two weeks ago and has already posted 75 times - an average of five a day . So far his posts have revealed him to be an absent-minded 64-year-old who owns several teddy bears and takes his toothbrush into the Dáil chamber instead of his pen. And he is in danger of being dubbed ‘Ducky ár lá’ after letting slip that he takes his yellow rubber duck in to the bath with him. He has revealed musical tastes that extend from Joni Mitchell to Leonard Cohen to Luke Kelly and has admitted to being a tree-hugger. His dramatis personae includes his favourite teddy bear, Ted; a Shinner called Lightbulb who is a terrible driver; and a trusted aide called RG. But Grizzly’s most embarrassing foray into the Twittersphere so far came last week when he admitted breaking into his own house. First the Twitter ingenu told his followers at 4pm: ‘RG took the car. Took my house keys also. I feel an adventure coming on.’ By 5.35, Gerry was still locked out. He was prepared to shin up the drainpipe but was frustrated by a broken pipe – a shinner clearly unwilling to jump without cast-iron guarantees. ‘RGs phone constantly engaged. Its getting dark. Wud climb in back window but downpipe broken,’ he tweeted forlornly. A little later, Gerry took matters into his own hands. He tweeted: ‘RG traced. Where are u now when we need u? 70 miles away. Im in now. Starving. Need a glazier. Slan.’ Embarrassment factor: In his tweets, Mr Adams mentions frequently his favourite teddy bear Ted (right) and his dog Snowie (left) Since then, it’s all been down hill. Under the name @GerryAdamsSF he revealed: ‘Friday! Yahoo! Getting home 2 . c the small people in my life. Cant wait. Ted will b sasta.’ Included in the tweet was a link to a picture he had taken of four teddy bears of varying sizes, including a yellow one with an Antrim GAA badge on his chest. ‘Sasta’, properly ‘sásta’ is one of the stock national-school Irish phrases that pepper Mr Adams’s tweets. Embarrassingly, he had to be taught how to make a fada on Twitter – and his first effort instead produced a French grave accent. ‘This twitting cud b addictive. And shud not b done under the influence. So sin è. Ah my first tweeted fada. At last. Oiche mhaith. Xo,’ he crowed. Ted is frequently mentioned. On St Valentine’s Night, Mr Adams wrote; ‘Cooking. Oysters romantiq Cog au vin. Jelly & custard Champagne & strawberries. Pity I’m on my ownieoh. Ted is out.’ Proving popular: At the latest count, Mr Adams had amassed more than 10,000 followers . Last week he wrote that he had accidentally brought his toothbrush into Leinster House. ‘In Dáil chamber. Thought I had a pen in my pocket. Discovered it is a tooth brush! Silly me!!!!’ On February 9, he wrote that he had seen some unusual natural behaviour while on an early morning bike ride. ‘Saw the dawn breaking. Grey light. Out on bike. Saw a squirrel chasing a cat. A grey one. The squirrel that is. Glad 2 b alive. So is cat,’ he observed. Party officials confirmed the account is his, and say the tweets show a side of Adams they often see in their dealings with him. ‘He is far more relaxed in private,’ said a Sinn Féin TD. ‘During the years of the peace process, it was a sensitive process and as the leader of Sinn Féin he had to be conscious of people’s feelings. It was a serious business and it didn’t look good to be laughing and joking all the time.’ At the latest count, Mr Adams had amassed more than 10,000 followers. As for the 30 Tweets being followed by Mr Adams, let’s hope they are not of a nervous disposition. | Gerry Adams joined Twitter two weeks ago and has made 75 posts already .
His posts have revealed him to be an absent-minded 65-year-old man .
So far, Mr Adams has amassed more than 10,000 Twitter followers . |
fbf6ede5b491e444360b05a4e71b8615ea60a66f | By . Emily Allen and Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 17 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:06 EST, 17 October 2012 . A mother who vanished with her four children was arrested today after five days on the run following a custody battle with their Spanish father. Jennifer . Jones, 46, had been 'in hiding' with the children, aged between eight and 14, but the children were found today in the Gwent area just after 11am - more than 50 miles away from her home in Llanelli, Wales. Dyfed Powys Police confirmed this afternoon that Mrs Jones was under arrest for the alleged abduction of her four children. Jennifer . Jones, 46, has been 'in hiding' with the children, aged between eight . and 14, (they are pictured but cannot be identified for legal reasons) but were found in the Gwent area just . after 11am this morning . Jones, 45, and her children were discovered in Blackwood, . Gwent, 30 hours after going on the run. Dyfed Powys Police arrested Ms Jones and her partner John Williams who are being questioned about the abduction of the children. A police spokeswoman said: 'A 45-year-old woman has been arrested by . police in Gwent in connection with the search for four children from . Llanelli. 'A man who was also arrested is currently being questioned by police to establish his involvement in the matter.' A spokesman for the force added: 'Police . and the local authority are now working together with family members to . ensure the on-going safety of the children.' Police said the children's father Colonel Tomas Palacin Cambra was 'overjoyed' they had been found. The youngsters cannot be identified or named for legal reasons. Judge . Mr Justice Roderic Wood, who asked yesterday for the public's help . finding Miss Jones and the children, is due to analyse developments at a . High Court hearing in London later today. Spanish . courts granted Colonel Cambra custody of the . children when his 12 year marriage to Ms Jones ended in 2008. Jennifer Jones from Llanelli in South Wales who has been arrested after five days on the run with her children following a custody battle with their Spanish father . On the run: A High Court judge had launched a nationwide hunt for the four missing children of Jennifer Jones (pictured). Relatives of Ms Jones insist the children want to stay . with her rather than return to their father . Father: Tomas Palacin Cambra (pictured) who Ms Jones' family claim has done 'everything in his power' to stop her seeing the children since their divorce. The couple married in 1996 . Her family claim Colonel Cambra has 'done everything in his power' to stop her from seeing the children since their divorce. Mr Justice Roderic Wood said he was 'concerned' about the children's welfare as a watch was being kept on ports and airports . But they came to stay with Ms Jones at her home in Llanelli, South Wales, in June for a summer holiday and did not return. All four children started at schools in the town while Ms Jones began legal proceedings in the family court to gain custody. But the Family Division of the High Court last week ruled the children should be returned to their father by last Friday. When . Ms Jones failed to return them back to Spain Mr Justice Wood ruled . the children should be taken from her home by police and social . services. But when they arrived in the early hours of Tuesday morning Ms Jones and the four children had packed up and gone. They were travelling in her car and were believed to have been accompanied by her new partner, named by the court as John Williams. Ms Jones met Colonel Cambra when he was a young soldier while she was teaching English in Spain. They were married in 1996 and had a daughter Sara, now 16, who was yesterday in Spain with her father and his family. They lived in the Canary Islands and Ibiza but frequently returned to Llanelli to stay with Ms Jones’s family. The . family were in the process of building a luxury home in Catalonia in . 2008 when Ms Jones and the children returned to Llanelli for 10 months. Brynelda Jones, the mother of Jennifer Jones, with a picture of her grandchildren . Yesterday, Colonel Cambra said: 'All I want is for my children to be returned safely home where they belong. 'I am very worried for their well-being. Their lives are here in Spain, their friends are here, they are very happy here.' All four children were born in Britain after the couple met in the early 1990s. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Jennifer .
Jones had been 'in hiding' with the children, aged between eight and 14, and were found in Gwent this morning .
Spanish .
courts granted Lieutenant Colonel Tomas Palacin Cambra custody of the .
children when his marriage to Ms Jones ended in 2008 . |
fbf7b59dfbbe9dcd9b925fdaeda0b0fb80db29fe | Monmouth, Oregon (CNN) -- Images of destroyed homes, people sleeping in the streets and broken freeways reveal the recent tragedy of Chile. Who would think that after the horror of Port-au-Prince, restless geological plates would so quickly wreak havoc in another nation? The Earth seems at war with itself. But, as many have observed, Chile is not Haiti. Chile's economy is one of the fastest-growing in Latin America. This earthquake will do little to slow down that down. In Santiago, dominated by industries, corporate offices and financial institutions, most people will return to work within a week. But there is another side of Chile for which the picture cannot be as optimistic: the depressed areas that have never enjoyed the nation's economic boom. These are "callampas," or impoverished wards of major cities and small towns that have been bypassed by progress. Unfortunately, the earthquake has hit these areas the hardest. The question is now, how will the government address these people's need for housing and employment? In stark contrast to the coast, inland from the quake's epicenter are some of the finest vineyards in the country. They were spared by the tsunami that destroyed some coastal towns, and although they sustained some damage from the quake, their grapes will soon be on our tables to join the avocados and berries that Chile shares with the Northern Hemisphere. In recent decades, the country has also become a major exporter of forest products. Tree plantations and pulp factories are situated within a hundred-mile radius of the quake's epicenter; mills will return to production soon. Farm-raised fish are harvested farther south, and these exports will likewise continue. And Chile's most important export continues to be copper and other minerals. The majority of these mines are in the northern desert, out of range of the quake's damage. When copper prices reached all-time highs earlier in the decade, Chile created a multibillion-dollar "rainy day" fund, which it will now draw on to rebuild the country. But now the country's greatest challenge will probably not be economic recovery; rather, it will be social recovery. Why? The globalization model followed by Chile's University of Chicago-trained economists is largely responsible for the nation's affluence. These economists began as university professors, but under Gen. Augusto Pinochet, they designed the key policies of trade, investment and employment. While this model promoted growth, it held down wages and benefits, which prevented many working-class people from benefiting from the country's bonanza. The export-oriented economy did not create many higher-paid manufacturing jobs. Unskilled, low-paying jobs predominated. The people employed in these positions are the most affected by the quake. In Santiago, they occupy many of the older buildings in the hard-hit core of the city. On the coast near the epicenter, they live in the humble dwellings flooded or washed away by the tsunami. Under Chile's globalization model, some inefficient coal mines in the Concepción area closed in the 1990s when they could no longer compete with higher-grade, cheaper coal from Colombia. The same occurred with the area's textile mills. As a result, unemployment is higher in the quake area than in the country as a whole, a situation that promises to worsen in the aftermath. Since democracy returned to Chile in 1990, a coalition of center-left parties has governed the nation. Although it has addressed social issues and sharply reduced the nation's poverty rate, the booming economy, "which raises all boats," has yet to get theirs off the beach. For many, the tsunami sank their boat. President-elect Sebastián Piñera, who takes office March 11, is the first moderate-conservative in two decades to govern Chile. Ideologically, he opposes an activist state, which addresses poverty as an issue separate from general economic prosperity. His first public statement after the quake called for public order and an end to vandalism. He also urged repairing water and energy services. Once in office, he will need to rebuild freeways, bridges and public buildings as quickly as possible. This will create many jobs. But Piñera, an advocate of privatization, has spoken of no plans to modify globalization policies: a plan to lift those boats. Chilean leaders have a mixed record in rebuilding after severe quakes; effected areas rarely recovered well. In 1906, the country's main port of Valparaiso suffered a devastating quake only four months after San Francisco was almost destroyed. The rebuilding was slow as the country's economic center definitively shifted from the port inland to Santiago. When a severe quake hit in 1939, the Popular Front government created a new business-government economic model to address the crisis. In 1960, the largest quake in world history decimated the picturesque port of Valdivia. Buildings sank, and rural grazing land turned into lakes. The conservative government borrowed heavily abroad and tried a number of fiscal innovations to get the country on its feet. Past governments rebuilt Valparaiso and Valdivia, but the cities never regained their former leadership roles. The recent Concepcion quake hit Chile's second-largest industrial city. As the government rebuilds it, and the city attempts to regain its prominence, Piñera must carefully weigh how his privatization model will help those most affected by this tragedy. The people in depressed communities need jobs, housing and education. Chile will continue to provide economic leadership in the hemisphere, but in addressing this current tragedy, can the nation provide social leadership as well? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Rector. | John Rector says that unlike Haiti, Chile can rebuild on strong economy .
But existing problems of low-wage jobs, unemployment now made worse, he says .
Incoming president must modify globalization goals, focus on social problems, he says .
Rector: Chile must provide social leadership, not just economic . |
fbf7bd20a997fba5bbaf128a88254cd321c93ded | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:49 EST, 7 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:29 EST, 7 November 2012 . The parents of a four-year-old girl raped by a teenage babysitter who was never sent to jail for his crime are in despair after their appeal against his paltry sentence was blocked. The unnamed mother and father had demanded a tougher sentence for the 14-year-old who tricked their little girl into being abused when he was meant to be looking after her. During the sickening attack he blindfolded their daughter with a Hello Kitty apron and promised her a 'chocolate' but then raped her. The teenager walked free from Cambridge Crown Court earlier this year and still lives a few doors away from the child he abused. Devastating: The young girl, who was raped by a 14-year-old boy (pictured being held by her parents) - whose appeal to get the attacker's sentence changed has failed . The victim’s parents understood he would . receive a three-year custodial sentence – but he was let off with a . community order instead after a judge blamed 'the world and society' for . his porn addiction. Judge Gareth Hawkesworth sparked outrage by deciding he should not go to prison, instead giving the rapist a three-year community order. The girl's devastated parents claimed the judge's comments had 'cheapened' their daughter's ordeal and said they would appeal. Spared jail: Judge Gareth Hawkesworth (pictured) warned the boy that he . would have been jailed for six and a half years if he had been four . years older - but blamed 'the world and society' for his porn addiction . But the Attorney General has now confirmed the appeal will not be allowed to go ahead because the case was 'difficult to sentence'. It concluded that the Court of Appeal would not regard the sentence as 'unduly lenient' and the case will not progress further. The victim's mother - who cannot be named for legal reasons- said they are 'angry' and 'disappointed'. She said: 'It is coming up the anniversary of the attack we don't wish to drag it all up again. 'Now the decision has been made, we can not appeal, we are now going to move on with our lives. 'It is disappointing, but as ever our priority is our little girl and her happiness - we just have to move on. 'We want to keep her life normal, we don't want to reinforce the memory and we want her to remain as content as she is now. 'We hope it doesn't effect her relationships in later life.' The abuse took place at the girl's Cambridgeshire home in December last year - the first time her parents had let the teenager babysit the girl alone. They trusted him to watch her for a couple of hours in return for £10 pocket money and said he was a quiet but 'normal kid' who they completely trusted. But when they got home the victim's Dad was getting her ready for bed when she revealed the babysitter had played a game, promising to reward her with chocolates. She explained how he had covered her eyes with her Hello Kitty apron and 'put his willy in her mouth'. The victim's tearful mum blasted Cambridge Crown Court for letting the attacker walk free - when he lives just a matter of doors from their family home. Professionals who dealt with the sick teen advised the Attorney General that the best way of addressing his behaviour was by educating him within the community. Walking free: The teenage rapist's addiction to porn led to the judge giving him a community order . His progress and whereabouts will continue to be monitored by police for the next two and a half years. A sex offences prevention order was also made for five years, stating he must not access or seek to access pornography of any kind and must not use any mobile devices or computer without suitable filters to prevent the viewing of pornography. The offender - who at the time of the case appeared in the dock in his school uniform - was told he had only been spared six-and-a-half years in jail because he was still a minor. The Solicitor General may have concluded against appeal but he did promise that the babysitter's period of supervision will be 'tough' and 'challenging' and will 'force him to address his behaviour'. A spokesman for the AGO said: 'Following complaints from the victim's family as well as members of the public, the former Solicitor General, Edward Garnier QC MP asked the Crown Prosecution Service to send the case papers to him for review. 'After very careful consideration of all the factors in the case, he decided not to refer it to the Court of Appeal as he did not believe they would increase the sentence.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | The teenager blindfolded her with a Hello Kitty apron and used chocolate to lure her into the sex attack .
He was let off with a .
community order as the judge blamed ‘the world and society’ for .
his porn addiction .
The child's parents appealed to the Attorney General, who says a new hearing will not be allowed because the case was 'difficult to sentence' |
fbf7e049f7a4df7b1d1ffae851156a2b155143b1 | A 16-year-old girl was almost blinded after suffering an extreme allergic reaction to a beauty treatment that she let her friend perform as a 'favour'. Katie Thompson was left with raw, blistered skin after her friend, who was studying beauty therapy, performed an eyelash tint on her last month. The schoolgirl's face was so swollen that she could barely open her eyes - and the strong chemicals caused her eyelashes and eyebrows to burn off. Reaction: Katie Thompson, 16, was barely able to open her eyes after suffering an extreme allergic reaction to her friend's eyebrow tint treatment, which left her face red, swollen and covered in painful blisters, left . Recovery: Katie, from Bloxwich, West Midlands, now has to go for check-ups at Walsall Manor Hospital three times a week to make sure the skin around her eyes heals correctly. Above, Katie's skin is still slightly red . But doctors warned that the treatment could have left her permanently blind. Katie, from Bloxwich, West Midlands, said: 'My friend is training in beauty therapy at Walsall College. 'She is learning to do eyebrow and eyelash design there so I thought I was doing her a favour, as much as she was doing me one. 'The products were just in white tubes. Everything was fine and I went to bed but the next day I woke up with heavy, severely swollen eyes. 'I looked in the mirror and I was shocked. I looked like a completely different person. 'I couldn't really see. My left eye was almost completely shut. 'I was fine at the time of the treatment. But the pain got a lot worse the next day. I just wanted to pull my eyes out. It was quite scary really.' Shocked: Katie said that the morning after the surgery she 'looked like a completely different person'. She said that the swelling was so bad that she couldn't really see - and that her left eye was almost completely shut . Katie, who is studying health and social care, rushed to the walk-in health centre at Walsall Manor Hospital - fearing that she would be left scarred for life. She added: 'The doctor told me I was very lucky to have my eyesight. I knew myself but the doctor told me it was an allergic reaction to the eyelash tint. 'The doctor said it must have been something in the eyelash tint that caused the reaction. 'They prescribed me with steroid tablets, cream, eye drops, penicillin, antihistamines. I was on all sorts. I had finished all my medication by about eight days. 'My friend was very apologetic. I think she was more shocked about it all. She didn't know I was going to react the way I did. Terrified: Katie, who is studying health and social care, rushed to the walk-in health centre at Walsall Manor Hospital, pictured, fearing that she would be left scarred for life after the extreme reaction . 'She has done lots of other treatments before on other people and they have all been fine. 'It has scared me about having things done again. It has been painful, very uncomfortable. 'I don't blame my friend. It was a genuine accident. She feels distraught about what happened.' Katie, who lives with her mother Patricia, 39, and her brother Ben, 10, now has to go for check-ups at the hospital three times a week to make sure her skin heals correctly. Her mother said: 'I was very shocked when I first saw her face. The second day was worse, it was really bad then. 'It could have been a lot worse for Katie. She is certainly going to be much more careful in future.' | Katie Thompson allowed her friend to practise the treatment 'as a favour'
But next day her face was so swollen that she could barely open her eyes .
The eyelash tint left her with raw, blistered skin and burnt her eyebrows .
Doctors said the 16-year-old was lucky not to have lost her eyesight . |
fbf7e18c6f5726fb8664b2a723d29c4deec5b8d3 | A former Power Ranger has been arrested for allegedly murdering his roommate with a sword. Ricardo Medina Jr, the Red Ranger, has been charged with killing Joshua Sutter by stabbing him in the abdomen with the sharp weapon on Saturday afternoon. The 37-year-old, who reportedly called 911 himself, was taken into custody in Palmdale, California, shortly after, reports claim. Sutter was taken to hospital and pronounced dead. Murder accusation: TMZ reported that Ricardo Medina Jr stabbed his roommate in the abdomen and was arrested. He is pictured left at a fan convention and right in Power Rangers Samurai . According to TMZ, the roommates started fighting at around 3.30pm. Medina went into his room with his girlfriend but Sutter tried to follow them, the report states. It was then that Medina allegedly dealt the fatal blow. He has been charged and detained, with his bail set at $1 million. Medina starred in the 2002 TV series Power Rangers Wild Force before playing Deker in the 2011 series Power Rangers Samurai. He also voiced Deker in the video game Power Rangers Samurai, and in the movie Power Rangers Samurai: A New Enemy, which hit theaters in 2012. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Medina was also pursuing a singing career and had stints in ER and CSI, according to his IMDb profile. 'Attack': The actor allegedly speared his roommate during an argument then called 911 himself . 'He is a great friend and a great client. It's something I can't even conceive. I don't see that in him. He was a very helpful guy and great with his dog. It's such a shock,' said Gar Lester, Medina's former agent who has known the actor for 12 years, told ABC7. Medina's neighbor, Justin Adamson, said the actor had moved into the block about two months ago. He told ABC7: 'We brought him some bread and just tried to interact a little bit with him, but he was more of the, you know, the type of guy that didn't really want to communicate.' | Ricardo Medina Jr, 37, allegedly stabbed roommate in abdomen on Saturday .
Actor, who played Red Ranger on TV and then the big screen, was arrested .
Allegedly killed Joshua Sutter after running from an argument .
Sheriffs said Sutter followed, then Medina lashed out with sharp weapon . |
fbf8720bbb42e7abf2193fa188dae9da42630caf | (CNN) -- A U.S. federal grand jury in Texas has indicted the suspected top leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia face murder and conspiracy charges connected with drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime. The indictment, returned April 11 and unsealed Tuesday, also charges 22 other people who prosecutors allege are connected with the cartel. It is one of several U.S. federal indictments charging Guzman, who is widely known as Mexico's most wanted fugitive and has made Forbes magazine's list of the world's most powerful people. "It's a reminder we're right behind him, that he can't live out in the open. We need to get them apprehended," Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Franco said Tuesday. This month's indictment in western Texas detailed two acts of violence prosecutors said were committed by members of the cartel, including the 2010 kidnapping of an American citizen and two members of his family during a wedding ceremony in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, because of their ties with the rival Juarez cartel. The target was the groom and a resident of Columbus, New Mexico, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas said in a statement. Police found the bodies of the groom, his brother and his uncle three days after the wedding in the bed of a pickup truck, according to the indictment. The indictment also describes the 2009 kidnapping, killing and mutilation of a Texas resident "to answer for the loss of a 670-pound load of marijuana seized by the Border Patrol," prosecutors said. Investigators found the Texas resident's body in Ciudad Juarez, according to the indictment. "He had been beaten and strangled and his hands had been severed above the wrists and placed on his chest, to serve as a warning to those who might attempt to steal from the cartel," the indictment says. Guzman and Zambada have been indicted on drug trafficking and organized crime charges in a number of U.S. federal courts. U.S. officials have offered a $5 million reward for information leading to their capture. Guzman was arrested in 1993 on homicide and drug charges but escaped in 2001, reportedly by bribing prison guards to smuggle him out in a laundry truck. A Mexican federal investigation led to the arrest of more than 70 prison officials. Forbes magazine has placed him on its list of the world's most powerful people, reporting his net worth of $1 billion as of March. Rumors regularly surge about his whereabouts. Franco declined to comment on whether there was new information regarding Guzman's location. He described Guzman as "a man who has unlimited means, more money than most people in Mexico." "It affords him the ability to hide," Franco added. The Sinaloa Cartel, named after the Mexican state where the gang was formed, is one of the most powerful drug-trafficking groups in the nation. CNN's Ed Lavandera and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | "It's a reminder that we're right behind ('El Chapo' Guzman)," a prosecutor says .
The Sinaloa cartel's suspected top two leaders face murder and conspiracy charges .
A grand jury also indicts 22 others accused of working for the cartel .
Indictment details two violent crimes, including the kidnapping of American during his wedding . |
fbf8962bc04bc7651e093acd5f4908dcc21472c5 | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 06:32 EST, 6 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:06 EST, 7 January 2013 . Midsomer may have excluded black faces because 'it wouldn't be an English village with them’, but it seems that Oxford can accept a little more cultural diversity in its fictional crime fighters. Prime-time ITV drama Lewis is bucking the trend for white-dominated leading roles in detective series with the introduction of a new character to be played by African actor Babou Ceesay. Ceesay will play DC Alex Gray, who will be introduced to viewers this month, bringing a little more colour into the cast of the popular Oxford-set ITV programme. Star of stage and screen: Babou Ceesay as Colonel Mburame in the play Bang Bang Bang. He will play Lewis's new sidekick in the eponymous ITV crime drama . It comes two years after the producer of Midsomer Murders was suspended for saying he did not cast black and Asian people in the series because he wanted to keep his programme 'the last bastion of Englishness'. Gambian-born Ceesay, most recently seen in BBC4 sitcom Getting On, said he didn't believe his casting was a deliberate effort to bring more racial parity to the series. 'I don't think my role in Lewis is . political,' he told the Observer. 'I don't think they were "going black" for the part, as the industry phrase goes.' And . there has been no attempt to tie his race into the narrative of the . drama, the 34-year-old said, adding: 'The statement is that I am there . and I am black. 'There is no need for them to say anything else.' Leading man: Kevin Whately as Lewis. Ceesay said he did not believe his casting was a deliberate attempt to bring better racial parity to the series . ITV crime series have long been dominated by white characters, an unspoken prejudice made explicit two years ago when Brian True-May, producer of Midsomer Murders, said he wanted to keep ethnic minorities out of his programme. 'We are a cosmopolitan society in this country, but if you watch Midsomer you wouldn’t think so,' Mr True-May said in early 2011. 'I’ve never been picked up on that, but quite honestly I wouldn’t want to change it. 'We just don’t have ethnic minorities involved, because it wouldn’t be the English village then. It just wouldn’t work. 'Suddenly we might be in Slough. 'We’re the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way.' Mr True-May was suspended, later announcing he was stepping down as executive producer. His replacement, Jo Wright, brought in Asian cast members Ace Bhatti and Soraya Radford to help the show 'represent its audience'. Ceesay, who grew up in Africa, admitted that his race had affected the kinds of roles he was offered as he began his acting career in the UK. But he said he had a 'slightly different view' of the problems faced by ethnic minority actors in the UK as black British actor David Harewood, star of Homeland, who said he had to go to the U.S. to land a major role. 'I do agree with him that the size of the industry out there makes a difference,' Ceesay said. 'But it is more competitive there, too. 'He was in a very big series, but I know several good black actors who are struggling out there.' | Casting comes after controversy over roles for ethnic minorities in ITV crime dramas .
Producer of Midsomer Murders said two years ago he didn't want to see black and Asian faces in his programme .
Babou Ceesay will play Lewis's new sidekick, but says he doesn't think his appointment is political . |
fbf9809bd0e4a414ad48e6c5c6f7d699e944667d | Humans through the ages have wondered what it is like to be a bird but now hi-tech headwear has revealed the complex hunting strategies of falcons. U.S. scientists got a bird’s eye view of falcons’ attack strategies by fixing helmets containing tiny cameras to the heads of the birds, which also wore backpacks to record footage of their predatory flights. They discovered that falcons catch prey in mid-flight by manoeuvring so that their target seems as if it is stationary, which allows them to make their attack with precision. Scroll down for video . The scientists worked with 13 falconers in Europe and the U.S. to capture footage of aerial attacks from the birds' point of view (pictured chasing a crow) and painstakingly logged the position of the birds in each frame of video to reconstruct their attack techniques . Adult falcons have thin tapered wings, which enable them to fly at high speed and to change direction rapidly. Falcons intercept their prey in mid-air after following it at a distance. They keep their target in the centre of their field of vision. To conserve energy, falcons . readjust their flight position so that their prey appears to be . motionless in relation to the surrounding landscape, . This helps them . predict the future position of their victim. Falcons are able to intercept their prey in less time than if they tail it in a straightforward way. Bats and dragonflies use a similar hunting technique. Researchers from Haverford College, Pennsylvania explained that the hunting technique allows the birds to intercept their prey in mid-air, without having to follow it closely - giving the predators the element of surprise. The scientists worked with 13 falconers in Europe and the U.S. to capture footage of aerial attacks from the birds’ point of view and painstakingly logged the position of the falcons in each frame of video to reconstruct their attack techniques. By comparing the position of the targets in the falcons' visual field, they were able to map the bird’s flight path. Researchers from Haverford College, Pennsylvania explained that the hunting technique allows falcons (pictured) to intercept their prey in mid-air, without having to follow it closely - giving the predators the element of surprise . This revealed that if the prey appeared at the centre of the falcon’s field of view, the falcon was probably intending to attack it from a distance and was keeping an eye its target's every move. However, the birds also used more complicated strategies. Suzanne Kane, from the university, told Live Science, said: ‘This strategy of heading straight toward the prey at all times is easy to implement, but it involves following a very winding pathway and it turns out to be a very inefficient way of catching prey.’ To boost efficiency, the predatory birds readjusted their flight position so that their prey appeared to be motionless in relation to the surrounding landscape, which helped the falcons predict the future position of their victim and conserve energy. The falcons were able to intercept their prey in less time than if they tailed it, Professor Kane said. During pursuit, the falcons appeared to . head off their prey using a strategy called motion camouflage, meaning . they intercept the prey in the least amount of time while also masking . its approach. The scientists discovered that falcons catch prey in mid-flight by manoeuvring so that their target seems as if it is stationary, which allows them to make a targeted attack. Here, the landscape is blurred, but the falcon has zeroed in on its target - the crow (pictured centre) Researchers from Haverford College, Pennsylvania (pictured with Professor Suzanne Kane, author of the study, centre) explained that the hunting technique allows the birds to intercept their prey in mid-air, without having to follow it closely, to give it the predators the element of surprise . Previous studies have shown that bats and dragonflies use the same technique. Professor Kane explained that the falconers made special hoods so that the cameras were fixed tightly to the birds’ heads, but did not impede their view. ‘We had some birds who didn't want to wear them, but overall most were unconcerned with the cameras and tolerated the equipment just fine,’ she said. The research, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, was based upon data from eight different falcons making flights in the U.S. Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. The scientists now aim on investigating other aspects of falcon hunting behaviour, including how the birds select their victims from a flock. Professor Kane said: ‘Falcons are magnificent, charismatic animals and the falcon’s-eye videos of their hunts are very exciting. ‘I can still say that, even though I have spent hours studying them frame by frame using image analysis software. ‘This is truly nature red in tooth and claw. There is something really primal and moving about watching that elemental struggle between predator and prey.’ U.S. scientists got a bird's eye view of falcons' attack strategies by fixing helmets containing tiny cameras to the heads of the birds, which also wore backpacks to record footage of their predatory flights. Here, a falcon is pictured as it is just about to intercept its prey, a crow . The scientists now aim to investigate other aspects of falcon hunting behaviour, including how the birds select their victims from a flock, using the little head-mounted cameras . | Falcons catch prey in mid-flight by manoeuvring so that their target seems as if it is stationary, allowing them to make targeted attacks on crows .
Researchers from Haverford College, .
Pennsylvania explained that the hunting techniques allow the birds to conserve energy .
They captured the bird's behaviour using tiny cameras and analysing the recorded flight paths . |
fbf983592a63ae04f86315edced910db42459f35 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:40 EST, 25 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:56 EST, 25 September 2013 . Light aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious has obviously been working up a thirst on her latest deployment after she had to be replenished at sea alongside two Royal Fleet Auxilary ships. The 22,000-tonne helicopter carrier was connected to RFA Fort Austin, which was transferring stores to RFA Fort Victoria, which in turn was pumping fuel to HMS Illustrious. At the same time a helicopter was transferring stores to the carrier, affectionately known as Lusty. Light aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious was replenished at sea alongside two Royal Fleet Auxillary ships. The ship also received stores from a helicopter during the operation . HMS Illustrious was connected to RFA Fort Austin which was transferring stores to RFA Fort Victoria, which in turn was pumping fuel to the helicopter carrier . The carrier is currently deployed on Cougar '13, the annual deployment of the UK Armed Forces Maritime Response Force Task Group to the Mediterranean and Gulf region. The long-planned deployment involves four Royal Navy warships, the lead commando group from 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and elements of naval air squadrons. The operation also includes the the navy's flagship HMS Bulwark. Last month HMS Illustrious was part of a Royal Navy taskforce which set sail for Gibraltar as David Cameron prepared to sue Spain over its treatment of the area. The carrier is currently deployed on Cougar '13, the annual deployment of the UK Armed Forces Maritime Response Force Task Group to the Mediterranean and Gulf region . The journey was part of a . long-planned exercise – but government officials said the show of force . may have helped ‘focus minds’ in Spain. HMS Illustrious was built at Swan Hunters Ship Builders Yard on the Tyne, and subsequently commissioned in her base port of Portsmouth in 1982. The ship is 209 metres long and weighs 22,000 tonnes. She has 1,400 compartments and 15 lifts, and has a top speed in excess of 30 knots. Her role ranges from maritime strikes to evacuation operations. The ship’s motto, 'Vox Non Incerta', is based on a quote from the Bible and means 'No Uncertain Sound'. The . Cougar '13 deployment will see elements of the Response Task Force . Group hone its maritime skills through exercises with a number of key . allies. HMS Illustrious is . there to provide escort duties and undertake ongoing counter-piracy . operations outside of the exercise programme. Built at Swan Hunters Ship Builders Yard on the Tyne, HMS Illustrious was subsequently commissioned in her base port of Portsmouth in 1982. The ship, at 209 metres long and weighing 22,000 tonnes, has 1,400 compartments and 15 lifts, and has a top speed in excess of 30 knots. In 2011 the Royal Navy's last fixed-wing . aircraft carrier was converted into a helicopter carrier and is now . capable of carrying a force of up to 20 helicopters and 600 personnel. Last month HMS Illustrious was part of a Royal Navy taskforce which set sail for Gibraltar as David Cameron prepared to sue Spain over its treatment of the area . A previously unseen computer generated image has offered a glimpse into what the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers will look like. The £5.5billion Queen Elizabeth-class warships are due to start sea trials in 2017. The 65,000-tonne floating fortresses - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales - are due to be fully operational from 2020 meaning they could be deployed to trouble spots around the world. A previously unseen computer generated image of how the new Queen Elizabeth Class ships, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, as they will look when in service . | The ship is currently deployed on Cougar '13 in the Mediterranean and Gulf .
She was receiving fuel from RFA Fort Victoria and stores from a helicopter .
HMS Illustrious is providing escort duties on Cougar '13 programme . |
fbf9c5404e1ed1cacf1ee586f48220588e93558a | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 20:48 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:43 EST, 19 November 2013 . A new blood test for prostate cancer could spare thousands of men unnecessary treatment. The test, which could cost less than £2, could distinguish between cancers that are life-threatening and those which are comparatively harmless. Although prostate cancer is by far the most common form of cancer in men, with around 41,000 new cases and 10,700 deaths each year, many sufferers do not need treatment. Breakthrough: A single protein can be used to distinguish aggressive prostate cancer from that which can be managed. Scientists hope the discovery will revolutionise treatment of the disease . Three quarters of them have slow-growing tumours that need nothing more than to be monitored. But until now there have been no reliable tests to distinguish between harmless cancers and the deadly aggressive varieties. Tens of thousands of men undergo surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy simply as a precaution – which often leaves them incontinent and their sexual desire severely impaired. The new blood test developed by scientists at Cambridge University assesses the level of the protein NAALADL2, which is very high in men with aggressive cancers and causes prostate cancer cells to spread to other organs. Research published in the journal Oncogene found that the protein test could correctly distinguish the aggressive tumours. The scientists hope that the test will be available on the NHS in the next five to ten years. Clinical trials will begin next year. Dr Hayley Whitaker, lead author of the study, said: ‘At the moment, men with prostate cancer have a lot of very difficult decisions to make based on not very much evidence. ‘This test would run on technology which is already routinely used in the NHS. It would cost a couple of pounds, maximum.’ Referring to her research, she said: ‘This is an important step along the path to developing a much-sought-after test that could distinguish between different types of prostate cancer.’ At present, men are given the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. It measures levels of a different type of protein, which are normally raised if a tumour is present. Specialists also look at the cells under x-ray to try to determine how quickly they are growing – but experts say both methods are inadequate. Human prostate cancer cells. With the new test, much higher levels of the protein, NAALADL2, were found in prostate tumour tissue than in healthy tissue . Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: ‘Being able to distinguish aggressive from non-aggressive prostate cancers could transform the outlook for the 40,000 men who are faced with a diagnosis of the disease every year. ‘The current diagnostic process is at best inadequate. ‘All too often men are faced with the difficult decision of whether to endure life-changing side effects from treatment for cancers which may never have caused them any harm. Others, however, are left with more aggressive cancers that are untreated until it’s too late. ‘If we are to save more of the 10,000 men who lose their lives to this disease every year, this urgently needs to be addressed.’ Professor Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research UK’s prostate cancer expert, who is based at the University of Cardiff, said: ‘As a prostate cancer clinician, I have been waiting for years for a test that can define the aggressive disease. ‘I hope that this research brings forward the day when I can say to patients, “We know that your cancer doesn’t need treatment” – a crucial development that could spare thousands of patients from enduring arduous treatment with unpleasant side effects. ‘This extremely interesting study provides an important development for prostate cancer screening, and potentially even reveals a new target for the development of new prostate cancer drugs in the future.’ n THE number of children beating cancer has risen to more than eight in ten, according to figures from Cancer Research UK. In the 1960s, only three in ten survived after diagnosis, said a spokesman for the charity. Survival rates for liver and bone tumours have made ‘particularly good progress’, with five-year survival rates increasing from 67 to 82 per cent for liver tumours and 61 to 68 per cent for bone cancer. But he warned there is ‘still some way to go’ with other forms of the disease. | There are higher levels of the protein NAALADL2 in aggressive tumours .
Doctors can identify tumours that are likely to pose a .
deadly threat .
Currently .
the aggressiveness of a tumour can only be loosely identified .
This means .
some patients have debilitating treatment that is not necessary . |
fbf9f0dc26c4a03871d894231993924ad297f1a5 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 21:03 EST, 30 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:03 EST, 30 November 2013 . A psychology professor accused of masterminding the murder of her alleged rapist in Orange County, California, has spoken out, saying she is the victim of a violent rape and of her abusive ex-boyfriend, who murdered her rapist. Patricia Esparza, 39, says 18 years ago she was forced to join a group of people, including her then ex-boyfriend Gianni Van, 44, in kidnapping Gonzalo Ramirez, 24, and witnessed them beating him as revenge for allegedly raping Esparza in her dorm room. Esparza is one of four suspects to face charges for the 1995 killing of Ramirez, whose body was found hacked to death with a meat cleaver on the side of a road in Orange County. A fifth suspect died in July. Cold case: Police arrested Esparza when she reentered the U.S. for an academic conference for a crime committed 18 years ago . Accused: Norma Patricia Esparza listens during a news conference in Santa Ana, California, on Wednesday . The married mother and professor at Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland, was offered a deal: plead guilty and face just three years behind bars. She refused the deal, saying she won't admit to something she didn't do. If convicted for the murder of Gonzalo Ramirez, she could face a life sentence. Esparza spoke to NBC's Today from her prison cell yesterday. She told Today that her then ex-boyfriend Gianni Van kidnapped Ramirez and forced her to be a party to a violent beating, then two weeks later made her marry him, knowing that as his spouse she could not be compelled to testify against him. Esparza told the Pasadena Star News that she and Van had never lived together. Speaking out: Esparza spoke to NBC's Today show about the case, saying she was forced into witnessing violence against Ramirez by Van but didn't know he had been murdered . 'Never, ever did I give any indication that I wanted Gonzalo Ramirez to be harmed,' she told Dateline. 'What I can tell you is that I was dragged, pressured, bullied, intimidated into that night when they actually took Gonzalo Ramirez,' she said. 'I never saw him dead. I didn't know that he had been dead. But I was terrorized by the violence that I witnessed.' Esparza says she was not aware Ramirez had been murdered until weeks later when she was questioned by police. Esparza, a professor at Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland, was arrested in the cold case murder late last year after re-entering the U.S. for an academic conference. The four other suspects in the case have all pleaded not guilty. Locked up: Esparza was taken into custody after rejecting a plea deal that would see her serve a sentence of three years . Accused: Ex-husband of Norma Patricia Esparza, Gianni Van (left), and Shannon Gries (right) Involved: Diane Tran (left) has plead not guilty in the crime, and Kody Tran (right) would have been charged had he not shot himself in a standoff with police last year . 'It just hurts me so much that I had . been raped, and here he [Van] is, instead of consoling me, he destroyed . the rest of my life,' she said. 'You know, the abuse was difficult, the rape was difficult, but dragging me through that night, it haunts me.' Prosecutors say Esparza is playing the 'victim card' and is using her psychology knowledge to sway public opinion to her side. 'She’s a very sophisticated defendant,' prosecutor Susan Kang Schroeder told Pasadena Star News. 'She . has a Ph.D in psychology and she knows how to play on people’s . emotions, including the use of her 4-year-old daughter as a prop at the . press conference. This is a woman who is trying to act like the victim . in this case when the real victim was brutally murdered and the case . went unsolved for 20 years.' Respected: Esparza, seen here in her capacity as a psychology professor teaching a class . Esparza refused the plea deal on November 20, saying, 'The principle of what they're asking me is to plead guilty to something that they know I am not responsible for,' she said. She . will now face trial for one felony count of special circumstance murder . - a charge that can carry a life sentence without parole. Prosecutors are calling the murder of Gonzalo Ramirez a 'revenge killing.' They allege that on 15 April, 1995, a 20-year-old Esparza was at a bar with a group of friends . including former boyfriend Gianni Van, when she pointed out Ramirez, . claiming he had raped her in her dorm room at Pomona College a few . months earlier. Wife and mother: Norma Patricia Esparza receives a hug from her four-year-old daughter, Arianna . According to the prosecution, Esparza, . Van, Kody Tran, Diane Tran and Shannon 'Jailbird' Gries followed Ramirez . when he left the bar in the early hours of the following morning. They intentionally rear-ended his vehicle, say prosecutors, forcing him to get out of the car to inspect the damage. He was then kidnapped. His body was found on the side of Sand Canyon Road in Santa Ana hours later. Esparza . says she was forced by the aggressive Van to identify Ramirez and then . coerced to keep the secret of his murder for almost two decades. Diane Tran, Shannon Gries and Gianni Van have also been charged. All have pleaded not guilty. Kody Tran died after shooting himself in a standoff with police last year. According to the Los Angeles Times, . Esparza says she met Ramirez in a Santa Ana nightclub. The next morning . he asked her to breakfast and offered to drive her and some friends . back to Pomona College. Once in her dorm room, he raped Esparza, who went to a school nurse and was given the morning-after pill. She was too ashamed to report the rape to authorities and the nurse did not advise her to do so. Young family: Esparza married Jorge Mancillas following her divorce from Van and they have a four-year-old daughter . Jailed: Norma Patricia Esparza, pictured with her husband, Jorge Mancillas, has been taken into custody . 'I don't think I was thinking at that . time,' she said. 'I felt ashamed. I felt guilty. I didn't want to come . forward because I didn't want my family to know.' Julie Ann Rojas, who was Gries then-girlfriend, testified that she was with Van and Esparza the night Ramirez died. Cold case: When investigators learned Esparza and Van were divorced, they re-opened the murder case of Gonzalo Ramirez . She . said Van, Gries and Kody Tran attacked Ramirez while she and Esparza . went to a bar. After about an hour Roja and Esparza went to the . transmission shop owned by Kody Tran where Esparza said she saw Ramirez . tied and hanging from the ceiling. Esparza's . current husband Jorge Mancillas, a world-renowned medical researcher, said that his wife was told that Ramirez was 'roughed up' and was unaware of the murder until weeks later when she was questioned by police. Esparza, who says she suffered years of sexual abuse by her father as a child, told reporters at a news conference Wednesday 20 November that she lived in fear of Van for years after the attack. 'All I knew is that I wanted to survive,' she said. 'All I knew was that these people were dangerous and I just needed to stay quiet and withdraw and come out of that night alive.' Senior deputy district attorney Scott Simmons said there is sufficient evidence 'to prove she is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.' Mancillas and Esparza's four-year-old daughter Arianna were in the courtroom as she was handcuffed. The family lives in a small town in France on the Swiss border and Esparza is an assistant professor of psychology and counseling at Webster University. She will return to court on December 23. Esparza and Mancillas have set up a petition at change.org to try to persuade Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas to drop the charges against Esparza. 'We are astonished that Norma Patricia, a rape victim, is now being treated as a criminal. We are also concerned about the effect this past year has had on her 4-year-old daughter and the long-term impact this will have if the situation is not resolved in her favor,' the petition reads. 'In continuing to pursue her you are sending a troubling message to other rape victims who already have a sense that they will not receive justice within the legal system.' | Norma Patricia Esparza, 39, is charged in the murder of Gonzalo Ramirez .
She says Ramirez raped her and her then ex-boyfriend Gianni Van and others murdered Ramirez in revenge .
Ramirez was found on the side of an Orange County road hacked to death with a meat cleaver .
Esparza says she was later pressured to marry Van so that she would not have to testify against him .
She claims she never told Van that she wanted Ramirez harmed .
Police reopened the case after Esparza and Van divorced and .
She was arrested upon reentering the U.S. for a conference in October 2012 .
Esparza was offered a plea deal but rejected it, saying it would be 'a lie'
She is a psychology professor in Geneva, Switzerland . |
fbfa45a2c1ea66e69774522d03a78c3e8b9f122e | Two friends have circumnavigated the globe in 80 days – recreating the fictional journey made by Phileas Fogg. But Milan Bihlmann and Muammer Yilmaz’s adventure was made even more extraordinary given that they didn’t spend a penny of their own money completing the challenge. After setting off from Paris on September 9, the pair managed to travel through countries including Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, the US and Singapore by persuading travel companies to provide free train tickets and airfares. Milan Bihlmann and Muammer Yilmaz arrive back in Paris after completing their epic 80-day adventure . They also managed to hitchhike between destinations and were offered free accommodation by strangers they met along the way. On one occasion, a businessman in Calcutta agreed to pay for flights to Bangkok after reading about their story in a local newspaper. The men first met in Berlin in December 2010 when Milan offered to host Muammer on the hospitality network Couchsurfing.com. Budapest: The pair hitchhiked between destinations and were offered free accommodation by strangers . Isfahan, Iran: Milan faced problems trying to enter Iran as he was not eligible for visa on arrival . Pakistan: Milan and Muammer covered nearly 12,500 miles on their journey . During the three days they were together on that occasion, they talked about undertaking a round-the-world trip together. Milan, from Germany, has trained in international business and has also worked as a professional juggler. He is now studying for a degree in Business Administration at the Berlin School of Economy and Law. Muammer, 39, is a French photographer and producer and is a passionate traveller. Overall the trip covered nearly 12,500 miles, working out at roughly 155 miles per day. Erzurum, Turkey: After leaving France, the men travelled to countries including Germany, Armenia and Iran . Altinova, Turkey: The duo managed to travel across the world without spending any of their own money . Turkey: The pair also accepted food and accommodation from strangers they met along the route . After leaving France, they travelled through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Pakistan, India, Burma, and then to Singapore. From there they visited San Francisco and New York, before returning to Paris. At one stage they were stranded in Calcutta, before a local man contacted them through their Facebook page offering to support the next part of their journey and pay for their plane tickets to Thailand. The duo’s benefactor, Amit Saraogi, a businessman who works for poultry feed manufacturer Anmol Feeds, read about them in a newspaper article and invited them for dinner at his home. Pakistan: Milan (right) from Germany, has trained in international business and has also worked as a juggler . Pakistan: Muammer is a French photographer and producer, and is a passionate traveller . Turkey: Milan and Muammer first met in Berlin in December 2010 through Couchsurfing.com . Thailand: On one occasion, a businessman in Calcutta agreed to pay for flights to Bangkok . ‘At first, after reading the newspaper article, I was curious about these two men who had actually embarked on such a tour,’ said Saraogi. ‘When I went through their website and sent them a message on Facebook, I didn’t even know they if they were online and if the message would reach them.’ Just two hours later they were sitting in Mr Saraogi’s office. ‘We rushed to my residence in Alipore, where I introduced Milan and Muammer to my wife Dipali and daughters Nandini and Bhoomi, both students of La Martiniere. 'For dinner, there were chapattis with dal, alu dahi ki sabzi and a preparation of cabbage. The two tasted a little of everything,’ said Mr Saraogi. Thailand: Milan and Muammer met in 2010 and talked about undertaking a round-the-world trip together . Singapore: The duo have documented their trip on Facebook . San Francisco: The two friends succeeded in circumnavigating the globe in 80 days . ‘They just wanted to know from me why I was helping them. They smiled when I said I was fortunate to be in a position to do so and sincerely wished their success in the adventure.’ While travelling through Europe has proved relatively smooth, they faced problems when they tried to enter Iran as Milan was not eligible for visa on arrival because of his status as a German national. They had to wait for seven days, almost 10 per cent of their target of 80 days, at the Turkey-Iran border while the visa application was processed. The duo have documented their trip on Facebook under the name Optimistic Traveler . | Milan Bihlmann and Muammer Yilmaz given freebies by strangers they met .
Businessman bought flights to Bangkok when they were stuck in Calcutta .
Overall, the trip covered nearly 12,500 miles of the globe .
Pair met in 2010 and within three days agreed to do the trip together . |
fbfa74cf14cc8bc1ae08b6362aedd462c8568ae5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:45 EST, 13 December 2013 . Covered in bruises, his skin red and smarting, this sobbing eight-year-old has just been stripped to his underwear, tied to a tree and beaten by his father. If that wasn’t shocking enough, many in the sizeable crowd that gathered around applauded as the father lashed him with a stick. The boy from Nanchong in Sichuan province, south-west China, skipped classes after receiving the equivalent of £10 from his father. He had also reportedly failed to return on time earlier in the week. After driving around the city in search of his son, the father caught him near a market and exacted his punishment. A crowd gathers at the scene where a father has . stripped his nine-year-old son and tied him to a tree before viciously . beating him. The man said his son was being punished for skipping school . and failing to return home . The picture taker, Lin Gang, said that . the temperature was only 5C when the all but naked child was tied to the . tree and beaten. Corporal punishment of the kind meted out to the Nanchong boy is lawful in China, although there are legal provisions to prevent excessive child abuse. The law even goes to far as to allow authorities to order parents to subject their children to 'strict discipline' if they are guilty of serious misbehaviour. Traditionally, corporal punishment is common among Chinese families, although attitudes are beginning to change in the country. In a letter to the South China Morning Post, Melody Koo, a pupil at Marknoll Fathers' School, wrote: 'Many traditional Chinese families use corporal punishment to teach their children. 'They believe that once the pain is over, the lesson will be engraved on the child's mind and the mistake will not be repeated. It's an easy way of "teaching" children right from wrong.' According to a 2010 study cited by the Global Initiative to End Corporal Punishment, around half of of girls and three in five boys in China had experienced 'mild' corporal punishment in the past month. That included spanking hitting, or slapping with a bare hand; hitting or slapping on the hand, arm, or leg; shaking; or hitting with an object, according to the study published in the International Journal of Paediatrics. A further 10 per cent of girls and 15 per cent of boys reported experiencing severe corporal punishment, which included hitting or slapping on the face, head, or ears or repeated beating with an implement. Corporal punishment is common among traditional Chinese families, and lawful in the country. A recent study found half of girls and three fifths of boys had been subjected to mild corporal punishment at home . This case from Nanchong undoubtedly falls into that latter category. According to the father, his son had been absent from school for several days without his knowledge, and the boy didn't even come back home the previous evening. In the morning, the father saw his son wandering the street. The boy tried to run, but his father caught him and beat him. With onlookers' interference and persuasion, the father soon untied his son and took him away. | It is legal and common practice for parents to beat their children in China .
Nearly half of girls and three fifths of boys report mild corporal punishment .
Fewer, but still significant numbers, report suffering severe beatings . |
fbfab0575daad26314d2add6cac84558afe94126 | (CNN) -- When Piers Morgan pointed out that "Vicious" Victor Ortiz will be "facing a guy that has beaten just about everyone that's come in front of him," the boxing champ told the CNN host, "Fear doesn't even exist in my dictionary anymore. It was one of those things where my upbringing alone got rid of all that." Morgan was referring to Ortiz's upcoming September 17 bout with "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather. Ortiz and his mentor, boxing great Oscar de la Hoya, are guests on Wednesday's "Piers Morgan Tonight." Abandoned by his mother at the age of 8, Ortiz was left to essentially raise his younger brother when his father walked out of the family's Kansas home four years later. "It was my brother and I just roaming around like two strays, you know," said Ortiz. Ortiz took care of his brother, who is two years younger, day in and day out and even put him through college. "He and I had each other's back usually," said Ortiz. "Like, you know, like two brothers would." Interestingly enough, once Ortiz became famous, his parents did not seek him out. "I actually went out of my way to find both of my parents," said Ortiz, who told Morgan that he traveled to Kansas and "asked around everywhere," in order to track down his dad. When he finally found the elder Ortiz, the World Boxing Council Welterweight Champion of the World said that his father was still "very intimidating," and that he resisted the urge to ask the man why he'd abandoned his family. "I was just like, 'Hey, Dad, you know what? I did your job and my brother and I grew up." Morgan asked Ortiz, 24, if he feels that his opponent holds a psychological advantage over him. Mayweather has won 10 world titles and is undefeated as a professional boxer. Mayweather, however, hasn't stepped in the ring in over a year, while Ortiz has fought five fights in that time. "I'm not really sure how the balance lies," answered Ortiz. "But that's one thing that I'm willing to put aside, because I want the best pound for pound, Floyd Mayweather to arrive, September the 17th, across the ring from me." Morgan asked 10-time world champion and Olympic medalist Oscar de la Hoya, who was defeated by Mayweather in 2007, what kind of man Mayweather is to fight. "He is a great fighter," said de la Hoya. "He is the best pound for pound fighter in the world today. He is great for the sport. He has done great things for boxing. And, you know, on September 17th, Victor is going to face the best. And, you know, there's no excuses whatsoever. "But when I fought him, I mean you can say that I was over the hill. I was an old 35 years old when I faced him. He beat me, yes, hands down. There's no doubt about that. I congratulate him." De la Hoya alluded to the possibility of Mayweather, who at 34 is 10 years Ortiz's senior, passing the torch on to Ortiz, who de la Hoya believes "will be one of the greats." Does de la Hoya believe he'd beat Ortiz if the pair got into the ring today? "Let me put it this way," de la Hoya told Morgan. "If I was at my prime and -- and Victor is at his prime -- it would be one hell of a fight, that's for sure. Maybe a draw." Watch Piers Morgan Tonight weeknights 9 p.m. ET. For the latest from Piers Morgan click here. | Victor Ortiz and Floyd Mayweather face each other in the ring on September 17 .
The bout will air on HBO Pay-Per-View live from the MGM in Las Vegas .
Boxing legend Oscar de la Hoya is Ortiz's mentor .
Mayweather stands undefeated as a professional boxer . |
fbfc17c0ca4f1f552c9331db60a5408b1e6a0046 | A man wanted over the Sydney police pursuit, which led to the death of a 17-month-old girl, has been formally charged. The 22-year-old had been on the run since he allegedly crashed a stolen Audi through the fence of a Constitution Hill property into a backyard where kids were playing last Thursday night. The toddler was playing on the other side of the fence and sustained fatal injuries. Scroll down for video . A man has been charged with the manslaughter of a 17-month-old toddler who was run over at Constitution Hill - Sydney's west . The 22-year-old will appear at Wyong court on Thursday and will also face charges of aggravated dangerous driving causing death, police pursuit [Skye's Law], and use offensive weapon to avoid apprehension . The man spent the night behind bars at Wyong Police Station and will face Wyong court on Thursday, police said. He has been charged with manslaughter and a raft of other offences, and is from Waterloo - in Sydney's inner-city. He was arrested at a home in Gorokan, on the Central Coast on Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after arriving at Wyong Police Station the man claimed he had a medical issue and was taken to hospital. A 23-year-old woman who was a passenger in the stolen Audi appeared in court on Wednesday on drug charges . He was later return to the police station where he was formally charged on Thursday morning. The charges laid against him include manslaughter, aggravated dangerous driving causing death, police pursuit [Skye's Law], and use offensive weapon to avoid apprehension. A critical incident investigation will look at which car involved in the pursuit caused 17-month-old's injuries. It comes after Katie Tutie, 23, who watched all the tragic drama of the high-speed pursuit unfold from the passenger seat appeared in court on Wednesday. Tuite was not charged over the chase but she faced court on a raft of unrelated offences. Whilst the 22-year-old man remained on the run, Tuite was arrested on the day of the toddler's tragic death. She was remanded in Darlinghurst, in possession of drugs methamphetamine (ice) and buprenorphine, near where the Audi had been dumped. Magistrate Les Mabbutt refused her bail application after hearing of Tuite's own reign of terror. Police prosecutors detailed her own personal crime spree over the past 18 months, including offences ranging from aggravated robbery, serious assault, stealing, possession of housebreaking equipment and providing police with more than 20 false names and information. Detectives working on the Constitution Hill case had been pursuing the 22-year-old suspect for a week and arrested him yesterday . Her distraught family have reached out to Tuite, assuring her they still love her and are devastated by the problems that drugs have allegedly brought into her life. ‘I love her so much,' her mother cried in an interview with 9News. 'Katie, don’t ever think I don’t love you,’ her mother pleaded in tears. Katie’s sister-in-law Samantha said they know there was still a chance the 23-year-old could turn her life around. 'We didn’t want it to be like this, we want her to change her life and start doing good,' she told 9News. 'We all know that she’s got the potential to do it.' Tuite's mother also cried when explaining how devastated she feels after the tragic death of toddler. ‘I’m so sorry… I wake up in the morning and see those baby’s eyes in my eyes,' she said. On Wednesday, Tuite, sporting tattoos on her arms and prison greens, appeared by video link at Central Local Court from inside Silverwater Jail, where she will remain until her next court appearance, set down for January 29. Lawyers for Tuite applied for bail but police prosecutors claimed 'the defendant's record extends over the last 18 months from August 29 last year and since there have been continuous offences. [She] continues to make choices with further undesirable people'. Magistrate Mabbutt said: 'The range of the offences [she has been charged with] are grave matters, the accused has a length history and has outstanding matters, the offences overall have to be considered serious. 'The accused has a history of violence,' he stated, adding that the offences would most likely lead to 'full-time custody' if she was found guilty. Magistrate Mabbutt went on to deny Tuite's bail application. Distraught friends of the toddler's family visited the house following her death last Friday . Friends lay flowers outside the family home of the child who was killed as she played with two of her sisters . An emotional police officer on the scene at Constitution Hill near Parramatta last Friday . A witness to the accident is overcome with emotion as he places flowers at the site where the toddler was killed . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | A 22-year-old man was charged with the manslaughter on Thursday .
He will appear in Wyong court following his arrest by police on Wednesday .
The man is accused of running over the toddler at Constitution Hill in Sydney's west .
A passenger in the stolen Audi that crashed through the toddler's fence appeared in court .
Katie Tuite was not charged with the chase but was charged with drug offences . |
fbfdcf8a141c84cc9a54c067a73ba2e791e85414 | By . Luke Salkeld . Last updated at 5:05 AM on 24th January 2012 . It is a country estate of such beauty that it inspired the composition of one of our best loved hymns. But the mansion behind ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ was the subject of an unholy row in court today over its modernised interior. Conservation officials failed in their demand for access to Llanwenarth House to check on renovations and were told by the owner: ‘An Englishman's home is his castle.’ Millionaire Kim Davies, 56, told a court how planning inspectors had made up to 20 visits to the country mansion after they feared the Grade II listed property had been given a ‘footballer's wife-style’ makeover. Dispute: The ivy-clad Llanwenarth House in the Usk Valley near Abergavenny, owned by Kim Davies, has been at the centre of an argument over renovation work that has taken place inside the Grade II listed property . Inspirational: The fittings inside the South Wales county pile include this ornamental whirlpool . But he refused their request for an architectural historian to inspect the Elizabethan manor which is nestled in the idyllic Usk Valley in South Wales, and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority took him to court. Previous close inspection of the house was carried out by Irish composer Cecil Alexander in 1848, who was so impressed by the surroundings that she wrote one of her most famous and popular pieces. The ‘purple-headed mountain’ in one verse of the hymn is thought to refer to the nearby Sugar Loaf and Blorenge peaks, while ‘the river running by’ in the next line is the River Usk which winds along the valley floor close to the estate’s boundary. The home is currently for sale at £2.25million but work carried out Mr Davies has come in for close scrutiny. National Park planning officer Clare Jones told the hearing she had visited the property at least 10 times and wanted to carry out further checks. She said: ‘The authority has now engaged a conservation expert who needs to advise us about the works that have taken place. Renovation: Mr Davies has installed a chandelier light in the kitchen of Llanwenarth House. The dispute arose after he refused to allow an architectural historian to inspect the Elizabethan manor to see what changes were being made . Checks: The court heard that council officials made up to 20 visits to the property to assess the work and eventually took out an injunction to make sure no further building took place . ‘He will advise the authority if the history of the building has been compromised and on remedial work to put the building back to its original state.’ Mr Davies, a builder and car dealer, bought the house for £675,000 in 2007 and has since spent more than £1million on it. He admits that a new kitchen and bathrooms have been installed but claims the work falls outside the restrictions on listed buildings. Planning officials were called in after it was compared to a ‘footballer's wife monstrosity’ which may have damaged the historic gem and an injunction was taken out to stop further work. Cecil Frances Alexander (nee Humphreys) was a poet who also penned at least 400 hymns. She . was born in Dublin in 1818, and spent much of her later life in . Londonderry and Strabane with her husband, William Alexander, who became . Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. Mrs . Alexander was a keen supporter of the Oxford Movement, and in 1848 . published Hymns For Little Children, which include three of the most . popular hymns in the English language: All Things Bright and Beautiful, . Once In Royal David's City and There Is A Green Hill Far Away. The book was published in 69 editions and all the profits were given to Irish charities. She died in 1895 and is buried in Londonderry. Mr Davies told magistrates in Abergavenny that he had always complied with the regular inspections by the National Park officials. But he opposed the application for a warrant to enter the property saying: ‘Enough is enough.’ He continued: ‘I have to take a stand. No further work has taken place since their last visit. ‘My sister is suffering from cancer and is convalescing at my home at the moment. ‘They have been there up to 20 times and I'm not prepared to let them come again.’ Dr Charles Mynor, representing Mr Davies, told the hearing: ‘There is no evidence of any new works or that anything extra has happened. ‘It seems that the National Park are coming back for another bite of a cherry that has already been bitten on many occasions.’ The magistrates refused to grant the Brecon Beacons National Park a warrant to enter the property and awarded £500 costs to Mr Davies. Chairman of the bench Dr Christopher Rowlands told the court: ‘Mr Davies has said under oath that no further work has been carried out on the property and on those grounds the application is refused.’ After the case, Mr Davies said: ‘I have always welcomed the National Park people when they have visited my home. ‘But it is my home and there has to be a limit to the number of times they want to have a look around. ‘I would get a letter one day saying they were coming the next. I opposed the warrant because quite simply enough is enough. ‘An Englishman's home is his castle - only in this case it's a Welshman's home.’ Photographs used by the estate agent show the inside of the seven-bedroom house has changed considerably since the time of Mrs Alexander’s visit. The kitchen has a large chandelier and granite tops while the bathroom boasts an ornamental Jacuzzi bath, and there is nothing Mrs Alexander would recognise about the high-ceilinged cinema room. Inspiration The 'purple-headed mountains' and 'river running by' of the Usk Valley are referred to in the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful, penned at Llanwenarth House by Irish composer Cecil Alexander . The estate agent description states: ‘Much of its character still remains yet the expansive home also embodies great comfort and ease of living.’ But the refurbishment work by property developer has not won universal songs of praise. Before the hearing Monmouthshire county councillor Christine Walby said: ‘The house is an architectural gem and the park authority has a legal obligation to ensure that listed buildings are preserved. Mrs Alexander, who also wrote Once in Royal David’s City, died in 1895 at the age of 77. It has been claimed that All Things Bright and Beautiful was also inspired by countryside near Dunster in Somerset, and the poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The words in turn influenced the works of James Herriot, who used the ‘all creatures great and small’ line as the title of his books about the life of a vet in the Yorkshire Dales. | Mansion was inspiration for hymn 'All Things Bright and Beautiful'
Council made up to 20 visits to inspect building work .
Matter went to court when homeowner Kim Davies refused architectural historian entry to the property .
Court refuses to issue council warrant and awards Mr Davies £500 costs . |
fbfe12a2540dcab5e12e06069f26d71f546db3e4 | London, England (CNN) -- A British oil rig has started drilling off the Falkland Islands in a move likely to stoke further tensions between Argentina and the UK over the disputed South Atlantic territory. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, British oil and gas exploration company Desire Petroleum said the Ocean Guardian rig had begun drilling an exploration well in the North Falkland Basin, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the islands. Desire estimates that the North Falkland Basin could contain 3.5 billion barrels of oil as well as having "significant gas potential." The exploratory drilling is expected to last around 30 days, a spokesman for the company told CNN. But potential revenues from oil and gas have reignited a long-running dispute between London and Buenos Aires over ownership of the Falklands. Last Tuesday Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed a decree requiring all ships navigating from Argentina to the islands to carry a government permit. The Falklands, known as Las Malvinas in Argentina, lie in the South Atlantic Ocean off the Argentinean coast and have been under British rule since 1833. Argentina has always claimed sovereignty over the islands and invaded them in 1982, prompting a war in which more than 600 Argentinean and 255 British military personnel died. The island's government, representing a population of around 2,500, remains committed to British sovereignty and the UK maintains a military presence on the islands. The spokesman for Desire said that the company was not commenting on political issues and was "focusing on the drilling campaign." The Argentine position is that natural resources around the islands should be protected, and Britain must accept international resolutions labeling the Falklands a disputed area. "This has to do with the defense of the interests of Argentineans, not just about sovereignty," Argentine Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez said last week, adding that Argentina lays claim not just to the islands, but to any resources that could be found there. In a statement last week, the Falkland Islands government said it had "every right to develop a hydrocarbons industry within our waters." "The British Government has clearly stated that they support our right to develop legitimate business," it said. "The British Government have also reiterated their stance on our British sovereignty." | Argentina and UK at odds over ownership of South Atlantic islands .
Falklands government says it has "every right" to develop hydrocarbons industry .
Drilling company estimates area could contain 3.5 billion barrels of oil .
Argentina passed decree requiring Falklands-bound ships to carry permit . |
fbfe1542292034968d3136ef166995488158e978 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:57 EST, 15 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:10 EST, 15 July 2012 . Police have begun an intense search for a suspect wanted in the shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend and her sister in southeast Michigan who is believed to be armed and dangerous. Cops said 24-year-old Lisa Gritzmaker, 34-year-old Amy Merrill, as well as their mother were shot at about 11:40pm on Friday in Blissfield, Michigan, about 20 miles northwest of Toledo, Ohio. Police found the women at the home after responding to a 911 call from one of the victims. Sisters: Lisa Gritzmaker, left, and Amy Merrill, right, were found shot to death on Friday night . House of horrors: Police found the women at this Blissfield, Michigan, home after one of the shooting victims was able to call 911 . Mother: Ms Gritzmaker was married with two children, and had a third child on the way . Their mother was conscious and expected to live. State police have not released her name. The Toledo Blade reported that both of the murdered women were mothers themselves, and Ms Gritzmaker was seven months pregnant. Shelby Piotter-Anderson, a lifetime . Blissfield resident and friend of both victims, told the paper: 'This . doesn't happen in Blissfield.' She added: 'I'm still kind of in shock. We've had car break-ins and other stupid little things, but I would . never have expected this.' Wanted: Police are looking for Thomas Fritz, Ms Merrill's ex-boyfriend, in connection to the shooting . The mother of the two victims is conscious and expected to live. Michigan State Police Lt Mardella Horhn said Sunday that authorities are looking for 38-year-old Thomas Fritz of Sylvania, Ohio, who hasn't been charged but is wanted for questioning. Lt Horhn said Fritz, the estranged boyfriend of Ms Merrill, is considered armed and dangerous. State police Detective Sgt Marc Moore said in a statement: 'Fritz may be en route to Ohio. Citizens should contact police immediately and not approach him.' Linda Butler, Merrill's neighbor, told the paper that she walked home from the fireworks at Blissfield River Raisin Festival on Friday and didn't notice anything abnormal when she passed the home. 'I heard nothing and really saw nothing until the ambulance came,' Butler said. Fritz is a white male, is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 186 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He was released from an Ohio prison in 2008 after serving a 1-year sentence for criminal sexual conduct. Fritz was reported to be driving a burgundy or maroon 2002 four-door Honda with Ohio plates EQP8075. Tragedy: Ms Gritzmaker, pictured right with her sister, was seven months pregnant at the time of the shooting . Manhunt: Fritz, right, a suspect in the Blissfield, Michigan, murders, is believed to be armed and dangerous . | Lisa Gritzmaker, 24, and Amy Merrill, 34, were found shot to death in Blissfield, Michigan .
Their mother, who was not identified, was also shot - but is expected to recover .
Wanted for questioning in the shooting is 38-year-old Thomas Fritz, the estranged boyfriend of Ms Merrill . |
fbfe51c3d5bd81a3a86812769ab23bb413fb8786 | By . James Nye . Five wolf pups abandoned by their parents during a huge wildfire in Alaska have been rescued and taken to Anchorage Zoo. On Tuesday, firefighters battling the Funny River blaze on the Kenai Peninsula heard small yelps coming from a den and decided to investigate. Inside they discovered five dehydrated wolf pups, who had all suffered a run-in with a porcupine, needing quills removed from their tiny bodies. Safe: One of the wolf pups rescued on Tuesday is cradled by a firefighter battling the blaze at Funny River in Alaska . Medics Eric Zucker and Alicia Renfer hydrate and remove porcupine quills from the wolf pups found in a den next to a firebreak. Firefighters found the den while fighting the Funny River Horse Trail Fire . Safety: Eric Zucker and Alicia Renfer tend to one of the pups rescued on Tuesday at Funny River . Steve Miller, deputy manager of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, contacted the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Jeff Selinger, who came to assist the firefighters. However, when he arrived, Selinger was too big to fit in the 10-foot-deep den and a smaller volunteer was needed to slip inside. Five pups - three males and two females - had been living on their own for two days, while sadly, another one had died prior to their rescue. All the pups had porcupine quills sticking out of them and the first thing the rescuers did was give them sugar water through a pipette to hydrate them. Thanks! The firefighter gets a thank you kiss for pulling the pup out from their den after being abandoned by their parents who fled a forest fire . Later in the day, the Department of Fish and Game drove the pups to the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage, where the zoo's curator took them in. 'They would have died if we didn’t pull them out,' said firefighter Jefferson Sam to The Alaska Dispatch. 'For me, it was the right thing to do.' Firefighter Brian Nichols told the Peninsula Clarion that caring for the pups was 'just like holding a dog'. 'They were hungry and trying to suckle on anything. It was just like holding a puppy, they’re so young they don’t know any better.' Tired: The rescued wolf pups were transferred to Anchorage Zoo where they are currently being cared for . The sky above many portions of Kasilof glowed orange on Wednesday as the Funny River Fire continued to burn a more than a 10 mile strip of land stretching from Funny River Road in Soldotna down to Tustumena Lake . At Anchorage Zoo the pups spent all day Wednesday with the zoo veterinarian being fed puppy-milk replacement formula every few hours. At two weeks old, the pups weighed 2.5 pounds, about a half-pound less than normal. Some of the pups had developed abscesses and were put on antibiotics after being stuck with the quills. Unfortunately, because they have been handled by humans they cannot be set back into the wild. Plans are in progress to find them a good home. | Alaskan, firefighters on the Kenai Peninsula at Funny River, stopped battling inferno when they heard yelping .
Discovered five dehydrated wolf pups in a den and set about rescuing them . |
fbfff25d5440a30980c650f21455a4055acc10fa | Footage has emerged from deep inside the mysterious crater that has suddenly appeared in Siberia. The crater on the Yamal Peninsula - known as the 'end of the world' to locals - was caused by aliens, a meteorite, a stray missile, or an explosive gas cocktail released due to global warming, according to theories last week. Russian scientists recently returned from the first expedition to look inside the giant hole which was previously spotted by helicopter. Scroll down for video . Footage from inside the original crater showed that there is a lake at its base. The two new craters follow the discovery of a larger hole earlier this month around 230ft (70 metres) in diameter. Now the new holes - smaller in diameter but similar in shape - are posing a fresh challenge for Russian scientists . Their footage highlights a darkening around the rim which was earlier seen as evidence of heat possibly from an explosion during the crater's creation. 'They found the crater - around up to 300ft (70 metres) deep - has an icy lake at its bottom, and water is cascading down its eroding permafrost walls,' said The Siberian Times. ‘It is not as wide as aerial estimates which earlier suggested between 164ft and 328ft (50 and 100 metres).’ Andrey Plekhanov, senior researcher at the Russian Scientific Centre of Arctic Research, revealed that satellite mapping imagery is being used to establish when the phenomenon was formed, thought to be in the last year or two. This giant crater measuring around 262ft and found in far northern . Siberia is believed to have been caused by rising temperatures in the . area - not a meteorite . Andrei Plekhanov, a senior researcher at the Scientific Research Center . of the Arctic, who travelled to investigate the crater, said there were no traces of an . explosion . The discovery eliminates the possibility that a meteorite had struck the . region in the Yamal Peninsula - the name of which translates as 'the . end of the world' Mr Plekhanov said the enormous crater appears to be made up of 80 per cent ice which adds to the theory that it was caused by the effects of global warming . The darkening around the inner rim of the crater also indicates 'severe burning' which scorched the crater's edges, researchers said . The darkening around the inner rim of the crater indicates 'severe burning' that scorched its edges . One of the more popular theories is that the giant hole was caused by a phenomenon known as a pingo. This is a subsurface accumulation of ice that has been covered by land. When the ice melts it can leave behind a gaping hole that it once filled. The other favoured theory is that the hole was caused by an explosion of methane underground. The . Yamal Peninsula is rich in natural gas, with its resources extensively . tapped by Russia, and a mixture of water, salt and gas could result in . an explosion. The other theory is that it was caused by a meteorite, but most experts have ruled this possibility out as the phenomenon does not resemble normal impact craters. 'The crater has more of an oval than a circular shape, it makes it harder to calculate the exact diameter,' he said. 'As of now our estimates is about 98ft (30 metres). If we try to measure diameter together with soil emission, the so-called parapet, then the diameter is up to 197ft (60 metres). The structure is so fragile that the scientists could not climb deep into the lake and had to send a camera down instead. One theory is that the feature is a ‘pingo,’ reports the Sunday Morning Herald. A pingo is a large chunk of ice that is located underground that can create a hole in the ground when it melts. ‘Certainly . from the images I’ve seen it looks like a periglacial feature, perhaps a . collapsed pingo,’ Dr Chris Fogwill of the University of New South Wales . said. ‘This . is obviously a very extreme version of that, and if there’s been any . interaction with the gas in the area, that is a question that could only . be answered by going there.’ Dr Plekhanov added the hole was most likely the result of a 'build-up of excessive pressure' underground, due to the region's changing temperatures. He said . 80 per cent of the crater appeared to be made up of ice and that there . were no traces of an explosion. The discovery eliminates the possibility that a . meteorite had struck the region. 'Could it be linked to the global warming? Well, we have to continue ourresearch to answer this question,' said Dr Plekhanov. 'Two previous summers - years 2012 and 2013 were relatively hot for Yamal, perhaps this has somehow influenced the formation of the crater. Perma frost is seen near the hole in this photo. Some said the hole could have been formed by a meteorite striking the spot, but that no longer seems to be the case . Scientists working at the site measure some of the soil and debris around the crater . Until the expedition took place, shown, scientists had been baffled by the appearance of the giant hole . Thanks to their readings (shown) the team now believes the cause was increasing temperatures . It's not yet known if this event, which scorched the ground nearby (shown), could occur again in the area . Very remote: The crater has appeared in Yamal - a large peninsula jutting into Arctic waters, which is Russia's main production area for gas supplied to Europe . The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region is area known for its permafrost and pingos . The mysterious hole is in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, some 20 miles from the Bovanenkovo gas field . The predominant theory so far is that the feature is a 'pingo'. This is a large chunk of ice that is located underground that can create a hole in the ground when it melts . 'But we have to do our tests and research first and then say it more definitively.' After the hole was discovered, there was speculation online about the crater indicating 'the arrival of a UFO craft'. Ruling out extra-terrestrial intervention, Dr Plekhanov said: 'We can say for sure that under the influence of internal processes there was an ejection in the permafrost. 'I want to stress that was not an explosion, but an ejection, so there was no heat released as it happened.' The latest expedition organised by the Yamal authorities included experts from Russia's Centre for the Study of the Arctic, and also the Cryosphere Institute of the Academy of Sciences. They took samples of soil, air and water from the scene and were accompanied by a specialist from Russia's Emergencies Ministry. Anna Kurchatova from the Sub-Arctic . Scientific Research Centre, previously said the crater was formed by a mixture of . water, salt and gas igniting an underground explosion, a result of . global warming. Gas accumulated in ice could have mixed with sand beneath the surface, and then mixed with salt. Global . warming may have caused an 'alarming' melt in the under-soil ice, . released gas and causing an effect like the popping of a Champagne . bottle cork, Ms Kurchatova suggests. Yamal, a large peninsula jutting into Arctic waters, is Russia's main production area for gas supplied to Europe. Dr Plekhanov said: 'I've never seen anything like this, even though I have been to Yamal many times.' The crater is different from others on Yamal. The experts say the phenomenon maybe a restarting of a process not seen for 8,000 years when the lake-pocked Yamal landscape was formed on what was once a sea. This maybe 'repeating nowadays', he said. 'If this theory is confirmed, we can say that we have witnessed a unique natural process that formed the unusual landscape of Yamal peninsula.' Scientists are seen here on the way to the crater during their expedition . Shown is a piece of soil that was 'ejected' out of the original crater. The crater is different from others on Yamal. The experts say the phenomenon maybe a restarting of a process not seen for 8,000 years when the lake-pocked Yamal landscape was formed on what was once a sea . Here can be seen permafrost, soil below the freezing point of water, near the crater . The edge of the terrifyingly large, original crater is seen here. One favoured theory is that the hole was caused by an explosion of methane underground . A bird is seen here on top of the crater's wall . The Yamal crater is visible in this aerial view . Another aerial view shows how out of place the hole looks in the environment . | Enormous crater appeared suddenly in part of Russia, Yamal, where name translates as 'the end of the world'
Some thought the rare and unusual structure, which was up to 300ft (70 metres) deep, was caused by a meteorite .
Andrei Plekhanov from Scientific Research Center of the Arctic says crater was formed due to rising temperatures .
One theory is that a chunk of ice that is located underground that created a hole in the ground when it melted .
Another is that the crater was formed by a mixture of water, salt and gas igniting an underground explosion .
Recent expedition revealed that the crater has an icy lake at its bottom, and water is cascading down its walls . |
fc0030d92821becf36f41bcce34061207c2b7f00 | CLICK HERE to read the match report on Neymar's quite sensational performance. Brazil routed Japan in Singapore thanks to a quite magnificent individual performance from star striker and captain Neymar. The forward bagged all four of their goals - including a perfect hat-trick - in a 4-0 victory and he was brilliant throughout. For his first goal, Brazil's favourite son rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home, and then coolly passed one into the back of the net and completed his hat-trick with a rebound before heading in his fourth and final strike with just nine minutes remaining. Host commentator . Well that's all from me folks - but thanks for tuning in! CLICK HERE to read our match report on Neymar's brilliance. Words cannot actually describe how brilliant that performance was. Brazil were good in patches, but Neymar was just sensational. He contributes so much more than just his goals - and he managed to get four of those! Neymar scores all four of Brazil's goals - including a perfect hat-trick - in a thumping victory. A quite phenomenal display from the 22-year-old. He now has 40 international goals in just 58 games. Incredible, quite incredible. Brazil have been brilliant but Japan are still going and Muto bursts clear to force a corner. They cross the ball in but yet again it comes to nothing. Some people questioned him for Barca last season, but Neymar has proven on the international scene he is absolutely world class. Japan test Jefferson in the final moments, however, as Tanaka puts in a wicked cross and Okazaki nods it goalwards but it is tipped over. Japan are attacking and trying to find a consolation but the Brazilians are holding firm. To be fair, Gil and Miranda have been quietly impressive at the back as their captain has run Japan ragged up front. Brazil's countering has been phenomenal - as has Neymar. Kaka is reborn and he puts a wonderful cross with his left-foot and Neymar is at the back post to head past the helpless Kawashima. Wow - he is something special is Neymar. That's his hat-trick. Another blistering counter see Neymar cross the ball in and Kaka nod a header on to the bar. Coutinho then smashes a shot back in which the goalkeeper can only parry and Neymar is on hand to sweep it home. Robinho, Countinho, Neymar and Ribeiro are just dominating possession. They are more than happy just to pass the ball around and make the Japanese work to get it back. When they break, it is electric. Neymar uses his dazzling skills to bamboozle the Japanese defence before laying off Robinho, who slams a shot wide from the left-hand area of the box. He should do better. The second-half has seen Japan fade and they just cannot find a final ball into the box. The threat of Kobayashi has vanished and it looks like no way back for them at the moment. For a second Neymar thinks he is in behind again and in with a chance of getting his hat-trick after Filipe Luis smashes a free-kick forward. However, a late flag denies him the opportunity to bag a third. Japan are attacking well in spells but they cannot get the final pass away and Brazil are counter-attacking with serious pace. Countinho sprints with the ball, eventually it gets to Neymar and he plays it back to the Liverpool midfielder who curls his shot just wide of the far post. A blistering counter-attack from Brazil sees Neymar get the ball in the box and he jinks back before unleashing a wonderful shot just past the post and into the side netting. Ribeiro has been brilliant since he has come on. Neymar crosses in a dangerous corner and Miranda is completely un-marked in the box. He swivels on the ball and then smashes on straight at Kawashima who dives well to save it. It is turning into a bit of a stroll in the park for Brazil now. They are dominating possession and forcing Japan to commit fouls. Neymar whips in a free-kick which is headed back across goal by Gil but eventually cleared. Coutinho has barely been on the pitch for three minutes and he has provided a delightful assist. A lovely left-footed outside-of-the-foot pass through the middle splits open the Japan defence and Neymar coolly slots it past the advancing goalkeeper. Long way back now for Japan. Both sides make subs. Everton Ribiero ON, and Willian OFF for Brazil. For Japan, Honda is ON. Neymar's goal separates the sides at the break. Japan enjoy the last attack of the half as they get forward and win a corner. Shibasaki whips the ball in and a dangerous shot from Tanaka sees the ball put back in before Shiotani fires wide. Oscar fires in a free-kick from halfway inside the Japan half. The ball is flat and dips late, and Miranda is facing away from goal. He gets his head on the ball though and it floats over the bar. This has been a very interesting game so far. For all of Brazil's stars, Japan have looked very dangerous when they have attacked. Gil is struggling a little bit at the back for Brazil, and both Danilo and Luis Gustavo have been guilty of giving away unnecessary fouls. Japan are looking to counter and it seems like that will be their best way of causing Brazil regular problems. Sakai rushes down the right-hand side and whips a delicious cross into Kobayashi who gets in from of Danilo and glances a header past the far post. Lovely move. Neymar and Tardelli look very slick up front. In the match against Argentina, Tardelli scored twice but did very little else - here he is proving to be a perfect foil for Neymar but his lay-offs and hold-up play. Oscar is starting to look lively from midfield now too. The free-kick to Japan came to nothing but they have another one out wide. Tanaka fires a cross in and Tardelli can only half clear it before Shibasaku fires a poor shot over the bar from the edge of the area. Brazil deserve to be ahead but they must be wary of the Japanese here - they have some exciting attacking playrs with Tanaka and Co. The midfielder is causing all sorts of problems with his pace and trickery. And Japan's pressure forces Luis Gustavo to foul Kobayashi. Free-kick Japan in a dangerous position. Despite Neymar's brilliance, Japan have been dangerous too. And they almost net a wonderful goal through Kobayashi. A swift attack down the left sees the ball whipped into the box and the forward lashes a left-foot half-volley just over from 18 yards. He has started this game like a freight train and it really should be 2-0. Neymar strides past the Japan defence and lashes a fierce shot from the left-hand side of the area but it goes harmlessly past the goal. And Brazil after ahead - you guessed it, it's Neymar! A wonderful ball through the middle from Tardelli sets Neymar free and he coolly rounds the keeper to sweep it home. Brilliantly finished. Neymar runs with the ball again towards the Japan defence and, just as he gets in the box, he cuts back and tries to round Morishige. The defender is forced to drag him back and Brazil have a free-kick. The free-kick smashes the woodwork! So unlucky from Neymar, whose 20-yard effort got up and down almost perfectly. When he is at his best, there are few better players to watch on the ball than Neymar. The Brazilian forward picks up the ball on halfway and runs at the Japanese defence before being nudged over in the box. A bit soft so no penalty is awarded, which is the correct decision. The Japanese striker has started off in a lively manner and he is causing Danilo quite a few problems. Brazil are yet to really get into this game in the manner they would have liked. It's been an exciting start to the game and both Japan and Brazil have had chances. Neymar skipped past a few challenges early on and got close to the box but could not get his shot away. At the other end, Luis Gustavo put in a wonderful tackle to deny Japan. The excitement is building in Singapore as the teams take to the pitch for the national anthems. Neymar is out on the field and has completed his warm-up ahead of captaining his side once again. The Barcelona forward made some brilliant darting runs against Argentina and he will look to cause the Japanese defence all sorts of problems today. Japan beat Jamaica 1-0 in their previous friendly and most of their European-based stars have been rested. Seven of their starting line-up are based in Japan and Shinji Kagawa is among the big names to only make the bench. AC Milan's Keisuke Honda and Inter Milan's Yuto Nagatomo also fail to making the starting XI. BRAZIL XI: Jefferson, Danilo, Miranda, Gil, Filipe Luís, Luiz Gustavo, Elias, Willian, Oscar, Diego Tardelli, Neymar . Subs: Cabral, Grohe, David Luiz, Jesus, Gil, Dodo, Fernandes, Romulo, Souza, Everton Ribeiro, Kaka, Coutinho, Robinho . JAPAN XI: Kawashima, Ota, Sakai, Shiotani, Morishige, Tanaka, Taguchi, Morioka, Shibasaki, Okazaki, Kobayashi . Subs: Nishikawa, Gonda, Mizumoto, Nagatomo, Suzuki, Nishi, Kagawa, Hosogai, Honda, Kakitani, Muto, Havenaar . Neymar once again captains Brazil as they look to follow up their victory over Argentina by beating Japan in Singapore. The Brazil forward is partnered by Diego Tardelli, who netted both goals in the victory over their South American rivals. For Japan, however, Shinji Kagawa only finds himself on the bench. JAPAN XI: Kawashima, Ota, Sakai, Shiotani, Morishige, Tanaka, Taguchi, Morioka, Shibasaki, Okazaki, Kobayashi . BRAZIL XI: Jefferson, Danilo, Miranda, Gil, Filipe Luís, Luiz Gustavo, Elias, Willian, Oscar, Diego Tardelli, Neymar . Hello and welcome to Sportsmail's live coverage of Brazil vs Japan from Singapore. Brazil are fresh from a 2-0 victory over bitter rivals Argentina, while Japan will be looking for one of their biggest ever scalps. | Neymar rounds the keeper to net after just 18 minutes in Singapore .
The Brazil captain gets his second just two minutes after half-time .
Neymar nets his hat-trick after 77 minutes when he scores a rebound .
Barcelona striker gets his and Brazil's fourth with an 81st-minute header .
BRAZIL XI: Jefferson, Danilo, Miranda, Gil, Filipe Luís, Luiz Gustavo, Elias, Willian, Oscar, Diego Tardelli, Neymar .
Subs: Cabral, Grohe, David Luiz, Jesus, Gil, Dodo, Fernandes, Romulo, Souza, Everton Ribeiro, Kaka, Coutinho, Robinho .
JAPAN XI: Kawashima, Ota, Sakai, Shiotani, Morishige, Tanaka, Taguchi, Morioka, Shibasaki, Okazaki, Kobayashi .
Subs: Nishikawa, Gonda, Mizumoto, Nagatomo, Suzuki, Nishi, Kagawa, Hosogai, Honda, Kakitani, Muto, Havenaar . |
fc005e389762190344d97f695e22e26f6c89ee35 | By . Freya Noble . The World's Best Airline for 2014 has been crowned, with Cathay Pacific flying past last year's winner Emirates to take out the top spot. Along with the title for the year, the airline also nabbed a record, becoming the only carrier to win the prestigious award four times after claiming the title in 2003, 2005 and 2009. Australian airline Qantas slipped out of the top 10 for the second time, coming in at number 11. Last year Qantas ranked 10th, and its highest position was in 2008 when it was named third in the world. It comes after some setbacks for the airline this year, including job losses and questions over foreign ownership. Scroll down for video . Cathay Pacific was named the World's Best Airline for 2014 at the annual World Airline Awards . Qantas slipped down from its tenth spot last year to come in 11th . Qantas suffered some bad press earlier this month when a leaking pipe caused water to flood the cabin on the upper deck of a flight from LA to Melbourne . Earlier this month the airline suffered some bad press when an Airbus A380 bound for Melbourne was forced to turn back after water flooded the aisles. A leaking pipe caused water to spill into the upper deck cabin, prompting some passengers to share photos on social media - including American actress Yvette Nicole Brown, best known for her role on the sitcom Community. Malaysian Airline, previously a top 10 airline on three different occasions, experienced a sharp decline in the wake of MH370's disappearance, now ranked at 18th. The annual World Airlines Award announcement came at the Farnborough International Air Show in the UK, and the awards are based on research by aviation firm Skytrax. Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Ivan Chu told The Sydney Morning Herald that he was 'extremely proud, for both Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong' to receive the award. Second and third place were given to Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, while Emirates slipped to fourth from first place in 2013. Locally, it was better news for Qantas as they were named the Best Airline in the Australia/Pacific region. Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand rounded out the top three. Indonesian airline Garuda won the award for best cabin crew . The best first class cabin was taken out by Singapore Airlines . The ranking also includes divisons for best cabin crew, which was taken out by Garuda Indonesia, and the best first class cabin, awarded to Singapore Airlines. Qatar was ranked in the top spot for the best business class while Korean airline Asiana had the best economy class cabin. Jetstar was the fourth best budget airline, with AirAsia and AirAsiaX coming in first and second. Qatar had the world's best business class cabin for 2014 . The Sydney Morning Herald report that the Skytrax Awards survey nearly 19 million airline passengers from 160 countries worldwide to come up with the results. The World Airline Awards are non-for-profit and free from any third party influence, and any airline passenger worldwide can cast a vote. In June Etihad Airways tried to withdraw from the rankings, citing a disagreement with the rating system but despite this came in ninth overall. As airlines are chosen by consumers they cannot be omitted form the awards. | Cathay Pacific named the World's Best Airline for 2014 .
Qantas slipped down from tenth in 2013 to 11th this year .
Awards announced annually at the Farnborough International Air Show .
Skytrax conducts survey with more than 19 million passengers worldwide . |
fc008cf3e09c866bee48baf466bd3a97e1f09ea8 | To most of us, Katie Piper is the brave acid attack victim turned M&S model, dedicated philanthropist and, in recent years, something of a national treasure. But to fans of Channel 4 show Bodyshockers, she's also a presenting pro who manages to keep a straight face even when confronted with the most bizarre of body modifications and DIY tattoo disasters. To those watching as Rodrigo Alves, a flight attendant who has spent £125,000 on surgery, attempts to drum up some sympathy for his cosmetic surgery 'addiction', Piper's sympathetic approach can seem bizarre. Scroll down for video . Unflappable: Katie Piper manages to keep a straight face even when confronted with the most bizarre of looks . After all, here is a woman whose body was modified, if you can call it that, without her having any say in it, chatting to people about their uniformly self-inflicted woes. But Piper, 31, who has done more than most to raise awareness about the plight of acid attack victims, says these people are deserving of a fair hearing - even if that isn't apparent at first. 'We have all done things we regret,' explains the mother-of-one. 'But in most cases we can simply wash out that hair dye or take out those earrings. 'I actually feel really sorry for people like these because whether their appearance was an accident or intentional, it’s horrible to feel trapped in a body that doesn't reflect who you are.' This season of Bodyshockers has so far included Lee, a father of five from Grimsby who got a DIY tattoo on his face using printer ink while drunk and Joel Miggler, a German model who had his cheeks pierced and stretched in the name of art. The latter, says Piper, is one of the few who did make her do a double take. 'He had these holes in his face the size of coke cans,' she exclaims. All change: Stars of this series of Bodyshockers include Callum (left) and Ken lookalike Rodrigo Alves . Distressing: Father-of-five Lee attempted to remove his tattoos using a cheese grater . Proud: By contrast, Callum is so proud of his inkings, he's planning to tattoo the rest of his family . 'He did it all in the name of art but it was just so impractical for talking and eating and swallowing.' Equally shocking in Piper's eyes are the people who have been left so traumatised by their youthful mistakes, they've gone to extreme lengths to fix things. One such person was Lee, who resorted to scrubbing off his tattoos using a cheese grater but was left with scabs all over his face, and a man named Ernesto who took razor blades to his ears. 'He had had ear stretchers as a teenager and had been left with all this gaping flesh,' she explains. 'He had attempted to do a DIY reversal and cut into his own flesh with razor blades he had found in the bathroom - that really did shock me.' Perhaps more shocking though, are those people who say they adore their unusual new look - however bizarre and painful the methods used to achieve it. One is Savannah who won't be dissuaded from her quest to get beach ball sized breasts while a contributor from last year's series is Cherrelle who spent £3,000 on having holes punched in her cheeks in a bid to get dimples like Cheryl Fernandez-Versini's. Others, such as Callum, a tattoo fan from Scotland, have transformed themselves completely by getting tattooed from head-to-toe - something that Piper says is down to wanting to stand out. 'The alternative and underground scene is becoming a lot more popular and people are having to find new ways to shock,' she explains. 'People tell me it’s quite addictive - not the actual procedures themselves but the attention that they get and in that sense, I think it is quite an adrenaline rush.' Not quite so thrilled are those who get inkings done under the influence - something that is becoming increasingly common. Those to do so include Stefan Owen, 20, from Gloucestershire, who appeared on last year's show with an arm that bore the legend: 'Barry is a T**t' and Holly Aston, also 20 but from Birmingham, who discovered friends had inked a penis on her shoulder during a drunken party. 'People should absolutely not get tattoos while under the influence,' says an animated Piper. 'It is such a bad idea. Oh dear: Holly Aston, 20, from Birmingham, woke up to discover friends had tattooed a penis on her shoulder . New mother: Piper says she would be horrified if baby Belle Elizabeth (pictured) got a tattoo in future . 'To make the sort of decision that has such an invasive and permanent result when you are drunk is obviously never going to end well. 'You would never be allowed to have an operation in that state so why tattoos?' Unsurprisingly, with so many bad examples to choose from, Piper says she would be aghast if her 11-month-old daughter Belle Elizabeth tried to get a tattoo of her own one day. 'If she wanted extreme surgery I would be disappointed and would wonder what I had done wrong,' says a horrified Piper. 'I have always tried to teach her that looks aren’t important.' But, she continues, 'if she wanted a tattoo, I would try and remember that I don’t own her body and she is free to make her own decisions. 'I bet she gets Bodyshockers tattooed across her forehead just to get me back. That’s always the way - if children are told not to do something they rebel and do it anyway.' If the colourful cast of characters who appear weekly on Bodyshockers are any indication, so, it seems, do adults. | Katie Piper, 31, presents Bodyshockers, a show about weird surgery .
Tattoos done under the influence and bizarre body modification feature .
Piper says people should be more understanding of those who have them .
Nevertheless, says she doesn't want daughter Belle Elizabeth to get one .
Katie Piper presents Bodyshockers, tonight at 10pm on Channel 4 . |
fc010367aa1cac5fed3d1b5aef25049fddd5eb4c | (CNN) -- The end of the Earth. That's how an official Mexican tourism website describes Los Cabos. For 27-year-old Kate Pope, the popular beach travel destination on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula felt like just that after Hurricane Odile hit Sunday night. "The hotel gates are chained shut and there are guards with batons for security," Pope said. "Resorts are a good target once the grocery stores are depleted." More than 1,000 miles away, her fiance, William Wilcox, was frantic. Pope had traveled to Cabo San Lucas from California for a bachelorette celebration with her sisters and friends. For days, Wilcox hadn't heard from them -- until Wednesday morning, when he learned that instead of partying at beachside bars, the group had huddled for 14 hours in a hotel basement and then later spent the night in soaked beds in a flooded room. The hotel employees asked them to turn all flashlights off and keep quiet so they did not attract the masses roaming the streets, Pope said. "People are still stuck," Wilcox wrote in a Twitter post Thursday. With communication still spotty, he says he's not sure where Pope is, but he hopes she's on a bus on the way to the airport. It's a harrowing situation that's left the resort region paralyzed long after the storm hit. Authorities said thousands of tourists were trapped after the storm left airports unable to reopen. Mexican military aircraft began transporting passengers from the region Tuesday. By Thursday, the country's transportation ministry said 18,000 people had been flown out on more than 120 military and commercial flights. "The great majority of stranded tourists have been evacuated," the ministry said, adding that efforts will continue until all the affected travelers are transported. On Thursday afternoon, an emergency message from the U.S. Embassy advised U.S. citizens in the area to go as soon as possible to the airport in San Jose del Cabo, where the State Department was working with U.S. and Mexican carriers to arrange flights. "Passengers should be prepared to wait until they are able to depart," the statement said. By Thursday evening, there were still thousands of tourists trying to get out of the area. A line at the airport stretched for more than a kilometer. Out of contact for days . But several family members of tourists vacationing in Mexico told CNN they're still waiting to find out how their loved ones fared. It took Elizabeth Vasquez of Concord, California, days to hear from her daughter after Odile pounded Puerto Los Cabos. "Mom I can hear the wind now," Lisa Vasquez wrote in a text as the storm hit. "I hear all kinds of things hitting the building." Not long after that message, any word from the daughter ceased. On Thursday, Lisa Vasquez and her fiance Tomas were back in the United States at a Dallas airport trying to get a flight home to California. And they were back in touch with family. Georgia Demet-Mangiameli says two of her sons were stranded in Cabo San Lucas after heading there for a destination wedding. "It's very disturbing. ... In the United States, there is the Red Cross which gets people out of harm's way instantly and there in Mexico they have just been sitting there for days since Sunday," she said. "The conditions are horrible. They are running out of food, water and toilet paper," Demet-Mangiameli told CNN. "They are worried about looters." 'It just hit like a pile driver' In four years of living in Cabo San Lucas, Justin Dow said he'd never seen anything like it. "It just hit like a pile driver. It was so vicious that the house was shaking. The noises were so scary," Dow said, describing his experience hearing the storm hit. "The entire downstairs had at least an inch or more of water. You could just hear the destruction outside." Now, Dow said, the town he calls home has drastically transformed. "It is complete and utter devastation. They are looting everything," he said. "There needs to be a lot done." On Thursday, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said officials were creating a temporary work program to clean up damaged areas and community kitchens to help residents in the most severely impacted areas, state media reported. But Dow, originally from St. Simons Island, Georgia, said government officials in Mexico didn't react quickly or strongly enough to the devastating storm and its aftermath. He and his wife managed to evacuate on Wednesday afternoon, flying to San Diego with their dogs Sofi and Partner sitting at their feet. Dow says he can't shake the thought of the people left behind. "Humans become desperate, and desperation turns into bad things," he said. "So many people are still there, so many people that can't leave." CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet, Carma Hassan, Krupskaia Alis and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report. | Military and commercial aircraft have evacuated 18,000 tourists, officials say .
Thousands of tourists were stranded after Odile hit Mexican beach resorts .
"The hotel gates are chained shut," one American trapped in Cabo San Lucas says .
The State Department advises stranded tourists to head to the airport . |
fc01576f2164cf7452a96f18b914c5c4134a4f85 | A North Korean version of the Apple iPad has been developed by the secretive state, it has been revealed. But the slick seven-inch tablet, called the 'Samjiyon', is unlikely to provide a window into life behind the secretive country's border as it can't connect to the internet. Since its announcement in 2012, the computer has been developed using a basic version of Google's android software. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . A North Korean version of the Apple iPad has been released - but it cannot connect to the internet . The seven-inch Samjiyon tablet has been developed using a basic version of Google's android software . And, after being put on general sale in North Korea, reviews on technology websites have begun to filter through into the outside world. Compared to its pricey western versions, the Samjiyon costs the equivalent around £155 and comes with a selection of pre-loaded apps, one of which is a version of Angry Birds. Although the handheld device cannot access the world wide web, it is designed to be able to connect to North Korea's own intranet, where state propaganda, news, TV programs and educational apps are hosted. One of the apps is a language acquisition tool which teaches users basic English. It also comes loaded with over 100 eBooks, although they, like the intranet come with a nationalistic theme. Most of the publications are about North Korean political, military and cultural history. The hend held device is smaller than the latest iPad air with a 7inch 1,024 by 768 pixel display, comapred to the Apple machine's 9.7inch 2,048 by 1,536 resolution. After being released, reviews on technology websites have begun to filter through to the outside world . Although it cannot access the world wide web, it is designed to be able to connect to North Korea's intranet . The machine is only likely to be available to a select few in North Korea, with the majority of the population having nowhere near the disposable incomes required to splash out on tech. But it seems that the regime known for closely guarding its state activities is happy for their technology to pass freely over its borders. One reviewer on the website NorthKoreaTech told how they were allowed to buy the item before taking it freely through an airport and into a neighbouring country. After having a play around with the product, the tech blogger said the performance of the tablet was comparable to western models. The review reads: 'I can honestly say that the Samjiyon is surprisingly impressive. TALE OF THE TABLETS - TECH SPECS OF THE iPAD AND THE SAMJIYON . 'In terms of responsiveness and speed, it can almost compete against the leading tablets out there. 'Tapping and launching apps feels fairly fluid, instantiating the camera is as fast as the world’s leading tablets, and there is no noticeable lag when playing games I’m familiar with, like Angry Birds.' One of those who has seen the the tablet is Professor Ruediger Frank from the University of Vienna, writing on the tech blog 38 North, he said: 'The tablet has obviously been made for people who mainly use it offline. 'This gadget is not available to all North Koreans; just as a Mercedes Benz S-class sedan is out of reach for most Germans. 'The existence of this tablet does not in any way change the fact that [North Korea] is, for many of its people, a country of hard manual labour and simple living conditions. 'The Samjiyon is a useful and entertaining device for a minority in a totalitarian system with a dominant ideology.' | The 'Samjiyon' has been hailed as a 7inch answer to the iPad .
It comes with pre-loaded apps, one of which is Angry Birds .
The tablet can't access the internet, only Korean state sites . |
fc01762e5f64ad876e39ca9bb8c7f67d2ee05b0b | By . Gerri Peev . It emerged that Lib Dems complained that Jo Swinson (pictured with Nick Clegg) became pregnant when a minister . A woman Liberal Democrat who hoped to become an MP was told by her local party not to get pregnant because the electorate did not want to see a ‘baby hanging off your t***’. The shocking remark was made by an older woman who held a senior post in the constituency association and helped with selections. Speaking privately, the former candidate said: ‘My jaw dropped when I was told, “I hope you are not planning on falling pregnant. We don’t want a baby hanging off your t*** during the campaign”.’ The revelations came as other women . Lib Dems spoke at a fringe meeting at the conference of ingrained sexism . when trying to be chosen for Westminster. It . also emerged politicians had complained to a Lib Dem peer that business . minister Jo Swinson had dared to get pregnant while in a government . post. Baroness . Northover, a Lib Dem spokesman on equalities in the Lords, said she had . been shocked when a colleague said: ‘How could she get herself in that . position when she is a minister?’ The Lib Dems, who claim to be the champions of equality, have the fewest female MPs of any of the main parties. Just 12 per cent of its MPs are women, compared with 16 per cent of Conservatives and 31 per cent of Labour. At the fringe event, activist Marion Wilson said: ‘We have some talented women in their 30s. 'They’ve . been going through held-seat selections and asked by members – phoned . up by women no less – “Are you planning to get married? Are you going to . have children? How will that impact on you being an MP?” ’ A . Lib Dem spokesman said: ‘Questions of this sort should be ruled out by . the returning officer. We are implementing reforms to tackle unconscious . bias and discrimination at every level of the party.’ The Lib Dems, led by Nick Clegg, have fewest number of female MPs of any major party with just 12 per cent . | Former candidate said she was warned by senior local woman member .
Also emerged politicians complained that business minister Jo Swinson had got pregnant while in a government post .
Lib Dems have fewest female MPs of any main parties with just 12 per cent . |
fc02010900c6012acff37828cef8c1aedd318f63 | The mother of a soldier who committed suicide has bravely decided to allow footage of his lifeless body at a public inquiry into the military's handling of her son's death. Corporal Stuart Langridge's body was found hanging from a chin-up bar in his barracks after the Afghanistan veteran was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. His mother claims the 28-year-old, who was found hanged in at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, was not properly treated for his condition, having already attempted suicide five times in one year. Tragic: Cpl Stuart Langridge's mother Sheila appears at a public inquiry into the death of her son, right . It has now emerged that after hanging himself on March 15 2008, Cpl Langridge's body was left in place for four hours by investigators while they documented and searched everything in the room. Graphic, disturbing images of Cpl Langridge's body were never released to news media, but have since been played at the public inquiry into his death. The inquiry is set to investigate not only the Defence Department's handling of Cpl Langridge's case, but also how it copes with soldiers suffering from mental illness and post-traumatic stress. Cpl Langridge had previously said he would rather die than return to his unit, having served in tours of Bosnia and Afghanistan. Battle: Cpl Langridge's mother Sheila Fynes (pictured with her son) claims military officials did not do enough to help her son with his condition . Cpl Langridge's mother Sheila, along with her husband Shaun Fynes (left) arrive at the hearing earlier this year with Michael Blais president of Canadian Veterans Advocacy . He attempted suicide six times in 2008 before his eventual death, had been treated in hospital and resorted to alcohol and cocaine. His mother, Sheila Fynes, said decisions made by military medical staff during the last weeks of his life were 'thoughtless, humiliating and destabilizing.' Describing the decision to allow footage of his death at the inquiry, she told the Globe and Mail: 'There are times when I think I’ve shared the most personal thing about Stuart’s life and I hope... I hope it wasn’t for nothing.' The distressing footage zooms in on Cpl Langridge's head and face. Federal lawyers representing the Defence Department said that if the video were to be shown, it would have to be shown completely. Cpl Langridge, who served in Bosnia and Afghanistan, said he would 'rather die' than go back to his unit . Claims: Shaun Fynes and wife Sheila listen to testimony at the public inquiry in Ottawa earlier this year, where they say decisions made by military medical staff during the last weeks of his life were 'thoughtless, humiliating and destabilizing.' Mrs Fynes added: 'At first, we said: "No, we don’t want anybody ever to see that". 'But then [after] discussions with our lawyer [and] between ourselves, we decided there would be no better way for the chair to understand our allegation of the total disrespect shown to Stuart in his death, than for him to see it.' 'Was it the right decision? It keeps me awake at night.' After Cpl Langridge's death, further blunders by the Defence Department added to the grief his family were going through. The military took a year and two months to deliver Langridge's suicide note to his devastated parents. Cpl Langridge's family have accused members of the National Investigative Service of conducting a biased investigation intent on absolving high-ranking members of the Canadian Forces of blame. | Cpl Stuart Langridge hanged himself in March 2008 .
Had post traumatic stress disorder after serving in Afghanistan and Bosnia .
His mother say military didn't do enough to treat his condition .
Officials also left his body hanging for four hours while they searched his room .
War veteran attempted suicide SIX times in one year before he was found . |
fc0311c15e620eab236d7c7452a5d7e789de2fb3 | At 35 years old, male model Robert Paulat is practically ancient in the youth-obsessed world of fashion. Yet the Czech hunk, who lives in Prague, is still securing plenty of modelling jobs thanks to 43 beauty procedures which he says keeps him looking young and photogenic. Currently signed with the prestigious Vanity Fair model agency in Europe, the muscular clothes horse says that despite his ongoing success he is not afraid to admit that it was the result of a lot of investment. Robert Paulat says that he had his 43 cosmetic procedures to thank for his continuing modelling career. Pictured: Robert before his operations (left) and Robert now (right) He said: 'I am obsessed with idea of raising people's self-confidence through improving one's appearance. 'I think that proves I am not narcissistic because there is always something I'm not happy with.' Surprisingly Robert is the first person to admit that he is not perfect despite having pooled so much money into his looks. 'I always find something to criticise about my looks. 'I think the proof of that is the fact that I have had over 40 surgical procedures in the search for perfection.' Despite having so much work done Robert says he is still not entirely happy with the way he looks . The Czech model says that he often get's compared to a Ken doll which oddly people find appealing . As well as the surgical procedures, including Botox and plasma treatments, there were also operations to change his nose and mouth. Robert says that it is his bizarre likeness to a plastic doll that often secures him work. 'I am told by my clients that a lot of people see similarities between me and Barbie's partner Ken, which seems to be appealing.' Robert's modelling career started when he was 18 and he found almost immediately that he was popular with clients, but came to realise that the assignments may not go on forever. That is why he is also now investing in other business possibilities, including owning and running an airport cafe among other things. Robert's modelling career started when he was 18 and he found immediately he was popular with clients . At 35, which is considered reasonably old for a model, Robert says he is aware that his career could come to an end soon and has began to plan an alternative future running an airport cafe . | Robert Paulat began modelling at 18 and at 35 has had 43 procedures .
Despite all his work Robert, from Prague, is still unhappy with his looks .
He says clients like that he looks like Barbie's boyfriend . |
fc03ed73065433f39f132c82846429c44e9f0aad | Munich, Germany (CNN) -- A story focused on the care of prison inmates with dementia in U.S. jails has scooped two top prizes at the CNN Journalist Awards ceremony in Munich. Claas Relotius was named CNN Journalist of the Year for the story "Murderers as Carers." The story, first published in Swiss magazine Reportagen, also won the Print category award on Thursday night. According to Relotius' report, many U.S. prisons are struggling to provide care for long-term inmates suffering from dementia. But one high-security facility has found an unconventional solution to the problem -- by teaching its own inmates to become carers. "The report takes a poetic and interesting approach to a major social problem. Claas Relotius paints pictures in the reader's mind that unfold like a film,' said Franz Fischlin, chairman of the judging panel. See all nominees here . Meanwhile, Michael Strompen and Jo Schuck's "Escape to the Caribbean -- Corporate Tax Tricks," in which they conducted an in-depth international investigation into corporate tax evasion through shell companies, won the best TV category. Jurors noted how the duo from ZDF succeeded in powerfully "explaining the many numbers, pieces of information and complicated economic interrelations." The Online category honors went to Christian Werner for "On the Trail of Dead Children." Presented on the Der Spiegel iPad app, he revealed the impact of the bombing of Iraq in 2003 on the health of children. Watch video of the CNN Journalists of the Year award (German) Also recognized was Jenny Marrenback, who won the accolade of best Radio piece. Her report, "Haiti Cherie. The Business of Aid," explored the aftermath of environmental devastation in Haiti for survivors. Judges praised Marrenbach's work for showcasing "the other side of the coin in the NGO business." First appearing in emerge, an online magazine for young photojournalists, Birte Kaufmann's series of photographs chronicling the everyday lives of Ireland's traveler community, won top honors in the Photo category. "Birte Kaufmann provides an intimite and deep insight into a totally foreign world," said the awards panel. Parisa Khosravi, senior vice president for CNN Worldwide said: "CNN continues to do its part to support quality journalism by sharing our experience with journalism colleagues around the world through a number of different programs, such as the CNN Journalist Award, now in its ninth year. "It's so heartening to see strong journalism thrive and grow through such competitions and we're delighted to support this initiative for German-speaking journalists." | Claas Relotius wins CNN Journalist of the Year and Best Print awards .
Report on U.S. inmates learning new skills in order to care for older convicts facing dementia .
CNN host German journalism awards in Munich Thursday night . |
fc03f1d885a07201f6ccdf93bab34f5a87454969 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 15:00 EST, 3 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:45 EST, 4 June 2013 . A 'Lovejoy' style gang of antique dealers has admitted conspiring to handle 'historically important' antiques worth £5 million which were stolen from country estates and hidden in their homes. Carl Rutter 46, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was described by officers as 'a significant conspirator', the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit said. He pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court today conspiring to handle the items and will be sentenced with two other men in about four weeks, the unit added. A 'Lovejoy' style gang of antique dealers has admitted conspiring to handle 'historically important' antiques worth £5 million which were stolen from country estates, such as Firle Place near Lewes, East Sussex (pictured) The valuables, reported stolen from country halls, including Sion Hill Hall (pictured) included a pair of Louis XVI vases valued at almost £1 million . The valuables, reported stolen from . country halls and estates in North Yorkshire and Sussex, included a pair . of Louis XVI vases valued at almost £1 million and a Chippendale table . worth around £500,000, according to officers. A Crime Unit spokesman said: 'He had . overall possession of a number of the stolen antiques which had been . stored on his behalf with a view to being sold later.' Darren Webster, 45, of Leeds, and . Brian Eaton, 69, of Barnsley, appeared in court in August charged with . the same offences, the spokesman added. Both pleaded guilty but have been awaiting sentence subject to the outcome of Rutter’s appearance in court today. 'Both Eaton and Webster also had . possession of a large number of the antiques, some stored at Eaton’s . home address,' the spokesman said. Some of the 14 items recovered from the gang members' homes, were those previously reported as stolen from Newby Hall, North Yorkshire (pictured) Webster was described by officers as . the ‘lead conspirator’ while Eaton was responsible for introducing . prospective buyers of the antiques to Webster and Rutter. The antiques included a . £500,000 George III Pembroke Chippendale drop leaf table, a pair of . Louis XVI bleu nouveau ground vases and bases known as ' The Firle Vases ' valued at £950,000. The items also included a Sevres blue and rose marbled ground vase which was valued at £180,000, alongside various other items. 'The valuables, known to be of . significant and cultural historic value and worth a total of £5 million, . were recovered by officers from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional . Organised Crime Unit on September 22, 2011. 'It marked the culmination of a . year-long investigation carried out by the ROCU who received significant . support from West Yorkshire Police and officers from the Regional Roads . Crime Team, North Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Police.' The 14 items, recovered from Eaton . and Webster’s homes, were those previously reported as stolen from Newby . Hall and Sion Hill in North Yorkshire and Firle Place in Sussex, police . said, adding that they have been returned. Detective Superintendent Steve Waite, . head of regional intelligence, said: 'We were immensely pleased and . proud back in September 2011 to have recovered these high value antiques . which were described as true pieces of British heritage. 'Today’s plea brings this absolutely . fantastic case one step closer to its conclusion. It’s a great result . for both the officers involved and the stately homes that were affected . by these thefts.' Lovejoy was a popular TV series about a roguish antiques dealer who often found himself on the wrong side of the law. | Rare furniture, porcelain and objet d'art was 'irreplaceable'
Carl Rutter, 46, today pleaded guilty to offences at Leeds Crown Court .
Comes after Darren Webster, 45, and Brian Eaton 69, pleaded guilty in 2012 .
All men will be sentenced in about four weeks, police have said . |
fc048b1f6b6230eb62de8673578363cb51f69389 | By . Matt Chorley and Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 16:59 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 6 June 2013 . Nick Clegg today claimed Tory childcare reforms which he has vetoed would have increased bills for parents. As the bitter coalition row deepened over Lib Dem opposition to changes, the Deputy Prime Minister dismissed research suggesting that allowing nurseries to look after more children would cut costs. Mr Clegg ramped up the row with the Tories, insisting he had never agreed to the ratio changes which were opposed by parents and industry groups. U-turn: Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, said he would now block any attempt to increase the number of infants a childminder can care for . However, his decision to veto the reforms have triggered accusations of ‘turning his back on working parents’. It had been estimated that the move to allow nurseries and childminders to look after more children could have saved parents nearly a third on their childcare bills. But Mr Clegg claimed there was no evidence for this, and some nurseries said the changes would lead to rising costs. 'What we said was we would consult people on this idea and then we would react to how people responded. 'What I said very explicitly within Government is that you can only decide on this when we’ve heard the responses from people who frankly know better than any politician what it’s like to look after four, five, six two-year-old toddlers.' He told his LBC 97.3 weekly phone-in show: 'The response, not just from nurseries, but overwhelmingly from parent groups was they thought this was a bad idea. 'They thought it was a bad idea for a number of reasons but the one I focused on…was the claim initially made that it would somehow reduce the weekly childcare bill for families. I, like everyone desperately want to do whatever I can to bring childcare costs down. 'What came back was a really clear answer that there was no real evidence that this would reduce childcare costs. 'In . fact at one nursery after another that I visited, they said, ‘To be . honest Mr Clegg’, they would say to me privately, "It might well drive . costs up because we’re going to have to spend more money on more . higher-qualified staff".' However . Mr Clegg’s decision raises questions about where power lies in the . Coalition and will infuriate many Tories, including the Education . Secretary Michael Gove. A senior Number 10 source last night said the final childcare package ‘has not yet been agreed’. Asked about Mr Clegg’s actions, the source said: ‘It is not a good way to behave – it’s best to announce things when they have been agreed.’ A study by the Department for Education found the changes, which were due to be introduced in September, could have slashed the cost of childcare by up to 28 per cent. The analysis suggested the move could save parents an average £1,329 a year per child if it was widely adopted by nurseries. But the proposal faced a backlash from influential parenting website Mumsnet and some parents, nurseries and childminding organisations, which argued that care would suffer. Relaxation: Under the proposals one childminder would have been able to look after four babies under the age of one instead of three, and one adult would also have been able to look after six two-year-olds instead of four . Ministers stressed that the new . child-to-carer ratios would be voluntary, and cited extensive evidence . from other countries suggesting the change would cut costs without . damaging the quality of care. Tory MP Chris Skidmore accused Mr Clegg of ignoring the plight of parents faced with crippling childcare bills. Mr . Skidmore, a member of the Commons education committee, said: ‘This is a . huge U-turn from Mr Clegg and undermines his claim that he wants . cheaper childcare.’ Mr Clegg last night dismissed the . DfE’s analysis, saying there was ‘no real evidence that increasing . ratios will reduce the cost of childcare for families’. He . added: ‘I have concluded that, because it will not reduce costs for . parents or increase the quality of childcare, the proposed ratio changes . for pre-school children cannot proceed.’ Yesterday he telephoned leaders in the childcare sector and told them the plans were ‘dead in the water’. Mr Clegg’s decision to wield the veto – and David Cameron’s apparent inability to stop him – is a major setback to Childcare Minister Elizabeth Truss, who had championed the reforms. One Government source said she had been ‘hung out to dry’. The move is also a blow to Michael Gove, who said last month that the case for change was ‘formidable’. 'Hung out to dry': Mr Clegg's decision to veto the relaxing of childcare regulations is a major setback to Childcare Minister Elizabeth Truss, left, and a blow to Education Secretary Michael Gove, right . From September, one childminder would have been able to look after four babies under the age of one instead of three. One adult would also have been able to look after six two-year-olds instead of four. Mr Clegg signed off on the plans in January, but got cold feet last month after private talks with figures at Mumsnet. Downing Street last night stressed the childcare package had not been finalised. | Deputy PM blocks move to allow childminders to look after more children .
DfE says the change would have slashed cost of childcare by 28 per cent .
But some parents and nurseries argued that care would have suffered . |
fc04c12772cde27172f75d8c093ba5e0c7bc93e3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:46 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:52 EST, 13 December 2013 . Tragedy: Mason Timmins, aged seven, pictured on a family holiday, died from meningitis . The parents of a seven-year-old boy made the heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support machine after he contracted meningitis. Mason Timmins had been vaccinated against the disease but fell ill last weekend with a rare form and passed away within hours. His mother Claire, 34, said: ‘We’re not the type of parents who panic at every cough and snuffle, and I survived meningitis as a child so we were aware of the signs to look out for. 'He didn’t really get any better and we took him to the doctor’s as he suddenly became really pale.’ Mason was admitted to hospital, and after tests was transferred for specialist care. ‘He had been vaccinated against meningitis but not this particular type, which is a rare type,’ she said. ‘We knew there was nothing more that could be done for him, we knew we had lost him and we didn’t want him messed about with, so allowed his life support machine to be turned off.’ Mason’s father Mark, a welder, said: ‘I held him until I felt his heart stop beating and we are all grateful we were able to be with him and say goodbye.’ He said of the funeral: ‘We asked if the car that carries Mason can speed up a little bit on the motorway, as Mason was always telling us to go “faster, faster”. 'It would make me so happy if he knew that we’d done that for him.’ The 47-year-old added: ‘We’re all mad about motorbikes in the family – his grandad has a Harley-Davidson – and we think as he got older he might have been a mechanic. He was always tinkering away with a spanner in his hand when he got the chance.’ Health officials and parents at Mason’s school, Little Bloxwich Primary in Walsall, have met to discuss symptoms and the risk to other children, which is described as very low. Anyone who came into close contact with Mason has been offered antibiotics. Mason was a pupil at Little Bloxwich Church of England Primary School in Walsall, above . Mrs Timmins, a teaching assistant, stressed: ‘We don’t want parents to panic about meningitis. ‘Please read our story and be aware of the symptoms and get medical help if you feel your child is really unwell. ‘But what happened to Mason is rare and people shouldn’t forget that.’ There are about 3,400 cases of bacterial meningitis and related septicaemia in the UK every year. One in ten prove fatal. Symptoms can include a high temperature, severe headache, a dislike of bright lights, a stiff neck, aches and pains, drowsiness and a purple rash of spots or small bruises which do not fade if pressed. In small babies, a refusal to feed or a high-pitched cry can also be a sign of infection. | Mason Timmins, aged seven, died of a rare form of meningitis .
He young boy had been vaccinated, but not against this strain . |
fc04c12b124d996c9e3d5d9620b0b1fe82f18f00 | A bright green sea slug has been found to have stolen genes from the algae it eats so that it can produce energy from sunlight just like plants. The slug, called the eastern emerald elysia or Elysia chlorotica, has incorporated genes from algae into its own chromosomes enabling it to photosynthesis. This process essentially allows the slug to become solar powered, using the sun's energy to turn carbon dioxide and water in to the nutrients it needs to survive. Scroll down for a video Elysia chlorotica feeding . The eastern emerald elysia (above) has genes from algae within its own genome, making it solar powered . Researchers behind the discovery believe it may be possible to use this form of genetic hijacking between species to create new types of medical treatment for genetic diseases in humans. The first known instance of creatures growing their own 'disposable penises' was discovered by researchers studying the mating habits of sea slugs. Researchers in Japan were astonished when they realised that a group of sea slugs called Chromodoris reticulata lose their penises after sex but then grow another one a few hours later. The creatures, also known as nudibranchs, are hermaphrodites, meaning they had both male and female organs. But the revelation that their penises fell off and then re-grew was a surprise to scientists. The discovery was made after a team from Osaka City University and Tokyo's Nihon University collected the sea slugs from shallow coral reefs off the coast near Okinawa. They placed the slugs together in aquaria in pairs and observed them having sex. The researchers noticed that those who had recently mated were unable to do so again within 24 hours. Looking more closely, they saw that after having sex, the creatures detached themselves from their partner then crawled away with their penises dragging along behind them. About 20 minutes later, the used penis would fall off. Professor Sidney Pierce, a biologist at the University of South Florida and the University of Maryland, said: 'There is no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell, and yet here, they do. 'They allow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source, they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat. 'Figuring out the mechanism of this naturally occurring gene transfer could be extremely instructive for future medical applications.' If it is possible to understand how the slug manages to use these plant genes may allow new types of genes from other species to be used to treat human diseases. Elysia chlorotica is found in shallow pools and salt marshes along the east coast of the United States, particularly in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida and Texas . Juveniles are usually a reddish-brown colour before they begin feeding on algae. It has been known since the 1970s that the Elysia chlorotica is able to incorporate chloroplasts from algae into its own cells, turning them bright green. Chloroplasts are tiny capsules of biological machinery, or organelles, inside green leaves that use sunlight to power chemical reactions that plants need to survive. The slug sucks the sap out of the algae Vaucheria litorea and embeds into the cells of its digestive system. The slug is then able to use these chloroplasts to produce carbohydrates and lipids for itself for up to nine months. The slug incorporates chloroplasts, shown above in plant cells, into the cells of its own digestive system . The slug gets its bright green colour from the algae it feeds on (above) as it steals chloroplasts from the plants . Yet how it is able to maintain these chloroplasts for such a long time without the support provided by a plant cell was not known. Professor Pierce and his colleagues analysed the DNA of the slug and found that it had managed to incorporate a gene from the algae into its own chromosomes. It uses this gene to repair damage to the chloroplasts and to keep it functioning. Professor Pierce said: 'The gene is incorporated into the slug chromosome and transmitted to the next generation of slugs.' 'When a successful transfer of genes between species occurs, evolution can basically happen from one generation to the next.' | Biologists found Elysia chlorotica has hijacked a gene from green algae .
The slug lives in shallow waters off the east coast of the United States .
It uses the gene to maintain chloroplasts it steals from the algae it eats .
The slug uses the chloroplasts to create nutrients from the sun's energy .
Scientists want to understand how the slug is able to use plant genes .
They believe it could help to develop new treatments for genetic diseases . |
fc04e5499632386a9e260a187c73f6fff9903486 | The newest perk at Laucala Island resort easily makes it onto our list of most outrageous hotel amenities. As of October, the private island property in Fiji became the world's first resort to include a ride in its own submarine -- a futuristic two-seater called DeepFlight Super Falcon -- as part of its all-inclusive package. Previously, an hour-long ride in the submarine cost $2,000 per person. DeepFlight Super Falcon is a winged micro-submersible with 360-degree viewing capability through acrylic domes. It can operate as deep as 1,500 feet. The unique winged technology allows the submarine to "fly" underwater like a sea creature. James Bond experience . The sub's designer, Graham Hawkes, is known for building extravagant personal submersibles. Hawkes' earlier designs include submersibles seen in the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only," and James Cameron's "Aliens of the Deep." DeepFlight Super Falcons cost about $1.7 million apiece. Laucala Island owner and Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz is a privileged owner, along with Richard Branson and Tom Perkins of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers venture capital fame. The dive . Laucala Island guests can expect a dive to depths of 40 to 60 feet into the sea. The hour-long trip takes one guest at a time (along with a pilot) from the island's main beach to the "Black Rock" section of the island's inner reef. Scorpion fish, clown fish, turtles and leopard sharks are some of the marine fauna guests might see during the ride. Apart from abundant coral reefs and marine life, the 25-villa resort sits on an exclusive 3,500-acre Pacific island known for a diverse landscape -- volcanic mountains, tropical rainforest, beaches and mangroves. Laucala Island, Fiji; +679 888 0077; one bedroom villa from $4,200 per night . | Private Laucala Island in Fiji is the first resort to offer a free submarine experience for guests .
DeepFlight Super Falcon is a winged submersible that "flies" underwater .
An hour tour travels from the main beach to "Black Rock" in the island's inner reef . |
fc04ef7c2782e61d3c4240ee5376b80029254344 | By . Alex Finnis for MailOnline . This chilled out brown bear looks like he has all the necessities of life, as he relaxes in the river with a tasty, freshly-caught salmon. The beast looks rather like he is sitting back in a swimming pool with an ice cream cone - and he deserves his rest after a hard day of competing with others for the best fishing spots. The hungry bears waited at Brook Falls in the Katmai National Park, Alaska, as the salmon made their way up the river. Scroll down for video . Just like eating an ice cream: This giant grizzly bear enjoys a bit of respite from fishing and tucks into a freshly-caught salmon in the cold waters . Look out! One of the majestic bears tries to snatch a leaping salmon in its mouth as the fish battles against the odds to make its way up the river . Location, location, location: Two bears fiercely right it out for a prime fishing spot, as a better spot means more fish and a happier bear . But there were violent clashes as the giant animals all looked to secure the best spots for themselves - resulting in some incredible photographs. As the fish try to jump from the water the bears attempt to pluck them out of the air with their jaws or grab hold of their slippery skin with their paws. They waste no time gobbling them down when they succeed, remaining in the water to eat before getting back to work. C'mere you: One of the bears grabs at an unfortunate salmon with its claws, hoping to soon be tucking into a tasty, fishy meal . What have you got there? A bear peers up at one of its friends who has succeeded in getting a catch (left), while another stalks through the icy waters (right) Tuck in: This bear strides victoriously away from the more treacherous waters to calmer tides to enjoy its prize which lies limply in its mouth . The photos were taken by Brice Petit, a 32-year-old from Geneva, Switzerland, who has spent years photographing brown bears in Finland and polar bears in Spitzberg, but had never been to Alaska - home of around 30,000 grizzlies - before. He said: 'Large dominant males do not leave their favourite places without a real confrontation which the younger would be wrong to try. Depending on the bears, size, age, weight there are several fishing techniques. 'Some wait patiently at the foot of the fall until the salmon runs between their legs, a simple technique and effective that requires minimal effort. White water fishing: The salmon have to undergo an incredible journey upstream to get to their breeding ground, but thanks to the bears many never make it . Snapped: Two bears caught on camera by 32-year-old Swiss photographer Brice Petit at Brook Falls in the Katmai National Park, Alaska . Vicious fight: Two bears clash amid tumultuous white waters as they both seek the best spot for catching the delicious salmon . 'Others stand at the top of the fall and catch salmon in flight with open jaws and legs ready to strike as the first fish passes. 'What is also surprising is the delicacy with which the bears eat their salmon. 'They always begin by removing the skin - which they eat - but with their jaws and legs it seems impossible to do so accurately. 'It is very likely that with a chef's knife I could not do as well in my kitchen.' Setting the scene: There are around 30,000 brown bears in Alaska. This was the first time the photographer had travelled to the state to photograph them . You're mine: A soaked, dishevelled bear lumbers off with a bloody fish in its mouth, but will soon be back to work trying to catch more . Splashing about: Water crashes around this huge, beautiful beast who is taking a minute out to spy where it will try and catch its next victim . | Brown bears snapped fishing for salmon in rough waters at Brook Falls in the Katmai National Park, Alaska .
The huge beasts battled for the best fishing sports before relaxing in the water to enjoy their catches . |
fc0507fecbe7f41ab2752ea5935e8d040bb426d1 | By . Jessica Jerreat . Arrested: Murder suspect Nazira Maria Cross has been caught in Peru . A woman suspected of poisoning her husband in 2008 and burying his body on their Nevada ranch has been caught in Peru after six years on the run. Nazira Maria Cross was arrested at her home by Peruvian police on Wednesday morning, after the FBI received a tip off that the murder suspect had fled to the South American country. The 48-year-old professor is believed to have poisoned Michael Cross in California, before driving to Nevada to bury his body. Cross, who is originally from Costa RIca, is accused of fleeing the U.S. while authorities waited for autopsy results. In 2009, she was charged with first-degree murder over the death of the 55-year-old owner of two car dealerships. The . FBI claims that Cross poisoned her estranged husband in California in . July 2008, then drove his body to Lovelock, where they owned property, . to dispose of his body. After burying his body, Cross is accused of repeatedly driving over the grave. A year later the Nevada attorney-general . charged Cross and her two adult children with faking her death in South . America to obtain life insurance payouts. Her daughter was fined $1,000 and her son remains a fugitive, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. In a 2012 civil case, a Reno judge ruled that Cross was a 'culpable actor' in her husband's death. Fugitive: Nazira Maria Cross, pictured in 2008, is accused of poisoning her husband before fleeing to Peru . Scam: Cross is also accused of trying to fake her own death to claim insurance payments . The couple had been married for eight years, but divorced in the January of the year Mr Cross was killed. They had met when he vacationed in Costa Rica. On the day he was poisoned, neighbors claimed Mr Cross's wife asked for help getting him into her car, and told them he was sick and was on his way to hospital. When the neighbors didn't hear back from Mr Cross, they called police who discovered his body on the ranch, according to Inside Costa Rica. Cross's case has been widely featured, and her wanted poster was distributed across the U.S. and internationally. The case was also featured on America's Most Wanted. The U.S. has made a request for Peru to extradite Cross to face prosecution. | Nazira Maria Cross fled the U.S. just before being charged with murder .
48-year-old 'buried husband on ranch and drove repeatedly over his grave' |
fc05ca5c262e208450204433edb837e626386ada | (CNN) -- The international governing body for athletics urged caution Friday after reports that the world-champion South African runner Caster Semenya has both male and female organs. The front cover of You magazine shows Semenya after a recent makeover. The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia and The Sun newspaper in Britain reported that gender tests ordered by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) show the 18-year-old is a hermaphrodite. Neither paper named the source of their information. IAAF spokesman Nick Davies would not discuss the findings with CNN. "I simply haven't seen the results," Davies said. "We have received the results from Germany, but they now need to be examined by a group of experts and we will not be in a position to speak to the athlete about them for at least a few weeks. "After that, depending on the results, we will meet privately with the athlete to discuss further action." Has Semenya been treated fairly? The IAAF issued a statement, saying no decision on the case will be announced until the experts can look at the results. A final decision regarding the case is not expected before the IAAF Council meets in late November in Monaco, the IAAF said. Davies also said the news reports should be treated with caution. The newspapers said extensive physical examinations of Semenya show she has no ovaries, but rather has internal testes, which are producing large amounts of testosterone. What is intersexuality? Semenya won the women's 800-meters gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last month. She crushed her rivals by streaking away to secure victory in 1 minute, 55.45 seconds -- the best women's time in the world this year. Defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya took the silver and Jennifer Meadows of Britain claimed bronze. The IAAF said it was seeking tests on Semenya's gender even before that race. Davies said questions about her were first raised after her astonishing displays at the African junior championships in July, with her masculine build and surprising performance fueling the rumors. South Africans reacted angrily to Friday's reports, with one newspaper headline declaring "outrage." Sport and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said he was "shocked and disgusted" at the treatment that Semenya has received from the media, the IAAF, and the world. "She may be a hermaphrodite, but so what? She is still a girl," Stofile told a news conference in Pretoria. Even if Semenya has an unfortunate "proportion of hormones," he said, she is still "a young girl enjoying growing up." Stofile said he believes the teenager's human rights have been violated and that she was not given a chance to understand what the gender testing was all about. South Africa will fight back if Semenya is excluded from further competition, Stofile said, adding, "It will be a third world war." All indications were Friday that, at the very least, Semenya may be able to keep the gold medal she won in Berlin. "Our legal advice is that, if she proves to have an advantage because of the male hormones, then it will be extremely difficult to strip the medal off her, since she has not cheated," Davies told CNN. Semenya's countrymen -- including her father and the South Africa team manager -- have maintained that Semenya is a female. Thousands of supporters crammed the airport in Johannesburg when she returned from Berlin last month. And this week, the athlete appeared on the cover of a South African magazine wearing makeup, jewelry and a glamorous dress. Under IAAF rules, any time there is suspicion about an athlete's gender, the athlete can be asked to attend a medical evaluation before a panel consisting of a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, a psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender issues. There are chromosome tests and scans of the athlete's body, Davies has said. He called gender verification -- which is generally required only for female athletes -- "an extremely complex procedure." The process of gender verification has undergone big changes since it was first introduced for international competition in the 1960s, the IAAF said. The first mechanism involved "rather crude and perhaps humiliating physical examinations," which soon gave way to mouth swabs to collect chromosomes, the IAAF said. There were too many uncertainties regarding the mouth swabs, so the IAAF abandoned them in 1991 and the International Olympic Committee discontinued them in 2000, the IAAF said. A proper test has yet to be found, the IAAF said, and the current round of tests is considered a good interim solution. | South African Sports Minister "shocked and disgusted" at Semenya treatment .
Sydney Morning Herald reports tests have revealed athlete's internal testes .
South Africa team manager maintains Semenya is female .
Semenya won the 800-meters gold at the World Athletics Championships . |
fc05d68c6ae0e97d3a80130a6002ad1c4d1eacc5 | (CNN) -- Inter Milan's faultless record under new coach Leonardo came to an abrupt halt on Sunday as the reigning Serie A champions lost 3-1 to Udinese. Inter were on course for their sixth straight win since the Brazilian took over from Rafa Benitez in December when Dejan Stankovic gave them the lead after a quarter of an hour. But Udinese struck back almost immediately with goals from Cristian Zapata after 20 minutes and Antonio Di Natale five minutes later. Maurizio Domizzi added the home side's third in the 69th minute leaving Inter too much to do in the final 20 minutes of the match. The result means Udinese stay in eighth place, but are now only one point behind Palermo. Inter remain in fifth with 35 points. Rivals AC Milan moved four points clear at the top of the league as they beat Cesena 2-0 at the San Siro. An own goal by Cesena defender Pellegrino at the end of the first half gave Milan the lead. The Rossoneri had several chances to wrap up the match in the second half with Robinho going close twice, but it was left to the ever dependable Ibrahimovic to make sure of the points as he slotted home from a tight angle in injury time. Cesena ninth away defeat of the season means they remain in 18th place with 19 points. Napoli moved up to second behind leaders Milan after a 2-0 win at Bari. Argentina's Ezequiel Lavezzi put Napoli ahead after 38 minutes with a well-taken free-kick. Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani made sure of three points shortly before the end scoring his 14th goal of the season. Lazio failed to make up any ground on Milan after slumping to a shock 3-1 defeat at Bologna. Lazio took the lead in the fifth minute thanks to Sergio Floccari, but Gaston Ramirez leveled the scores half an hour later. Three minutes later the home side were ahead as striker Marco Di Vaio carved through the Lazio defense before finishing neatly. Di Vaio scored his 13th goal of the season and his team's third in injury time at the end of the match. Juventus stay in sixth place, now on the same points as Inter, after a 0-0 draw at Sampdoria. There were no goals between Chievo and Genoa either as both teams looked to escape the bottom half of the table. There was also stalemate in the match between Fiorentina and Lecce which finished 1-1. David Di Michele opened the scoring for Lecce after 29 minutes only for Alberto Gilardino to cancel it our with a header in the 56th minute. | Leonardo suffers first defeat in six games as Inter lose 3-1 to Udinese .
Milan goes four points clear at top of Serie A after a 2-0 win over Cesena .
Napoli move up to second after a 2-0 win at Bari . |
fc07451ccd93e5f852345aed3f5212d6f9e146c2 | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 12:57 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:15 EST, 13 December 2013 . Laura Bates, 26, from London, founded the anti-sexist initiative in April 2012 . The Everyday Sexism Project has hit 50,000 entries in just over a year and a half. Laura Bates, 26, from London, founded the anti-sexist initiative in April 2012. It aims to raise awareness of discrimination based on gender. The site made headlines worldwide in May when its hugely successful campaign led to Facebook changing its policy on content endorsing rape and violence against women. The #FBRape initiative highlighted the flaw in the social network’s guidelines which banned hate speech but not offensive remarks regarding sexual assault. The campaign saw several companies pull their advertisements from Facebook, and the website agreed to change its policies. At the time, the Mail reported that the Project had collected over 30,000 women's experiences of gender imbalance in just over a year. 'I see and hear stories every single day . from women whose lives are directly impacted by sexism, misogyny and . sexual abuse,' said Laura. Laura sees the 50,000 records of everyday sexism as a sign there is a lot more to be done. She said: 'It is a testament to the . sheer scale of the problem that we have reached 50,000 entries in such a . short space of time. 'Every woman has a story. Sexism and harassment . have become normalised and accepted, from schoolgirls facing regular . harassment in their uniform to women in the workplace being marginalised . and discriminated against, to female politicians facing open sexism in . the House of Commons. 'Against the backdrop of the media’s constant . portrayal of women as disposable sex objects, we are facing an epidemic . of sexual violence, with over two women per week killed by a current or . former partners, 400,000 women sexually assaulted and over 85,000 raped . every year. 'If the Project has shown anything, it is that gender . inequality is a spectrum, and these things are all connected. #FBRape posted this image on their website, drawing attention to advertisements next to the image . 'The same . ideas and attitudes that underlie ‘minor’ incidents like catcalls, which . we are so often told to ignore, or brush off, are also at the root of . more serious incidents of violence and assault. 'We have to tackle the . normalised acceptance of sexism in the public sphere.' The Project has expanded into 17 different . countries worldwide. Entries have flooded in from women around the . world, as well as men, and have covered the full range of experiences of . gender inequality. From sexual harassment in public spaces to workplace . discrimination, sexual assault and rape, shocking stories have been heard from around the globe. Some 15 new branches are in . the pipeline, in countries including Japan, Mexico, Serbia and India. The . Project has been vocally supported by many male celebrities, including . Simon Pegg and James Corden. It has quickly amassed a dedicated social . media following, with 111,000 Twitter followers, and has led several . successful high-profile campaigns, including the #FBrape campaign of . this Summer. Laura hears stories about sexual harassment in public spaces and workplace discrimination . In the . past few months, the Everyday Sexism Project joined forces with the . British Transport Police on Project Guardian, an initiative that saw . 2000 police officers given special training to crack down on sexual . offences on public transport. Alongside an online awareness campaign led . by Everyday Sexism, Project Guardian has seen an increase of 20 per . cent in reporting of sexual offences on public transport and a 32 per . cent rise in detection of offenders. The Everyday Sexism Project . has been used by MPs, businesses, schools and universities, and took . part in the drafting of new guidelines on media equality at the Council . of Europe. Next year it will launch a major international campaign on . sexual violence in teen relationships. A book about the project will be . published by Simon & Schuster next year. Laura Bates, the . founder of the project, last week won a Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of . the Year Award for her work on gender equality. | Laura Bates, 26, from London, founded anti-sexist initiative in April 2012 .
Campaign led to Facebook changing its policy on content endorsing rape . |
fc075b08f5fc2974725e1beb9a2ad1fddb2c81fb | A bigamist was caught by his wife after she saw a photograph of his wedding to a teenager on Facebook. Nicolette Watkinson called the police after discovering Stephen Smith, 52, married Awa Jobarteh, 19, at the same registry office in Africa where they had wed seven years earlier. But Smith has avoided a prison sentence after claiming he was duped by Miss Jobarteh – who dumped him two days after they returned to the UK from Gambia and has not been traced since. Bigamist: Stephen Smith, 52, was caught after this picture of him with his new bride Awa Jobarteh, 19, appeared on Facebook and was seen by his current wife . Suffering: Nicolette Smith leaves Teesside Crown Court and said she was disappointed her estranged husband, Stephen Smith, was not jailed for bigamy . Miss Watkinson, 39, a marketing . executive, met factory worker Smith in 2001 and they married in 2005. The father of two was divorced from his first wife at the time. Just . 18 months after their wedding, they split up and Miss Watkinson moved . out of the marital home in Pickering, North Yorkshire. However, . Smith failed to keep up with the mortgage repayments and left without . giving a forwarding address. The house was repossessed and Miss . Watkinson was saddled with a £160,000 debt, which bankrupted her. Smith . had disappeared and her lawyers received no reply in their efforts to . start divorce proceedings. Defence: Stephen Smith claimed he was a victim after his young bride fled within two days of arriving in Britain . After hearing that her husband had met a new . lover in Gambia, Miss Watkinson checked his Facebook page and found the . wedding photo of him with Miss Jobarteh. Teesside . Crown Court was told that Smith, of York, thought he had signed an . official divorce petition on the day before his wedding to Miss Jobarteh . in Banjul, the capital of Gambia, in November 2012. He . said he had left finalising the divorce papers to his young bride and . that she returned the documents with a ‘red stamp of authorisation’ on . them. But Miss . Watkinson’s signature on the papers was fake. Robert Mochrie, defending, . said: ‘This was a man who acted rather hastily. It is, you might think, . absurd somebody is getting married on the same day they are handed a . divorce certificate. If he’d waited just a few months perhaps, a divorce . might well have been finalised.’ Mr . Mochrie told the court that Smith married Miss Jobarteh out of love, . adding: ‘This defendant, born in 1961, was perhaps understandably taken . by her and was keen to tie the knot. ‘People are often paid to become involved in sham marriages but that was not the case.’ He . added: ‘He has been wronged. He was abandoned by his third wife. Her . intentions were quite clearly to dupe a man of more senior years, as so . often happens with men who travel to foreign lands to seek happiness.’ On . Thursday, Smith was given a six month jail sentence suspended for two . years and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work. He admitted bigamy at . an earlier hearing. Judge . Tony Briggs said he had ‘considerable sympathy’ for Miss Watkinson, . adding: ‘I can well understand her being extremely upset by the thought . that you’d married again without the courtesy of going through a divorce . with her.’ But outside the . court, Miss Watkinson said of Smith: ‘I feel as though he has got away . with this and has been portrayed as some kind of victim himself after . all that he has put me through. ‘He knew if he responded to my divorce petition, he’d give away where he’d been hiding.’ Long journey: Smith had married second wife Nicolette in the Gambia after they 'fell in love' with the country only to return in 2012 to marry a teenager behind her back . Wronged: Nicolette was left bankrupt after Smith disappeared and failed to pay the mortgage . Smith is not the first bigamist to fall foul of Facebook. Former . policeman Martin Curran, 52, of Burtonwood, Cheshire, lied to his wife . Lisa when she found Facebook pictures of him marrying his lover. He said . they were fake but was convicted and given a community order in August . 2012. Benefits cheat . Heath Joynson, 45, of Stoke, claimed to be single but got caught last . August after his wife posted their wedding pictures on the social . networking site. And Brian Frain was jailed for three months after his first wife saw him marrying again before they were even divorced. When . jailed in September, Frain, 36, of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, said he . couldn’t wait to get out of the marriage so he could marry a third time, . to mother-of-four Donna Darwent, 33. | Nicolette Smith disappointed Stephen Smith not jailed for taking new bride .
Three-times-married Smith caught after picture of wedding appeared online .
But he said he was a victim after Awa Jobarteh, 19, left him after 2 days .
Nicolette also married the bigamist in the Gambia, after his divorce . |
fc0774dea79d93ff801e3c86dcc66d87104b7880 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:53 EST, 28 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:26 EST, 28 October 2013 . For Martha McNabb, it was a catch of a lifetime. Taking part in 'the world's richest sportfishing tournament', the Mexican angler managed to snag a 525-pound marlin which earned her team $1.2 million. But despite hitting the jackpot, McNabb didn't win this year's Bisbee's Black and Blue Marlin Tournament in Mexico because her catch wasn't the heaviest. Catch of the day: Martha McNabb (in green) clinched second place at the Bisbee¿s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament in Mexico with her 525-pound marlin (pictured), but in better news, whopping fish was worth $1.2 million . It was Linda . Williams who made angling history on Friday afternoon. Willams is the first . woman to take out the competition since it began in 1981. She caught a massive 774-pound blue marlin - the second heaviest fish in the competition's history - which earned her team on yacht 'II Success' a hefty $368,675, according to grindtv.com. Even though McNabb came second to Williams, her paycheck was bigger because her team had entered more side jackpots. It's the second time McNabb has finished as runner-up. This was the first year in the competition's history that female competitors finished first and second. Champion: Linda Williams (fourth from right) with her check after claiming first place by catching a 774-pound blue marlin at the Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Tournament at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico . Epic: Linda Williams (pictured right with husband John Williams) took out the tournament after catching a whopping 774-pound blue marlin (left) 'It was a fish of a lifetime and one definitely on my bucket list,' Williams told grindtv.com. 'I love this tournament and I love the people.' It took two hours for Williams to drag her catch onto the boat, which was delivered to the scale with only 10 minutes remaining in the event. The tournament has raised more than $600,000 for local charities, and last year more than $200,000 was donated to charity. The Bisbee's tournament only . allows marlin weighing 300 pounds or more to be weighed. Smaller marlin . are supposed to be released, according to petethomasoutdoors.com. Impressive: Linda Williams (left) and Martha McNabb (right) secured first and second place respectively at Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Tournament. This was the first time two female anglers participated in the annual competition since it began in 1981 . | Linda Williams caught a 774-pound blue marlin at Bisbee's Black and Blue Marlin Tournament in Mexico on Friday .
She was the competition's first female winner with a catch worth $368,675 .
Martha McNabb caught a 525-pound marlin on Thursday, worth about $1.2 million .
Her payout was bigger than Williams' because her team had entered more side jackpots .
This was the first time female competitors came first and second since the event began in 1981 . |
fc0781eec1a59ecaf3900ab9e94c7593a991490f | Leicester midfielder Andy King celebrated his 26th birthday by signing a new four-year contract at the club. King joined Leicester in 2004 and rose through the youth ranks before making his full debut in 2007. The Wales international, who has played six Barclays Premier League games this season, has penned a new deal until the summer of 2018 and he hopes to see out the rest of his career at the King Power Stadium. Andy King, pictured in action against Everton, has signed a new four-year contract to stay at Leicester . Wales international King made his full debut for the Foxes in 2007 after rising through the club's youth ranks . 'To be able to commit my future and for the club to have shown this sort of faith in me is a massive boost so I'm just looking to kick on now,' King, who has played 283 times for Leicester, told the club's official website. 'I've only ever played for Leicester City and it's looking more and more like they're the only team I'll ever play for. I would love it if that is the case. 'I’ve always said from when I made my debut against Wolves in 2007 that the fans have been nothing but brilliant with me, so I’d just like to say a big thank you to them. 'They’ve supported me throughout my whole career with Leicester so far and I hope that they continue to do so.' Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has given King six appearances in the Premier League this season . King and his Leicester team-mates currently sit 17th in the Premier League table on nine points . | Wales international Andy King has committed his future to Leicester .
The midfielder has made six Premier League appearances for the Foxes .
King admits he could see out the rest of his career at the club . |
fc078bf3ce53a3f6153bb8966505924e33b20c7e | Three people died and 13 were injured when a German commuter train collided with a maintenance crane Friday morning, German police said. The collision occurred on the track near the city of Offenbach, outside Frankfurt, police said. The driver and two construction workers were killed. Several of the train's 35 passengers were seriously injured and are receiving hospital treatment. German authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, police said. The train, a regional service, was traveling from Frankfurt to Hanau. | The train collided with a maintenance crane on the track, police say .
The collision occurred near the city of Offenbach, close to Frankfurt .
The train driver and two construction workers died, police say . |
fc07df56d7f457386763c08d59564402933d107c | The world's most sophisticated cyber spying tool has been stealing information from government, businesses and individuals for six years. The malware, called 'Regin', is probably run by a western intelligence agency and has mostly affected computers in Russia, Saudi Arabia and Ireland. Once installed on a computer, it can steal passwords, capture screenshots, listen in on phone conversations and restore deleted files. Scroll down for video . 'Extraordinary threat': The world's most sophisticated cyber spying tool has been stealing information from government, businesses and individuals for six years. The largest number of infections discovered - 28 per cent - was in Russia, and Saudi Arabia was second with 24 per cent . Symantec, who found the malware, describes it as the most 'extraordinary' piece of hacking software developed, and was probably 'months or years in the making'. They claim it is more advanced than Stuxnet, which was developed by US and Israel government hackers in 2010 to target the Iranian nuclear programme. 'We are starting to get glimpses into the secret war that is occurring at a nation-level in intelligence,' Professor Tim Watson, director of the Cyber Security Centre at Warwick University told MailOnline. He said individuals should not be concerned about their private details, as Regin was designed to steal secrets at a state level. Cyber espionage: No one yet knows how Regin infected systems but it had been deployed against internet service providers and telecoms companies worldwide. Private individuals and small businesses account for around half of the affected organisations . So far, infection from Regin have been found between 2008 and 2011, after which the malware disappeared before a new version surfaced in 2013. No one yet knows how Regin infected systems but it had been deployed against internet service providers and telecoms companies worldwide. The largest number of infections discovered - 28 per cent - was in Russia, and Saudi Arabia was second with 24 percent. Regin has been active since 2008 and may have been created by a Western government. It has been used to attack individuals and small businesses as well as private companies, government entities and research institutes. Telecoms companies have also been infected, allowing hackers to gain access to phone calls. It is highly sophisticated and may have taken months or even years to complete. Computers can be infected with the software through means including fake internet sites and instant messenger programs. It is unusually low-key, meaning that it can be used on a target for several years before being noticed. A report released by Symnatec claims Ireland has been the site of 9 per cent of confirmed infections and Russia, Saudi Arabia and Mexico have also been heavily affected. The report describes the purpose of Regin as 'intelligence gathering' and says: 'It is used for the collection of data and continuous monitoring of targeted organisations or individuals.' Other countries where the malware was found included Mexico, Ireland, India, Afghanistan, Iran, Belgium, Austria and Pakistan. There were no reported infections in the United States. Symantec said it believes the targets of these infections were customers of these companies rather than the companies themselves. Telecom companies were also infected, apparently to gain access to calls being routed through their infrastructure, the report noted. Regin appeared to allow the attackers to capture screenshots, take control of the mouse's point-and-click functions, steal passwords, monitor traffic and recover deleted files. Symantec said some targets may have been tricked into visiting spoofed versions of well-known websites to allow the malware to be installed, and in one case it originated from Yahoo Instant Messenger. 'Regin's developers put considerable effort into making it highly inconspicuous,' Symantec said. 'Its low key nature means it can potentially be used in espionage campaigns lasting several years. 'Even when its presence is detected, it is very difficult to ascertain what it is doing. Symantec was only able to analyse the payloads after it decrypted sample files.' Professor Watson said it is was difficult to draw conclusions about the purpose of Regin or its origin. 'The targets are what you expect from a western nation,' he told MailOnline. 'So it seems reasonable that it came from them. 'That said, there is a fine tradition of false flagging in intelligence, where you make something look like it came from somewhere else, by targeting countries that throw people off the scent.' Where did it come from? Regin is highly sophisticated and may have taken months or even years to complete. Computers can be infected with the software through means including fake internet sites and instant messenger programs . The researchers said many components of Regin are still probably undiscovered and that there could be new versions of this tool which have not yet been detected. The news comes amid heightened concerns on cyber espionage. Last month, separate teams of security researchers said the Russian and Chinese governments are likely behind widespread cyber espionage that has hit targets in the US and elsewhere. One team of researchers led by the security firm Novetta Solutions said it identified a hacker group believed to act 'on behalf of a Chinese government intelligence apparatus.' A separate report by the security firm FireEye said a long-running effort to hack into US defence contractors, Eastern European governments and European security organisations is 'likely sponsored by the Russian government.' However, Professor Watson said he is not concerned about Regin. 'When we had the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, it was the intelligence that both sides were getting that stopped us from having a global nuclear war. 'Intelligence sometimes defends us all.' | Regin may have been created by Western state to spy on governments .
Bug can steal passwords, capture screenshots and restore deleted files .
Computers were infected through fake sites and messenger programs .
Regin is low-key and can be used for years before being noticed .
Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Mexico have been heavily affected .
It is more complex than Stuxnet which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities .
Regin may be a case of 'false flagging' in which a nation targets allies to avoid being uncovered as source, Professor Tim Watson told MailOnline . |
fc08197c1bfe41d541ffb804c83a6f14eab46b08 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:12 EST, 27 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:30 EST, 27 November 2012 . Veterans aren’t the only ones at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder - man’s best friend can suffer just as much as their human counterparts, experts say. Veterinarians and service dog handlers at Lackland Air Force Base said that dogs - especially those who have been sent to Afghanistan and Iraq to keep U.S. troops safe - shut down after trauma. They estimate that as many as 10 percent of dogs deployed overseas suffer from canine PTSD and need treatment for the condition, just like any human. Cora, pictured with Marine Cpl. Drew Daniel Adams, was once an ace at sniffing out buried bombs in Iraq, before suffering canine post-traumatic stress disorder . Cora, a Belgian Malinois who was used to sniff out bombs and other explosives in Iraq, was described by her trainers as a ‘very squared-away dog.’ She was trained to sniff out buried bombs in the terrain, then lie down once she detected an explosive. Marine Staff Sgt Thomas Gehring, who handles Cora back at Lackland, said that her behavior began to change after a month of sniffing out bombs. She hated being left alone, had become jumpy at loud noises, and would become excessively combative around other dogs. ‘Dogs experience combat just like humans,’ Sgt Gehring explained. Though Cora looks healthy enough, and enjoys treats and belly scratches, her handlers have noticed her severe behavioral change. They describe Cora’s case as a more mild instance of canine PTSD. Gunner, who is believed to suffer from a canine version of PTSD, is comforted by his handler in Helmand Province, Afghanistan . ‘They’re essentially broken and can’t work,’ Lackland chief of behavioral medical and military working-dog studies, Walter Burghardt Jr. told the Los Angeles Times. He added ‘This is something that does not get better without intervention.’ Burghardt added that because dogs cannot verbally express their anxieties, it is harder to treat. The canines are treated much as a human PTSD sufferer would - with conditioning, training, and in some circumstances, medication. The Times notes that dogs like Cora should be treated as a war hero and be allowed to live a life without stress, which would only aggravate her condition. The dogs with more severe cases can often be taught to work in less demanding fields. If their PTSD is too great, they are given up for adoption and given to families. As the Times reports, hundreds more service dogs have been utilized in the military since the September 11 terrorist attacks, with more than 2,500 dogs like Belgian Malinois and German shepherds patrolling. Next month, the U.S. Working Dog Teams National Monument will be unveiled in Los Angeles to honor every dog who has served in combat since World War II. Marine Cpl. Jonathan Eckert and his IED sniffing dog Bee try to come to terms with the death of a fellow Marine in Kajaki, Afghanistan . | Dogs serving alongside U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan exposed to stressful conditions .
Around 10% of dogs serving experience PTSD .
Re-training and medication are effective ways of managing disorder, though dogs are never the same . |
fc083758ff35e7071fbfafb67375d287686e4358 | Tyrone Woods became a Navy SEAL after his mother suggested he join the military. Friday afternoon, Cheryl Croft Bennett attended a ceremony to honor the life of her son, Ty, and grieve his death alongside three other Americans in Tuesday's assault on the U.S. Consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Woods, who had retired from the Navy, handled security for diplomats and perished with fellow former SEAL Glen Doherty, computer expert Sean Smith and U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. "Tyrone's friends and colleagues called him 'Rone,' and they relied on his courage and skill, honed over two decades as a Navy SEAL," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. U.S. Embassy in Cairo was warned . "In uniform, he served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2010, he protected American diplomatic personnel in dangerous posts from Central America to the Middle East. He had the hands of a healer as well as the arm of a warrior, earning distinction as a registered nurse and certified paramedic. All our hearts go out to Tyrone's wife Dorothy and his three sons, Tyrone Jr., Hunter, and Kai, who was born just a few months ago." Back at home in California, Woods worked as a registered nurse in his wife's dental practice in La Jolla, his mother told CNN affiliate KGW TV in Portland, Oregon, but he gained fulfillment in his military role. "He loved the cutting edge. He loved danger. He loved an adrenaline rush," Bennett said. "But he loved the thinking part of it, too. He was very street smart, and he was the guy you would want to have in your corner if you were in a tight situation." A diplomatic source told CNN that Doherty was in Libya to search for shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles -- a mission given high priority after the fall of longtime Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. Opinion: Arab Spring nations don't yet grasp freedom of dissent . Doherty grew up in Massachusetts with a passion for the outdoors, particularly the mountain West, his family said. Outside the family's home in Woburn, near Boston, his sister remembered him as "our American hero." "Glen lived his life to the fullest," Katie Quigley told reporters. "He was my brother, but if you ask his friends, he was their brother as well." The 42-year-old graduated from high school in 1988 in neighboring Winchester, where flags were displayed at half-staff on Thursday. He played on the varsity tennis and wrestling teams, school officials said in an announcement marking his death. His junior-year English teacher, Judy Hession, recalled him as "bursting with life." "Every day his huge smile and his happy-go-lucky optimism filled my classroom," Hession said in a statement released by the school district. "He got along with all types of people, was a class leader and, from the perspective of 30 years of teaching, one of my most memorable students." After college in Arizona and stints as a "ski bum" and raft guide in Utah, Doherty joined the Navy and became a member of the elite Navy SEAL commandos in 1995, his family said in a statement. "He told me he wanted to be a SEAL and I tried to use reverse psychology with him and say, 'Well, you won't make it. You can't make it. You don't pay attention to me -- never mind a superior officer,'" his father, Ben, told CNN affiliate WCVB in Boston. "He showed me." Doherty had planned to leave the service after knee surgery in 2001, but after the al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington, he "was not allowed to leave and didn't want to," his family said. Doherty served two tours of duty in Iraq, starting with the U.S. invasion in 2003, before leaving the military in 2005. He then became a private security contractor, working in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen -- a job that took a toll on his home life and contributed to a divorce, his family said. He also joined the advisory board of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a group that has battled religious intolerance in the U.S. armed forces. Its president, former Air Force officer Michael "Mikey" Weinstein, said he was "in a state of shock" after learning of Doherty's death. "He was one of our most active advisory board members," Weinstein said. "I was surprised he was willing to come on and lend the gravitas that comes with being a Navy SEAL to our cause." Doherty's involvement "made it easier for others to come to us," Weinstein added. Arrests made in attack on U.S. Consulate in Libya . He said Doherty believed the kind of violent jihadists American troops faced were "a very small percentage of the overall mosaic of the Muslim faith," and saw anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States and in the ranks as something that hurt U.S. national security. "He went back to the Middle East because he cared deeply about the Muslim people, and because he cared about bringing freedom and democracy and human rights to the Middle East," Weinstein said. Doherty "was a kind and caring person, and I'm sure that he gave every last bit of his courage and strength" to defend the consulate and Stevens, he added. "All this is going to do is light a further fire under us in Glen's name and memory to continue to fight for religious freedom and respect and tolerance." He also co-authored a 2010 book, "The 21st-Century Sniper: A Complete Practical Guide," with former comrade Brandon Webb. In a statement accompanying the family's, Webb said, "Don't feel sorry for him, he wouldn't have it." "He died serving with men he respected, protecting the freedoms we enjoy as Americans and doing something he loved," Webb said. In her statement, Clinton said Doherty, a paramedic, was referred to as "Bub" by his friends and family. "In the end, he died the way he lived -- with selfless honor and unstinting valor," she said. Smith's death was among the first reported in the Benghazi fracas. Clinton eulogized him Wednesday as a 10-year veteran of the Foreign Service, an information management officer who had served in Iraq, South Africa, Canada and the Netherlands. Smith was better known by his online alter ego, which was legendary in the gaming world. Six things to know about the Benghazi attack . In real life, he was an Air Force veteran with a wife, a son and a daughter. But in the virtual universe of the computer game EVE Online, Smith was "Vile Rat" -- one of the leaders of a gamers' alliance renowned for his diplomatic skill in the multi-player space warfare simulation. "If you play this stupid game, you may not realize it, but you play in a galaxy created in large part by Vile Rat's talent as a diplomat. No one focused as relentlessly on using diplomacy as a strategic tool as VR," Smith's friend Alex Gianturco wrote in a tribute posted on his website. Gianturco wrote that Smith had been under fire before, while posted to Baghdad. When that occurred, he usually broke off his messaging. "We'd freak out and he'd come back OK after a bit," Gianturco wrote. But Tuesday night, after reporting "GUNFIRE," Smith "disconnected and never returned," he added. A few hours earlier, Smith had posted, "assuming we don't die tonight. We saw one of our 'police' that guard the compound taking pictures," he recounted. The death of Stevens also left many across the United States and in foreign posts around the world reeling. The U.S. ambassador died in the very city where he had arrived aboard a cargo ship in the spring of 2011 to help build ties between the upstart rebellion and the rebels. Stevens graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1982, then took a pause in his studies to join the Peace Corps. He later worked as an international trade lawyer in Washington before joining the Foreign Service, the career diplomatic corps, in 1991. "When he went to Libya, he had no illusions about where he was going," said longtime friend Daniel Seidemann. "He has probably done more than anybody on the planet to help the Libyan people." On Friday, in a ceremony marking the return of the four victims to the United States, President Barack Obama said that amid all of the horrific images coming out of Benghazi this week, "I also think of the Libyans who took to the streets with homemade signs expressing their gratitude to an American who believed in what we could achieve together. "I think of the man in Benghazi with his sign in English, a message he wanted all of us to hear. It said, 'Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans.' Chris Stevens was a friend." Analysis: In Libya, militias 'running the show' Mystery shrouds anti-Islam film . Blog: Arrest, violence updates . | Security officer's dad remembers dedication .
President Barack Obama: "Chris Stevens was a friend"
Computer expert Sean Smith was renowned in the gamers' universe .
They died in Benghazi with Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya . |
fc084ea9ab2fec8884716f96edf1b91c665349b9 | (CNN) -- The director of Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam shot down reports Monday that it had been seized by the radical Islamic State, saying Kurdish forces fended off an assault. Fighters with the Islamic State, formerly the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, were pushed back after gaining access to a housing compound for employees who work at the dam just north of Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, Abdul Khaliq al-Dabbagh, the director of the Mosul Dam, said. Conflicting reports about who was in control of the dam on the Tigris River began Sunday amid news of fierce fighting between Islamic State fighters and Kurdish forces, known as Peshmerga. A Kurdish commander told CNN on Sunday that ISIS had taken control of it, though employees remained at the dam. But al-Dabbagh said the Peshmerga held their positions until reinforcements arrived early Monday morning. ISIS -- known for killing dozens of people at a time and carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts -- has taken over large swaths of northern and western Iraq as it seeks to create an Islamic state that stretches from Syria into Iraq. The United Nations in Iraq warned that 200,000 civilians were trapped in dire circumstances after the Islamic State and associated armed groups "seized control of nearly all of Sinjar and Tal Afar districts" in the northern Ninevah province, including several small oil fields that border Iraq's Kurdish region. Most of the people who fled districts are minority Kurdish Yezidis, an ancient religious sect with ties to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. A large number have taken refuge in the Jabal Sinjar mountains, the United Nations said. Kurdish fighters battled ISIS in an attempt top retake Sinjar -- a small town inhabited by the Yezidi sect -- on Monday and have been engaged in house-to-house battles in some of the fiercest fighting since the fall of Mosul to the Islamic militant group in June, a Kurdish commander said. Both sides are using heavy weaponry, the source said. Fighting has also been reported in the border town of Rabia, with Syria-based Kurds joining the battle against Islamic State militants. Meanwhile, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Massoud Barzani, told a group of Yezidi sect leaders that his government would liberate Sinjar, according to a report on the government's website. Barzani said the Kurds had been fighting without any help from the Iraqi government or the international community. The State Department said Sunday that it was "actively monitoring the situation" in Sinjar and Tal Afar, and said that the United States is supporting both Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga forces in the fight against the Islamic State. "The assault over the past 48 hours on territories along the border of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and focusing on towns and villages populated by vulnerable minorities, demonstrates once again that this terrorist organization is a dire threat to all Iraqis, the entire region and the international community," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. Islamic State takes control of Iraq's largest dam . U.S. agrees to send 5,000 more Hellfire missiles to Iraq . | NEW: Dam is in the hands of Kurdish forces, not the Islamic State, an official says .
There has been fierce fighting in the Iraqi town of Sinjar, close to Syria, a source says .
Kurdish fighters are engaged in house-to-house battle with Islamic State, source says .
Sinjar fell to ISIS fighters over weekend, police say . |
fc091e72aa49b2019f53ddc4cb90665da9f6d861 | Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Frenchman Stephane Rousson's 'aerosail' above the sea. Rousson and his partners' ambition is to create an innovative, efficient, and silent maritime vehicle, only using the wind as means of propulsion. By the end of October, the adventurer and researcher hopes to have crossed the Mediterranean, from Nice to Calvi on the island of Corsica. Trial: Rousson went for a practice run in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, southeastern France . Here's hoping: Rousson was in relaxed mood above the waters . Aerosail unique principle of flight allows the user to pilot, like a sailboat, an airship linked by a cable to a stabilized keel, called the Seaglider. The cable acts as the mast and the airship as the sail. And so Rousson went for a practice run in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, southeastern France prior to his planned crossing. Blown away: The French adventurer will be hoping it's life off come October and his Mediterranean challenge . The giant balloon begins to take shape, and is connected to the Seaglider . Close eye: In case Rousson gets into difficulty, the seaglider is on hand to rescue the situation . Back in 2008 Rousson was forced to abandon a scheduled crossing of the English Channel at the half-way point in his pedal-powered airship due to strong winds. He will be hoping for calmer conditions on his Mediterranean challenge, otherwise there will only one winner in the man v the elements battle. Smile: Rousson gives the camera a wave as he perfects the final touches to his invention . Fingers crossed: If the wind remains mild, the airship can be guided by the pilot . Powering on: The aerosail on the landscape is a pretty sight . | Stephane Rousson's invention uses only the wind to travel .
Plans to fly from Nice in France to Calvi on island of Corsica .
Uses the same principal as a sailboat, and connected by cables .
Failed in a 2008 mission to cross the English Channel . |
fc0954a56235bd69f5b8904365f59d3b455fdd00 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 08:17 EST, 6 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:13 EST, 6 January 2014 . The Cat B100 handset, pictured, has been designed to 'withstand the rigours of the real world' Caterpillar is known for its rugged machinery - and now it has rolled out an equally rugged new phone said to be waterproof and drop proof. The Cat B100 handset has been designed to ‘withstand the rigours of the real world'. Its makers claim it can survive a 1.8metre drop as well as temperatures as low as -25°C. It can also be submerged in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes, has a talk-time of up to 10 hours and can be on standby for up to 23 days using a single charge. The handset has gone on show at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. It was built to be used in noisy environments such as building sites because it has a noise cancelling microphone and a high-quality loudspeaker. Unlike the latest generation of thin touchscreen smartphones, the Cat handset has large buttons so that people can use it while wearing gloves. ‘The Cat B100 is a practical and tough mobile phone, designed for people who demand ultimate reliability, said Dave Floyd, Co-CEO of Bullitt Mobile, which licenses CAT phones. 'Its rugged features, long battery life and talk time make the B100 an ideal choice for tough conditions. Scroll down for video . The Cat B100 handset is built to survive a 1.8metre drop and temperatures as low as -25°C as well as being submerged in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes. It is also dust-proof and has a loud speaker and noise cancelling technology built in so it can easily be used in noisy environments . Operating system: Proprietary . Battery: 10 hours talk time, 23 days on stand-by . Display: 2.2inches . Memory: 128MB / 64MB . Camera: 3MP with 4x zoom . Dimensions: 12.3cm x 5.6cm x 1.8cm . Weight: 136g . Comes with GPS, FM radio and loudspeaker . ‘This is a phone that won’t let you down,’ he added. The Cat B100 can work in temperatures of between -25°C and 55°C as well as keep out dust. The handset follows Cat’s B15 model, which is also built to stand knocks, scratches, water and dust, but does not have a physical keyboard. While the B15 smartphone runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has a 5MP camera, the newer B100 is a feature phone running a proprietary operating system and has a 3MP camera. The new handset comes with a screen protector and belt clip, as well as a charger and will be available in Europe, yet pricing and availability has yet to be announced. Unlike Cat's newest feature phone, its previous B15 handset runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has a 5MP camera, but it does not have a physical keyboard, meaning that people cannot use it while wearing gloves . | Cat B100 has been designed to ‘withstand the rigours of the real world’
Its maker claims it can be used under water and dropped from 1.8 metres .
The feature phone has large buttons so that it can be used by someone wearing gloves and claims be resistant to dust .
Pricing and availability for the rugged handset are yet to be announced . |
fc09a1098e706da4bd4017feefd10491493f9193 | Western Sydney players set off for the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco on Sunday night but doubts still linger over the A-League side's participation because of a pay dispute. Wanderers players from their weekend loss to Adelaide left Sydney bound for northern Africa after initial suggestions the group may not travel. The issue stems from the club's offer to pay players just 10 per cent share of the minimum $US1million ($A1.2m) they made for qualifying for the tournament. Western Sydney Wanderers players react after their team lost to Adelaide United on Saturday. Now the players are of to Morocco for the FIFA Club World cup but there's doubt over whether they'll play because of a pay dispute . There's doubt over whether Western Sydney players (pictured in white)will participate in the FIFA Club World Cup due to a pay dispute . A spokesperson for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) said the players left for Morocco as a 'sign of good faith' and were essentially allowing the club some more time to come to the table. The footballers are seeking 50 per cent of any money made from the tournament, in line with what had been negotiated in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The sticking point with the club is that the wording of the agreement only extends to the Asian Champions League - a point the PFA steadfastly argued against in a statement on Sunday night. 'In the course of these negotiations, the club made it clear to the players that its interpretation of the CBA was that the obligation to share 50 per cent of prize money did not apply to the FIFA Club World Cup,' PFA chief executive Adam Vivian wrote. 'The club has insisted on sharing only 10 per cent of its guaranteed payment of US$1,000,000 with the players, a percentage which is without precedent. 'This technical interpretation by the club defeats the letter as well as the spirit and intent of the CBA.' Western Sydney Wanderers players (pictured in white) are disputing their pay at the FIFA Club World Cup. The club is offering them 10% of the share they made for qualifying for the tournament while the players want 50% . While the PFA is hopeful of bringing Wanderers officials to the bargaining table in the coming days - the side's first match of the World Club Cup is against North/Central American champions Cruz Azul on December 13 - the Western Sydney sign is expected to struggle in Morocco regardless. Domestically, Tony Popovic's men have no wins and three draws in their nine matches this season. The Wanderers' were defeated 2-0 Saturday night . Adelaide W/Sydney . Shots: 26 1 . Possession: 80 per cent 20 per cent . Passes: 786 210 . The Wanderers' latest defeat came in Adelaide on Saturday night, with goals to Marcelo Carrusca and Fabio Ferreira. The statistics damned Western Sydney far more than the 2-0 scoreline. Shots: 26-1. Possession: 80 per cent to 20 per cent. Passes: 786 to 210. The Wanderers were joined on the losers' list by the other NSW clubs - each losing on home soil. Sydney FC fell victims to a late Perth Glory comeback to lose 2-1. Melbourne Victory scored three goals in 11 minutes to defeat Central Coast, before the Phoenix put Newcastle to the sword with three goals in six minutes. Capping the round, Melbourne City earned their first home win as a re-branded side, in a lacklustre 1-0 result over Brisbane Roar. | There's doubt over whether Western Sydney players will participate in the FIFA Club World Cup due to a pay dispute .
Wanderers players took a flight to Morocco Sunday night as a 'sign of good faith'
It stems from the club's offer to pay players just 10% share of the minimum $1.2 million for qualifying .
The footballers want 50% of any money made from the tournament . |
fc0a6c9c3c0e48a522029d25b2be09a720976dfc | Keith Cavendish-Coulson (pictured) abused boys at the Terra Nova School, near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire . A former master at a prestigious boarding school who sexually abused boy pupils was allowed to resign rather than face a police inquiry as part of an establishment cover-up, it has emerged. Keith Cavendish-Coulson, now 71, befriended the youngsters, who were aged between eight and 13, before molesting them in classrooms, their dormitories and his private quarters in the 1970s. The abuse was an ‘open secret’ among the boys at the £13,000-a-year Terra Nova School, near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. Its past pupils include Olympic sailing gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie and David and Victoria Beckham’s eldest son, Brooklyn. But despite repeated complaints from pupils and their parents, Cavendish-Coulson’s abuse was covered up by the headmaster of the preparatory school, who was worried about the ‘untold damage’ that would be caused to it. Instead the French and music teacher, known for his tall stories, was allowed to resign for ‘health reasons’ rather than be sacked. The Education Department was informed about the allegations and Cavendish-Coulson was later barred from working at schools. But officials failed to talk to victims or call in police. As a consequence, he was allowed to work as a private tutor for many years, even coaching boys from Eton for a short time in the 1980s, before the headmaster checked his credentials and stopped him contacting pupils. Cavendish-Coulson also secured posts at at least three other independent schools, before being found out and dismissed. Although he was investigated by police in 1998 and 2005, no action was taken against him until November 2012 when officers reopened the case following a complaint. Cavendish-Coulson, of Crookham, Berkshire, was due to stand trial at Chester Crown Court but dramatically changed his plea to guilty on Wednesday and admitted 41 sample counts of indecent assault on 24 boys under the age of 14. He also admitted a single count involving the 13-year-old brother of a girl he home tutored in the 1980s. He is facing a substantial prison sentence when he is sentenced today. Despite repeated complaints from pupils and their parents, Cavendish-Coulson’s abuse was covered up by the headmaster of the school (pictured), who was worried about the ‘untold damage’ that would be caused to it . Cavendish-Coulson arrived at Terra Nova in 1973. Anne Whyte, QC, prosecuting, said he was allowed to resign in November 1975 after the mother of one boy told the then headmaster she had caught the teacher in a ‘compromising’ position with her son. In a letter to a father, headmaster Andrew Keith admitted Cavendish-Coulson had done a ‘great deal of damage’ to the boys, but added: ‘It would do untold damage to the school if parents wished to take proceedings against Mr Coulson and… the quicker we can forgive and forget the better.’ A letter from Cavendish-Coulson’s GP, unearthed by police, also advised that the ‘matter should be dropped’ so as not to ‘stir up a lot of trouble unnecessarily.’ One of the victims of Cavendish-Coulson (pictured) has described the impact of the abuse he suffered . A boy persistently abused by Cavendish-Coulson between the ages of nine and 11 described in a victim impact statement, what happened to him and its effects. The married father of two, now aged 50 said: ‘When I was sent to board at Terra Nova School I was seven. 'I suffered from home sickness most of the time and yearned to be home with my parents. 'I felt abandoned, lonely and frightened. ‘The school was a violent, authoritarian place. Bullying was rife and corporal punishment was common. It was a dreadful place. It was the 1970s, but more like Tom Brown’s school days. ‘It was in this kind of environment that Keith Cavendish-Coulson befriended me. He was kind to me. 'He spoke to me softly and gently. He took advantage of my neediness, my vulnerability and instead of looking after me he used me for his own sexual gratification and he groomed me. ‘I knew it was wrong and horrible what he was doing, but I was completely unable to stop him. I felt totally frozen and horrified. It was humiliating. Sometimes it was also physically painful… but I didn’t feel capable of telling anyone. ‘I can say with absolute certainty that the experience of being sexually abused by Keith Cavendish-Coulson had a devastating effect on my life. Most of the time I am an emotional wreck, lacking self-esteem, plagued by depression. ‘I do not stand here a broken man. I’ve worked hard in therapy to understand what happened to me. ‘I have a lovely wife and two beautiful daughters, who feel like a real achievement which I am very thankful for.’ Mrs Whyte said the letter highlights that there was a ‘professional culture’ of assuming that the best response was to sweep such matters under the carpet. There was a ‘collective silence’ on the part of adults, professionals and possibly parents. ‘Other considerations took priority over the social welfare of victims and over Cavendish-Coulson’s criminal culpability,’ she added. | Keith Cavendish-Coulson abused boys at Terra Nova School in the 1970s .
Former master was allowed to resign rather than face a police inquiry as part of establishment cover-up, it has emerged .
The teacher was allowed to resign for ‘health reasons’ rather than be sacked .
71-year-old was due to stand trial on Wednesday at Cheshire Crown Court .
But changed plea to guilty admitting 41 sample counts of indecent assault on 24 boys under 14 .
He faces a substantial prison sentence when he is sentenced on Thursday . |
fc0a9e86bf80c30c3e741988cf9cff9b2494b057 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A bicyclist in Brazil was hit by a passing truck on Monday, but was spared a potentially deadly injury when, unimaginably, a poorly secured mattress fell from the truck that hit him, beat the man to the ground and somehow cushioned his fall. In a twist, the incident just happened to take place right in front of a driving school. Security cameras in front of the driving school in Foz do Iguacu, in western Parana, Brazil, captured the entire incident. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Luck: Luckily for the bicyclist, it was a mattress falling from a truck that caused his crash . This still shows the moment the bicyclist hit the speeding mattress, causing him to lose control of his bike . When he finally came to a stop, the bicyclist was safely on top of the mattress . Footage of the near-death experience has since gone viral, tallying more than one million views on Youtube. According to the Brazilian website G1, the incident happened Monday afternoon on one of the busiest streets in the city. The website reports that the unnamed bicyclist was uninjured in the bizarre collision. After the man gets up, he looks around for his bike and realizes it's underneath the mattress that broke his fall . Lucky to be alive: After the wreck, the man finds his bike under the mattress and rides off . 'The boy was lucky and was not hurt because the mattress hit the bicycle . wheel and he fell sitting . But the accident could have been very . serious,' an official said. 'They [officials] heard a noise and found the boy 's bicycle who was . carrying the mattress and fell,' the owner of the driving school , . Valdecir Trotz, said. 'Once the rider explained what had happened and saw . the pictures is what we understand. It was a shock.' | The incident happened on Monday afternoon in Brazil .
Video shows the mattress come loose from the truck as the bicyclist is hit .
Miraculously, the mattress landed on the ground first and the bicyclist landed directly on top of it .
The bicyclist was uninjured .
The incident was captured on surveillance footage from a driving school across the street . |
fc0b79bf4ce0d102f37eb5edc31215b4bb331599 | (CNN) -- The host of CBS' "Late Show" may be changing, but the location is staying the same. CBS and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that "Late Show With Stephen Colbert" will stay in New York City, where it's been for 21 years with David Letterman. "I am pleased to announce that the 'Late Show' will stay in New York, where it belongs," Cuomo said in a statement. "As David Letterman passes the baton to Stephen Colbert, I look forward to watching 'The Late Show' from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater for years to come." CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves was also upbeat. "We're thrilled to continue broadcasting CBS's 'Late Show' from New York and call the Ed Sullivan Theater its home," Moonves said in a statement. "We're excited to be here in late night for many years to come." As part of the deal, CBS will be eligible to receive at least $11 million in tax credits. Another $5 million grant from Empire State Development, New York State's chief economic development agency, will also be made available to offset renovations at the Ed Sullivan Theater, the statement said. Letterman announced his retirement on April 3. Colbert was selected as the "Late Show's" new host a week later. Stephen Colbert to succeed David Letterman . The Ed Sullivan Theater, where famed variety host Ed Sullivan hosted his CBS show for many years, has been Letterman's home since he came to the network in 1993. It's David Letterman's comedy world . Letterman has had great fun with his New York environs -- first on NBC's "Late Night," where his sketches made the rounds of the Big Apple, and then on the "Late Show," where he made stars of local characters and hosted concerts on the theater marquee. Colbert will take over the show some time in 2015. He'll be leaving Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" at the end of 2014, which will become a new show, "The Minority Report With Larry Wilmore," in January. | CBS' "Late Show" to keep Ed Sullivan Theater as home under new host .
Show has been in New York for David Letterman's entire run on CBS .
Stephen Colbert to succeed Letterman in 2015 . |
fc0bb83aab2c41597b14875b4802b11465bf980b | The escalation in recent days of eastern Congo's brutal war demonstrates that unless its root causes are addressed in a broader peace process, violence could intensify and Rwanda could be drawn more directly into the fray, regionalizing the war. Over the past week, Congo's army has nearly militarily defeated the most powerful rebel group, the M23. Rwanda has threatened to strike Congo in retaliation for what it claims was shelling on its territory by Congo's army. M23 may soon be a spent force militarily, but many other armed groups are still active and could replace it as major destabilizers of eastern Congo unless the root causes of the war are addressed. Recently suspended talks in Uganda only involve the Congolese government and M23, and address none of the underlying political, economic, or security drivers of violence that have created the deadliest conflict globally since World War II. Corrupt governance, intercommunal divisions and illegal exploitation of lucrative natural resources allow the Congolese army and a host of predatory militias to operate with impunity. But the most important factor in ending mass violence is the Congo-Rwanda relationship and the economic and security interests that underlie it. The fates of Rwanda and Congo are deeply intertwined. The aftermath of the Rwandan genocide spilled over into Congo in the mid-1990s, acting like gasoline on the fire of preexisting ethnic tensions, localized conflict and state collapse. Since then, Rwanda's periodic direct intervention and support for armed groups in eastern Congo have been central drivers of continuing conflict. Remarkably, however, no major international peace initiative has comprehensively analyzed and addressed Rwanda's core interests as part of a solution. Rwandan security interests in Congo center on containing the threat posed by the Congo-based armed group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose leaders participated in the 1994 genocide against Rwandan Tutsis. Congo's army has at times supported the FDLR. The Rwandan government, which defeated the regime that committed the genocide, believes that as long as the FDLR is in Congo with supporters around the world motivated by a genocidal ideology, it represents a threat. Rwanda also has economic interests in Congo in natural resources, land and cross-border trade. Rwanda has its own domestic minerals sector but benefited significantly from smuggled conflict minerals from Congo -- in particular tin, tantalum, and tungsten -- for several years. According to numerous U.N. investigative reports, some Rwandan traders have relabeled Congolese minerals as Rwandan and exported them. Rwanda is reliant on the minerals trade to reduce its significant balance of trade deficit. Widely divergent opinions focus on Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Supporters cite his ending the 1994 genocide and tout the country's dramatic economic recovery since then, but are uncritical of Rwanda's role in Congo or the lack of internal political freedom. Critics focus only on its destructive behavior in Congo and repressive policies at home but overlook the progress Rwanda has made in other spheres. The "11+4 Framework" for a peace initiative signed by all the governments in the region provides a new window to address the core causes of the conflict and involve civil society. The appointments of Mary Robinson and Russ Feingold as U.N. and U.S. envoys, respectively, further improve the odds. The primary key to ending the violence is changing the economic incentives from war to peace and addressing regional security threats. This in no way diminishes the urgent need for political reforms in Kigali, Kinshasa, and elsewhere in the region, as well as the importance of placing targeted sanctions against any officials supporting armed groups, combating spoiler militias like the FDLR and M23 by buttressing the U.N. Intervention Brigade's capacities and prosecuting war crimes. But the most promising opportunity for peace is in the economic interdependence between Congo and Rwanda. The perceived zero-sum nature of Rwanda's interests that help fuel the war has to be transformed for the war to end. If the mineral sector alone was developed by serious investment in conflict-free, transparent semi-industrial and industrial mining, and the artisanal trade was more formalized with better equipment and fair-trade small-scale mining, there would be a greatly expanded economic pie for the entire region. Instead of the current fighting over surface-level minerals left to armed smugglers, there could be exponentially larger revenues for both countries and wealth-building opportunities for Congolese communities from the deeper mines in a legal, peaceful trade. The envoys can help by pressing to finalize the regional minerals certification process and asking the World Bank to accelerate its regional infrastructure programs. Rwanda and Congo can grow together if Rwanda becomes a gateway for international businesses to invest in Congo's natural resource sector, while attracting investors on the basis of good roads, electricity, transparent business regulations and banking institutions. Singapore grew similarly by attracting investors interested in neighboring Indonesia's and Malaysia's natural resources. All three countries benefited tremendously from this arrangement: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are now all in the top 20% of world economies. Congo and Rwanda may not be top 20 candidates soon, but a peaceful sub-region would be a good start. | Authors: Unless root causes are addressed, violence will intensify in Congo .
They say the key is to focus on Rwanda's role in the war .
Agreement that involves Rwanda would go far to bring peace, aid economies, they say . |
fc0c8130bb7bd61312fcff54725bb50393ea56c8 | These vicious scenes show a 17-year-old boy wildly attacking strangers at random in the street - just days before he murdered a man with a single punch. Eden Lomax, of Bolton, was caught on CCTV dealing one-punch knockouts to two innocent men during what he boasted were his personalised ‘bomb’ attacks. As one victim collapsed unconscious into the entrance of the nearby bus, Lomax was overheard joking: ‘I think he wants an adult day saver’. Scroll down for video . First attack: CCTV footage shows people gathering at the scene where Lomax punched a 31-year-old man with learning difficulties in the face as stood at a bus stop . Second attack: A 41-year-old man lies on the floor of a bus after he was punched by Eden Lomax without warning. The victim was hit so hard he was forcing through the bus doors . Just three days after the assaults in Bolton town centre the teenager fatally set about Simon Mitchell after laughing and telling friends: 'I’m going to bomb him.' Mr Mitchell, 43, was thumped in the face and sent crashing to the ground after trying to shake Lomax’s hand saying: 'What’s a bomb?' Then as the victim laying dying on the floor with a fractured skull caused when his head hit the pavement, Lomax retorted: 'That’s a f******* bomb.' A 16-year-old boy attempted to tend to the victim but Lomax told him to leave it because 'the piece of s***deserved it,' it was claimed. Lomax fled the scene to drink and play computer games at a friend’s house as fork lift truck driver Mr Mitchell lay in the street. He was pronounced dead in hospital just an hour later from serious head and brain injuries. Pictures from the horrifying CCTV footage emerged as Lomax was convicted of murder following a two week trial. Killer: 17-year-old Eden Lomax admitted to the manslaughter of Simon Mitchell, who died after Lomax punched him. Mr Mitchell was taken by ambulance to Royal Bolton Hospital where he was later pronounced dead . Manchester Crown Court was told in the days before the tragedy on June 14 Lomax attacked ‘men he didn’t know from Adam’, leaving them prone in the street. CCTV footage was shown in court of Lomax unleashing a vicious blow to the face of 30-year-old Stephen Swanton at a bus stop on Blackhorse Street, Bolton - because he had put his arm around Lomax and a female friend. A few seconds pass before Mr Swanton is knocked off his feet by the punch, hitting his head on a nearby wall leaving him unconscious. Lomax can be then seen walking calmly away while a number of youths run quickly across the road. Further video evidence was served of the incident on June 11 at Bolton bus station, where Lomax punched 41-year-old Paul Caulderbank with so much force to the back of the head that he fell through the open doors of a nearby stationary bus and remained on the floor until the driver came to assistance. CCTV footage of the first attack: The victim was knocked to the floor and remained unconscious for some minutes but was lucky to escape without serious injury . CCTV of the second attack, shows Lomax approaching the 41-year-old man before him punched him so hard he was forced through the doors of a waiting bus . The tragedy occurred after Mr Mitchell, who lived with his father and brother, had spent the afternoon drinking in Bolton with his friend Neil O’Donnell. He bumped into Lomax who had been watching movies with friends on an Ipad at around 8pm. Mr Mitchell made innocuous remarks expressing his sadness that two of his friends had recently committed suicide. But Lomax then ‘snapped’, as his own stepfather had also taken his own life, and started saying to friends who tried to calm him down: 'I’m going to bomb him. Leave me alone or I’ll fall out with you.' Mr Mitchell, sensing trouble, offered his hand for Lomax to shake and apologised but the teenager laughed and said: 'If you don’t f***off I will bomb you’.' One eyewitness told the jury: 'Eden asked the man to stop talking about suicide, but he wouldn’t listen. Eden was getting annoyed, his face dropped. Victoria Square in Bolton town centre, near to the scene where Simon Mitchell was found suffering from fatal head injuries . 'He was getting aggressive. He was bouncing up and down on his toes. We could tell he was angry by the fact his face went red and serious and he was smiling before. 'The man asked Eden what he meant by his threat to "bomb" him and I was shocked when Eden hit him. 'It was horrible, all you could hear was his head thump. The man had turned his head around and asked what a bomb was, he wasn’t aggressive. Eden punched him and said "that’s a bomb".' The witness rang 999 when he could see Mr Mitchell was not moving and added: 'He wasn’t breathing properly. He was making choking noises and he had turned purple.' Police attended an address in Little Lever, Bolton, two days after the attack where they arrested Lomax. In interviews he claimed Mr Mitchell was aggressive and he reacted in self-defence. He pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He will be sentenced on December 9. After the case Detective Chief Inspector Pete Jackson, of Greater Manchester Police said: 'Simon lost his life at the hands of a young thug, who was driven by aggression and pent-up violence and revelled in the fact that he could knock vulnerable people unconscious with a single punch, which he referred to as his "bomb". A tribute left at the scene. After the attack Lomax fled the scene in Bolton, Greater Manchester to drink and play computer games at a friend's house as fork lift truck driver Mr Mitchell lay in the street . 'Like all cowards and bullies he targeted people who he knew could not defend themselves or fight back. Twice in the previous week he had knocked vulnerable men to the ground with a single punch for no reason whatsoever. 'It is was tragic way for Simon’s evening to end. It has left his father and family devastated. My thoughts are with them and I hope that the justice delivered today will provide some comfort to them. 'I hope this incident serves as a timely reminder of the real dangers to life involved when people throw a punch. Too many people have lost their lives in such incidents. 'I would urge people to think before they ever contemplate throwing a punch, you could cost someone their life and spend the rest of your own in a prison cell.' Prosecutor Robert Hall said: 'Mr Mitchell had the misfortune to come across Lomax and what followed was a tragic, unprovoked and thoroughly unnecessary attack by Lomax when instead he could simply have walked away. 'CCTV footage was shown at the trial as bad character evidence, this depicted the escalating pattern of violence that Lomax demonstrated in the week leading up to this fateful night should act as a severe warning to those who may be inclined to follow Lomax’s bad example. 'Whilst today’s conviction of Eden Lomax is a successful outcome in terms of justice, it does not bring back Mr. Mitchell or remove the grief and distress felt by his family and friends. Our thoughts are with them.' | Eden Lomax knocked out two random men, each with a single savage blow .
A few days later he killed a man with one of his 'bomb' attacks .
Simon Mitchell, 43, was speaking to Lomax and hit with surprise attack .
Mr Mitchell's head hit the floor and his skull was fractured . |
fc0c8bb6be1cbf10ed2bf45fd121f4cf91a6837b | A pilot of a private plane was arrested over concerns about the amount of alcohol in his blood yesterday - just two days after another similar incident. Ian Jennings, 47, from Gosport, Hampshire, was arrested at Norwich Airport yesterday afternoon after landing a commercial chartered plane. He has been charged with performing an aviation function when the alcohol in his breath was over the prescribed limited, Norfolk Police said. Allegation: Canadair pilot Ian Jennings, 47, from Gosport, Hampshire, was arrested at Norwich Airport yesterday afternoon after landing a commercial chartered plane (file photo) Jennings was released on bail to appear at Norwich Magistrates' Court on November 13 where he will face the allegation under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003. The pilot was privately hired by the owner of the plane - a Canadair CL601-3A Challenger. It is not currently known who owns the plane or where it had flown from at the time of the incident. Phil Gadd, a director at Norwich Airport, said: 'We're aware of the incident that took place yesterday and understand it's now being dealt with by the police through criminal proceedings. 'Unlike with scheduled airlines, small chartered flights such as this one are not handled by the airport directly so we don't know much than what's already been said.' The incident comes just two days after a Flybe pilot was arrested for being 'drunk' before take on Tuesday. The 48-year-old pilot had been due to fly from Newquay Airport in Cornwall to London Gatwick when he was held. Over the limit: Norfolk Police said he has been charged with performing an aviation function at Norfolk when the alcohol in his breath was over the prescribed limit . A concerned crew member alerted the police, who removed the pilot from the plane, a Bombardier Dash 8 turboprop, and breath-tested him. The flight was cancelled and passengers were delayed for up to four hours, with one person missing a connecting flight to Mexico. The pilot was named locally as Julian Lowden, who describes himself in an online profile as a pilot and former consultant stress engineer. In the UK drink drive limit is 80 miligrammes per 100 mililitres. For pilots the blood/alcohol limit is 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. Source: Civil Aviation Authority . A spokesman said: 'Flybe can confirm that one of its pilots volunteered to help the police with their inquiries at Newquay Airport yesterday. 'The airline is not able to comment further while the police investigation is taking place.' For pilots, air crew and air traffic controllers the alcohol limit is 20mg per 100ml of blood. The drink-drive limit for motorists is 80mg. Retired commercial pilot Andy Wilkins said he'd never heard of a pilot being arrested before a flight. 'It's very rare,' he said. 'I've never heard of my colleagues being tested - I wasn't. But the rules are very strict. Pilots are allowed a quarter of the limit for drivers. 'We always followed the adage, "eight hours from bottle to throttle" - stop drinking at least eight hours before flying. But pilots are human and everyone is different.' Last year, a Pakistani International Airlines pilot was jailed for nine months in Britain for being drunk before he was due to fly a plane with 156 people on board. Irfan Faiz, 55, was found to have three times the legal amount of alcohol in his blood, prosecutors told Leeds Crown Court. In the US, 48 year-old American Eagle pilot, Kolbjorn Jarle Kristiansen, was removed from the cockpit after airline employees detected alcohol on his breath on him at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Ian Jennings, of Hampshire, arrested at Norwich Airport yesterday afternoon .
Police said alcohol in his breath was over the prescribed limited for pilots .
Just two days earlier another 'drunk' pilot was prevented from taking off .
Flybe's Julian Lowden was due to fly from Newquay to London Gatwick . |
fc0cd38b28a303b66dd6c7043a292ebbddaf99ba | A couple whose pet ferrets attacked their newborn daughter and chewed off parts of her face have been charged with child endangerment. Burnie Fraim, 42, and Jessica Benales, 24, each face five counts of endangering the welfare of children. Fraim said earlier he did not believe the Darby couple should face criminal charges, according KYW-TV. Skyy Isabelle Fraime was reportedly placed in a car seat and left on the floor of the dining room at the house in Darby Borough, Pennsylvania, on Thursday while her parents went upstairs. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Skyy Isabelle Fraime (pictured with her parents, Burnie Fraime, 42, and Jessica Benales 24, shortly after her birth) has lost up to 25 per cent of her face after being mauled by three pet ferrets at her Pennsylvania home. The pair each face five counts of endangering the welfare of children . Life-changing injuries: The infant was reportedly attacked by the ferrets while she was sat in a car seat on the floor of the dining room at the Darby Borough-based house on Thursday. Above, Skyy in Facebook pictures . Enclosure:The ferrets escaped out of this cloth-like cage (left), which look like a piece of children's equipment, before running toward Skyy and attacking her . A short time later, the family's three ferrets escaped from their nearby cloth-like cage and ran over to the lone infant. They attacked her, sinking their teeth into 25 per cent of her face. Darby Borough police Chief Robert Smythe told Philly.com: 'The ferrets did chew the infant's nose, top lip and its cheek area. They had eaten that area away. 'I got cops that couldn't sleep last night... You can't imagine what this baby looked like.' Skyy was rushed to hospital with serious wounds. Although she is listed as being in a 'stable' condition, she is receiving assistance breathing in intensive care due to the injuries to her nose. She is also likely to need multiple surgeries in future years to rebuild her face, ABC 6 reported. Speaking to the news station, Skyy's father, Burnie Fraime, who is engaged to the baby's mother, Jessica Benales, said: 'I went over to grab the baby... half her face was messed up from the ferrets.' On Friday, Darby Police Chief Robert Smythe described the girl's injuries - which occurred at around 3.30pm on Thursday - as 'the worst' he has seen in nearly 45 years working for the force. 'I'll be 45 years in June in Darby [with the police department], and this is the worst I've ever seen,' he told the Delaware County Daily Times. 'I thought I'd seen everything. 'This child, the center of [her] face is missing. Her nose was gone, [and so was] part of her cheek and part of her lip. I don't know how much of that got replaced.' He added: 'Just imagine that one-month-old baby, that can't help herself, [and] two or three animals are eating it alive. Imagine the pain.' Scene: Skyy was rushed to hospital with serious wounds. Although she is listed as being in a 'stable' condition, she is receiving assistance breathing in intensive care due to the injuries to her nose. Above, the family home . Father: Mr Fraime, who is engaged to Miss Benales, said: 'I went over to grab the baby... half her face was messed up from the ferrets'. Above, the father pictured with Skyy, left, and one of his other four children . Engaged: The couple (pictured in a Facebook picture) - who have four other young children - are said to be in crisis . At the time of the incident, Mr Fraime and Miss Benales were upstairs at their home in the 300 block of Poplar Street, Mr Smythe said. They reportedly rushed downstairs after hearing loud screaming. They found Skyy with serious injuries to her face and called 911. The baby was taken to the Children's Hopsital of Philadelphia, where two stents were immediately inserted into her nose. 'The ferrets ran when the mom came down,' Mr Smythe Said. '[The baby] had emergency surgery. The last I heard she was in stable [condition], but she was in intensive care.' He added that the couple - who have four other young children - are in crisis. They were reportedly clients of Delaware County Child & Youth Services prior to Thursday's tragedy. Street: At the time of the incident, Mr Fraime and Miss Benales were upstairs at their home in the 300 block of Poplar Street, Darby Police Chief Robert Smythe said. Above, the property in the 300 block of Poplar Street . 'The parents, I believe, have problems,' he said. 'They are challenged. They can't take care of these kids.' The couple's four other children are now in the custody of Child & Youth Services. When told about the incident, neighbors in Poplar Street were shocked. Thomas Collins said: 'Oh my god, that's terrible,' while Josephine Pour said: 'It's really shocking to hear stuff like that.' Ferrets, which are part of the weasel family, are legal to own as pets in the state of Pennsylvania. Court documents indicate the defendants have asked for representation by the county public defender's office. Legal: Ferrets, part of the weasel family, are legal to own as pets in the state of Pennsylvania (file picture) | Burnie Fraim, 42, and Jessica Benales, 24, each face five counts of endangering the welfare of children .
Skyy Isabelle Fraime was put in car seat and left on dining room floor .
While parents were upstairs, three pet ferrets escaped from cloth cage .
They attacked infant, sinking teeth into her lips, nose and other areas .
Skky remains in intensive care, with life-changing injuries to her face . |
fc0cf672a57bf825161c855826cbd206e2f9fd2b | A killer who mimicked a torture scene from the notorious horror film Saw by chopping through his victim's spine was jailed for at least 30 years today. Matthew Tinling, 25, knifed former soldier neighbour Richard Hamilton 17 times in the head, neck and legs in a 'savage and prolonged' murder. At the climax of the frenzied attack, he aped a brutal moment from the famed horror franchise by trying to sever the 45-year-old's spinal cord. Tinling tortured Mr Hamilton to get him to hand over the PIN for his bank account and later withdrew £240 to spend on crack cocaine. Brutal: Murderer Matthew Tinling (left) exacted terrible torture on Richard Hamilton (right), recreating a scene from a Saw VI by hacking through his spine . Detectives were able to pinpoint the time of the killing using CCTV footage showing Mr Hamilton's curtains twitching in the early hours of the morning. Tinling denied murder but was convicted after an Old Bailey trial. Judge Timothy Pontius jailed him for life with a minimum term of 30 years for the 'savage and obviously prolonged' killing. Terrifying: Tinling was inspired by the grisly 2009 hit film Saw VI, starring Shawnee Smith (pictured) He said: 'You inflicted 17 wounds during the attack, the most serious of which was delivered specifically with the intention of severing the spinal cord, thus to cause paralysis and death, exactly as you had seen on a DVD. 'Whether or not that was Saw 6, found by the police in your room, or another in the series doesn't matter. 'Plainly it was something you had seen and tried to imitate.' Tinling was brought to court in handcuffs after attacking a prison officer while on remand following his conviction. He showed no emotion as the sentence was passed. The killer targeted his victim at the homeless hostel in Shirland Road, Maida Vale, west London, where the pair lived. Mr Hamilton is believed to have been killed at around 2am on March 28 last year. He had not been seen for weeks before his dead body was discovered. Mr Hamilton was known to have more money than the other residents because he received £197 disability allowance every fortnight on top of £272 in other benefits. 'That was to be his ultimate downfall,' said prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC. Controversial: The Saw series has been incredibly successful but its ultra-violent scenes have been widely criticised . After forcing Mr Hamilton to reveal his PIN, Tinling used it to withdraw £240 from the victim's account on April 8. The next day another resident went into Mr Hamilton's room and found his decomposing body lying next to the heavy curtains. He had been stabbed 21 times to the head, neck and legs, including a fatal injury to the jugular vein. Trial: The Old Bailey heard how Hamilton had not been seen for weeks before his dead body was discovered in Maida Vale . Mr Hamilton's bank and Post Office account cards were not recovered but Tinling's DNA was recovered from the plastic wallet used to store them. Tinling denied involvement but was linked to the scene by his DNA on the bedroom curtains and on a credit card holder. The same camera that caught the twitching curtains also captured Tinling leaving the building to dump several plastic bags in bins. Patrick Upward QC, defending, said: 'What you must remember is the circumstances in which these unfortunate men lived together. 'They were driven by the need for drugs and some times the use and abuse of alcohol. 'That can lead to fiery temperaments reacting a way which can lead to awful tragedy.' | Matthew Tinling murdered Richard Hamilton by stabbing him 17 times .
Old Bailey hears he mimicked scenes from Grisly film Saw VI .
Tinling jailed for at least 30 years for 'savage and obviously prolonged' killing . |
fc0d1db868f5c5df24cc5426d11a16cebdb62a2b | By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 23:40 EST, 16 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:59 EST, 17 January 2014 . Elizabeth Truss, an education minister, has called for an end to 'segregation in toy departments' Toy makers risk damaging girls’ chances at maths and science by marketing certain toys only at boys, an education minister warned last night. Elizabeth Truss called for an end to ‘segregation in toy departments’ that results in some products being marketed only at one sex. Miss Truss, minister for education and childcare, said she backed the calls by campaign group Let Toys be Toys, which is pressing manufacturers and retailers to promote toys in a gender-neutral way. She gave the example of chemistry sets marketed at boys, which she said was the ‘antithesis’ of Government efforts to persuade more girls to study science. In an interview with The House magazine, she said: ‘I think toys are toys. Let Toys be Toys are running a fantastic campaign about abolishing the segregation in toy departments. ‘The idea that a chemistry set should be for boys is the antithesis of what we want to promote. 'But at the same time we need to make clear that science and maths aren’t just about engineering cars, they’re also about developing (social media site) LinkedIn, developing cosmetics, marketing. ‘All sorts of jobs require science and maths, whether it’s fashion or farming, whatever you might aspire to, these subjects are useful. So we need a bit of balance I think.’ Miss Truss, who has two daughters, acknowledged that she had brought toys from the controversial pink and purple coloured Lego Friends range, which has been condemned by some feminists. But, asked about the range, she admitted misgivings, saying: ‘You’ve happened on a complete dilemma we face in promoting maths and science. I don’t know if you remember that dreadful EU campaign where they had “go into science so you can help design lipstick”, or something like that. ‘I’ve brought both sorts of Lego. I’ve got two daughters and I’ve bought traditional Lego and Lego Friends. To some extent you’ve got to engage children in what they’re interested in. You can’t just present something that’s totally different. Otherwise the child will just go off and spend their pocket money on what they want.’ She warned that toy makers' marketing risks damaging girls' chances of succeeding in maths and science . The campaign for gender neutral toys has enjoyed growing influence in recent months. In December, Marks & Spencer announced that all of its toys would be marketed in a gender-neutral way by the spring of this year. The move followed an internet campaign highlighting the way the retailer sold technology and science themed toys as ‘boys stuff’, while marketing craft toys only at girls. In a wide-ranging interview, Miss Truss also said ministers were keen to make changes to the ‘Victorian’ school day. She said there was a ‘double benefit’ to encouraging schools to open from 8am to 6pm, with children from poor backgrounds having access to better facilities to do their homework, and working parents benefiting from the extended hours. Miss Truss said ministers wanted to ‘encourage schools to respond to what parents want and to offer those hours’. | Elizabeth Truss has called for an end to 'segregation in toy departments'
Minister for education and childcare gave backing to Let Toys be Toys . |
fc0e2571ed748e5c3e5e0e1ef7a05e541a1ec097 | A 28-year-old medical school student who had planned to auctioning off her virginity on the internet and had received a high bid of $801,000 now says she won't go ahead with her part of the bargain. In a blog post today, the student, who goes buy the name 'Elizabeth Raine,' writes that she won't fulfill the terms of the auction as she wants to focus on her medical studies instead. 'With the blessings of my management and the high bidders, I have decided to put a stop to this kerfuffle (to describe it nicely) and return my focus to my medical training,' Raine wrote, according to Gawker. 'I still do possess some spitefully strong beliefs about virginity, prostitution, and a woman's right to do as she damned pleases, but school is my first priority (as it has been for my entire life). Auction: Kern offered up her virginity on a website, where she used the name Elizabeth Raine . 'At this point, I no longer care about the auction, at all. This was a very easy decision.' While . Raine initially said she was selling her virginity for the money, in . recent days, her tone had changed and become more political. 'It . is no longer about the money,' she wrote recently. 'Instead, very . broadly, it is about how society continues to exercise control over . female sexuality by chaining it tightly to female morality. 'It . is about the fact that we have not left patriarchy in the past (we all . know male morality is not judged by the same standard), and that a woman . still cannot chose to do with her body what she pleases without . eliciting condemnation and hate from those (or some of those) around . her.' Raine . launched her online auction on March 31 and initially hid her face to . conceal her identity before later deciding it would help convince . skeptical customers. Initially, she said she wanted to do the auction as she is also attracted by the adventure, eroticism, scandal and the chance to challenge norms about virginity. At the time, she added that she's been planning the auction for a year and it's transformed her, making her more educated about prostitution, virginity and 'slut-shaming.' Raine told the Huffington Post she was born in the southwest but spent much of her childhood in Saudi Arabia because of her dad's job in the oil industry. He mom died when she was 10, which was tragic but the trauma is not the reason she is choosing this path to riches. She told news website that she's still a virgin because sex and relationships came second to school work and other commitments. Cold feet: Kern pulled out of her online auction on Wednesday, saying she wanted to focus on her studies . 'I have a busy life. I am picky and guys were never a priority,' she said. Raine claims to have bachelor's degrees in both biology and engineering and is currently completing a combined MD/PhD program, but was concerned her 'business venture' might get her thrown out of college if officials learned she's the 'Med School Virgin.' 'Lawyers have different opinions on whether I'd get kicked out, but one lawyer I trust believes it won't happen,' she said. If she had gone through with the deal, the sex would have taken place in Australia because prostitution is illegal in the U.S. Auction: Despite attracting a bid of $801,000, a source claims those making the offers went quiet when asked to prove their credentials . | The student, who is using the alias 'Elizabeth Raine,' said she wants to focus on her medical studies instead .
She also wrote that the auction had made a point about 'how society continues to exercise control over female sexuality'
Raine launched her online auction on March 31 and initially hid her face to conceal her identity .
She initially claimed she was doing it not only for the money, but also the adventure, eroticism, scandal and the chance to challenge norms about virginity . |
fc0ed315dcc97ef1edbc533ea49344fdaa49fff5 | By . Associated Press . President Barack Obama described a surge in unaccompanied immigrant children caught trying to cross the Mexican border as an 'urgent humanitarian situation', on Monday. Obama discussed the issue as the White House asked Congress for an extra $1.4 billion in federal money to cope. The president said the U.S. will temporarily house the children at two military bases. President Barack Obama pictured speaking in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Monday . Obama appointed the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Craig Fugate, to be in charge of the situation. In . its new estimates, the government said as many as 60,000 children, . mostly from Central America, could be caught this year trying to cross . the Mexican border illegally, costing the U.S. more than $2.28 billion . to house, feed and transport the children to shelters or reunite them . with relatives already living in the United States. The . new estimate is about $1.4 billion more than the government asked for . in Obama's budget request sent to Congress earlier this year. In the last eight months alone, 47,000 children have been apprehended at the Southwest Border. Obama described the growing humanitarian issue at the border in a presidential memorandum on Monday that outlined a government-wide response led by Fugate. Obama's director of domestic policy, Cecilia Munoz, said the number of children traveling alone has been on the rise since 2009, but the increase was larger than last year. Munoz said the group also now includes more girls and larger numbers of children younger than 13. 'All of these things are contributing to the sense of urgency,' Munoz said. 'These are children who have gone through a harrowing experience alone. We're providing for their proper care.' In the last eight months alone, 47,000 children have been apprehended at the Southwest Border . The growth has surpassed the system's capacity to process and house the children. Last month, the federal government opened an emergency operations center at a border headquarters in South Texas to help coordinate the efforts and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a division of the Health and Human Services Department, turned to the Defense Department for the second time since 2012 to help house children in barracks at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio. Mark Greenberg, an assistant secretary at the Health and Human Services Department, said about 1,000 children were being housed at the Texas base and as many as 600 others could soon be housed at a U.S. Navy base in Southern California. The number of children found trying to cross the Mexican border without parents has skyrocketed in recent years. The number of children found trying to cross the Mexican border (pictured) without parents has skyrocketed in recent years . Between 2008 and 2011, the number of children landing in the custody of Refugee Resettlement fluctuated between 6,000 and 7,500 per year. In 2012 border agents apprehended 13,625 unaccompanied children and that number surged even more — to over 24,000 — last year. The total is expected to exceed 60,000 this year. More than 90 percent of those sheltered by the government are from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, many driven north by pervasive violence and poverty in their home countries. They are held in agency-contracted shelters while a search is conducted for family, a sponsor or a foster parent who can care for them through their immigration court hearings, where many will apply for asylum or other special protective status. Rampant crime and poverty across Central . America and a desire to reunite with parents or other relatives are . thought to be driving many of the young immigrants . Border Patrol agents have said that smugglers are increasingly notifying authorities once they get children across the Rio Grande so that they can be picked up. Rampant crime and poverty across Central America and a desire to reunite with parents or other relatives are thought to be driving many of the young immigrants. Munoz said Monday the administration is aware of false rumors that have circulated that migrant children who get to this country would be automatically allowed to stay here or benefit from some future immigration reform legislation. Migrant kids remain in removal proceedings even after they're reunited with their parents here, though many have been able to win permission from a judge to stay in the U.S. The Office of Management and Budget said in a two-page letter to Sen. Barbara Mikulski, the chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, last month that the increase in children trying to cross the border alone could cost the government as much as $2.28 billion. The administration originally asked Congress for $868 million for the Unaccompanied Alien Children program run by Health and Human Services, the same amount Congress approved last year. Brian Deese, deputy director of the budget office, said the Homeland Security Department would also need an extra $166 million to help pay overtime costs for Customs and Border Protection officers and agents, contract services for care of the children and transportation costs. A House appropriations subcommittee voted last week to add $77 million to the original request. Deese sent the letter to Mikulski a day after the House subcommittee vote. | 90% of those sheltered by the government after crossing are from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador .
The total of child migrants crossing the border is expected to exceed 60,000 this year .
The group also now includes more girls and larger numbers of children younger than 13 .
Children cross because of poverty and to find their migrant parents in USA .
Government denies that children who cross are allowed to stay . |
fc0f3fd8764c6d2d0198daaaf7faa8d61241d833 | (CNN) -- The Las Conchas fire in New Mexico swelled to 92,735 acres burned Thursday, and strong winds threatened to be firefighters' greatest challenge moving in to the fifth day battling the flames. "We have seen fire behavior we have never seen before," Fire Chief Doug Tucker told reporters Thursday. Tucker said no fire was coming from the south and that Thursday the fire would keep moving north towards Santa Clara. Officials also dispelled rumors that residents, who were worried about their homes, could return to Los Alamos. "Folks right now are hurting us," said Police Chief Wayne Torpy Thursday. "Los Alamos County called the evacuation and Los Alamos County will be the one that repeals the evacuation ... You're going to erase the success of our evacuations." Torpy also said that residents' homes had not been impacted by the fire. However, the nearby flames will keep the Los Alamos National Laboratory closed through at least Friday, a statement on the lab's website said. "What I witnessed today was an incredibly professional job by men and women who are risking their lives to save our community and this laboratory," Charles McMillan, the lab director, said Wednesday. "I could feel the heat of the fire on my face as I watched from the roof of our Emergency Operations Center." The Los Alamos fire, which is officially called the Las Conchas fire, has forced nearly 10,000 people from their homes in the town. Jerome MacDonald, operations section chief for the multi-state southwest area Incident management team, said fire officials flanked the fire on the east side Thursday in an attempt to curb high winds from the southwest. Concerns were raised that the wildfire could put the Los Alamos lab at risk, as well as waste or other toxic materials stored at the site. But Tucker said that the waste is stored in drums that are kept on a blacktop with no vegetation around and are safe from fire. If the fire should get too close to the drums, firefighters were ready to use foam to ensure that nothing would be released into the environment, he said. The Las Conchas Fire began on private land Sunday and expanded into the Santa Fe National Forest and Jemez Ranger District, according to InciWeb, an online database that keeps track of natural disasters such as fires and floods. The fire was 3% contained Thursday. In a news statement released Wednesday, the Santa Fe National Forest and Valles Caldera National Preserve said that parts of both preserves would close to the public until the fire is more controlled. Parts of the national forest have been placed under "stage III" fire restrictions, meaning all areas are off-limits for use unless otherwise posted. The Las Conchas Fire touches the south border of the lab's 40-square-mile facility, and comes close to the west border, according to Tucker. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez warned citizens to avoid using fireworks on the July Fourth holiday and the rest of the season. The Las Conchas Fire is one of several burning in the region. The Donaldson and Game Fires south of the town of Hondo and U.S. Highway 70 have merged into one fire that has consumed an estimated 43,290 acres and is 0% contained, according to the New Mexico Fire Information website. Evacuations were ordered for Alamo Canyon Wednesday as the Donaldson fire continues to threaten parts of Lincoln County. The Pacheco Fire continues to burn in the Pecos Wilderness, two miles north of the Santa Fe Ski Basin. It has scorched 10,000 acres since it began June 18. The blaze was 24% contained Thursday, with the potential for growth considered low, according to InciWeb. CNN's Ed Payne, Molly Green and Craig Bell contributed to this report . | NEW: Fire consumes 92,735 acres by Thursday .
National preserve lands begin closing in response to the fires .
Los Alamos lab remains closed through at least Friday . |
fc0f675c841fb6fc18b6fc586a86d69625306639 | Air pollution from oil and gas wells in Utah is being linked to the deaths of 13 infants last year - a rate six times higher than the national average. But the midwife who raised the alarm about the possible link has been targeted by threats and vandalism because drilling has helped the area in question prosper and kept thousands of people employed since the 1940s. The city of Vernal has 12,000 oil and gas wells, and some scientists whose research focuses on the effect of certain drilling-related chemicals on fetal development believe it could be the reason for the spike in infant deaths. Thirteen babies died near the Unitah Basin in Vernal last year, something some scientists are suggesting could be linked to oil and gas drilling in the area 'have blinders on' Midwife Donna Young uncovered an upward four-year trend in infant deaths in the Uintah Basin, in northeast Utah. One in every 95.5 burials in Uintah County in 2010 was a baby, which increased to one in every 53 burials the following year. In 2012, the figure increased again to one burial in every 39.7 and last year it jumped to one in every 15. Heather Jensen, whose two infants sons, died in late 2011 and 2013, told The Denver Post: 'People like to blame stuff on that all the time, but I don't feel like it has anything to do with oil and gas. I just feel like it's a trial I was given,' In neighboring Colorado late last year, an unusually high number of fetal anomalies in Glenwood Springs, 175 miles away in Colorado, were reported to state authorities. Drilling was investigated as a possible cause, but the study found no connection. Concerns have also been raised in other areas of heavy drilling, but no spikes in deaths have been recorded and no conclusions have been reached. Susan Nagel, a University of Missouri School of Medicine researcher who is focusing her studies on fracking-fluid chemicals that affect hormones said she suspects there is a 'relationship' between drilling and the deaths in Utah. Medical studies have found that air pollution can harm embryos. Harmful chemicals like benzene, toluene and xylenes are released during drilling, and can cross the placental barrier and cause heart, brain and spinal defects. Dr Brian Moench, president of the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment said those not considering the link between air pollution and the deaths had their ' Dr Brian Moench, president of the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said establishing a conclusive link between drilling and baby deaths is complicated, but of the Vernal-area deaths, he said 'air pollution from drilling is a part of it'. Air pollution is often a combination of chemicals and particles, combined from multiple sources. In Vernal, diesel pickups and fracking rigs are commonplace, and spew out fumes; coal-fired plants sends plumes of smoke into the air, and oil field-support businesses, stretch for miles. A study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric administration recently showed dangerously high levels of ozone in the Uintah Basin around Vernal. And last winter the levels were recorded as being well beyond those set by the Environmental Protection Agency. The study pointed at the oil and gas industry.'I think we pretty clearly have an air-quality problem, but we try not to freak out,' said Seth Lyman, an air-quality researcher with Utah State University in Vernal. 'But I think there is a low probability (that) air quality is bad enough to impact infant mortality.' 'I think we pretty clearly have an air-quality problem, but we try not to freak out,' said Seth Lyman, an air-quality researcher with Utah State University in Vernal . Another factor being considered as possibly contributing to the deaths is an explosion east of Vernal in March, 2013 at a business that cleans fracking equipment, which sent debris over a half-mile area. Authorities in Vernal discounted the explosion as having any environmental impact. They've said those complaining about air quality in Vernal don't live there. The possible link was given some credence when the TriCounty Health Department decided to help with a study to investigate the baby death spike. Ms Young had taken her findings, compiled through obituaries, to Dr Moench. Epidemiologists are using birth and death certificates to test Ms Young's findings. The results are expected early next year. Pollution aside, the Uintah County isn't a healthy place. It ranks 24th of 27 Utah counties in health rankings, smoking rates are twice what they are in the rest of Utah, obesity is also an issue, as is heavy drinking. There are also a high number of teen mothers. Dr Moench said those not considering the connection 'have blinders on'. Ms Nagal has gathered samples in Colorado's Garfield County and is exposing pregnant mice to fracking fluids to investigate what if any impact they have on their offspring. Earlier research she showed babies born to mothers living within 10 miles of wells are at greater risk of congenital heart defects and neural tube defects.But other researches have discredits her research methods. Ms Young, who delivers a lot of babies for father's who work in the oil fields, now insists that all her pregnant patients use air and water filters. The study in Garfield County, was also sparked by concerns raise by midwives. The study looked at 22 cases and found no direct links to air pollution. A recent survey of Vernal residents indicated 85 per cent welcomed oil shale development, which is expected to get underway next year. More than 25,000 new oil and gas wells are proposed in the basin. | Air pollution from oil and gas wells has been linked to 13 deaths last year .
Infant deaths have increased year-on-year in Utah over a four year period .
A midwife who raised the issue has received threats from the public . |
fc0fa59d4e5da5c2595cc3b9f4737599ac09ad13 | By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 03:17 EST, 7 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:13 EST, 7 June 2012 . A jobless woman who boasted of spending thousands of pounds of her benefits on a life of luxury - including £4,500 on breast enlargement surgery - has been jailed for persistent shoplifting. Kelly Fannin had managed to escape jail three times in five years for a series of previous thefts but has now been imprisoned for 16 weeks. She admitted a spate of shoplifting in Truro and Falmouth in Cornwall which netted her nearly £3,000 of goods. Jailed: Kelly Fannin had managed to escape jail three times in five years for a series of previous thefts but has now been imprisoned for 16 weeks. Fannin - a mother-of-five by four different fathers - blamed her children for the latest offence, saying they had damaged their rented home and she was struggling to pay the cost of the repairs and the rent. Fannin became notorious in October 2010 when she boasted that she splurged much of her £29,000-a-year benefits on luxury items, running up £10,000 debts on credit cards. She told Closer magazine, using the name Kelly Marshall: ‘Some people might think I'm a scrounger but I don't think me or my children should miss out on nice things just because I have never worked. ‘I've wanted a boob job since I was a teen but it wasn't until I had the five kids that I could afford it with the extra benefits I get. 'I really do want to have liposuction, a tummy tuck and Botox and the kids agree Mummy should have the best. ‘All mums should be able to have cosmetic surgery. I don't care that it's at taxpayers' expense.’ In the last five years the 34-year-old had been given two suspended jail terms and a curfew. She is well known to store staff and detectives and has been caught on CCTV de-tagging items before leaving shops without paying. Shameless: Kelly Fannin, who gave a notorious interview under the alias Kelly Marshall, boasted about how her benefits were used to fund a luxury lifestyle and her expensive taste in clothes . She carried out some of the offences with another adult - and others with some of her children in tow. The children aged between four and 18 are now being looked after by another member of the wider family. Fannin . appeared at Truro Magistrates Court where she admitted stealing shaver . equipment and an electric toothbrush worth £640 from Boots in Truro and . cosmetics worth £150 from the same store in Falmouth. She asked for four other offences including stealing perfume worth £1,200 to be taken into consideration. Sergeant Gary Watts, of Devon and Cornwall police, welcomed the jail term and hoped it would serve as a deterrent to others. He . said: ‘We have to ensure persistent offenders are brought to justice . and it is good the courts have taken justice and the impact on the . community into consideration. ‘She . is well known to us and at particular times of the year can be one of . our worst offenders. Shoplifting should never be a lifestyle choice and . this is a warning to others who choose to do it.’ Her . lawyer Jeremy Leaning told the court that she was struggling to make . rent payments and pay money for repairs to the family home in Falmouth, . Cornwall. He argued before that her children would suffer if she was jailed but she was told that had been her 'last chance'. A judge previously told her that she was a 'near professional shoplifter' and said she had been 'perilously close to prison'. | Kelly Fannin admitted stealing cosmetics products worth nearly £3,000 to pay for damage done by her children to their rented home .
Mother-of-five carried out some of the offences with another adult - and others with some of her kids in tow .
Jobless Fannin, 34, told a magazine she used much of her £29,000-a-year benefits on luxury items, running up £10,000 debts on credit cards to go from a 34A to a 34DD . |
fc10000d5ea4a1dd41fbaee1f192c071f3a13437 | (CNN) -- Spain striker Fernando Torres faces a race against time to be fit for the start of the World Cup after being ruled out for the rest of the European soccer season. Torres' English club Liverpool announced that the player was to have knee surgery on Sunday night and would be sidelined out for about six weeks. That means the 26-year-old will miss the last four games of the English Premier League campaign, with Liverpool battling to qualify for next season's Champions League. He has scored 22 goals this season, but had a month out after a knee operation in January. Top scorer Torres will also sit out both legs of the Europa League semifinal against Spanish side Atletico Madrid, with the second-tier European club tournament being Liverpool's only hope of winning a trophy this season. "Fernando saw a specialist in Spain earlier today and it was decided that he would need surgery on a torn cartilage in his right knee," Liverpool's Web site reported on Sunday. "This will be carried out later tonight. We cannot comment ahead of the operation, but as a guide, the usual rehabilitation period for this type of procedure is around six weeks." The World Cup in South Africa kicks off on June 11, with Spain's first match against Switzerland five days later -- which gives Torres a two-week window to return to match fitness. Spain coach Vicente del Bosque must name his final 23-man squad by June 1. European champions Spain will have pre-tournament friendlies in Austria against Saudi Arabia on May 29 and South Korea on June 3, then play Poland in Murcia on June 8. Meanwhile, Arsenal's English Premier League title hopes are over after the third-placed London club conceded three goals in the last 11 minutes to lose 3-2 at struggling Wigan. Arsenal led with goals by England winger Theo Walcott and French defender Mikael Silvestre either side of halftime, but Ben Watson pulled one back with 10 minutes to play and a howler by Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski gifted Titus Bramble a headed equalizer and Charles N'Zogbia curled in a superb injury-time winner. It was Arsenal's second defeat in five days following the 2-1 reverse at fourth-placed Tottenham, and left Arsene Wenger's team six points behind leaders Chelsea with three games to play. Wigan moved seven points clear of the relegation zone to almost guarantee another season in the top flight. Aston Villa moved above Liverpool into sixth place with a 2-1 win at relegated Portsmouth as substitute Nathan Delfouneso scored the winner with his first touch after Norway striker John Carew leveled and then missed a first-half penalty. In Spain, Real Madrid closed the gap on leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 victory at home to third-placed Valencia. Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain coolly slotted his 25th league goal of the campaign after turning onto Guti's threaded pass in the 25th minute, while fellow top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo sidefooted home Marcelo's low cross with 12 minutes to play to also have 27 this season. Real trail champions Barca by one point with five matches to play, while Valencia are another 24 points adrift. Mallorca can move up to fourth place above Sevilla with victory at home to Osasuna on Monday. In Sunday's other games, Athletic Bilbao stayed seventh after a 0-0 draw at home to struggling Zaragoza, third-bottom Tenerife won 3-2 against eighth-placed Getafe, Deportiva La Coruna drew 0-0 with Almeria, while Malaga were also held goalless by fellow relegation battlers Valladolid. In Italy, Roma returned to the top of Serie A with a 2-1 victory against Rome rivals Lazio on Sunday. Montenegro forward Mirko Vucinic scored both goals, the second a fine free-kick, after Tommaso Rocchi's 14th-minute opener for Lazio as Roma went one point clear of champions Inter Milan with with games to play. Lazio should have led 2-0 but Sergio Floccari missed a penalty just after halftime, while teammate Cristian Ledesma was sent off at the end. Third-placed AC Milan lost 2-1 at Sampdoria, with defender Daniele Bonera sent off after 53 minutes with his team 1-0 up thanks to a first-half goal from Marco Borriello. Antonio Cassano leveled from the penalty resulting from Bonera's dismissal and Giampaolo Pazzini headed an injury-time winner to put his side fourth, seven points behind Milan. In Germany, Borussia Dortmund failed to overtake fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen after conceding a late equalizer in the 1-1 draw with visiting strugglers Hoffenheim. Bottom club Hertha Berlin earned a 2-2 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt but are still six points from safety with three games to play. | Fernando Torres ruled out for about six weeks as he needs operation on his knee .
Liverpool striker will miss rest of European season and faces battle for World Cup fitness .
Arsenal's English title hopes suffer big blow with shock 3-2 defeat at Wigan .
Real Madrid close to within a point of Spanish leaders Barcelona, beating Valencia 2-0 . |
fc101b3481f384efbed64f5faa78f746479029bb | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 03:41 EST, 6 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:44 EST, 6 October 2013 . Andy Burnham has begun legal proceedings after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt claimed he tried to ‘cover up’ NHS failings. Labour’s health spokesman called in lawyers after allegations that while he was in power he attempted to suppress a report that exposed devastating lapses in hospital care. A party spokesman said Mr Burnham would not tolerate ‘slurs on his character’ and warned that formal legal action could follow – an extremely unusual step for high-profile politicians. Threat: Andy Burnham brought in Labour’s lawyers after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt refused to retract an allegation that his Opposition shadow was involved the suppression of a critical report into 'failing' hospitals . Mr Hunt has refused to retract the . comments he made on Twitter and last night refused to back down, . releasing more evidence which he believes will undermine Mr Burnham’s . claims. He insisted there . was still a ‘clear link’ between political pressure by Labour ministers . while Mr Burnham was running the NHS and the failure to expose high . death rates by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission. Labour yesterday said Mr Hunt’s tweet had gone ‘a step too far’ and followed a long smear campaign. ‘This . is behaviour unbecoming of a secretary of state,’ said a spokesman. ‘Andy Burnham is not prepared to accept these unfounded slurs on his . character and the last government. He has therefore instructed lawyers . to act on his behalf.’ The . row erupted after emails were released under the Freedom of Information . Act showing how Labour health ministers tried to stop details emerging . of higher-than-normal death rates at Basildon and Thurrock University . Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Mr Burnham was recorded as being . ‘furious’ when the news leaked in November 2009, months before the . general election. Row: Bitter exchanges were sparked by the release of emails showing the Department of Health under Labour tried to stop details emerging of a hospital scandal involving higher-than-normal death rates (file picture) Communications . showed the Department of Health ordered the CQC not to brief the press . on an inspector’s report into the trust, which found appalling standards . of hygiene with blood on the curtains and chairs. But by then the CQC . had already told three national newspapers. Mr . Hunt seized on the emails last Friday and took to Twitter to denounce . his Labour shadow. ‘Shocking revelations on Andy Burnham’s attempts to . cover up failing hospitals,’ he wrote. Mr . Burnham hit back, insisting the emails showed only that he was . concerned that Department of Health and CQC disclosure rules had been . broken and that he ‘ordered a press release’ after the story broke. However, . allies of Mr Hunt say that Mr Burnham’s anger was not confined to the . timing of the report and was more concerned with the political damage . the revelations could do to Labour. Revelation: The emails, released by the Care Quality Commission watchdog following a request by Tory MP Steve Barclay, relate to Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (file picture) A . letter from Baroness Young, former chairman of the CQC, reveals that he . had taken issue with the tone of the press release. ‘It would be . unfortunate if the CQC were to be judged on the timing or tone of one . press release,’ she said. And . the Tories said an email from the CQC’s director of engagement Jill . Finney, said they had not ensured ‘the political implications were . understood by ministers’. A . spokeswoman for Mr Hunt called for Mr Burnham to apologise. Julie Bailey . of campaign group Cure the NHS said the evidence of politically . influenced cover-ups was ‘undeniable’ and said Mr Burnham should stop . ‘focusing on saving his own skin’. Prof . Brian Jarman, an expert on hospital mortality, said: ‘I think there was . a sort of denial machine at the Department of Health in his time at the . department.’ | Hunt alleged Burnham was involved in suppression of critical report .
Claims of 'cover up' over report into 'failing' hospitals and poor care .
Burnham brings in party's lawyers after Hunt refuses to retract claim .
But Tories say Burnham should apologise to patients for care failures . |
fc1048947babee258ad07a2abdc4569e8d759252 | By . Mark Duell . It was an unprecedented 19-hour operation to wrench a 1,000ft-long liner from its side where it capsized and pull it completely upright. And this minute-long time-lapse video reveals the impressive £500million parbuckling effort to right the Costa Concordia off the Italian island of Giglio. Salvage experts started the rotation of the ship yesterday at around 9am, before the cruise liner was finally laid to rest on an underwater mattress today at 4am. Recovery: The ship is pictured in the time-lapse video before (left) and during (right) the salvage operation . In stages: The Costa Concordia ran aground in January 2012 (top left), before emerging during the salvage operation yesterday (top right) and (bottom left and being turned upright (bottom right) today . The project now allows for a renewed . search for two bodies never recovered from the 32 dead, and for the ship . to eventually be towed away. The . Concordia's submerged side suffered significant damage during the 20 . months it bore the weight of the ship on the jagged reef. The operation to right it stressed that flank as well. Exterior balconies were mangled and entire sections looked warped. The . damage must be repaired to stabilize the ship so it can withstand the . coming winter, when seas and winds will whip the liner. Beginning: Salvage experts started the rotation of the ship yesterday outside Giglio harbour around 9am . Overnight: Engineers worked on the wreckage during the night as the parbuckling operation continued . Finished: The stricken Costa Concordia is upright after the parbuckling operation was completed at 4am today . Shortly after 4am, a foghorn boomed off Giglio Island and the head of Italy's Civil Protection agency, Franco Gabrielli, announced that the ship had reached vertical. It was a dramatic operation that unfolded in real time as TV cameras recorded the final hours when the rotation accelerated with gravity pulling the ship into place. For Italy, it was a moment of pride after the horror and embarrassment of the crash in January 2012. The Concordia slammed into a reef off Giglio Island after the Italian captain brought it too close to shore in an apparent stunt. He earned the public's contempt when he abandoned the ship before everyone was evacuated, and then refused coast guard orders to go back on board. | Salvage experts started rotation of cruise liner in Italy yesterday at 9am .
Cruise liner finally laid to rest on an underwater mattress today at 4am .
Project now allows for search for two bodies never found from 32 dead . |
fc110b998bf7dc879915f38a6e0c36bdf06341a3 | By . Lydia Warren and Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 14:03 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:03 EST, 10 August 2013 . A California murder suspect and his 16-year-old kidnap victim have been spotted hiking together deep in the wilderness of the Idaho mountains - 1,000 miles from his San Diego County home where the teen's mother and little brother were found dead. About 150 federal agents have converged on Idaho's Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in the search for 16-year-old Hannah Anderson and her suspected abductor, 40-year-old James Lee DiMaggio. Tests confirmed that a child's body . found in a Southern California house fire was that of eight-year-old Ethan . Anderson, whose sister is believed to have been abducted by fugitive DiMaggio, authorities said late Friday. Police in San Diego revealed today that two riders on horseback believe they saw DiMaggio and Anderson in the rugged 'River of No Return Wilderness' outside Cascade, Idaho, on Wednesday. Hannah appeared healthy and safe, leading . San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore to conclude: 'As far as we know, it didn't appear she was being held . against her will.' Scroll down for video . Together: A pair of horseback riders said they believe they found James DiMaggio, left, and Hannah Anderson, 16, hiking through the Idaho wilderness wearing backpacks and carrying a tent . Hunt for a murderer: FBI agents walk toward a Blackhawk helicopter at the Cascade Airport during the search for James DiMaggio in Cascade, Idaho . 1,000 miles from home: James DiMaggio's car was found in a remote area near Cascade, Idaho, on Friday morning . San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said Hannah was reportedly healthy and 'did not appear to be held against her will' Hidden: DiMaggio's Nissan Versa was found covered in brush, hidden in a hard-to-reach area of Idaho wilderness on Friday morning. Police are searching the vehicle for booby-traps . DiMaggio's Nissa Versa car was found this . morning in a remote, hard-to-reach area. It was covered in brush in an . attempt to conceal it and its license plates were removed. Authorities have not said whether they think Hannah knows her mother and little brother were murdered at DiMaggio's house. Police said Thursday they feared that . DiMaggio, 40, might have rigged the vehicle with explosive booby traps. A . bomb squad was still working to reach the car Friday afternoon and . inspect it for bombs. The riders said they encountered a man and a young woman hiking in the wilderness on Wednesday. The pair had a tent and each was carrying a backpack. DiMaggio is said to be an avid outdoorsman and authorities had previously said he could be hiding out at a campground or in the forest. The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness is 2.3million rugged acres of cliffs and mountains and river valleys. It is the second-largest wilderness area in the contiguous United States. When the riders returned home at the end of the day, they heard news reports of the nationwide hunt for DiMaggio and 'put two and two together,' San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a Friday news conference. The pair called San Diego police Wednesday night to report that they believed they had seen DiMaggio and teenage Hannah. No expense spared: 150 personnel have arrived in Idaho to search for James DiMaggio. Here, law enforcement officers head into the Valley County Emergency Operations Center . Rugged: The River of No Return Wilderness, 2.3million acres, is the second-largest national wilderness area in the contiguous United States . Missing: Ethan Anderson, 8, and his sister Hannah, 16, have been missing since Sunday, when their mother's body was found in a burned down home. A second body at the scene could belong to Ethan, police said . Suspect: The body was found in the home of James DiMaggio, a family friend who police believe snatched Hannah. Friends said he had a crush on the 16-year-old girl, who did not like being alone with him . Friends say DiMaggio 'had a crush' on teenage Hannah and that he states he would date her if he was her age. Police . fear DiMaggio is armed with improvised explosives and could use them . as weapons if confronted. They also believe he may have booby-trapped . his abandoned car. 'Working . on the theory that he abandoned the car, we think there is a . possibility that the car might be rigged,' San Diego County Sheriff's . Office spokeswoman Jan Caldwell told CNN. A nationwide manhunt has been was launched after the . murdered body of Hannah's mother, 42-year-old Christina Anderson, was . found at DiMaggio's burned home on Sunday night. A child's remains were found in the . garage and are believed to by the body of Hannah's eight-year-old brother Ethan. A source told the Los Angeles Times that investigators believe Christina was bludgeoned to death with a crowbar. DiMaggio was described as being like an uncle to the children. But Hannah's friend, Marissa Chavez, said . Wednesday that DiMaggio had developed a crush on Hannah and told her that he would . date her if they were the same age. 'He . said he had a crush on her, but didn't mean it in an intimate way,' 15-year-old Marissa Chavez told The San Diego Union-Tribune. 'He said, . "If I was your age, I'd date you."' Beautiful: Hannah's Facebook page shows her as a popular teenage girl who loved dancing . Chavez, Hannah's friend, said she witnessed the . exchange when DiMaggio was driving them . home from a high school gymnastics meet. Hannah asked Chavez to join her . from then on whenever DiMaggio drove her to meets because she was . uncomfortable with the attention, according to Chavez. 'She was a little creeped out by it. She didn't want to be alone with him,' Chavez said. She . also said that DiMaggio took her to Hollywood in late June or early . July for her birthday, and that he cut the week-long trip short because he was . upset that Hannah was paying more attention to her phone than to him. DiMaggio took Hannah (far left and far right) to Hollywood for her birthday, but cut the week-long trip short because he was upset that Hannah was paying more attention to her phone than to him . 'After that she never responded to his texts and e-mails,' Chavez told the San Diego newspaper. DiMaggio was in a 'close platonic relationship' with Hannah, a sheriff’s statement said without further explanation. Brett Anderson, Christina Anderson's husband and father to Hannah and Ethan, flew to San Diego Tuesday to be interviewed by investigators and to plead with DiMaggio to return his daughter safely. 'Jim, . I can't fathom what you were thinking. The damage is done,' he said . outside San Diego County Sheriff's Department headquarters. Addressing Hannah, he said he loves her very much and pleaded, 'if you have a chance, you take it. You run. You'll be found.' Sorrow: Their father, Brett Anderson, pleaded for the children's safe return at a candlelit vigil on Tuesday . Athena Stewart lights a candle during a vigil for Hannah, 16, and Ethan, 8, Tuesday night . Mr Anderson lives in Tennessee after moving away from the area for a job a few months ago. On . Tuesday, Mr Anderson joined hundreds of family friends and neighbors at . a candlelight vigil in the parking lot of El Capitan High School in . Lakeside, where Hannah was about to start her junior year. Pink . paper cups stuffed between holes in the fence read 'Pray Hannah' and . dozens of white, blue and pink balloons lifted into the air. At the vigil, Mr Anderson and other family members address the large crowd. 'Hannah . will come back and Ethan and Tina, I love you both,' he said. 'We all . love you. I know everybody’s here for support of all three of them and I . want to thank you all. God bless.' Destroyed: The body of the children's mother, Christina, was found in DiMaggio's burned down house . The remains of a home owned by 40-year-old James Lee DiMaggio, a suspect in the murder of 2 people, is shown in the Boulevard neighborhood of San Diego County . Her Facebook page reveals a popular teenage girl with a passion for dance. She was also a gymnast on her high school team. 'You would never see her without a smile on her face,' said Marlee Friszell, 16, who attended Hannah's birthday party last week. Ethan Anderson liked to play football and baseball and go fishing, neighbors said. DiMaggio is believed to be driving a blue Nissan Versa with California license plate 6WCU986. He is described as white, 5-feet-9-inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and is currently clean-shaved without the goatee beard seen in his photo. | James DiMaggio's car found hidden under brush in Idaho Friday morning .
Horseback riders say they saw DiMaggio and teenage Hanna Anderson hiking through rugged wilderness Wednesday .
Hannah appeared safe and sheriff said it looked as though she 'was not being held against her will'
DiMaggio is suspected of murdering Hannah's mother Christina Anderson and her eight-year-old brother Ethan at his San Diego County home on Sunday .
Friends: He had a crush on Hannah who did not like to be alone with him . |
fc113dcc7cda3acd5daff5e6cec2bf4df29e40a4 | Today, April 20, is "420: International Marijuana Day." Festivals and marches are planned around the world. The number 420 reflects the date, but it also represents the term's clandestine origin in the 1970s, brought about by laws that still plague cannabis consumers today. In 1971, a group of high school friends, the "Waldos," invented 420 as a code word for smoking pot. Referring to 4:20 p.m. after school, the friends from San Rafael, California, would meet to smoke marijuana in their secret spot next to a wall -- the origin of their nickname. In the 40 years since, 420 has spread to become an international symbol for using marijuana, and it's a part of the cannabis consumer's vocabulary. Threatened with jail and unemployment, people who use marijuana in most states must hide their activities. In 2011, more than 750,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession and sales in the United States. In 2010, 86% of those charged for possession in New York City were black or Latino. That, even though these groups represent about half the city's population and use marijuana less than whites. But, slowly, support for cannabis regulation is growing. A recent Pew research poll found that 52% of Americans support taxing and regulating marijuana, a historic high. It isn't that more people are using marijuana -- those rates have remained stable -- it's that more people feel they can come out of the closet about their support for marijuana policy reform. Websites like the Marijuana Majority feature statements from celebrities and politicians in favor of marijuana policy reform, across the political spectrum, from Bill Maher to Pat Robertson. No longer a part of a fringe, those who see a better way to regulate marijuana are casting aside the secret codes and openly declaring support. The marijuana flag was waving proudly on Election Day, when Colorado and Washington became the first states where voters approved taxing and regulating marijuana for adult use. Two recently introduced pieces of federal legislation would protect medical marijuana states from federal interference and end federal marijuana prohibition. As can be imagined, the April 20 celebrations across Colorado and Washington, as well as other "marijuana friendly" states like California and Oregon, will be joyful, well attended and burgeoning with cannabis products. It might even feel as if marijuana is already legal -- but it isn't, and, in some states, the need for secret codes is still very much alive. In Oklahoma, manufacturing hash carries a mandatory two-year prison term but can also mean life in prison. Under Louisiana law, a second pot possession conviction is classified as a felony offense, punishable by up to five years in prison. Three-time offenders face up to 20 years in prison. And in Florida, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, as well as the cultivation of even a single plant, is a felony offense and punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. What this means, despite Colorado and Washington, is that April 20 brings a chance to stop and reflect on the draconian marijuana laws still threatening so many Americans. In addition to the lives harmed by arrests and incarceration, the economic costs of prohibition are enormous. The war on drugs has cost at least $1 trillion since it was announced in 1971 by President Nixon. The term 420 began as a secret code. But 40 years later, in some states the need for a code has given way to "cannabis pride" and open celebration. In other places, people will smoke or otherwise consume pot in private parties. And for those in prison and jails and for their loved ones, it will be just another sad day. Make this April 20, as the numbers of pro-legalization supporters swell, the day to join the Drug Policy Alliance in promoting the legalization of marijuana for all adults and an end to the war on drugs. | This Saturday, April 20, is "420: International Marijuana Day," with festivals worldwide .
Amanda Reiman: In 1971, high school friends invented 420 as code for smoking pot in secret .
Reiman: It's disgraceful so many people are serving time on marijuana charges .
She says 52% of Americans want new policies; 4/20 a good day to join legalization effort . |
fc115bde88a7c6c4693e30cfb1b0ff107e195704 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama said his administration will offer a hand of friendship to the Muslim world but will hunt down terrorist organizations that kill innocent civilians. President Obama has taken an early interest in the Middle East peace process. "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama said in an interview with Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based satellite television network. "We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect." During his run for the White House, Obama pledged to improve ties with the Muslim world, draw down U.S. troops in Iraq and close the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The president also has pledged to address the Muslim world from a Muslim capital in the first 100 days of his administration. No location has been announced. Obama said the United States will go after terrorist groups that kill innocent civilians but will do so while respecting the rule of law. The president said that difference makes America great. The Obama administration also has taken an early interest in the Middle East peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the president naming former Sen. George Mitchell as his special envoy to the region. Mitchell is scheduled to arrive in the Mideast on Tuesday to shore up a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas leadership. "I think the most important thing is for the United States to get engaged right away," Obama told Hisham Melhem, Al-Arabiya's Washington bureau chief. Watch Obama reach out to Muslims » . A tentative cease-fire between Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza began last week after a three-week military operation by Israeli troops in the Palestinian territory. "Ultimately, we cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them. They're going to have to make some decisions," Obama said. "But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people. And that instead it's time to return to the negotiating table." Obama said the United States will start by listening, not dictating, and then a response will be formulated after consultations with all the major parties involved. iReport.com: What should Obama do first? Obama's interview was seen widely in Pakistan and has received a generally positive response from analysts there. Islamabad author and journalist Imtiaz Gul told CNN: "It's a good sign of an attempt to reconcile with the Muslim world, to say America wants to reach out to them and not to consider them as an enemy." Analyst Zaid Hamid said that Obama has yet to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim world. Hamid said the real litmus test for the Muslim world is what Obama does with the crisis in Gaza. | NEW: New U.S. leader hasn't yet won Muslim hearts and minds, analyst says .
President Obama has pledged to improve ties with the Muslim world .
Obama said the U.S. will go after terrorist organizations that kill innocent civilians .
President says America will start by listening, not dictating . |
fc1179660b0d078a293fc5b4f6d8dcab7f944fa9 | Scientists are a step closer to developing a pill to cure dementia. A team in Belgium were able to repair diseased brain cells taken from patients with a common form of the condition, for which there is no cure. They identified a gene variant that prevents neurons from forming properly, and managed to correct it through genetic engineering. The researchers found they could also correct alter the gene a compound that inhibited a chemical responsible for the gene mutation. They have hailed the discovery a breakthrough, believing it could pave the way for a new 'dementia pill'. Scientists were able to repair diseased brain cells taken from patients with a common form of dementia, and say drugs could be developed to treat the condition . The study used stem cells from three patients with a type of dementia called 'frontotemporal dementia', which accounts for about half of cases diagnosed in patients before the age of 60. There is currently no cure for this type of the condition, which runs in families. Frontotemporal disorders are the result of damage to neurons in parts of the brain called the frontal and temporal lobes, gradually leading to behavioural symptoms or language and emotional problems. Mutations in a gene called GRN (progranulin) are believed to be behind frontotemporal dementia, but versions of the condition in mice do not mimic all the features of the human type. So the Belgian researchers recreated dementia in a laboratory dish using human iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) to help identify a potential new treatment strategy. Molecular biologist Professor Catherine Verfaillie, of the Catholic University of Leuven, said: 'Use of induced pluripotent stem cell technology makes it possible to model dementias that affect people later in life.' The technique involves taking skin cells from patients and reprogramming them into embryonic like stem cells capable of turning into other specific cell types relevant for studying a particular disease. 1 Regular exercise . Doing exercise three to five times a week for between 30 minutes and an hour is recommended. In the UK, adults are urged to do 150 minutes of activity a week to promote health but barely a third manage it. 2 Give up smoking . Never smoking is recommended, but smokers who give up by the age of 40 can gain ten years of extra life, claim scientists. 3 Reach a healthy body weight . A healthy weight is a ‘healthy’ body mass index (BMI) score. BMI is assessed by comparing height to weight, in a calculation which divides weight in kilos by height in metres squared. A healthy score is between 18.5 and 24.99 - above is overweight and obese. 4 Eat a Mediterranean diet . The Mediterranean diet is high in fish, nuts, whole grains and ‘healthy’ fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products. Studies suggest three to five or more portions of fruit and vegetables with fat making up less than 30 per cent of calories. 5 Keep alcohol consumption low . Low or moderate alcohol consumption is classified as three or fewer units per day for men, two or fewer for women, with abstinence not treated as a healthy behaviour. A small 125ml glass of wine contains 1.3 units, while a pint of beer contains at least two units. Professor Verfaillie added the research could pave the way for a pill to treat frontotemporal dementia to be developed. She said: 'iPSC models can now be used to better understand dementia, and in particular frontotemporal dementia, and might lead to the development of drugs that can curtail or slow down the degeneration of cortical neurons.' The patients in the study all carried a GRN mutation which prevented their immature iPSCs from turning into mature, specialised cells called cortical neurons, the cell type most affected in frontotemporal dementia. One of the top defective pathways in the iPSCs was a signalling pathway known as Wnt, which plays an important role in the development of neurons. But genetic correction or treatment with a compound restored the ability of the iPSCs to turn into cortical neurons. Taken together, the findings demonstrate the GRN mutation causes the defect in cortical neuron formation by altering the Wnt signalling pathway. Researcher Dr Philip Van Damme, of the Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease, added: 'Our findings suggest signalling events required for neurodevelopment may also play major roles in neurodegeneration. 'Targeting such pathways, as for instance the Wnt pathway presented in this study, may result in the creation of novel therapeutic approaches for frontotemporal dementia.' The researchers will now work to better understand what goes wrong in GRN mutated cells, as well as identify precise molecular targets that could then be used for drug screens. The study was published in the journal Stem Cell Reports. It comes after a major research project published this month found simple lifestyle changes could see 80,000 people saved from dementia every year. The study suggests that people make changes earlier in life to cut the risk of developing the brain disease as they grow old. It said three million cases of dementia could be avoided in Britain by 2040 if people started regularly exercising their bodies and minds. Frontotemporal dementia is the result of damage to neurons in parts of the brain called the frontal (pictured in blue) and temporal (pictured in purple) lobes. There is no currently no cure and it runs in families . | Scientists were able to repair bran cells taken from patients with dementia .
They had 'frontotemporal dementia' which is common and runs in families .
Frontotemporal dementia occurs as neurons become damaged .
Scientist were able to correct damaged neurons by genetic engineering .
They found a gene variant that prevents neurons from forming normally .
Also used a compound that inhibited a chemical causing the gene mutation . |
fc130a03dab02c2c54840af02f0dc5977541b0ed | (CNN) -- FARC rebels in Colombia say they will release French journalist Romeo Langlois on Wednesday, according to a statement posted on a website linked to the armed leftist insurgent group. The France 24 journalist was seized last month in a FARC attack on a Colombian army unit engaged in counter-narcotics operations. His capture came almost exactly two years to the day after he did a special report on whether the guerrillas could keep fighting after their leader and a top military commander were killed. Langlois, a correspondent with more than 10 years experience in the country, appears to have spent several days with a mobile FARC unit to prepare the April 2010 report. He described them as "in a weak position" and said they were "tired of fighting for 40 years in the jungle." He was reporting alongside soldiers when the rebel group attacked and captured him on April 28, the Colombian government said. Four people were killed and six were wounded in the attack, according to the Ministry of National Defense. Langlois was lightly wounded in the arm when he was captured, but was treated and is out of danger, according to a man who claimed to represent the rebels. The man in military garb referred to Langlois as a prisoner of war in a video posted on the France 24 website on May 7. FARC announced a week later that it was prepared to release the Frenchman and called for negotiations involving the International Committee of the Red Cross and others. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said his government would do whatever was necessary to guarantee Langlois' release. "The Colombian government is willing to provide all the facilities so the release occurs as quickly as possible, but if you really want to be viewed well by the world, release him now and simply tell us where he is and we will go get him," he said earlier this month. Kidnapping government forces and civilians has been a key strategy of the rebel group. Dramatic rescues, escapes and hostage handovers have revealed harsh conditions in jungle camps, including stories of prisoners chained to trees, grueling marches between hideouts, torrential rain and blistering sun. While severely weakened in recent years, the rebels have continued to carry out kidnappings and attack security forces. CNN's Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report. | NEW: France 24 journalist Romeo Langlois was wounded when captured, rebels say .
NEW: The war reporter was seized 2 years after he filed a special report on the FARC .
Four people were killed and six were wounded when he was kidnapped .
FARC has been weakened in recent years, but continues to carry out kidnappings . |
fc132a46d13a525fd410a152874c81ecbacea391 | Four topless activists from a women's rights group were arrested today after they carried out a protest in central London. Police were called to City Hall to deal with the protesters, who had accused the Olympics' governing body of having supported 'bloody' Islamist regimes. Pictures showed officers holding women on the ground and covering their chests. Scroll down for video of the protest . Demo: The topless female protesters caused a scene near Tower Bridge until they were seized by police today . Activists: The FEMEN demonstrators organised an 'islamic marathon' to demonstrate against 'islamic regimes' they say are being supported by the IOC. Outspoken: The topless activists have already staged several high-profile FEMEN protests across Europe this year . One woman screamed as officers held her. The demonstration near Tower Bridge, . described as an 'Islamic marathon' by the protesters, was organised by . the Ukrainian feminist group Femen. Protesters said the demonstration was . against 'bloody' Islamist regimes which they said had been supported by . the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Some of the women had slogans marked on their bare chests. At least one carried the message: 'No Sharia'. Femen, a group based in Kiev, was founded in 2008. The organisation has become . internationally known for organizing topless protests against sex . tourists, international marriage agencies, sexism and other social, . national and international ills. Protest: Police lead a topless activist away from City Hall in central London after she was involved in a demonstration against the Olympics' governing body . Cry: A woman screams as police officers hold her on the ground after a protest outside City Hall . Fight: A woman involved in the demonstration closes her eyes and struggles on the ground as police hold her . Held: Four police officers surround a woman alleged to have taken part in the topless protest against the International Olympic Committee . Its stated goals include developing 'leadership, intellectual and moral qualities of the young women in Ukraine' and to 'build up the image of Ukraine, the country with great opportunities for women'. In a statement published on its Facebook page, the protest group said a number of its French members had been arrested. It called on the IOC to 'condemn violence towards women from Islamist states'. It said: 'Femen requires the states that apply the laws of sharia be shut out of the Olympic games, because of the inhumanity of these laws, which are in total contradiction with Olympic principles that are peace and philanthropy. 'Femen accuses these states of simulating democratic changes regarding the position of women. 'With the support of the IOC, these . Islamist governments use the participation of women in the Olympic games . to hide thousands of victims and dead. 'If . the IOC keeps flirting with radical Islam, new Olympic disciplines, . such as stoning or speed raping will be added to the competition.' Detained: A handcuffed protester in her underwear is surrounded by police officers and led away . Interest: Onlookers take photographs as two police officers block a woman dressed as a Muslim man . A spokesman for the Metropolitan . Police said: 'At approximately 11.30am today police attended the site of . a demonstration outside City Hall. 'Four topless female protesters were arrested under section five of the Public Order Act for disorderly behaviour. 'They are currently in custody.' The protest was staged less than . three months after Femen activists snatched football's European . Championship trophy on two occasions. They grabbed the cup in May while it was on display in a central square in Dnipropetrovsk, south-east Ukraine. One activist took off her top to reveal an offensive slogan before picking up the trophy. As security guards moved in on her, another activist, standing next to . the cup, stripped off to the waist to display the same slogan. Activists staged a similar protest in the Ukrainian capital Kiev earlier that month. In February the protest group clashed with Italian police during Milan Fashion Week after a demonstration against the use of anorexic models. The topless protesters wore jeans and had handwritten slogans such as 'Fashion = Fascism' and 'Anorexia' scrawled across their chests. A similar protest was held in January in the Swiss resort of Davos in January, where the World Economic Forum held its annual meeting. Campaigner: A Femen activist demonstrates outside the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January . | Demonstration outside City Hall by feminist protest group Femen .
Police break up protest against International Olympic Committee .
Protesters had the slogan 'No Sharia' scrawled on their chests .
Scotland Yard: Four women arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour' |
fc133af2747509f296be6eea33ff2fabc940cabe | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 16:22 EST, 9 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:08 EST, 10 March 2014 . Orson Welles' original working copy of the script for Citizen Kane has sold for almost £100,000. The unique draft was used by the film's star and director to make changes to the dialogue, shaping it into arguably the world's greatest movie. The front page carries the heading 'Mr Welles' Working Copy' along with the original title of the 1941 film 'The American'. The script, dated 1940, is covered in Orson Welles' scrawls as he developed arguably the best film ever . The 1941 film about a newspaper magnate, Welles' first feature, was nominated for nine Academy Awards . Half-way through the 321-page script, the movie title on top of each sheet changes to 'Citizen Kane'. Several pages show how Welles took a pencil to numerous lines and paragraphs of the script, completely deleting great chunks of text at times. The document was owned by the late Stanley Seeger, a wealthy collector of important items. It has now sold at auction in London for £98,500, nearly five times the pre-sale estimate. The unique draft is yellowed and covered in thumb marks. It sold for five times its estimated price . The narrative structure of the masterpiece is thought to be its biggest influence on modern movies . Welles, who co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in the film, tweaked the dialogue for months . Welles played megalomaniac Charles Foster Kane in the film that was originally titled The American . David Macdonald, a director at auctioneers Sotheby's, said: 'This document represents a pivotal moment in the making of arguably the greatest modern move made. 'This was Orson Welles' own working script, nothing like this has been seen before. Citizen Kane is widely regarded as the best film ever made that changed the industry forever. Though it was a commercial failure at the box office, it remains every filmmaker's number one. Using his large budget of $500,000, 25-year-old theatre man Orson Welles developed new ways of using complex sound, deep focus and story structure. It was one of the first films to use such dynamic camera angles and optical illusions to tell the story. In many scenes, the ceilings were visible, which was a first for movies as it was previously too difficult to mask the microphones and lights. Welles ordered for them to be covered in black fabric. The non-linear storyline, unconventional ending and elusive protagonist were the main features that shocked the industry into experimentation. 'You can see regularly through the script how he removed paragraphs, scored out lines and tweaked the dialogue as she shaped the movie. 'It throws up a rather romantic vision of him going into his study and taking a pencil to it.' Many of the alterations relate to where the script made obvious references to the US newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who the character Charles Kane was based on. The most noticeble change was the actual title of the movie, as 'The American' was deemed too close to Hearst, who often attached the same term to his various enterprises. Once the script was approved, crisp copies of the final version would have been printed off and handed to the cast and crew for filming. Welles' working script is dated April 30 to May 9, 1940 - a year before the film came out. It has a slight yellowing to it as well as evidence of it being 'well-thumbed'. Mr Macdonald said eclectic collector Mr Seeger had owned it for more than 20 years before it was sold at auction last week. Sold alongside it was an art-deco cocktail shaker owned and used by gangster Al Capone during prohibition in the US. The silver flask was a gift to Capone from 'the boys' in 1932, shortly before he was jailed for 11 years for tax evasion. The shaker sold at the same auction for £50,000, 50 times the pre-sale estimate. | Unique draft used by actor/director to make changes to dialogue .
Half script titled The American, second half changed to Citizen Kane .
Now sold at London auction for five times pre-sale estimate price . |
fc135c47e8733578ddb570655511f70cda813c3b | President Barack Obama canceled a campaign trip at the last minute to stay in Washington and spearhead a more aggressive national response after Ebola infected two nurses and frightened Americans with the prospect that their health system is not equipped to handle a catastrophic medical event. Obama said Wednesday that monitoring of Ebola must be done in a "much more aggressive way." He continued, according to the pool report, to say that as soon as someone is diagnosed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must have a rapid response team immediately on site. The White House is taking this very seriously at the highest levels. The President made the comments after a special meeting of his Cabinet that was convened to address Ebola and came as one of the infected nurses in Texas was transported to special hospital facilities in Georgia for care. Get up to speed on Ebola developments . Obama said the CDC would deploy new SWAT teams within 24 hours to any hospital with an infected patient. He also promised that the federal government would review contacts made by infected people before they showed symptoms. But he urged calm, repeating that Ebola is not easily spread if someone is not showing symptoms. "Here's what we know about Ebola. It's not like the flu. It's not airborne," the President said, adding that he had met, hugged and even kissed health care workers at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta who had treated Ebola patients. The White House announced Wednesday that it was postponing Obama's campaign trip -- which included stops in Connecticut and New Jersey -- in order for the president to meet with "Cabinet agencies coordinating the government's response to the Ebola outbreak." With the potency of his last years in office on the line, Obama was expected to cautiously step back on to the campaign trail Wednesday, rallying Democrats in dyed-blue Connecticut working to keep the governor there in office. But the President still will continue to mostly avoid campaigning in Senate contests, sticking to the gubernatorial campaign trail in three visits over the next week and four more planned trips in the final week of the 2014 season. Only one of those trips -- in Michigan -- is set to involve Democrat's Senate nominee. Vulnerable candidates in places such as Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas and Louisiana have been loathe to invite Obama to rally for them in their own states, spooked by his low approval ratings and the unpopular policy initiatives they helped move through Congress. That's left Obama relegated to the role of chief fund-raiser, jetting to wealthy enclaves across the country to try and keep donors encouraged enough about Democrats' chances to keep writing checks. It's been a tough sell recently, with Republicans almost certain to retain control of the U.S. House and models giving the GOP an edge to take the Senate. White House: No Holder replacement until after midterms . In Connecticut, where Obama had been scheduled to speak Wednesday, Gov. Dannel Malloy is tied with Republican rival Tom Foley, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Ireland from 2006-2009. A CBS/New York Times poll had both men at 41% among likely voters in a survey taken the last week of September. A White House official had said earlier Obama would also campaign with two Democratic gubernatorial candidates on Sunday: Anthony Brown in Maryland and Pat Quinn in Illinois. Both have slight edges over their Republican rivals, and will depend on high turnout among African-Americans, one group with which Obama still has sway. Obama's midterm malaise . Connecticut and Maryland are both deep blue, swinging in Obama's direction by wide margins in both 2008 and 2012. In Connecticut, voters have been more willing to send Republicans to the State House -- when Malloy took office in 2011 he succeeded two GOP governors. And Obama will use the final week of the campaign season crisscrossing the country to boost gubernatorial candidates in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Maine and Michigan. White House aims to show Obama at work . In states with tight Senate races that are either Republican-leaning or true battlegrounds, Democrats have gone to sometimes extreme lengths to avoid Obama's drag. Alison Lundergan Grimes, challenging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky, wouldn't even say whether she voted for Obama in the last election. The White House, while defending Obama's economic record, says issues such as Ebola and combating ISIS have occupied the bulk of his time. But they say he'll do what he can for Democrats ahead of November 4. "The President obviously has got a few things on his plate these days, but (he) is looking forward to the opportunity to campaign with other candidates in advance of the midterms," press secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday. | Obama wants to see more aggressive approach .
Obama convenes special Cabinet meeting regarding outbreak of Ebola.
Government ramps up response after a second Texas nurse was diagnosed with Ebola .
New CDC "SWAT" teams will be dispatched to any hospital with an infected patient . |
fc13a535f0320da877ec61a87eb7f518086c9d61 | A record 40 per cent of all spending on shoes by women was done online last month . Forget trudging up and down the high street to find that perfect pair of heels. It seems that growing numbers of women would rather avoid the hassle and buy their shoes online. A record 40 per cent of all spending on shoes by women was done online last month, research shows. It is the latest evidence of how the internet has revolutionised our spending habits. The data from the British Retail Consortium found that almost a fifth (18.4 per cent) of all shopping in January for everything except food was done through websites rather than in stores. This is a huge jump of 11.7 per cent from January last year. Online spending rates were particularly high for fashion. More than a quarter of money spent on clothing, or £1 in every £4, was done through websites – even though shoppers cannot try items on before they buy. The rate was even higher for shoes, at more than a third (£1 out of every £3) for the whole population and rising to two fifths (£4 in £10) for women. The BRC suggested that the high numbers of shoes bought online was because ‘the customer experience is generally a better one than in stores’. This could be because stores become overcrowded, particularly during the January sales, or because it can be a lottery as to whether that store has a particular style or size in stock. In contrast, shoppers can browse hundreds of designs on websites from the comfort of their homes and see in an instant whether their size is available. Scroll down for video . Helen Dickinson, BRC director general, said that internet spending in January tends to be high because of online bargains after Christmas, but this year ‘January online sales made up their largest proportion of overall retail sales, only second to November’. She added: ‘As websites continue to improve, including ease of use on mobile devices, with more stock being listed online, it is not a surprise that we loved buying online this January.’ David McCorquodale, head of retail at accountancy firm KPMG, said stores need to invest in their websites and improve the experience for customers. ‘Online sales had a strong January, bolstered by seasonal sales campaigns and targeted marketing drives,’ he said. ‘This side of retailers’ business has a leading role to play in driving overall sales growth, with more shoppers than ever choosing the convenience of buying online. ‘In order to significantly move the dial, substantial spend is needed to improve the robustness of retailers’ systems and improve the experience for customers. Retailers’ online operations warrant the lion’s share of their investment budgets this year.’ Recent research by communications watchdog Ofcom found that Britons spend more money online per head than any other developed country in the world. The figure is almost £2,000 a year – which is £600 more than the next-highest biggest spenders, Australians. Ofcom suggested this was thanks to widespread broadband access in the UK. | Growing numbers of women would rather avoid hassle of high street .
Almost a fifth of all shopping in January (except food) was done online .
British Retail Consortium says ‘customer experience is generally a better one than in stores’ |
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