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fef9b70837ff052ee7d0bceceb02475d65ed806d | I've you've ever wanted to spot wild and wonderful creatures on the Galapagos islands, scale Mount Everest or visit Captain Scott's hunt in Antarctica, but don't have the budget, all you need to do is log on. You won't actually feel the snow beneath your feet, or breathe in the air of the Rio Negro, but neither will you exhaust your piggy bank. Google Street View (GSV) is about to take you on a 360-degree adventure to some the world's most exotic destinations. Up close and personal: You don't need to leave the comfort of your sofa to get a good look at the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer, in Rio de Janeiro . Christ the Redeemer - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil . It's . the city of the moment, but if you weren't lucky - or rich - enough to . bag a ticket to the World Cup, GSV can take you to the 98ft Christ . statue above Rio de Janeiro's Corcovado mountain. While you won’t be . able to behold the full splendor of Corcovado on screen, you also won’t . have to climb a 2,300-foot mountain. Follow in Darwin's footsteps: The Galapagos Islands are a dream destination for wildlife fans, but you can 'virtually' visit without breaking the bank . Sierra Negra Volcano Crater - Galapagos Islands . Walk - or at least imagine walking - in the footsteps Charles Darwin, among unique endemic species such as the giant Galapagos tortoise and the blue-footed booby. By logging on to GSV, you'll be transported to pristine beaches, mangrove swamps, and volcanic rock formations. Under the sea: Google Street View can even take you for an underwater adventure, visiting coral reefs and shipwrecks . Hourglass Reef - Bermuda . No Padi? No worries. Cruise the big blue without donning your dive mask. GSV offers a selection of ocean tours, including an 1864 shipwreck, coral reefs and swimming with marine life. Effortless adventures: You can scale Mount Everest, in Nepal, without even standing up . Mount Everest Base Camp - Nepal . Not . all of us were born to scale Everest, check out the views from Mount . Everest Base Camp in Nepal by switching on your computer and pressing a . couple of buttons instead. Amazonian adventure: Cruise along the Rio Negro, the Amazon River's largest tributary, without having to brave the insects . Rio Negro - South America . It's the rainforest - but without the gruesome bugs. Virtually sail down the Amazon River and trundle through the rainforest with Google Street View. Great explorations: Take a peek at Captain Scott's snow-clad cabin in the South Pole, Antarctica . Scott’s Hut, Cape Evans - Antarctica . Always wanted to reach the South Pole? These days it is much more accessibale that it was in the time of Scott and Shackleton, but it's easier still thanks to GVS. You can check out Scott's historic cabin, a selection of world flags planted in the ice, and of course plenty of penguins. Back in time: The arresting Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland dates back to the 13th century . Wieliczka Salt Mine - Wieliczka, Poland . You can travel back to the 13th century, when you virtually visit the Wieliczka salt mine in Poland. It features a cathedral carved out of rock salt and an underground lake, as well as salt artifacts contributed from various artists. Access all areas: You can even visit the world's largest particle physics laboratory in Geneva . Large Hadron Collider Tunnel, CERN - Geneva, Switzerland . The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, in Geneva, is the world's largest particle physics laboratory, used by the world’s best physicists and engineers - but you don't need to be a genius to peek inside. Truly magnificent: Inside the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi . Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates . It's the size of five football fields and once banned Rihanna, thanks to some provocative photos she posed for on site. Your online journey can take you around the marble facade and plazas inlaid with gold and precious stones inside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. | Google Street View offers users the chance to see some of the world's most exotic locations at the push of a button .
Be transported from your desk to mangrove swamps, volcanic rock formations or a 13th century salt mine in Poland . |
fef9da1387bafd10cd923ebf8aeb617fed834b6e | (CNN) -- A Disney stunt performer died Monday night after suffering an injury during a rehearsal, company and local officials said. A performer was injured during rehearsal for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Hollywood Studios. Walt Disney World spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the performer was injured while performing a tumbling roll for the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios, part of the Orlando, Florida, theme park. It was the third fatal incident at the park in less than two months. Earlier this month, a performer was injured in a pirate show and later died. In July, two monorail trains collided, killing a driver. "'We feel a sense of loss for these valued cast members," Suarez said. She said a review would be conducted on each incident. Performers receive extensive training, she said. The Orange County Sheriff's Department identified the performer in the latest incident as Anislav Varbanov, 30, and said he had been pronounced dead at a hospital. Watch a report on the incident » . Security personnel at Hollywood Studios called 911 Monday evening to say a cast member had suffered a head injury during the rehearsal, the sheriff's department said. No other details were given. The sheriff's department said the incident is under investigation. CNN's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report. | Man hurt while rehearsing for Indiana Jones stunt show at Hollywood Studios .
Two people died after incidents at Orlando, Florida, theme park this summer .
Sheriff's department is investigating death of Anislav Varbanov . |
fef9efc6bb38ccae92f799b0a57f933766a302fb | It's doubtful Kenny McDowall was even aware of the fierce winds buffeting Murray Park yesterday. Every way the Rangers caretaker manager turns just now, a new storm is brewing. Not three weeks into his new role, the former assistant manager must already feel he’s been occupying the chair for a lifetime. Already devoid of his star player in Lewis Macleod, each day of the January transfer window is a trial. If only that was the sum total of his worries. Kenny McDowall has filled in as caretaker manager at Rangers during turbulent times at the club . Star player Lewis Macleod has left Ibrox, joining Championship high-fliers Brentford . Former Fulham manager Felix Magath is reportedly eyeing the role of technical director at Rangers . In the past week alone, McDowall has seen both Ian Cathro and Felix Magath separately linked with coaching and technical director positions respectively at the club. It can safely be assumed they would not be hired to complement the remainder of the backroom team. More immediately, Rangers are rapidly running out of money. Further loans will be required to see them through January unless unforeseen funds can be raised by selling further players. Sensing the existing board are running out of rabbits to pull from the hat, Dave King, the group known colloquially as the Three Bears and American financier Robert Sarver are manoeuvring independently but with the common goal of usurping the Easdale brothers and Mike Ashley from their positions of power. It would be a brave man to wager on who will be sitting in which seat when the music stops. Somewhere amid the relentless tumult, McDowall has to put a football team on the park that stands half a chance of eating into Hearts’ 13 point lead at the top of the Championship. Little wonder he fielded an enquiry relating to his enjoyment of the job yesterday with a broad grin as opposed to robotically answering in the affirmative. ‘I am not going to kid you on, it is a big job,’ was his diplomatic reply. ‘It is an absolute honour to be in charge of Glasgow Rangers, whether it is caretaker or manager or whatever post. ‘At the moment, I am at the helm and I have to try to get this team winning games and see where that goes. Robert Sarver (right), owner of baseball side Phoenix Suns, has tabled a bid to purchase a stake in Rangers . McDowall has stepped into the role of caretaker manager after the departure of Ally McCoist . ‘In terms of getting easier, I know the boys well and I have worked with them long enough. It is not as if a whole lot has changed and I have been flung into a bunch of guys I don’t know. I know them, they know me and we carry on regardless.’ There was a time under Ally McCoist’s watch where team meetings to enlighten the squad about off-field matters seemed only sensible. Had that continued into 2015, McDowall, you suspect, would be spending more time around a table than on the training field. ‘They are human beings like anyone else,’ the caretaker boss added. ‘They read the papers and get to know what is going on. ‘If you choose to, you can get to know as much as you want to know. When they go out they are professional football players, it is our job to get them concentrating and enjoying their work. ‘That is all we can do to get their minds off it: have a bright week, get them up for it and then come Saturday. ‘In terms of having meetings, I don’t think that does anything apart from highlight there is stuff going on. We go the opposite way if we can.’ McDowall stonewalled the notion of Cathro – the Taysider who is now assistant manager at Valencia – returning to Scotland. Ian Cathro, the assistant manager at Valencia, has been linked with the manager's role at Rangers . ‘I am the caretaker manager at the moment. There is no point me worrying about anything apart from trying to beat Alloa. You could go crazy if you worried about everything that was in the paper.’ Considering the fanfare that previously accompanied the elevation of men to the Rangers post, it’s impossible not to sympathise with McDowall – an individual who didn’t seek to be at the centre of this maelstrom. He’s not been short on sympathy or advice. ‘I have been speaking to a lot of people who I have worked with or know through the years,’ he added. ‘People in the game understand the situation. Listen, I just have to do what I have to do. I have a good group of boys in there and I have to get them going, motivate them as far as I can. ‘Walter (Smith) always used to say to the players when he was in charge that the motivational side has to come from within. A coach or a manger can motivate so far but it has to be self-motivation as well on their behalf to win and to want to achieve. The boys know that.’ If the mere mention of Alloa doesn’t get the blood pumping in the Rangers dressing room then all hope of pipping Hearts to automatic promotion is surely lost. Rangers have failed to beat Alloa in all three of their attempts to do so this season . Three times this season the Ibrox men have set out to defeat Barry Smith’s part-timers and three times they’ve failed - with a capitulation from two goals up in the semi-final of the Petrofac Training Cup the nadir. ‘They let themselves down on the night - and our support who back them wherever we go,’ McDowall lamented. ‘I am sure they will want to fix it for them as well. A bit of personal pride would come into it.’ Stevie Smith can count himself as one of the lucky ones. Suspension and a family matter ensured he only had to watch what passed for a performance at the Indodrill Stadium that night from afar. ‘I was suspended and I wasn’t there,’ he recalled. ‘My brother Christopher was getting married and I was at my mum’s the night before. ‘I saw it was 2-0 to us and then I saw it went to 3-2 and couldn’t believe it myself. These things shouldn’t happen, but it did happen and we’ve got to go and put it right tomorrow. My brother was watching it as well.’ With Hearts still to lose a league game, Rangers’ best hope of seeing their season have a happy ending appears to rest with successfully negotiating the play-offs. Stevie Smith was suspended when Rangers lost 3-2 against Alloa and surrendered a two-goal advantage . Smith acknowledged that, if such a scenario comes to pass, only a radical improvement on the display his side turned in at Easter Road two weeks ago will suffice. ‘They were night and day by far the better team and deserved to beat us convincingly which, from our point of view, isn’t good enough,’ he said. ‘It was so far from good enough it was incredible. You have to take your hat off to them and say they played really well on the day but we never turned up and that’s been the case for the majority of the big games this season. ‘But it’s not a worry to me (playing Hibs in a play-off). It’s quite a bit away and there’s a lot of football to be played and the talk about play-offs or catching Hearts...there’s still a lot to happen. ‘I would like to think we would be playing better by then because everyone knows the performances haven’t been great.' | Financially troubled Rangers in action against Alloa at the weekned .
Caretaker manager Kenny McDowall wants players to ignore speculation .
Rangers have not beaten Alloa in three attempts so far this season . |
fefa2624ec90dd7e8f97d82035f8bfdddd92d767 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 07:07 EST, 2 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:08 EST, 2 April 2013 . This is the terrifying moment a gunman casually strolled down a road carrying a pistol which he had threatened to shoot two officers with. Armed police swooped on the man in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, after he was seen 'calmly' walking down a road smoking a cigarette as he held the weapon. He then attempted to force his way into . what is believed to be a serving policeman's former home before . trained marksmen fired a shot in his direction - which missed. Terrifying: A man walks down a road carrying a handgun as armed police officers try and track him down in Much Wenlock, Shropshire . A police dog was then released which tackled the gunman so that officers could make an arrest. The man, in his 50s, was then taken into . custody at Malinsgate Police Station, Telford, Shropshire, following the incident on Easter Sunday. He has since been detained under the Mental Health Act. The weapon was a handgun and police forensic experts are carrying out tests to establish whether it was working. Chilling: A man strolls down the road apparently holding a gun. Police subsequently arrested a suspect who has since been detained under the Mental Health Act . Chilling: The man strolls down a snow-covered residential street. An eight-year-old boy who had been playing outside was ordered to get out of the way by police . Terrified parent Jane Shepherd, 37, captured the gunman on camera as he walked past her house. The mother-of-three said her eight-year-old son William, had been playing outside with his friends building snowmen when the man walked past holding the weapon. She said: 'Police officers ran up to them and screamed at them to get indoors. 'My son ran in and said "mum there's a man with a gun outside" and I obviously didn't believe him - I thought April Fool's Day had come early. 'But then I looked outside and I saw a man at the foot of my front garden holding a pistol and smoking a cigarette. 'He was as cool as a cucumber. At one point the police were hiding behind my car. Hunt: Two armed police officers try and track down the gunman who was carrying a handgun. A suspect was later arrested . Chase: Police marksmen who were 'on the scene in seconds' after the gunman was seen strolling down the road . 'They shot at him after he raised the pistol. 'I couldn't believe it when I just watched him mooch past the door holding a gun like he had no care in the world. 'Armed police were there in seconds, they shot but missed him and then they set the dog on him. It's a miracle nobody was hurt - because he was waving the weapon around like it was a plaything.' Eyewitness: Jane Shepherd captured the gunman on camera as he walked past her house . Mrs Shepherd who runs a construction company and has three children Katie, 10, William, eight, and George, five, added: 'I worked in London and I'm from Essex but I came up here because it is quiet and peaceful. 'Nothing like that has happened here before, it's usual so rural and tranquil and everybody is deeply shocked.' West Mercia Police have now referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. A force spokesman said: 'A shot was fired by an armed officer but no one was injured in the incident. 'Armed . officers and dog units were called in and at 4.25pm, the man was . approached as he attempted to enter a property in Stretton Road. 'Again, he appeared to threaten them with a handgun and a shot was fired by an armed officer. 'The round did not hit the man and he was arrested shortly after being tackled by a police dog. 'As in all such firearms incidents, the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.' The . spokesman added that the handgun was being examined by their Forensic . Science Firearms Laboratory team to 'establish what it was capable of'. | Boy, eight, ordered to flee by police marksmen as they hunted down the gunman in Much Wenlock, Shropshire .
Police firearms officers shot at the man, aged in his 50s, but missed .
He was later arrested after being tackled by a police dog . |
fefa38cb5513de825e505f3a83885c6a09037e58 | Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has reported that the club's injury nightmare may be over with news that Ashley Young is the only player currently sidelined. Van Gaal's debut campaign has been one decimated by an alarming number of fitness problems to key players. As a result the 63-year-old has been forced to chop and change his formations. Ahead of their Premier League clash with Southampton on Sunday, the Dutchman would not be drawn on whether United will sign any other players in January following the capture of Victor Valdes, but did reveal that Young is their only forced absentee. Manchester United's squad during a session at Aon Training Complex on Friday as they prepare to face Southampton . Louis van Gaal's fellow Dutchman Daley Blind (left) returned to training after a length injury spell alongside Andreas Pereira . Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo was also back in action after an injury lay-off . Victor Valdes (centre) is put through his paces alongside left back Luke Shaw (left) and Blind . (Left to right) Michael Carrick leads the way from Victor Valdes, Anderson, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera in training on Friday . Young's hamstring injury will keep him out for four weeks and Van Gaal said: 'We only have one injury. Can you believe it?' Valdes took part in his first official training session as a Manchester United player on Friday, after signing an 18-month deal with the club. Also in action was Daley Blind, who has been out since November with a knee injury, and Marcos Rojo, as Van Gaal oversaw his side's preparations ahead of the visit of Southampton to Old Trafford. Valdes has been training at Carrington for a while as he recovered from a knee injury. And he told the club's official website of his delight at completing a move. 'It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United. I would like to thank Louis van Gaal and the club for allowing me to do my rehabilitation and to train with the team at the Aon Training Complex,' he said. Valdes (right) receives instruction from goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek alongside Anders Lindegaard (left) and David de Gea . (Left to right) Lindegaard, Radamel Falcao, Tyler Blackett, Carrick, James Wilson, Darren Fletcher, Shaw, Blind, and Wayne Rooney run . Valdes (right) is set to be backup to regular first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea . Manchester United captain Rooney (left) takes a quick breather in training alongside midfielder Carrick . Falcao trains while holding his boots in his hand with fellow South American Antonio Valencia keeping him company . 'From my short time here I can already see this is a very special club. I worked with Louis van Gaal during my time at Barcelona and to have the opportunity to work with him here at Manchester United is a dream come true.' While Van Gaal believes competition between goalkeepers David de Gea and Valdes will help to transform United in to the best team in the world. Speaking a day after United signed the former Barcelona stopper, Van Gaal challenged him to dislodge Old Trafford number one De Gea from the team. The United manager said: 'Nobody is happy to be number two. He has to have the ambition to beat De Gea. 'That will be very hard for him but my ambition is to have the best players who can co-operate and make us the best team in the world.' (Left to right) Valencia, De Gea, Rafael, Angel di Maria, Chris Smalling and Rojo train . Louis van Gaal speaks to his players as he put them through their paces before he faces his countryman Koeman at the weekend . The Manchester United boss oversaw proceedings as he prepared his side for the visit of Southampton . Belgian pair Adnan Januzaj (left) and midfielder Marouane Fellaini share a laugh during training . Despite now vying with De Gea, Valdes was full of praise for his international team-mate. The 32-year-old, speaking to MUTV, said: 'I think now, at the moment, he [De Gea] is the best goalkeeper in the world. 'His performance every day and in every game shows everybody that his level is very high. He has had a great year and it is very nice. Now I think he is the best goalkeeper in the world.' On the anticipated rivalry, Valdes added: 'I am here to help everybody. Always in my career, I have played to help my team-mates, to help my coach and to help everybody. I am a part of the team and I am not a problem, I am just a part of the team.' Manchester United return to Premier League action after beating Yeovil in the FA Cup third round last Sunday. Van Gaal's side haven't lost in the league since a 5-3 defeat at Leicester in September, a run of 15 matches, but they have drawn three of their last four, away at Stoke, Tottenham and Aston Villa. And Sunday will see Van Gaal face former assistant Ronald Koeman, who worked under the former when he was in charge of Barcelona. The two sides met last month at St Mary's, where Manchester United prevailed 2-1 thanks to a brace from Robin van Persie. Spanish midfielder Herrera (front) leads the pack as he takes part in some training drills . (Left to right) Herrera, Blackett, Pereira, Shaw and Blind being put through their paces . Rooney trains as Blind, Paddy McNair, Robin van Persie, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans watch on . Mata takes part in another drill while team-mate Di Maria watches on . Ashley Young (right) will be out for four weeks with a hamstring injury sustained at Stoke City on New Year's Day . | Manchester United welcome Southampton to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday .
Goalkeeper Victor Valdes took part in first session after signing 18-month deal with the club .
Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo also back in action following lengthy injury lay-off .
Ashley Young will be out for four weeks after damaging his hamstring at Stoke City on New Year's Day .
Click here for more Manchester United news . |
fefa5078872d383d2ea9715a74b19dfd6ad6e705 | (CNN) -- When "Sorcery" was demonstrated during the Sony presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2010, it was touted as the quintessential game for the new Move motion controller, showcasing how action can be directed with the new device. Fast forward two years, and "Sorcery" doesn't quite live up to expectations of what the Move system could be. Despite some controller issues, it still offers a fun experience though. In it, you step into the role of Finn, a young apprentice in the art of magic who is thrust into battle against the dark forces to save a faerie princess, Erline. The princess, by the way, is a cat with a very long tail. As the game progresses, Finn discovers the ability to cast new spells, which the player casts using the Move controller. A flick of the wrist helps you select your spell and target your enemies. The navigation controller keeps Finn moving while you blast bogeys and assassins with the wand controller. Spell selection is done by holding down the Move button, then making the appropriate gesture to select your spell -- down for an earth spell, counterclockwise for an ice spell and so on. Switching spells is quick and very responsive. Players can also combine spell effects for more powerful attacks. Using an ice spell three times will freeze an enemy and allow them to be shattered with a magic missile. A whirlwind can be created with an air spell, then using a fire spell will spew fire bolts all over the place. However, targeting your opponents gets a little tricky. Players are supposed to aim higher for foes located on a higher level than Finn, but those shots don't seem as consistent as level ones. Unfortunately, the foes on ledges and stairs seem to have no problem raining down shots on you. Also, when multiple foes start attacking, that flicking action can be a bit hard on the arm and shoulder. Take frequent breaks or else suffer the aches later. The player will collect raw materials to make potions that restore health and enhance spell abilities. There is also treasure to be found, and it can be used to buy more materials for those potions. Interestingly, once you create a potion and drink it, you never have to make that potion again. The only potions to be reused repeatedly are health potions, which can be bought or found but not created. The Move controller creates the potions. You are asked to go through the motions of grinding berries, sprinkling dust or pouring a liquid into a cauldron, and then must stir using the wand controller to mix the ingredients together. Despite being a role-playing game, there is no traditional "leveling up." Any advancement happens through the potions you create and quaff and the spells you find as the game progresses. The game's dialogue is funny and spirited. There are plenty of quips and one-liners but unfortunately no chances for players to retort. The voice actors for Finn and Erline project real emotions into the characters and help the players feel empathic to their fears, their jokes and their hopes. "Sorcery" should be the right game for the Move controller, and in many ways, it is. The action flows well, the story is easy to follow and the characters are noteworthy. It isn't a very deep game, but as an introduction of sorts to Sony's Move tech, it doesn't have to be. "Sorcery" is now available for the PlayStation 3, and only uses the Move motion controller, navigation controller and Eye camera. It is rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 years of age and older due to fantasy violence, mild blood, and mild suggestive themes. This review was done using a provided retail copy for the PS3. | "Sorcery" showcases the Sony Move's capabilities .
The game is fun, but aiming with the controller is sometimes imprecise .
The game features Finn, a sorcerer's apprentice who must save a princess .
It has fun dialogue but no chance for players to respond . |
fefa7a8f6b26fb893903767f9367ce4c2f350bf7 | Scandal: Ex leader of the Paedophile Information Exchange, Tom O'Carroll, was jailed for child sex offences, and claimed today that 'Harman and co' made no effort to remove him or other members . Fresh questions emerged today about how influential a despised paedophile group were in the civil liberties organisation that Harriet Harman helped run before she became an MP. The former leader of the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) said the Labour Deputy Leader and the National Council of Civil Liberties (NCCL) made 'no attempts' to 'kick out' his group. Tom O'Carroll, who has been convicted of a number of child sex offences and was described as 'one of the most infamous perverts on Earth', sat on the NCCL's gay rights sub-committee in the late 1970s. In the eight years PIE was given affiliate status, O'Carroll said he spoke at the NCCL's 1977 Spring conference, two years after he helped lead a campaign to cut the age of consent to as low as ten. Today he told the BBC that Ms Harman and . Patricia Hewitt, then general secretary of the NCCL, and later a Labour health secretary, 'didn't even try' to remove him or other members because they 'didn't want to rock the boat' to protect their own careers. 'Really they didn't do much to oppose PIE's presence in my view because . there were these other liberal forces, or radical forces, within NCCL,' he told the Today Programme. 'The . support didn't come from Harman and co but it was there. The gay . liberation front was very radical and at that time Harman and Patricia . Hewitt couldn't just kick out PIE, well they could both try but they . didn't even try and the reason they didn't try is they didn't want to . rock the boat because their careers within NCCL depended on them not . rocking the boat too much.' Scroll down for video . Questions remain: Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman arrives in Oxford today for a media convention . Scandal: After six days of questions over her links to a paedophile group, Labour's Harriet Harman has finally expressed regret but not a full apology . He told the programme he never met Ms Harman or her husband Jack Dromey, who was on the NCCL's executive, but he met Ms Hewitt briefly at a conference in Sheffield in 1978. He said: 'I spoke to her when we were just going up a floor or two in a lift and she was somewhat frosty. 'I . said something to her, I think as a pleasantry, and she didn't take it . that way. She said that I'd been rude to her afterwards, which I hadn't . been. 'My impression was that she simply had great distaste for being in the same lift as me.' His comments were rubbished today by people including, Jack Dromey, who said the convicted paedophile has no credibility. Mr Dromey said in a statement: 'Quite simply, no one will believe a man like Tom O'Carroll.' Big players: Harriet Harman once legal officer . of the NCCL, now Labour Deputy Leader and husband Jack Dromey, right, a . Left-wing firebrand, now a shadow minister . O'Carroll was not the only prominent member to find themselves in court charged with appalling sex offences. They . included David Joy, a member of its governing committee, prosecuted for . indecent assault, child rape and possession of 1,129 indecent images of . children. Patricia Hewitt: General Secretary of the NCCL. O'Carroll said he met her in a lift but never met Mr Dromey or Ms Harman . They also . included Andrew Sadler, a prep school teacher and PIE organiser jailed . in Romania for sexual corruption and sex with a minor; Steven Smith, a former . chairman, who was jailed for possessing indecent images; and Morris . Fraser, a co-founder. Harriet Harman belatedly expressed ‘regret’ yesterday that the vile paedophile group was allowed to forge links with the National Council for Civil Liberties. But she still refused to apologise over the NCCL’s extraordinary relationship with the notorious Paedophile Information Exchange. Labour’s deputy leader has repeatedly resisted calls to comment on the Mail’s revelations that she, her MP husband Jack Dromey and former health secretary Patricia Hewitt held key roles in the pressure group that granted ‘affiliate’ status to PIE, a group of predatory paedophiles who openly campaigned to legalise child sex. On Monday evening, Miss Harman dismissed the revelations as a ‘politically-motivated smear campaign’. But hours after a disastrous BBC Newsnight appearance she abruptly changed tack. Faced with questions over why she found it so difficult in the interview to condemn the link with PIE – who wanted the age of consent to be four – Miss Harman issued a statement yesterday through her spokesman, who said: ‘She regrets the existence of PIE and she regrets their involvement with NCCL before she joined, although it was immaterial to her work.’ Document: This is the cover page of the NCCL's submission to Parliament on the 1976 Sexual Offences Act held at the LSE library, which suggests that the age of consent be lowered to 14 . Damning: On page six of the document it is argued that 'a person aged 14 or over should be legally capable of giving consent' and the age of sexual consent cut to ten 'if the child understood the nature of the act' Former culture secretary Tessa Jowell has said Ms Harman had been a . lifelong feminist and 'wasn't chasing wacky causes' during the 1970s. She . told Today: 'Harriet, Jack Dromey, were completely consistent in their . opposition to the vile influence of the Paedophile Information . Exchange.' Ms Jowell said there was 'not one shred of evidence that they gave any comfort to this revolting organisation'. She . added: 'There's no question of post-hoc justification here. The . evidence shows how vigorous Jack Dromey was in his attack on the . Paedophile Information Exchange. 'Harriet's work at NCCL didn't bring her into contact with them at all.' 1978 briefing: The NCCL legal officer Harriet Harman wrote this briefing paper on the Protection of Children Bill, which sought to ban child pornography. She argued that it would lead to an 'increase in censorship' Argument: The second page contains a paragraph saying that a picture should not be considered indecent if the model was not harmed . Recommendations: Miss Harman's briefing went on that the NCCL would argue that the Bill to protect children should be amended . Signed: The Labour Deputy Leader's name is carried at the bottom of a briefing that argued that a pornographic picture of a naked child should not be considered indecent unless it could be proven that the subject had suffered . Jack Dromey has spoken out for the first time and said he is 'proud' of his support for a controversial civil liberties organisation in the 1970s. He also said that he led the fight to stop paedophiles having any influence in it. Mr Dromey said he chose to stay within the civil liberties organisation and led the fight against paedophile attempts to infiltrate it. He said: 'I took them on and defeated them. They published a leaflet denouncing me.' Asked why he didn't simply resign from the NCCL when the Paedophile Information Exchange became involved, he said he believed it was important to stay and fight them. 'I stayed and took them on. 'I'm proud of the stand that I took. They are loathsome. And I'm proud of the stand that I took taking them on. 'So the idea that we should allow these . sinister men, and they were sinister, to infiltrate the NCCL and then we . should walk away - that was not appropriate. 'NCCL did outstanding work. That includes the early foundations of work on children's rights. On women's rights. On gay rights. On trade union rights.' The Mail revealed . that during the 1970s and 80s, the NCCL described PIE – . granted formal ‘affiliate’ status from 1975 to the mid-Eighties – in . glowing terms as ‘a campaigning/counselling group for adults attracted . to children’. AGM minutes: This page reveals how the PIE was represented at an NCCL AGM at the University of Lancaster. Below the list of organisations present is Jack Dromey's name, after he was re-elected to the executive committee of the NCCL in 1977 . The NCCL – . now the respected Liberty – filed a submission to Parliament claiming . that ‘childhood sexual experiences, willingly engaged in, with an adult, . result in no identifiable damage’. NCCL lawyers also acted for PIE members who were questioned by police over their disgusting behaviour. Ms Hewitt was general secretary of . the NCCL from 1974-83. Miss Harman was a newly qualified solicitor when . she became its legal officer in 1978 until 1982, when she entered . Parliament. Mr Dromey sat on the NCCL executive committee from 1970 to . 1979. Police are . investigating PIE as part of Operation Fernbridge, launched after the . Jimmy Savile affair, with one source saying there is evidence that PIE . members were abusing children ‘on an industrial scale’. The . Home Office is also carrying out a ‘thorough, independent . investigation’ into shocking claims that the Labour government of the . 1970s may have helped finance the notorious group. Ever . since December, when The Mail first investigated the NCCL’s links to . the paedophile lobby, we have been sending detailed questions to Miss . Harman, Miss Hewitt and Mr Dromey about their links to PIE and whether . they now regret supporting such a group. | Convicted child abuser Tom O'Carroll led PIE and sat on gay rights committee of National Council of Civil Liberties .
He says Harriet Harman and Patricia Hewitt 'didn't even try' to remove him or others from NCCL .
'They didn't want to .
rock the boat because their careers within NCCL depended on them not .
rocking the boat too much,' he told BBC .
O'Carroll says he never met Ms Harman or her husband Jack Dromey, but says he spoke to Ms Hewitt in a lift at a Sheffield conference .
Ms Harman has expressed regret at PIE's links to the NCCL but did not offer a full apology . |
fefab2606119758f1695faa09524bd1ce71eaf96 | His dramatic post-court speech, in which he announced he had saved Casey Anthony's life, drew gasps almost as loud as those that came when the jury found his client not guilty of murdering her young daughter. It was a rather bold statement to make by defence lawyer of the moment Jose Baez, who has been called 'the luckiest man in America' by one lawyer. Baez was chosen by Casey Anthony to represent her 'at random', court tapes revealed, after she heard his name mentioned by other prison inmates. It was a choice many questioned at the time - both among her family and in the legal profession. Scroll down for video . Delighted: Man of the moment Jose Baez pulls off the victory of his career . Speaking to the Miami Herald, Robert Jarvis, a lawyer and law professor at Nova Southeastern University, echoed the thoughts of many when he called Baez: 'The luckiest man in America.' In taking on the job of attempting to clear Anthony of murder charges related to the death of her two-year-old daughter Caylee, Baez went from being a small-time local lawyer to the defence attorney in the most high-profile case in America. Jeff Ashton, one of the three . prosecutors who led the case against Anthony, announced tonight that he . will retire at the end of the week. Mr Ashton, 53, has prosecuted for the . Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office for 30 years. His reputation and . experience was in stark contrast to that of Jose Baez, Anthony's lead . defence attorney, who was admitted to the Florida Bar only three years . ago. In 2008, when the decision went public, Richard Hornsby, the president of the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers, was shocked. 'I first said, "Jose who?" Hornsby told ABC News. 'I had no idea who he was.' Baez, 42, a Navy veteran, took almost a decade simply to start practising as a professional lawyer. Despite graduating from law school in 1997, he was was perennially denied entry to the Florida bar until 2005 - because he refused to pay child support to his former wife or secure life and health insurance for his teenage daughter. Hand in hand: Baez clings tight to Anthony as they await today's verdict . Victory for them both: Casey and Baez hug after she is found not guilty today . Relief: Casey Anthony clings on and cries as Baez looks proudly ahead . He had previously declared himself bankrupt and defaulted on loans, according to an order by the Supreme Court of Florida. As a result, he was barred from the bar for eight years, because, according to the Florida Supreme Court, the financial marks on his name showed 'a lack of respect for the rights of others and a total lack of respect for the legal system, which is absolutely inconsistent with the character and fitness qualities required of those seeking to be afforded the highest position of trust and confidence recognised by our system of law.' 'It kind of happened at random in booking. 'I . heard a couple of people talking about attorneys... His name came up and . I said if he's good, can you do me a favour and pass my name along' Casey Anthony on why she hired Baez . The decision to hire Baez was also criticised by Anthony's family. In jail house tapes from July 2008 played to the court, Lee Anthony, Casey's brother, warned her to switch attorneys. Understand your rights in this... If at any point you want to change jockeys in this horse race, you can do it…it's as simple as you reaching out to anyone in the Corrections Department…and make it known on what you want to do,' he told his sister. Her father George Anthony added: 'I just, I hope that the compassion that he says that he has is being . genuine…I hope he's not building a reputation for himself.' When Lee probed her on how she came to hire Baez, Casey explained: 'It kind of happened at random in booking. 'I heard a couple of people talking about attorneys...His name came up and I said if he's good, can you do me a favour and pass my name along…It was an inmate and there was three other people that confirmed it.' In court, Baez faced much media criticism for what appeared to be a series of bold and dangerous moves, which could have scuppered his defence case. He was slammed, in particular, almost daily by notorious host Nancy Grace for his choice of argument in court and for 'relishing in the spotlight' outside of it, supposedly using the case as an opportunity for fame. In his opening statements, Baez stunned onlookers by claiming his client had lied all along about what had happened to her daughter. Furious: Nancy Grace has continually argued against Baez's tactics in court . She was no longer arguing that a nanny had taken her for a month before her disappearance was reported but that a tragic accident in her parents' swimming pool led to them attempting to cover up little Caylee's death. Baez then told the court she had lied . because of psychological problems that stemmed from Casey having been . sexually abused by her father - a claim he completely denied. 'You can't say they won because of Jose Baez but I guess you can say they won in spite of Jose Baez' Nancy Grace on the verdict . Once the new story was established, Baez essentially backed himself into a corner, critics argued. The . only witness who could corroborate these bold claims was Casey herself . and legal experts almost always warn against bringing one's client to . the stand. As it transpired, the claims were never backed up and Casey did not give evidence. Baez . was heavily criticised throughout the case by notorious host Nancy . Grace and was labelled 'incompetent' on one of her shows. Speaking . with defence attorney Raymond Giudice about testimony instigated by . Baez that Caylee's remains may have been tampered with by woodland . animals, Grace said: 'You know what? Maybe it was a dingo dog or . Sasquatch or Bigfoot or a martian! 'You . know what? I really think -- you know, I see you laughing, but here`s . the deal.. The defence can`t laugh. They've done it now. They can sit . there and laugh in open court. What were they thinking? A coyote did . it?' Different: Baez was criticised for using so many posters and charts in court . Giudice responded: 'We`re seeing is an entire team, not just Mr Baez, their incompetency.' After the not guilty verdict was announced today, Grace said rather ungraciously: 'You can't say they won because of Jose Baez but I guess you can say they won in spite of Jose Baez.' Baez had been practising as a lawyer for just three years when he was booked by Anthony. In his highest profile case before the Anthony trial, he defended a Nilton Diaz, a man accused of killing the granddaughter of a boxer. After Diaz was convicted of manslaughter, the client filed a . motion arguing that Baez was a defective attorney, although his motion was denied. While he was waiting to be admitted to the bar he worked with two bikini businesses - Bon Bon Bikinis and Brazilian-Bikinis.com, which are both now inactive. He also worked for not for profit organisations which fought to prevent domestic violence and child abuse. While his profile has soared since the Anthony trial began, Baez's financial troubles have not ceased. 'Saved a life': Baez addresses the media after the historic result . His home was in foreclosure last . year, according to reports, and it is unclear how he was paid to . represent Anthony, although money from sales of pictures and footage of . Caylee are thought to have contributed. 'He's . a guy with a colourful and complicated past and a very confusing . present,' Robert Jarvis, a lawyer and professor at Nova Southeastern . University Law Center told ABC News during the case. 'His courtroom demeanour leaves you with a sense that this is a guy who is in over his head. 'He's really flying by the seat of his pants. From his very confusing open, from the way he's been cross examining witnesses, at this point, you really have to wonder what his strategy is.' Despite all the criticism, however, today's result is an undoubted milestone success for the attorney - which is perhaps why he so basked in the moment. Turnaround: Baez won despite claims he took the job for fame . As the clerk of the court read the verdicts, Anthony hugged Baez and soon after began to cry. Later, as the judge spoke to the jury, she could be seen mouthing . 'thank you' to him, before the whole defence team hugged in tears like a victorious sports team as the . session ended. In a bizarre speech given after the case in both English and Spanish, Baez appeared shaken with emotion as he shamelessly declared that his defence had ‘saved a life’. He told the media he was ‘very happy for Casey. I’m ecstatic for her and I want her to be able to grieve and grow and somehow get her life back together’ but spent much of the speech focussed on how the moment felt for him. He used to opportunity to speak out against Casey’s ‘trial by media’ and the death penalty, which he labelled ‘disgusting’, before saying: ‘I want to thank everyone who stood behind me and supported me throughout this time.’ The speech then reached its climax as, holding back tears, Baez declared he was especially proud that when he went home this evening his daughter ‘will ask me what did you do today and I can say I saved a life.’ Watch the videos . | 'I saved a life' says Casey lawyer .
Lawyer Baez took years to reach bar due to 'child support issues'
Casey on decision to take lawyer - 'If he's good, ill take him'
Lawyer up for TV show and other deals after win . |
fefb0302ad8a8106f40a221d5efa2838e580f37f | A day after he was heckled by new New York Police Department officers at an academy graduation ceremony, the city's mayor sat down with union heads in a bid to clear the air between the two sides. Mayor Bill de Blasio was joined by Police Commissioner William Bratton on Tuesday afternoon at the Police Academy in Queens for the private meeting with union heads. De Blasio had requested the meeting with the heads of all five police unions following several displays of disrespect against him by officers in the wake of the shooting deaths of officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. Scroll down for video . A day after he was heckled by new New York Police Department officers at an academy graduation ceremony, Mayor de Blasio sat down with union heads in a bid to clear the air between the two sides . A rift between de Blasio and much of the NYPD's rank and file has widened recently following the two murders on December 20 and City Hall's response to protests over police conduct. Union leaders have blamed the mayor for fostering an anti-NYPD atmosphere and said it contributed to the officers' deaths. Present was one of the mayor's harshest critics Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association chief Pat Lynch whose son, Kevin, graduated from the academy on Monday. He has accused de Blasio of having 'blood on his hands' over the two deaths at the hands of Ismaaiyl Brinsley. The Democratic mayor was elected last year on promises of keeping crime low while reforming the NYPD. Meanwhile, police unions have been seeking new contracts. Another union leader, Captains Endowment Association President Roy Richter, has informed officers not to turn their backs on the mayor at the upcoming funeral of Officer Liu. Among the NYPD union leaders that de Blasio met with on Tuesday was Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association chief Pat Lynch, left, and Captains Endowment Association President Roy Richter, right . 'In this forum the appropriate protest is not a sign or turning away from mourners, or people the family has asked to speak, but rather cold, steely silence,' he wrote in a memo to his membership on Tuesday. Three days ago, dozens of police officers showed their disdain for de Blasio byturning their backs to a video monitor as the Mayor spoke at the funeral of Liu's partner, Rafael Ramos. Richter says there can be no repeat of this at Liu's wake and funeral this weekend, reports the New York Daily News. 'In the coming days and weeks you will be looked upon by many for guidance, leadership and advice at a time when many of our peers and officers under our care are deeply angry,' he wrote. 'Unfortunately, but understandably, this anger provided visual displays of back-turning at the funeral of Police Officer Ramos that caused pain for his loved ones.' NYPD officers are letting minor crimes slide in the wake of the murder of two cops shot while on duty in Brooklyn just over a week ago, claim sources within the department . De Blasio angered police by expressing sympathy for protesters demonstrating against a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to prosecute a white cop for killing Eric Garner with a chokehold. NYPD officers are letting minor crimes slide in the wake of the murder of two cops shot while on duty in Brooklyn just over a week ago, claim sources within the department. An unnamed supervisor told the New York Post on Monday that his officers are writing significantly fewer summonses and 'probably only making arrests when they have to - like when a store catches a shoplifter.' 'I'm not writing any summonses. Do you think I'm going to stand there so someone can shoot me or hit me in the head with an ax?' one cop told the Post. 'I'm concerned about my safety. I want to go to home to my wife and kids.' A union mandate requiring that two patrol cars respond to all police calls – introduced following the shootings of Officers Ramos and Liu – has also contributed to slower response times to non-emergencies. The PBA's directive is creating a manpower shortage that is delaying response times to crimes such as burglaries and car crashes to as much as four hours, according to the paper. Mayor de Blasio was booed on Monday by the newest members of the NYPD as he delivered a speech at the academy graduation ceremony. Several boos could be heard at Madison Square Garden as de Blasio took the podium in front of 884 newly-minted cops. Mayor de Blasio ignored the boos and thanked the new recruits for their service to the city of New York . At least one cadet could be heard shouting 'traitor!' Then, when de Blasio remarked that the new officers would be confronted with problems they didn't make, someone from the crowd shouted, 'You created them!' The heckler was met with applause and cheering. The incident shows that mistrust has taken hold even among the NYPD's newest officers. On Saturday, hundreds of cops turned their backs on de Blasio as he spoke at the funeral for Officer Rafael Ramos, one of two NYPD cops gunned down by a fanatic who was enraged about recent police brutality cases - including the death of Staten Island resident Eric Garner. The Mayor has come in for sharp criticism from the police union after expressing sympathy for protesters who took to the streets in the wake of a grand jury's failure to indict the NYPD cop who allegedly put Garner in a chokehold. At least one of the new NYPD academy graduate shouted 'traitor!' as the mayor took the podium in front of 884 newly minted cops . Tense: The Mayor (left) and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton (second from left) stood on stage with police union president Patrick Lunch (second from right) - who has said de Blasio has 'blood on his hands' Thousands of friends and family members filled Madison Square Garden - along with the nearly 900 recruits . In a speech following the grand jury decision, de Blasio, whose children are half-black, recounted how he told his teenage son Dante how to deal with the police and that he might be discriminated against by the NYPD. Patrolman's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said de Blasio had 'blood on his hands' in the death of Ramos and his partner Officer Wenjian Liu, who were assassinated on December 20 as they sat in their squad car in Brooklyn. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said on Sunday that the strife between de Blasio and the rank-and-file officers is likely to last 'for some time.' City Hall and the Patrolman's Benevolent Association are in the midst of rancorous contract negotiations that are set to go to arbitration - further exacerbating the strife. The Mayor and Lynch - his most outspoken critic - came face-to-face on Monday when they posed together for a photo for an award that the PBA gives out for the top squad sergeant from the graduating class. Lynch's son Kevin is among the graduating class. | The mayor sat down with union heads on Tuesday in a bid to clear the air between the two sides .
De Blasio had requested the meeting with the heads of all five police unions following several displays of disrespect against him .
Union leaders have blamed the mayor for fostering an anti-NYPD atmosphere and said it contributed to the murder of two officers .
Present was one of the mayor's harshest critics Patrolmen's Benevolent Association chief Pat Lynch .
Captains Endowment Association President Roy Richter has informed officers not to turn their backs on the mayor at the funeral of Officer Liu . |
fefba8d5fbccb1ab5edd54a4d4c51b83e65fbfe1 | After a year roaming the surface of Mars, Nasa has failed to find any evidence that its atmosphere is supporting life, it was revealed today. The Curiosity rover currently scanning the Red Planet has not detected any methane, a gas that is produced by living things. Since landing in Gale Crater last year, every morning and evening the car-size probe has analysed Mars' air and scanned it with a tiny laser in search of the greenhouse gas. Scroll down for video . Disappointment: The Curiosity rover has scanned Mars for methane every day but has not found any, which probably means it does not support life . Not finding it means that it is unlikely that microbes . capable of producing the gas are living below the planet's surface, . scientists said today. NASA had high hopes that the rover would inhale methane after . orbiting spacecraft and Earth-based telescopes detected plumes of the . gas several years ago. On Earth, most of the gas is a by-product of . life, spewed when animals digest or plants decay. 'If you had microbial life somewhere on Mars that was really healthy and . cranking away, you might see some of the signatures of that in the . atmosphere,' said mission scientist Paul Mahaffy of NASA's Goddard Space . Flight Center. During Curiosity's first eight months on the red planet, it probed . the air during the day and at night as the season changed from spring to . summer. Journey: Curiosity has traveled around one mile in the past year. This map shows where the rover has been between landing at 'Bradbury Landing' on August 6 last year and August 1 . 'Every time we looked, we never saw it,' said Christopher . Webster, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who led the research . published online in the journal Science. Webster said while the . result was 'disappointing in many ways,' the hunt for the elusive gas . continues. While methane is linked to living things, it can also be made . by non-biological processes. Mars today is a hostile place - . extremely dry and constantly bombarded by radiation. Billions of years . ago, the planet boasted a thicker atmosphere and possible lakes. Scientists generally agree that nothing can exist on the Martian surface . at present since it's too toxic. If there are living things on Mars, . scientists theorize they're likely underground. Just because . Curiosity didn't detect methane near its landing site doesn't mean the . gas is not present elsewhere on the planet, said Bill Nye, chief . executive of the Planetary Society, a space advocacy group. At work: Curiosity spends its time analysing all elements of Mars using a series of lasers and probes - but some results have been disappointing fo scientists on Earth . 'Suppose . you're an alien coming to Earth and you landed in the Four Corners . area, would you feel as if you've explored the Earth?' he said. Several . years ago, scientists became excited at the prospect of . methane-producing microbes after Michael Mumma of NASA's Goddard Space . Flight Center noticed a mysterious belch of methane from three regions . in Mars' western hemisphere. Mumma, who had no role in the latest study, said he stood by his observations. Earlier . this month, Curiosity reached its first rest stop in its long trek . toward Mount Sharp, a mountain rising from Gale Crater near the equator. The rover will take monthly readings of the Martian atmosphere during . the road trip, expected to last almost a year. Curiosity previously . found evidence of an ancient environment that could have once been . suitable for microscopic life. While the latest finding diminishes hope . for present-day life, scientists still hope to uncover signs of ancient . life by looking for organic compounds at the base of Mount Sharp. | Curiosity rover has found no sign of methane, which is produced by life .
Robot has spent a year on Red Planet scanning its surface and atmosphere .
'If you had life somewhere on Mars, you might see some', NASA says . |
fefbadfd98e20a6896fa8d17e60bc2e964736567 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Energy prices in Britain will rise unless urgent action is taken to prevent Russia holding countries to ransom by cutting off gas supplies, a minister has warned. Energy Secretary Ed Davey warned aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin could quickly force up costs for families in the UK. Energy security will be high on the agenda of a meeting of the G7 meeting in Rome early next month. Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) has claimed it is 'impossible' European countries will stop buying Russian gas, but British Energy Secretary Ed Davey urged action to improve energy security . A quarter of Europe’s gas comes from Russia, half of which passes through Ukraine which has been the focus of mounting tensions after the Crimea region was annexed by Moscow. Last week President Putin insisted it was ‘impossible’ for Europe to stop buying gas from Russia. In Britain there is growing concern about the impact of moves by Russia to use gas supplies to increase its stranglehold on the region. Ministers from Britain will join counterparts from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US to draw up a plan to speed up alternative energy supplies. The G7 talks on May 5 and 6 will examine how to increase gas storage, find alternative supplies and reopen nuclear power stations which have been closed down. Mr Davey said: ‘It can’t be right for Russia to hold individual countries to ransom. This is an issue we cannot allow to go off the table. ‘There have been at least two, if not three, occasions in recent times when Russia has sought to use its energy superpower status in quite an aggressive manner,’ he told The Times. ‘If this [the current Ukraine crisis] goes away, who is to say it won’t happen again? Putin wrote his Phd about the possibility of Russia using energy to reassert its political status.’ Tensions have mounted over Russian gas supplies to Ukraine, and the wider impact on the rest of Europe . He insisted that the EU should show ‘solidarity’ with countries at risk from Russian aggression and show ‘we mean business’. ‘If, because of Russian action, EU gas prices go up, that affects consumers and businesses here very quickly. Gas and energy goes around the world, so we are interrelated. ‘We have got to look at everything, from more diversified supplies of gas, whether it’s from the US, from shale, or helping other countries who are demanding a lot of gas now but who needn’t. Maybe Japan will turn on some of its reactors.’ Russian Vladimir Putin . However, President Putin has been dismissive of the idea that countries will reduce their demand for Russian gas. In an interview last week, he said: ‘Of course, everyone is taking care about supply diversification. There, in Europe, they talk about increasing independence from the Russian supplier... It's just like we begin to talk and take action towards independence from our consumers.' 'We sell gas in European countries which have around 30-35 percent of their gas balance covered by supplies from Russia. Can they stop buying Russian gas? In my opinion it is impossible.' EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger also opposes cutting back gas ties with Russia. In an interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper, Mr Oettinger conceded there is a risk of Russia cutting supplies to Ukraine, an important transit country, over unpaid bills. But he added: ‘We agree that the gas sector should not be a priority in possible economic sanctions — whether on the European or Russian side.’ He added that he is ‘against reducing or even breaking off gas relations with Russia in the coming years. However, we must pursue our diversification strategy’. | G7 countries to hold talks on how to improve energy security .
A quarter of Europe's gas supply comes from Russian pipelines .
Energy Secretary Ed Davey warns prices in the UK are vulnerable . |
fefcde14475058e901b9343b53493e599e75e69e | (CNN) -- Greece may have given us the word democracy and many of the principles of civil society. But now it is "the sick man of Europe," and the people of other European democracies are asking whether it's worth saving with billions more dollars of their money. Put crudely, their argument is this: So what if Greece slides ignominiously out of the eurozone? Goodbye Greece... In continental terms, Greece is peripheral. It doesn't sit on reservoirs of oil, and it relies on agriculture and tourism as money-earners. It accounts for just 5% of the European Union's economic output. With the Cold War long over, its strategic position on the edge of the Balkans is not as important as it was. Second, critics question whether Greece has the will or capacity to stay within the eurozone. In last Sunday's elections, the main Greek parties -- those that had promised to swallow the medicine doled out by the European Union and International Monetary Fund -- were trounced at the polls. Thursday, a third political leader was invited to try to form a government. Greek commentators predict no stable coalition is likely -- and new elections probable, just as a further $15 billion of austerity measures are due. Two weeks ago, the governor of Greece's Central Bank, George Provopoulos, warned that unless the country stayed the course, there could be "a disorderly regression, taking the country back several decades and eventually driving it out of the euro area and the European Union." A majority of Greek -- some 70% -- tell pollsters they want the country to remain in the eurozone. But a substantial minority have just voted for parties that oppose what they see as austerity imposed by Berlin. They believe the medicine is actually making the situation worse. This year, the Central Bank forecasts the economy will shrink by 5%, after a 7% contraction last year. That means fewer jobs, less tax revenue and more difficulty meeting debt obligations. Third, is the endless bailout smart economics? Or does it just perpetuate the crisis, as new debt replaces old? A confidential analysis by the IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission in February projected that Greek debt would still amount to 129% of GDP in 2020 and could be as high as 160%. The analysis, obtained by Reuters in February, estimated Greece would need some $175 billion in financing over the next two years. Some argue that so long as Greece uses the euro as its currency, it will never become competitive. Research by investment bank Goldman Sachs concluded Greece needed a real depreciation in its exchange rate of a whopping 30% to restore competitiveness. Compare its situation to that of Iceland, which after a financial meltdown in 2008 thanks to its over-stretched banking sector, went cold turkey with a 40% devaluation of its currency and let bank creditors whistle in the wind. Now it's started growing again, albeit modestly. U.S. economist Kenneth Rogoff has argued that Athens should be granted a sabbatical from the eurozone while remaining in the European Union, allowing it reintroduce the drachma at a deep discount to the euro and making its tourism industry wildly popular. Hans-Werner Sim, head of German think tank Ifo, agrees. The money being showered on Greece to keep it in the eurozone would be better spent lubricating its departure, he says. "The drachma will immediately depreciate, and the situation will stabilize very quickly. After a short thunderstorm, the sun will shine again," he told German magazine der Spiegel. Fourth, beyond the discouraging arithmetic, some argue that the Greek state is too dysfunctional to cope with its massive obligations. Greece has a tax system that barely works, recalcitrant labor unions and extensive graft. The latest corruption league table from Transparency International ranks Greece as 80th - along with El Salvador. "For decades the political elite, mired in corruption and rent-seeking, has followed the path of wasteful spending and patronage," wrote Kostas Bakoyannis, the mayor of Karpenisi, in the Wall Street Journal last month. Greece hasn't privatized a single, state-owned industry despite repeated promises to do so. Its social fabric is fraying and it has a growing problem with political violence. Add to that, now, an unstable political order. And finally, if Greece is unable to get its house in order and uncertainty persists, the dreaded contagion effect will rear its head again. It's a truism that markets hate uncertainty, and for the last year Greece has delivered it in weekly installments. The never-ending melodrama could worsen the psychological climate for other "olive-belt" members of the eurozone. Negotiations on restructuring Greek sovereign debt have already left international investors wary of buying other south European debt. According to the Financial Times last month, investors have withdrawn $130 billion from Europe's sovereign bond markets over the past two years. On the other hand... The opposing argument is that a "disorderly default" or even a managed exit by Greece would have far-reaching consequences for Europe -- none of them good -- and misreads the Greek mood. Pierpaolo Barbieri, Ernest May Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center, has written extensively about Europe's financial crisis. "Greek voters have turned against the old duopoly of PASOK and New Democracy," he says, referring to the dominant parties of the past 30 years. "They are tired of crisis. That doesn't mean they are against being part of the eurozone. They realize their savings would be wiped out if a devalued drachma took the place of the euro and that Greek banks would collapse. So it's important to separate the weakness of the existing political parties from the issue of the bailouts and the eurozone." Second, there is no playbook for leaving the single currency, no rules governing expulsion. It was just never envisaged. A new Greek government, by persistently defaulting on debt repayments, might effectively vote itself out of the eurozone, but the process would be messy. Greek companies that take advantage of the single market would be badly affected. "Any announcement of Greece's departure would wreck havoc in the markets. If Greeks elected someone who wanted to pursue this path, it would be impossible to get back in at a later date," Barbieri told CNN. In addition, he says, there is no guarantee that excising Greece from the eurozone will relieve pressure on other members. It might simply refocus anxiety on the next most vulnerable state. "If Greece were to fall out, what would that say to Portugal, Italy, Spain and Ireland? There would be a danger to the whole European construction, including the single market. The Germans often say "If the euro fails then Europe fails" -- and project Europe has been at the core of German foreign policy for half a century." Italy, Spain and Portugal are in the middle of painful restructuring; just this week the Spanish government announced it would have to step in to rescue the country's third largest bank. The worst-case scenario: that the whole concept of an "ever-closer union" toward which Europe has been striving will unwind, one state at a time. "Europe will have difficulty forming a federation, if its first action is to jettison countries that are unable to make ends meet," wrote commentator Barbara Spinelli in the Italian newspaper la Repubblica. Let them eat carrots . Is there a way to muddle through? Maybe. But it will require a tilt from "austerity" toward "growth" to persuade the Greeks that their suffering will not be endless. The basic choice may remain bailout or bankruptcy, but the bailout can be sweetened, as a spokesman for EU Economics Commissioner Olli Rehn hinted Tuesday. "We can do lots to assist Greece, and we are doing so. Our member states, our taxpayers in other European member states of the euro area, are providing this solidarity," he said. Concrete action must follow, says Barbieri. "Europe needs to show the Greeks that they have reason to hope by staying the course, that it won't just be pain and more pain. There have to be measures to help growth, such as European investment projects in infrastructure and help for small and medium businesses starved for funding, which can be achieved through the European Investment Bank. The ECB should continue to help Greek banks, so as to start lending again." Next year, Angela Merkel will be seeking a third term as German chancellor. If she gets one, analysts say, she may have greater freedom to tilt toward growth. "It would be a positive development if Francois Hollande [the newly elected French President] could hasten this development and create 'rewards' for reforming countries, so as to remind European electorates the monetary union is not a 'suicide pact,' says Barbieri. It may be that even with a rancorous political atmosphere, mass unemployment and street protests, Greece is actually making progress. If (yes, it's a large if) the next round of public spending cuts goes through Greece get close to achieving what's called a primary balance, its revenue will pay for its spending. According to the Central Bank, the economy may finally stop shrinking in 2013. But 2013 seems a long way off, and these are the first tentative steps toward convalescence. Anyone who has seen the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" will recall what happened to the man who insisted he wasn't dead yet. | Greece doesn't sit on oil reservoirs; it relies on agriculture, tourism as money-earners .
Critics question whether Greece has the will or capacity to stay within the eurozone .
Some argue that so long as Greece uses the euro, it will never become competitive . |
fefcf4dbaea0a8f6569e9402e50ddbf2df04395e | (CNN) -- Ask Gavin MacLeod about virtually anybody, and he'll have something nice to say. Cary Grant? "To look like him for 10 minutes." Gregory Peck? "What a gentleman." Frank Sinatra? "One of the great moments of my life, getting to shake that man's hand." Except Bette Davis. Oh, MacLeod's not angry. But in his new memoir, "This Is Your Captain Speaking" (written with Mark Dagostino and out Tuesday ), he has an amusing story about inviting Davis to dinner during the height of his early '80s "Love Boat" fame. The Hollywood grande dame proved to be less than a gracious guest. Davis argued with another guest, upset MacLeod's wife and, afterward, insulted her hosts in the newspaper. But even with Davis, MacLeod looks on the sunny side. "We got a good story and a good laugh out of it," he writes in the book. MacLeod is a happy guy. His enthusiasm and generous spirit run through his new memoir like bright threads. In the midst of recollections about his early stage career, his years as a character actor in countless TV shows and his well-known turns on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Love Boat," he'll slow down the recollections to pay tribute to former co-stars and little-known colleagues with a "Wow!" and "Can you imagine?" He drops exclamation points frequently, still stunned that his life has worked out so well. "It's been a great, great ride," MacLeod, 82, said in a phone interview. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show": Where are they now? Sure, the ride's had a few bumps for MacLeod, born Allan See in Westchester County, New York. He lost his father when he was 13. He suffered through years of alcoholism, which led to the end of his first marriage -- a tale he tells without self-pity in the book. "I was ugly when I drank," he writes. "The fighting was miserable, and very much my fault." Until finally breaking through in his late 30s as "MTM's" even-keeled newswriter Murray Slaughter, he had a steady but unexceptional career as a character actor. He got his start on stage in the drama "A Hatful of Rain" and later attracted notice in Los Angeles for playing a drug dealer in a play called "The Connection," which led to roles as villains in such shows as "Hawaii Five-O." It was Murray -- and then Capt. Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat," through which he became a spokesman for Princess Cruises -- that established MacLeod's on-screen good-guy bona fides. He has found strength in his Christian faith and in his long marriage to his wife, Patti. CNN spoke to MacLeod by phone from his home in Southern California. The following is an edited and condensed version of the interview: . CNN: Acting can be a very challenging business. How do you stay upbeat? Gavin MacLeod: You get turned down more than you get accepted, so you get used to that negativity. It's just part of the life. A lot of hope goes into being an actor, especially when you're young, and especially not having any hair. CNN: Tell me about that. MacLeod: Being bald at a young age turned out to be an asset for me. When I came out to Hollywood in 1957, I started doing shows at Desilu. I'd do two shows in a week. I'd do one with my hair on, then take my hair off, put on a suit and have another little dialogue change and be the head of a mob. I got a lot of training that way because of being bald. CNN: You played a lot of heavies and small character roles until "Mary Tyler Moore." MacLeod: I really did. What surprises me is how people know about your career who you've never met. I was on (a cruise) one time, and one guy asked, "How is Maisie?" and I said, "Who is Maisie?" and he said, "In 'Operation Petticoat,' the tattoo on your chest of the naked girl." You become a part of people's lives in ways you'll never know. CNN: Did you feel like taking "MTM" was a risk? MacLeod: Not at all. I had worked with Mary before, and she and (producer) Grant (Tinker), her husband, had seen me do a lot of plays on the West Coast. I knew her a little bit from working with her on "The Dick Van Dyke Show." And the script was so good. CNN: They wanted you for Lou Grant. (Ed Asner eventually played the role.) MacLeod: Lou Grant was wonderful, but I wouldn't believe myself in that role. But Murray, I thought I could do something with him. That's something I tell actors when I talk to them. If you have an instinct about something, follow that instinct. If I didn't risk saying (to the producers), "I really like Murray Slaughter. I think I can do something with it." ... They had to readjust their thinking, because he wasn't the lead role. And that was the beginning of a wonderful seven-year relationship. CNN: You reveled in the character of Murray Slaughter, but Ted Knight wrestled with the character of Ted Baxter. People confused the actor with the fake anchorman. MacLeod: Well, his character was so vivid. He was so funny. Grant Tinker used to come up in the audience, even by himself, to watch rehearsals, and roar at Ted. (The) concept was based on a lot of different people. There was a big guy named George Putnam. He was the biggest newscaster on the West Coast. I did a Christmas parade, and he was one of the guests. He was riding on a horse, and I was in a car, and he says, "GAVIN! I'M THE REAL TED BAXTER!" And he was so proud of it. (But) Ted had that image, and it wore on him. Finally he did get to have "Too Close for Comfort" and "The Ted Knight Show." CNN: It must be tough. You've had such indelible roles that people may find it hard to think of you as something besides Murray or Capt. Stubing. MacLeod: It becomes a part of people's lives. The thing about Stubing, I tried to make him as likable as I could. He was written differently -- he was written as a stern person. But we realized if you're going to have a series that's going to run, people don't want to see that kind of figure week after week. So we started to change him and tap into me more. That's how he became the caring man, the father figure. CNN: "Mary" was beloved by critics. Not so for "The Love Boat." MacLeod: The critics hated our show. But I remember when we went to church one Sunday. A lady stopped me, and said, "Aren't you the captain?" I say, "Yes." She says, "I love the messages you give us, because they're covered with cotton candy." What a great phrase that is. And writing on that level is very hard to do. CNN: What lessons do you hope people draw from the book? MacLeod: Never give up. Don't be afraid to risk. And if you have a dream, go for it. Don't let anybody step on your dream. You have one life; you want to make the most of it. | Gavin MacLeod has new memoir, "This Is Your Captain Speaking"
MacLeod spent years as character actor before he found TV stardom .
He was originally supposed to play Lou Grant on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
"Love Boat's" Capt. Stubing was originally tougher; character later softened . |
fefd1551edd2d395d4c8310b635e8bb1c1bb6d5f | London (CNN) -- "After the storm of a life lived in the heat of political controversy, there is a great calm." And so it seemed inside St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday as more than 2,300 guests from 170 countries stilled their quiet chatter and waited, silently, for the coffin of Margaret Thatcher to enter. Those words from the Right Rev. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, in many ways summed up the mood within: This was a farewell to a stateswoman and Britain's pioneering first female prime minister but also to a very human mother and grandmother now gone to her final rest. The domed white marble splendor of St. Paul's, Christopher Wren's masterpiece, only served to remind those within of how insignificant even the greatest of leaders is in the end. Rewriting history: How UK might have been without Thatcher . The coffin's solemn arrival was signaled to those waiting inside by the muffled tone of the cathedral clock tolling the hour. Far from the fierce political debate and fervent protests that raged in Thatcher's life -- and indeed in the nine days since her death -- the coffin was carried quietly in by uniformed members of the armed forces. Draped in a Union flag and topped with a white flower arrangement, it was placed carefully on a bier directly before the guests of honor at the service, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. They sat across the aisle from Thatcher's children, Mark and Carol; and her grandchildren, Michael and Amanda; and next to serving Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife. Thatcher: Revered and reviled, in death as in life . A ceremonial mourning sword lay on a red-covered table before the queen, carried in by the Lord Mayor of London. The royals' red velvet-covered chairs had been the last to be filled, as steadily the cathedral filled to its capacity. Those who'd taken their places in the tight-packed rows of seats behind and to either side included men in formal military uniform, adorned with gold braid and medals, cardinals with their distinctive red caps, women in elaborate black hats and foreign dignitaries, some in dark suits, others in more distinctive traditional dress. Live blog: Funeral of Margaret Thatcher . Grey hair was much in evidence, and men outnumbered women -- as was the case by a much greater margin when Thatcher was in office. After all, when she entered Parliament in 1959, she made up part of only 4% who were women. From time to time during the ceremony, sunlight poured through the windows of the cathedral to glint off the gold mosaic tiles and gilded carvings below the frescoed dome, lit also by gleaming candelabra. There was no sign within the grand cathedral walls of the tight security outside, with crowds of supporters and a few pockets of protesters kept under the watchful gaze of some 4,000 police officers. Welcoming the congregation, the Very Rev. David Ison, dean of St. Paul's -- who himself this week evoked the lasting anger and hurt felt by some in Britain as a result of Thatcher's policies -- recalled now "her leadership of this nation, her courage, her steadfastness, and her resolve to accomplish what she believed to be right for the common good." Giving thanks for the country's traditions of freedom, democracy and rule of law, he invited those gathered to pray. Only twice did a quiet murmur of laughter punctuate the solemn calm of the proceedings, when Chartres recounted anecdotes which gave a more personal sense of Thatcher's dealings with those she met. She may not be able to control how she is judged by future generations, but the late prime minister's hand was behind much of the service that marks the end of her physical presence on Earth. Opinion: Why Britain needs another Thatcher . As Chartres pointed out, at her request this was not a memorial service, filled with eulogies, but a simple funeral that reflected her disciplined Methodist upbringing as a grocer's daughter in Grantham. He acknowledged the contentious nature of her legacy, saying, "the storm of conflicting opinions centers on the Mrs. Thatcher who became a symbolic figure -- even an 'ism,' " but said that lying there, she was "one of us," subject to human destiny. "There is an important place for debating policies and legacy; for assessing the everyday lives of individuals and communities ... but here and today is neither the time nor the place," he said. "This is a place for ordinary human compassion of the kind that is reconciling. It is also the place for simple truths which transcend political debate." Thatcher's granddaughter, Amanda, gave the first reading, her voice clear and steady despite the gravity of the occasion. Its theme of righteous struggle, "not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of darkness of this world" was perhaps meant to bring to mind Thatcher's own struggles, first to reach power as a woman in the 1970s and then to exercise it for the good of her country. As the Bishop of London said, "In a setting like this ... it is easy to forget the immense hurdles she had to climb." Cameron, who now leads the Conservative Party that Thatcher headed from 1975 to 1990, gave the second short reading from the King James Bible. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, rounded off the service with the final blessing. The hymns and predominantly English music, chosen by Thatcher and her family, reflected the tastes of a woman Cameron described last week as a "patriot prime minister" with a "lion-hearted love" of her country. And at the end of the funeral, as the other illustrious guests filed out -- including 11 serving prime ministers, 17 serving foreign ministers and senior clergy from around the world, as well as many British lawmakers -- the sense was reinforced that this was a farewell to a woman who, like her or loathe her, was truly out of the ordinary. Indeed, many observers noted that the pomp and ceremony of her funeral procession, with full military honors, was barely distinguishable from the state funeral accorded to a monarch. No UK prime minister has been given such a farewell since Winston Churchill died nearly half a century ago. Former Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and John Major, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper were just a few of the familiar faces among the departing guests. Some 50 of the guests had links to the Falkland Islands, the disputed territory over which Thatcher led Britain to war against Argentina in 1982. After receptions where relatives, dignitaries and former colleagues gathered to discuss their own memories of the politician once known as the "Iron Lady," Thatcher's family accompanied her coffin to a west London crematorium for a final farewell. As Chartres said, those close to her must sometimes struggle to recognize the woman they know in the "mythological figure" created over decades of life in the public eye. But as her daughter, Carol, said last week, the tributes paid by foreign and British leaders on her death prove that, whatever one's views on her politics, Thatcher's "place in history is assured." Cameron's verdict, given via Twitter, was that the funeral was "a fitting tribute to a great prime minister, respected around the world." | More than 2,300 mourners fill St. Paul's Cathedral for Margaret Thatcher's funeral .
Among them are foreign dignitaries, UK politicians and Queen Elizabeth II .
This is "the place for simple truths which transcend political debate," says Bishop of London .
Thatcher's granddaughter, Amanda, gives one reading, PM David Cameron another . |
fefd872ed4fa655424c5d4750ee8d22033b90913 | President Barack Obama slammed the NFL as an 'old boys network' that has so far failed to send a clear message condemning domestic violence in an interview on Friday. He said the league needs a 'wake up call' as it was 'behind the curve' reacting to the footage of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee, now wife, unconscious. And if there is going to be a change in attitude, he said, it needs to start in college football where 'blind spots are rooted' and 'certain behaviors have been tolerated'. Scroll down for video . 'Old boys network': President Obama said the NFL needs to send a clear message about domestic violence . 'You don’t want to be winging it when something like this happens,' Obama told ESPN's Colin Cowherd. 'You want to have clear policies in place. 'There has been a little bit of an old boys network in terms of how it operates. 'There have been some blind spots that are rooted not just in pro football but dating back to college football and certain behaviors have been tolerated historically that really should not have been tolerated. 'Hopefully this is a wake-up call.' Obama's comments came in an interview about politics in sport with ESPN, during which he plugged his health care law. 'Behind the curve': The president said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been slow to react to the cases . 'Wake up call': He addressed the case of Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice who punched unconscious his then-fiancee, now wife, Janay Palmer (both picture). Obama said it should act as a 'wake up call' for the NFL . Asked whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had 'too many men' around him, the president said all leaders have a duty to promote women and ethnic minorities to senior levels. But he voiced his support for the policies that are now being tabled to address athletes' off-the-field behavior. Earlier this week NFL owners unanimously voted for a new personal conduct policy to be put in place. Among the changes, unveiled in Irving, Texas, on Wednesday, are a 'more extensive' list of prohibited conduct and NFL-funded counseling and services for victims, families, and violators. An exterior body will invigilate, the statement said. Obama also addressed sports players who have used their position to make political statements about the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Another case: The league's reputation was also hampered by the case of Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson who has admitted to hitting his son with a switch . LeBron James, for example, warmed up for last week's Cavaliers v Nets game in a t-shirt that read 'I Can't Breathe' - the last words of father-of-six Eric Garner who was killed in a police chokehold, and whose killer has avoided indictment. It comes after six St Louis Rams players walked on to the pitch with their hands in the air - a reference to 18-year-old Michael Brown who was claimed to have raised his hands before officer Darren Wilson shot him dead. Obama noted that athletes are citizens as well as entertainers and have a right to make their feelings known. 'Some of our greatest sports heroes – Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Arthur Ashe – they spoke out on issues that mattered at pretty critical times,' he added. | President Obama said the NFL was 'behind the curve' on Ray Rice .
He warned change in attitude has to started in college football .
'Blind spots' have been rooted and behaviors tolerated, he said .
Obama added that the league should promote women into top positions . |
fefe305e499b1f5b9b0b8e1cfb23f091dfab4285 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:06 EST, 4 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:49 EST, 4 June 2012 . Police say a Nebraska mom who disappeared last month with her son strangled the 10-year-old boy before strangling herself in the woods of an Iowa state park. Council Bluffs police said Monday that Charlotte Schilling, 41, of Plattsmouth and her son, Owen, both died after being strangled with plastic cords in a murder-suicide. The Schillings were missing from May 10 until their bodies were found May 20 in Lake Manawa State Park, south of Council Bluffs in western Iowa, about 20 miles north of Plattsmouth. Gone: Charlotte Schilling, 41, checked her son Owen, 10, out of his elementary school on May 10 to go camping and had not been heard from since . Council Bluffs police say Charlotte Schilling tried to commit suicide with a plastic cord in November, but a family member intervened then. Police believe she strangled her son first and then herself with the cord. Council Bluffs Police Sargeant Chad Meyers said Schilling actually lost consciousness during her previous suicide attempt, and a family member heard her fall. Unusual: The night before she disappeared Charlotte told a neighbor she didn't feel well and had fallen and bumped her head. But her husband said nothing was out of the ordinary . That time, however, someone was able to cut the cord off Schilling's neck quickly enough for her to recover. Investigators said friends described behavior in the days before Schilling disappeared with her son as consistent with someone contemplating suicide. For instance, Mr Meyers said Schilling gave away some of her personal belongings. 'Individually, each one of these people probably wouldn't have known anything was different,' he said. 'When you put it all together and look at it, it paints a pretty clear picture of someone who is contemplating suicide.' The night before the woman and boy . went missing, another neighbor, Athena Meneses, said she spoke to . Schilling at a local Cub Scout meeting, where Meneses had taken her own . son and Owen. Owen had wanted to join the group, Meneses said. 'I . didn't really know her very well, but she seemed upset. She had a bump . on her head," Meneses said of Schilling. "She didn't seem like she was . really happy that night. She said she wasn't feeling well and that she'd . like to go home. She told me that she had fallen down earlier that . day.' Relatives have said it wasn't unusual for Schilling to surprise her children with short road trips to parks, zoos and other nearby attractions. But the woman always called home and past excursions never lasted long. Her family grew worried when neither she nor Owen returned home, and Schilling's cellphone went unanswered. Happy: Carl schilling, left, with his wife Charlotte Schilling, centre, and their son Owen, right, in a family photo posted on Facebook in 2010 . Charlotte's daughter, Lindsay . Schilling, 20, said that is when she became concerned. 'I called until . her phone died - every minute,' she told KETV.com. 'The fact that she didn't pick up mine - that's when it hit me: there's something wrong right now.' Investigators believe the bodies of Charlotte and Owen Schilling had likely been lying in the woods near Lake Manawa since May 10 when Schilling checked Owen out of Wade Robin Elementary School in Bellevue, Neb. But police cannot determine the exact date of their death. Police found Schilling's vehicle at the park where the mother and son's bodies were later found. Schilling's cellphone and wallet were in her car, about a half-mile from where the bodies were found. Authorities had to rely on autopsy results to confirm the identities because of decomposition. Mystery: Police have not ruled out the possibility of a murder-suicide in the deaths of Charlotte Schilling, left, and her son Owen, right . Sunday night a passerby saw two decomposed bodies found at Lake Manawa State Park . After an autopsy officials confirmed on Tuesday that they were the mother and son . Schilling and her son were last seen in surveillance video from a convenience store near the park. The . video showed Owen hugging his mom, and Schilling kissing her son on the . head, and the clerk said nothing seemed unusual in the store. Cody Johnson, a clerk at the Lake . Manawa convenience store where surveillance video captured Schilling and . her son shortly after she checked him out of school, was one of the . last people to see them alive. Schilling bought a pack of cigarettes for herself, and apple juice and snacks for Owen. 'The . kid came in all hyper, like a normal kid would be, and went around . looking at stuff,' Johnson said. 'Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They were just like any other mom and son. There was nothing that showed . me anything bad was going to happen.' Meyers . said some of the items that were purchased at the convenience store . were found partially consumed near the bodies in the woods. There was no sign of a struggle. | Police said Charlotte Schilling, 41, and her son Owen, 10, were not attacked .
Went missing May 10 and their bodies found ten days later in Iowa park .
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org .
In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255 . |
fefec07c039338fe81c1e0f306ce331a5ef306fc | Nathan Walsh threatened to tell a married woman's husband about their affair and put naked pictures of her on the internet unless she gave him £1,000 . A 22-year-old man threatened to tell a married woman's husband about their one-night stand and put naked pictures of her on the internet unless she gave him more than £1,000. Nathan Walsh blackmailed his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by text message for more than year, saying he would expose their affair unless she handed over the cash. The traumatised woman made more than a dozen payments before she eventually went to the police. Walsh, who fainted in the dock as he was sentenced, was jailed for three years. Walsh had sex with the woman after going for a drink with her in 2012 and kept explicit photographs of her, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. He started sending her text messages a few days later, telling the woman he would put the images on the internet and tell her husband if she didn't give him money. Prosecutor Timothy Harrington said the woman withdrew cash from her bank account amounting to about £1,100 and made a series of payments over 12 months before finally calling the police. He said: 'That was money she could ill afford. The payments in total appear to be about a dozen. 'She found it difficult to deal with this, as has her husband. She feels they have lost trust between each other.' Satvir Aujla, defending, said Walsh, who has no previous convictions, had been stupid, 'young and naive'. She said: 'He was too wrapped up with his own debt and the loss of his grandmother at that time.' The traumatised woman made more than a dozen payments before she eventually went to the police, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard . Walsh, from New Invention in the West Midlands, initially denied blackmail between July 2012 and September 2013 but pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial. He fainted in the dock as he was sentenced to three years in jail. Judge Martin Walsh said: 'This was a vicious and ugly offence and no doubt traumatised the complainant. 'This was an offence that persisted over a period of time with severe psychological trauma to the victim.' | Nathan Walsh blackmailed a married woman after having sex with her .
Threatened to tell her husband about the affair unless she gave him cash .
He also said he would put explicit pictures of the woman on the internet .
She paid him more than £1,000 before eventually going to the police .
Walsh, 22, fainted in the dock as he was sentenced to three years in jail . |
feff0e0aae65e915c09e254d1348991d949aee71 | Avram Grant has revealed that Prince William asked if he would consider taking the reins at Aston Villa following the departure of Paul Lambert. The former Chelsea boss led Ghana to the Africa Cup of Nations final last week before his side were eventually beaten on penalties by Ivory Coast, and now he seems to be admired by the Duke of Cambridge, who is a Villa fan. Despite William's advances, however, Grant insists he remains fully committed to Ghana's national team. Avram Grant has revealed that Prince William asked if he would consider managing Aston Villa . Villa fan Prince William seems to be on a scouting mission to find his club a new manager . Paul Lambert was sacked as Aston Villa boss on Wednesday after the club slipped into the bottom three . He told Sky Sports: ‘Aston Villa is a great club, with great fans and it is an honour to have my name mentioned with them, but I want to continue with Ghana for the next two years, until the end of my contract. I enjoy managing Ghana very much,’ Grant told Sky Sports. ‘I met Prince William and he asked me “why don’t you come to Aston Villa?”. I said “when you become the chairman, I will come”. ‘As long as my name is mentioned, I feel good with this, but not more than that. I want to continue with Ghana.’ The Duke of Cambridge watches a Premier League match between Villa and Sunderland in 2013 . Grant took Ghana to the Africa Cup of Nations final, where they were beaten by Ivory Coast . Grant consoles Andre Ayew following Ghana's penalty shootout defeat last Sunday . | Avram Grant reveals Prince William asked if he could manage Aston Villa .
Villa are in search of a new boss after Paul Lambert's departure .
Grant insists he is committed to his role as Ghana manager .
READ: Sherwood and Klinsmann lead the way as Villa search for new boss .
CLICK HERE for all the latest Aston Villa news . |
feff65566c05d9b5fdde90ec9b4e525156dbfce0 | (CNN) -- Goran Hadzic, the last Yugoslav war crimes suspect still at large, was captured in Serbia Wednesday, a war crimes tribunal announced. An ex-Croatian Serb rebel leader who has been a fugitive for seven years, Hadzic was wanted for crimes against humanity and war crimes in connection with the wars that followed the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. The former president of a self-proclaimed Serbian republic in Croatia, Hadzic is accused of trying to remove Croats and other non-Serbs from the territory and the "extermination or murder of hundreds of Croat or other non-Serb civilians," among many other crimes, according to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. He was the last fugitive of the 161 people indicted by the tribunal. The announcement, also made by Serbian President Boris Tadic, comes less than two months after the capture of the highest-profile war crimes suspect still at large, former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic. Plans were being made for Hadzic's transfer into the Tribunal's custody after the completion of legal proceedings in Serbia. Authorities hope he'll soon be in custody at The Hague in the Netherlands, where the court is based. "I welcome the arrest today of Goran Hadzic, the war-time Croatian Serb political leader of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina," Tribunal Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said. "Hadzic's transfer into the Tribunal's custody is a long awaited development for the victims of the crimes charged against him. It is also an important milestone in the Tribunal's history. Eighteen years after the Tribunal's creation, we can now say that no indicted person has successfully evaded the Tribunal's judicial process. This is a precedent of enduring significance, not only for this Tribunal, but also for international criminal justice more generally." The European Union and NATO welcomed the capture of Hadzic, with the EU saying it would help clear the way to Serbian membership in the club of nations. "This arrest sends a positive signal to the European Union and to Serbia's neighbors, but most of all on the rule of law in Serbia itself," EU leaders said in a joint statement, saying Serbia was "confronting the past and turning the page to a better European future." British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Twitter that the arrest was "an historic moment for international justice & the victims of war crimes during the Balkan wars of the 1990s." Ratko Mladic was seized May 26 after more than 15 years in hiding and extradited to the Netherlands to face trial at the criminal tribunal five days later. He has proved an obstructive defendant, arguing with judges about who should represent him, and in a recent appearance, a judge ordered him removed from the chamber. His superiors during the wars that saw thousands massacred were Radovan Karadzic, who was captured earlier and is now on trial, and Slobodan Milosevic, who died in jail while on trial at The Hague. Brammertz said the apprehension of both Hadzic and Mladic "mark a long-awaited step forward in Serbia's cooperation with the Tribunal. Serbia has now produced visible evidence that cooperation with the Tribunal is not an empty promise but a genuine commitment and we look forward to Serbia's assistance with our ongoing work." The prosecutor touched on the "prosecution of war crimes" in Balkan nations, saying they pose "a critical challenge for the region and its people." "The Office of the Prosecutor will continue to use its best efforts to assist the fight against impunity in the former Yugoslavia, by providing national prosecutors with information, evidence and expertise. The international community also has a key role to play in ensuring that national prosecutions can successfully take over the Tribunal's work in establishing accountability for the atrocities committed." Hadzic is the former president of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina and was indicted in 2004 for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in the eastern Slavonia region of Croatia in the early 1990s. The indictment against Hadzic said he was "a co-perpetrator in a joint criminal enterprise" -- the permanent and forcible removal of a "majority of the Croat and other non-Serb population from approximately one-third of the territory of the Republic of Croatia" to make the land part of a "new Serb-dominated state." Under the indictment, Hadzic is charged on the basis of individual criminal responsibility for having participated in the following actions: . "Exterminating or murdering hundreds of Croat and other non-Serb civilians, including women and elderly persons, in Dalj, Dalj Planina, Erdut, Erdut Planina, Klisa, Lovas, Grabovac and Vukovar. "Imprisoning and confining hundreds of Croat and other non-Serb civilians in detention facilities within and outside of Croatia, and establishing and perpetuating inhumane living conditions, including repeatedly torturing, beating and killing detainees in these detention facilities. "Forcing Croat and other non-Serb civilians to perform labour when detained or under house arrest in Vukovar, Dalj, Lovas, Erdut and Tovarnik." He is also accused of other crimes against the Croat and other non-Serb civilian population. They are "imposing restrictive and discriminatory measures," beatings, robberies and arbitrary arrests, deportations and forcible transfer of thousands, and the deliberate destruction of "homes, other public and private property, cultural institutions, historic monuments and sacred sites. CNN's Claudia Rebaza and Richard Allen Greene contributed to this report. | NEW: The prosecutor calls the capture an "important milestone"
Serbia's president announces that Goran Hadzic is seized .
Hadzic is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity .
The announcement comes less than two months after the capture of Ratko Mladic . |
feffc073e43c4affe577f247994a7ce2fc3ad6b7 | (CNN) -- Forget the new black. This is the real black. A British nanotech company has created what it says is the world's darkest material. It is so dark the human eye can't discern its shape and form, creating what has been called a black hole. Vantablack, made out of carbon nanotubes, is designed by Surrey NanoSystems and absorbs 99.96% of all light that hits it. Conventional black, such as black paint or fabric, absorbs between 95% and 98% of light. The company says Vantablack was the darkest material ever tested by the National Physical Laboratory in the UK, as well as the Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. The material is made up of millions of carbon nanotubes, each measuring two or three nanometers -- or roughly one millionth of a millimeter. It is grown on aluminium foil. Creases and bumps on the foil are easily picked up by the human eye. But once covered with Vantablack, all wrinkles and roughness seem to disappear. "Some people describe it as a hole, because there is literally not enough light coming from the surface to allow the eye to discern the contours that are in that foil," Surrey NanoSystem's Steve Northam told CNN. Sound like the ultimate slimming little black dress? Actually, no. A Vantablack dress would render the curves and contours of the human body invisible and cause "the wearer to look like a two-dimensional cardboard cut out," Northam said. Instead, the material is designed to help air-borne cameras, telescopes and infrared scanning systems work more efficiently by reducing stray light. Military clients are lining up to buy it, as is the space industry. The benefits, Northam said, are that "your systems can see fainter objects further away, you improve the sensitivity and you improve the signal to noise ratio in these systems." The material, whose development was backed by the UK's Technology Strategy Board, was launched at this year's Farnborough Airshow in southern England. According to Ben Jensen, chief technology officer of Surrey NanoSystems, it was a "major breakthrough by UK industry in the application of nanotechnology to optical instrumentation." So far, Surrey NanoSystems has only grown Vantablack on foil. It plans to grow it different materials and on three dimensional shapes. Read more: Britain's spaceport ambitions revealed . Farnborough Airshow: Airbus unveils revamped A330 airliner . | A British nanotech company has created what it says is the world's darkest material .
Vantablack is designed by Surrey NanoSystems and absorbs 99.96% of all light that hits it .
It's designed to help air-borne cameras and infrared scanning systems work more efficiently . |
ff0006370c899956af8226f665dd36c12ba93af4 | (CNN) -- Martin Kaymer's victory in last year's U.S. PGA Championship has given him the "belief and motivation" to add to his major tally at this week's British Open at Royal St George's this week. The 26-year-old German burst to prominence with his victory at Whistling Straits and had a brief spell as the world's top-ranked golfer earlier this year. Kaymer told CNN that his triumph had impacted on him in a "very positive" way as he approached each major. "It gave me a lot of belief and motivation I could do well, especially coming to big events like the British Open," he said. Kaymer believes that putting could well prove the key to victory come Sunday on the links course in south-east England. "You will miss the greens and you will have some long putts with a lot of slopes between you and the hole," he told the official tournament website. "It's very tough to hit them to a foot or two, so that's why I think there will be plenty of tricky putts that you have to save for par," he added. Kaymer is a big supporter of the only major outside of the United States, saying it was his "favorite" tournament of the year. "It's a fantastic major and is so different than all the other tournaments and that makes it very special and new. "You have to be creative and you have to think a lot and mentally it's very tiring. That's what I like about it. It's not normal. You have to play different golf." Looking at the other contenders for the title, Kaymer made a point of singling out U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy and admitted he watched on in admiration as the Northern Irishman dominated the field at Congressional. "The way he played made me feel like I need to practice more. I need to hit more balls, need to become a better player because he played that golf course almost in a perfect way." he said. Kaymer is paired with defending champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and American star Phil Mickelson for the first two rounds. | Martin Kaymer chasing second major title at this week's British Open .
German won last year's U.S. PGA Championship at Whistling Straits .
He signals out good putting as the key to victory at Royal St George's .
Kaymer singles out U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy as big threat . |
ff01478e07465f6a83a3c0da0b15c62c519c1f5e | These pictures show more than 1,000 cyclists laying across a central London road in protest at dangerous traffic conditions. Dubbed a 'die-in', protesters blocked roads outside the Transport for London headquarters in Southwark as part of a vigil for six cyclists killed in the capital this month. The demonstration saw riders spread across Blackfriars Road with their bikes strewn around them, while others held candles in tribute to the latest spate of casualties. Scroll down for video . Protest: Cyclists lay across a central London road as part of a mass 'die-in' outside Transport for London . 'Die-in': Thousands attended the Stop Killing Cyclists protest - held as part of a vigil for six riders who have died in the city this month . Donnachadh McCarthy, 54, one of the organisers of the Stop Killing Cyclists protest, said the plan was inspired by riders in Holland, who used similar tactics to push for investment in safe transport infrastructure. Beginning the 15-minute die-in, he said: 'We Londoners are going to join the Dutch, and follow them until we get our roads safe. 'So I respectfully ask you now, London cyclists and pedestrians and drivers who have come to join us today, to lie on the pavement with your bicycles, turn on your lights and let them flash in the memories of people killed and injured in the last eight years. He added: 'We are here because Londoners are fed up of being killed. We need to have modern, European, safe cycling network. We believe it’s a human right for children and pensioners to cycle around our city safely, and at the moment they can’t. Action: The protestors, inspired by riders in Holland who used similar tactics to call for investment in transport, were calling for better safety measures on the roads . Calls: Participants were calling for £600million to be spent on safer cycling in London following scores of deaths on the roads . 'We have brought the battle to TfL’s headquarters because these are the people making the decisions. We want representations and we want real funding. We want £600 million a year spent on safer cycling in London. 'We believe that we need a separate, segregated modern cycle network that is at least two metres wide. We can do that in London, there is plenty of space to do it.' Six cyclists have been killed on the capital's roads in the past month. Brian Holt, 62; Francis Golding, 69, Roger William De Klerk, 43, Venera Minakhmetova, 24, a 21-year-old man from St John’s Wood and a man believed to be in his 60s all died between November 5 and 18. Dramatic: One protestor covers herself in fake blood for the protest, while others lay on the road . Scale: Protestors laid in the road with their cycles for around 15 minutes for the 'die-in' The number of cyclists killed in London so far this year, 14, now stands equal to those who died in 2012. Scene: A cyclist his 30s died in Gateshead . A cyclist died after colliding with a double-decker bus. The incident happened in Shipcote Lane, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear at 4.08am this morning. The cyclist, a man in his 30's, was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he was later pronounced dead. Police and paramedics attended the scene and the A167 Durham Road is closed between Shipcote Lane and the Five Bridges roundabout while enquiries are carried out. Leon Daniels, managing director of TfL Surface Transport, said one of the protesters’ key demands - segregated cycle routes - were to be introduced in the next 10 years. He said: 'We are all shaken by the recent spate of deaths on the roads, and our sympathies are with all the friends and families of those affected. The protesters are rightly demanding safety should be at the top of our priorities. It is. 'That’s why we are investing nearly £1 billion in upgrading the existing superhighways with greater segregation, introducing major new segregated routes and backstreet quiet routes, and overhauling dozens of junctions to give more protection to cyclists. He added: 'Delivering such major improvements will take time, but we are working flat-out to do so. We and the mayor have set out our plans and the first major improvements, such as the segregated extension of the Superhighway to Stratford, are now being seen. 'Over the forthcoming weeks and months Londoners will see many more improvements as the investment we are making bears fruit.' The protest, organised in part by cycle activist group Critical Mass, follows a police operation that stationed hundreds of officers at busy junctions around central London. Vigil: 14 cyclists have been killed on the London roads this year - equaling the number who died in 2012 . Investment: TfL have said they are working flat-out to make improvements . Operation Safeway deployed 650 officers to 60 junctions during evening and morning rush hours on Monday, primarily targeting cyclists who breach the highway code. London Mayor Boris Johnson said: 'This targeted operation has been hugely effective at raising awareness of road safety among motorists and cyclists. 'This is a balanced operation reminding everyone of their duty to take care of each other while out on the roads, and I hope the figures put to rest concerns by some groups that they are being singled out.' On November 5, hospital porter Brian Holt, 62, died on Mile End Road in east London as he cycled along Cycle Superhighway 2. He was crushed by a tipper lorry as it moved off from stationary during the evening rush hour. Architect Francis Golding, 69, crashed with a coach in Holborn, central London also on November 5. He died on November 8. The following Tuesday, November 12, Roger de Klerk, 43, died after he was crushed by a single-decker bus outside East Croydon station in south London. Cyclist: Venera Minakhmetova with her bicycle. She died on Wednesday November 13 . Latest victim: Richard Muzira who died after being knocked from his bicycle by a lorry in Camberwell . The next day Venera Minakhmetova, a Russian entrepreneur died after being hit by a lorry at the notorious Bow roundabout on the Cycle Superhighway at rush hour. That evening a 21-year-old man from St John's Wood was hit by a bus at 11.30pm in Aldgate, near the Cycle Superhighway 2. He died the following morning. A cyclist in his early 60s died on November 18 after a collision with a lorry on Camberwell Road in South London. He was named the next day as Richard Muzira. | Thousands took part in the 15-minute 'die-in' in Southwark, central London .
Protestors lay across road outside Transport for London's headquarters .
Part of a vigil for six cyclists killed in the city this month . |
ff0151d496189c50f4ad4ffa13c2c89fc3af9bad | Brendan Rodgers hailed Liverpool’s fighting qualities after they overcame a huge fright to make a winning Champions League return. Steven Gerrard held his nerve to fire in a last-gasp penalty, which secured a 2-1 win against FC Ludogrets, but that was only after Liverpool had conceded a 90th minute equaliser to substitute Dani Abalo following another defensive mix-up. Mario Balotelli had earlier opened the scoring but while he was delighted to get Group B off to a winning start, Rodgers admitted there was significant room for improvement in the quality of Liverpool’s performance. Brendan Rodgers praised Liverpool's fighting spirit after they beat Ludogorets 2-1 at Anfield . But the Liverpool manager did say his side would have to improve tactically in the Champions League . ‘If you can win your home games and pick up points away from home, it gives you a chance,’ said Rodgers. ‘We are not at the standard we were last season. We have a lot of players who have come in and are still adapting. We are a work in progress. ‘I thought we showed great determination. At times we had quality and then in the final third we couldn’t make that final pass. Tonight was about perseverance, an attribute you need to have. We kept going. It is a competition that is about winning and winning games. Sometimes you will play well and not get a result. ‘It was very important to be back in the competition. It was always going to be a tricky tie. Technically they were very good. We had to show patience, change the shape from 4-3-3 to a diamond. Mario gets a great goal. I am disappointed with the equaliser we conceded . Mario balotelli scored his first goal for the club after signing from AC Milan this summer . It was Liverpool's first Champions League match since they lost to Fiorentina at Anfield in 2009 . ‘But maybe in the first six months we would have drawn but we showed the experience and character in the group, the young kid (Javier Manquillo) in the box pushing hard to get something and he gets his reward in the penalty that Stevie scores.’ Balotelli came to life after he scored his goal, almost grabbing another with a thumping drive, and Rodgers believes the goal will do wonders for his confidence following his high profile switch from AC Milan. ‘Mario is used to scoring,’ said Rodgers. ‘He had two games when he hadn’t scored. I just feel with him, he needs to be in the box more. I said to him at half-time “make sure when the ball is in wide areas, make sure you are penalty spot and in” ‘He is 6ft 3ins and great in the air. He shows great touch and the finish was a wonderful touch. On top of that I thought he worked very hard. He is still trying to get fit but he showed us his quality.’ Ludogorets thought they had secured an unlikley point after Dani Abalo scored a late equaliser . After conceding an equalise in the 90th minute, Steven Gerrard than converted a penalty to win it . Rodgers, whose side now travel to FC Basel – thumped 5-1 by reigning champions Real Madrid – on matchday two, admitted that Liverpool have to learn to concentrate until the very end if they are to achieve his target of progressing to the knockout stages. ‘No question,’ he said. ‘I think certainly tactically there are questions asked. This is a tournament where mistakes get punished. We made one. The home games are very important for us. Away from home you have got to be compact and impose your style on the game. That is very important. ‘Anfield cranks itself up in terms of the noise level on nights like this. I am happy for the supporters; they are back in the competition they are synonymous with. It was a wonderful occasion and great to have that feeling of being back in the competition.’ VIDEO We showed great resilience - Rodgers . | Liverpool played first Champions League match since 2009 .
Steven Gerrard's late goal ensured 2-1 win over Ludogorets .
Brendan Rodgers praised fighting spirit .
Manager did say Liverpool would have to improve tactically .
Mario Balotelli scored first goal since moving from AC Milan . |
ff017687864d4bdfcf18548beb52995e3a91134b | If you're planning to enjoy this spring or summer at a national park, you'd better leave your drone at home. On Friday, Yosemite National Park in California turned heads when it announced that drones, the unmanned aircraft increasingly making their way into private hands, aren't welcome in the park, famous for its picturesque valley of towering granite cliffs, waterfalls and Giant Sequoia groves. Apparently using drones to capture experiences at the park, on the western edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is becoming a trend. "The park has experienced an increase in visitors using drones within park boundaries over the last few years," park management said in a news release. "Drones have been witnessed filming climbers ascending climbing routes, filming views above tree-tops, and filming aerial footage of the park." And it's not just Yosemite. The buzzing aerial machines, which have become handy for everything from scaring off unwanted birds to delivering medicine and pizzas, aren't welcome at any of the 58 national parks. 15 ways drones will change your life . "The ... regulations cited at Yosemite apply at all units of the National Park System," spokesman John Quincy said in an e-mail to CNN. The Code of Federal Regulations states that "delivering or retrieving a person or object by parachute, helicopter, or other airborne means, except in emergencies involving public safety or serious property loss, or pursuant to the terms and conditions of a permit" is illegal. The parks system says that applies to drones, though privately owned, unmanned aircraft probably weren't on anyone's mind when it was written. Yosemite's news release cited a list of ways the aircraft can be harmful. Among them: Ruining the experience for visitors with their noise, interfering with rescue operations and endangering wildlife in the area -- particularly the peregrine falcons that nest in the park's cliff walls. A quick search on YouTube finds a host of of videos shot using drones at Yosemite and other national parks. Some merely show shaky video from beginners sending their craft into the sky for the first time, while others are more professional productions that provide breathtaking views of the park's mountains, trees and cyclists and hikers. In a bit of irony, firefighters used a drone to battle the Yosemite Rim blaze that raged in and around the park last August. | The U.S. National Park Service says drones are not welcome .
Yosemite National, in California, said they're being used to shoot video .
Drones make noise and can disrupt delicate wildlife, parks say .
YouTube shows a host of drone videos from Yosemite . |
ff019006b2828b8f21a472af189c478708b400a5 | A penniless Miami mom desperate to feed her hungry family was nearly arrested while trying to steal $300 worth of groceries, but the responding officer decided to help her instead. Officer Vicki Thomas arrived on the scene last month, and when Jessica Robles admitted the food was for her starving family, Thomas sent her home with a misdemeanor citation and $100 worth of groceries. Since news of Thomas's act of kindness has spread, good will offers of money, food, and even a job have poured into the Robles household. Kindness of strangers: Miami-Dade police officer Vicki Thomas chose to buy a penniless mom some of the groceries she was caught trying to steal instead of arresting her . So grateful: Jessica Robles made the desperate decision to steal food for her hungry family. But getting caught has helped her turn over a new leaf . 'I made the decision to buy her some groceries because arresting her wasn't going to solve the problem with her children being hungry,' Thomas, a 23-year veteran on the force, told WSVN. Robles' 12-year-old daughter Anais shared the family's dire situation with the Miami FOX affiliate. '[It's] not fun,' she said tearfully, 'to see my brother in the dirt hungry, asking for food, and we have to tell him, "There is nothing here."' Thomas informed Robles of Church food pantries and other places she could get food to feed her children without stealing. [With] my brother in the dirt hungry, asking for food, and we have to tell him, "There is nothing here."'Robles' 12-year-old daughter Anais opened up about3 the family's dire situation . 'To see them go through the bags when we brought them in, it was like Christmas,' Thomas said. 'That $100 to me was worth it' 'To see them go through the bags when we brought them in, it was like Christmas,' she said. 'That $100 to me was worth it.' Thomas left them with one request. 'The only thing I asked of her is, when she gets on her feet, that she help someone else out,' Thomas said. 'And she said she would.' But Robles' good fortune didn't end there. After news of her situation and of Thomas’s good deed spread, offers of money and food began to come in. Robles made a return trip to a grocery store, but this time it was with some members of the community who raised $700 for her to spend at the store. And the mother of four even got to keep what was left over. While Robles certainly needs the cash, she’ll now be making her own money with a new job she landed at a local call center after the owner heard her story. John Challenor of phonedoctor.com invited Robles in to see her resume and hired her as a customer service rep on the spot. 'There's no words,' Robles told Challenor through tears, 'how grateful I am that you took your time and helped somebody out. Especially somebody like me.' Generosity: Since news of her story has spread, Robles was given $700 more to buy groceries with from concerned community members and got to keep the leftover cash . Local business owner John Challenor (left) even offered Robles a job. 'There's no words,' he said tearfully as she struggled to thank Challenor for the job she was given on the spot . | Instead of hauling Jessica Robles off to jail, Miami-Dade County Officer Vicki Thomas decided to help her out .
'Arresting her wasn't going to solve the problem with her children being hungry,' said Thomas, who instead gave her a misdemeanor citation and bought her $100 worth of groceries .
Since then, the story has inspired residents and businesses of Miami to help Robles out . |
ff01967afec96901ab7da4ab7855f18e6180a723 | For more stats and facts from Selhurst Park, click HERE for our brilliant Match Zone . If Paul Lambert is to quell the growing discontent among Aston Villa supporters, then he'll need Christian Benteke by his side. The Belgium international was on hand to ease the pressure on his manager on Tuesday night, scoring the winner, his first goal since March, against Crystal Palace. Benteke, making his return from a three-match suspension, is fully fit again after an achilles injury caused him to miss the back end of last season, the World Cup and the start of the current campaign. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sportsmail Big Match Stats: Crystal Palace 0-1 Aston Villa . Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke wheels away in celebration after scoring against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park . Benteke scored his first goal since March against Neil Warnock's side during the first half of the Premier League clash . Eagles goalkeeper Julian Speroni dives to his left but is unable to stop Benteke's strike from going into his net . Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Speroni 6; Kelly 6 (Puncheon 89), Dann 5.5, Hangeland 6, Ward 6.5; Zaha 6, Jedinak 7, McArthur 6.5, Bolasie 6.5; Chamakh 6.5, Gayle 5 (Campbell 46). Subs not used: Hennessey, Thomas, Fryers, Bannan, Boateng. Booked: Campbell, Bolasie. Manager: Neil Warnock 6.5. Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Guzan 7.5, Hutton 6.5, Okore 6.5, Clark 7, Cissokho 6; Cleverley 6.5 (Richardson 90), Westwood 6.5; Agbonlahor 6.5, Cole 5 (Sanchez 9, 6), Weimann 6.5; Benteke 7. Subs not used: Herd, N’Zogbia, Given, Lowton, Grealish. Booked: Clark, Weimann. Goal: Benteke 32. Booked: Clark, Weimann. Manager: Paul Lambert 7. Man of the match: Brad Guzan. Referee: Michael Oliver 6.5. Attendance: 23,935. 'I've been lucky enough to play with some of the best players in the world, and if he keeps progressing (Benteke can get there),' said Lambert. 'He offers you that potency in attack. He had that really bad injury, and his suspension never helped our case, but he's been excellent since he's been back.' Lambert will be hoping his talismanic striker can now stay injury - and suspension - free as he looks to keep the wolves from his door. Villa supporters have been asking real questions of Lambert; the swell of opinion for the Scot to leave is growing. And pressure from the terraces looked to be transmitting onto the field as Villa started nervously. Brad Guzan was saved by Ciaran Clark's goalline clearance after his fumble from Yannick Bolasie's shot was stabbed goalwards by Dwight Gayle. The visitor's then faced strong appeals from Palace for a penalty after Tom Cleverley tangled with Wilfried Zaha, before Gayle missed his kick after Joel Ward's inviting cross. Villa's uncomfortable start continued as Joe Cole, fresh from his first Villa goal against Burnley on Saturday, limped off in the ninth minute with a hamstring problem as the Midlanders provided nothing in the way of attacking intent inside the opening 15 minutes. However, in the 28th minute Villa provided a spark - invariably it came from Benteke, who turned Scott Dann beautifully on the edge of the area before unleashing a right foot drive that Julian Speroni tipped over the bar. There was no goal, but at least it was something; a semblance of fight from Villa. And it proved the catalyst Villa's winner four minutes later in a moment Palace defender Scott Dann will want to erase from memory. The centre half, located on the right-hand touchline, only needed to clear Martin Kelly's pass to avert any danger - instead he dallied and was robbed by Benteke, who took full advantage by striding forward before slotting past Speroni. Benteke took advantage of an error by Scott Dann to score the only goal of the match - click HERE to see more of our brilliant Match Zone . Palace midfielder James McArthur was unable to close down Benteke in time to stop the Belgium international from scoring . Guzan ensured Villa stayed in front before the break, saving from Zaha and Bolasie as Palace pressed for an equaliser before Maroaune Chamakh sent a diving header wide in the 50th minute. Had Benteke got a touch on Ashley Westwood's dangerous inswinging free-kick or Andreas Weimann finished with just Speroni to beat then the second half would have been far more comfortable for Lambert. But it was from pleasant for the Scot as Fraizer Campbell, on for Gayle at half-time, was denied a penalty after Clark looked to have pulled the striker down - much to Warnock's dismay. The Palace boss was even more bewildered when Campbell, Bolasie and Dann all failed to get a toe on Zaha's low ball across the face of goal in the final minute. 'We are looking for a player like Benteke in January, I think held Villa together tonight,' admitted Warnock. 'We should have had a penalty, though, the referee's in a bad position and didn't see Campbell was pulled back.' Wilfried Zaha, pictured with Tom Cleverley and Ciaran Clark, replaced Jason Puncheon for the match at Selhurst Park . Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark clears the ball off the line as Brad Guzan and Dwight Gayle looks on . Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie battles for the ball with Aston Villa left back Aly Cissokho . Aston Villa goalscorer Benteke leaps above Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak as he attempts to win possession for his side . Gabby Agbonlahor tries to block a pass by Eagles defender Dann during the Premier League clash . Gayle recovered from an injury knock to lead Palace's line against Paul Lambert's side . Joe Cole was forced off in the ninth minute after picking up an injury knock in the opening stages of the match in south London . Benteke is congratulated by team-mate Carlos Sanchez after putting his side in the lead with 32 minutes on the clock . Cleverley attempts to tackle former Manchester United team-mate Zaha from behind . VIDEO Lambert denies rift with former assistant manager Roy Keane . Aston Villa boss Lambert applauds his side while standing on the Selhurst Park touchline . Zaha, who played the full 90 minutes, looks dejected during his side's home defeat . Fraizer Campbell, pictured with Jores Okore, replaced fellow striker Gayle at the interval . Guzan celebrates with Agbonlahor and Alan Hutton after the final whistle at Selhurst Park . The American international puts his hands in the air after Premier League official Michael Oliver brings an end to proceedings . Palace manager Warnock looks dejected after seeing his side lose at home to Aston Villa . | Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke scored first goal since strike against Stoke on March 23 .
Paul Lambert's side have leaped above Crystal Palace after their win at Selhurst Park .
The away side recorded their first win since 1-0 victory against Liverpool on September 13 .
Villa claimed their first away win against the Eagles since September 1980 . |
ff01e684e25b722e5a50c69d19e86350f5e1ed9f | The family of a serial party pest could lose their home, after an out-of-control party was shut down by police who were attacked with bottles by upset revellers. Perth Now reported riot police were forced to break up an out-of-control party in Bentley on Saturday night when 200 people spilled out into the streets. Western Australian Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has suggested that the mother of the teen who threw the party, Martin Fulton, 16, could face up to $12,000 in fines. Scroll down for video . Martin Fulton threw an out-of-control party and could be fined up to $12,000 . Martin Fulton, 16, said he arranged the party, but neighbours labelled him a serial party pest as he was always having parties there. Fulton had invited over 500 people on Facebook to the party. He even charged an entry fee – $5 entry before 8pm, $10 anytime after this, plus ones $10. When 30 police officers moved in to shut the party down they were bottled by revellers. 'It was fine until the cops showed up, then they ruined it,' Fulton said. Commissioner O'Callaghan has now said that the family must pay for the cost of the operation, reported 9 News. Legislation introduced in 2012 allows for those found guilty of throwing parties which require police control to be fined up to $12,000. An out-of-control party was shut down by police. This photo shows his Halloween party . Western Australian Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has suggested that the mother of the teen who threw the party, Martin Fulton, 16, could face up to $12,000 in fines . 'It was fine until the cops showed up, then they ruined it,' Fulton said . When 30 police officers moved in to shut the party down they were bottled by revellers . The Fultons' house is a welfare property owned by Foundation Housing, complicating the situation further as the incident could mean eviction for the family. Representatives of the body visited Mr Fulton and his mother on Monday morning to speak with them about the possible consequences of the party. As Mr Fulton is a minor, his parent or guardian is held responsible for the party, meaning that the fine of up to $12,000 could fall squarely on the shoulders of his mother. 'We're actually sitting at the Midland Police Station this morning collating the cost of that operation because it's likely his mum will have to pay for it,' said Commissioner O'Callaghan. Mr Fulton's mother Michelle said that the party had nothing to do with her, and that she hadn't organised the party. The teenager has said that he intends to pay for the fine, should it come to his mother, though he insists he did nothing wrong and said that he registered the party online, told neigbours and hired bouncers. When asked why the police were bottled, Fulton replied it was because they were trying to 'shut down a good party' The Fultons' house is a welfare property owned by Foundation Housing, complicating the situation further as the incident could mean eviction for the family . When asked why the police were bottled, Fulton replied it was because they were trying to 'shut down a good party'. He said that what happened would not stop him from holding other parties in the future, and the next one would be on New Year's Eve. Police Minister Liza Hardey said that it had been Mr Fulton's responsibility to manage the party properly. 'If he can't and the police are called, they will use our out of control party legislation to prosecute him to the full extent they can,' said Minister Hardey. Mr Fulton still plans on hosting a New Years Eve party despite the legal problems his family is facing. On Saturday evening, police were called to the scene on Gambar Court just before midnight following reports of people fighting. When officers arrived, there were an estimated 200 people at the address. Police entered the property and removed several people, while declaring it an 'out of control gathering.' A 20-year-old man allegedly refused to comply with police instructions and he was charged with obstruct police and disorderly conduct. Another 20-year-old man received facial injuries after being involved in an altercation with another party guest. A Nollamara man, also aged 20, was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. Police detained 16 juveniles and two other men were also issued move on notices. Mr Fulton said police were bottled because they shut the party down . Police detained 16 juveniles after the party was stopped . | Martin Fulton, 16, invited 500 people to an out-of-control party on Saturday night which had to be shut down by police .
30 police officers who moved in to shut down the party were bottled .
Fulton denies he was responsible and says that police are to blame .
As he is a minor, his mother is legally responsible and could face a fine of up to $12,000 .
The Fulton's home is a welfare house, and they could face eviction .
He now plans to go ahead and hold another party on New Year's Eve . |
ff024b56cd18510781d2835f8a0c151f7f80ceb7 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 07:27 EST, 6 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:37 EST, 6 May 2013 . A woman exposed by Panorama for abusing residents at the Winterbourne View care home was beaten up by two men in a vigilante attack, a court heard. Alison Dove, 26, was punched to the ground by Mark Davies and his son Mitchell after venturing outside for the first time after the explosive BBC documentary was aired. She was one of 11 members of staff recorded by an undercover BBC Panorama team abusing residents at the private hospital in Hambrook, South Gloucestershire. Attacked: Alison Dove (left) was punched to the ground by Mark Davies (right) and his son after the documentary was aired on the BBC . Alison Dove was one of 11 members of staff recorded by an undercover BBC Panorama team abusing residents at Winterbourne View care home (pictured) Dove was filmed squirting shower gel in the face of a mentally disabled woman and has since been jailed for 20 months. She kept a low profile after the show was aired in May 2011 but ventured out to the pub with a group of family members for the first time in August, Bristol Crown Court heard. Mark and Mitchell Davies were also at the The Royal Archer pub in Kingswood, Bristol, when trouble flared. Dove became involved in a row with members of the Davies family when Joanne Davies, Mark's sister, told her 'you should be in prison', it was said. A row kicked off and Mark, 39, scuffled with Dove's brother Simon, before Mitchell, 20, intervened to help his dad. Dove waded in to help her brother but was punched in the face, fell to the ground and kicked in the face by both the Davies men, the court was told. Dove suffered two jaw fractures and chipped teeth, and had to have four metal plates and 16 screws inserted as well as a tooth removed after the ruckus in a Bristol pub. Mark and Mitchell Davies, of Kingswood, were initially charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm, but the prosecution accepted guilty pleas to the lesser charge of affray. Dove was jailed for 20 months for her role in the Winterbourne View abuse scandal, after admitting seven charges of ill-treating patients . Winterbourne View was closed in the wake of the scandal which exposed abuse at the hospital . In the Panorama programme, Dove squirted shower gel in a patient's face at Winterbourne View care home . Mark Davies was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work. His son was handed a nine-month suspended youth custody sentence, plus a supervision order and 100 hours of unpaid work. Sentencing, Judge Geoffrey Mercer QC, said: 'This was a disgraceful incident, quite disgraceful. 'Quite how it started, quite what roles each of you played, quite what happened outside is not entirely clear to me, but what is clear to me is that you both played a significant part in it. 'I sentence you on the basis that this incident was, essentially, out of character.' Winterbourne View was closed in the wake of the scandal, with the judge praising the television investigator for stopping what had been ‘systematic abuse’. Last November, Dove was jailed for 20 . months for her role after . admitting seven charges of ill-treating patients. In the Panorama programme, she was heard saying resident Simone Blake 'loved pain', before hitting her, pouring water on her and squirting shower gel at her face. Along with other staff members, Dove was also filmed holding Miss Blake down as a nurse forced medication into her mouth. It is believed she has already been released from prison on licence. | Alison Dove, 26, was punched to the ground by Mark Davies and his son .
She was one of 11 members of staff recorded abusing residents at the home in Bristol .
Dove was filmed squirting shower gel at a mentally disabled woman .
Mark Davies was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and 150 hours of unpaid work .
His son was handed a nine-month suspended youth custody sentence, plus a supervision order and 100 hours of unpaid work . |
ff02950921f83509dc33ee2b2d881601e1dd7e2b | Former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati has been convicted in Iran by a secret court of "practical collaboration with the U.S. government" and sentenced to 10 years in prison, his sister told CNN on Friday. The news follows a public campaign by Hekmati's family to win his release from Iran, where he has been held for nearly three years under Iran's claim that he was an American spy. Hekmati's attorney, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei, told The New York Times on Friday that client had never been informed about the retrial, conviction or sentence. Tabatabaei told the newspaper he learned of the conviction during recent discussions with judiciary officials. He then telephoned to inform Hekmati, who has been held in Tehran's Evin prison, and with family members on the United States. Hekmati, 30, has long maintained his innocence, saying he had gone to Iran to visit his grandmother when he was arrested in August 2011, and accused by Iran's Intelligence Ministry of working as a CIA agent. Days before his arrest, Hekmati called his mother from Iran to say he would be coming home soon. He told them he would leave two days after a final farewell party his Iranian relatives were having on August 29. Hekmati never showed up at the party. Televised confession . For three months, no one in his family knew anything his whereabouts. Then one day in December 2011, Iranian state television aired Hekmati's purported confession that he was a CIA spy, and announced that he was imprisoned. Hekmati wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry saying a confession he made to the spying charges leveled by Iran were "false" and "based solely on confessions obtained by force, threats, miserable prison conditions, and prolonged periods of solitary confinement." The initial charge and detention has stretched to a two-year ordeal. Weeks after his on-air confession broadcast on Iranian television, Hekmati was tried in an Iranian court and sentenced to death. Months later, Iran's Supreme Court overturned his death sentence and ordered a retrial. During his imprisonment, Hekmati spent 16 months in solitary confinement and went on a month-long hunger strike. Enlisted in the Marines . Hekmati was born in Arizona and raised in Flint, Michigan, after his parents emigrated from Iran. His parents came to the United States in 1979 as the Islamic revolution spread across Iran. Hekmati joined the Marines after high school, and served four years, becoming a rifleman and also serving in Iraq. Two years ago Hekmati surprised his parents by telling them he wanted to visit Iran for the first time, to meet relatives he had never seen -- including his ailing grandmother -- and find his roots. The Hekmati family has tried to bring public attention to Amir Hekmati's plight, hoping to secure his release. Other Americans detained . Hekmati is the latest American in recent years to face arrest and prosecution in Iran: . • In 2007, Iran arrested several Iranian-Americans -- including Kian Tajbakhsh, Ali Shakeri and Haleh Esfandiari, who were all later released. (That same year retired FBI agent Robert Levinson went missing after last being seen on Iran's Kish Island. Despite photos from his captors, his whereabouts are still unknown.) • In May 2008, retired Iranian-American businessman Reza Taghavi was arrested on suspicion of supporting an anti-regime group. He was released more than two years later. • In 2009, three U.S. hikers, also accused of spying, were arrested but ultimately released. • Tajbakhsh was re-arrested in July 2009 amid post-election protests and a massive government crackdown. In March 2010, he was allowed a temporary release that was later extended, according to the website freekian09.org. The Iranian-American scholar is not allowed to leave the country, the website says. • Journalist Roxana Saberi was arrested in January 2009 and convicted of espionage in a one-day trial that was closed to the public. She was freed in May that year. • Literary translator Mohammad Soleimani Nia was detained in January 2012. • Christian pastor Saeed Abedini was reportedly detained in September 2012. | Amir Hekmati's attorney says his client was never told about the trial .
Hekmati has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, his sister says .
Hekmati was convicted of collaborating with the United States .
His death sentence for espionage was overturned in 2011 . |
ff029ff18d2980e63ffd38a11bf3d888747ec3ff | Clearwater, Florida (CNN) -- A Florida judge dismissed a batch of potential jurors in the Casey Anthony murder trial Tuesday because several members had discussed the case in the jury room. The ruling from Orange County Superior Court Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. came in the second day of jury selection in the trial of Anthony, 25, who is charged with capital murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. Perry asked the individuals whether another potential juror talked or asked about the case, and whether it went beyond just a reference to the case. At least a dozen raised their hand when asked if someone had spoken to them about Casey Anthony. "Through no fault of your own I think it's best I let you go and return back to the central jury room," said Perry, who asked for more jury candidates Wednesday. The judge and lawyers are questioning potential jurors in groups of 50. They need 12 jurors and eight alternates. Perry tied the jury panel problem to a person, listed as a witness in the case, who had also been summoned for jury duty. That individual spoke with others in the jury room, the judge said. Concerns over Anthony receiving a fair trial led to the jury selection proceedings being moved to the Clearwater, Florida, courthouse, about 100 miles southwest of Orlando. Caylee's grandmother first reported her missing in Orlando in 2008, weeks after the girl was last seen, and five months before her body was found. Authorities moved the proceedings to Clearwater hoping to draw from a jury pool that was less likely to have seen and been influenced by the intense media coverage surrounding the case. Once jury selection is complete, the jurors will be transported to Orlando's Orange County for the trial, which is now scheduled to start May 17. Perry and lawyers have been asking jurors about possible hardships in hearing the capital case. "Our system of justice depends on people like you willing to serve," the judge said Monday. "You are being asked to perform one of the highest duties of citizenship." Many excused jurors cited financial hardship -- saying they or their family would suffer if they couldn't work for two months. Others said they had to take care of loved ones. On a lighter note, a woman claimed hardship Tuesday due to her concern about a teen son who lives at home and worries about another son, 29, possibly throwing parties while she is on duty. Jurors also will be asked, one by one, for their take on the death penalty, which Casey Anthony would be eligible for if convicted on the murder charge. Lastly, the jurors will be quizzed on their knowledge of the case and other positions -- including if they have an opinion, prior to the trial, on Anthony's guilt or innocence. Throughout the selection process, Perry can weigh arguments from members of Anthony's legal team and state prosecutors and decide to exclude certain men and women from the jury pool. Casey Anthony also faces six other charges, including aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and misleading law enforcement. In Session's Jean Casarez and Michael Christian contributed to this report. | NEW: The judge says a witness in the case also was summoned for jury duty .
A Florida judge rejects potential jurors because they discussed the case .
Jury selection was secretly moved to Clearwater, 100 miles from Orlando .
Casey Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee . |
ff0345888fafc20f762f3a74fac915a137b6a942 | Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- Angry supporters of a Bangladesh Islamist party leader, given the death penalty for a war crimes conviction, continued clashes with police Friday in different districts, pushing the death toll to 45 since demonstrations began, police said. Dhaka, the capital, was largely peaceful except for small clashes. An uneasy calm prevailed there, with little traffic on the usually bustling city roads. "We see a long tailback (traffic backup) here in Dhaka almost everyday, but a wave of fear forced people to stay back home at the weekend," said businessman Ariful Islam in the Dhanmondi residential area. A huge contingent of police and paramilitary troopers was deployed to ward off further violence. Anti-riot police guarded major mosques in Muslim majority Bangladesh on Friday, the weekly holiday. "The situation is very much under control," the inspector general of Bangladesh police, Hassan Mahmood Khandker, told CNN. Besides the police, the Rapid Action Battalion and paramilitary troopers from Border Guards of Bangladesh patrolled. Road and rail communications were seriously disrupted as the protesters blocked highways and rail tracks in many places. Local police said at least three people were killed in Friday's violence outside Dhaka and five others injured on Thursday succumbed to their injuries. The 45 dead included five on-duty policemen, according to authorities. Police feared that the trouble might escalate next week because the Jamaat-e-Islami party announced a 48-hour general strike to begin Sunday. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party called a countrywide general strike on Wednesday in protest of what it said were "the killings by police firing" in the recent wave of unrest. Thirty-seven of the 45 dead were killed Thursday as Jamaat-e-Islami movement supporters clashed with police after the court sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayedee, one of the party's top leaders, to death. Sayedee, 73, was found guilty of eight counts out of 20 charges involving killings and rapes during the country's war of independence more than four decades ago and was sentenced to hang. Two International Crimes Tribunals set up by Bangladesh in 2010 were dealing with cases against 13 people. Separated with the help of India, Bangladesh had been the eastern part of Pakistan until it gained independence in 1971 in a war that claimed between 1 million and 3 million lives. Jamaat-e-Islami opposed East Pakistan's struggle for independence and has decried what it calls a smear campaign against it. The movement called the trial against Sayedee politically motivated. | Clashes continue in country .
Heavy security evident .
Delwar Hossain Sayedee was convicted of war crimes dating back to 1971 .
His political party says the allegations are part of a smear campaign . |
ff04a247ddef4bf14acf2d594dd5aab0ce372f6f | A woman was shot dead by her estranged boyfriend on Monday before the man then turned the gun on himself. Jacinda Miller, of Sadsbury, Pennsylvania, was leaving her car and heading into her job as a fitness instructor at the YMCA when Dennis Cassel murdered her. He then told a bystander to call 911 and stood by her body until police arrived on the scene, putting the gun to his head and firing one shot when the first officer began to approach him. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Jacinda Miller (above) was killed by her estranged boyfriend Dennis Cassel as she left her car to go into work Monday evening . Scene of the crime: It all happened at the Brandywine Valley YMCA in Pennsylvania (above) where Miller worked as a fitness instructor . Miller and Cassel were rushed to Brandywine Hospital where they were both pronounced dead. Officials told Daily Local News that it was clear that Cassel's plan was premeditated. This all happened just days after Miller wrote on her Facebook page on October 28, 'New beginnings!!! Getting excited.' On October 21 however, Miler did not seem as happy, telling her followers she was 'pissed off.' She elaborated on that in her comments section, telling one of her friends, she would 'always have an emptiness.' Miller, 41, had two sons and was described by all who knew her as one of the nicest and kindest people they had ever met. 'She was always laughing and just happy. Playing air guitar and head banging along with the music while teaching combat. Her biggest joy was her two boys though. She was Miss Football Mom!' said Sara Davidge, one of Miller's coworkers. 'She’s going to be missed by so many. I don’t think she knew just exactly how many people’s lives she touched. We all loved her.' Work it out: Miller (second from left) was a popular fitness instructor and mother to two young sons . Jim Schnaitman, Miller's neighbor of four years, said, 'She's a great person, she's got two great kids, and I couldn't believe anybody would do something like that to her. He also told ABC 6 that Cassel seemed like a completely normal guy, saying he had recently been having beers and enjoying a bonfire with the 42-year-old. Cassel did not have a criminal record, and there are no recorded incidents of domestic violence between the couple. Chester County District Attorney Hogan stated, 'This crime is another tragedy of domestic violence. Two children have been left without a mother. There is no excuse and no good explanation for this sort of violence.' The boys are currently in the custody of their father, Miller's ex-husband. | Jacinda Miller was gunned down by estranged boyfriend Dennis Cassel as she was heading in to work at the Brandywine Valley YMCA in Pennsylvania .
Cassel then asked a bystander to call 911, and when the first police officer arrived on the scene her shot himself in the head .
Miller was a popular fitness instructor with two young sons who friends and coworkers describe as an amazing friend and mom .
Just a few days earlier Miller had shared a post on her Facebook page talking about 'exciting new beginnings' in her life . |
ff04a921e5aa8d6150c2c71adf0e33d3f47cf7e5 | By . Suzannah Hills . The first ever gold coin to be struck in the U.S. more than 225 years ago is expected to fetch at least $5 million at auction. The gold doubloon was struck in 1787 and was the fledgling country's first ever coin intended for circulation in America's emerging colonies. Prior to its launch, settlers used foreign copper and silver coins they had brought with them or coins they had forged themselves. But only a handful of the gold doubloons were ever made and just seven exist worldwide today.The coin is estimated to sell for at least $5million when it goes under the hammer. Going under the hammer: This gold doubloon struck in 1787 is expected to sell for five million at auction . But experts believe it could fetch far more, beating the $7.6 million dollars paid for a $20 coin from 1933 called a Double Eagle, making it the second most expensive coin in the world. It could potentially even rival the $10 million world record set in January 2013 by the sale of a 1794 one dollar coin. The gold doubloon contains 26.66 grams of gold - slightly less than an ounce - and was worth $16 at the time, around $400 today. It was struck by New York goldsmith Ephraim Brasher, a neighbour to George Washington, and is being auctioned on behalf of coin expert Walter Perschke who bought it in 1979 for $430,000. On one side it features the Great Seal of the United States - an eagle holding an olive branch in its talons - and the motto 'e pluribus unum' meaning 'out of many, one'. On the reverse is a sunrise over a mountain with the words 'Nova Eboraca Columbia excelsior'. Columbia was an early name for the United Sates, Nova Eboraca is Latin for New York and excelsior - 'even higher' - was its motto. Worth more than its weight in gold: The coin contains 26.66 grams of gold which was worth $16 when it was made but is now worth $400 . Mark Borckardt, an expert in currency from Heritage Auctions, said: 'The Brasher Doubloon is a wonderful piece with an incredible history. 'It is one of the most famous coins in existence and among the most valuable too. 'What makes it so special is that it was the first gold coin ever to be struck in the USA. 'At the time the coins used by the fledgling colonies were either foreign ones they had brought with them or copper and silver coins they produced themselves. 'There were no gold coins and that was something Congress wanted to rectify. Top dollar: A Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, believed to have been the first silver dollar struck by the United States Mint, sold for slightly more than $10 million at a New York auction last January . 'Ephraim Brasher, a goldsmith in New York City and a neighbour of George Washington, produced a small number of gold coins called doubloons worth 16 dollars face value. 'Only seven now survive, two of which are in museums, and of the remaining five this one is the finest example - it is like new. 'The seller is a prominent coin dealer who bought the doubloon the last time it came up for sale in 1979 and has treasured it ever since. 'It will be many years before a coin like this comes up for sale again and we expect the auction to be a momentous event.' The auction will take place in Orlando, Florida, tomorrow. | The coin was struck in 1787 by New York goldsmith Ephraim Brasher .
It contains 26.66 grams of gold - worth $16 at the time and $400 today .
Experts predict it could sell for far more than its estimated auction price .
A 1794 one dollar coin sold for $10million in 2013 holds the current record . |
ff04f0e1efad96aff0fffc3eaa6e77e3e0110396 | ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (CNN) -- "Quick, I-V." "Is he breathing?" "Flip him over." "Heart rate? Pulse?" The nurses' commands and questions filled the recovery room at an Egyptian hospital. Adnan Saleh's "after" photo. The tot from Egypt received surgery from Operation Smile to fix a cleft lip. Seven-month-old Adnan Saleh had just come out of surgery to fix a cleft lip. But suddenly his newly repaired mouth was filling with blood. The post-op nurses rushed to make sure he didn't choke. "Mother! We need a mama," one of the male nurses shouted in his South African accent, once Adnan was stabilized. "Speak to him!" Adnan's mother did what we've all seen our own mothers do: pretend that she wasn't crying. "Habibi, habibi," Ghada Saleh tried to say in as singsong-y a voice as she could muster, so Adnan would recognize her. "My love, my love," in Arabic. At the same time, she attempted to discern her only son behind the stitches on his nose and lip, and wires everywhere else. "Adnan, Adnan! It's me, Mommy," she bravely and desperately called out in Arabic. Just a moment earlier, I had come out of the operating room, running with the doctors and anesthesiologist to the recovery room, to tell his worried parents that everything had gone well and Adnan looked great. But now, this complication. His father's usually jovial demeanor was stiff. Once the commotion started, he left the room. I couldn't help but tear up. I would be lying if I said I hadn't gotten attached to Adnan and his family. I had been following their entire journey of "kissing his cleft lip goodbye" with the Operation Smile volunteers at their mission site in Alexandria, Egypt. I tried imagining what Adnan would have looked like without the surgery. Even with the cleft lip, he was "Gerber baby" cute -- but what about when he grew up? In countries like Egypt, people with cleft lips and/or palates are looked upon as "cursed" and virtually shunned from society. "I just want my son to have a chance," Adnan's father told me the first day we met. Mohammed Saleh and his pregnant wife waited for hours for their turn with the Operation Smile doctors. The global rate for cleft lip and/or palate is about 1 in 750 births. In the United States, we don't think about the condition much because the surgery to repair it is routinely performed soon after a baby is born. But in Third World countries, the corrective surgery is expensive and hard to come by -- especially for families like the Salehs. Experience the sights and sounds of Adnan's journey » . "Papa! We need the father," the nurse called out again, after Adnan had awakened. I pushed open stainless steel doors and motioned with my head. Saleh came back in, calmer and smelling of cigarettes. It was the "after" moment. Adnan's eyes were closed, his face was puffy from the medication, but his nose and mouth were aligned, like the real "Gerber baby." His parents quietly studied their son. After spending a week with this family, I thought I could read some of the wonder and fear in their eyes. Wonder at the possibility of what their son could now become, be it doctor, lawyer or policeman. Fear at the prospect of going through this journey again with the baby on the way. The doctors I spoke with don't know exactly what causes the deformity. They point to genetic, environmental and nutritional factors. For example, they say in Third World countries, the lack of folic acid and the practice of intermarriage increase the likelihood of cleft lip and/or palate. Operation Smile focuses on the areas with the greatest need, from Bolivia to Bangladesh. The organization received a burst of publicity during the last presidential race: Republican nominee John McCain's wife, Cindy, has volunteered at the organization since 2001 (the couple's youngest daughter, adopted from an orphanage in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was born with a cleft palate). The doctors and nurses who volunteer their time and skill come from all over the world, pay their own way, are housed in places like military barracks (as we were), and work long days through the screening, surgery and recovery process. Despite the long hours, hard work and rustic conditions, all the professionals I encountered woke up and went to bed with a smile, knowing they were giving these youngsters a chance to do the same. I left the hospital to go to the airport while the Salehs were still sleeping, together, on one hospital bed, in a room with five other families just like theirs. Since then, I've received e-mail updates from Mohammed Saleh. "Now he has the chance to do anything he wants, anything that makes him happy. The father is happy when the son is happy," Saleh wrote, ending with a smiley-face emoticon. | Reporter volunteers for Operation Smile mission in Egypt; meets Saleh family .
Son Adnan has cleft lip; his parents are concerned that new baby will have it, too .
Salehs wait for hours for shot at surgery that would give Adnan a "normal" life .
Operation Smile goes on missions to Third World countries to repair birth defects . |
ff052e238787c215e8249965d6d848f39e492ff7 | (CNN) -- The United States should drop charges against an Indian diplomat accused of fraud and making false statements on a visa application for her housekeeper, the country's foreign minister told CNN on Friday. "I imagine yes, if we think the charges are unwarranted, unjustified, then how would we say, 'But you can carry on,'" Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said. "I mean charges have to be withdrawn." Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, was arrested and stripped-searched last week on charges of visa fraud related to her treatment of a woman she brought from India to work as her housekeeper. She's accused of telling the U.S. government she would pay the woman, who has been publicly identified as Sangeeta Richard, $9.75 an hour. Authorities say in reality, the woman received only $3.31 an hour and was told to keep quiet about the arrangement. "This type of fraud on the United States and exploitation of an individual will not be tolerated," the chief federal prosecutor in Manhattan, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, said Thursday. Khurshid, however, said the matter should have been handled by Indian courts. "It's not a really good idea to have people put question marks on the Indian judicial system," he told CNN. "We may take time to decide cases in this country, but we have one of the finest rule-of-law institutions. "I mean if you have a problem, you have a problem about compliance with the labor law, just tell us," Khurshid said. "I mean what would we do — either withdraw the person, the employee — or just negotiate a, negotiate some, some exceptions." Indian diplomat: Does she have immunity? The incident has outraged Indian politicians, some of whom may be stirring up anti-U.S. sentiment ahead of presidential elections, prompting the removal of barricades from the road leading to the U.S. Embassy. A senior U.S. official expressed concern about removal of the barricades. But Khurshid told CNN's Mallika Kapur that traffic barricades, not security barricades, were removed. Indian politicians have called the diplomat's treatment "barbaric" and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called her treatment "deplorable." Bharara defended how Khobragade was treated, saying officials took pains to treat her better than many other suspects. "Khobragade was accorded courtesies well beyond what other defendants, most of whom are American citizens, are accorded," he said Wednesday. "She was not, as has been incorrectly reported, arrested in front of her children. The agents arrested her in the most discreet way possible, and unlike most defendants, she was not then handcuffed or restrained." In addition, she was allowed to keep her phone and make calls to arrange personal matters, including child care, he said. Khobragade was strip-searched by a female officer, Bharara said, but noted that's standard practice for every suspect taken into custody of the U.S. Marshal's Service. Debate: Arrest, strip-search of Indian diplomat 'barbaric?' In a statement, Secretary of State John Kerry expressed "regret" over the situation, without saying the United States had done anything wrong. State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said officials are trying to arrange a call between Kerry and Khurshid. She also said the department has not received a request to change the status of the Indian diplomat and that such a change would not wipe out any criminal charges filed before her immunity status changed. Khurshid said Friday he hoped the row would not pose long-term harm to U.S.-Indian relations. "I think it's important that we, we understand this is a valuable relationship for both sides. There's a huge amount of investment both public and private into this relationship," he said, "and I don't think the world wants a relationship like this to deteriorate at all." Khobragade is charged with one count of visa fraud and one count of making false statements, which carry a combined maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. According to court documents and statements, prosecutors argue she lied in her visa application to bring the housekeeper to the United States, promising to pay her the minimum wage of $9.75. She was actually paid $3.31 an hour, prosecutors say. Khobragade allegedly instructed the housekeeper to say she would be paid the higher rate and not mention her actual pay. Khobragade allegedly also had the housekeeper sign another employment contract that "deleted the required language protecting the victim from other forms of exploitation and abuse" and also deleted language that said Khobragade agreed to abide by U.S. laws, Bharara said Wednesday. That document wasn't provided to U.S. authorities as part of the visa application process, authorities said. Her attorney, Dan Arshack, said Thursday that the allegations have "nothing to do with what the actual facts are." Richard requested the second contact, Arshack said. The document shows that a portion of Richard's earnings would be sent to her husband in New Delhi, he said. "And that's what happened," Arshack said. "And that's what the documents support." But Dana Sussman, the housekeeper's attorney, said his client was only paid the smaller amount, which was deposited into an Indian bank account. Her client denies being given any money in the United States that could be considered a salary, she said. "I don't know what he's talking about," Sussman said of Arshack's claims. "This story seems to keep changing." Opinion: What about the nanny? CNN's Josh Levs, Jethro Mullen, Tom Watkins, Deborah Feyerick, Elise Labott, Harmeet Shah Singh, Ross Levitt and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | U.S. should drop charges, India's foreign minister says .
Officials should have referred the situation to Indian officials to handle, Salman Khurshid says .
Prosecutors say diplomat lied about housekeeper's pay on visa application .
She could face up to 15 years in prison . |
ff0558feb36fe91b48d91bb9348fe9a2af4d118f | (CNN) -- Samoa Air has taken the next lunge in the debate on air travel and overweight fliers with a new extra-large seat for extra-wide passengers. "The new seat is like a two-person couch, created from two adjacent seats without an armrest," the airline's CEO Chris Langton told CNN. The new seat will also have 14 inches of extra legroom, created by the removal of the row in front. The initiative includes the adoption of a boarding ramp, as opposed to steps. "Most people around 130 kilos (285 pounds) struggle to get up most steps, so we've redesigned ours into a ramp to help bigger passengers get to their seats," said Langton. The tiny airline -- its fleet consists of three planes, each with 10 seats or fewer -- already operates the airline industry's only pay-as-you-weigh pricing scheme, which charges passengers according to their combined body and luggage weight. It transports some of the world's biggest travelers. A 2007 Forbes report claimed 80% of Samoans are overweight, and it's unlikely things have improved since then. "Some of our customers top out at 210 kilos (460 pounds)," Langton said. "Many come in around 160 kilos and around 40% in the 100-130 kilo range." Pay more get more . Langton said the move -- which will become operational in one of the airline's planes on June 26 -- is meant to offset extra costs incurred under the controversial pay-as-you-weigh plan and acts as a trial for potential implementation in other aircraft. "Because some bigger passengers will be paying more, we want them to be comfortable," said Langton. "It's a precursor to what will happen to our 100-seater planes, which we'll start operating in three to six months." Data on passenger weight collected by the airline since November show that for every 50 passengers they fly, three to four will weigh 160 kilos (352 pounds) or more. The pay-as-you-weigh scheme has been criticized for condoning unhealthy eating by travelers. Langton disagrees. "Airplanes run on weight, whether that's healthy weight or unhealthy," he said. "Our problem is putting that weight on seats and the fact that different people weigh different amounts. It's completely separate from the issue of health." The airline recently set up a scheme with a local fitness center in which members who lose weight at the gym receive Samoa Air vouchers giving them three kilos for the price of one -- a 66% saving. Weigh in and pay up . The airline's fee structure allows travelers to enter their approximate weight and that of their luggage and prepay based on that "guesstimate." A Norwegian economist recently published a paper advocating the practice. Some travelers have criticized the weight-based fare concept as a "fat tax." Others believe it's fair. "Yes, if I am getting less than 100% of the seat I paid for, the person taking my space should have to make up the difference," a CNN.com commenter wrote. For a tiny carrier like Samoa Air, the fare model seems reasonable, according to airline analyst Vaughn Cordle, a partner at Ionosphere Capital, a transportation investment research firm. "For this small operation, specifically with the aircraft they fly, weight restrictions are the key practical problem they have to deal with on every flight. They have a solid business case to charge for weight," Cordle said. But travelers are unlikely to see anything like it on a large U.S. airline, he said. "For U.S. airlines, I think this is an issue they will not touch with a 10-foot pole because of the negative publicity and the practical purposes of weighing people at the gate." CNN's Marnie Hunter and Katia Hetter contributed to this report . | New "couch" will combine two seats and have 14 inches of extra legroom .
Some passengers on Samoa Air weigh up to 210 kilos (460 pounds)
Initiative includes ramp access to seats in place of steps . |
ff05c68f2874e6a4f7e8bc8ec53714257fa6aaf2 | Istanbul (CNN) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that he regrets the deaths of 35 civilians in a military airstrike in a Kurdish area on the border with Iraq. Speaking to reporters in Istanbul, he said, "It is an unfortunate outcome. It is a sad outcome." Pledging a full investigation, he said those killed late Wednesday were smuggling cigarettes and fuel, with almost half of them below the age of 20. Erdogan said Turkey's military had been monitoring the area because it was in constant use by terrorist groups and that security forces had become suspicious because of the size of the group and number of donkeys used. The funerals of the victims, who all came from three villages in the Uludere area of Sirnak province, should now have been conducted, he said. His words came a day after a senior member of a Kurdish separatist group urged Kurds to rise up against Turkish authorities over what he called a massacre. Bahoz Erdal, a member of the command council of the armed wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, issued the call for action on the group's official website. "We urge all the people of Kurdistan, especially the people of Hakkari (province) and Sirnak, to react to this massacre and seek a settling of accounts through uprisings from the perpetrators of this massacre," Erdal said in a statement. Some observers have sounded the alarm in recent months about escalating tension between Turkey and its Kurdish minority, warning it may reignite a conflict that has simmered since 1984 and claimed more than 30,000 lives. Turkey has been going on the offensive against Kurdish separatists based across its border in northern Iraq with bombings and incursions. Erdal dismissed comments made by the Turkish military general staff Thursday, however, as having "nothing to do with reality," saying the attack occurred inside Turkey, not in northern Iraq as the general staff said. The general staff statement said the airstrike late Wednesday was in the Sinat-Haftanin area of northern Iraq, where many militant training camps are situated and there are no civilian settlements. Surveillance by unmanned aerial vehicles showed a group moving from Iraq toward the border with Turkey in an area "mostly used by terrorists," it said. Erdal disputed that claim, saying the strike by Turkish air force jets was 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from Sinat-Haftanin in Uludere, in a Kurdish-populated area of Turkey. "We do not have any camps, bases, activity or movement in the area as claimed. This massacre is an attack against our patriotic people of Botan," he said, using the Kurdish term for the Sirnak area. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday that Turkey did not discriminate between its citizens, only between civilians and terrorists. "Every citizen is so valuable for us," he said, quoted by the semi-official Anadolu news agency. He described Wednesday's airstrike as an "exceptional incident" that should be investigated according to the law. Turkey's President Abdullah Gul also said the incident was unfortunate, Anadolu reports. A senior member of Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) also said Thursday that indications were that those killed were civilians smuggling cigarettes. "These people were thought to be terrorists; however, the first initial investigative information we have from the local authorities, especially from Sirnak Governor's office, indicate that these people are involved in cigarette smuggling," said the AKP's deputy chairman and spokesman Huseyin Celik. He said the strike had killed many members of the same family. "Even if there was a situation 100% that these people were smugglers, these people should not have been subjected to this, they should not have been bombed. It is out of question," he said. Celik promised a full investigation into the incident. The general staff statement released Thursday said the military had received intelligence that militants were planning to attack border outposts following recent action against Kurdish separatists. In October, an attack killed 24 Turkish soldiers in the southeastern section of the country, where Turkey borders Iraq. The Turkish government blamed terrorists for that attack, and the United States pinned responsibility for the attack on militants from the PKK. Earlier this month, Turkish police detained dozens of people in a wave of raids focused on pro-Kurdish media organizations. The Kurds represent the largest ethnic minority in Turkey. For decades, they were the target of repressive government policies, implemented by officials who sometimes referred to them as "mountain Turks." The PKK is designated as a terror organization by Turkey and the United States. CNN's Yesim Comert contributed to this report. | NEW: Turkey's foreign minister says the country does not discriminate between its citizens .
Erdogan says the deaths, many of youths under 20, were "a sad outcome"
The Turkish military airstrike killed 35 people who were smuggling cigarettes .
A Kurdish separatist group member calls for a "settling of accounts" over the deaths . |
ff06019bf301a20a46b10fdb83d7f7d9cd6dab6b | By . Alex Greig . A Kazakh woman left disfigured after undergoing radiation therapy for cancer in her jaw that she never had is undergoing reconstructive surgery at a Kentucky hospital Monday morning. Lessya Kotelevskaya, 30, is receiving the $1 million surgery for free after a doctor at the University of Louisville Hospital heard about her plight and offered to help. It is expected to take up to 24 hours to complete. Kotelevskaya was misdiagnosed with cancer in her jaw in 2001 and underwent intensive radiation therapy that left a gaping hole in her cheek and no jaw bone. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Undergoing surgery: Lessya Kotelevskaya received aggressive radiation therapy for a cancer she never had after being misdiagnosed by Kazakh doctors . She was wheeled into surgery around 7:30 this morning. Her surgeon, Dr Jarrod A. Little, is working for free and will spend the next 24 hours in surgery with Kotelevskaya. Her cousin Oleg Sennick, 43, who moved to the U.S. in 1996, discovered her struggling to survive in 2012 and brought her to the U.S. for treatment. It was while he was working as a hairdresser that Sennik mentioned his cousin's situation to a client, who happened to be married to a doctor from the University of Louisville Hospital. She mentioned the case to her husband, and he said his colleagues may be able to help. 'She has a terrible problem, I know how to fix it. The rest is immaterial,' Little told ABC. Little will remove the dead tissue from Kotelevskaya's jaw, then take a piece of her leg bone and attach it, with skin and blood vessels attached, to the remnants of her jawbone and secure it using screws and a titanium plate. Big day: Dr Little speaks with Lessya Kotelevskaya and her cousin Oleg Sennik before surgery this morning . Long-lost cousin: Oleg Sennik spent years searching for his cousin Lessya Kotelevskaya after moving to the U.S. in 1993 only to discover her destitute and sick . Little says helping people like Kotelevskaya is what made him want to become a doctor. 'Plastic . surgery is typically associated with cosmetic stuff, and this is the . other part of plastics that took 11 years of training after college,' he . told ABC. 'This makes it all worthwhile.' Kotelevskaya has been so excited about the surgery that she hasn't been able to sleep, Sennik said. 'I just want to become a normal person . so I don't have to concentrate on my face,' Kotelevskaya, who had been living at a car wash when she was rescued by her cousin, told the Sun Herald. 24-hour surgery: Dr Jarrod Little is performing the surgery, which is expected to take up to a day and costs $1 million . The mother of a . seven-year-old boy, Erik, was 19 when she was told she had terminal . cancer in her jaw. She had gone to her doctor after being elbowed in the . face during a basketball game. The aggressive radiation treatment . she was given disfigured her face and made it difficult for her to eat, . talk or live a normal life. Her cousin says she was also given an abortion without her knowledge or consent. The 30-year-old can barely open her mouth and for nearly ten years believed she had a terminal disease. 'She pulls food apart and jams it behind her teeth and it leaks out the other side,' Little told ABC. 'She has gotten really innovative dealing with it.' For more than 10 years Lessya Kotelevskaya hid from society after aggressive cancer treatment left a gaping hole in her cheek. Her . husband left her after she became pregnant with her son, Erik, and . she began living on the edge of society, sometimes without a roof over . her head and taking on menial night jobs so that no one could see her . face. As well as damaging . her face, the misdiagnosis ruined Ms Kotelevskaya's life. She was . married and helped run her own clothing store at the time but, when the . treatment left her unable to eat or speak properly her husband left in . 2007 and the store was forced to close. Life-changing: Lessya Kotelevskaya, pictured in 2013, is to be given reconstructive surgery to repair damage caused by radiation treatment . Reunited: With her cousin's help, Kotelevskaya has begin making a new life in the U.S., where her son is in the first grade . 'She couldn’t work, because everybody would look at her and say something’s wrong with her, and she’s going to die anyway,. She was totally rejected by society,' Oleg Sennik, her cousin, told the Courier-Journal. With no business or immediate family to rely on, Kotelevskaya began a life in the shadows of society. To avoid the unkind stares of strangers, the mother took night jobs such as cleaning gyms or carrying sand to . people's doorways in winter. At one point, she was so hard up that Kotelevskaya, who has to hold a towel to her face when she eats to prevent food dribbling out the hole in her cheek, had to live in the utility room of a car wash. When her cousin eventually traced her, she weighed just 79lb. Sennik took her for treatment in Ukraine, where he had been raised, and it was there that she first realized her cancer diagnosis was wrong. The first 72 hours after the surgery will be critical, says Little, because of the risk of a blot clot, which would undo all the work. Kotelevskaya will need to spend the next three weeks after the surgery in hospital recovering. Adjusting: Kotelevskaya and her son Erik enjoy their first Christmas in the U.S. in 2013 . Little explained that it was possible for doctors to mistakenly identify benign tumors in the jawbone for cancer. 'If you're not accustomed to looking at them underneath the . microscope, or you don't have specialized pathologists like we do here, . they can be mistaken for malignant tumors,' he said. To repair the damage suffered by Kotelevskaya, she had initial surgery on November 14. Today's operation is the final piece of the puzzle. Little said the procedure was common practice for his medical team because Kentucky has some of the highest rates of head and neck cancer. 'She missed so many years of her life. She said that this is the first time she’s feeling like she doesn’t have to hide,' Sennik said. ABC US News | ABC Celebrity News . | 30-year-old Lessya Kotelevskaya was taken into what is expected to be a 24-hour surgery Monday morning .
She has a gaping hole in her cheek and no jawbone after she was misdiagnosed with cancer and given radiation in her native Kazakhstan .
University of Louisville doctors are performing the million-dollar reconstructive surgery for free .
Kotelevskaya can barely open her mouth and had spent 10 years believing she was dying .
Her long-lost cousin from Kentucky located her and brought her to the U.S. for treatment after it was discovered she does not have cancer .
Doctors are live-tweeting the operation . |
ff06131fa458c668503b42a011361f5381c7b9a1 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Furniture from the rented mansion where pop star Michael Jackson died was being auctioned off Saturday, and among the most expensive items sold were paintings that went for $46,875 and $35,200. Some of the furnishings were made infamous by crime scene photos shown in this year's trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, who was sentenced last month to four years in the Los Angeles County jail for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death. Though the mansion is located in Los Angeles' Holmby Hills neighborhood, the auction was being held in Beverly Hills and was being carried live online. Auctioneers were selling 524 items. Jackson did not own the beds, chairs, clocks, paintings, dishes and other objects, but their value was expected to skyrocket because of the personal touch added by the pop icon and his children in the months before he died on June 25, 2009. Julien's Auctions has been careful not to call it a Michael Jackson auction out of legal and public relations concerns, instead marketing it by the mansion's now-famous address -- 100 North Carolwood Drive. As of early Saturday afternoon, among the most expensive items sold were a $35,200 watercolor painting of floral still life by Maurice Utrillo and a $46,875 oil painting of fishing village by Adelsteen Normann. The table where Jackson's sedatives sat and the rug on which paramedics tried to revive him are also among the items on the sale block. Without the connection to Jackson, the entire property might bring $400,000, Nolan said. But with the connection, "the sky's the limit," Julien's Executive Director Martin Nolan said. A chalkboard left behind in Jackson's kitchen may have cost a few hundred dollars, but what his children wrote on it makes it a very valuable object, Nolan said. The note, handwritten on the black board attached to a 26-inch-tall ceramic rooster, reads "love Daddy/ I (heart) Daddy/ Smile it's for free." It sat in the kitchen where, according to testimony in the trial of Murray, Jackson would eat lunch each day with Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson. It was not known which child wrote the chalk note, but Nolan said his research suggested it was from Paris, who was 11 when her father died. Another striking piece is a Victorian-revival-style armoire from Jackson's master bedroom. On the mirror, presumably where Jackson looked each day as he dressed, is a handwritten message of inspiration: "Train, perfection March April Full out May." The wax-pencil note is significant, considering that Jackson was battling the calendar as he prepared for his "This Is It" concerts set to premiere in London in July 2009. Murray's defense lawyers argued during the trial that the intense pressure on Jackson to rehearse for the 50 shows put him in a desperate fight for sleep, which led to Murray administering the surgical anesthetic propofol nearly every night in the last two months of his life. Julien's Auctions backed away from selling the bed in which Jackson received the fatal dose of the propofol after a personal request from his mother, Katherine Jackson, Nolan said. The auction house's re-creation of the bedroom where Jackson died -- euphemistically called "the medicine room" by the company -- features a bed-sized memorial covered with love notes from Jackson fans instead of the death bed. The nightstand seen next to the death bed in coroner's photos, bearing numerous bottles of sedatives and other drugs, is for sale. The "French occasional table" is listed for between $300 and $500. The room-size Oriental rug that covered the floor where Jackson was placed when paramedics tried to revive him is listed in the auction catalog for between $400 and $600. The couch and chairs where Jackson likely sat with show producers worried about his health in the days before his death are for sale. One chair in Jackson's bedroom has a stain which Nolan suggested was makeup spilled by the star as he sat in front of a mirror. None of Jackson's relatives has expressed an interest in any of the items, Nolan said. He pointed out that they had a chance to take whatever they wanted from the house in the months after his death. The notes and posters brought to the auction house by Jackson fans and placed on the "medicine room" memorial will be sent to Jackson's mother and children, he said. Jackson's relationship with Julien's turned sour in the last months of his life when he filed a lawsuit to stop the sale of furnishings from his Neverland ranch. The singer sued the auction company, claiming he did not authorize the sale of items that were removed from Neverland after he sold the ranch. The suit was settled in April 2009 when Julien's canceled the auction and later returned the items to Jackson. | Two paintings sell for thousands of dollars .
Auction is selling 524 items from rented mansion where pop icon died in 2009 .
Some furnishings were shown in photos during trial of Jackson's doctor .
Jackson didn't own the furnishings, but his use of them should raise prices . |
ff06437727029069bd6d5c4d0eb91fe099bf0a39 | Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- From bakery to barber shop, cafe to carpet store, Iranians stroll their capital with a renewed step, uplifted by how their newly elected president seeks something remarkable after decades of cold war-like relations between their country and the West. Iran wants to talk. With the United States. With Europe. With everyone who's been skeptical of the country. And Iran is willing to discuss its nuclear program, President Hassan Rouhani says. "I just feel it. It's not like I've seen anything, but I feel it," said retiree Syed Ali Akbar. "It's the best thing to do. We've been hurting ourselves for years." International economic sanctions against Iran have strained day-to-day living in Iran, making essential goods such as medicine expensive and hard to come by. That punishment has taken a toll. "The sanctions have hurt us. Prices have gone up. There are things you can't find," said Hossein Mohamadi at the Barbari Bread Shop. To many Iranians, Rouhani seems to be really advancing the "hope and prudence" slogan he used during his successful campaign to become president in June, posturing as a centrist and reformer against hardline conservatives that characterized previous president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Rouhani had been Iran's national security council chief and its lead nuclear negotiator. "With Mr. Rouhani here, we've become more hopeful that things will improve," Mohamadi said. Ramin Atouri, 28, is a part of the young generation to whom Rouhani appealed in his stump speeches. Atouri dislikes political isolation and applauds diplomacy. "Everything is solved through friendship. War and sanctions and conflict never solve anything," Atouri said. One day, U.S. and Iranian president might shake hands . A new sense of optimism . Without doubt, the long years of hostility between Iran and the United States leave many Iranians wary and distrustful of Western countries. Those feelings endure and were captured by an open microphone that CNN set up Wednesday on a busy street in Tajrish Square, inviting passers-by to send a personal sound bite around the world. "I say hello to all America," said one woman named Zahra. "Your behavior is not very good. Your politics is about war and it's terrifying.... Don't create so many restrictions for us. Don't impose on us so many sanctions. Let us make progress." In general, however, there's a whiff of euphoria for the first time in many people's memory. That was also expressed at the open mike. "America is a great county and we want to have good relations with America, and our government is working to make that happen," said Reza, who didn't give her last name. "We hope American politicians understand the circumstances, and through positive talks we can thaw this relationship that has been frozen for 35 years, so we can live side by side as friends." A Tehran-based author and political analyst also sensed change in the air. "So far he has done more than we expected," Sadegh Zibakalam said about the new president. "Ever since the elections, there is a mood of optimism. There is a mood of hope. Wherever you go in Iran, you can see people happier." Zibakalam went so far as to say Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also has altered his rhetoric, joining the prevailing hopefulness. "I cannot fail to detect some changes with regard to the attitude of the supreme leader ever since the elections," Zibakalam said. Wherever Iranians gathered and did business, they spoke to how new ground was being broken -- and whether they believed it was for real. At a carpet store, Sadegh Kiyaei, 50, believed a new day was dawning. "He's the hope of the future of Iranians, especially the way he's talking to the world and especially to America," Kiyaei said of the new president. "We believe the two nations -- Iran and America -- they believe they need each other and like each other. They feel it's the right time to get together and start talking at least." One mother, however, didn't endorse that sentiment. She is going to press ahead with her efforts to leave Iran. If there's a better future for her and her son, it's outside Iran, she said. "In my view, I don't think you can get anywhere here in Iran," said the mother, Khoshvakht, who declined to give her last name. "I haven't lost hope. I just don't think anything has changed. I'm just not that optimistic." Her son, Omid, didn't like her mother's plan to leave. "I want to stay," he said. "My friends are here." Rouhani calls for 'constructive' dialogue, end to 'unhealthy' rivalries . Wishing for an easier life . At the open microphone, several speakers didn't need prompting to broach perhaps the biggest subject on the international community's mind -- whether Iran is building nuclear weapons. Iran says its controversial atomic program is for peaceful energy purposes. But several Western countries want Iran to fully comply with a United Nations agency's inspectors looking into whether the nuclear development is to build a bomb. "Hi, America," said one man named Mohsen. "As far as I'm concerned, I don't think they're making bombs." Then, he added, "With all the sanctions they put on us, it's like putting a gun on someone's head. "You respect our civil rights and we'll respect yours. It's just humanity," he concluded. Hassan Ahmadi has been a barber for 30 years and has three kids. He wants affordable medicine for his family. "There's been a lot of tough times and rising costs," Ahmadi said. "One hundred percent, I want to see better relations, so we can live a little easier. "I'm hopeful that change will happen so we can escape all the worry," he added. Those who held contrary opinions were equally effusive. "I don't have hope because I don't think Rouhani is everything in Iran. He still has someone over the top of him," said Ali Ahadi at a newspaper stand. That superior is the ayatollah. A coffee shop owner agreed. "The final decider is the supreme leader. Maybe if things change, then he'll change his mind. So in the end, I'm not optimistic," proprietor Amin, who declined to give his last name. "We just want to live in peace. That's my only wish -- to live in peace." Perhaps the most commonly shared view on Tehran streets was rejection of how Western leaders harshly characterize the country. "I know they call us terrorists, but you show me which one of us is terrorists?" Ahadi said at the newsstand. "Iranians are (hospitable) and kind and honest." Rouhani brings 'charm offensive' to U.N. CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report from Tehran. Michael Martinez wrote from Los Angeles. | Throughout the capital, Iranians sense a new future in the air .
'It's not like I've seen anything, but I feel it,' one retiree says .
The new president's outreach to Western countries resonates .
Optimists express themselves at a CNN open microphone in Tehran, but so do pessimists . |
ff0692b4d7a2a7affaa437e8a7a8c69d77b75ff1 | A minutes silence and a candlelight vigil has been held in Melbourne in honour of the world's leading experts in the battle against HIV who were killed while travelling on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 en route to an AIDS conference in the city. The tragic loss of researchers who died should be used to push the life-saving agenda of the meeting, the UN AIDS chief Mr Michel Sidibe urged as he spoke outside Melbourne Arts Centre Hamer Hall on Friday night. A special tribute to the former president of the International AIDS Society (IAS) and ‘giant’ of HIV research, Joep Lange, was also given by Mr Sidibe. A minutes silence was held in honour of the delegates travelling to an AIDS conference in Melbourne who were killed on flight MH17. Victorian Premier Denis Napthine, Proffesor Sharon Lewin, Robert Doyle, David Davis and Alischa Ross paid their respects . The UN AIDS chief shared an emotional hug with Proffessor Sharon Lewin after they both spoke of their talented friend, who was a father of four girls and a boy. The 20th International AIDS Conference was nearly cancelled after it emerged many of the 298 who died when Flight MH17 crashed in Ukraine were delegates with their family members. Organisers of AIDS2014 still don't know exactly how many of the 12,000 researchers coming to Melbourne for the five-day conference were on board MH17. Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe, Victoria's Minister for Health David Davis and the Premier of Victoria Denis Napthine stood solemnly outside the Melbourne Arts Centre . UN AIDS Chief Mr Michel Sidibe said the tragic loss of researchers who died should be used to push the life-saving agenda of the AIDS conference . Professor Sharon Lewin (Co Chair Aids 2014) hugged UN AIDS Chief Mr Michel Sidibe after they both spoke of their friend Joep Lange who was killed on flight MH17 . Media reports put the number at 108, but a spokesman for the International Aids Society said there had been no confirmation of that figure. Mr Sidibe said the tragedy should be used to bring the dreams of the delegates into reality. 'We should use this day, which is a very difficult day for us, to transform it,' he said. 'We should use this moment of sadness as a moment for us to push our agenda; our agenda for saving lives of millions of people.' His sentiments were echoed by International AIDS Society president Francoise Barre-Sinoussi. Killed: Dr Joep Lange, a Dutch HIV researcher and former president of the International AIDS Society (left) and (right) Glenn Thomas, a British press officer for the World Health Organisation . It was tweeted that Pim de Kuijer (left) and Martine de Schutter (right) were on MH17, en route to AIDS2014 in Melbourne . 'The decision to go on, we were thinking about them because we know it's really what they would have liked us to do,' Prof Barre-Sinoussi said. She said the number of delegates on the flight remains unknown. 'We don't have the confirmation (of numbers),' she said. 'We don't know how many were on that flight.' US-based IAS president-elect Chris Beyrer told reporters in Melbourne it was not yet known how many ‘friends and colleagues’ had been lost, but the death of Prof Lange meant ‘the HIV/AIDS movement has truly lost a giant’. Professor Lange was one of 154 Dutch passengers on the jet apparently shot down over eastern Ukraine early on Friday while on its way to Kuala Lumpur, where he was scheduled to change planes. The Professor of Medicine at University of Amsterdam was travelling with his partner Jacqueline van Tongeren. He was due to speak on Sunday. Alischa Ross, the founder and CEO of YEAH (Youth Empowerment Against HIV/AIDs), gave a powerful speech . Candles were placed by a sign for flight MH17 on Princes Bridge . Flowers were placed alongside a message that read 'RIP, in memory of the many lives sadly lost on the way to beautiful Melbourne' Professor Lange’s colleagues said that he was one of those who had 'changed the course of humanity'. AIDS lobbyist Pim de Kuijer and other researchers Martine de Schutter and Lucie van Mens were on the flight, along with World Health Organisation media relations coordinator Glenn Thomas, who was British. 'It is with deep sadness that WHO lost one of our colleagues in the Malaysia crash,' Mr Hartl said of Mr Thomas. No other UN staff were on board the doomed flight, Mr Hartl said. US doctor Seema Yasmin described Professor Lange as a ‘kind man and a true humanitarian’. Taking to Twitter, Dr Yasmin said of her friend: ‘How do we measure how much a person has done for humanity? People like Joep change the course of humanity’. Nobel laureate Dr Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, co-discoverer of the AIDS virus and president of the International AIDS Society, said if confirmed, Prof Lange's death would be ‘a terrible loss for all of us’. He had dedicated his life to ‘the benefit of mankind’, he said. Victorian Premier Denis Napthine spoke outside Melbourne Arts Centre Hamer Hall, which will be lit up nightly from Friday July 18-21 with a series of unique digital art projections putting the spotlight on creating a HIV-free generation . UN AIDS Chief Michel Sidibe hugged Victorian Premier Denis Napthine after his emotional tribute to his friend . A crowd turned out to pay their respects to the delegates who lost their lives on flight MH17 . Close friend and Director of UNSW's Kirby Institute, Professor David Cooper said Prof Lange had been an integral part of the HIV response. ‘He was one of the first global advocates for treatment in low and middle income countries.’ Prof Cooper said his family had spent several holidays in Europe and Australia with Prof Lange, who had separated from his wife and found ‘true happiness with Jacqueline’. The AIDS conference must go ahead because that's what Prof Lange would have wanted, he said. ‘After this tragedy, it should be a wake up call for them (donors) to get back in there and increase their pledges, to finally end the tragedy of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.’ University of Melbourne's Professor Rob Moodie, a chair and speaker at the AIDS 2014 conference, said the loss of Prof Lange was a major blow to the HIV research community. A signage on the Princes Bridge for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne which will be held from July 20 to 25 . The Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre which is where the 20th International AIDS Conference will be held . It has been reported that about 100 passengers on board MH17 were en route to the Melbourne conference . 'To lose the previous head of the IAS is a huge tragedy and I think the conference will be dedicated to him, and the WHO and GNP+ (Global Network of People living with HIV) people who have perished.’ Prof Lange was the founder and current chairman of PharmAccess Foundation, an Amsterdam-based non-profit organisation designed to improve access to HIV/AIDS therapy in developing countries. He was also a founding editor of the academic journal, Antiviral Therapy. Yvette Fleming, manager of Stop Aids Now, tweeted there were other colleagues on board the flight with Dr Lange'. Chris Beyrer, President-Elect of International AIDS Society, at a press conference on Friday regarding Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 . Chris Beyrer is pictured reading out an IAS statement on Friday . 'In shock! Lucie van Mens, Martine de Schutter, Pim de Kuijer, Joep Lange and Jacqueline van Tongeren never arrived in Melbourne!' she wrote. Delegates held a candle-lit vigil on Melbourne's Yarra Bridge on Friday evening. HIV worker Andrew Lesa, a delegate from New Zealand, said many of those who died were ‘giants in the industry’. ‘Their loss will be a big loss to the movement,’ Mr Lesa told AAP. He said continuing with the conference was the best way to honour those who died. ‘I don't think they would want it to be cancelled.’ The conference is the major scientific event for HIV, and speakers include former US president Bill Clinton and Sir Bob Geldof via video link, and UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe. The City of Melbourne cancelled a fireworks display that was to mark the opening of the conference. Conference organisers of AIDS2014 comfort each other during a press conference in Melbourne on Friday . Dr Seema Yasmin tweeted that Dr Lange was on board MH17 . Dr Seema Yasmin is based in the U.S. as a medical journalist . Yvette Fleming, manager of Stop Aids Now, tweeted there were other colleagues on board the flight with Dr Lange . | Joep Lange, a Dutch HIV expert and former president of the International AIDS Society, was en route to AIDS2014 .
Dr Lange was the father of five girls .
Other passengers on the plane include European researchers Martine de Schutter and Pim de Kuijer .
The Melbourne conference will be held from July 20 to 25 .
UN AIDS chief urged tragic loss should be used to push the life-saving agenda of the conference . |
ff06bf2aeef92e7a55794961364b357e4450b528 | Charlie Crist's fan isn't allowed on stage under the rules of an October 21 Florida governor's race debate that CNN is hosting in conjunction with Jacksonville affiliate WJXT. The candidates were sent a memo on October 8 outlining the format, rules and logistical information for the debate. Among those rules: No electronic devices. The memo stated: "There will be no opening and closing statements, no notes, no props and no electronic devices will be allowed on stage. Candidates will be provided water, notepad and pen," a CNN spokesperson said Thursday. The CNN spokesperson said electronic devices range from a cell phone to a fan. Crist's decision to place a fan on stage during a separate debate Wednesday night triggered what the moderator described as "the most unique beginning to any debate not only in Florida, but anywhere in the country." Related: Fan delays Florida debate . Florida's Republican governor, Rick Scott, was seven minutes late walking onto the stage -- while moderators tried to explain during the live broadcast that he had decided not to participate because Crist had placed a small electronic fan under his own podium to keep cool. Almost immediately, "#fangate" was trending on Twitter. Crist, standing alone on stage, asked if the candidates were "really going to debate about a fan." Eventually, Scott walked onto the stage. His campaign said later that it was actually Crist who was in the midst of intense behind-the-scenes conversations with debate organizers over whether his fan would be allowed -- and that Scott was just waiting to see what happened. He hadn't realized that Crist had gone on stage. Scott said on CNN's "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer on Thursday that he had been waiting in a trailer for debate officials to tell him to head to the stage. "They said he wasn't going to show up, that he was balking about his fan," Scott said, adding that he didn't care if Crist had a fan, a microwave or a humidifier. The organizers of the October 15 debate backed up Scott's version of events Thursday, saying Crist clearly broke the rules -- and ignored instructions given an hour before start time -- by having an aide place the fan on stage. Each campaign was sent a letter ahead of time explaining that "candidates may not bring electronic devices (including fans), visual aids or notes to the debate," the two groups that hosted the debate Wednesday, Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association, said Thursday. Crist's campaign signed and returned that letter two days before the debate with a handwritten note appended saying the Democrat agreed to those rules, "with understanding that the debate hosts will address any temperature issues with a fan if necessary." Dean Ridings, the president of the Florida Press Association, got the note and told Crist's campaign that while organizers wanted all candidates to be comfortable, the auditorium at Broward College, where the debate was to be held, "would be maintained at a comfortable temperature, and if there was a temperature problem, the partners would deal with it appropriately." The stage was at 67 degrees at 6 p.m. Thursday, an hour before the debate. At 6:20 p.m., it was 66 degrees. But at some point in that 20-minute span, a Crist campaign aide placed the fan on stage -- "and they were again told that no fans would be permitted," organizers said. "In the minutes before airtime, the communication among the campaigns, the producing television station and the debate partners was chaotic and there undoubtedly was some confusion, but Gov. Scott never told Ridings or Wendy Walker, president, Leadership Florida, that he would not join the debate," the organizers said. "Rather, the Scott campaign was waiting on resolution of the rules issue before Scott took the stage. The debate partners appreciate Gov. Scott's willingness to participate in the debate." | Rules of an October 21 CNN / WJXT debate prohibit electronic devices, including fans.
Florida's Charlie Crist's use of a fan during a Wednesday debate triggered a bizarre episode.
Crist's opponent, Gov. Rick Scott, was several minutes walking onto the stage. |
ff0704a68a7f99f26dc733cfc4d9a0eb1c1e4d89 | By . Michael Zennie In Cleveland . PUBLISHED: . 21:06 EST, 8 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:09 EST, 9 May 2013 . Gina DeJesus' mother collapsed on the ground and cried out for vengeance when she saw her daughter alive after learning she had been held captive for nine years, a family friend has revealed. 'Matalo!' Nancy Ruiz shouted as she fell to the ground, Lupe Collins told MailOnline on Wednesday. The phrase is Spanish for 'Kill him.' Happy ending: Gina DeJesus, pictured, disappeared in 2004 and was not . seen until Monday, when she was freed from the Cleveland home belonging . to Ariel Castro . Relief: Gina DeJesus' mother Nancy, pictured left with Gina's father Felix, shouted 'Matalo' when she learned her daughter was still alive, which means 'kill him' A mother's pain: Gina DeJesus' mother Nancy Ruiz, pictured, collapsed to the ground and cried out for vengeance when she saw her daughter alive . Ms Collins says her fury was directed . at Ariel Castro - the father of Gina's best friend - who has been . arrested and accused of kidnapping Gina in 2004. Ms Collins says she rushed to the . home on Seymour Avenue after hearing that Gina and two other missing . women were found captive there. She said she watched as an FBI agent . showed Gina to Mrs DeJesus so she could positive identify that the woman . police had rescued was her daughter. Ms Collins says she worked closely . with Gina's parents Nancy Ruiz and Felix DeJesus to raise community . awareness of Gina after she was abducted while walking home from Burger . King. Happy she's home: Nancy Ruiz (left), mother of Gina DeJesus, celebrates with friends and family in the yard . Survivor: Gina DeJesus, hidden by a yellow hoodie, gives a thumbs up on Wednesday as she arrives home in Cleveland, Ohio . Support: The mother of Gina DeJesus, Nancy Ruiz, hugs a police officer who has supported the family throughout the trial . Ariel Castro's daughter Arlene is thought to be the last person who saw Gina before her disappearance. Charged: Nancy Ruiz's fury was directed at Ariel Castro - who has been arrested and accused of kidnapping Gina in 2004 . On Tuesday, Ariel's son Anthony told . MailOnline that he thought it was possible his father targeted Gina . because of her relationship with Arlene. Gina DeJesus gave a thumbs up as she arrived home on Wednesday before being hurried into her mother's home shielded by family. Hundreds of well-wishers gathered in front of the DeJesus property, which was covered in balloons and signs, reading 'Welcome home Gina.' Nancy Ruiz spoke on Wednesday and asked for the family to be given time to heal. She thanked those who had supported the family over the years along with the police and FBI for all their hard work. Ms Ruiz appealed to the public to be on . the look-out for another missing girl Ashley Summers, who was snatched . in 2007 from the same Cleveland neighborhood when she was 14. Best of friends: Arlene Castro (right) was the . last person to see Gina DeJesus (left) in 2004. Arlene's father Ariel . has been charged in her abduction . Ms Ruiz said: 'There are not enough words to say or express for the joy we feel for the return of our family member Gina. 'We are asking for your support to be patient with us. Give us time and privacy to heal. When we're ready, I promise you…we will talk to you.' Miss DeJesus' mother and father smiled and gave thumbs up to supporters. 'They never gave up hope. Felix never gave up hope that she was alive,' said neighbor Michael Pendershot, 47, who lives three houses down from the DeJesus family. A policeman stands watch as well wishers gather at Gina DeJesus' home in Cleveland, Ohio, yesterday waiting for her homecoming . | Nancy Ruiz fell to the ground and yelled 'Matalo!' - which means 'Kill him' in Spanish .
Gina DeJesus vanished in 2004, and was best friends with the daughter of her alleged abductor - Ariel Castro . |
ff07a814c4560aaaa1d28a25a2cbdf0aca7f09b3 | (CNN) -- Juventus cast aside the disappointment of crashing out in the Champions League group stage, thumping Sassuolo 4-0 in Serie A on Sunday. The three points were much welcomed by Juve, which exited Europe's top club competition in snowy Istanbul, and Carlos Tevez's hat-trick would have pleased the Argentine striker, too. Tevez also set up Federico Peluso's headed goal with a free kick. Tevez had only hit the back of the net once in his previous seven appearances. Even though Sassuolo hovered just above the relegation zone prior to kickoff, its play in the last month suggested Juventus might struggle. But Tevez's early goal -- in the 15th minute -- put the visitor under pressure at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. He added efforts in the 45th and 68th minutes. Sassuolo rarely troubled Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon without the services of leading scorer Domenico Berardi -- who is on loan from the Old Lady. Juventus, the reigning Italian champion, moved six points clear of Roma, which visits AC Milan in a high-profile encounter Monday. And in the league, Juventus has won eight in a row without conceding. "It was a good way to make amends for Wednesday," Buffon told Sky Italia. "The elimination hurt us, but now there's another trophy we now have to try and win." Veteran German striker Miroslav Klose returned from injury and provided some relief for Lazio manager Vladimir Petkovic, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Livorno. Petkovic was under pressure following a spell of six league games without a victory. Giuseppe Rossi scored his league-leading 13th goal -- three better than Tevez -- in Fiorentina's 3-0 win over Bologna. In Sunday's late kickoff, Napoli doubled 10-man Inter 4-2 to close in on Roma. Atletico keeps pace with Barca . In Spain, Atletico Madrid rejoined Barcelona on points at the top of La Liga after a stunning second-half performance against Valencia. Diego Costa scored twice to tie Cristiano Ronaldo on 17 league goals and Madrid's less famous team blanked Valencia 3-0. Between his goals, Costa was denied from the spot by Diego Alves. Valencia -- in mid table -- matched Atletico in the first half but the home side upped the tempo in the second. Costa worked his way into the box in the 59th minute and Alves couldn't keep out his low shot. Alves, however, had little chance on Raul Garcia's rocket in the 63rd minute. Alves saved Costa's penalty in the 74th minute but Costa was fouled again in the box and this time converted in the 81st. Atletico and Barcelona each have 43 points and the same goal difference but Barca has scored one more goal. The sides meet in early January. A good day for Bayern . It was a good day for Bayern Munich -- and the Bavarians didn't even play. Bayern maintained its seven-point advantage atop the Bundesliga after second-place Bayer Leverkusen slumped to a 1-0 loss -- at home -- to struggler Eintracht Frankfurt. Frankfurt last tasted victory in the league in the middle of September. Marco Russ scored the game's only goal with a 61st-minute header and Frankfurt missed the chance for a second when a penalty was saved in injury time. | Juventus coasts past Sassuolo 4-0 to increase its lead in Italy's Serie A .
Carlos Tevez scores a hat-trick for Juventus, which exited the Champions League last week .
Atletico Madrid beats Valencia to pull level on points with Barcelona in La Liga .
Bayer Leverkusen's title hopes in Germany dwindle following a defeat at home . |
ff07aa2c884e4a0c32affee5b52fca8be37c63df | (CNN) -- The Nigerian military said Thursday it killed one of the leaders of the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency in the nation for years. Mamadu Bama was the second-in-command, the military said in a statement. He was killed this month along with his father, who was the group's spiritual mentor, the military said. The militant group has not released any statement on the deaths. Boko Haram has attacked various targets in the nation since 2009, murdering and kidnapping Westerners, and bombing schools and churches. It is suspected to be behind a gruesome mosque killing this week. In that attack Sunday, militants brandishing automatic weapons killed 44 worshipers in the country's troubled Borno state. Around the time of the attack, the group released a video boasting that it was growing stronger. Boko Haram translates loosely to "western education is forbidden/sinful." It holds all government authority in contempt and wants to establish a state in northern Nigeria under Islamic law. Human rights groups have accused the Nigerian military of extrajudicial killings in its fight against the militant group. "Soldiers have allegedly burned homes and executed Boko Haram suspects or residents with no apparent links to the group," Human Rights Watch said in a report this year. "Nigerian authorities have rarely brought anyone to justice for these crimes." | Boko Haram has attacked various targets in the nation since 2009 .
Mamadu Bama is second-in-command of the Islamist extremist group, army says .
He was killed along with his father, who was the group's spiritual mentor . |
ff07e464aee66872d8082a815d5d80c347cdb55f | These are the three Christmas miracles - sent from heaven. Anna Mitchell tragically lost four babies and thought she would never be a mum. But when her own mother died, she left Anna some money in her will and she used it to pay for IVF treatment. Amazingly she found she was pregnant with not just one baby - but three. Anna Mitchell is celebrating her first Christmas as a mother of triplets after previously losing four babies . Anna and husband, Nick, conceived babies Summer (centre), Joseph (left) and Jacob via IVF using money left by her late mother, Nicola, after she died of cancer . She gave birth to her triplet gifts from heaven in July - and the family are set to have their first ever Christmas together. Anna, 30, from Mansfield, who lives with husband Nick, said: ‘We haven’t bothered decorating our house for years, as there was just the two of us and no children to fill it. 'But this Christmas we have three wonderful little reasons to decorate the house from top to toe with baubles, tinsel and lights. 'It’s the first Christmas we have with our three little miracles, Summer, Joseph and Jacob - and we mean to make the most of it. 'But there is one thing we won’t forget - and that's mum, who made it all possible.’ The couple had been trying for a baby when Anna’s mum, Nicola, discovered she had liver cancer. She lost her first baby through an ectopic pregnancy - where the baby develops in the fallopian tube instead of the womb - whilst her mum was in a hospice, before she died. Anna said her three babies were a gift sent from heaven from her mother Nicola who died from liver cancer . Anna said she and her new family are looking forward to 'the most amazing Christmas, with our three gifts from heaven' She lost her second baby, also through an ectopic pregnancy, in summer of 2010, and then lost her third baby in November 2010. She was rushed into the operating theatre after losing her second baby and doctors removed her fallopian tube. Anna said: ‘It was life-threatening to me to lose these babies as each time my fallopian tube could have burst. ‘Doctors removed one of my fallopian tubes. It was devastating, it was taking away some of the chance I would have to be a mum. ‘After losing my third baby I couldn’t believe it. I had already lost three babies. I was terrified I was never going to be a mum.’ The doctors broke the news to Anna that she would be unlikely ever to fall pregnant naturally. So the couple came to the decision to try IVF treatment, using the money that Anna had been left by her mother. Anna lost four babies - three after suffering ectopic pregnancies - before finally giving birth to her triplets . She said: ‘I was going to use it to . start having IVF treatment. If I couldn’t be a mum naturally, then I . needed help. And mum’s money was a perfect gift from her. She knew how . much I wanted to be a mum, and now she was giving me the chance. The couple had their first course of fertility treatment at CARE fertility in Nottingham, but it didn’t work. Anna said: ‘It was devastating, but I knew that we had to keep trying. It’s what mum would have wanted.’ So in April 2012, they tried again for the second time, but again Anna had an ectopic pregnancy - and lost her fourth baby. They decided to have one final go in December 2012, and she fell pregnant. Anna and Nick have decorated the house for the first time in years as they celebrate Christmas as a family . Anna, pictured on her wedding day, said she feared she would never become a mother . She said: ‘I lay on the scanning table . hardly daring to breathe. 'And there it was - a little heartbeat pumping . away. I cried with relief. I’d lost four babies, and now here it was, a . heartbeat in the right place at last. 'I felt as though mum was looking . down on me and helping me along.’ But at 13 weeks pregnant, the sonographer had amazing news for them - there wasn’t just one baby in there, but three. She said: ‘I nearly fell off the table with shock. Then I started crying all over again. I wasn’t just having one baby, I was having three. 'I’d waited all these years to have a baby, and now three were all coming at once. And it was all thanks to mum, it was her triple gift from heaven for me.’ The babies were born one after the other in July, by caesarian at the Kingsmill Hospital in Mansfield. Summer weighed 3Ib8 and the identical twins Joseph at 3Ib8, and Jacob at 4Ib5. Anna added: ‘It will be the most amazing Christmas ever this year, with our three gifts from heaven. 'I’ve decorated the house from top to toe, and I know that somewhere out there, mum is looking down on us. 'Having three babies has made up for all that heartbreak. 'And it’s all thanks to mum and her amazing gift that we are going to have the best Christmas ever.’ | Anna Mitchell feared never becoming a mother after losing four babies .
Suffered three ectopic pregnancies and had to have a fallopian tube removed .
Finally gave birth to triplets after conceiving using IVF - paid for using inheritance from her late mother, Nicola, who died of liver cancer .
Anna said her babies were a 'gift from heaven' from her mother . |
ff082e2b1b7eb32c68e5111b1221b078680d2747 | 'Myth': Many of the reported benefits of health supplements have no scientific evidence to support the claims . Millions of people who take dietary supplements to ward off cancer may be toying with a ‘two-edged sword’ that might do them harm, experts have warned. People were being misled by ‘messages from supplement manufactures’ stressing the health benefits of their products, including cancer prevention, according to a team of U.S. scientists. They said there was no good evidence that supplement pills and capsules reduced the risk of cancer in healthy individuals. They pointed out that antioxidants such as beta carotene, and vitamins C and E might even have biological effects that promote cancer. Antioxidants are believed to counter the destructive effects of rogue oxygen molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress by free radicals, which attack cell membranes, proteins and DNA, has been linked to cancer and heart disease. But the U.S. authors, writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, argue that the supposed benefits of antioxidant supplements are largely a myth. The panel of five experts, led by Dr Maria Elena Martinez, from the University of California at San Diego, wrote: ‘Undoubtedly, use is driven by a common belief that supplements can improve health and protect against disease, and that at worst, they are harmless. ‘However, the assumption that any dietary supplement is safe under all circumstances and in all quantities is no longer empirically reasonable.’ Health supplements are booming in the U.S., with annual sales estimated at £18.6 billion, said the scientists, who assessed the evidence relating to several supplements including antioxidants, folic acid, vitamin D and calcium. A number of animal, laboratory and observational studies had appeared to show that dietary supplements could lower cancer risk, they said. However, these findings were not confirmed by the ‘gold-standard’ in evidence-based medicine, randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Alarm: Scientists said it is no longer true to assume, at worst, health supplements did no harm after finding some antioxidents can increase chances of cancer . Only a small number of RCTs had been carried out to test the effectiveness of dietary supplements, said the experts - and several of these had reported increased risks. ‘Supplementation by exogenous anti-oxidants may well be a two-edged sword,’ the scientists wrote. ‘These compounds could, in vivo (outside the laboratory), serve as pro-oxidants or interfere with any number of protective processes such as apoptosis induction.’ Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, causes malfunctioning cells effectively to ‘commit suicide’. Experimental studies had shown that different tissues with different cancer-triggering pathways may not respond the same way to a particular nutrient. ‘In fact, a nutrient may be associated with protection in one tissue and harm in another,’ said the experts. They added that supplement users were ‘sometimes quick to discredit caution’ and distrustful of mainstream science which they suspected of being corrupted by links to the drug industry. Users may also assume the supplements they bought to be as well regulated as over-the-counter medications. ‘These beliefs underscore the need for efforts by scientists and government officials to encourage the public to make prudent decisions based on sound evidence with respect to use of dietary supplements for cancer prevention,’ the scientists concluded. Graham Keen, Executive Director of the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association, which represents supplement manufacturers, said: 'The vitamin and mineral supplements industry has an exceptional record of both safety and efficacy, in the UK and worldwide.' | Scientists say claims of the benefits of antioxidents made are largely a 'myth'
beta carotene,vitamins C and E might even promote cancer, according to research . |
ff0832b03417cabd94a7dea29c09e60035ea8836 | Orange, California (CNN) -- Ian Chung is nestled in darkness. Born just 24 weeks into gestation, he weighs scarcely more than a pound. He can hear the faint sounds of the outside world mingling with the soothing sound of his mother's voice. His spindly arms and legs shake as he lets out a warble. "Oh, my love," coos his mother, Julie Chung, 31. "You're going to be OK." Julie's hands descend -- one landing lightly on Ian's chest while the other pushes against his jerking legs. She is using touch and light pressure to simulate, for her premature son, her own womb. A few moments later, Ian stops crying. "When he was born he was so tiny," said Chung. "It was like, 'Oh wow, can a baby even survive outside the womb this early?'" Medical advances are improving outcomes for even the tiniest babies. Experts say fewer than 1% are born in the "micro preemie" category; at the hospital where Ian is being treated, Children's Hospital of Orange County in California, that means born before 28 weeks or born weighing less than 2.2 pounds. "Survival rates (among micro preemies) have been improving," said Mindy Morris, a neonatal nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital. "So they may survive to discharge. But then growing up as children they have a lot of complications." Doctors and nurses at a specialized unit at Children's Hospital have implemented a system they say is dramatically reducing disability and infection rates among this rare preemie population. Aptly named the Small Baby Unit, the staff work under the cover of darkness and quiet in a separate wing of the hospital. Here, stimulation is kept to a minimum; speaking is only done in hushed voices. The overall effect is one of relative calm: an attempt to mimic what babies would experience if they were still safely tucked in utero. "We try to keep it low sound, low lights, so that it is as close to the womb as we can get," said Morris, coordinator of the Extremely Low Birth Weight Program at Children's Hospital. "We try to minimize the intrusion to them." In 2009, before the Small Baby Unit was up and running, 45% of babies were discharged with chronic lung disease. In 2012, after the unit had been operating for three years, the rate was down to 27%. Infection rates from 2009 to 2012 dipped from 41% to 15%, and feeding, weight and head circumference have also improved. Dr. Kristi Watterberg, chairwoman of the American Academy of Pediatrics' committee on the fetus and newborn, said that developing processes to treat extremely low birthweight babies is -- broadly speaking -- a good thing. But since Children's Hospital's data are self-reflexive, she questions what exactly is contributing to the unit's success. "When someone starts focusing on something, it tends to trend better," said Watterberg. "What made it happen? We don't know." Watterberg said that some elements of what is being done at Children's Hospital, including various forms of touch therapy, can be beneficial to premature infants. A large study published in 2004 found 21% to 48% greater weight gain among infants undergoing moderate massage therapy; they also were discharged sooner from the hospital. Other studies suggest that specific types of massage therapy stimulate production of growth hormones and promote bone development. At the Small Baby Unit, parents act as "therapists" and partners with the staff, so they are engaged fully with their child's progress. Studies show that mothers who massage their infants experience decreased depression and anxiety. 'It can hurt to be touched' Chung is learning about the thin line between stimulating and overstimulating her son. "For preemies, it can hurt to be touched because their skin isn't ready for it," explained Karin Mitchell, a developmental therapist working with Chung. Mitchell grabs Chung's hand. "Let me show you on your hand," she said, pressing on Chung's palm to show her how firmly to touch Ian. "It's not heavy, but it's also not superlight." "Remember, when he was inside the womb there was amniotic fluid, and there was a feeling of that moving across every skin cell of his body," Mitchell said. "That's what helps babies know, 'Where do I start and where do I stop?' "When babies are born early like Ian, they don't have that option, so now they have to learn their body in the midst of air. It's a lot different." Soon, Ian will lie -- tubes and all -- skin-to-skin on his mother's chest for an hour or more, something referred to as kangaroo care. Painful medical interventions like intubation, extubation and blood draws are performed while a baby is skin-to-skin with a parent whenever possible. In those situations, touch is thought to mitigate pain. "Kangarooing," as mothers here refer to it, also helps with bonding and regulating things like respiration and sleep among babies. For mothers, it may stimulate breast milk production. "It calms me when he's 'kangarooing' with me, and I notice he's more calm," said Chung. She pauses as tears roll down her face. "It's nice to know that those things help him. You cling to those little things that can ease things for him." Ian's care here is in stark contrast to what he got during his first few days of life, in a traditional NICU at another local hospital. There, according to his parents, the lights and noise were blaring. "(This unit) is a laser focus on this very specific patient population. I think that is what makes this so unique," said Dr. Kushal Bhakta, medical director of the Extremely Low Birth Weight Program at Children's Hospital. "Other places I've worked you will have a tiny premature baby next to an older child who has a heart condition, next to another child who may be crying," he continued. "So there's ... a lot of other stimuli to this little tiny preemie and it's not done purposely. It's just the layout of whatever unit they're in." Watterberg of the American Academy of Pediatrics said it is important to strike a balance, adding that theories and approaches regarding noise in the ICU are constantly evolving. "We used to think it should be quiet, so when these babies came into the world too soon, we'd turn off the lights and make it quiet," said Watterberg, a professor of pediatrics and neonatology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. "Turns out babies were hearing a fair amount of noise in utero, and that maybe if it's too quiet they are not hearing the kind of language they need." She cites recent research that suggests too little sound could interfere with a baby's acquisition of speech and language, and that exposure to speech can enhance brain development in babies. Similarly, she said, too much darkness could be counterproductive to a baby's development, since in utero a baby would be exposed to a stream of information from its mother reflecting her own changing circadian rhythms. "We know that what happens in the ICU affects babies long term," said Watterberg. "So I'm pleased that this group is working on it, but the information we have is always in process." Numbers . In the Small Baby Unit, numbers mean a lot. When Ian was born, they went something like this: 47% chance he'd survive, and if he did survive, only a 31% chance he would escape serious neurodevelopmental problems. Chung and her husband, Ryan Chung, temper the harsh reality of those statistics by focusing on other numbers — milestones Ian is reaching from day to day, week to week. Ian has already defied the steep odds that he would not survive: Today, he is 7 weeks old. "We celebrated 10 grams last night," said Julie of Ian's weight gain since he was admitted to the Small Baby Unit. "It's like '(He is) 2 pounds! Wow!' " The Chungs believe that Ian's future prospects are improving because of his treatment -- in particular, the emphasis on touch -- in the Small Baby Unit. Three weeks and 10 ounces later, he is less reliant on supplemental oxygen and is less averse to touch. "Julie, you want to massage him?" asks Mitchell. "Yes," says Chung, who glances up at the numbers changing favorably on a monitor above her. "He likes it." Weeks earlier, the monitor beeped incessantly. Today, Ian seems relatively calm -- more OK with his surroundings. Although some of the science behind what happens in the Small Baby Unit eludes her, Chung knows that one alternative -- little or no contact between her and Ian -- would leave her empty emotionally. She recalls an article she read recently describing how most NICUs operated years ago. "Moms wouldn't touch their kids," said Chung. "They would look at them through the glass wall. My heart broke for them. "Not to be able to hold them or touch them or do any of that stuff?" she added. "All of that fulfills what I long for. It gives me something, even though it's little." | Fewer than 1% of babies are "micro preemies," a term that varies in definition by hospital .
Small Baby Unit at California hospital mimics womb with soft lighting, low sounds .
Experts say touch can help mitigate pain of medical procedures for preemies . |
ff08341b814498aa43a8068426df3d07aa4e396e | Loic Remy has labelled Liverpool 'dishonest' after the striker's move to Anfield fell through due to a failed medical. The new Chelsea forward was poised to join Liverpool for £8million from Queens Park Rangers, but the Premier League club pulled out of the agreement after Remy's medical tests. The France international remains unsure as to why his move did not come off, insisting: 'I did not understand Liverpool's decision. It was not very honest from their side.' VIDEO Scroll down to watch Loic Remy score for France in a match against Spain . Loic Remy was set to move to Liverpool before the Anfield club pulled out of the deal due to a failed medical . The 27-year-old continued, telling Telefoot: 'I was not scared. I know exactly what I have, I met all the specialists in the world. A lot of players share the same situation as mine and Liverpool know it.' Remy was diagnosed with a heart defect in 2010, but the problem seemed to put Liverpool off. Instead, Chelsea pounced and signed the striker on a four-year contract. Remy became Chelsea's sixth major signing of the summer following the captures of Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Mario Pasalic (now loaned to Elche), Filipe Luis and Didier Drogba. Loic Remy signed for Chelsea on the final week of the summer transfer window from Queens Park Rangers . | Loic Remy following his failed medical at Anfield: 'I did not understand Liverpool's decision. It was not very honest from their side'
The Queens Park Rangers striker signed for Premier League rivals Chelsea .
Remy was due to join Liverpool for £8million before his medical tests . |
ff0855ca0f158512548d79c75ccdfcdabbb2247e | (CNN) -- Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey took her final bow in a taped episode that aired Wednesday, marking the end of her 25-year daytime talk show with a tearful goodbye. "You all have been a safe harbor for me," Winfrey told her audience. "My hope is that you will be that safe harbor for someone else." The media mogul signed off by walking through her audience and offering an e-mail address -- [email protected] -- by which her many fans may contact her. "I want you to know that what you have to say matters to me," she said, pledging to read as many e-mails as possible. Minute-by-minute blog of Wednesday's show . The final "Oprah Winfrey Show" audience included her boyfriend, Stedman Graham, filmmaker Tyler Perry and her fourth-grade teacher, a woman she called Mrs. Duncan. Winfrey said she has no regrets, though wished she could have done more to combat sexual predators of children. She then turned to Perry, who sat beside 200 other men in the audience who were once victims of sexual abuse as children. "They are standing together to lift the veil of shame," she said. Each man carried a photo of himself as a child. Photos: Oprah through the years . In the end, Winfrey said her departure isn't bittersweet, but rather "all sweet and no bitter." "Every single day I came down from my makeup room, I'd offer a prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to have done this work. To be embraced by all of you, it's one of the greatest honors a human being can have," she said. "Many of us have been together for 25 years. ... So I thank you all for your support and trust in me. I thank you for tuning in every day. ... I won't say good-bye, I'll just say, until we meet again." Beyond her studio audience, people like Funda Ray also reminisced about how Winfrey turned her daytime talk show into a televised forum for self-help. When Ray arrived on these shores two decades ago from her native Turkey, she hardly spoke English. But she learned, went to school and even college. Today, she works as a financial adviser's assistant. And she said it's all because of Oprah. "She inspired me so much," said Ray, 44, of Hibbing, Minnesota. "If it wasn't for her, I would have sat at home." Gayle King: "Oprah was so ready for this moment" Ray was recording the last episode of Oprah Winfrey's show Wednesday -- she couldn't be home in time to watch. "I'm going to miss her so much," she said. The talk show queen capped three days of farewell broadcasts that included appearances by Hollywood's top celebrities. Winfrey announced in 2009 that she was leaving the show that catapulted her into a household name and made her a part of American culture and a worldwide celebrity. Even Ray's mother, who arrived from Istanbul for a U.S. visit last week, got off the plane and asked her daughter: "Do you know Oprah is retiring?" Winfrey's popularity and credibility go hand in hand: If she gushed about a book, it became an instant best-seller. An appearance on her show was almost always followed by a rise in profile for the guest. Paula Pervall, 44, administrative assistant at the Elmhurst House of Friendship, an assisted living home in Wheeling, West Virginia, is among millions of Oprah fans. Oprah fans hold viewing parties . "I think that it's sad that the up-and-coming generation is not going to be able to experience what she offered my generation -- the self-help, the inspiration to do better," Pervall said. "She was very inspiring to people. She taught a lot of lessons." The most important lesson? "To be the best me that I can be," she said. Oprah has had many great people on the show, Pervall said. She remembers the woman who had the face transplant; she was from West Virginia -- "that one jumps out at me." Another show featured someone kicked out of a West Virginia town because of HIV. Winfrey taped the teary finale last week that included surprise tributes from superstars including Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jordan, Will Smith and Madonna. The finale aired in three parts starting Monday and featured -- one by one -- dozens of Winfrey's famous friends taking to the stage to pay tribute to the talk show host at Chicago's United Center. Show producers kept her out of the loop about the guests. iReporters weigh in on Oprah's impact and legacy . Winfrey, who has in the past made it clear that she does not like surprises, gasped as her celebrity friends made appearances to thunderous applause, sometimes after a clue phrase. "Pulling off this surprise has been mission impossible," Hanks said Monday, a nod to the famous movie starring Cruise, who walked on stage right after. Winfrey took in the scene in an arena filled with giant photographs of memorable show moments and thousands of adoring admirers. Winfrey had kept mum about plans for the final show, leaving her fans with one last surprise. Kathy Pittman, 55, of Columbus, Ohio, won't find out until Saturday. She'll be watching it with her daughter then, after the work week is over. For Pittman, who is African-American, Winfrey transcended racial barriers with her talk show. She first connected with Winfrey just months after the debut of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" when the host visited Forsyth County, Georgia, a hotbed of racial tensions at the time. Pittman was intrigued by Winfrey's courage and her confidence to put herself in the middle of a volatile situation. Opinion: There will never be another Oprah . "No one sees her as a black woman," Pittman said. "She appeals to everyone. She showed us ... that you can do whatever you want to, that the sky's the limit." It was refreshing to see an African-American woman rise to such enormous power and then use it to help heal the world, said Sondra Miller, 33, vice president of community engagement for Cleveland's rape crisis center. "I think Oprah has built credibility over the years," said Miller, a subscriber to Winfrey's magazine and viewer of her show from childhood. "She takes topics with an extreme amount of stigma, like sexual abuse, and makes people OK to talk about it." Male survivors of sexual abuse was one such topic, Miller said. Winfrey interviewed actor, director and producer Tyler Perry about his own experience and had an audience filled with such survivors. Miller thought that was remarkable. "I don't think we ever could have imagined that happening 10 years ago," she said. Miller was drawn to Winfrey's knack for approaching intimidating topics in a sensitive and empowering manner. For many of her fans, Winfrey's last show was history in the making. Her show will end, they said, but her legacy is lasting. Part of it will live on through runner Raymond Britt, 50, who first saw Winfrey at the Chicago Marathon in 1994. He had never run a race before, let alone a marathon. There was so much behind him but so far to go still -- five miles to the finish line. At mile 21, he caught a glimpse of Winfrey, who had just run the Marine Corps Marathon, cheering on the runners. She stood alone, without an entourage, simply encouraging everyone to keep going. "If she could do it, then I could do it," thought Britt, of Winnetka, Illinois. He finished that day and went on to run 125 more races, including 85 marathons. "It's possible I wouldn't have finished that first one without Oprah at the 21," he said. "She inspires the human race." And part of it will live on through Britney Deatherage, 26, of Lexington, Kentucky, who watched the shows with her mother and became a fan. The topics were more than current events, said Deatherage, a hairdresser. They focused on "people's real lives and what they experienced." "She's just kind of like an idol to every woman," she said, illustrating that "women can be what they want to be." Winfrey is one of the most recognizable talk show hosts and has built a media empire, including launching her own cable television network, OWN. "My vision for OWN is to create a network that inspires our viewers and makes them want to be who they are on their best day," Winfrey said. As Winfrey devotees mourn the end of her 25-year run, some speculate who -- if anyone -- can fill her void. Some already have a leg up on the competition. "I've spent seven to eight years training at Oprah University," joked Mehmet "Dr. Oz" Oz, a Winfrey protege whose show will upgrade to 83 time slots and stations where "The Oprah Winfrey Show" had aired. Oz added that he is grateful for the opportunity to take over the time slot, which is among the most sought-after in TV land. Winfrey's show made people like Dominique Taylor, 23, of Brooklyn reorient their lives. Taylor rescheduled her cheerleading practice, her voice lessons, everything around 4 p.m. so that she could be home in front of the television. Winfrey made the young woman laugh, made her cry. Today, Taylor sees herself as an embodiment of Winfrey's show, another part of her legacy. She's a young filmmaker who hopes to involve Winfrey's production company in her project. "Her show was a platform for so many people to tell their story, for them to know they weren't alone," Taylor said. At 4 p.m. every day, Taylor, like millions of others, felt that she mattered. CNN's Moni Basu and Joe Sterling contributed to this report. | NEW: "You all have been a safe harbor for me," Winfrey says .
She offers e-mail address by which her fans might contact her .
Fans say Winfrey inspired them to do better in life . |
ff08a870e48e032e1f3da03acee62c76fa61abc1 | By . Colin Young . and Matt Lawton . and John Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 10:56 EST, 3 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:52 EST, 3 March 2014 . Should Alan Pardew remain in charge of Newcastle? The seriousness of Alan Pardew’s headbutt was highlighted by the FA when they declared that the offence was a ‘non-standard’ case for their disciplinary department. Pardew has until 6pm on Thursday to respond to being charged for his astonishing attack on Hull City’s David Meyler. Then, a three-man commission will be chosen to decide on a punishment that could extend to a lengthy stadium ban as well as a fine. Newcastle’s manager is not expected to appeal. He has already apologised and said he will accept whatever punishment he receives. VIDEO Scroll down to see Alan Pardew and Steve Bruce's comments after the headbutt . What was he thinking? Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew headbutts Hull City player David Meyler . Clashing point: David Meyler had to restrained by fellow player Hull City player Ahmed Elmohamady . Anger: Meyler was seen pushing Pardew as the pair clashed when a stray ball went out of play . Newcastle . United manager Alan Pardew has been charged in relation to an incident . in his side’s game against Hull City on 1 March 2014. It . is alleged that in the 72nd minute of the fixture, Pardew was involved . in an incident with a Hull City player that amounted to improper . conduct. Due to the serious violent and/or aggressive nature of the reported behaviour this case has been designated as non-standard. Pardew has until 6pm on Thursday 6 March 2014 to respond to the charge. This means that the FA will not need to call on an experienced and expensive QC to chair the commission. An FA statement said: ‘Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has been charged. It is alleged Pardew was involved in an incident with a Hull City player that amounted to improper conduct. ‘Due to the serious violent and/or aggressive nature of the reported behaviour, this case has been designated as non-standard.’ Pardew has already been fined £100,000 and issued with a formal warning by Newcastle, but his position could be reviewed by club owner Mike Ashley if the manager is hit with a stadium ban. Pardew did at least discover that he had escaped criminal charges on Monday. A Humberside police chief said Pardew’s conduct could have been deemed ‘offensive’, but added that no-one had requested that the matter be taken further. Chief inspector Richard Kirven said: ‘Having reviewed the circumstances of the incident, it has been agreed that the matter will be dealt with by the FA, rather than considering criminal proceedings. ‘There has been no complaint received from either the player involved or Hull City. Humberside Police will not be taking any further action.’ We have been working with the FA and the football club to progress the matter appropriately. Having . reviewed the circumstances of the incident it has been agreed that the . matter will be dealt with by the FA rather than considering any criminal . proceedings. There has been no complaint received from the player involved or Hull City Association Football Club at this time. Whilst . we appreciate that some people may have found the behaviour displayed . at the game on Saturday offensive, Humberside Police will not be taking . any further action.' It was only recently that the club dismissed reserve-team coach Willie Donachie amid allegations that he struck a player, understood to be 19-year-old defender Remie Streete, and the pressure could mount on the club to be just as tough. FA chairman Greg Dyke has already described it as a ‘serious’ issue while leading figures in the game have said Pardew’s position is ‘untenable’. When the then Blackpool manager Paul Ince was punished for physically confronting the fourth official in the tunnel at Bournemouth earlier this season, he was hit with a five-game stadium ban. A 10-game ban for Pardew would see . him miss the rest of the season with matchday duties switching to . assistants John Carver and Steve Stone, leaving Newcastle owner Mike . Ashley looking at the long-term repercussions. The . controversial owner, who gave Pardew an eight-year deal last season, is . understood to have acted swiftly on Saturday evening in an attempt to . draw a line under the incident and end speculation that he intends to . sack Pardew. But Ashley . holds a review of all aspects of the club at the end of every season . and Pardew’s behaviour is certain to come under scrutiny despite him . being almost certain to provide the top-half finish which was his target . for this season. Clash: Pardew reacted in unprecedented fashion to being barged by the Ireland international . Scuffle: The incident started after Meyler pushed Pardew out of the way with the ball rolling towards him . Off you go: Pardew is sent to the stands by referee Kevin Friend . From above: Pardew (centre) looks on from the stands as Newcastle secured a 4-1 win . Opinionated: Alan Shearer, who managed Newcastle in 2009, slammed Pardew for his headbutt . Newcastle United are disappointed with the actions of its manager Alan Pardew this afternoon (Saturday, 1st March). His behaviour was unacceptable and is not the behaviour we expect from the manager of Newcastle United. It is most disappointing that this incident has taken the focus away from what was a fantastic performance by the team and an excellent result away from home which leaves the club in eighth place in the Barclays Premier League. Sadly, the headlines tomorrow will not be focused on the result or the efforts of the players, but instead on the actions of our manager. Alan unreservedly apologised immediately following the game to the player, to Hull City Football Club and its fans, and to the fans of Newcastle United. We have held discussions this evening with Alan who has offered his sincere apologies to the Club and it is clear he deeply regrets his actions. Alan has accepted a formal warning from the Club in relation to his behaviour today and also a Club fine of £100,000. The Club is now drawing a line under this matter and will be making no further comment. The Newcastle manager fined himself last month for a foul-mouthed attack on Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini. At the start of last season he pushed a linesman in the back and was involved in an ugly row with ex-Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill during the Tyne-Wear derby. On Sunday even Richard Bevan, the chief executive of the League Managers’ Association, could not defend Pardew. Bevan was keen to stress that the second longest-serving manager in the Premier League was ‘extremely sorry’, but having spoken to Pardew, he said: ‘The buck stops with Alan. It’s unacceptable, it’s inappropriate and it’s insupportable from every perspective. Not happy: Arsene Wenger took issue with Pardew's celebrations as West Ham beat Arsenal 1-0 in 2006 . Heated: Martin O'Neill took exception to Pardew's over-zealous celebrations in the 2011 Tyne-Wear derby . Frankly, I was shocked and disgusted by Pardew’s incredibly irresponsible action. And yet, and even more disturbingly, I wasn’t completely surprised. Pardew has a lot of previous, a lengthy list of touchline bust-ups and misbehaviour. When manager of Ipswich Town, I had personal experience of Pardew’s touchline impropriety during a play-off semi-final with his then club West Ham. I was alarmed, to say the least, by the way he tried to influence the officials. 'Alan knows that. He immediately realised . the serious error, made sincere apologies to all parties. But Alan does . need to think about how not to put himself in that position again.’ Pardew has said he would have to ‘sit down and stay out of the way’ rather than roam his technical area. Bevan nevertheless believes certain issues need to be addressed. Bevan told Sportsmail: ‘We did a technical report last year. Now we are working on a second report. I don’t mention this now because of Alan but because it is an important project. 'There can be too much traffic in the technical areas and sometimes problems arise because of that.' Hot water: Pardew called Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini a 'f****** old c***' in January . Best of pals: Barton, who has often found himself in trouble for acting out, came out in Pardew's defence . Spitting feathers: Pardew was banned for two matches after pushing a linesman against Tottenham in 2012 . Room with a view: The Newcastle boss was banished to the St James' Park stands after the push . November 2006: Pardew had earlier in the year criticised Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for failing to field an English player in the Champions League match against Real Madrid and matters came to a head in West Ham's 1-0 win over Arsenal. Then West Ham boss Pardew's enthusiastic celebrations appeared to irritate Wenger, who claimed he was 'provoked in a disrespectful way', with the pair having to be kept apart by the fourth official. On this occasion, it was the Gunners boss who was fined by the Football Association, with Pardew cleared of all charges. March 2012: In a Tyne-Wear derby, it perhaps comes as no surprise that the tension boiled over, with Pardew, now Newcastle boss, clashing with Martin O'Neill following his celebration to Shola Ameobi's late equaliser in a heated match. Both managers pledged afterwards to keep their emotions in check in future. August 2012: Pardew came under severe criticism and then afterwards labelled his behaviour 'ridiculous' when he shoved linesman Peter Kirkup in the Magpies' season opener against Tottenham after disagreeing with the official's decision to award Spurs a throw-in. Pardew once again apologised for his actions but the Football Association took a dim view and hit him with a two-match touchline ban and a £20,000 fine. January 2014: Pardew became involved in another touchline row, less than a month after having heated words with Southampton boss Pochettino, with Manchester City manager Pellegrini. Television cameras clearly showed the Newcastle boss launching an expletive-laden volley at the Chilean. Pardew was spared punishment but said later: 'It was a heat of the moment thing, words we always have as managers, to a degree. I've apologised and I'm fortunate that he's accepted that.' | Alan Pardew charged with improper conduct for butting David Meyler .
Toon boss escapes criminal action but will face 'non-standard' FA action .
Newcastle could sack Pardew if he is unable to manage in coming weeks .
The former West Ham boss was fined £100,000 after the incident . |
ff08c1873ec9b1731ba5179dc3b156ae9d649c2d | A dinosaur fossil which is the oldest of it’s kind is expected to be snapped up for £350,000 at auction. The seven-foot (2.3 metre) long skeleton of the Ornitholestes, which means 'bird robber', dates back 150 million years to the Jurassic period. It will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s on September 30 and comes less than a year after Misty the Diplodocus skeleton sold for £500,000. Ferocious: The seven-foot-long skeleton of the Ornitholestes, which means 'bird robber', dates back 150 million years to the Jurassic period. The skeleton is though to be the oldest of its kind . The Ornitholestes specimen was discovered at the Bone Cabin Quarry near Medicine Bow, Wyoming in 1900 and remains the only sample of the species ever to be unearthed. Despite the carnivorous creature’s small size, its long lower limbs gave it tremendous speed and agility which made it a formidable hunter, paleontologists claim. The Ornitholestes skeleton (mock-up of how it would have looked, pictured) will be sold off alongside a 180 million-year-old fish fossil which is expected to attract bids of up to £240,000 . Ancient monster: The amazing skeleton will go under the hammer at Sotheby's on September 30 and comes less than a year after Misty the enormous Diplodocus skeleton sold for £500,000 . It is believed to have weighed just 15kg and lived on a diet of small mammals, lizards and birds. Also in Sotheby’s Natural History auction is a 180 million-year-old fish fossil which is expected to attract bids of up to £240,000. The Ornitholestes specimen was discovered at the Bone Cabin Quarry near Medicine Bow, Wyoming (pictured) in 1900 and remains the only sample of the species ever to be unearthed. Gentle giant: Misty the diplodocus skeleton (pictured) was sold at the Summer Place Auctions in West Sussex . | The seven-foot-long skeleton of the .
Ornitholestes, which means 'bird robber', dates back to the Jurassic period .
Despite the creature’s small .
size, its long lower limbs gave it tremendous speed and agility which .
made it a formidable hunter, paleontologists claim . |
ff090d4e217d5d4f3cfe9a81a05705bc9bda5d68 | (CNN)In honor of the Oscars, this story will be 7,633 words long, padded out with flowery phrases and belabored metaphors, leavened with a surprise adjective or two and summed up by a yawning and expected conclusion. Just kidding. Well, at least about the number of words. We can't promise anything about the rest. But that's the thing about the Oscars. So much of what they present (and represent) is predictable: amusement and pageantry, self-importance about the role of movies and occasional stretches of dullness. (Well, there ARE 24 awards to give out.) Still, you never know when the show will surprise -- and even entertain. This year, for the 87th Academy Awards, the "entertainment" portion will be helped immeasurably by the inclusion of host Neil Patrick Harris, who has proven himself to be an all-star performer with his turns at the Tonys and Emmys. And a number of award categories -- including best picture -- are still undecided, unlike recent years when many top winners seemed preordained. So grab some popcorn and an Oscar ballot. Here's what you can expect from this year's show. Who should win an Oscar? Cast your vote . Joan Rivers is gone. The comedian and longtime red-carpet maven died last September, and love her or hate her, she always added some zip to the red-carpet procession, from popularizing the question "Who are you wearing?" to calling out faux pas on "Fashion Police." This year's red carpet -- coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET -- is less colorful for her loss. Nevertheless, plenty of color (and color commentary) will remain. Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic are hosting on E!, while ABC will trot out Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer and Michael Strahan. The weather forecast calls for a partly cloudy day with temperatures in the mid-60s and a 10% chance of rain. Sparkling Oscar weather, in other words. When Neil Patrick Harris hosts your show, you know you're in for a good time. His song-and-dance moves at the Tonys -- which he's hosted four times -- have earned raves. And though the 2013 Emmys proved unexpectedly dull, he wasn't blamed. So now Doogie Howser is hosting the Oscars. It won't be Harris' first time on the Academy Award stage -- he opened the show in 2010 -- but it's his debut as the show's emcee. He's aware of the challenges. Ellen DeGeneres did a good job last year, but all anyone remembers is her selfie. And Hugh Jackman, another ace song-and-dance man, hosted the show in 2009. He got nice reviews. Recall anything else? "In many ways, it's lose-lose," Harris told the Los Angeles Times. "There's so much scrutiny. And so much anticipation, and so many (Oscar-viewing) parties where people are hoping that things go wrong. It's not really an audience wanting you to win." The 42 people scheduled to hand out awards Sunday range from 80-year-old Shirley MacLaine to 18-year-old Chloe Grace Moretz, from perennial nominee Meryl Streep to newcomer Ansel Elgort. Perhaps in an effort to appeal to younger viewers, only five of the presenters are over 50. And the academy may be mindful of complaints this year about the all-white slate of acting nominees. More than one-quarter of the scheduled presenters are black, including Oprah Winfrey and perceived best actor snubee David Oyelowo, both from "Selma." Yes, reading off lists of nominees can be a little dull. So who's going to bring the funny? We're pinning our hopes on Kevin Hart, Jason Bateman and Eddie Murphy. Count on Oscars for Julianne Moore (best actress, "Still Alice"), J.K. Simmons (best supporting actor, "Whiplash") and Patricia Arquette (best supporting actress, "Boyhood"). After that things get less predictable. Best actor is a two-way race between sentimental favorite Michael Keaton ("Birdman") and upstart Eddie Redmayne ("The Theory of Everything"). And best picture? "Birdman" appears to have a slight edge over "Boyhood," with "The Imitation Game" as a long-shot contender. Some people think "American Sniper's" blockbuster status gives it a chance, but liberal Hollywood may be loath to reward a movie so beloved by right-wing America. Oscars 2015: Who will win and who should win . If you're looking for a full slate of predictions for your Oscars pool, Gold Derby is a pretty good handicapper. By now, after the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards and other awards shows, we have some idea of what the front-runners might say if they win. Based on recent history, Keaton may get teary and thank his handsome son Sean, while Redmayne and Moore might dedicate their awards to people coping with ALS and Alzheimer's, respectively. Arquette might mention her lineage as a descendant of actors, and Simmons may thank "Whiplash" co-star Miles Teller for how he "inspired me every day to want to scream at him and hit him in the face." In recent years, the academy hasn't really known what to do with the songs. Occasionally they're a highlight -- Bob Dylan's "Things Have Changed" and Robin Williams' "Blame Canada" come to mind -- but, more often, they're an excuse for a bathroom break, or not performed at all. This year features five songs with intriguing back stories. You've got "Glory," the gospel-tinged Common-John Legend collaboration that's one of just two nominations received by "Selma"; Tegan and Sara's puckish "Everything Is Awesome!", the only nomination for "The Lego Movie"; "I'm Not Gonna Miss You," a wrenching swan song from the Alzheimer's-stricken Glen Campbell; "Grateful," from the overlooked "Beyond the Lights" but written by the anything-but-overlooked Diane Warren; and "Lost Stars," from "Begin Again," which was directed by "Once's" John Carney and performed by Maroon 5's Adam Levine. "Glory" will probably win -- it's been justifiably celebrated -- but for once, best song may be one of the strongest categories at the Oscars. (All except for Campbell's song are being performed by the original artists; Tim McGraw will sing "I'm Not Gonna Miss You.") Find other moments to go to the bathroom. Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have also promised "several musical sequences" featuring such names as Jennifer Hudson and Lady Gaga, according to the academy's website, and "Let It Go" songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are writing a number for Neil Patrick Harris. Did we mention John Travolta is back? A year after he mangled singer Idina Menzel's name as "Adele Nazeem," Travolta has somehow been invited back to redeem himself as a presenter. (Maybe they'll ask him to introduce best live action short film, where Oded Binnun, Hu Wei and Talkhon Hamzavi await.) Let's be honest: Many of us watch the Oscars not for the awards but for the high-wire risks of live TV: the fumbled speeches, the wardrobe malfunctions, the chance that someone will do or say something crazy. Jack Black, Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey will be speaking live, too. Just saying. | The 87th Academy Awards air Sunday night on ABC .
Host will be Neil Patrick Harris, who has proven himself at the Tonys and Emmys .
"Birdman," "Boyhood" are front-runners for best picture . |
ff09871273485e8b040109752532db2718d9d8f7 | By . James Chapman and Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 18:09 EST, 10 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:39 EST, 11 February 2013 . Bills for long-term care in old age are to be capped at £75,000 in England, in a £1billion move to be funded by dragging more people into the inheritance tax net, it was announced today. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the 'historic' reforms would save thousands of people from having to sell their family home to pay for care and give them 'greater peace of mind'. 'We need to become a society where people prepare and plan for their social care costs as much as they prepare and plan for their pension,' he said, adding that all governments have 'long failed to tackle' the issue. Scroll down for video . Announcement: Heath Secretary Jeremy Hunt makes a statement to MPs in the House of Commons in central London where he said that that elderly care bills are to be capped at £75,000 . 'Whilst there are many other things . that need to be done to prepare for an ageing population, these reforms . do herald a historic change in the way that care and support is funded . in this country.' The inheritance tax threshold will be . frozen until at least 2019 to help fund the £75,000 cap on care home . bills for the elderly. It means that thousands more middle-class . families every year will be dragged into paying the 40 per cent tax. Sources . close to Chancellor George Osborne confirmed that some of the funding . for radical reform of social care will come from an unexpected freeze in . the amount people can inherit free of tax. Stealth tax? Sources close to George Osborne say the inheritance tax threshold is to be frozen to fund a £75,000 cap on care home bills . The move risks angering Conservative MPs . who remember Mr Osborne pledging in 2007, before the financial crisis, . to increase the threshold to £1million. Instead it has been fixed at £325,000 since the election and will remain at that level until at least April 2019. The Coalition will announce today that the state will fund all social care for any individual once the £75,000 cap has been reached. The state will also begin to help with costs if a person’s savings and assets fall below a threshold of £123,000, rather than £23,250 at present. But the National Pensioners Convention argues that the £75,000 cap is too high and warns that elderly people will continue to lose their homes as they grapple to meet mounting care costs. The reforms are expected to cost £1billion a year, 80 per cent of which will come from increased employer national insurance contributions – mainly in the public sector – as a flat-rate state pension replaces the state second pension. But the remaining 20 per cent will come from the inheritance ‘stealth tax’. If the threshold for the tax, frozen since 2009, increased in line with inflation every year until 2019 it would be expected to reach £420,000. But instead it will be fixed at £325,000 – although just two months ago the Chancellor suggested he would increase the allowance in two years. As a result, 5,000 more families a year . are expected to be pulled into the inheritance tax trap, and will pay an . average of £95,000 more than they would have done if the allowance had . been increased. George Osborne's pledge in 2007 . A Government source said: ‘The result of the social care reforms will be that 100,000 people who would have had to pay will be helped. The inheritance tax allowance has been frozen since 2009, but it’s also been made transferable so a couple now has a threshold of £650,000. ‘Yes, it will bring 5,000 more people into inheritance tax but it will help more than 100,000 who currently suffer for daring to do the right thing and saving for retirement. ‘Those who have worked and saved all . their life and bought a property won’t have it taken away just because . they did the right thing. That’s only fair. ‘We are going to protect their inheritance.’ Hit with taxes: Ros Altmann (right), a former adviser to the Treasury on pensions, said well-off pensioners with expensive houses would be hit by the inheritance tax changes while Peter Bone (left) said it looks as if the Government is 'giving with one hand, and taking away with the other' However, Conservative MPs expressed alarm. Right-winger Peter Bone said: ‘It starts to look as if we are giving with one hand and taking away with the other.’ The Coalition is setting the £75,000 cap despite the Dilnot Commission, established by Government to review care funding in England, recommending a lower benchmark. The commission proposed a cap of between £20,000 and £50,000 and said £35,000 would be 'the most appropriate and fair' figure. But chairman Andrew Dilnot said the difference between the recommendation and the Government's figure is not large enough to create problems. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'We said it should be between £20,000 and £50,000 in 2010-11 prices. 'The cap being proposed is £75,000 in 2017 prices, that’s the equivalent of £61,000 in our terms, £11,000 higher than the top end of our range. 'But I recognise that the public finances are in a pretty tricky state and it doesn’t seem to me that it is so different as to radically transform the basis of the system.' But Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), said: ‘People are still going to lose their homes to pay for this, £75,000 is a hugely high cap. 'In actual fact, Dilnot said 35 or 50. But in any case, we didn’t think Dilnot was the right answer either because it doesn’t deal with the actual care system.' Ms Gibson called for a 1.5p in the pound income tax to pay for a national care system 'free at the point of delivery'. Neil Duncan-Jordan, also from the NPC, said he could see little difference between the freezing of the inheritance tax threshold and Labour’s plan before the election for a ‘death tax’ to pay for care. Ros Altmann, a former adviser to the Treasury on pensions, said relatively well-off pensioners with expensive houses – particularly in the South-East – would be hit by the inheritance tax changes. ‘Many people who end up not needing any expensive care in their old age will end up paying lots of inheritance tax to those who do,’ she added. | It means thousands of middle-class families will have to pay 40 per cent tax .
George Osborne had pledged to increase the threshold to £1m in 2007 . |
ff0a36f0e886613a672572a3feba6463086c142c | The owner of this waterlogged camera . must have thought it was gone for ever, along with his precious holiday . pictures, when he dropped it in the ocean. But a year later a diver spotted it . rusting away in the depths and rescued it. Even more astonishingly, he . was able to recover the pictures and post them on Google+. Now, thanks to the wonders of social networking, the owner - an unnamed Canadian fireman - has his holiday photos back. Wildlife . photographer Markus Thompson was scuba diving off Vancouver, British . Columbia, when he stumbled upon the strange sight – an expensive digital . camera lodged in Deep Bay. Found at sea: Markus Thompson recovered the Canon camera from the bottom of the ocean while scuba diving off the coast of Vancouver . Water damage: But Mr Thompson was able to recover pictures from the memory card, which he posted on Google+ . Back on dry land Mr Thompson examined the SD memory card and was able to recover 50 photos. He then posted messages on Google+ asking if anyone had accidentally dropped the Canon EOS 1000D. Mr Thompson wrote: ‘Approximately 50 . pictures on the card from a family vacation. 'If you know a fire fighter . from British Columbia whose team won the Pacific Regional Firefit . competition, has a lovely wife and (now) 2 year old daughter – let me . know. I would love to get them their vacation photos.’ Social . networking sleuths began their detective work. Images . recovered from the camera showed a regional fire fighting competition. Faces were compared, and the options were slowly narrowed down. The . search went viral – Mr Thompson received thousands of comments and shares – but . it was only after he received an email from a friend of the . owner that the mystery of the camera was solved. Detective work: The search for the camera's owner took only days after Mr Thompson posted photos he found on its memory card on the social networking site Google+ . The friend, who signed the . email simply as ‘Hilary,’ wrote: ‘Hello Mark. Thank you so much for the . email. Yes I know exactly who the camera belongs to! He is a Delta Fire . Fighter. I will have him contact you.’ On his Google+ page, Mr Thompson details how he conducted his search, which included contacting local firefighters. He also contacted Canon Canada with the serial number of the camera, but they said they had no record of the number. Water-logged: The DSLR, which was submerged since August 2010, no longer works . Mr Thompson said he tried to . conduct the search on Facebook as well. ‘It received one ‘like’ – that’s . it (there’s a reason I left)’ he wrote. The camera – which can cost upwards of $500 new – was lost by the British Columbia firefighter in August 2010. Not surprisingly, it no longer works. Seized up: But the Canon EOS 1000D cost upwards of $500 new . | Wildlife photographer found Canon EOS 1000D while scuba diving .
Posted photos retrieved from memory card on Google+ to track down owner .
Owner identified as firefighter from British Columbia . |
ff0ab3ef858875fb44e230468724e42f23b2f415 | By . Hugo Duncan . PUBLISHED: . 15:19 EST, 31 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:43 EST, 1 January 2014 . The pound hit its highest level for nearly three years yesterday, and shares ended 2013 on the front foot in a vote of confidence for the British economy. The FTSE 100 index of blue-chip companies rose 17.82 points to 6749.09, taking total gains for the year to £200billion – an increase of around 14 per cent. The pound also performed well, going up around half a per cent to $1.6565 and €1.2022. Boost: The pound goes into 2014 at its highest level in almost three years . Rollercoaster: The Footsie edged up another 18 points from 6,731 today to end the year at 6,749. Sterling is now at its highest level . against the dollar since April 2011 having clocked up a second year of . gains – although this could make Britain's exports less competitive. Last . year also saw the best London stock market results since 2009, boosting . the value of pension pots and investments for millions of workers and . savers. The stock market and . the pound benefited from stronger than expected growth throughout 2013, . as the economy finally emerged from the doldrums. The . UK economy looks set to have grown by around 1.5 per cent in 2013 and . could grow by as much as 3 per cent in 2014, according to analysts. That . would be the best performance since 2007 when output rose by 3.4 per . cent before crashing in the recession of 2008 and 2009. It . would also put Britain among the best-performing developed economies in . the world, well ahead of European rivals Germany and France. The . brighter outlook – and the sharp fall in unemployment to 7.4 per cent, . its lowest level since early 2009 – has fuelled speculation that an . interest rate rise is on the way. The . Bank of England has pledged not to raise rates from the current . all-time low of 0.5 per cent until unemployment falls to 7 per cent or . lower. Governor Mark Carney has insisted that 7 per cent is a . 'threshold' and not a 'trigger' for an automatic rate hike in a bid to . dampen expectations. But the . surge in the pound – which benefits from higher interest rates – . suggests many in the financial markets believe a rate hike is coming. Soaring: The FTSE 250 is up by almost a third this year. Sterling has jumped from below $1.49 in July when Mr Carney succeeded Lord King as Governor – a rise of more than 10 per cent. Howard . Archer, an economist at IHS Global Insight, said: 'After some extended . gloom, 2013 was a year of mainly positive surprises for the UK economy.' Mr Archer believes . unemployment will hit 7 per cent during the second quarter of 2014 and . could be down to 6.7 per cent by the end of the year. But he played down . the prospects of a rate hike this year. He . said: 'Expectations are mounting that the Bank could start to raise . interest rates in 2014. However, the Bank will want to give the economy . as much chance as possible to establish broad-based growth and is more . likely to hold off from raising interest rates until the first half of . 2015.' Debenhams issued a profit warning yesterday following a nightmare Christmas which forced it to launch early sales and deep discounts. Britain's second-biggest department store said profits are expected to be down by 26 per cent in the first half of its financial year to around £85million. The chain is slashing prices by 70 per cent in its January sale in a desperate attempt to shift leftover Christmas stock. The news saw the retailer's share price fall more than 10 per cent in early trading yesterday, wiping £140million off its stock market value. City analysts believe sales in many leading chains were below expectations over the crucial festive trading period. As a result, shares in the likes of Marks & Spencer, Next, Primark, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons have all been marked down in recent days. Debenhams' bosses described festive trading as 'extremely difficult' and competitive, with a large number of early sales. 'We did not experience the anticipated final surge in sales in the last week of the period and as a result we expect the need for additional markdown to clear stock in January and February,' they said. The five-year cost of living squeeze, bad weather and a shift to internet shopping have combined to pile pressure on retailers who rely on their bricks and mortar outlets. Major chains were forced to bring forward sales and bargain promotions ahead of Christmas during what one industry insider described as 'a bit of a bloodbath'. The gloomy trading update comes just days after reports that Debenhams was under pressure to axe its finance chief, Simon Herrick, amid shareholder concern over his performance. | 2013 was the best year for the London stock market .
since 2009 .
Pension pots and investments boosted for .
millions of workers and savers .
Sterling is now at its highest level against the dollar since April 2011 .
Analysts say we have experienced stronger than expected growth .
But many believe the surge in the pound suggests rate hike is coming . |
ff0adb7bb4281cba2fea1333fe7b44015f9ad57f | London (CNN) -- What do artificial whiskers and coffee-filled balloons have in common? The answer is that they are both tools on experimental robots -- but they are also being put forward as possible ideas to help future planetary explorations. "Shrewbot" is the latest in a line of robots developed by teams at the UK's Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) that aims to test whether artificial whiskers could help a robot find its way around. Inspired by the Etruscan shrew -- one of the world's tiniest mammals -- scientists wanted to find out if a robot could explore its environment using touch instead of vision, just as rats, mice and shrews find food in the dark. Team leader Martin Pearson, who works at the Biotact project, said the research was primarily to assist biologists in their understanding of how an animal's touch sensing works. But he added: "Future robotic applications for this kind of sensing could be in search-and-rescue robots operating in smoke filled buildings or for sub-sea pipeline inspection robots in the murky depths of the sea." The idea has also been suggested as a way to explore planetary surfaces where there is limited vision. Speaking at a space conference at the UK's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, robotics expert and co-founder of the BRL, Alan Winfield, identified it as one of a number of advancements that might be useful to space scientists planning future missions. "I was speculating that whiskers could provide a planetary rover with the ability to feel its way around," he told CNN. "It may be that certain types of geology would be helped if you could, for instance, run the whiskers across the rock sample because you can get texture from whiskers. "You can also imagine planets with thick, heavy atmospheres where vision would be completely useless. One of the beauties of whiskers is that the whisker can get damaged but still works -- all the sensing is done at the root." Winfield also pointed to research carried out by Cornell, the University of Chicago, iRobot Corp and Liquidia that produced a robotic gripper using coffee granules and a latex party balloon. It exploits the way vacuum-packed coffee is rigid until the seal is broken and then the coffee granules can flow, adapting to the shape of an object it is pressed against. The vacuum can then be restored and the balloon 'jams' solid to form a grip. Watch how the gripper works at Cornell Creative Machines Lab . In 2010 "jamming gripper" researcher Heinrich Jaeger described in the Cornell Chronicle how the project had "opened the door to applications none of us had originally thought about." One of those applications, Winfield suggested, is a potential alternative for gathering samples on a planetary rover mission. "Almost any planetary exploration robot is likely to need a gripper to pick up or collect rock samples for analysis or collection," he said on his blog. "Something like the Jaeger-Lipson coffee balloon gripper would -- I think -- provide a much better solution. This soft gripper avoids the hard control and computation because the soft material adapts itself to the thing it is gripping." Speaking to CNN, Jaeger said it would be exciting to work with space scientists. "It's wonderful to see engineers and researchers come up with new ideas based on granular jamming. "The main advantage of the jamming gripper is that it can deal effectively with very irregularly shaped objects and needs to cover only a fraction of the sample's surface in order to hold on to it. "Perhaps even more importantly for a rover mission on Mars -- there are no mechanical parts that can get clogged up by dust. "A third advantage is that the gripper is exceedingly gentle. It will put very little stress on the object to be gripped because it distributes the holding force over a large contact area that very closely conforms to the object's shape." Winfield said this new field of "soft robotics" could be well suited to space exploration, explaining that the BRL is now working on touch sensors for robots. "It's easy to see that giving planetary robots touch sensing could be useful, but there's another possibility ... the potential to allow Earth scientists to feel what the robot's sensor is feeling," he told CNN. Looking further into the future, Winfield believes so-called swarm robots -- large groups of simple robots that work together like social insects -- ones that can self-assemble and adapt to the environment in the way living creatures do, could also aid scientists exploring new worlds. "Imagine that robots can actually remake parts of themselves -- we can't even do that in the lab yet -- but in theory you can imagine robots that can adapt their physical shape as well as their behaviors to meet a particular environment ... it's almost like evolution except these are mechanical devices," he said. However, he also believes that this technology -- along with fully autonomous robots that can think for themselves -- is a long way off. "This field is very much a concept that we are developing in the lab -- I wouldn't expect these swarms of robots in space any time soon," he said. | "Shrewbot" aims to test whether artificial whiskers could help a robot navigate .
Robotics expert Alan Winfield suggests they could be useful for planetary rovers .
He also points to work on soft robotics that could aid space exploration .
So-called 'swarm robots' might be able to adapt to an alien planet's environment, he says . |
ff0af7c87cd71ce57b2d25c2fb63f16d7f8f5886 | Never-before-released Interviews with veteran female CIA officers have given a fascinating insight into women's lives at the heart of the hyper-male and intrinsically secretive world. The four officers, who started as low-ranking typists and ended up in charge of international CIA branches, were asked about what it was like to be a woman working in the CIA in the 1960s and 70s. The riveting conversations were declassified by the CIA on October 30. Often facing rampant sexism and stigma, the officers proved invaluable to the agency. On one assignment, an embassy bomb plot was thwarted after an enemy operative divulged secrets to a female agent because she was 'just a woman who wasn't very bright'. CIA clerks and typists pictured in 1952. Recently declassified interviews with female operatives have revealed what it was like for women in the early years of the agency . One agent Meredith (last names are redacted in the lengthy interviews) describes how she joined the agency in 1979 because her husband was an ops officer. She began as a 'contract wife' - employed in low-paid secretarial work to support her husband's role. Meredith, who at the time she was interviewed was deputy chief of the CIA's European Division, pointed out that having an eye for luxury clothing gave her an edge when trying to spot the foreign surveillants working undercover. She said: 'I always said if I ever wrote a book, I would start it with ''You could tell 'em by their socks''. You would always know surveillants [redacted word] at the time by the socks and shoes. 'We digress here, but with all the [redacted word] having such horrible clothes and horrible shoes and socks, the surveillants had good ones. 'That would never occur to my husband to look at it.' The foundation of spying: A 'make-up compact concealment device,' from the undated CIA archives . Another interviewee Patty described the role of wives in the 1970s as 'contract slaves' but agreed with Meredith that women were better at detecting other surveillants. She said it was especially easy to spot them when they tried to go shopping undercover as 'they just can't fake it' in stores. Dressed to kill: An evening outfit of a female CIA operative which had in-built surveillance equipment . Patty, who was awarded the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal in 2004, said: 'I always put that down to women [being] . more sensitive [to] who's near or in their space, for physical . protection.' Another CIA agent Carla explained that one enemy operative revealed to her a plot to blow up an embassy simply because he underestimated her as a 'just a woman who wasn't very bright' while she was on assignment. Carla, who joined the CIA in 1965 and was Deputy Chief of the Africa Division when she retired eight years ago, said: 'I got credit for a recruitment but I never actually had to pitch the guy. 'Anyway I was sort of the ''Dumb Dora'' personality to survive, and ''Golly'' ''Gee!'' and ''Wow!'' 'And this [redacted word] that was it, he would seek me out. ''Oh, could we talk?'' He would tell me, ''I just love talking to you because you're not . very bright.'' 'And I would just sit like this [makes an innocent . expression], and I would get home and my spouse would say, ''Well how was it?'' ''Golly! Gee! You know? Wow!'' Carla continued: 'But it worked. And finally, unfortunately, the recruitment ended because he told me about a plot to bomb the embassy [redacted word] and we arrested him and his gang of merry men as they crossed the border. 'He just told me everything and I . got tons of intel out of him because I was just a woman who wasn't very . bright.' Women were initially hired in low-paid roles at the CIA to do secretarial work sometimes in support of their husbands who were agents . At times, female agents were often required to work undercover with gadgets straight out of a James Bond movie. Compact mirrors with pressed powder were adapted for surveillance and bugs implanted into glamorous evening gowns. The riveting interviews are part of a wealth of information recently declassified by the CIA as a collection entitled 'From Typist to Trailblazer: The Evolving View of Women in the CIA's Workforce.' With her string of pearls and cheerful grin, Eloise Page looks more like a church committee member than one of the CIA's most fearsome operatives. Miss Page (pictured above) began as a secretary during the Second World War at the Office of Strategic Services - the predecessor agency to CIA. She gained a wealth of counterintelligence expertise and at the end of WW2, was posted to Belgium in one of the first overseas CIA branches. She quickly proved to be a highly effective agent in the Clandestine Service. Miss Page rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the first female Chief of Station in the late 1970s - the highest foreign position. The Virginia native, a renowned expert on terrorist organizations, was known as 'the iron butterfly' by colleagues due to her character, 'a perfect southern lady with a core of steel', one remarked. She retired at the age of 67 in 1987 and passed away, aged 82, in 2002. On her death, then CIA director George Tenet said: 'From her earliest days of service with OSS, she was a source of inspiration to others. She will be forever.' The collection, most of which is being released for the first time, includes hundreds of studies, memos, letters and other official records documenting efforts to improve the status of women employees from 1947 to the present day. Part of the collection is documents from the 1953 'Petticoat Panel'. Despite women making up 40 per cent of CIA employees at the time (10 per cent higher than in the general U.S. workforce), only one-fifth of those women had even reached a mid-level salary grade - compared to 70 per cent of men. Family responsibilities and motherhood were seen as huge hindrances by CIA bosses at the time. Chief of Operations Richard Helms went as far as to say: 'You just get them to a point where they . are about to blossom out to a GS-12, and they get married, go somewhere . else, or something over which nobody has any control, and they are out . of the running.' Things had little improved by the 1970s, in particular in the Clandestine Service where, according to one memo, women were deemed 'limited in their operational potential'. Towards the end of the 1970s as women began to push through the glass ceiling in other industries, changes slowly crept in at the intelligence agency. In 1977, then-Deputy Director E. Henry . Knoche ordered a . gender-issues committee to address the lack of senior female employees. Today's CIA is a different world and popular culture is filled with no-nonsense images of female spies from Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison in TV show Homeland to Jessica Chastain's portrayal of 'Maya' - the female CIA agent credited with tracking down Osama bin Laden - in the movie Zero Dark Thirty. There is yet to be a female director of the CIA although things appear to be moving encouragingly in this direction. In 2011, 44 per cent of CIA employees at the top levels were women - up more than a third since 1980. In August, President Obama appointed Avril Haines as the CIA's deputy director - the first woman to ever hold that position. Yet limits still exist. Many women fall by the wayside due to the extreme demands of the job and its 'all or nothing' lifestyle. According to Mother Jones, the CIA analyst on whom Maya was based in Zero Dark Thirty was passed over for promotion last year. | Interviews with female CIA employees, who joined the lower ranks in the 1960s and 70s, reveal the sexism they endured .
The tapes, released on October 30, were part of an internal review to try to improve women's positions at the agency .
One female agent said she could always tell foreign surveillants when they awkwardly went shopping because 'they just can't fake it' |
ff0ba21e5910c2a267cdad8234891fb15ff3a66c | By . Lizzie Parry For Mailonline . A mother who claims doctors advised she abort her unborn son held her tiny newborn for the first time eight weeks after he defied the odds to survive a rare birth defect. When Vicky Davies was 20 weeks pregnant a routine scan revealed her son had the condition congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Doctors at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Rhyl told the 33-year-old her baby had a 50 per cent chance of survival. But despite his tiny stomach and intestines developing in his chest due to a hole in his diaphragm, Samuel Wilson was born on May 23 - five weeks before his due date. Vicky Davies was finally able to hold her tiny son Samuel for the first time, eight weeks after he defied the odds to survive a rare birth defect . Ms Davies, left with her son, claims doctors advised her to terminate her pregnancy, after revealing he had a 50 per cent chance of surviving at her 20-week scan when he was diagnosed with a rare condition, congenital diaphragmatic hernia . The defect caused a hole in his diaphragm allowing part of his intestines to push into his chest cavity . Now 10 weeks old, Samuel is being cared for in hospital as his parents and three siblings prepare to welcome him home for the first time next week. Mother-of-four, Ms Davies said: 'We went to find out if we were having a boy or a girl and our whole world came crashing down. 'We were told about his CDH and that there was a chance he would have Down’s Syndrome. 'Due to the low survival rate we were advised to look at the option of aborting the pregnancy. 'But I just couldn’t even imagine it. I know they have to give you all the options but I just had to give him a chance at survival.' Ms Davies and her partner Gavin Wilson, 40, were rushed from their home in Rhyl to Liverpool Women’s Hospital where Samuel was born weighing 4lb 15oz. He was placed in an incubator before his parents had the chance to hold their son. Ms Davies, said: 'We were told that it might not make it through the weekend, and six days after he was born we got a call at 1am to say they could do no more for him. Mother-of-four, Ms Davies said: 'Due to the low survival rate we were told to look at the option of aborting the pregnancy. But I just couldn't even imagine it. I know they have to give you all the options but I just had to give him a chance at survival' Samuel was born on May 23 - five weeks before his due date. Before his parents, Ms Davies and Gavin Wilson were able to hold him, he was placed in an incubator in the special care unit at Liverpool Women's Hospital . 'I ran to the ward. I thought I was going to have to leave the hospital without my baby. 'But Samuel has been fighting ever since. He has the operation to move his stomach and intestines down on June 10 and is even feeding through a bottle now.' After waiting eight weeks, Ms Davies is now able to hold her new born son. She said: 'I finally feel like a normal mum. It was so hard waiting but he was so poorly, I just knew I had to wait. 'My daughter Elisa, 10, has held him a few times, but my two boys Jack, seven, and Thomas, four, are still a bit nervous. 'They love him to bits though and come and see him whenever they can.' Samuel was first moved to Alder Hey hospital and is now in Glan Clwyd. He is expected to finally be allowed home next Wednesday, August 20. A spokesman for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which runs Glan Clwyd Hospital, said: 'We cannot comment on individual cases, as discussions between patients and their doctors are private. 'However, our clinicians would ensure that patients and families are aware of all available medical options in cases such as this.' CDH occurs in around one in 2,500 births and accounts for approximately eight per cent of all major congenital abnormalities. The diaphragm normally develops in an unborn baby by around the seven to 10 week gestation period. CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to form correctly or fails to develop in the unborn baby. Now 10 weeks old, baby Samuel is ready to be taken home for the first time when he is discharged from hospital next week . It means the abdominal contents herniate into the chest cavity, which in turn prevents the lungs from developing properly. The stage at which the abdominal contents herniate, and the size of the hole in the diaphragm, determine how much the baby's lungs and other internal organs, including the heart, are affected. In some rare cases CDH is part of a chromosomal syndrome, including Down's Syndrome. The prognosis for babies diagnosed with CDH is 50 per cent. Once baby is fully stabilised and the Doctors are happy with baby’s blood gases, oxygen levels and general progress, baby will undergo surgery to repair the hernia, but there is no set timescale for when the operation is likely to take place. Source: cdhuk.org.uk . | When Vicky Davies was 20 weeks pregnant a scan revealed her son had the condition congenital diaphragmatic hernia .
Doctors gave her unborn baby a 50 per cent chance of survival .
They advised she and her partner Gavin Wilson consider an abortion .
The couple refused and on May 23 baby Samuel was born five weeks early .
Condition causes a hole in the diaphragm causing the intestines to push into the chest cavity putting pressure on the lungs and heart .
Mother-of-four, Ms Davies, said: 'We went to find out if we were having a boy or a girl and our whole world came crashing down'
Now 10 weeks old baby Samuel is well enough to go home for the first time .
Glan Clwyd Hospital said it cannot comment on individual cases but added doctors make sure parents are aware of all their options in similar cases . |
ff0bbcbfcf1946f47fed2469909c01403af5a486 | It has been 16 years since Hearts and Rangers have arguably played in a match of such magnitude. It’s mere coincidence that the game would also be Ally McCoist’s last appearance as a player in the Light Blue. The Tynecastle club triumphed 2-1 on that occasion, lifting the Scottish Cup to end a 36-year trophy drought. Tomorrow, the stakes are rather different — as are the circumstances of both clubs. A win for either could go a long way to deciding the destination of the Championship title and an automatic ticket back to the top flight from which they had plunged in varying states of disarray. This fixture against Hearts is one Rangers boss Ally McCoist will see as a must-win victory for the Light Blues . Danny Wilson of Hearts scores his side's opening goal against Rangers in their 2-1 win at Ibrox in August . Gary Naysmith, who played in that victory for Hearts at Celtic Park back in 1998, knows the rival bosses well. He played alongside Robbie Neilson at Tynecastle, while Ally McCoist coached him at international level with Scotland. And the 36-year-old, currently player/manager of East Fife, believes a victory for his former side would pretty much seal the title before November is out. ‘It’s those two teams fighting it out at the top of the league and if Hearts win, I don’t see them losing a nine-point lead,’ said Naysmith. ‘It’s a massive game for Hearts because they have a great chance in front of 20,000 people to go nine clear after just more than a third of the season gone. But it’s an even bigger game for Rangers, because they know losing would see them fall so far behind. ‘I wouldn’t say Rangers have got a better squad and, with the players Robbie has assembled at Hearts, he would be disappointed not to win the league. ‘His priority at the start of the season would have been to get Hearts up but after such a good start, he will be wanting to go up as champions. ‘It’s all in Hearts’ hands and I think even a draw would suit them. Rangers need to win. So it’s going to be a cracking occasion and a definite sell-out. Ally McCoist looks on as his side prepare for what could be Rangers' biggest game of the season . John Robertson and Colin Cameron celebrate Hearts' cup win against Rangers at Celtic Park 16 years ago . ‘Depending on the result, though, the games between Hearts and Rangers later on in the season could be even bigger than this one as the points may be closer. ‘But you have to make Hearts favourites because they’re six clear and playing at home.’ Should his side lose tomorrow, there are those speculating it may signal the beginning of the end of McCoist’s colourful tenure as manager of the club he loves. In a three-year spell, the all-time Rangers record scorer has been lauded for his off-the-field firefighting while facing regular questions over his ability to lead his side on the park. Asked if he fears for McCoist’s future should they lose, Naysmith countered by insisting the 52-year-old has experience of dealing with such pressure. ‘The speculation is just the nature of the job,’ said Naysmith. ‘Rangers won seven on the bounce, then they draw against Alloa and all of a sudden Ally’s in the last-chance saloon. I think he’s probably immune to it by now. Water off a duck’s back. ‘While Rangers are in turmoil, they’re going to be front and back-page news. But Ally was used to being in the headlines as a player and it’s probably not that hard for him to cope with it. Hearts skipper Wilson will be looking for another win against Rangers in the return fixture at Tynecastle . ‘He doesn’t let it affect him. When we played them recently, he came in before the game for 40 minutes for a cup of tea and a chat. Ally always makes time for you. I don’t know if that’s normal or that he just likes me because of our time with Scotland but he’s just a guy I really respect. ‘I think he’s done a good job because he has been the glue that’s held that club together. I’m not sure anyone else could have done that. ‘Also, they are second in the league behind a very good Hearts side and, if they cut it to three points on Saturday, then it’s all to play for.’ Naysmith worked alongside Neilson at East Fife before he was headhunted by the Tynecastle club and the East Fife boss believes Hearts’ start to the season – 11 wins, two draws, no defeats – clearly marks him out as the coming manager of Scottish football. ‘It’s a fantastic achievement to be 13 games unbeaten,’ he said. ‘They have only conceded seven goals and scored 35 goals so it’s working for Robbie at both ends. ‘Gary Locke and Billy Brown deserve credit, too, for giving the younger players experience of the Premiership last season. Robbie is getting the benefit from that, as well as the changes he has implemented himself. ‘Undoubtedly, his director of football, Craig Levein, will have advised him to sign guys like Prince Buaben and Morgaro Gomis, who he has worked with before at Dundee United. But Robbie Neilson’s his own man and he’s gone up and up in coaching and deserves all the credit in the world.’ *Gary Naysmith was speaking to promote and H2-) event at Mountfleurie Primary School in Fife, in conjunction with Scottish Water and the SPFL Trust . | Hearts take on Rangers in Scottish Championship top of the table clash .
Tynecastle club can open a nine-point advantage over Rangers with a win .
Former Maroons defender Gary Naysmith: 'If Hearts win, I don’t see them losing a nine-point lead' |
ff0c18b7c3bdd5d06943c0a4e7655b620ed114c2 | Prince Charles showed his soft side today as he enjoyed a tender moment with a local school girl. The youngster was clearly pleased to see the royal and leaned in for a kiss on his cheek after he and the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, visited La Macarena Church in Colombia. A group of young schoolchildren had waited patiently for the Royal's arrival and cheered gleefully as he greeted them. Scroll down for video . Pucker up! The Prince of Wales is kissed by a local school girl after he and the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos visited La Macarena Church, La Macarena in Colombia, on the third day of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's tour to Colombia and Mexico . It's been a busy day for the Prince of Wales, who is currently on a royal visit in Colombia. Earlier in the day, Charles jokingly waved his arms in the air as if saving himself from falling in when he visited one of the world's most stunning natural phenomena - a river that runs red. He flew by helicopter in to former guerrilla-held territory to see Cano Cristales - known as the liquid rainbow - a river that appears to change colour. The Prince experienced the impressive sight caused by algae on the riverbed changing hue at different times of the year, from green and yellow to blue and black and famously red. Tender: The youngster was clearly pleased to see the royal and leant in for a kiss on his cheek after he and the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, visited La Macarena Church . Eagerly awaiting: The Prince of Wales meets well wishers after he and the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos visited La Macarena Church . Meet and greet: The local schoolchildren were very happy to see the royal, who is enjoying a visit in Colombia this week . Say cheese! The Prince of Wales meets well wishers after he and the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos carried out their duties . Earlier Charles spoke movingly about the loss of his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten, when he visited Bogota's Centre for Peace, Memory and Reconciliation which commemorates those killed and displaced during five decades of violence in the fight against guerillas and drug cartels. In a speech about how he had 'experienced the intense despair caused by the consequences of violence' and stress: 'Many of you will probably not know that my own much-loved great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, and members of his family ... were murdered in Northern Ireland, just over 30 years ago. 'So I feel I do understand something of the bewildering and soul-destroying anguish that so many of you have had to endure.' What a joker: Earlier in the day, Charles jokingly waved his arms in the air as if saving himself from falling in when he visited one of the world's most stunning natural phenomena - a river that runs red . Landmark: The Prince of Wales and the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos have a walking tour of Cano Cristales, La Macarena in Colombia, on the third day of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's tour to Colombia and Mexico . Stunning scenery: Prince Charles (R) of Wales and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos visit the National Park of Chiribiquete in the Department of Guaviare, Colombia . Stunning scenery: He flew by helicopter in to former guerrilla-held territory to see Cano Cristales - known as the liquid rainbow - a river that appears to change colour . Wow: The Prince experienced the impressive sight caused by algae on the riverbed changing hue at different times of the year, from green and yellow to blue and black and famously red . Out and about: The Prince of Wales and the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos have a walking tour of Cano Cristales . The crystal clear waters of Cano Cristales are likely to become a major tourist attraction now the area - once in the hands of Farc (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) guerrillas - is firmly in the hands of the government. Julia Miranda, director of Colombia's national park, hosted Charles' visit to the national wonder and said after the royal had left: 'It was marvellous. The red colour of the waters was very intense. 'He was really happy to be here and he asked many questions and seemed really interested in the geography of the area.' Charles was also joined during his visit by Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon who has been instrumental in helping to preserve Colombia's Amazon region. Royal apperance: Prince Charles of Wales (L) shakes hands with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos at a military base in La Macarena, Meta department, Colombia . Busy day: Earlier Charles spoke movingly about the loss of his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten, when he visited Bogota's Centre for Peace, Memory and Reconciliation which commemorates those killed and displaced during five decades of violence in the fight against guerillas and drug cartels . Military meeting: Prince Charles of Wales (R) greets a Colombian army official at a military base in La Macarena, Meta department, Colombia . He joked of Charles' entourage that the picturesque spot was known as the FARC country club where a guerrilla general would bring his partner and they would swim in the waters. The President and the Prince walked along the rocky riverbank and looked down at the miniature waterfall and also the swirling whirlpool that have been cut out of the rocks by the water. Earlier the Prince had flown to the huge Chiribiquete National Park that encompasses the Amazon rainforest where it crosses into Colombia. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will end their four-day tour of Colombia by visiting the Caribbean influenced city of Cartagena today. Meanwhile....Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and First Lady of Colombia Maria Clemencia Rodriguez Munera poses pose with staff as they visit the Quinta Bolivar Garden . Making friends: Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Maria Clemencia Rodriguez de Santos, the First Lady of Colombia, visit the Mlitary Riding School . Packing it in: The royal couple's last engagement will be a sunset ceremony on board HMS Argyll, which will be moored in Cartagena . Charles and Camilla will carry out a number of engagements including visiting a museum that is home to fabulous gold treasures from the Latin American nation's early history. At a Naval Academy the royal couple will view a display of ingenious semi-submersibles captured from drug smugglers. Charles and the Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos will both address a conference about the 'Health of the Oceans' staged in a Naval Museum. The event has been organised by the Presidential Co-operation Agency and the Prince's International Sustainability Unit, and will promote sustainability in the development of marine economies. The royal couple's last engagement will be a sunset ceremony on board HMS Argyll, which will be moored in Cartagena. The Prince, having been a naval officer on his last visit to Colombia in 1974, will take part in the ceremony as the Admiral of the Fleet. Charles and Camilla will begin a four day tour of Mexico on Sunday. | Prince Charles and President of Colombia visited La Macarena Church .
Received kiss from a youngster during trip .
Visited Cano Cristales, a river that appears to change colour .
Visited Bogota's Centre for Peace, Memory and Reconciliation .
Royals on trip to Colombia and will move to Mexico next week . |
ff0c254794b58b1775ac1fe59cea7c63d51b2e6d | Hayley Parsons, the founder of insurance comparison website GoCompare is to net £44m by selling her stake in the successful business . Eight years ago, Hayley Parsons sat at her kitchen table and sketched out a plan for a price comparison website. Today, the married mother-of-two is £44million richer after selling her shares in the company, GoCompare – best known for its adverts featuring ear-splitting opera singer Wynne Evans. The 41-year-old, from Cwmbran, South Wales, left school with six GCSEs and dreamed of becoming an interior designer. If she had succeeded, she says ‘today all the houses in the UK could be covered in animal print’. Instead, she took a job in a small insurance firm, where she made cups of tea and did basic admin. In her late twenties, she moved to Cardiff-based Admiral insurance where she worked in sales, and later helped launch the first UK motor insurance comparison site, Confused.com - the first car insurance comparison site in the UK. But after 14 years, Mrs Parsons – whose motto is ‘well-behaved women seldom make history’ – quit the firm and set up a rival site, a move she admits was ‘scary’. She and two former colleagues from Admiral worked from her kitchen table, later moving to premises where staff had to build their own Ikea desks. Her husband Mark gave up his job as a sales and marketing director to care for their two sons – aged four and 11 – when the company began to expand. Mrs Parsons was an unconventional boss, coming in dressed up as a devil on Halloween and setting up an office relaxation room, complete with a football table, a PlayStation and a Wii. Her company grew rapidly, and she was soon chief executive of a multi-million pound corporation. Last year GoCompare reported sales of £110million and pre-tax profits of £25million. Car insurance firm esure has owned half of GoCompare since 2010, when it exercised an option taken out in 2007 to buy a stake in the business. It bought the rest of the business in a £95million deal yesterday, including Mrs Parsons’ 23 per cent remaining stake. Ms Parsons wanted to employ a Welsh opera singer to star in television adverts for GoCompare . It had valued the businesswoman's 23 per cent stake at around £44m. She sold it and stepped down as chief executive on the condition that the firm would keep the headquarters in South Wales. Mrs Parsons – who lives in an £840,000 five-bedroom home in Old St Mellons, near Cardiff – is now one of the richest businesswomen in Britain. 'I am very proud that a company I started at my kitchen table eight years ago has achieved so much in such a short period of time,' said Mrs Parsons. 'Today, we are a leading price comparison business in the UK and this is credit to all the wonderful, hard-working people we have in Newport.' She added that she has ‘done all right for a Welsh girl from the Valleys’. And she admitted that she had been lucky to have had the complete support of her husband, before joking: ‘I call him a house husband, and he calls himself a man of leisure, so we have debates over his job description.’ But despite her success, she says she does not live a champagne lifestyle and ‘can’t stand some of the people I meet in the business world, who think they’re important just because they’ve got money or they’ve got power or they’ve got a big title’. Ms Parsons set up the business in 2006 and it has become known for its adverts featuring an opera singer . She said: ‘I meet so many people in business who just get stuck up their own backsides and that’s not me at all.’ And when she was previously asked if she had ever faced challenges as a woman in business, she said: ‘I think that some women become transfixed with the “glass ceiling”. ‘I’ve always thought that if you believe there is a glass ceiling, you’ll spend your life on the floor looking up at it.’ As well as Ms Parsons, other selling shareholders in today's deal include GoCompare's employee benefit trust and current and former directors and staff. Jon Morrell, who is esure's deputy chief operating officer, will take over from Ms Parsons as GoCompare's chief executive. She added that esure's commitment to keep GoCompare's headquarters in Newport was an 'extremely important' part of her decision to sell the business. The deal, which is subject to Competition and Markets Authority approval, is expected to complete in the first quarter of next year. Find out more about Chwarae Teg here. Hayley Parsons was born in Cwmbran and grew up in the Valleys in Wales. She left Croesyceiliog comprehensive school in Wales at the age of 16 with five GCSEs. According to a recent Sunday Times Rich list the self-confessed 'Welsh girl from the Valleys' is now estimated to be worth around £95m. Ms Parsons lives in Rogerstone in Newport with her partner Mark and has two children, aged four and 11. She lives just a few miles from where she grew up in Cwmbran in a £840,000 five-bedroom home. The couple met in 2001 and as GoCompare took off, Mark quit his job as the sales and marketing director of a busy printing firm to stay at home with their eldest son. Speaking in 2010, she said: 'I call him a house husband, he calls himself a man of leisure, so we have debates over his job description.' In 1992 Ms Parsons got a job in sales at Cardiff-based insurer Admiral where she was to work for the next 14 years. During this time she quickly rose up the ranks. When she was 21 she helped set up an insurance broker called Gladiator and then was instrumental in the launch of the first car insurance comparison website, Confused.com by Admiral. In 2006 she left the company as she had always dreamed of running her own business and wanted to make a site that functioned better for customers. Ms Parsons then worked with a small team of two which grew to six to design GoCompare. She is known as a good networker and met a contact who offered £1.5m to invest in the fledgling business. Ms Parsons was awarded an OBE in 2012 . They moved into their own premises with a team of 20 who had to put their own Ikea desks together before Ms Parsons was forced to move the office again as the team grew to more than 70 people. In just eight years the company grew to employ around 200 people and was recently valued as being worth almost £195m. Ms Parsons worked with her team to come up with the idea of having Gio Compario for the adverts and wanted to employ a Welsh singer so chose Wynne Evans. In return for loyalty from her employees Ms Parsons has kitted out her offices with a relaxation room, complete with a Wii, Playstation and football table. GoCompare functions by listing insurance by the level of cover provided, rather than by the cheapest price. The site was invited to join the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) in 2008. It is so popular it now provides a quote every second. The businesswoman was made an honorary fellow of the University of Newport in 2011. In 2012 Ms Parsons was awarded an OBE for services to the economy. During the same year Gocompare.com was awarded the Investors in People 'Gold' award. Earlier this year she was appointed to the Entrepreneurship Panel for Wales. Following speculation in recent years that Ms Parsons would sell the company she has referred to it as 'my baby.' Ms Parsons, now 41, said her staff were very important to her and a key part of the decision to sell was that the business would remain in Wales. | Hayley Parsons set up insurance comparison website GoCompare in 2006 .
Insurer esure is to buy the remaining 51 per cent of company for £195m .
The 41-year-old entrepreneur's 23 per cent share is valued at around £44m .
Ms Parsons was awarded an OBE for services to the economy in 2012 . |
ff0d02fc15a59cf9edd18aafe57320dea427baca | (CNN) -- Manny Pacquiao's career will be defined by Floyd Mayweather, even if the Filipino can't give boxing the fight it has long been clamoring to see. That's the view of Sports Illustrated's boxing correspondent, Bryan Armen Graham. He says he is optimistic that Pacquiao and Mayweather can finally reach a deal to settle who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Pacquiao's next fight is in May next year while Mayweather is due in court next month to answer charges of domestic violence. Should he retain his liberty, Graham thinks a showdown in December 2011 is a possibility. And according to Graham, the danger for eight-division world champion Pacquiao is that his legacy will be affected just as much by a failure to meet Mayweather in the ring than if the fight goes ahead. He told CNN: "If Manny gets through his next fight scheduled for May 7 and if Floyd resolves his problems I think there is actually a good chance. I'm as optimistic as I have been in long time for that fight to come off late in the year, maybe December. "But the truth is there are a lot of theories about Floyd maybe waiting for Pacquiao to be past his prime, like Sugar Ray Leonard did with Marvin Hagler in the eighties. "Manny Pacquiao, I think he is a once in a generation type talent. I know there are people calling him greatest of all time and you always kind of rush to judge these things when you see someone so spectacular in their prime. "Its really unprecedented what he is doing but I think we are probably going to have to wait until all is said and done until we really make judgments on his career. "One thing for sure though is if the Floyd Mayweather fight doesn't happen he [Pacquiao] might be defined just as much for not having that fight." Pacquiao, who is a congressman in the Philippines, is due to announce who his next opponent will be at his 32nd birthday celebrations on Friday with Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto in the frame. Graham explained: "There is Shane Mosley, the former WBA welterweight champion, Juan Manuel Marquez, the current WBO lightweight champion, and a dark horse candidate is Andre Berto, the former Olympian, who is undefeated but has not really fought anybody of note and has the lightest resume of the three. "[Mosley] is the best known but at the same time he is also coming off two really bad performances. He lost 11 of 12 rounds against Floyd Mayweather in May and he had a very, very listless controversial draw [with Sergio Mora] in September. "He is 39-years-old and he probably doesn't deserve a shot against the pound-for-pound champion, but deserves seldom has anything to do with it in boxing." Pacquiao made history by becoming the first fighter to claim titles in eight weight divisions after his victory over Antonio Margarito secured the vacant WBC super-welterweight belt. According to reports in the Philippines, Pacquiao is currently ironing out a query over his taxes arising from fights in 2009. He recently moved his next fight from April to May due to his political responsibilities in the country. | Floyd Mayweather will define Manny Pacquiao's career even if fight can't be made, says pundit .
Sports Illustrated's boxing editor Bryan Graham Armen optimistic fight will happen .
Pacquiao poised to announce his next opponent on Friday .
Mayweather due in court in January to answer domestic violence charges . |
ff0d9b787ff9dd276194f6313678e0fd2dc43e05 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 19:52 EST, 19 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:34 EST, 20 January 2014 . Eating white dirt is an ancient southern tradition that continues to be carried out to this day, mainly by women who crave the chalky white substance. The extraordinary phenomenon, known as geophagy, is the subject of a new documentary film, Eat White Dirt, which explores the curious culture of earth-eating that continues to thrive in parts of the South. The particular rock in question is called kaolin and can be found along the Atlantic Coast Fall Line that runs through southern states including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Scroll down for video . Tammy Wright consumes around a pound of kaolin every day and claims it has helped her lose over 60lbs since she began eating it . Though the practice is rarely if ever recommended by medical professionals, some nutritionists admit the habit of eating clay may help absorb toxins . It is used medically to treat . diarrhea, dysentary, cholera, and is also used in paper making, paint, . fiberglass, porcelains and ceramics, china, and toothpaste. Though the practice is rarely if ever recommended by medical professionals, some nutritionists admit the habit of eating clay may have some real health benefits. ‘It is possible that the binding effect of clay would cause it to absorb toxins,’ Dr. David Katz, a nutrition expert at the Yale School of Medicine, told ABC News in 2005. Director Adam Forrester said he became intrigued by the tradition after he started to notice ‘mysterious little bags of white, chalky rocks’ for sale in many of the locally-owned convenience stores where he lived in Columbus, Georgia. Director Adam Forrester decided to explore the topic of white dirt after he found plastic bags of the stuff for sale in convenience stores in Columbus, Georgia . ‘These Zip-loc bags, labeled “White Dirt” were most often for sale right at the front of the store, next to the register,’ he told Feature Shoot. ‘I’d never seen anything like that before. I would ask the clerks, “What is this white clay for?” They would reply, “Oh I don’t know, people eat it.”’ In Eat White Dirt, due to be released in the summer, Forrester examines the prehistoric origins of eating dirt, its medical mythology and the abiding relationship that people in the South continue to have with the peculiar mineral. Geophagy has been practiced by many different cultures from the ancient Greeks to Native Americans for centuries. In most places the habit is limited to women, especially women who are pregnant or of childbearing age. Tierra Griffin confessed that she stops by her local convenient store in Greensboro, Georgia, two to three times per week to purchase a bag or two . Kaolin is used medically to treat diarrhea, dysentary, cholera, and is also used in paper making, paint, fiberglass, porcelains and ceramics, china, and toothpaste . The practice is common in sub-Saharan Africa, and many anthropologists believe it was brought to the United States by African slaves. It is now most commonly found among African-American women in the rural South. Forrester interviewed several women who admitted to craving the taste of white dirt, which is typically described as ‘fresh, natural-feeling, like the rain or something’. 'I eat white dirt every day,' said Tammy Wright, who admitted to consuming about a pound of kaolin every day and claims it has helped her lose over 60lbs. ' I just had a craving for white dirt and I just started eating it and eating it and I've never stopped,' said Tierra Griffin, another kaolin lover. She confessed that she stops by her local convenient store in Greensboro, Georgia, two to three times per week to purchase a bag or two. The particular rock in question is called kaolin and can be found along the Atlantic Coast Fall Line that runs through southern states including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama . According to Forrester, one of the greatest misconception about those who eat white dirt are extremely poor. ‘Most often this practice is erroneously associated with poverty. Dirt itself is considered the lowest of the low. 'We literally walk all over it daily. Many people assume that anyone that would be willing to put dirt - in all of its dirtiness - in their mouth must be incredibly hungry, and have no other option. 'This just simply isn’t true. I’ve met so many wonderful people who are practitioners of geophagy, or earth-eating, and most of them are living comfortable middle class lives. I’ve even met several Doctors of Philosophy that choose to eat white dirt as well,' he said. Some of other names that white dirt is known as are clay dirt, white clay, porcelain clay, china clay, chalk, or the scientific name of aluminum silicate hydroxide. | Eating white dirt is an ancient southern .
tradition that continues to be carried out to this day - mainly by African American women .
The particular rock is .
called kaolin and can be found along the Atlantic Coast Fall Line that .
runs through southern states including Georgia .
A new documentary film, Eat White Dirt, explores the extraordinary phenomenon .
Several women admit to craving the taste of white dirt, which is .
described as 'fresh, natural-feeling, like the rain or something'
It is rarely recommended by medical .
professionals, but some nutritionists believe it .
has health benefits in absorbing toxins . |
ff0d9d36af65dd5f023b0bf52c46704be43de48a | By . Kieran Corcoran . A £3.25million seafront home belonging to a former neighbour of football manager Harry Redknapp has been destroyed in a fire, killing its owner. Graham Cox, 77, died when the first floor of his home on an exclusive street in Poole, Dorset, was engulfed in flame on Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters battled the flames for several hours but could not save Mr Cox, a retired businessman. Burnt out: The luxurious seafront property in Poole, Dorset, was destroyed in a fire on Wednesday. Harry Redknapp used to live in the grey-roofed house to the left . Killed: Graham Cox, 77, who owned the £3.25million home, was killed in the fire . Rescuers had to wait 24 hours to retrieve his body after the four-bedroom house was left unstable by the blaze. Contractors working nearby had raised the alarm after spotting plumes of white smoke billowing from the roof of the property. The house, which was in need of modernising, was valued at £3.25million because of its sought-after location by Poole harbour. The property is just next to a home which used to be owned by Mr Redknapp, before he moved even further upmarket to the millionaire's Sandbank's estate just across the water. Investigation: Dorset Fire and Rescue have launched a probe into the causes of the fire . Battle: As many as 40 firefighters took on the blaze, and needed to wait 24 hours before entering the unstable house to retrieve Mr Cox's body . Outside: The entrance to the burned-out home can be seen to the left - and Mr Redknapp's old gates to the right . The house, which was in need of modernising, was valued at £3.25million because of its sought-after location in Sandbanks by Poole Harbour . Mr Cox and his wife Elaine, 71, had lived at the house for 33 years. It is thought Mrs Cox was not at the property at the time of the fire. Mr Redknapp and his wife Sandra lived in the luxury property next-door while the soccer boss was in charge of south coast side Portsmouth. Mr Redknapp sold his house for £2.9million in 2006 and moved to Sandbanks, which has been described as the world's fourth most expensive location after Tokyo, Hong Kong and London's Belgravia. Dorset Fire and Rescue Service has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. Former neighbour: Harry Redknapp used to live next door to the property, and now lives in Sandbanks, Dorset, where he is pictured above . Luxury: The Queens Park Rangers manager currently lives on the Sandbanks development, pictured, not far from the flame-stricken house near which he used to live . Relatives of Mr Cox, who is believed to have been unwell when the fire struck, paid tribute to him. In a message posted online, his niece Charlotte said: 'I would like to commend everyone that was involved in the rescue of my uncle in this tragic awful event that will scar my family forever. 'I would like to thank others for their kind words. He was an incredibly hard working man from a very hard working background and this loss will never go away. 'Thank you again to all that risked their lives to help in this truly sad sad accident.' The blaze destroyed the first floor and roof space of the large detached home that may now have to be demolished. Inspector Ian Jarred, from Dorset police, confirmed they were not treating Mr Cox’s death as suspicious. | Exclusive home in Poole, Dorset, caught fire on Wednesday afternoon .
Around 40 firefighters fought the first-floor blaze for an hour .
The owner, 77-year-old owner Graham Cox, was killed in the blaze .
Queens Park Ranger manager Harry Redknapp used to be a neighbour .
Dorset Fire and Rescue service have launched a probe into the fire . |
ff0dd2704dbbad96552852e22965d8603a825c1c | A baby has been nicknamed Harry thanks to a thick head of hair that makes him look like One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles. Four-month-old Harvey Johnson was born with dark luscious locks, much to the surprise of his parents. Mother and father Lucy Carter, 26, and Ian Johnson, 32, from Hitchin, Herts., were stunned when his mane just kept on growing. Scroll down for video . Harvey's brown hair is several inches long and incredibly thick, allowing for some funky styles . Ian Johnson, 32, left, and Lucy Carter, 26, right, say they have never seen a baby with so much hair . Little Harvey has gained his nickname from One Direction crooner Harry Style's thick floppy hair which he either wears wild and tousled, left, or teased into a voluminous bouffant as at a Burberry show in 2013 . 'When Harvey was born all the midwives kept coming in to see him as his hair was so unusual,' said Lucy. 'Usually a baby's hair falls out after it is born but Harvey's has kept on growing and is really quite thick. I haven't seen any other babies with as much hair as him. His thick brown hair, which, in some pictures, stands straight on end, looks for all the world like singer Harry Styles' voluminous coiffeur. Lucy said: 'His nickname is Harry because so many people think he looks like Harry Styles with all his hair.' Lucy and Ian, who is a postman, said that everywhere they go people are astonished by the amount of hair Harvey has. 'We both have dark hair and had some hair when we were born, but nowhere near as much as him.' 'We already have to shampoo his hair on a regular basis. Harvey was born with an unusually thick head of hair that didn't fall out as most babies' hair does . When Harvey was born all the midwives kept coming in to see him as his hair was so unusual . Harvey's hair, which sticks up in all directions, gives him a look of permanent surprise . Little Harvey's thatch also seems as untamed as 20-year-old star Harry's, whose tousled mane has earned him legions of female admirers and male fans. From wearing it loose and disarrayed, Harry has also made it okay for men to wear hairbands. He's also joined the man bun trend, scraping his thick locks away from his face. Lucy and Ian have certainly had fun with Harvey's hair. When he was born it looked like a long fuzz but since then it's grown inches and his doting parents either brush it on end, give him a mohawk or let it stick out in every direction. They've even created Superman's distinctive kiss curl on Harvey's forehead. His parents say that people are astonished by the amount of hair Harvey (at three months, left) has . Lucy has fun with her baby's hair, brushing it on ends and even forming Superman's distinctive kiss curl . | Harvey Johnson, four months, was born with thick head of black hair .
Didn't fall out as baby hair usually does and keeps on growing .
One Direction singer is famous for his wild chocolate-coloured mane . |
ff0e12b9044826661afb57ebc997f92fb968a450 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:11 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:23 EST, 7 October 2013 . Dramatic footage has shown the moment that a fearless clerk grabbed a machete and chased a would-be robber from the store after the masked man shot at him. Surveillance cameras inside the Stop & Shop Deli on Long Island, New York captured the tense interaction that unfolded within seconds on September 25. The masked thief entered the deli at around 8pm, carrying a backpack and waving a semi-automatic .22-caliber pistol at the clerk while he demanded the worker fill his bag with cash. Scroll down for video . Stormed: A shop clerk looks at a masked robber as he enters a Long Island deli with a gun last month . Quick thinking: But rather than getting money, as the robber demanded, he grabbed a machete from beneath the counter and can be seen pulling the two-foot blade from the sheath . On the video, the 24-year-old clerk, who has not been named, seems to hesitate before moving slowly towards the cash register. At one point he flinches - the only sign on film that the gun went off - and he quickly regains composure to reach beneath the counter - pulling a two-foot machete from its sheath. He then lunges towards the stunned robber, waving the weapon in front of his face. The robber takes off and the clerk chases him across the parking lot. The gun had gone off once but the bullet hit the wall behind the clerk, the New York Post reported. Deli owner Elena Alvarado told NBC 4 . that the store started keeping the machete behind the counter a month . ago 'for protection' because her store has already been broken into a . dozen times. Chase: He waves the weapon at the man, who promptly runs away from the store, empty-handed . Scene: The dramatic scene unfolded in a matter of seconds at the Stop & Shop Deli on Long Island, New York . But she said she wished the clerk, who has worked there for four years, had not chased the robber. 'You can make money again, but not your life,' she said. The suspect is as a young, . black male with a thin build, about 5-foot-10, police said. He was wearing a gray . mask, black top with white stripes on the sleeves, dark pants and . black-and-white sneakers. Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is offering . a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest and anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at . 1-800-220-TIPS. Police added that the August 2011 on the video is just a glitch and the incident indeed occurred last month. | Would-be thief ran off empty handed after coming face-to-face with the brave store worker on Long Island, New York on September 25 .
Worker was not injured despite gun going off just inches from his face . |
ff0ed84ef597ccba6c85378ba23302df0898d207 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:10 EST, 12 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:39 EST, 12 November 2012 . Christmas has never looked as cute as this one-foot-tall mini tree sprouting from a pothole in the snowy streets of London. Other pictures compiled for a quirky book of mini-gardens planted in potholes across Britain's capital include a tiny Mini Cooper car in a royal garden with red-coated soldier, an iconic telephone box and the priceless reactions of real Londoners confronted with the strange scenes. London pothole gardener Steve Wheen, 34, has created over 150 little gardens so far, the smallest being just one-inch-square. Festive scene: Gardener Steve Wheen, 34, has created over 150 little gardens in potholes throughout the capital . Towering plants: A mini pothole garden with a telephone box by Tower Bridge, London . Splash of colour: A passer-by enjoys this spray of flowers in London. One of the reasons Steve plants the gardens is to brighten people's day . An English city garden: A small section of turf with a model bicycle on a London pavement . 'I really enjoy the reactions of people who come across my work,' said Steve. 'London can be so grey, especially at this time of year. 'When I was thinking about how to brighten up London, gardening came to mind.' Steve has been pothole gardening for three-years, mainly around the streets of London. His gardens are made with some compost and whichever flowers or he chooses to plant - usually costing between five and ten pounds each from his local garden centre. While they are often temporary additions to the streets, Steve is sure that he makes a lasting impression on the people who are lucky enough to come across his work while they go about their daily lives. Unexpected: A woman captures this charming little garden on her mobile phone near the Tate London . English city garden: British icons such as a Household Cavalry guard and a Mini Cooper adorn this scene . Beauty spots: A child enjoys a mini landscape Steve created with tufts of grass . Peaceful: Steve says his pothole gardens are partly a response to the lack of green space in London, but he mainly just wants people to enjoy an unexpected moment of pleasure . Road bends ahead: The guerilla gardener created a roadside scene next to a drain (left) and a tiny garden (right) Hole-in-one: This scene features a miniature set of golf shoes, a ball and a club . 'I'm always surprised when I ask people what they think the message is behind my work,' he said. 'Often they think I'm protesting - I've even had one person suggest I was marking the places where people have died in car accidents. 'I think in a city like London, where it's easy to feel starved of green space, my message can be seen as a green one and that's fine with me. 'The environment is something we all need to be thinking about more and more. 'But most importantly, it's all about making people smile [and] giving them an unexpected moment of happiness.' Steve's book, The Little Book of Little Gardens is available for £9.99 from www.thelittlebookoflittlegardens.com . Pint-sized planter: Steve Wheen with one of his installations at Italy's Milan Design Week 2012 (left) and a work-in-progress . Before: This picture shows a pothole awaiting Steve's horticultural overhaul . After: The pothole filled with vibrant purple tulips after Steve has struck . Britain in Bloom: Steve has so far made 150 pothole gardens and has released a book about his labour of love . | Gardener Steve Wheen turns potholes into pretty small garden scenes .
He has transformed 150 of London's potholes so far .
'I really enjoy the reactions of people who come across my work,' he said . |
ff0f8dd06edf51b21a0c2d2bc6cc7bfc857d00e5 | (CNN) -- Sticks are the new boxes, at least when it comes to getting the Internet on your television. On Tuesday, Roku released its latest tool for streaming 1080p content directly to a TV. Like the $100 Roku 3 set-top box, the new $50 Roku Streaming Stick has a large selection of apps for streaming content, including all the major online services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant. The new Roku stick is about the size of a pack of gum and will be available in April. As game consoles, cable boxes and other bulky accessories pile up in living rooms, the smaller, more discreet stick approach is becoming an appealing choice for consumers who want to watch Internet content on their TV screens without adding to the clutter. This is not Roku's first foray into the stick form factor. But unlike its 2-year-old $90 version, the Streaming Stick will pop into any HDMI port, making it compatible with many more televisions. The Roku Streaming Stick will compete directly against Google's well-received Chromecast, released last year. The Google dongle costs only $35 and also plugs into any TV HDMI port. To watch Internet content on the Chromecast, you hit a button on compatible apps from an Android or iOS smartphone or tablet. Both sticks require a separate power source, either through a USB port on the back of the TV or by plugging into a wall. The Roku Streaming Stick will cost a few bucks more than the Chromecast but includes a dedicated remote control, like other Roku products. For people who prefer navigating with soft buttons to swiping a smartphone screen, this can be a big plus. Roku's biggest advantage is content. Because the service has been around for a while, it has many more streaming options than the Chromecast. There are currently about 1,200 available apps for Roku. Google recently opened up its Chromecast device to outside developers, so it's possible a wave of new content is on its way. For now, its big names are Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu, YouTube and Google Play, plus a handful of smaller apps. A third major competitor in the streaming-to-TV space is Apple TV. Apple's offering is still an old-fashioned box, but it could just be a matter of time before the company jumps on the stick-shaped bandwagon. It has more content options than a Chromecast but still lags behind the Roku. Of course, an Apple device would appeal to people already deep into the Apple ecosystem. Cable companies have been slow to update their set-top boxes, and smart TVs haven't caught on in the same way that easy-to-use Apple TV, Chromecast and Roku have. Roku is also working directly with television manufacturers to integrate its technology into their TVs. | Roku's new Streaming Stick is a small device that plugs into a TV .
The $50 device is a direct competitor to Google's $35 Chromecast stick .
The device can be ordered now and will ship in April . |
ff0f94c25f88d9a93fb1b13b1ad82184cc57b6c8 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 06:59 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:44 EST, 5 August 2013 . A teacher who oversaw an art history lesson during which pupils cut themselves with blades has resigned from a £7,500 a year 'alternative' private school. The part-time teacher was suspended after pupils at Ringwood Waldorf School in Hampshire sliced themselves as part of the lesson, and later resigned from her post as school chiefs were investigating the incident. The fee-paying school, which follows the Rudolf Steiner model of education and aims to 'bring joy into the learning process', confirmed the teacher concerned had resigned ahead of a disciplinary hearing. Incident: The part-time teacher has resigned after pupils cut themselves during her art history lesson at Ringwood Waldorf School in Hampshire . Ringwood, which caters to pupils aged from three to 18, said the member of staff had acted without the knowledge of superiors. 'We can confirm an incident took place during an art history lesson on March 19 during which a part-time teacher, subsequently suspended pending a full investigation, acted independently without our knowledge,' school administrator Nigel Revill said. 'The teacher concerned resigned during the disciplinary process, before a disciplinary hearing could take place. 'The teacher is no longer employed by the school and we have no plans to reinstate her,' Mr Revill added. Ringwood has stressed the incident was an isolated one and said it is no longer under investigation. Alternative: Ringwood is one of more than 900 Steiner Waldorf schools worldwide (file photo) The teacher was reported to the School Inspection Service, which oversees independent schools, and to Dorset County Council's safeguarding team, Mr Revill said. He added that the school had been advised by both organisations it had taken the correct steps in informing them of the incident at the earliest opportunity. Fees for the school on the border of Hampshire and Dorset range from £3,610 to £7,500 per year. Ringwood is one of more than 900 Steiner Waldorf schools worldwide. The approach is based upon the principles of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and social reformer who identified three broad stages in child development - each around seven years long. In the early years Waldorf education focuses on providing practical and hands-on activities to encourage creative play, before moving on to developing pupils' artistic expression and social capacities. Developing critical understanding and fostering idealism is at the heart of secondary education at Waldorf Steiner schools. On its website Ringwood describes the curriculum as 'uniquely designed to meet the developing emotional and intellectual needs of children'. 'It works through the values of goodness, beauty and truth, encouraging children to seek these within themselves and in the world around, creating a warm and encouraging environment in which children can grow and learn,' it reads. The name Waldorf stems from Steiner's first school established in Stuttgart in 1919, which was for the children of employees at the Waldorf Astoria factory. | Part-time teacher suspended at Ringwood Waldorf School in Hampshire .
School confirmed teacher quit ahead of disciplinary hearing .
Said staff member acted 'independently without our knowledge' |
ff0f9801334d6f97b2b05c390a7313cfc3e64140 | (CNN) -- A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit challenging Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski's write-in election victory last month, clearing the way for Murkowski to be sworn in for a second term next week. State officials have scheduled a Thursday morning ceremony to sign the election certification, according to Sharon Leighow, spokeswoman for Gov. Sean Parnell. The certification will then be flown to Washington to be delivered to the Secretary of the Senate. Shortly after the ruling, Alaska's lieutenant governor, Mead Treadwell, announced that the director of the Alaska Division of Elections had certified Murkowski as the winner, but his office later retracted that statement. The final vote count in the election was 101,091 to 90,839. Murkowski was defeated in the Republican primary in August by Miller, a Tea Party-backed candidate. Murkowski then waged the write-in campaign in the general election in November to defeat Miller, who filed a lawsuit challenging the result. U.S. District Judge Ralph Beistline had previously issued an injunction to block certification of the election results pending a resolution of Miller's lawsuit. In his ruling Tuesday, Beistline said "the injunction is lifted and the Division of Elections may certify the election results immediately." In Alaska, Beistline's ruling "fully and finally resolved all claims raised by Mr. Miller and stated that they have absolutely no merit and no chance of success," said Scott Kendall, an attorney representing the Murkowski campaign. Miller said he was "disappointed with the federal court's ruling," adding that he still believes his challenge is on solid constitutional ground. "Thus, we are evaluating the ruling and determining what our next step should be," he said. Earlier this month, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the Alaska Division of Elections conducted the November 2 general election according to state law. Miller had claimed the way some votes were counted violated state law. In its ruling, the state Supreme Court affirmed an earlier Superior Court decision, saying: "There are no remaining issues raised by Miller that prevent this election from being certified." After the election in November, Miller filed a challenge against the Division of Elections to ensure the state law, which calls for write-in votes to match the name of the candidate, was followed. He has argued that Alaska law does not allow the counting of misspelled names on write-in ballots. However, the Division of Elections set guidelines before counting began that allowed for a voter's intent to be considered when determining whether to count a ballot for a write-in candidate. In the original Superior Court decisions, a judge ruled that Miller did not provide proof of election official fraud, or that "there would be a sufficient change to the election results if these claims were true." The Associated Press called the race for Murkowski last month when she had a lead of more than 10,300 votes over Miller, a figure that included 8,159 ballots contested by Miller observers. Not including the contested ballots, Murkowski's lead still exceeded 2,100 votes. | NEW: The vote count is to be certified at a Thursday morning ceremony .
NEW: Miller says he is "evaluating the ruling and determining" the next step .
Sen. Murkowski won as a write-in candidate after losing the GOP primary .
Murkowski's campaign says the judge's ruling ends her opponent's legal challenge . |
ff0fecfda9df80672597344a9529d8d3b1f80f5d | She may be a disembodied robot, but Siri -- unmasked Friday by CNN -- has a sense of humor. Since the introduction of the iPhone's personal "assistant" on October 4, 2011, people have used it as much to provoke witticisms as they have to find out the population of Japan or the location of the nearest Japanese restaurant. In other words, Siri may not always be all that helpful. But she's been an amusing party trick. Some of the most common inquiries are based on classic science-fiction movie lines -- "2001: A Space Odyssey's" "HAL, open the pod bay doors" is a favorite -- while others rely on ancient philosophical queries. The Web being what it is, an entire cottage industry has sprung up around Siri's responses. There's a Tumblr called "S**t That Siri Says" and a collection of Siri posts called sirifunny.com. Siri doesn't always understand, of course. Like E.T. or WOPR, she's sometimes at a loss when the question has nuance. On the other hand, you may not want to dig too deeply. When asked if she's affiliated with Skynet -- the people-killing, world-dominating network at the heart of the "Terminator" movies -- Siri suddenly clams up. "I can't answer that," she says. Watch out, world. | iPhone's Siri will respond to many questions, sometimes with humor .
Unusual Siri answers are collected on a number of websites .
Sometimes Siri isn't so forthcoming, however . |
ff102cb2ec91c31661083853d16a54dc259c3350 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former ABC News chief national security correspondent John McWethy died from injuries in a Colorado skiing accident, a coroner said Thursday. John McWethy, right, shares a laugh in 2002 with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Washington. A witness said McWethy, 61, was skiing fast on an intermediate trail Wednesday at Keystone Ski Resort when he lost control and slammed into a tree, said Joanne L. Richardson, the Summit County, Colorado, coroner. McWethy died while being treated for blunt-force injuries at Summit Medical Center, Richardson said. "He just missed a turn and slid sideways is what we're surmising," she told CNN. McWethy was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, she said. With his wife, Laurie, McWethy recently had moved to Boulder after nearly 30 years as an ABC News correspondent, so he could enjoy Colorado's ski trails, according to a statement from ABC News President David Westin. "He was doing something that he truly loved," Weston said. "But he deserved many more years doing it than he was given." Friends and former colleagues described McWethy as an outstanding reporter who also cherished life outside work. "He always knew without exception what so many in the powerful business of TV news fail to learn until it's too late: In the end, all we have is our families and our friends and our self-respect as news reporters," said CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, who worked as a producer with McWethy for three years. Both Starr and former CNN producer Chris Plante admired McWethy's coolheaded reporting from the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, when a hijacked airliner punched a huge, fiery hole in the building's massive facade. "He was unflappable even in the most extreme situations because he was always centered by his love for his family and the knowledge that the television news business and all of this Washington hoo-ha was not 'real life,' " Plante said. "Unlike so many, he really did have a handle on what life was for. And the last moments of his life are proof of that." College classmate Bob Steele wrote about McWethy's "mighty" skepticism of authority in an article published online for the Poynter Institute. While they attended Depauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, Steele said McWethy "challenged the University President and his policies. He protested against the Vietnam War." Steele wrote that McWethy considered "why" to be "the most powerful word in the English language." Len Ackland of the University of Colorado's Center for Environmental Journalism told The Denver Post that his longtime friend "was a very humble guy." Ackland told the paper that McWethy "didn't talk about himself much. He was the kind of journalist who didn't want to be out front. It was always about the story, not about him. He was the kind of guy you enjoyed sitting down to have a beer with." McWethy left behind two sons, Adam, 28, and Ian, 24, according to the Post. His wife, who was with McWethy at the time of the accident, told the Post her husband was a good skier who enjoyed living in Colorado. "He loved it here," she told the paper. "I think he loved the beauty of its nature, the open spaces, the wildlife, everything." In his statement, Westin said, "He was one of those very rare reporters who knew his beat better than anyone, and had developed more sources than anyone, and yet, kept his objectivity." After working as a reporter for U.S. News & World Report, McWethy joined ABC News in 1979, going on to cover conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo and Liberia, according to the ABC News Web site. McWethy was the network's primary reporter assigned to Secretaries of State James Baker, George Shultz, Warren Christopher and Lawrence Eagleburger, ABC said, and he had traveled to more than 50 countries. McWethy was honored with at least five national Emmys during his time at ABC and also received an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award and an Overseas Press Club Award, according to ABC News' Web site. "For three years I watched one of the finest news reporters do what so many in television still cannot do to this day: be a reporter first, foremost and always," Starr said. Colleagues said he'll be missed. "Everyone that knew Jack is trading stories today," Plante said. "There is nothing but a sense of unambiguous loss on the part of all of his friends, colleagues, competitors and even the uniformed military officers that he covered as a reporter." E-mail to a friend . | Ex-ABC News reporter John McWethy, 61, dies in Colorado ski accident .
McWethy was wearing helmet at time of crash, coroner says .
Reporter died doing "something he truly loved," says ABC president .
"Unflappable" reporter "really did have handle on what life was for," ex-colleague says . |
ff10a38dcbce2eacac1458ce388d847f5dd9f96f | He calls himself Jah'Keem Yisrael on Facebook. But he grew up as Alton Nolen, a good kid raised in a loving home, said a woman who identified herself as the mother of the Oklahoma beheading suspect in an online posting. Nolen, 30, is expected to be formally charged in last week's fatal attack at the Moore, Oklahoma, food processing plant from which he'd just been fired. Police accuse him of beheading one woman and attacking another before being shot by the company CEO, also a reserve deputy. Nolen was in stable condition Monday. Charges will include first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Jeremy Lewis, spokesman for the Moore police. The spokesman said Nolen was cooperative and forthcoming with detectives. "He wasn't trying to hide anything," Lewis told CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront." Nolen allegedly told investigators that he felt oppressed at work -- particularly over not getting a raise, a law enforcement official said. While his Facebook page included images of Osama bin Laden and an apparent beheading, there's no indication that Nolen was motivated by terrorism, a second law enforcement official said. Whatever the motivation, the violent image was at odds with the one offered by those who said they were his sister, mother and friends -- none of whom said violence was part of his personality. "My son was raised up in a loving home," the woman who identified herself as his mother said in a Facebook posting Sunday. "My son was raised up believing in God. My son was a good kid. I know what they're saying he done, but I'm going to tell you this: That's not my son." The video was posted to the Facebook page of a woman named Megan Nolen, who said she was Alton Nolen's sister. "Alton, my brother, he's always been a great person, a loving person," Megan Nolen said in the post. "He's always been a people's person, he's never been a violent person, so for something like this to have happened, we're all still in shock right now." The brutal attack also seemed out of character to Karla Dunn, who was friends with Nolen's younger siblings, according to CNN affiliate KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. "He was really just a normal person," Dunn told the station. "He was polite. If you asked him to do something, he did it. It was like no red flags actually that I could ever think of." At some point, that no-red-flags life seems to have taken a turn. In 2006, CNN affiliate KOKI-TV in Tulsa reported, Nolen was arrested after a police officer saw him throw bags of crack cocaine and marijuana out a car window as he was being pulled over for traffic violations. Out on probation in 2010, he was stopped for an expired tag when a trooper learned he had outstanding arrest warrants, KOKI reported. He struggled with the trooper, then escaped only to be arrested 12 hours later, the station reported. In 2011, he was convicted on drug, resisting arrest and escape charges and sent to prison. In online prison records related to that incident, authorities note that in addition to a "Jesus Christ" tattoo on his chest and praying hands on his right arm, he had the Arabic words for "peace be upon you" tattooed on his abdomen. The Facebook page where Nolen posted under the name Yisrael -- confirmed by police to be his -- features a cover photo of fighters holding a machine gun and a rocket propelled grenade launcher. U.S. beheading suspect to be charged . It also features numerous messages related to Islam but offers no hint he was planning an attack or that it had anything to do with his religion. The law enforcement official who spoke to CNN on Monday said Nolen had watched beheading videos, but it was unclear if they were linked to ISIS. And another law enforcement official told CNN on Monday that there was no indication of a link to terror. Nolen's problems at work including getting in trouble for his performance and for trying to convert co-workers to Islam, the second official said. While it's unclear when Nolen himself converted, his Facebook page abruptly changed from posts featuring song lyrics, talk about football and other topics to posts almost exclusively related to Islam in April 2013 -- shortly after he was released from prison. Among the posts are screeds condemning the United States as "wicked" for failing to help Palestinians during the recent hostilities with Israel. His last post condemned masturbation. Leaders at the mosque he sometimes attended said he was quiet, not outgoing, and that there was no sign of violent tendencies in his personality, according to KOCO and The Oklahoman newspaper. "The only time I ever said anything to him was one time," Saad Mohammed, spokesman for the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, told KOCO. "He was in the mosque and he had his Quran and prayer rug on the floor. And I said, 'Hey, pick it up because I don't want the Quran on the floor.' And he picked it up and he sat down. That's it." | Suspect was forthcoming, cooperative, police say .
Charges will include first-degree murder, assault .
Suspect felt oppressed at work, law enforcement source tells CNN .
No indications of link to terror, another source says . |
ff10aaeb34f0d1d31fceafd17633323c1d3f502c | By . Deborah Arthurs . Last updated at 9:22 PM on 18th October 2011 . Imagine if you could find your perfect jeans without the endless trawl around denim stores trying on countless pairs. We've all been there - wrestling on pair after pair of jeans in cramped, overheated changing rooms in an attempt to find the Holy Grail of denim - the pair that will do the impossible of slimming, lengthening and lifting. Given that it's a Herculean task to ask of any item of clothing, it's no surprise that women try on an average of 15 pairs before settling on the perfect pair... Or giving up and going home. The Bodymetric scanner takes readings from 300,000 points all over the body, creating an accurate map of the body's curves and contours . Well, luckily for us, the High Street is beginning to sit up and listen. From today, customers at the New Look store at Westfield Stratford will be able to avoid the traumas of ill-fitting jeans (goodbye, gaping waists, too-short legs and baggy bottoms) thanks to the installation of a Bodymetrics 3D body scanner. Shoppers will strip to their underwear and step into the scanner, which is shaped like a photo booth. Low-power, infra-red lights will read more than 300,000 points all over the body. The whole process will take no more than 7 seconds. One hundred vital statistics can be gathered - from bottom, waist and hip measurements down to the size of the left ankle, thigh girth and inside leg. The Bodymetrics pods have become smaller and more compact thanks to advances in technology, meaning more stores across the nation will be able to accommodate one in their changing rooms . Once the customer has been scanned, a dedicated denim Fit Stylist will analyse the curves and contours of the body-mapping, using the information to pick and pick out the perfect pair - and hey presto, the jean genie's work will be done. The team will then email the customer their unique body map for future reference - based on the theory that as more stores implement the technology, the details could help with accurate fitting. The technology is not new - it first launched 2001, and was tipped to be the next major development for fashion brands, with many vowing to install them in their changing rooms. A Fit Stylist will analyse the body mapping results and use the information to pick out the perfect pair for the customer . At the time the technology was . launched, it was tipped to revolutionise the way we try on and buy . clothes. Ten years on though, the pods have not made their way to . fashion's front line in the way that was originally predicted. Then, upmarket department store Selfridges installed a pod in their own denim room - but until now, that is the only Bodymetrics pod that has been available for consumers, and it has never reached the masses on the High Street. Behind the scenes, a handful of . companies - New Look included - have been using the technology in-house . to ensure uniformity of size for garments manufactured in factories . across the globe. Now though, Bodymetrics' CEO Suran Goonatilake says major advances in technology mean that vision could soon become reality. 'There's been a big leap in technology - new body scanners are smaller, cheaper and faster. 'Fashion is one of the few industries where no sizing standards exist. Size labels vary from retailer to retailer and from brand to brand, and one person can be as much as three different size labels in three different brands - for example, ranging between 8 and 12, because of the discrepancy. 'Soon, as more retailers take up the technology, Bodymetrics will allow you to discover what size you are in different brands. Furthermore, Goonatilake believes the body scanners could transform internet shopping. 'One of the key barriers in internet shopping is that because you can't try items on, returns are between 20 and 40 per cent of all garments sold,' he says. 'It's a real inconvenience for the consumer, and hits the bottom line of the retailer. 'It's not good for the environment in terms of transporting garments back and forth either. 'Our vision is that over the next few years, most retailers will have body scanners which will allow people to shop in store as well as online and help find clothes that fit perfectly their size, shape and style. 'Once you have your body scanned, it will be uploaded to your Bodymetrics account which can be accessed online, so you can shop for clothes knowing they're going to fit. Bodymetrics 3D body scanner will be in store at New Look Westfield from today until 1 November. If you have tried New Look's Bodymetric scanner, let us know if you found YOUR perfect jeans in the comments space below. | First time Bodymetrics scanner has been used in a high street store .
Pods take 100 measurements of customers' bodies in seven seconds .
Advanced technology means compact pods will soon be found across the nation and could transform the way we shop . |
ff10bea6c04bd0aa40f42be2cd7677bce1775e83 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The woman dubbed the 'poker princess' for her role playing hostess to the rich and famous at high stakes poker games has opened up about her illustrious clientele. A memoir of Molly Bloom's time running the most exclusive poker game in Hollywood entitled Molly's Game, set to be published next Tuesday, is sure to have her former clients - actors, athletes, politicians and financial titans - slightly nervous about her revelations. Last . month, Bloom, 36, pleaded guilty to illegal gambling and was . sentenced to 12 months probation and given a $1000 fine for her part in a high-profile gambling ring that attracted Hollywood heavyweights such as Ben . Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon. Dishing the dirt: Molly Bloom, pictured in May, is opening up about her former life as the organizer of a high-stakes poker game . Valued for her discretion and paid generously for her confidentiality, Bloom was privy to some of the world's juiciest gossip. She told ABC's 20/20 that during her games, players had 'six-figure losses, six-figure wins,' and that she herself earned $4 million in one year alone. Tobey Maguire, she says, was a great player but a sore loser and worse tipper. 'I used to call Tobey "Hannibal Lecter" because he could just talk someone off of a good hand,' Bloom told 20/20. In an adaptation of her book published in Vanity Fair earlier this month, Bloom wrote that the Seabiscuit star once told her to 'bark like a seal who wants a fish' for a chip. Poker face: Tobey Maguire was allegedly a great player but a bad loser and worse tipper . Good will: 'Tall and handsome' Affleck was a regular player, said Bloom, while Matt Damon was polite and mild-mannered . 'I'm not kidding,' he allegedly said to her. 'What's wrong? You’re too rich now? You won’t bark for a thousand dollars?' The gambling goddess said that she refused to stoop to the level of barking, and that in return: 'He gave me an icy look, dropped the chip on the table and tried to laugh it off but he was visibly angry.' Maguire would use his close friend Leonardo DiCaprio to attract bigger players to the game, she said. Another way she placated demanding gamblers like Maguire, Bloom said, was to invite top sportsmen into the game. 'A-Rod was a novice player, but there’s something that happens to grown men, no matter how successful they are, when a professional athlete comes into the room,' Bloom said of baseballer Alex Rodriguez. Novice: Alex Rodriguez wasn't an experienced player, but his presence at the table thrilled the other gamblers . Poker princess: Bloom says that since 2011, she's returned to 'a life that has meaning and substance' and works for a friend's business earning $19 an hour . In her book, Bloom claims Pamela Anderson's husband Rick Salomon asked Ben Affleck: 'Did Jennifer’s ass have cellulite on it, or was it nice?' The Argo star is said to have held his silence for a moment before conceding, in front of a room full of celebrities, that 'it was nice.' Ex-girlfriends aside, Molly also writes that having Affleck involved in the games was 'monumental' and that 'he was tall and handsome with a relaxed charisma that not all icons have in person.' But Jennifer Garner's husband didn't go all-in too quickly, according to the Poker Princess. He was 'a smart player who liked to limit his downside,' with his buy-in being comparatively small at $50,000. His Good Will Hunting pal Matt Damon, she told 20/20, was nothing like his poker-addict Rounders character, and turned up only once. 'He was lovely, modest, down-to-earth, very gracious,' Bloom said. Titanic wins: Leonardo DiCaprio was a regular player in Bloom's circle, which had a buy-in of up to $100,000 . Molly also reveals that Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen were responsible for bringing in a billionaire to her table. 'When the Olsen twins showed up with a billionaire I was trying to land for a game, they were in, no questions asked,' she writes. Things fell apart for Bloom when she began demanding a cut of the pot, instead of just relying on tips, which turned her actions into organized crime. Bloom told 20/20 that when she declined the demands of two mobsters for a piece of her profits, she was beaten up in her own apartment by a hired goon. Soon after, one of her games was raided by the FBI and her bank accounts were frozen. Bloom told the court last month that since 2011, she had returned to 'a life that has meaning and substance.' | Molly Bloom, 36, pleaded guilty to illegal gambling last month .
A book about her exploits is set to be published next Tuesday .
Among her clientele were Hollywood heavyweights Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire .
Bloom says that Affleck was a smart gambler and 'tall and handsome'
Maguire was a bad loser and a terrible tipper, she says, who once demanded that she bark 'like a seal' for a tip .
Bloom was sentenced last month to probation . |
ff10e263a67f5ed441e1ced608aada5914618add | London (CNN) -- Significant progress was reportedly made last weekend in Geneva toward a landmark nuclear agreement with Iran. And, as talks concluded on November 10, U.S. Secretary of John Kerry announced that negotiations will start again on November 20. Despite the concerns of regional U.S. allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia, and also a significant number of legislators in the U.S. Congress, it is clear that the Obama administration is pushing strongly for deal as part of its wider Middle Eastern strategy. Indeed, Kerry has now spent more time negotiating with counterpart Iranian officials than any other U.S. high-level engagement for perhaps three decades. The seriousness of negotiations was emphasized by the fact that, as well as Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, foreign ministers from Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and France, and the Chinese deputy foreign minister, came together. If agreement can be reached, an interim deal (potentially setting the ground for a later comprehensive agreement) would reportedly see Iran's nuclear capacity capped for six months and opened up to U.N. inspections. In exchange, Iran would be given limited, sequenced relief from sanctions. Remaining disagreements reportedly include the status of the Arak heavy-water reactor, and production of highly enriched uranium -- both processes, that can potentially be used to produce nuclear weapons. A second problem to resolve is how to handle the existing Iranian stockpile of uranium that Iran enriched to 20%. IAEA signs cooperation deal with Tehran . Progress in nuclear diplomacy with Iran, combined with continued uncertainty in Syria and Egypt, has refocused Washington's attention towards the Middle East in a manner unanticipated by Obama only a few months ago. In addition to Syria and Egypt, the administration has spent significant political capital resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The urgency of U.S. focus there reflects growing international conviction that, 20 years after the Oslo Process began, the "window of opportunity" for securing a two-state solution may be receding. Intensified U.S. focus on the Middle East has accentuated a shift, common to many recent re-elected presidents, of increased focus on foreign policy in second terms of office. In part, this reflects the fact that presidents often see foreign policy as key to the legacy they wish to build. For instance, after the 2001 terrorist attacks, George W. Bush sought to spread his freedom agenda across the Middle East. Bill Clinton also devoted significant time to trying to secure a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. As important as an Iran nuclear agreement might prove to be, the Middle East is one of only two regions in which Obama is looking for legacy. Since he was elected in 2008, Asia in general, and China in particular, has assumed greater importance in U.S. policy. To this end, Obama is seeking to continue the so-called pivot towards Asia-Pacific through landmark initiatives like the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Key threats, however, remain on the horizon to securing this re-orientation. These include a dramatic, sustained escalation of tension in the Middle East (perhaps in Syria or Egypt); and/or the remaining possibility of further terrorist attacks on the U.S. homeland. As well as legacy-building, the likelihood of Obama concentrating more on foreign policy also reflects domestic U.S. politics. Particularly the intense polarization and gridlock of Washington. Since re-election, Obama has achieved little domestic policy success. His gun control bill was defeated, immigration reform faces significant opposition in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, and the prospect of a long-term federal budgetary "grand bargain" with Congress looks unlikely. Moreover, implementation of his landmark healthcare initiative has been botched. Many re-elected presidents in the post-war era have, like Obama, found it difficult to acquire domestic policy momentum. In part, this is because the party of re-elected presidents, as with the Democrats now, often hold a weaker position in Congress. Thus Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, Richard Nixon in 1972, and Bill Clinton in 1996 were all re-elected alongside Congresses where both the House and Senate were controlled by their partisan opponents. Another factor encouraging foreign policy focus in second terms is the fact that re-elected presidents have often been impacted by domestic scandals in recent decades. Thus, Watergate ended the Nixon administration in 1974, Iran-Contra badly damaged the Reagan White House, and the Lewinsky scandal led to Clinton being impeached. Since Obama's re-election, a series of problems have hit the administration. These include revelations that the Internal Revenue Service targeted some conservative groups for special scrutiny; and the Department of Justice's secret subpoenaing of private phone records of several Associated Press reporters and editors in the wake of a terrorist plot leak. Even if Obama escapes further significant problems, he will not be able to avoid the "lame-duck" factor. That is, as a president cannot seek more than two terms, political focus will refocus elsewhere, particularly after the November 2014 congressional ballots when the 2016 presidential election campaign kicks into gear. Taken overall, Iranian diplomatic progress and wider recent events in the Middle East are therefore likely to accentuate the incentives for Obama to place increasing emphasis on foreign policy -- which Congress has less latitude over -- in his remaining period of office. And, this shift is only likely to be reinforced if, as anticipated, the U.S. economic recovery continues to build up steam in 2014. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andrew Hammond. | Obama administration seeking Iran deal as part of wider Mideast strategy, says Andrew Hammon .
Deal would reportedly see Iran's nuclear capacity capped for six months, opened up to inspection .
Since re-election, Obama has achieved little policy success amid political gridlock - Hammond .
Foreign policy allows Obama potential for long-term success, he adds . |
ff11258acc1c60b38622f35f9d7df4d12f29d183 | The Football Association will investigate Manchester United manager David Moyes' latest outburst against referees following Tuesday night's defeat to Sunderland in the Capital One Cup. The 2-1 first leg loss was United's third defeat in a week - the first time this has happened since 1992 - and Moyes claimed afterwards his team are 'playing referees as well as the opposition.' It follows on from Moyes saying it was 'scandalous' that United were not awarded a late penalty against Tottenham in a league defeat at Old Trafford on New Year's Day. An FA spokesman said: 'We are looking into David Moyes' comments to the media following the match at Sunderland.' Scroll down for video . Not a happy man: United boss David Moyes said his side had to play against the officials as well as Sunderland . Andre Marriner had no choice but to award Sunderland a penalty after his assistant Peter Bankes flagged that Tom Cleverley had tripped Adam Johnson just inside the penalty area. A referee can over-rule his assistant but given the relative positions of the two officials that was not credible. Although Cleverley’s contact was at most minimal, it was a silly challenge in a critical area and that forced Bankes to make a decision. Perhaps it was harsh but Manchester United’s reaction was over the top, with Ryan Giggs shouting at Marriner and Rafael picking up a yellow card for his protest. The Brazilian might well have seen red minutes later when making a rash tackle but Marriner wisely decided that the two offences did not merit a dismissal and left United with 11 players. After Fabio Borini's penalty consigned United to another defeat, Moyes . said: 'After the first 15 minutes I thought we were very good. We . defended a terrible free-kick, but how the referee has given a free-kick . for that is way beyond me. 'I . just cannot see how that is a free-kick. 'And the penalty? We had a . player booked for that theother day against Tottenham. The referee is . in a great position to look at it, down the line, 15 yards, and the . linesman gives it from behind and he cannot see through Patrice Evra. ‘That is what we’re finding at the moment. The performance was good without having the last bit. ‘I have experience and I can sense it’s on the verge of turning. I sense we’re about to get a bit better.’ More . than 5,000 Manchester United supporters were in the 31,547 crowd and . Moyes paid tribute to them and Ferguson, who left the Stadium of Light . through the Press room carrying a bottle of red wine. Moyes . added: ‘I can only see Alex as a great sounding board, a great help, . and so is Sir Bobby Charlton, he is terrific. Bryan Robson is at the . training ground regularly. Spot of bother: Tom Cleverley brings down Adam Johnson and concedes a penalty . Making the call: Referee Andre Marriner points to the penalty spot . Not impressed: Patrice Evra argues with referee Marriner . ‘It’s . great 5,000 came up tonight and they were fantastic throughout the . game. They recognised how well their team had done for most of the game. ‘This . hasn’t happened at Man United for a long time. I thought the support . were great for sticking with their club, sticking with their manager and . that is exactly what you need when you are not doing so well. ‘We . need a couple of fair decisions. We had a couple of penalty kicks . against Tottenham and we have one given against us tonight for that. My . goodness, give me strength.’ Moyes will hope to have strikers Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie fit for the second leg. Not going to plan: United defender Nemanja Vidic looks dejected as his side lost for the third time in a week . All going wrong: Ryan Giggs gave Sunderland the lead with an own goal . But . there is more concern for the manager with United captain Nemanja Vidic . set to leave Old Trafford this summer after his agent said he is . unlikely to sign a new contract. Vidic’s . four-year deal runs out at the end of the season and talks over a new . one have stalled, with Italian clubs Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli . monitoring the situation. His . agent Silvano Martina said: ‘At the moment, I would rule out an . extension with Manchester United. Vidic, given his contract situation, . has several teams looking at him.’ Not going to plan: Danny Welbeck and United struggled at the Stadium of Light . Tuesday . night’s win for Sunderland was their first over United for 20 games. And manager Gus Poyet, whose side are bottom of the league, was at a . loss to explain their excellent cup form. He . said: ‘It is something I need to find out why we beat top teams and are . so clinical in the cup and can’t do the same in the league. That’s my . job. ‘Are we favourites? No . chance. They have Rooney and van Persie to come back. We are in a better . situation but playing Man U away, anything can happen and we need . another very good performance.’ | United suffer third defeat in a week after losing to Spurs and Swansea .
Moyes rages at penalty decision as Sunderland win first leg .
Despite win Black Cats boss Poyet says United are favourites to progress . |
ff1177f82e7b9dd8020543a65fceab07ecbdae91 | (CNN) -- When world leaders gather in Rio Wednesday they will be hammering out a new set of goals to measure sustainable development. This time it's the SDGs (sustainable development goals) -- goals which will influence a new development framework. But before we rush to embrace another acronym, we need to tackle a basic injustice left over from the last development goals -- access to reproductive health. Across the world more than two in five pregnancies are unplanned. Clearly this is a wasted opportunity to boost development and stabilize population growth - through something women want and need, the ability to decide when to become pregnant. More: Africa's birth rate: 'Why women must be free to choose' Rapid population growth puts pressure on economies as governments struggle to provide education and health services, yet in many countries around the world women still have little choice when it comes to childbearing. More than 215 million women in the developing world who wish to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy are still not using an effective method of contraception. This unmet need highlights just how far reproductive health and rights have slipped off the agenda: just at the time when it should be key to the challenge of sustainable development. Reproductive rights and health services not only provide immediate health benefits and reductions in maternal and child mortality, but helps end poverty passed on from one generation to another and lightens the burden on countries with few natural resources. Experience has shown us that educating girls, legal reform and access to family planning have made all the difference in many countries. While it's true that economic and social development leads to women having smaller families, the converse is also true -- that the gains that contraception has made possible in women's health make family planning one of the most successful international development stories. In the words of Nafis Sadik, former head of the United Nations Population Fund, "it is the freedom from which other freedoms flow". The evidence continues to bear this out - family planning saves lives, contributes to the fight against HIV and AIDS and helps governments and communities achieve sustainable social and economic development. World Bank studies have found reproductive healthcare extremely cost-effective: an investment of US $4.10 per person could avert eight per cent of the global burden of disease. See also: Why family health makes moral and economic sense . Fully meeting the unmet need for family planning services would result in global unintended pregnancies dropping from 75 million to 22 million. This would result in 25 million fewer abortions, 22 million fewer unplanned births, and 680,000 fewer deaths among women and newborns. As a result, couples and individuals and communities will become more resilient - they will be better able to prepare for unpredictable events, including climate change disasters, and to adapt towards economic, social and environmental sustainability. See also: Mother's Day is not so rosy in Africa . That's why IPPF, the world's largest reproductive health and rights organization, will be vocal and visible at the Rio Summit. We will be lobbying for a clear road map for the SDGs and one that prioritizes women's representation, binding agreements on universal access to reproductive health and pledges to deliver those services. Ahead of the Rio summit, IPPF is making three positive commitments of its own to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of people in the world's poorest countries to increase their resilience to climate change. More: Road to Rio special coverage . Firstly we will meet the needs of some 120 million women by increasing our provision of services for the poorest and most vulnerable people by 50%. Secondly, we will work towards making comprehensive sexuality education available to the world's largest ever generation of young people have by 2020. See also : 7 billion reasons to empower women . Finally we will lobby governments for legislative changes to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive services by 2020. As climate change begins to influence our lives, it is the poorest women and children who again will pay the highest price. It is also women who can lead the changes required for increased resilience in the face of climate change and to enable them to do this we must meet their unmet need for health and education. We must now make up for lost time, investment and the opportunity. We need to hold governments and international agencies accountable for the commitments they have made -- financial, political and legal. This level of unmet need will expand as the world's largest generation ever of young people enter their reproductive lives - increasing demand for contraception by 40 per cent by 2050. This represents a crisis for health, human rights, and development. How can we hope for global sustainability and resilience unless we invest now in sexual and reproductive health and rights? The opinions expressed in this piece are solely those of Tewodros Melesse. | Across the world more than two in five pregnancies are unplanned .
As the world's largest generation ever enters their reproductive lives, the demand for contraception will rise .
World Bank studies have found reproductive healthcare extremely cost-effective . |
ff11bdd1fb15bb254a181252fd5f2431f7304331 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . This is the moment a bin cleaner came within moments of winning £5.5million at York races – only to see his horse miss out on the crucial first place. But Craig Brazier, 39, still managed a smile, having pocketed £1.3million in an earlier gamble. The father-of-two had backed six winners in a ‘Scoop6’ bet the previous weekend, giving him a free selection for the race on Saturday and the chance to win a further £5.5million. As his choice, Tumblewind, approached the last furlong it seemed Mr Brazier might win. But his hopes were dashed in the last seconds as the horse dropped all the way back to 11th place. Bin cleaner Craig Brazier watches on as his £5.5 million horse hits the front just a furlong from home . The 39-year-old is just seconds away from scooping the monster jackpot as his horse Tumblewind approaches the winning post in York . The anticipation of the £5.5 million prize was cruelly torn away when the horse slowed up during the final ten seconds of the race, blowing its lead . Despite the result, Mr Brazier said: ‘I’ve enjoyed every minute … I’d backed the winner too many times on the all-weather without winning, so I’d never have picked it.’ Mr Brazier and seven others including 43-year-old Bernard Marantelli had backed six winners the previous Saturday on the Scoop6 to get a free selection on the Knavesmire and a chance to win a further £5.5 million. After winning £1.3 million the previous week he was given the chance to join Mr Marantelli and two other gamblers in a syndicate yesterday but he turned them down and decided to go it alone. Mr Brazier, who plans to go back to work bin cleaning, shook the Mr Marantelli’s hand over a glass of champagne in a box overlooking the finish line after the race. He said: ‘Good luck to them. ‘I have enjoyed every minute. It’s been absolutely brilliant and for a few seconds it looked like my pick Tumblewind had a great chance. ‘But I’d backed the winner too many times on the all weather without winning, so I’d never have picked it. They did well and we’re all happy.’ | Craig Brazier scooped £1.3 million with a Scoob6 bet last weekend .
The 39-year-old bin cleaner was given a free shot at the £5.5 million jackpot .
All the father-of-two had to do was pick one winner at the races in York .
Mr Brazier's selection Tumblewind was leading the race in the final furlong .
But just yards from the finishing post, the horse slowed down . |
ff12a10c0b76cca0ffd3eec26085238e8f3dcd8c | Photos reveal the serious injuries London Rene, who appears on the VH1 series 'Mob Wives,' sustained after an incident at a Brooklyn nightclub early on Sunday morning. The right side of Rene's face was sliced from his right ear nearly all the way to his mouth, photos show. Other images capture multiple wounds to his stomach as well as his right arm. Rene reportedly received over 180 stitches as part of his medical treatment. The photos emerge as the man who allegedly attacked Rene with a 'cutting instrument,' Rodolfy Lopez, turned himself in at a Brooklyn precinct on Tuesday, police told Daily Mail Online. Lopez allegedly attacked the reality star at Williamsburg nightclub Output at 3:20am on Sunday, police said. Both Rene and his girlfriend Nicole Guercio appear on the VH1 reality program 'Mob Wives.' Guercio is one of the main cast members on the series. Injuries: The Brooklyn DA's Office said in a criminal complaint London Rene needed over 180 stitches for his face, abdomen, arm and part of his ear . The man who allegedly attacked Rene with a 'cutting instrument,' Rodolfy Lopez, turned himself in at a Brooklyn precinct on Tuesday, police siad . Lopez's arrest was made at 2:30pm in the 94th Precinct, police said. The precinct is also located in Williamsburg. Police said that the 35-year-old allegedly used a 'cutting instrument' on Rene's face and abdomen, along with one of the man's arms. Lopez faces 2 felony assault charges, a reckless endangerment charge, as well as a criminal possession of a weapon charge, police told Daily Mail Online. The Brooklyn DA's Office said in a criminal complaint obtained by DNAInfo, which earlier reported on the story, that over 180 stitches were required for Rene's face, abdomen, arm and part of his ear. Rene's ear had to get an unspecified amount, though his stomach and arm each had to get 30 stitches and his face had to get 120 stitches, according to the website. Medical attention: London Rene's stomach received 30 stitches as part of his medical treatment . Rodolfy Lopez allegedly used a 'cutting instrument' on Rene's face and abdomen, along with one of the man's arms, police said . The website pointed out that Guercio posted a photo of a bandaged Rene on Instagram Sunday, writing 'London was just sliced in the face @ Club OUTPUT in Brooklyn. In ER, Wood hull hospital getting over 250 in stitches @MobWives @VH1.' MailOnline earlier reported that Guercio tweeted about the incident. In one post she wrote: 'London was just sliced in teh face @ClubOUTPUT in Brooklyn. In ER.' Later she added: 'Please pray for him' and 'Thank you for ur prayers we are heading to Hackensack medical center to have plastic surgeon stitch him.' Mark Scotto, the lawyer representing Lopez, said in a statement to DNAInfo people 'should not rush to judgement.' The attorney also said that 'There is much, much more to this case than what has been reported in the news and broadcast over social media. This case will be handled in the courtroom by lawyers, not on Twitter or Instagram.' Scotto did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Daily Mail Online. VH1 describes 'Mob Wives' on its website as 'a docu-soap series which follows the lives of a group of ("according to the federal government") associated women at a crossroads, struggling to establish their own identities and carry on while their loved ones do time for Mob-related activities.' Stabbing: Rodolfy Lopez, left, is accused of using a 'cutting instrument' in an attack on London Rene, right . Serious: The couple have been together years and are often seen together on the popular reality show . Concerned: Natalie was by his side at the Brooklyn club when her boyfriend was slashed . Lucky: Guercio urged prayers for her injured boyfriend to her followers . | London Rene injured after incident at a Brooklyn nightclub on Sunday .
Rene and his girlfriend Nicole Guercio appear on the VH1 reality program 'Mob Wives'
The man who allegedly attacked Rene, Rodolfy Lopez, turned himself in at a Brooklyn precinct on Tuesday, police said .
Lopez allegedly slashed Rene at nightclub Output at 3:20am on Sunday .
The 35-year-old allegedly used a 'cutting instrument' on Rene's face . |
ff138dc2ade0b14f5664cf02189195b6d7f64907 | A paedophile teacher filmed himself . abusing girls in the classroom after school bosses failed over 14 . years to act on 30 warnings about his behaviour. Nigel Leat, 51, was described by a judge as a ‘paedophile of the most sickening order’ when he was jailed indefinitely last year for abusing five girls, some as young as six. Yesterday a damning report showed that the primary school where he worked had catastrophically failed to protect the children in his care. Scroll down for video . Paedophile: Nigel Leat, a married father-of-two, breaks down during questioning by police . Over 14 years, concerns had been raised repeatedly about Leat’s behaviour with pupils, but his conduct was never investigated. He had abused children in the school’s computer room, resource room, staff room and even during lessons with other pupils present. Leat also regularly filmed the pupils’ harrowing ordeals using a camera provided by the school, storing hundreds of films on more than 20 memory sticks labelled with his victims’ names. Staff at Hillside First School in Worle, Somerset, first noticed Leat selecting girls who were ‘less academically able, emotionally needy or pretty’ as his ‘favourites’ a year after he started teaching there in 1996. Sentence: Leat was given an indefinite jail term for his actions . His inappropriate behaviour was so well known that staff tried to prevent children likely to become his ‘star pupils’ from being put into his Year Two and Year Three classes. In 2004, a mother claimed Leat had been taking pictures of her daughter with a mobile phone but he denied the accusation and no action was taken. Four years later, two children told staff that Leat, a married father of two, had been touching their legs and kissing one of them – causing her to be sick – and a teacher twice reported him to the head. Another member of staff saw Leat projecting an indecent image of an adult on to a wall during a lesson. Leat was also seen lifting up and groping young girls in the playground, tickling and cuddling pupils in class and sitting on cushions with a schoolgirl while visibly aroused. But those staff members who reported Leat’s behaviour were told they should not ‘insinuate things’ and were bullied into silence, a report said yesterday. It was later discovered that Leat would routinely hide a camera under his desk and then summon his victims, recording the subsequent horrifying images of the abuse. In many of the videos, which are up to ten minutes in length, other children can be seen or heard in the background. When police finally became involved, Leat first denied wrongdoing but later admitted 36 sexual offences including rape, assault and voyeurism. Yesterday a review by the North Somerset Safeguarding Children Board concluded that his appalling crimes could have been stopped much earlier if the school had not failed to act on the warnings. Instead, out of 30 disturbing incidents noted, only 11 were mentioned to the school’s headmaster, Chris Hood, and none was passed on to an agency outside the school. Abuse: Leat worked at Hillside First School, in Weston-Super-Mare, where staff complained but were ignored . Leat was only arrested in December 2010, when a schoolgirl told her mother he abused her ‘every day apart from when the teaching assistant was in the classroom’. Police who raided the home he shared with his wife, also a teacher, found more than 30,000 images, including 61 pictures and 21 movies at level five, the most serious level. At least 20 children were victims of Leat’s abuse or witnessed it at the school, which caters for 128 children aged between four and eight. Three Ofsted inspections undertaken during the time Leat was abusing his students graded it as ‘good’ and a report in 2009 noted: ‘Pupils feel exceptionally safe and secure because they know that staff have their well-being at heart.’ Tony Oliver, who chaired the serious case review, said: ‘There was a failure at every level within the school. ‘There was a culture which just did not empower people to voice their concerns. It could be interpreted as a culture of bullying.’ He said the headmaster had been sacked following a disciplinary process. | Nigel Leat was jailed indefinitely for abusing five girls - some as young as six .
Teachers at Hillside First School, in Weston-Super-Mare, complained...
... but managers did nothing about his increasingly sexual behaviour .
The 51-year-old continued to work at the primary school for 15 years .
He was finally arrested when victim told her mother she had been sexually abused almost every day for TWO MONTHS . |
ff13a0714cf5bfe56bf86f7b8b6415ce79a07445 | Selfie fans know that even the best filter action can’t take the place of good lighting. But flipping the camera around on a smartphone means you’re often left in the dark, or squinting against a front-facing flash. Now a new smartphone case, which can illuminate the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, means that a flawless selfie can be taken anywhere. Scroll down for video . Dubbed the LuMee, the iPhone case was the brainchild of 57-year-old Allan Shoemake from New Jersey . Dubbed the LuMee, the device was the brainchild of 57-year-old Allan Shoemake from The Boonton Township, New Jersey. He came up with the idea while he was Skype to video chat with his daughter, who was studying abroad in Italy. ‘I said, “I can hardly see you. Why don’t you go by the window?”’ Mr Shoemake told Alexa Valiente at ABC News. ‘I said to my wife, “Why don’t they have a light out there to help light up cellphones or computers?”’ With that in mind, Mr Shoemake plugged in Christmas lights around a foam board and attached it to his computer. Mr Shoemakec ame up with the idea while he was Skype to video chat with his daughter, who was abroad. the photographer has now created the LuMee case which currently sells for $40 (£24) on Amazon . To adjust the brightness, users can use the dimmer at the back of the case. The lighting lasts around two and a half hours on its highest setting of brightness and 36 hours on the lowest setting . Taking the idea a step further, the photographer has now created the LuMee case which currently sells for $40 (£24) on Amazon. The case has built-in LED lights at the front, is powered by its own battery and takes around 30 to 45 minutes to charge. To adjust the brightness, users can user the dimmer at the back of the case. The lighting lasts around two and a half hours on its highest setting of brightness and 36 hours on the lowest setting. The cases are made in China and Mr Shoemake says he is now producing around 18,000 cases each week. Samsung Galaxy S6 will be able to buy a LuMee case this October, and a similar case for iPad and other tablets is currently in development. Celebrities take them to show off their lavish lifestyles and normal people use them to document their movements on social media sites. But experts have linked selfies with mental illness and have suggested that people regularly searching for the perfect angle from which to portray themselves could in some cases be ill. One leading psychiatrist said the majority of patients he sees with Body Dysmorphic Disorder take a lot of selfies. Dr David Veale, a consultant psychiatrist in cognitive behaviour therapy at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust told MailOnline: ‘Taking Selfies is not an addiction - it’s a symptom of Body Dysmorphic Disorder that involves checking one’s appearance.’ Selfie fans with BDD can spend hours trying to take pictures that do not show any defects or flaws in their appearance, which they are very aware of but which might be unnoticeable to others. Often, people who take selfies take several photographs until they find their best angle or pose, but picking out small details can make people very self-conscious about the tiniest of ‘flaws’. In one extreme case, a British teenager Danny Bowman tried to commit suicide because he was unsatisfied with his appearance in the selfies he took. | The LuMee was invented by 57-year-old photographer Allan Shoemake .
Case has LED lights at the front and is powered by its own battery .
It takes around 45 minutes to charge and brightness can be adjusted .
Samsung Galaxy users S6 will be able to buy a LuMee case in October .
A similar case for iPad and other tablets is currently in development . |
ff13b1fab585fef4bffae9359f987b747cc03cce | By . Alexandra Klausner . An overachiever who drove a sports car and was on track 'to become CEO of a company one day' was discovered dead an outhouse on April 19 where he was apparently seeking refuge from the cold. Gary Szarek of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan quit his job working with computers at West Point University about 30 years ago when he didn't get a promotion and afterwards family says he became a recluse. Following his death by hypothermia inside a white portable toilet at the 9 Mile boat ramp in St. Clair Shores, family members learned that their estranged 65-year-old relative had been homeless and surviving any way he could. Gary Szarek, an overachiever turned reclusive homeless man was discovered dead inside a potable toilet where he died of hypothermia up to 4 months ago . A portable toilet in St. Clair Shores Where Gary Szarek, former Grosse Pointe Woods resident turned homeless man, was found dead by hypothermia . Police believe that Szarek could have died as early as December 8. Szarek's family home is Grosse Point Woods went through tax foreclosure in 2010 and Szarek had been living on the streets ever since. 'It was a sad situation,' said Szarek’s cousin, Debra Hunkins of Mayville, to The Detroit Free Press. 'He was a ... person who contributed to society. ... He was almost, like, ahead of his time, very personable, liked to dance. Then it was just totally different.' As soon as the story about Szarek circulated the media, family members, friends, and genealogists contacted investigators to gain whatever information they could. 'How nice of people to do that. It kind of restores your faith in people,' St. Clair Shores Police Detective Margaret Eidt said. An . investigation found that the Grosse Point Library had contact with . Szarek in October when he was forced to leave because he was eating in . the library and bathing in the bathroom. Szarek . would stay in the library and would also make money to survive by returning bottles to Kroger stores at Marter and . Jefferson and 9 Mile and Mack both in the St. Clair Shores. Eidt said that sometimes Szarek would get a donation of war, food and clothing from people who knew him. Eidt . told the Detroit Free Press that a resident at the Shore Club . apartments near the boat ramp that he often had a backpack which police . did not find. Szarek was found with $146 in his wallet, he had $20 in bottle returns and also had seven Mega Millions lottery tickets. The toilet was filled with trash and receipts dating back to December 8 when police think Szarek may Have died. Szarek was discovered in a portable toilet near the 9 mile boat ramp in St. Clair Shores pictured here . Szarek was discovered wearing a plaid green shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, a black windbreaker,a gray T-shirt, a pair of socks, boots, a hat, and mittens. Szarek slept in a black garbage bag. Szarek's cousin Debra Hunkins said that Szarek was never married and never had any children. 'For whatever reason, he was bypassed (for the promotion),' said Hunkins, who contacted police after hearing about her cousin’s death. 'When it happened, it caused some type of breakdown.' Hunkin said her cousin was on track to become a CEO of a company someday. She described him as 'intelligent.' After Szarek lost his house family members say they had no way of getting in touch with him. Szarek sent his aunt a Christmas card every year but after his aunt died five years ago, they 'had no way of knowing where he was or is he was alive.' Hunkins said that Szarek 'became a stranger to most of the family.' Szarek's brother in law Wayne Dulong said Szarek cared for his mother after his father died but once his mother died he split from his sister and Dulong never saw him again. Dulong sad that he believed Szarek had a mental illness and said that letters sent to Szarek's residence were all returned. 'It makes you sad,' Hunkins said. 'How do you connect with people like that when he couldn’t connect with his own (family). … We don’t know what he was thinking. We don’t understand.'The portable toilet where Szarek's decomposing body was discovered has been removed from the boat launch, cleaned, and secured with tape. | Gary Szarek, 65, quit his job at West Point University working with computers 30 years ago after he was not promoted .
Szarek became reclusive after being fired and after his house was foreclosed in 2010 he began living on the streets .
Family lost contact whit Szarek and say they believe he suffered from mental illness . |
ff13c35ea62100a10e57cc8438bb7f30c8448cf0 | Ed Miliband wants to force energy firms to pass on fall wholesale prices . Energy firms should be forced by law to cut bills when the wholesale cost of oil and gas falls, Ed Miliband said yesterday. The Labour leader wants industry regulator Ofgem to have new powers to compel companies to pass on cost savings to households. He will stage a vote in Parliament on Wednesday for fast-track legislation to bring ‘immediate relief’ to families, echoing his high-profile call at his party’s conference in 2013 for a freeze on energy prices. It comes as a report last night found that wholesale prices are now the lowest in more than three years, but household bills are still not reflecting the fall. Despite Chancellor George Osborne’s investigation into the wholesale oil market, the Labour leader urged him to ‘put his money where his mouth is’ and make it mandatory for companies to allow consumers to benefit from falling costs. The idea will also be seen by Mr Miliband as a way to avoid flak over his price freeze bid – which could keep demands higher than they otherwise would be. Last night the Conservatives said Labour was to blame because energy firms were holding back in the expectation of a price freeze. Mr Miliband told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show: ‘We do want to see those reductions in wholesale costs passed on to consumers. ‘We see wholesale costs go down 20 per cent in gas prices over the last year and no reduction in bills.’ He added: ‘We can do that as well as having this freeze to make sure energy bills don’t rise.’ Mr Miliband also called for a new ‘living standards index’ to track how household finances are affected by changes to wages, prices, taxes and benefits. He also confirmed Labour would retain the annual cap on benefits claims – and would not rule out reducing it. In its latest report, energy analysis firm ICIS predicted that the low wholesale prices will continue for the rest of the year. Chancellor George Osborne (left) has already launched a Treasury investigation into whether energy companies are passing on the savings from falls in the wholesale price of oil - while Business Minister Matt Hancock said Labour's proposal to freeze energy bills would have kept price artificially high . Wholesale prices are now 11 per cent down year on year, according to its latest power price index, with wholesale gas down more than 20 per cent. Mark Todd, of price comparison service energyhelpline, said: ‘Wholesale gas prices have collapsed so it is time the suppliers passed price cuts on to their loyal customers.’ But Lawrence Slade of Energy UK, which represents electricity and gas suppliers, said prices were a commercial matter for companies who often buy months ahead, making it difficult to pass on savings quickly. ‘No new powers are needed,’ he said. ‘Energy suppliers are already passing on price cuts to customers.’ Business and energy minister Matthew Hancock said the threat of Labour’s price freeze is responsible for higher household bills now. ‘If that’s the case, they should abandon it immediately,’ he said. Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey said it would be ‘disastrous’ for consumers, with ‘yo-yo’ bills and competition killed off by extra regulation . Critics have already claimed Mr Miliband’s price freeze plan will send Britain back to the ‘bad old days’ of seventies power cuts by halting the investment needed to avoid blackouts and rationing. Last night a Tory source said: ‘Like most of his great ideas, Ed Miliband’s energy policy will take us back to the 1970s.’ Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey said it would be ‘disastrous’ for consumers, with ‘yo-yo’ bills and competition killed off by extra regulation. Mr Miliband also warned against political ‘deals and coalitions’ yesterday, following speculation that he could strike a pact with the SNP or Alex Salmond. However, he refused four times to categorically rule out a coalition, sparking claims he had ‘left the door open’ to Mr Salmond, who is standing for Westminster in the Scottish constituency of Gordon. | Ofgem to get powers to compel firms to pass on falls in oil and gas prices .
Labour will stage a Commons vote this week to fast-track powers into law .
Plan echoes call at Labour party conference in 2013 to freeze energy prices .
But after the proposal bills started to fall as a result of global conditions . |
ff13ef6a50baeacb8e8f1403fec331c937b7002c | By . Matt Chorley . PUBLISHED: . 05:00 EST, 30 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:56 EST, 1 October 2012 . Ed Miliband's health policy was in chaos today after he took less than 24 hours to abandon his promise to protect the NHS from another costly reorganisation . Ed Miliband’s health policy was in chaos today after he took less than 24 hours to abandon his promise to protect the NHS from another costly reorganisation. The Labour leader went from warning yesterday that he would not reverse the coalition’s controversial Health and Social Care Act to promising to do just that. While Labour has extended its lead over the Tories for being trusted with the health service, the confusion will do little to persuade voters Mr Miliband is ready to take tough decisions in government. The NHS has to make £5billion every year in efficient savings by 2015 to make up for smaller rises in funding and growing demand from an ageing population. The Health and Social Care Act sparked the first big coalition split two years ago when then-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley unveiled the largest shake-up of the NHS in its 60 year history. Primary Care Trusts were abolished, with £60billion in health spending handed to groups run by GPs. After months of wrangling and re-writing, which saw several elements watered down and the role of private firms curtailed, it passed into law earlier this year. Mr Lansley was demoted at the reshuffled and replaced by Jeremy Hunt. Yesterday Mr Miliband said he could not promise to reverse the changes if he became Prime Minister. He told a Q&A in Manchester: ’I think what would be not sensible is for us to come along and say, “well, Andrew Lansley, now Jeremy Hunt, they’re changing all the arrangements, have these new clinical commissioning groups and so on, and we’re just going to reverse it all back and spend another £3bn on another top-down bureaucratic organisation"' But within hours Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, tweeted: ’I'll repeal the Bill. Full stop.’ Andy Burnham, shadow health secretary, said that he would repeal the bill . Aides then suggested the legislation could be repealed, but not all of the changes it introduced would be reversed. Today Mr Miliband appeared to admit that he got it wrong yesterday. He told BBC One’s the Andrew Marr Show: ’We will repeal their NHS bill. It puts the wrong principles back at the heart of the NHS, it puts the principles of competition, markets and money as the central defining principles of the NHS. ’We are going to repeal the bill, we are going to make those changes but of course we have to look at the detail of some of the reforms, some of the changes that have been made because I don't want to just shuffle the deckchairs all over the place again.’ Lib Dem health minister Norman Lamb today said it would be 'madness' for Labour to repeal the Health and Social Care Act. 'From . my point of view, anyone who believes in the NHS and who wants to see a . sustainable NHS dealing with really challenging problems of an aging . population, should just be interested in making this work,' he told BBC . One's Sunday Politics. 'To . say repeal the act, effectively, is telling the NHS we're going to go . through another complete restructuring. It would be madness to do that.' | Labour leader told voters in Manchester it would not be ’sensible’ and cost £3billion to unpick the coalition’s NHS reforms .
Today Mr Miliband said he WOULD repeal the health and Social Care Act .
Voters say Labour are more trusted on the NHS than the Tories .
The health service has to make £5billion every year in efficiency savings . |
ff14085da0fbc0361fb6adda023718ab4f5084c6 | (CNN) -- For those who grew up in the '90s, "Boy Meets World" was definitive pop culture. From 1993-2000, the names Cory, Topanga, Shawn, Eric, and Feeny were synonymous with Friday night, and 14 years since Mr. Feeny uttered the words "class dismissed" on the series finale, nostalgia-addicts still miss the ABC sitcom. Now, the Disney Channel is hoping to reach a new crop of kids who will feel that same attachment, as the spin-off series "Girl Meets World" premieres June 27. Cory and Topanga are back, but don't expect the same couple we saw exiting the classroom all those years ago. They are surrounded by a new crew of comedic teens, and those behind the new series are hoping they've created a show that will please fans of the original, but also connect with a younger set looking for a program to call their own. CNN recently caught up with the cast and creator of "Girl Meets World" in Los Angeles and discovered a whole new world. The Matthews family of the original series has moved from Philadelphia to New York City in the new series -- which is in line with the series finale. On top of a new location, the teens of this modern sitcom are facing a different breed of angst-filled drama, chock full of social media insecurities. "We're dealing with a lot of the same issues that we dealt with on the original series: themes of freedom from your parents and individuality and family support and relying on your friends," says Cory Matthews himself, Ben Savage. "But it's in a lot more complicated framework because the world's a lot more complicated. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Internet -- these are issues we didn't have to deal with in the '90s, which is shocking, but it was a totally different world." "Girls Meets World" stars Rowan Blanchard as 12-year-old Riley Matthews, the older of Cory and Topanga's two kids. Riley is trying to find her place amid the pressures of family, friends and junior high. Savage returns as Cory, but now it's his turn to teach lessons. He's moved on from bumbling student to junior high school teacher, leading his own daughter's class. Topanga is now a full time lawyer and mother, remaining the voice of reason for the Matthews family -- though Danielle Fishel was nervous about stepping back into the character's shoes. "I didn't know if it was going to be easy because it had been 14 years since I had done it consistently," Fishel says. "But, literally, the second Ben and I were in a room together, I was Topanga and he was Cory and it was like no time had passed at all." Still, Fishel was taken aback when she saw where the pair had ended up. "I'm a little surprised that their oldest child is as old as she is, just because when they left for New York, Topanga was so focused on becoming a lawyer," the actress admits. "I have a feeling it was Cory who was really ready to start a family and that was something they negotiated." Savage and Fishel both confess they did not re-watch the series to get back into character, hoping to craft new versions of the pair we first met as seventh grade students. But the show's younger actors have each taken a crash course on the original series, despite the fact some of them were not born until after it wrapped. In fact, the teen stars view their characters as updated versions of the originals. Blanchard sees Riley as the Cory of the new show, while Sabrina Carpenter, who plays rebellious best friend Maya Hart, doesn't hide the fact her character is the Shawn. Riley's crush on new school transfer Lucas is noticeably similar to the dynamic of Cory and Topanga. But Carpenter is quick to point out this isn't the same show recycled. "A lot has changed since the '90s," she says. "Technology is insane and the way that people dress, the way that people talk to each other, the way that people don't talk to each other." Michael Jacobs is the creative mind behind both series, and wasn't initially interested in rebooting the brand. It wasn't until he considered creating a set of characters for a new generation that Jacobs saw the value in a spin-off. He is well aware of the high expectations "Boy Meets World" fans have for the new series, and has taken to heart concerns this could mess up their childhood memories of the show. "I don't want the new show to be compared in its pilot episode to an entire series," Jacobs says. "The worst nightmare I have is that we've gotten all of this wonderful press and everyone is disappointed. I want the old audience to know if you stick with us, you will be extremely well rewarded with the growth of these characters." For now, Cory and Topanga are the only returning characters, but that doesn't mean we won't see old friends over the course of the season. Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter) and William Daniels (Mr. Feeny) will reportedly both make appearances, and the writers promise nods to the old show. For Fishel, there is one aspect of "Boy Meets World" she hopes stays in the '90s -- the fashion. "It's so nice to not have to worry about feathered bangs or chokers or oversized crop tops," the relieved actress says. "We did a flashback scene and I had to wear lace and a choker, the crimped hair and the bangs. I'm like, 'Oh my gosh! I'm so glad I don't look like this anymore.'" Jacobs is certain the relatable characters of the original series are what stood out for fans, and believes he and the writers have struck gold a second time around. "The fact that the lead of the show was not 6-feet, sandy-haired, blue-eyed. The lead of the show was us! We want to do it real. I want a stumbling, gawky, unsure of herself child to grow up in front of us again. We did it once and we were successful." | "Boy Meets World" spinoff "Girl Meets World" makes its long-awaited debut .
Show creator says fans of the '90s original won't be disappointed .
But, they are confident they've made the show modern and relevant for today's kids . |
ff142ac8603660376e21990a8885d761abe69605 | San Diego (CNN) -- President Obama's critics have the right to be upset by his decision to shield from deportation, at least temporarily, some groups of undocumented immigrants. But they don't have the right to twist the facts, use inflammatory language and create confusion. They're the ones who are most confused. They don't appear to have the foggiest idea how the process would work. That's their own fault. They should have paid closer attention two years ago, the last time the administration did something like this, with the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Simply put, Obama is using the executive power granted to him by the Constitution to reshuffle the immigration enforcement deck and prioritize deportations so that, for instance, the undocumented parents of U.S.-born citizens get a temporary "deferred" status and thus can't be removed for three years. But you should read the fine print. There are a lot of strings attached, and there is no guarantee that some of these people won't be deported. It's a crap shoot for undocumented immigrants, which explains why only a little over half of the young people who were eligible for DACA took the risk and applied for it, according to the Migration Policy Institute. No one can say what will happen when Obama's new deferment expires. A lot will depend on the political mood at the time, and what the new president will decide, in 2017, to do with immigrants who are holding these deferments. There could be extensions offered, or it could be the end of the road. If it's the latter, a large number of undocumented immigrants -- media reports have put the potential figure at 5 million, although the actual figure is likely to be much lower, given the response to DACA -- will be deportable once again. The administration has said that the new program -- which it is calling DAPA, Deferred Action for Parental Accountability -- would work much the same way as its predecessor, DACA. Obama announced that program in June 2012 and it took effect about six months later. Under DACA, undocumented young people brought here as children can apply for a two-year "deferred action" that lets them remain in the country temporarily without fear of being deported. Yet there is a catch -- when you deal with government, there's always a catch. I'll explain what it is in a minute. But first, let's listen to what has been coming from the sky-is-falling chorus in the Republican Party. Obama's conservative critics really do say the darnedest things. A recurring theme is that Obama is acting outside the law, rewriting the law or ignoring the law. When I asked one conservative commentator to explain, he said: "Well, there was a law on the books that said a person can't be in the country illegally? Now they can. Because Obama changed it." Nonsense. He did no such thing. Obama merely applied to the enforcement of immigration laws something that all police, prosecutors and judges have: discretion. Now it turns out I have to explain this simple concept to Obama himself. This week, the President responded to hecklers at a speech in Chicago who were demanding that he ease up on deportations by insisting that he had just taken action to "change" the law. Meanwhile, law professors and other legal experts have come forward to say that Obama did not, in fact, change the law and that he has the Constitution on his side when it comes to using executive power. Conservative critics are wrong that he went so far as to "change" the law, and Obama was wrong to agree with them. Other critics went even further and suggested that Obama wasn't just changing the law but actually "canceling" it. More nonsense. No president can cancel a law, or repeal a law, or strike down a law. Only Congress can do that. But this brings us back to the "catch" in Obama's executive action. Those of us who have interviewed DACA recipients and studied how that program works will find it difficult to take seriously the concerns raised by critics who are unfamiliar with the subject matter. You see, while the administration hasn't yet released the procedures for applying for DAPA, White House officials have said that the new program will be modeled on DACA. This means that qualifying for this temporary reprieve from deportation won't be a walk in the park. Here's what happens under DACA: The first thing that an undocumented immigrant must do is contact the friendly neighborhood office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and declare that he or she is in the country illegally. Immigrants who do that are then subjected to background checks and fingerprinted. Files are created with their names on them, where the government will keep their home addresses, the names of their employers, if any, the names of everyone else who lives in their houses, etc. Then each application is considered by USCIS officials, and either approved or denied. If the application is approved, under DACA the immigrant could remain in the United States for three years -- unless the policy is rescinded by a future president. If it is denied, there is no appeal and the government has all of the immigrant's personal information. So much for staying in the shadows. So tell me again how Obama is "canceling" existing immigration law. If that is the case, then how it is that the whole process for obtaining deferred action for DACA -- and likely for DAPA too -- begins with undocumented immigrants, in essence, surrendering to authorities? If immigration law is really no longer in effect, why do these people have to bother turning themselves in at all, getting fingerprinted and all the rest? Also, if immigration law is really being repealed, then under what authority will immigration agents be deciding the fate of DAPA applicants? In fact, if the immigration law is canceled, wouldn't these agents be out of a job? After all, once you strike down a law, it's difficult to enforce it. You think all this makes for a sweet deal for the undocumented? Not exactly the free ride that Obama's critics think it is -- that is, if they were thinking at all. | Navarrette: Critics can disagree with Obama immigration action, but should get facts right .
He says use of executive power to defer deportations is not "changing" or "canceling" the law .
He says under DACA, and likely DAPA, immigrants turn selves in, risk deportation if rejected .
Navarrette: It's no free ride for immigrants; conservative critics wrong to suggest it is . |
ff14bca1a9ecd94621ba428668d33f7de109efed | Hong Kong (CNN) -- Tam Chi Tat has driven his bright red taxi for 20 years. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he calls himself not Chinese but a "Hong Konger." The distinction is very important to him. "The difference between Hong Kong and the mainland is that we grew up in a relatively free environment," he says. Relative freedom rings in this metropolis on the southern tip of China. There's freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and rule of law. Since the handover from Britain to China 17 years ago, the people of Hong Kong were granted a wide range of civil liberties and a measure of autonomy under the governing principle known as "one country, two systems." But many say that way of life is now under threat as Beijing affirms its "comprehensive jurisdiction" over Hong Kong in a white paper issued by the State Council Information Office. Many in Hong Kong consider the white paper an abrupt missive from Beijing declaring that they call the shots. Political muscles . Albert Ho is a member of Hong Kong's Legislative Council and organizer of Occupy Central -- a movement of pro-democracy activists who have threatened to "occupy" the central business district if their calls are not heard. He tells me this is the message from Beijing: Hong Kong is subordinate to the central government. "And when the time comes -- if it's necessary and appropriate -- all the powers previously given, dedicated and authorized to Hong Kong, could be taken back," Ho adds. China's political muscle flexing comes at a politically sensitive time for the territory, as scores of Hong Kongers demand true universal suffrage to elect their leader. The National People's Congress has said that the election of Hong Kong's top leader may be implemented by universal suffrage in 2017. But will it happen without Beijing effectively screening the candidates? As a hint of what will happen in 2017, Michael DeGolyer, professor and director of the Hong Kong Transition Project, points to how patriotism is emphasized in the white paper. "Clearly they are saying that (patriotism) is the fundamental requirement," DeGolyer says. "And we have to be assured whoever is being nominated to run is patriotic, according to our definition, i.e. willing to follow orders." Standing ground . On July 1st in Hong Kong, tens of thousands of protesters -- if not more -- demonstrated for a free and open system to elect their government. After the march, more than 500 protesters were arrested at an illegal sit-in -- including Albert Ho. Prior to his arrest, the pro-democracy lawmaker told me he was willing to go to jail to expand democracy in Hong Kong "because we have to make it absolutely clear to Beijing that they have to honor their promises given to the Hong Kong people." But is civil disobedience the only way forward? Douglas Young is Hong Kong-born designer and co-founder of Goods of Desire, a retail business and lifestyle brand that draws inspiration from local icons from old mailboxes to mooncakes. Over the years, Young has courted controversy -- and the attention of Hong Kong police -- with a few eyebrow-raising designs. And yet the rebel designer believes persuasion -- not protest -- should shape the future of Hong Kong. Young addresses Albert Ho point blank: "I think you are going to create more enemies than supporters." "At the end of the day, especially in an Asian society, I don't think people react well with aggression. It's soft power, it's persuasion, that can appeal to them." True freedom . Like many other business owners in Hong Kong, Young believes demonstrations should take a backseat to dialogue with China to bring about more opportunity. "We should integrate with China," Young says. "Kids will be able to build their homes and businesses because what we suffer from is the lack of space in Hong Kong." "If we can embrace Guangzhou, Shanghai, Dongguan and Macau, Hong Kong will be a great metropolis." But, as Albert Ho points out, such opportunity requires both sound infrastructure and sound governance. "We need good government," Ho tells me emphatically. "And that must be based on a truly democratic government." Hong Kong taxi driver Tam Chi Tat wants his vote to truly count one day. "I definitely want universal suffrage," he says. "So that we can have a leader who is not as corrupt as mainland officials." It's the aspiration of a people raised on freedom. But true universal suffrage anywhere on Chinese soil is not something Beijing will easily grant. | Hong Kong governed by China under "one country, two systems" model allows the territory more freedoms than the rest of the country .
The election of Hong Kong's top leader may be by universal suffrage in 2017 .
But will it happen without Beijing screening the candidates?
Hong Kong resident: "I definitely want universal suffrage so that we can have a leader who is not as corrupt as mainland officials" |
ff14d8b6797f94c3c9b6901061aac923b1d484a3 | By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 06:16 EST, 10 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 10 April 2012 . A mother has hit out at school teachers for excluding her teenage son from classes over his Wayne Rooney-style haircut. Billy Davies was told his hairstyle was too ‘extreme’ for the classroom because it is shaved into a ‘V’ shape at the back - similar to one previously sported by the Manchester United striker. Teachers at Park Community School in Havant, Hampshire, decided to bar the 15-year-old from all of his lessons until his hair grows back. 'Extreme': Billy Davies' hairstyle was branded 'extreme' by teachers and he was told he could not join lessons because it breached uniform policy at Park Community School in, Havant . But furious Jackie Davies said: ‘The school is being pedantic. His hair isn’t extreme at all. ‘I could understand if he was going to school with purple or blue hair but that’s not the case.’ The teen, who lives with his parents in Havant, said: ‘It’s stupid because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my hair. ‘It’s fashionable and a lot of my friends have the same sort of haircut, yet I’m the only one who has been punished. ‘Some of the students even have pink hair. Style icons: Haircuts, like the ones sported by Chelsea's Raul Meireles, left, and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, have been banned by the school . ‘I . feel gutted because now I’m not in lessons with my friends and it’s . going to be harder to concentrate on my work being sat alone.’ The youngster now has to do his work in a room by himself during lesson time. If he needs any help then he has to go and ask a teacher before returning to the room once he has had assistance. The schoolboy has had the haircut for a . year but letters were sent out by the school in September which warned . parents it would not tolerate ‘extreme’ hairstyles. Billy says he never got a copy of the letter and argues that his hairstyle is not ‘extreme’. Excluded: Billy Davies does not see any problem with his hairstyle but has been banned him from lessons until it grows out . Last year, parents began a campaign to get regulations relaxed at the school after scores of pupils were banned from lessons. They felt their children were being punished for spiking up their hair with gel and having it subtly coloured. Headteacher Chris Anders said: ‘We’re an outstanding school and proud of our high standards. ‘Parents are well aware of the uniform policy and support it. ‘It’s . always a shame when students do not follow rules. But as adults working . with children and young people, we know it is important to be clear . about the consequences of actions and to follow through when rules are . broken.’ | Billy Davies, 15, has to do work in room by himself until hair grows back .
School says style breaches uniform policy . |
ff162372027b970dc4850a2041af6c0fa65b0ac7 | Husband-to-be: Thomas Williams, the onetime public face of the Legion of Christ, is getting married Saturday to the mother of his love child . The former public face of the discredited Legion of Christ order who left the priesthood after fathering a love child is getting married this weekend to his son’s mother. Former clergyman Thomas Williams will walk down the aisle with the daughter of former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon - one of Pope Francis' top advisers. Glendon, a Harvard University law professor, is one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican as president of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences. She is also one of five people on Francis’ commission to reform the scandal-marred Vatican bank. Her daughter, Elizabeth Lev, is a well-regarded art historian and columnist for the Legion-run Zenit news agency, which Williams published for over a decade while he was in the order. Williams, a moral theologian, author, lecturer and U.S. television personality, admitted last year that he had fathered a child several years earlier. At the time, Williams apologized for ‘this grave transgression’ against his vows of celibacy and said he had stayed on as a priest because he hoped to move beyond ‘this sin in my past’ to do good work for the church. Happy couple: Williams (left) resigned the priesthood last year after admitting the he fathered a son several years ago with art historian Elizabeth Lev, pictured right with the boy . Friends in high places: Lev is the daughter of former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon, pictured here in 2008 with then-Pope Benedict XVI . The Legion’s retired superior later admitted he had learned about the child in 2005 but allowed Williams to keep teaching and preaching about morality. After taking a year off for reflection, Williams left the priesthood in May to care for his son, who suffers from Down syndrome. According to their wedding registry, he and Lev are due to marry Saturday in the U.S. Trailblazer: Glendon (left), pictured in Rome with her daughter, is currently one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican as president of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences . Lev is an American-born art historian who has lived and worked in Rome since 1997. She has two other children from past relationships. She had initially denied an affair with Williams, though they frequently were seen together in American expatriate circles in Rome, particularly with visiting U.S. student and Catholic tour groups. The couple's wedding announcement coincides with a revelation made by the Legion, which admitted Thursday that a superior who was in charge of the bulk of its American priests-in-training for over a decade sexually abused a minor at the Legion’s novitiate in Cheshire, Connecticut. The Legion said a second accuser had also come forward with an allegation against the Rev. William Izquierdo, who was novice director at the Cheshire school from 1982-1994 and in Ireland before then. Izquierdo, now 85, has dementia. The Rev. Marcial Maciel founded the cult-like Legion in 1941 in Mexico and oversaw its growth into a large and prominent congregation despite credible reports that he was a drug addict and child molester. After Maciel’s death in 2008, the Legion admitted that he fathered three children and sexually abused his seminarians. In 2010, the Vatican took over the . order and a papal delegate has been overseeing a reform and . ‘purification.’ In January, the Legion will elect a new leadership and . approve a new set of constitutions. The . Legion scandal has been particularly damaging to the Vatican because . Maciel was held up by Pope John Paul II and his cardinals as a model for . the faithful, with the order admired for its orthodoxy and ability to . bring in money and new priests. Like . all Legion priests, Williams had been a staunch defender of Maciel. When Maciel’s double life became public in 2009, Williams told the . Catholic ETWN program that the revelations were a ‘very, very hard blow . to all of us.’ Until he . left active ministry, Williams was the most publicly prominent priest in . the 950-strong order. He is the author of such books as 2008’s ‘Knowing . Right From Wrong: A Christian Guide to Conscience,’ and was a . commentator for the U.S. broadcaster CBS. Matriarch: Lev has two older daughters and a young son fathered by Williams, who suffers from Down syndrome . In good company: Lev, center, is pictured with director Ron Howard (right) and his film crew during the shooting of 'Angels and Demons' in Rome . He was the superior of the Legion’s general directorate in Rome in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Legion’s revelation about a senior cleric having abused a novitiate was contained in a report on the steps the Legion has taken to address sexually abusive clergy within its ranks and respond to the victims of Maciel. According to the report by the Legion’s superior, the Rev. Sylvester Heerman, 35 priests have been accused of sexually abusing minors; nine were found guilty and 14 were acquitted in a church trial. Two had left the priesthood when the allegations were made, so no church sanctions could be imposed, and 10 cases are still under review. In addition, two Legion superiors were found guilty of sexually abusing adults under their case and three were acquitted. The Legion said the numbers indicate that less than 1 per cent of the 1,133 priests ordained in the 72-year history of the order had been found guilty by a church trial of abuse, and less than 4 per cent had been abused. | Thomas Williams was the public face of Legion of Christ religious order until his resignation last year .
Williams and art historian Elizabeth Lev had a son in secret around 2005 .
Lev's mother is former U.S. ambassador to Holy See and current president of Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences . |
ff169ab899cdeba8e91f71bf632e091d5069e9b6 | Obese and overweight people could be prescribed a fat-busting probiotic bacteria to stop them gaining weight, a new study has revealed. Scientists found a specific bacterial family passed down form generation to generation was more common in the guts of lean individuals. Lab tests showed a strain of that bacteria prevented people gaining weight when it was transplanted in mice. Genetics influence whether we are fat or thin by shaping which types of microbes thrive in our body, the study found. Obese and overweight people could be prescribed a fat-busting probiotic bacteria to stop them gain weight, a new study has revealed . The breakthrough could lead to personalised probiotic therapies to reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases on an individual's genetic make-up. Associate Professor Ruth Ley at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics of Cornell University said: 'Up until now, variation in the abundances of gut microbes has been explained by diet, the environment, lifestyle, and health. 'This is the first study to firmly establish that certain types of gut microbes are heritable - that their variation across a population is in part due to host genotype variation, not just environmental influences.' Both genetic variation and the composition of gut microbes have previously been linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, putting sufferers at greater risk of heart disease, stroke and other conditions affecting blood vessels. Despite these common links. the relationship between genetic variation and the diversity of gut microbes has been difficult to establish. Past studies of twins failed to reveal an effect of genetic variation on the diversity of gut microbes. The Cornell University researchers suspected past studies included too few pairs of twins. As a result they sequenced the genes of microbes found in stool samples from 416 pairs of twins. They found an abundance of specific types of microbes were more similar in identical twins, who are genetically the same, than in non-identical pairs no more similar than ordinary siblings, other than sharing environmental influences in the womb. The findings demonstrated that human genes influence the composition of gut microbes. The breakthrough could lead to personalised probiotic therapies to reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases on an individual's genetic make-up, the team at Cornell University believe. File picture . The type of bacteria whose abundance was most heavily influenced by human genetics was a recently identified family called christensenellaceae. Members of the health-promoting bacterial family were more abundant in lean individuals, than those who were obese. Mice that were then treated with this specific bacteria strain gained less weight than those that were not treated with the microbes. The team believe their findings could pave the way for a microbe that prevents obesity in humans. Prof Ley said: 'Our results showing that bacterial abundances run in families may be useful for disease risk prediction. 'The microbiome is also an attractive target for therapeutic manipulation. By understanding the nature of our association with these health-associated bacteria, we could eventually exploit them to promote health.' The study was published in the journal Cell. | Scientists at Cornell University found a specific bacterial family that was more common in the guts of lean individuals .
Breakthrough could lead to personalised probiotic therapies to reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases . |
ff16e26083d9992849301fe301abeb5495bdc6f6 | (CNN) -- Mitchell Guist, a star of the reality TV show "Swamp People," died of "natural causes," a local sheriff in Louisiana said. Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack released the preliminary autopsy conclusion Wednesday, although he said final results will not be available for another four or five weeks. Fans pay tribute to 'Swamp People' star . Guist, 47, was working to build a houseboat when he appeared to have a seizure and fell backwards in his boat, said Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack. He was with another person on the Intercoastal Waterway, about 75 miles from New Orleans, at the time of his collapse. That person, who did not want to be identified, got Guist back to a boat landing, performed CPR and called his wife, who in turn called 911, said the sheriff. Guist was transferred to the Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City, where he was pronounced dead Monday. Daniel Wiltz, with the St. Martin Parish coroner's office, declined to comment on the autopsy except to say that it was pending. What is 'Swamp People'? "Right now, we're thinking about him almost every minute," said Brian Catalina, executive producer of "Swamp People." "We've lost a really important part of our family and a treasured friend." "Swamp People" is the popular History Channel TV series that chronicles the lives of alligator hunters. Now in its third season, the series is set in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Swamp, and focuses on Cajun alligator hunters during the 30-day hunting season that the History Channel notes is "crucial to their survival." Guist appeared on the show alongside his brother, Glenn Guist. "The two were inseparable. These guys were born in the same house that they both still lived in, up until yesterday. They were two peas in a pod for sure. Neither had ever married. They were just as brothers as you could be," said Catalina on Tuesday. Soon after news of Guist's death broke, tributes began pouring in on the brothers' official fan club Facebook page. "RIP Mitchell you were one hell of a swamp man and inspired people like me. Prayers go out to Glenn and the Guist family. May his legacy live on," read one. "May the king of the bayou welcome you home," read another. CNN's Joe Sutton contributed to this report. | NEW: "Natural causes" is the preliminary autopsy finding .
Mitchell Guist died Monday after falling on his boat .
"Swamp People" chronicles the lives of alligator hunters in Louisiana .
"We're thinking about him almost every minute," said "Swamp People" executive producer . |
ff172f27c541e7a22a0befccc8be255d22d41f06 | By . Daniel Martin, Whitehall Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 17:46 EST, 15 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:47 EST, 15 October 2013 . Pressure to secure a better deal for pensioners facing crippling care home costs intensified yesterday. Former minister Stephen Dorrell said a plan to offer loans to pay for care was not delivering ‘the objective the Government set out’. Mr Dorrell, chairman of the Commons health select committee, particularly questioned a proposal to limit loans to people with assets of less than £23,000. Former minister Stephen Dorrell said a plan to offer loans to pay for care was not delivering 'the objective the Government set out' In July, the Coalition promised that the loans scheme would prevent anyone from having to meet the cost of care while they were alive. In a second attack on the scheme yesterday, Lord Lipsey suggested that pensioners taking up the loans could be forced to repay thousands of pounds if they inadvertently failed to disclose all their assets. He urged ministers to change a ‘nasty’ part of the new legislation that could penalise elderly people who make an honest mistake in applying for the loans from their council. ‘As the Bill is now drafted, if you make a mistake the local authority can pursue you for all the money and even sell your house if you make a mistake,’ he said. ‘Fraud should be pursued, but not an old lady who has just made a mistake. It is a very nasty clause.’ Promise: Care minister Norman Lamb and Daily Mail headlines from yesterday, top, and 2012, bottom . Lord Lipsey’s attack came as Downing . Street signalled a change of heart over plans to deny middle-class . pensioners access to the deferred-payment scheme, under which . Government-backed loans would cover home help hire and care home fees, . and would be repaid from the person’s estate. Lord Warner, a member of the independent Dilnot Commission that drew up plans to cap care costs, said of the Government: ‘I think they’ve been a bit sneaky.’ Lord Lipsey has praised the Daily Mail for its ‘sustained and splendid’ campaign against crippling care home costs that force people to sell their homes. The peer said the paper had made a real difference by bringing the scandal to the public’s attention. On Monday night, he exposed the Government’s plans to restrict access to a deferred-payment scheme to those with assets of less than around £23,000. During his speech in the House of Lords, he also mentioned his admiration for the Daily Mail, which has long highlighted the effects of sky-high care fees. Three years ago, we revealed at least 20,000 people a year have to sell up to pay their care costs, denying their children an inheritance. Yesterday, he told the Mail: ‘I praise the Daily Mail for its campaign on people having to sell their houses to pay for care. ‘We owe the Government’s original proposals to impose a cap on care costs very much to the Mail’s sustained and splendid campaign. I’m sure the Mail will continue to campaign until the Government changes its position.’ David Lipsey, a former political editor of the Economist and Labour policy adviser, was created a life peer in 1999. However, Mr Cameron’s spokesman said: ‘£23,000 is the starting point because that is the means-test threshold. For those who have assets that are separate from their home, what is the level above which they should make some contribution? We are consulting on that.’ Care Minister Norman Lamb said: ‘No decisions have been taken. We’re listening carefully to all consultation responses and take seriously the concerns raised.’ However, he also suggested that anyone excluded had a ‘vast amount of money in the bank’. Last night, Lord Lipsey, the Labour peer and former member of the 1990s Royal Commission on elderly care, welcomed the apparent shift by the Government. He said: ‘It would be good if they raised the threshold substantially, but it would be best if they dropped it all together.’ The charity Age UK shared his concern about councils being given the power to sell an applicant’s house if a mistake was made in declaring assets, saying that it could deter pensioners from applying. However, a Tory health spokesman said local authorities already had such powers but only used them as a last resort. Ros Altmann, a former Treasury adviser on older people’s care, said: ‘People with £23,000 in the bank, that they have saved up all their lives, do not have “significant means”. Everything in the Dilnot proposals is being watered down and I kind of wonder what these reforms are going to achieve.’ A Downing Street source said: ‘The idea that anyone will have to sell their homes to pay for social care is simply scaremongering. ‘The Government is spending £1billion a year in order to ensure people can keep their homes, deal with the crisis left by the Labour Party, and help provide dignity for all in old age.’ | Former minister Stephen Dorrell said plan was not delivering 'the objective the government set out'
Fears pensioners could be forced to repay thousands if they inadvertently fail to disclose their assets . |
ff18601978b269baef349e569bc2406aeddced71 | A champagne cork-like device that nurtures fledgling embryos inside a woman’s body could halve the cost of IVF, doctors believe. This would give many more women the chances of fulfilling their dream of motherhood. The clear plastic mini-incubator would also make IVF quicker, easier and more natural, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual conference in Honolulu heard. In a pilot study, women treated using the INVOcell device were just as likely to become pregnant as others. Nine babies have been born so far. Scroll down for video . A new champagne cork-like device could halve the cost of in vitro fertilisation (IVF), doctors claim. Pictured is the artificial insemination of a human female egg during the IVF process . Almost half of the 50,000 women who have IVF in Britain each year pay for it themselves. But with clinics charging up to £15,000 a session, some simply cannot afford it. The new technique aims to cut costs by simplifying the process. Researcher Dr Kevin Doody said: ‘The cost of IVF is tremendously prohibitive. ‘We are trying to simplify the whole process – what we like to call effortless IVF.’ In a conventional IVF lab, fledgling embryos are kept in expensive incubators for up to five days before the best ones are put into the woman’s body. This is costly. The incubators cost tens of thousands of pounds each and have to be constantly monitored to make sure they are working properly, are at the right temperature and contain the right mix of gases for the delicate embryos to grow. The INVOcell technique lowers costs by doing away with the incubators and the need for constant monitoring. The early-stage embryos are instead nurtured inside a clear plastic device of roughly the same size and shape as a champagne bottle cork. This is placed inside the woman’s vagina, which is at the right temperature and contains the right mix of carbon dioxide and oxygen for growth. Nine babies have so far been born using the new, cheaper, IVF technique. File image used . After three to five days, it is removed and the best embryos transferred to the woman’s womb as usual. Costs are also cut by giving lower doses of the powerful drugs used to boost egg production ahead of IVF. Lower doses also mean that a woman needs to make fewer visits to the IVF clinic to check the drugs are working properly. So rather than taking time off work for ten trips to her doctor, she only needs three appointments. In a study of 33 infertile women, pregnancy rates were the same among those who used INVOcell as those whose embryos were nurtured in incubators. Dr Doody, of the Center for Assisted Reproduction in Bedford, Texas, said: ‘We are amazed that we could grow beautiful, top-quality embryos without the complexity of an incubator.’ His wife, Dr Kathleen Doody, said: ‘We definitely had feedback from patients that it seemed more natural to them.’ It is hoped that by simplifying the process, it will be possible to provide IVF from mobile units, making it more accessible for those who don’t live in big towns and cities. Dr Doody, who has shares in the device’s manufacturer, Massachusetts-based INVO Bioscience, said that while it won’t be suitable for all women, it could help up to two-thirds of patients. The device may also make IVF more acceptable to the Catholic Church, which disapproves of IVF because fertilisation takes place outside the body and in a dish. With INVOcell, fertilisation takes place once the device is inside the woman’s body. INVO Bioscience hopes to have the device on sale in the US by the end of this year. It is seeking a partner for a European launch. British doctors raised safety concerns, including the potential for infection. Professor Simon Fishel, managing director of the CARE Fertility group of clinics, cautioned that it will be impossible to check the embryos for defects when they are hidden away in the device. He added that it will ‘offer options for some’. Dr Geeta Nargund, medical director of the Create fertility clinic in London’s Harley Street, said: ‘I welcome any development with the potential to reduce the cost of IVF. ‘We need to do more research to assess the impact on cost reduction and success of the method.’ | Doctors believe the new technique could halve the cost of IVF treatment .
The clear plastic mini-incubator also makes it quicker and more natural .
The new technology nutures the embryo inside champagne-cork like device .
It is kept inside the vagina until ready for transfer to the womb like usual .
Conventional IVF requires embryo to be nutured inside expensive incubator . |
ff187cc75c1c54fe9c561a96ee310e0d18d5b39c | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 07:14 EST, 1 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:52 EST, 1 April 2013 . A triple gold medal-winning cyclist is still riding his tricycle for five miles a week despite turning 100. In 1937, Richard Howard won gold in a 24-hour road race covering 335 miles, a 200-mile race and another 100-mile road race - all in one month. The centenarian used to go cycling with his wife Dorothy, and pedalled to work with his son Peter, now 63, on the back in the 1940s. The father-of-one had not been on his bike for many years but was prompted to start again after the death of Dorothy who had a stroke aged 90 in 2007. Richard Howard, a triple gold medal-winning cyclist, is still riding his tricycle for five miles a week despite turning 100 . Mr Howard, from Winslow, Buckinghamshire, is seen during a road race in 1936 . Keen cyclist Richard Howard (far right) with friends in 1936. The next year, he won gold in a 24-hour road race covering 335 miles, a 200-mile race and another 100-mile road race - all in one month . Now, Mr Howard, who does not look his age, cycles at least five miles every weekend on the tricycle and says he will carry on until he is 112. The keen biker, from Winslow, Buckinghamshire, who turned 100 last week, said today about cycling: 'I just accept it as normal.' On turning 100, he said: 'It's the same as I've always felt - perfectly OK.' His son Peter, a business consultant, said: 'He must have been a really fit young man to win all those gold medals. The father-of-one had not been on his bike for many years but was prompted to start again after the death of his wife Dorothy, who had a stroke aged 90 in 2007 . Mr Howard has a spot of refreshment during a 1934 bike race (left). He now cycles at least five miles every weekend on his tricycle and says he will carry on until he is 112 . A 1938 snap of Mr Howard (left) and friends. Born in Tottenham, north London, he was one of 12 children . 'I am very proud of him. It is amazing that he is still living independently now. 'He tells me he plans to live until he is 112 - and cycle for as long as possible. 'I think cycling has probably given him that foundation of fitness that has enabled him to live this long. 'I remember back in 1976 I took a photo of him with a grey beard and a beret and I thought this may be the last shot I get of my dad. 'I would never have dreamt in a month of Sundays that in 2013 I would be sitting here celebrating his 100th birthday. 'He took up cycling again after mum died to take his mind off it.' Richard Howard and his late wife, Dorothy (pictured left on their wedding day in January 1942) Mr Howard is still an active member of Unity Cycling Club and the Tricycle Association. Pictured are his 1937 medals . On a cycling tour in 1936 (Mr Howard is second right) Father and son cycle on the Redways path network in Milton Keynes most weekends. Peter added: 'We usually go about five miles, but when the weather gets warmer, we'll go about 12 miles,' he said. 'My dad has a lot of stamina. We go along at quite a pace. People are often surprised to see someone of his age still riding. 'They often stop him and say, "That's a beautiful machine". He'll say, "You should try one of these - they're great".' Mr Howard was born in Tottenham, north London, and was one of 12 children. When the weather is unpleasant, Mr Howard trains on his exercise bike; right, the champion cyclist in 1937 after he had won his three gold medals for endurance racing . Mr Howard with the card he received from the Queen last week on his 100th birthday . He served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the Second World War looking after Italian and German prisoners of war. Already fluent in French, he then became adept in Italian and German. The primary school teacher retired at the age of 65, having taught in the London and Canterbury areas. Despite his age, he still drives a car occasionally and is an accomplished painter of portraits and landscapes. Mr Howard is still an active member of Unity Cycling Club and the Tricycle Association, and was delighted to receive birthday cards from their members. Richard served with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the Second World War looking after Italian and German prisoners of war; right, Mr Howard (centre, bottom row) with the rest of his family . Taken in the late 1930s, Mr Howard (right) and a friend. The primary school teacher retired at the age of 65, having taught in the London and Canterbury areas . | Richard Howard won three long-distance races in 1937 - all in one month .
Used to cycle to work with young son on the back in 1940s .
Father-of-one, from Bucks, began cycling again after death of wife in 2007 . |
ff18c5e85fad0c7de1d2e1d84491792d903d94a9 | By . Sarah Harris . PUBLISHED: . 19:27 EST, 22 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:19 EST, 23 October 2012 . Michael Gove has written a belated apology to one of his former teachers for indulging in ‘pathetic showing-off’ and coming up with ‘clever-dick’ questions in class. The Education Secretary wrote the extraordinary open letter to Danny Montgomery, who taught him French 30 years ago, to publicise this year’s Teaching Awards. Mr Gove, who wants teachers to clamp down on badly behaved pupils, confesses that he and his classmates at Robert Gordon’s College, a private school in Aberdeen, had viewed the ‘rookie’ teacher as ‘ripe for ragging’, or teasing. Sorry, sir: Michael Gove (pictured this week, left) has apologised to a former teacher for 'showing-off' when he was a 15-year-old schoolboy in Aberdeen (right) In his letter in the Radio Times to publicise the awards, which will be on BBC2 on Sunday, Mr Gove wrote: ‘You were, without any pretension or pomposity, attempting to coax a group of hormonal lads to look beyond familiar horizons and venture further. 'And all we could do was compete to think of clever-dick questions to embarrass you and indulge in pathetic showing-off at your expense.’ He added: ‘You wanted us to enjoy . some of the pleasure you had found in the very best that had been . thought and written. But we were a cocksure crew of precociously . assertive boys who recognised you were only a few years older – a rookie . in the classroom – and therefore ripe for ragging. And because we . misbehaved, we missed out. ‘But because you cared, you persevered. And for that you deserve my apology. And my thanks.’ Mr . Gove, 45, added: ‘So Danny, it may be too late to say I’m sorry. But, . as my mum told me, it’s never too late to set the record straight.’ Mr Montgomery, 55, who still teaches . at Robert Gordon’s College, said yesterday: ‘Even in those days, Michael . stood out. I remember the words of one of my colleagues at the time: . “That boy is a future leader of the Conservative Party”. 'He was already . known for his sharp wit, strongly held beliefs backed by apparently . limitless general knowledge and keen debating skills, which resulted in . the downfall of many opponents.’ He . added: ‘It’s often hard to know how much is genuinely being . communicated in a classroom, so it was highly gratifying to learn that . Michael not only remembers the content of my lessons but also . appreciates the wider learning that I was aiming to encourage.’ Apology: Michael Gove's open letter to his old teacher Danny Montgomery (left) can be found in the latest edition of the Radio Times . | Wrote letter to Danny Montgomery who he viewed as a 'rookie ripe for ragging' |
ff18c837387c76e01b14970e44886a9f78d43ec8 | A house that was destroyed by fire is set to sell at auction for over $650,000, with the real estate agent describing the home as the 'cheapest' property on the market in Sydney's Inner West. Owner Tom Noicos, 54, is being forced to sell his St Peters home after his housemate allegedly lit it on fire and his insurance company rejected his claim because the fire was allegedly lit deliberately. The Block's auctioneer Damien Cooley has signed on to draw more interest to the property, after he heard the 'sad story' and wanted to help. Scroll down for video . This fire-damaged house in St Peters in Sydney's Inner West is set to sell for over $650,000 at auction . The house was partially destroyed when owner Tom Noicos's housemate allegedly set fire to his bedroom . The three-bedroom freestanding brick home is being advertised as presenting a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for renovators, builders and savvy investors alike to capitalise on this highly sought after piece of Inner West real estate'. Mr Noicos, 54, is being forced to sell the home because his insurance claim was rejected . 'The entry reveals dramatic fire damage to the hallway and first bedroom with only mostly smoke soot through the remaining rooms of the house,' the ad reads. Mr Noicos, a former IT worker, has owned the house for about 12 years and lived there with his former housemate, 55, until a year ago. In August he let his former friend, who cannot be named, come stay with him for a week because 'he had nowhere else to go'. 'I lost everything,' Mr Noicos told Daily Mail Australia. 'I try to do the right thing and I get this.' Mr Noicos said he had not had any disagreements with his former friend of almost 20 years on the day of the incident. 'Everything was fine, in fact he drove me to the doctor in the morning and said ring me when you finish up and I'll come pick you up,' he said. 'I kept ringing and there was no answer, so I got a taxi home and had to face police, ambulances and fire brigades putting out my house.' Afterwards his insurance company NRMA Insurance put him up in an apartment in the city but two weeks ago they rejected his claim. 'Their reason being that I gave him permission to be in the house', Mr Noicos said, and the man allegedly lit it deliberately. 'But I'm like, I didn't give him permission to light the fire! 'It's been a very bad experience for me… I'm trying to appeal the decision because I don't think it's fair.' The Block's auctioneer Damien Cooley has signed on to draw more interest to the property, after he heard the 'sad story' and wanted to help . Real estate agent Santos Sulfaro said since Richardson & Wrench Leichhardt posted the property ad at midday on Monday his phone had been ringing off the hook . Police said a 55-year-old man is due to appear in Central Local Court on December 1, charged with contravening an apprehended violence order and damaging a property by fire. Mr Noicos can't afford to stay in the apartment, or pay to fix the damage to his St Peters home, so he has decided to sell. Real estate agency Richardson & Wrench Leichhardt are enlisting Damien Cooley from The Block to conduct the auction on November 22 in order to draw more interest. Mr Cooley said it was a sad story and he wanted to help Mr Noicos get a good result. 'You don't like these things come to people, and it's by no fault of his own, so I thought it was a good thing to be involved in,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Cooley said he had been involved in the sale of derelict and damaged homes in the past but this was that worst one he'd seen 'for quite some time'. Te house features a mix of old and new features, including a renovated kitchen, bathroom and laundry . Mr Sulfaro said the fire damage was contained to the front four metres of the home, but the rest of the house was covered in soot . 'In some respects it looks a lot worse than it really is,' he said. 'The smoke damage gives it the feeling that the whole house is in wrack and ruin.' Real estate agent Santos Sulfaro said since Richardson & Wrench posted the property ad at midday on Monday his phone had been ringing off the hook. 'It's had quite a lot of interest from people curious about the price range and what the possibilities are,' Mr Sulfaro told Daily Mail Australia. 'We're looking at above $650,000, but prior to the fire it easily would have achieved $950,000.' Mr Sulfaro said the fire damage was contained to the front four metres of the home. 'If it was someone from a building background they could fix it up easily for $80-$100,000,' he said. 'For someone else with no building background it could cost up to $150,000, but still even at that price there's a lot of hard work involved that's not going to cost you a lot of money. Mr Sulfaro said the air-conditioning ducts and electrical wiring would also need to be replaced . The house also has its original timber floors and high metal press ornate ceilings . 'Most of the house is covered in smoke soot and that might just take a few weekends there with a bit of elbow grease to get rid of.' Mr Sulfaro said the air-conditioning ducts and electrical wiring would also need to be replaced. He added that the house featured a mix of old and new features, including a renovated kitchen, bathroom and laundry, original timber floors and high metal press ornate ceilings. Mr Sulfaro said under normal circumstances in St Peters $650,000 would get a homebuyer a modern one-bedroom apartment with a car space. 'I think this is probably the cheapest property on the market in the Inner West,' he said. 'I don't think you can get better value and I haven't seen better value all year.' Prior to the fire the house would have easily sold for $950,000, the real estate agent said . Mr Sulfaro said under normal circumstances in St Peters $650,000 would get a homebuyer a modern one-bedroom apartment with a car space . An NRMA Insurance spokeswoman said in a statement: 'Mr. Noicos' home was damaged by a fire that was determined by Police to have been deliberately lit by Mr. Noicos' housemate. 'Because the fire was lit by a person authorised by Mr. Noicos to live in his home, his claim was declined in accordance with a general exclusion in his policy, listed in the product disclosure statement.' NRMA said it reviewed his claim and maintained its decision to decline it. 'We have provided him with a further option for the matter to be escalated,' the spokeswoman said. 'Alternatively, he can take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service, or seek legal advice.' NRMA added that it doesn't cover any intentional act or omission by 'you, your family or someone who lives in your home — for example, the tenants' or 'someone who acts with your or your family's consent, or the consent of someone who lives in your home'. | Tom Noicos, 54, is being forced to sell his home in St Peters in Sydney .
His housemate allegedly lit it on fire and his insurance company rejected his claim because the fire was allegedly lit deliberately .
The Block's auctioneer Damien Cooley has signed on to draw more interest to the property after he heard the 'sad story' and wanted to help .
Real estate agent says the house is set to sell at auction for over $650,000 . |
ff18d60cd4348957f489414895b2a04a5b0d962e | By . Rosie Taylor . PUBLISHED: . 19:49 EST, 29 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:51 EST, 30 January 2013 . Hilary Mantel booked a place in history by becoming the first author to win both the Costa Book Award and the Man Booker Prize in a year . Hilary Mantel made literary history last night by becoming the first author to win both the Costa Book Award and the Man Booker Prize within a year. The author picked up the £30,000 Costa Book Award for her novel Bring Up The Bodies - three months after winning the Man Booker prize with it. The book is the second in a planned trilogy about the turbulent life and relationships of King Henry VIII’s advisor Thomas Cromwell. The first book in the trilogy, Wolf Hall, was awarded the Man Booker in 2009, making Miss Mantel, 60, the first UK author to win the Booker Prize twice. Last night chair of the judges, Radio 4 presenter Jenni Murray, said the panel had been unanimous in its decision to select Bring Up The Bodies from the shortlist of five books. She insisted Mantel’s previous success had not affected the decision, but that it was ‘simply the best book’. ‘One book stood out on head and shoulders - more than head and shoulders, on stilts above the rest and that was Hilary Mantel,’ she said. She praised the author’s writing style, saying her words were ‘poetry’. ‘It is so poetic, so beautiful, it is set in its time but it is also incredibly modern,’ she added. Dame Jenni said she had read every book on the shortlist on both her Kindle and in published form and that old-fashioned books were full of ‘pleasures’ missing from new technology. Other books on the shortlist included a comic-style graphic memoir about James Joyce’s daughter, Dotter of her Father’s Eyes, by husband and wife team Mary and Bryan Talbot, and children’s book Maggot Moon by dyslexic writer Sally Gardner. Scroll down for video . Shortlist: From left Hilary Mantel, Francesca Segal, Mary and Bryn Talbot, Sally Gardner and Kathleen Jamie . Winner: Author Hilary Mantel is also the first UK author to win the Man Booker prize twice after scooping the accolade in 2009 for Wolf Hall . Accolade: Francesca Segal, pictured left with her novel Innocents, was the winner of First Novel Award, while Sally Gardner, right won the Children's Book Award . Kathleen Jamie, left took home the Poetry Award, while media personality Esther Rantzen, right, was a guest . Gong: Mary and Bryan Talbot were triumphant in the biographies category . The shortlist was completed by poet Kathleen Jamie’s collection The Overhaul and Francesca Segal’s first novel, The Innocents. All the shortlisted authors received £5,000. The judging panel included actress Jenny Agutter, broadcaster Katie Derham and writer DJ Taylor. They announced the winner at a ceremony at Quaglino’s restaurant in central London. The Costa Award was formerly known as the Whitbread Award and was established in 1971 to promote the enjoyment of reading. Past winners include Ted Hughes, Seamus Heaney and children’s author Philip Pullman. Last year’s winner was historical novel Pure by Andrew Miller. Celebrity guests: Actress Patricia Hodge, left, and former Spandau Ballet member Gary Kemp pictured at the awards . Stepping out in style: Vanessa Feltz and her daughter Alegra arrive, left, while Angela Rippon is pictured at the awards ceremony . Making an entrance: Pink Floyd guitarist and singer David Gilmour, left, and actress Imogen Stubbs were both present at the awards at Quaglino's in London . | The panel of judges said it was a unanimous decision to award Hilary Mantel the prize .
Author picked up the £30,000 prize three months after winning the Man Booker . |
ff18f21e9a846ece75cb30a0c7982eb35671a00d | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 08:31 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:49 EST, 19 November 2013 . Cruelty was allowed to become 'normal' in the NHS at the time of the Stafford hospital scandal and neither staff nor ministers took any notice, Jeremy Hunt said yesterday. The Health Secretary promised to overhaul hospitals so they provide the 'safest, most compassionate and most effective' care in the world. He made a string of formal recommendations to drive up standards in the wake of the Mid Staffordshire scandal, in which hundreds of patients died needlessly and staff were said to have become 'immune' to the sound of pain. Named: Every patient will have the name of the doctor and nurse responsible for their care written above their bed, as part of measures to hold NHS staff to account . They include: . * Fines for hospitals if they try to cover up mistakes . * Every patient to have an allocated nurse and doctor, with the names posted above their beds . * Hospitals to publish the number of nurses working on each ward . * Doctors and nurses to be suspended or even struck off for not owning up to mistakes . * Doctors and nurses to face up to five years in jail if they wilfully neglect patients . * Failed managers to be blacklisted and barred from getting other jobs in the NHS. * Hospitals to put up 'how to complain' guides in wards. Up . to 1,200 patients are feared to have died needlessly at Mid . Staffordshire NHS Trust between 2005 and 2009, yet a damning inquiry by . Sir Robert Francis, QC, at the beginning of this year warned it could . happen again. The Government . has since been drawing up a series of recommendations to improve care . across the health service and prevent staff from trying to cover up . their mistakes. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) said that cruelty had become the norm in the NHS, and he warned it must never happen again while Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said the government's words had to be followed by action . Outlining his response to the Francis . report in the Commons yesterday, Mr Hunt said: 'Cruelty became normal in . our NHS and no-one noticed. The inquiry shows the devastating effects . of overly defensive responses – hurting families, suppressing the truth . and preventing lessons being learned. 'The . NHS is a moral being or it is nothing. I do not simply want to prevent . another Mid Staffs, I want our NHS to be a beacon across the world, not . just for equity but its excellence. 'I want it to offer the safest, most compassionate and most effective care available anywhere and I believe it can.' The . proposals include fining hospitals if they try to cover up mistakes . which cause harm or death. Trusts could be made to pay out tens of . thousands of pounds to the NHS for the most serious errors. Every patients will also be given the name of a nurse and a consultant who is in charge of their care. Hospitals . will have to publish the number of nurses working on each ward and be . expected to put up 'how to complain' guides, with step-by-step . instructions for what patients and families should do if they are . unhappy. Mr Hunt told MPs patients needed to have confidence in the care they would receive from the NHS . The Francis Inquiry into the scandal at Mid Staffordshire heard hundreds of patients died there from 2005 to 2009 . They will also have . to publish figures on the number of complaints every three months, . with details of what lessons have been learnt from each one. Staff . who do not immediately own up to errors would face tougher sanctions . than those who are honest, under proposals. NHS officials are liaising . with watchdogs to see whether honesty could be taken into account in . punishments. But Julie . Bailey, whose mother Bella died at Stafford Hospital, said she was . 'disappointed' that Mr Hunt's proposals did not go far enough. She and . other campaigners wanted new laws protecting whistleblowers from the . sack and a legal obligation for staff to be honest with patients. Meanwhile, . former Labour health spokesman Diane Abbott admitted her party had made . it more important for nurses to take exams than to care. She . said: 'For many members of the public, one of the problems with general . standards of care may have been the push under a Labour government for . an all-graduate nursing profession. And there is a view that what that . has led to is elevating taking exams over and above basic levels of . care.' Alone: Dorothy Simpson, who died at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital . A hospital has apologised after a dying 84-year-old woman was forced to make a desperate call to her family after being abandoned by staff. Dorothy Simpson died 'frightened and alone' in a ward which resembled a 'ghost town' after doctors and nurses at Royal Bournemouth Hospital failed to come to her aid. The great-grandmother used her mobile to call son Steve as she struggled to breathe, without a single member of staff on the ward to help her. Her eldest son Jim rushed to the hospital, arriving 20 minutes later, but found that she had died alone with the bedside monitor alarm still sounding. Steve Simpson, 63, said the family were 'angry and devastated' at the appalling treatment of their mother. He said: 'She died alone and frightened because of the hospital's countless failings. If my mother had been given the care she deserved she would still be here today.' The retired decorator described the ward as a 'ghost town' and said Mrs Simpson, who suffered from a terminal lung disease, was left for a further four hours before a doctor arrived. The hospital has now admitted to a catalogue of shocking blunders in relation to the death on July 27 and apologised, following an internal inquiry. | Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt reveals plans to prevent repeat of Mid-Staffs .
Failing bosses will be struck off and neglect will be a criminal offence .
New website to publish hospital staffing levels and safety for patients .
Hospitals will also be given Ofsted-style quality ratings for care . |
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