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0d3d28cab07a08b2e7cf8915405a0b7945f26456 | A drunken driver who struck and killed two teenage cousins on a southern New Jersey roadway two years ago has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter charges. Cape May County prosecutors say 33-year-old Joshua Malmgren of Middle Township is expected to receive two nine-year state prison terms when he’s sentenced December 5. Prosecutors say Malmgren was driving drunk and texting in July 2012 when his sport utility vehicle hit 15-year-old Nioami Lazicki and her cousin 13-year-old Ashley Dauber of Philadelphia on a Middle Township road. Guilty plea: Two years after hitting and killing two girls in his car, Joshua Malmgren has admitted to drunken driving and texting before the tragic incident . Cousins: Ashley Dauber (left) and Nioami Lazicki (right) were walking home from a playground when they were hit by Malmgren, who veered off the road while texting and had a blood-alcohol reading of double the legal limit . Close: Ashley Dauber (right) was visiting from Philadelphia when the tragedy occurred. The younger sister of Nioami Lazicki (left) managed to escape Malmgren's car . Lazicki’s 14-year-old sister was walking with them but was able to get out of the way of the vehicle. The three girls were walking home from a playground along Bayshore Road near the Green Creek Firehouse in Middle Township on July 31, 2012, when the incident occurred. Malmgren was driving in the eastbound lanes of Bayshore Road when he veered into the shoulder and hit the two girls. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. Plea deal: Malmgren initially pleaded not guilty and rejected an earlier plea bargain that would have seen him serve 25 years in jail . 'She suddenly had an urge to turn over her shoulder and she’d seen the headlights and got out of the way,' Bill Gaston, Nioami’s father told CBS of his surviving daughter. 'By the time she screamed, this guy was right on top of them.' Malmgren was found to have a blood alcohol reading of .183, more than twice the legal limit. He also admitted to having taken the prescription painkiller Tramadol and anti-anxiety drug Clonazepam in combination with the booze. When police arrived just minutes after the accident, they found Malmgren sitting under a tree, crying and hugging his knees, reports the Press of Atlantic City. Elizabeth Melli, the mother of Malmgren's two children and his on-off partner, testified in court that he had been on an alcohol and pain-pill binge of several days when the accident happened. Malmgren initially pleaded not guilty and had rejected a plea agreement that required him to serve 25 years, reports the Press of Atlantic City. He pleaded guilty under a new plea agreement. Under New Jersey state law, the No Early Release Act, he will have to serve 85 per cent of the sentence, or 15.3 years before he is eligible for parole. | Joshua Malmgren, 33, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter charges .
In 2012, he hit and killed cousins Nioami Lazicki, 15, and Ashley Dauber, 13, as they walked home from a New Jersey playground .
He had a blood alcohol reading of .183, twice the legal limit, and admitted to taking prescription pills .
He was texting when he swerved into the shoulder of the road when the girls were walking .
He will likely receive two nine-year prison terms to be served consecutively . |
0d3e35bd32d98187ac7af76fee8429ea5f5feab3 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 12:20 EST, 13 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:28 EST, 13 March 2013 . Jailed: Odosa Usiobaifo, 35, from Enfield, was found guilty of conspiring to traffick young girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation . A man has been jailed for 14 years for his role in the 'horrific' ordeal of two teenage girls being trafficked via London to work as prostitutes in mainland Europe. A court heard Odosa Usiobaifo, 35, from Enfield, north London, was involved in a 'significant' organised crime gang trafficking young women for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Usiobaifo was arrested after two Nigerian girls missing from local authority care in London were given false passports and tickets and placed on a flight to Spain. The 35-year-old, who had collected . the girls from a pre-arranged meeting point before they were given the . false documents and put on the flight, was found guilty of conspiring to . traffick for the purposes of sexual exploitation following a four-week . trial at Isleworth Crown Court. He had pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration earlier in the trial. The . court heard the girls, aged 14 and 15 at the time, had previously been . stopped by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport separately on . September 17 and November 23 2011. Both were using false passports which . indicated they were adults. They had arrived on flights from Lagos, Nigeria, and were attempting to travel on to Paris, the trial heard. During . interviews with the Serious Organised Crime Agency's Vulnerable Persons . Team it became clear that the pair were being trafficked to mainland . Europe, via London, for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Scroll down for video . 'Organised crime group': Usiobaifo's arrest followed an investigation by Sussex Police, the UK Border Agency, Border Force and the Serious Organised Crime Agency . They . were placed in local authority care but on 6 April 2012 were reported . missing to Sussex Police by their respective foster carers. Investigations . revealed that contact had been made with the girls and Usiobaifo had . collected them from a pre-arranged meeting point before they were given . false passports and tickets and placed on a flight to Spain. One . of the girls was refused entry to Spain and returned to the UK, where . she remains in the care of the UK authorities. The other passed through . Spanish border controls and is still missing. 'Abhorrent': The two Nigerian girls are circled in red outside Heathrow Airport in this photograph . 'Horrific ordeal': Isleworth Crown Court heard the two Nigerian girls, seen at Heathrow Airport, were being trafficked via London to mainland Europe . Missing: One of the girls was refused entry to Spain and returned to the care of authorities in UK, the other is still missing . Usiobaifo was arrested at his flat in Enfield on 3 September 2012 alongside his partner Katie Igha, 25. Last . Thursday a jury found Usiobaifo guilty of all charges but acquitted . Igha of trafficking. They failed to reach a verdict on a charge of . conspiring to facilitate against Igha. Investigation: Odosa Usiobaifo is seen walking through Heathrow Airport in this image . Senior . investigating officer Jonathan Bush, from the UK Border Agency's . Criminal and Financial Investigation team, said: 'We believe our . investigation has disrupted a significant organised crime group . suspected of being involved in the trafficking of young women into . Europe through London. 'The ordeal these girls went through was horrific and tragically one of them remains missing. 'Working with Border Force, the police and SOCA we are determined to do all we can to stop the abhorrent crime of trafficking.' Chief . Inspector Jo Banks, who led the Sussex Police investigation into the . girls' disappearance, said: 'This was a joint investigation with the UK . Border Agency that led to the identification of Usiobaifo, and after a . complex investigation showed his involvement in an organised crime group . with the aim of trafficking young women for sexual exploitation. 'The . two girls went through a turbulent ordeal, clearly aware of what was . intended for them, and under the control of the traffickers. We will . continue to search for girl who remains missing.' A . joint UK Border Agency and Border Force investigation, codenamed . Operation Hudson, has involved law enforcement agencies in Britain and . abroad. It is targeting a number of organised crime groups suspected of . trafficking young women, via London, for the purposes of sexual . exploitation. | Odosa Usiobaifo, 35, admitted conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration .
Had collected two Nigerian girls to be placed on a flight from UK to Spain .
The girls, 14 and 15, had been in local authority care in London . |
0d3e7adfc63e36836dd9fc3eae1fce02e875a5b3 | These are the eerie images of an abandoned train yard in Hungary where visitors can see rotting carriages once used by the Nazis to transport hundreds of thousands of Jews to their deaths at Auschwitz concentration camp. The pictures, taken at the Istvantelek train workshop near Budapest, are a snapshot of a bygone era, with huge locomotives standing in a crumbling shed that is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The repair shop opened in the early 1900s and has witnessed 80 years of tumultuous Hungarian history that included the fall of a monarchy, Nazi occupation and transformation into communist state loyal to the Soviet Union. Among the decaying carriages are trains that look identical to those used by the Nazis to transport nearly 440,000 Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz between May and July 1944. British photographer Mathew Growcoot, 25, who entered the dilapidated building, described what it was like inside. 'The roof was falling to pieces but it made for dramatic effect as shafts of light pierced the otherwise dingy interior helping plant life to grow,' he said. 'It was definitely eerie being in there, I'd read online about the carriages being used by Nazis and some of them looked identical to the ones you can see in photographs taken at Auschwitz... It was shocking to think of the horrors that may have taken place on the carriages I was photographing,' he added. Scroll down for video . Rusting: A four-cylinder MAV 301 series which was in use 1911-1914 - one of only two left in the world - stands abandoned in the now derelict Istvantelek rail workshop in Budapest, Hungary . History: Connected to the MAV 301 series locomotive are carriages said to have been used by the Nazis to transport hundreds of thousands of Jews to their deaths at Auschwitz concentration camp . Past: A historic picture of a MAV 301 series train engine, which was widely in use in Hungary between 1911 and 1914 . Graffiti: British photographer Mathew Growcoot, 25, who entered the dilapidated building said: 'I'd read online about the carriages being used by Nazis and some of them looked identical to the ones you can see in photographs taken at Auschwitz' Deserted: The pictures, taken at the Istvantelek train workshop near Budapest, are a snapshot of a bygone era, with huge locomotives standing in a crumbling shed that is slowly being reclaimed by nature . Hungarian Jews are seen arriving at Aushwitz in carriages similar to the ones photographed in the derelict Istvantelek train yard . The interior of an abandoned Soviet-era train carriage is seen inside Hungary's Istvantelek rail workshop, near Budapest . British photographer Mathew Growcoot, 25, who entered the dilapidated building, described what it was like inside. 'The roof was falling to pieces but it made for dramatic effect as shafts of light pierced the otherwise dingy interior helping plant life to grow,' he said . Empty: Photographer Mr Growcoot said: 'It really brings the past to life when you can walk amongst historical artefacts. It makes you think about how far we have come in a relatively short space of time' A Soviet-era passenger carriage, complete with wooden steps, stands abandoned in the Istvantelek rail workshop . Chilling: An abandoned train carriage similar to one used by Nazis to transport Jews to Auschwitz during the Second World War . Massive: A large MAV class 424 locomotive stands abandoned in Istvantelek rail workshop near the Hungarian capital Budapest . Huge: Monolithic steam engine trains can be seen rusting at the repair yard, including the iconic MAV class 424. Weighing an astonishing 137 tonnes, Hungary produced 514 of these massive machines and they were used widely across Europe . Shelving designed to hold passengrs' bags are seen on an abandoned Soviet-era passenger carriage at Istvantelek rail workshop . A toilet is seen inside a small wooden cubicle onboard an abandoned Soviet-era passenger carriage at Istvantelek rail workshop . Trains stand abandoned in Istvantelek rail workshop in Budapest, Hungary. The images were taken on Sunday 12th October, 2014 . Historic: The repair shop opened in the early 1900s and has witnessed 80 years of tumultuous Hungarian history that included the fall of a monarchy, Nazi occupation and transformation into communist state loyal to the Soviet Union . Forgotten: Now the repair shop stands abandoned and overgrown and littered with the rusting shells of Soviet-era train carriages (pictured in this image and the one below) Eerie: One rusting passenger train contained old train tickets dating from 1967 - midway through the Soviet occupation of Hungary (pictured in this image and the three images below) Hungarian Jews are seen arriving at Aushwitz in carriages similar to the ones photographed in the derelict Istvantelek train yard . | Pictures taken at Istvantelek train workshop near Budapest show abandoned train engines and carriages .
Some of the trains were once used by Nazis to transport hundreds of thousands of Jews to Auschwitz .
Other carriages contain rail tickets from 1967 when Hungary was a communist state loyal to the Soviet Union . |
0d3f1314c639915b1d278e76284fde870e8f5b76 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:59 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:10 EST, 8 March 2013 . Earth is warmer today than it has been for most of the last 11,300 years, new research has shown. Scientists studied fossils recovered from 73 sites around the world to track global climate to the end of the last Ice Age. They found that for 70% to 80% of this period, which dates back to the start of the holocene era in which we now live, temperatures were cooler than they are now. Earth is warmer today than it has been for most of the last 11,300 years, new research has shown - and the team say the biggest change has been in the last 100 years since the start of the industrial age . Average global temperature over the last ~2,000 years. US scientists studied fossils recovered from 73 sites around the world to track global climate to the end of the last Ice Age - and found Earth is warmer today than it has been for most of the last 11,300 years . Lead researcher Dr Shaun Marcott, from Oregon State University in the US, said: 'We already knew that on a global scale, Earth is warmer today than it was over much of the past 2,000 years. 'Now we know that it is warmer than most of the past 11,300 years. 'This is of particular interest because the holocene spans the entire period of human civilisation.' The study, published in the journal Science, provides the first truly global view of climate at millennia timescales. Many previous temperature reconstructions have been based on regional data, according to co-author Professor Peter Clark, also from Oregon State University. 'When you just look at one part of the world, the temperature history can be affected by regional climate processes like El Nino or monsoon variations,' said Prof Clark. 'But when you combine the data from sites all around the world, you can average out those regional anomalies and get a clear sense of the Earth's global temperature history.' The research shows that over the past 5,000 years the Earth underwent an overall cooling of around 0.5C. An ice core taken from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide which was used in the study . But in just the last 100 years - since the start of the industrial age - it has warmed by the same amount. The biggest changes were in the northern hemisphere, where there is a greater density of human population. Climate models predict that by 2100 the global temperature could rise by another 1C - 6C depending on the level of greenhouse gas emissions. 'What is most troubling is that this warming will be significantly greater than at any time during the past 1,300 years,' said Professor Clark. The scientists point out that, because of its position relative to the Sun, the Earth should now be near the bottom of a long-term cooling trend. Yet this is clearly not the case. Candace Major, from the US National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences, which funded the research, said: 'The last century stands out as the anomaly in this record of global temperature since the end of the last Ice Age. 'This research shows that we've experienced almost the same range of temperature change since the beginning of the industrial revolution as over the previous 11,000 years of Earth history - but this change happened a lot more quickly.' | Scientists studied fossils recovered from 73 sites around the world to track global climate to the end of the last Ice Age .
Climate models predict that by 2100 the .
global temperature could rise by another 1C - 6C depending on the level .
of greenhouse gas emissions . |
0d402c33ca494f53438014d2b5793dc10b818bf7 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:24 EST, 19 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:24 EST, 19 August 2013 . We may think of vanity as a quintessentially human trait - but these photographs show that the animal world can be just as self-obsessed. When this penguin in the Antarctic caught sight of its reflection in a pool of water, it stood staring at itself for a whole 10 minutes. It paraded up and down the edge of the pool in the inlet of Neko Harbour - and although it repeatedly turned to leave, it kept rushing back to admire itself again. Vain: This penguin spent 10 minutes admiring its reflection in a pool of water in Neko Harbour, Antarctica . Intrigued: The bird appeared to be absolutely fascinated with the sight of itself in the water . Rare: It is unusual to get 'mirror calm' conditions because of the Antarctic's stormy weather . Anthony Pierce, the photographer who captured the remarkable snaps, said: 'The penguin was standing there for at least 10 minutes in total. 'It was turning its head from side to side and looking itself up and down repeatedly. It was actually looking itself in the eye sometimes. 'Some of the other penguins came to the water's edge, but they just drank some water from the pool and moved on. None of them looked at their reflection. 'Then the vain penguin came along. I was quite surprised by its behaviour.' Obsessive: The penguin kept walking away and then returning to look at itself once more . Fascinated: Other penguins went to the pool to drink, but did not stop to stare at themselves . He added: 'It almost seemed to have a bit of a strut as it left. 'Penguins are amazing animals. They have enormous character and personality on camera, which always makes for interesting photographs. 'They are also incredibly tough and resilient creatures; surviving in one of the harshest environments on earth.' Mr Pierce said that it was rare to see such a sight, because the conditions in the Antarctic are usually so windy that pools are almost never 'mirror calm'. Handsome? The penguin derived endless entertainment from the sight of itself . Strut: The penguin appeared pleased when it finally walked away, according to photographer Anthony Pierce . He said: 'It's really unusual to have perfect conditions like this. There has to be no breeze at all for a reflection shot like this to work. 'I can't ever remember seeing an animal take such an interest in its reflection before. 'It was a fantastic experience to witness this behaviour.' | Amazing pictures captured by Anthony Pierce at Neko Harbour in Antarctica . |
0d40f0a010432e049e02ce1197784c065d39f053 | A match between Memphis Tigers and BYU Cougars ended with a mass brawl as the two sets of players decided to take aim at each other, ending in a bloody fight. The Tigers, who were participating in the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl, should have been celebrating their win over the notoriously straight-laced BYU Cougars, but the players ended up dealing physical blows. Some were even seen using their protective helmets as weapons in order to get the better of their opponents after the tense game. The field was flooded with Memphis and BYU players in a bloody fight as the final whistle blew . BYU player Kai Nacua is facing expulsion after he was caught on camera punching an opponent . It has been an embarrassment for Brigham Young University's college team, which is grappling to wedge itself into the upper echelons of league football - while promoting the school's Mormon values. The Memphis Tigers had just won their first game in nine years, defeating the BYU Cougars 55-48. But Christian Stewart, on the losing side, closed the game by throwing an interception. And havoc ensued. The Tigers' Chase Johnson was caught on camera swinging his helmet into the head BYU center Tejan Koroma - who was fighting off four other opponents. Meanwhile BYU defensive Kai Nacua could be seen punching the back of an opponent's head, and now faces expulsion. Around them, players on both teams' benches descended on the field and piled on top of each other. The coaches can be seen trying to restrain anyone they come into contact with - to no avail. Memphis Tigers' Chase Johnson could be seen coming up behind a group lifting his helmet . Shockingly, Johnson launches over his team-mate's shoulder towards an opponent . He is then captured on camera swinging the helmet into the opponent's head . Twitter users fumed at the footage, which has sparked outrage across Memphis and Provo . Memphis Tigers and BYU Cougars players streamed onto the field at the end of the Miami Beach Bowl . It was a violent conclusion to the tense and exhilarating game, which Memphis won 55-48 . It was a bloody conclusion to what had been an exhilarating and tense contest. Paxton Lynch, a Memphis quarterback, scored four touchdowns, went for another three and passed for more than 300 yards. BYU's Stewart threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Tom Holmoe, BYU athletics director, tweeted an apology: 'We expect better of our athletes, even in the face of a difficult loss. We intend to fully review this matter. I apologise to Cougar Nation.' The outburst prompted a barrage of Twitter reaction and opinion columns in Salt Lake City, Utah, near where BYU is located. The Salt Lake Tribune's Gordon Monson wrote: 'It was sad. It was pathetic.' 'Totally disgusted with the BYU players complete lack of class,' one tweet read. Another user referenced the school's Honor Code, which - if violated - can warrant expulsion: 'BYU... Honor Code violation?' BYU's Latanoa Pikula tries to block one player from another as the brawl escalates . Memphis tight end Alan Cross bleeds from the head after footage showed him being punched . | Memphis Tigers beat BYU Cougars 55-48 in the Miami Beach Bowl .
Nearly all players were involved in fight after the season finale .
Players decided to use their helmets as weapons after the tense match .
Blood was shed and one player, Kai Nacua, faces expulsion . |
0d411b8513446df935eaa85181f1955682e69591 | By . Australian Associated Press . and Sarah Dean . Career criminal Christopher Dean 'Badness' Binse is back behind bars after stealing $235,000 from a Melbourne hotel and shooting at police in a 44-hour siege. The hardened thug threatened two armed guards with a sawn-off shotgun during the armed robbery in March 2012 and pulled a gun on plain clothes police officers he thought were assassins sent to kill him. When police tracked him to his home in Melbourne's north-western suburbs in May 2012, he fired at them sporadically over 44 hours before teargas ended the dramatic stand-off. Scroll down for video . Banged up: Christopher Binse is back in jail after stealing $235,000 from a Melbourne hotel and shooting at police in a 44-hour siege . The 45-year-old was just 24 when a Victorian judge first told him to stop robbing banks and stay out of jail. But 21 years later, he clearly hasn't learnt his lesson. His most recent convictions are the latest chapter in a criminal history that has led to Binse spending more than half his 45 years in jail. Victorian Supreme Court Justice Terry Forrest said on Friday that Binse's prospects for rehabilitation were poor. The seige: Video footage showed 'Badness' shooting at police officers during a stand-off on 23 May 2012 . Not backing down: Mr Binse kept the seige going for 44-hours at an East Keilor home in Melbourne's north west . 'Your prior record and the gravity of your current offending necessarily leads me to conclude that the community needs to be protected from you,' he said. 'There is obviously a powerful need to deter you from reoffending.' He sentenced the Keilor East man to 18 years and two months in jail, with a non-parole period of 14 years and two months. Justice Forrest quoted former Victorian County Court judge Leo Lazarus, who in sentencing Binse in 1993 said his offending was 'about as bad as bank robberies can be'. Justice Forrest said Binse's armed robbery and police siege had put lives in danger. 'When such crimes are committed, they cause terror to those immediately involved and apprehension in the wider community,' Justice Forrest said. Not afraid: Chris Bines has served 28 of the past 32 years in some form of detention . Shocking: A police photo shows the guns, pistols, ammunition and explosives that were tendered to the court in the Binse case . 'You fired at or near police officers who were simply doing their job.' The 45-year-old pleaded guilty to charges including armed robbery and possessing guns. He had also been charged with making a threat to kill police who confronted him at La Porchetta restaurant, in Nidrie, in Melbourne's north-west, but was acquitted in a February trial. When police searched his storage unit after he was arrested in May 2012, they found an arsenal of weapons, including a 1928 'Tommy gun' sub-machinegun. Binse told police he had the guns because he feared for his life after a prisoner, who cannot be named, threatened to kill him. The notorious armed robber is famous for once taunting police with a newspaper ad, 'Badness is Back', the day after he committed an armed robbery. Binse has a habit for telling his victims: 'Thanks very much.' He once sent Christmas cards to detectives, showing Santa carrying bags with dollar signs on them. The cocky criminal, who was declared 'uncontrollable' aged 14, has tried to escape from custody eight times. In September, 1992, he escaped from the St Vincent's Hospital security ward in Melbourne, with the help of a smuggled gun. He was arrested in Sydney and banged up in Parramatta jail, where he then escaped soon after as prison officers fired shots at him. While serving a 71⁄2-year term for armed robberies in 1997, he became the only Victorian prisoner to be shackled in leg irons and handcuffs 23 hours a day. He lost an appeal to have his limbs freed. In 2011 the notorious armed robber and prison escapee tried to sue Victoria over two alleged jailhouse assaults. He claimed the injuries he suffered during assaults in jail were caused by the State of Victoria's negligence. At the age of 14 Christopher Dean Binse was declared uncontrollable and put in Turana boys' home in Melbourne. At 17 he was sent to Pentridge Prison, Victoria, and upon his release started to commit more serious crimes including numerous armed bank robberies. He was given the nickname 'Badness' by a friend in Pentridge in 1988. In September, 1992, he escaped from the St Vincent's Hospital security ward in Melbourne, using a smuggled gun left in the hospital. In the same year, he was arrested in Sydney and escaped soon after from Parramatta jail while prison officers fired shots at him. He was finally re-arrested in December, 1992, by police at a house near Daylesford, Victoria. In 1993, Binse was the leader of a plan to free up to 30 of Victoria's most dangerous prisoners inside Pentridge's then top security H Division. In 1996, he was jailed for 6 1/2 years over the 1992 armed robbery of a Commonwealth Bank, theft of more than $36,000 and escape from Long Bay. In 1997, he lost an appeal against a ruling allowing wardens to put him in leg irons and handcuffs. In 2001, Binse was one of the first inmates of the $20 million high-security jail within the Goulburn Correctional Centre, NSW. In 2005, he was released from the super max jail after serving his full sentence and called for improved rehabilitation programs. While back in jail in Port Phillip Prison in 2011, the notorious armed robber and prison escapee tried to sue Victoria over two alleged jailhouse assaults. He claimed the assaults happened at Barwon Prison in May 2006, and at Marngoneet Prison in July 2007. Soon after his November 2011 release from prison, Binse said he was assaulted 'by four bikies' and spoke about fears for his safety to another man, who was later shot dead. In March 2012 he pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of two guards at the Westside Hotel at Laverton, in Melbourne. On 23 May 2012 'Badness' was arrested after the 44-hour siege at an East Keilor home in Melbourne's north west, where he fired several shots at police. Binse has served 28 of the past 32 years in some form of detention. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Hardened criminal stole thousands from a Melbourne hotel in March 2012 .
45-year-old then barricaded himself inside his home and shot at police .
Threatened two armed guards with a sawn-off shotgun .
Has already spent more than half of his life in jail . |
0d4140b9aea7062ca7c59138f6293089688fef8b | By . Stuart Roberts . PUBLISHED: . 11:21 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:35 EST, 7 November 2013 . A British farmer has cultivated a 'tree of fire' that has yielded over 1,000 of the world's hottest chillies. Joy Michaud, 55, has a glut of the . Dorset Naga chillies on her hands and just one of the pungent red fruits is thought to contain more heat than eight vindaloo curries. They measure an eye-watering 1.2 million units on the Scoville heat scale, compared to a mere 30,000 in the average red chilli. Chilli out: Joy Michaud with a bowl of the Dorset Nagas. The chilli is grown from the Naga Morich, native to north-east India but given a British twist by Mrs Michaud on her farm in Sea Spring Seeds, Dorset . The Naga, originally native to north-east India rather than south-west England, usually has 800,000 Scoville units - the scale used to measure chilli heat. But their heat has been turned up this year thanks to the red hot summer. Mrs Michaud has now submitted an application to Guinness World Records. She started growing the chillies in 2005 and sells the wickedly fiery treats at the local farmer's market - eight for three pounds to the bravest customers. While handling the dangerous fruit the farmer two pairs of latex gloves and a plastic mackintosh to protect her skin from the heat. She also advises that people wear goggles or glasses while preparing the chilli and to tie long hair back. Just a small taste can cause burning eyes, a streaming nose, and uncontrollable hiccups. Warning signs: The chillis come with there own caution, warning customers . of their ferocity while (right) Mrs Michaud smiles next to this years' bumper haul . Hope there are no holes in those gloves: Super hot chillis like Dorset Naga contains capsaicin which, although sweat-inducingly hot, actually relaxes blood vessels and can reduce blood pressure . Safety first: Farmers are forced to wear two layers of latex gloves while picking the fruit. Of course, a metal bowl is probably safer . Joy, 55, who originally hails from America, said: "It really is astonishing to think about how much heat is on this plant. 'It is holding more heat than any other I can think of. The most chillies we have ever had on a plant is about 700. 'I believe this plant has over 1,000 chillies on it so extra care will need to be taken when we pick all the fruit from it. Small beginnings: The innocent looking seedling (right) will go on to produce chillis 120 times hotter than a jalepeno while Mrs Michaud (left) smiles next to one of the fully grown plants . 'Not only that, but they are much hotter this year than ever before with an average reading of 1.2 million on the Scoville Heat Scale. 'This could be because of the warm summer as the hotter the weather, the hotter the chilli. 'The Dorset Naga chillies are so full of chemicals they can be quite dangerous, if their skin is intact they are ok, but if not, precautions must be taken. 'When I am picking or preparing them I wear two layers of latex gloves and I change them every 15 minutes as the chemicals will seep through and inflame the skin. 'I have applied to the Guinness World Records and am waiting to hear back from them.' The Scoville scale is named after its creator Wilbur Scoville. His method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test. The higher the number, the more potent the chill:- . Spice up your life: Chilli peppers come in all shapes, sizes and hotness. 855,000–1,463,700: Dorset Naga, Infinity Chilli, Bhut Jolokia chili pepper, Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper, Bedfordshire Super Naga, 7-Pot Chili . 350,000–580,000: Red Savina habanero . 100,000–350,000: Habanero chili, Scotch bonnet pepper, Datil pepper, Rocoto, Piri Piri Ndungu, Madame Jeanette, Peruvian White Habanero, Jamaican hot pepper, . 50,000–100,000: Byadgi chilli, Bird's eye chili, Malagueta pepper, Chiltepin pepper, Piri piri, Pequin pepper, Siling Labuyo . 30,000–50,000: Guntur chilli, Cayenne pepper, Ají pepper, Tabasco pepper, Cumari pepper . 10,000–23,000: Serrano pepper, Aleppo pepper . 3,500–8,000: Espelette pepper, Jalapeño pepper, Chipotle, Guajillo pepper, New Mexican peppers, Hungarian wax pepper, Tabasco sauce . 1,000–2,500: Anaheim pepper, Poblano pepper, Rocotillo pepper, Peppadew, Sriracha sauce, Gochujang . 100–900: Pimento, Peperoncini, Banana pepper, Cubanelle . | Super hot chillies are 120 times spicier than a jalapeno .
Farmer started growing the chillies in 2005 .
Scorching summer leads to this years' huge harvest .
The potent Dorset Naga pepper is being sent to Guinness Book of Records .
Each one measures 1.2 million on the Scoville scale .
Growers forced to wear goggles and gloves just to handle the spicy fruit . |
0d41c4a8c18bd4e871dd01edf7805fd229bd20ce | A counselor in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community was found guilty Monday of sexually abusing a girl over a period of three years in a case that one victim's advocate described as marking "a new era." Nechemya Weberman, 54, was found guilty on all 59 counts he was facing, including sexual conduct against a child. He faces a possible sentence of 117 years in prison, the Kings County District Attorney's office said. The abuse began in 2007, when the girl's parents hired the unlicensed counselor to help their then-12-year-old daughter; it continued -- mostly in his office -- until 2010, the district attorney's office said in a news release. The victim, who testified at trial, is now 17, it said. Pearl Reich, a former Orthodox Jew who identifies herself as a victim's advocate, said the verdict ushers in "a new era for the Jewish religious community." Reich told CNN affiliate WCBS that the victim will need a lot of help, but that Weberman's conviction is part of the healing process. "We're very hopeful that this will lead to other young women in this community and other communities understanding that they can come forward," District Attorney Charles Hynes told reporters. "They will be protected." The case highlighted practices of the conservative Satmar Hasidic community, many of whom live in the insular Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Joel Engelman, an advocate against sexual abuse among Orthodox Jews who described himself as a survivor of such abuse, said it is rare for respected members of the community to face such allegations in court. In the past, members of the community have intimidated and pressured those who have accused their leaders of sexual abuse, he said. The case came to light last year, when four men were arrested and accused of trying to bribe Weberman's victim and her boyfriend to get them to drop the case against Weberman, a spokesman for the district attorney said. "There was a huge fundraiser for the accused Weberman, and the entire community structure was filled with propaganda and hate against the victim in an effort to shut (her and her family) up," Engelman said. "Thankfully, the courage of the young survivor has been tremendous, and she was able to withstand and go through with the process." George Farkas, Weberman's attorney, was not available for comment. Sentencing is set for January 9. | The abuse began when the girl was 12 .
Weberman was found guilty on all 59 counts .
He faces a possible sentence of 117 years in prison .
District attorney expresses hope that others will come forward . |
0d4254ab5376e449171215e7b51a6a6a9a4b2e64 | Ryse has divided opinion. In one corner, gamers were astounded by its undeniable beauty. In the other, the short, button-mashing playable demo at this year's E3 left many thinking Ryse was a case of all style but no substance. You play Marius Titus, a young Roman soldier whose family is murdered by barbarian bandits. Fuelled by revenge, Titus enlists in the Roman army, travelling to Britannia and rising through the ranks to become leader of one of the deadliest military forces in history. Photorealistic? Thanks to CryEngine 3, the powerhouse that fuelled Crysis 3, facial detail across the board is truly next-gen . Powered by the CryEngine 3, gameplay revolves around third-person hacking and slashing. Hammering different buttons unleashes unique combos, while certain moves trigger Quick Time events for brutal finishing attacks. It's a tried and tested formula but the level of detail in the brutality is something current-gen consoles have never been able to capture. Using advanced Vertex animation, you'll see the anger in your foes eyes as they charge at you. Their determination as they swing a sword frantically at your head. And their fear when they stare at your sword hurtling towards their mid-section. What's perhaps even more impressive is that this attention to detail isn't lost on a larger scale. Every soldier on the screen is painstakingly animated - not just floating vaguely in the background. Add to the mix Crytek's Virtual Camera hardware that manipulates lighting, the environment and other effects in real-time, and you've got an incredibly life-like interpretation of battles in that period. Perhaps less realistic are Titus's movements during combat. There's a clever multi-directional attack function - allowing you to take on more than one enemy, but Titus 'glides' around like he's on an ice rink. Hit detection, too, needed some work. Rome, sweet Rome: Although the demo focused sly on action, gamers can expect an enthralling story . Ryse is also Kinect and SmartGlass compatible. Through Kinect, you can command your troops in real time via voice recognition technology, while SmartGlass lets you launch the game where you left off. As well as upgrading your character, the in-game DVR lets players review and share the best experiences from their game directly from their tablet, while context-sensitive achievements and guides help you unlock as many secrets as possible. Anyone who played the Last of Us demo will know just how far away that is from the full game. It was so much more than simply killing zombies. Xbox fans will hope the same applies to Ryse. Ryse is an Xbox One exclusive launch title. Let us know what you think on Twitter: @DailyMailGames and on Facebook: Daily Mail Games. | Powered by CryEngine 3 - behind Crysis 3 .
Stunning looks, especially in the character models .
Xbox One Kinect and SmartGlass integration .
Concerns over 'simplistic' E3 demo . |
0d42600041b88a754e5479f707ab4ef0a5e9d254 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 06:22 EST, 13 January 2012 . Nearly half of Mormons say church members face significant discrimination in the United States, and a third believe voters are not ready to elect Mitt Romney, or any other member of their church, president. A survey of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life comes as the former Massachusetts governor fights to keep his GOP front-runner status. The campaign moves next to the January 21 primary in South Carolina, where evangelical voters are key. Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who is Mormon, is also seeking the Republican nomination. Front-runner: Mitt Romney's campaign has been emphasising values that Mormons and conservative Christians share . LDS church leaders have long . complained that critics take obscure or outdated Mormon teachings and . describe them as core doctrine. The church cast aside the teaching of . polygamy in 1890, and in 1978, abolished the barrier that kept those of . African descent from full participation in the church. In the latest Pew . survey, only two per cent of Mormons said polygamy is morally . acceptable. The Pew study found that almost half of Mormons in the U.S. consider themselves more discriminated against than African Americans. Despite the prejudice Mormons feel, a . majority expressed optimism about their future. The question of religion: Republican presidential candidate Governor Jon Huntsman is another Mormon seeking the nomination . More than 60 per cent . believe Americans are moving toward acceptance of Mormonism but 32 per . cent don't believe the U.S. is ready to accept a Latter-day Saint as . president. An overwhelming majority of Mormon voters hold favourable . views of Romney, the poll found. In the 2012 race, Romney has not . directly addressed theological differences between his faith and . historic Christianity, as he did in his first bid for the nomination, . with a 2007 faith-and-values speech in Texas, Instead, his campaign has . been emphasizing values that Mormons and conservative Christians share. About 77 per cent of Mormons in the . survey identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, and most hold . much stronger conservative views than the general public. Three-quarters . support a smaller government that provides fewer services. The same . percentage say having an abortion is morally wrong. Two-thirds believe . homosexuality should be discouraged. Rank-and-file Mormons reflect the . strong emphasis throughout the LDS church on family. Asked their life . priorities, a large majority of respondents listed being a good parent . and having a successful marriage. Worship: Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah, a popular tourist destination owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Latter-day Saints also have a high . level of religious observance that surpasses even the most devout . American Christians. Three-quarters of Mormons said they attended . religious services weekly or more, compared to 64 per cent of white . evangelicals and 42 per cent of white Catholics. Two-thirds of Mormons . say they pray several times a day, compared to half of evangelicals and . about one-third of Catholics. The poll of 1,019 Mormons was . conducted October 25 through November 16 of last year and has a margin . of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points: . How much do Americans know about Mormonism Great deal/Some 37%Not too much/nothing 62%Don't know 1%A lot of discrimination against Mormons?Yes 46%No 51%Don't know 3%Others see Mormonism as mainstream?Yes 28%No 68%Other/Don't know 5%Acceptance of Mormonism is...Rising 63%Falling 5%Not changing 29%Don't know 3%U.S. ready for a Mormon president?Yes 56%No 32%Depends/Don't know 12%Source: Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life . Since 1994, a group of evangelical . and Mormon scholars who have been meeting to discuss theology, focusing . on their shared beliefs. All but two percent of Mormons in the Pew . survey said they believe that Jesus was resurrected. Nearly all believe . the Bible is the word of God and describe themselves Christian or . 'Christ-centred'. However, Mormons just as strongly hold beliefs that traditional Christians consider heretical. The study showed that Mormons and . white evangelicals share an intense commitment to family life, prayer, . the Bible and conservative politics, including support for the . Republican Party and smaller government, but the two groups strongly . hold divergent religious beliefs. Conservative Christians, including . Protestants and Roman Catholics, generally do not consider Mormons to be . Christian, but it is unclear what role those objections will play in . South Carolina vote and beyond. Surveys have found that Republicans with . the strongest objections to Mormonism also are among the fiercest . opponents to President Barack Obama, and would back a Mormon in the . general election. All but six per cent of Mormons . believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, physical . beings, a rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity, in which God, the . Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit coexist and share one substance. Joseph Smith became Mormonism's . founding prophet after he said he experienced visions during the late . 1820s. He said he was told not to join any church because they all held . wrong beliefs. An angel, he said, then directed him to gold plates that . had been buried in the ground in upstate New York, which Smith then . translated as the Book of Mormon. Nearly all Mormons in the survey said . they believe the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets and that . the president of the LDS church is a prophet of God. The Pew Forum estimates that Mormons . comprise less than two per cent of the U.S. population, are overwhelming . white and in the West. Nearly six in ten Mormons said that most or all . of their close friends are also Mormon. The LDS church has been running a . multimillion-dollar advertising campaign featuring the personal stories . of Mormons hoping to educate the public. The poll of 1,019 Mormons was . conducted October 25 through November 16 of last year and has a margin . of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. | Forty-six per cent of Mormons believe they are discriminated against .
Sixty-two per cent believe Americans know little to nothing about their religion .
Thirty-two per cent don't believe the U.S. is ready for a Mormon president . |
0d429475f20b4ef8c01dd7242f1db63bea4e5f28 | Washington (CNN) -- They have become staples of many cable and broadcast television stations: high-speed, often dangerous police pursuits of fleeing motorists, videotaped and packaged into such shows as "World's Wildest Police Chases." In an appeal that came to the Supreme Court, the issue was: When do such incidents cross over into the realm of "violent felonies" that could lead to increased jail time? The justices, by a 6-3 vote Thursday, dismissed an appeal from an Indiana man who received an enhanced federal sentence because of prior serious offenses, one of which was for trying to escape in a vehicle. Justice Anthony Kennedy said that while the federal law in question does not specifically mention dangerous car chases, they clearly are the kind of crime that deserves to be treated more seriously. "Risk of violence is inherent to vehicle flight," Kennedy said. "It is well known that when offenders use motor vehicles as their means of escape they create serious potential risks of physical injury to others. Flight from a law enforcement officer invites, even demands, pursuit." Marcus Sykes had pleaded guilty to felony possession of a firearm, a federal offense. He had attempted to rob two people at gunpoint, according to court records. He also had at least three prior felonies on his record, including an armed robbery. It was the third felony that concerned the high court. Indiana's "resisting law enforcement" law provides various criteria, depending on the circumstances, for those who flee officers. Sykes had at one time used a vehicle to escape after an officer had ordered him to stop, which is a felony under state law. Officers had noticed Sykes driving without headlights, and when police flashed their emergency sirens, the suspect took off and a chase ensued. Prosecutors said Sykes drove on the wrong side of the road and through yards with residents nearby, then rammed a fence and finally crashed into a house. He fled on foot and was eventually captured, thanks to a police dog in pursuit. Under the federal Armed Criminal, Career Criminal Act, Sykes received a mandatory minimum 15-year prison term for the gun possession charge, enhanced because of his past criminal record. The law was designed to get tough with habitual felons through longer sentences. Sykes appealed, admitting he fled police and that it was a felony, but he argued it was not violent" The federal law labels as violent felonies such offenses such as burglary, arson or extortion, or where there is "conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another." Kennedy said the "serious potential risk" standard applies to Sykes' driving behavior, since he repeatedly refused to pull over and submit to custody. "As that pursuit continues, the risk of an accident accumulates," Kennedy wrote. "And having chosen to flee, and thereby commit a crime, the perpetrator has all the more reason to avoid capture." This is the fourth time in the past four years the high court has tried to clarify the meaning of "violent felony" under the so-called residual clauses of the federal law. In a typically sharp dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia said the law, like the majority's efforts to interpret its boundaries, is ultimately a failure. "Today's opinion will sow further confusion," he wrote. "Insanity, it has been said, is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Four times is enough" in trying to clarify what are violent felonies under the career-criminal law. He said the statute should be declared "void for vagueness." Justice Elena Kagan also dissented, but for far different reasons. She said that under the state's own guidelines, Sykes' conduct was clear: there was no aggravated vehicular flight. "Because petitioner Marcus Sykes was convicted only of simple vehicular flight, and not of any flight offense involving aggressive or dangerous activity, I would find he did not commit a 'violent felony'" under the federal law. Supported by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kagan said states properly distinguish among various types of efforts to escape police, and that the high court should have relied on those state standards to make its ruling, rather than trying to parse the federal law's definition of "violent" felony, which does not specifically include vehicular flight. Kennedy in his ruling cited a study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police showing that at least 7,737 police chases were reported nationwide from 2001 through 2007. Those pursuits resulted in 313 injuries to police and bystanders, or a rate of about 4-in-100. There was no indication whether the pursuit of Sykes was videotaped by a police dashboard camera, and if so, whether that visual record was used against him in the trial or subsequent appeals. The case was Sykes v. United States (09-11311). | "Risk of violence is inherent to vehicle flight," Justice Anthony Kennedy says .
The court rejects the argument that a car chase shouldn't lead to a stricter sentence .
Justice Scalia dissents, saying the law should be declared "void for vagueness'
Justices Kagan and Ginsburg, in a separate dissent, argue there was no violent felony . |
0d43b97000ff852282c89d8d105e41495c0ee9bd | Pill-popper: German dictator Adolf Hitler allegedly was a manic depressive with Parkinson¿s, had deformed genitals, had no libido and devoured a cocktail of drugs . Adolf Hitler was a drug-abusing hypochondriac with deformed genitals who regularly consumed a cocktail of amphetamines, bull semen, rat poison and morphine when he sent millions of innocent people to their death. That's according to a new explosive TV documentary based on recently-discovered records and letters from the Nazi leader's obese personal physician, Dr Theodore Morell. In a desperate attempt to show his followers he was the epitome of male virility, the 5ft 8ins German leader downed more than 80 different drugs each day - a shocking habit that some psychiatrists and . historians believe turned an egomaniac into a sadistic mass murderer. According to National Geographic's Nazi Underworld - Hitler's Drug Use Revealed, psychiatrist Professor Nassir Ghaemi claims Hitler's drug abuse exacerbated his manic depression, reducing him to a feeble, trembling figure. 'It’s not whether . Hitler was an amphetamine addict or not – it’s that Hitler had bipolar . disorder and amphetamines made it worse,' he said. 'That . is the issue. That has never been described before and that would . explain a lot why Hitler changed in the late 1930s and the 1940s.' According to the Irish Mirror, a series of letters and medical reports on Hitler commissioned by the U.S. military after the war were released in America, among them interviews with the Fuhrer's six doctors including Morell. The 47-page classified report stated Hitler had chronic eczema, persistent stomach cramps and appalling flatulence. No-one was able to cure the leader's afflictions - until Morell prescribed live bacteria which eased the cramps. A delighted Hitler made Morell his personal physician for nine years, even though his aides called the 'Reichsmaster of injections' a 'quack', 'phony' and 'charlatan'. The . reports show Hitler snorted powdered cocaine to 'clear his sinuses . and soothe his throat' and used eye-drops infused with 10 per cent cocaine. His dosage was lowered when he began to 'crave' the illicit drug. In his drug cabinet, the controversial doctor kept gun-cleaning oil which had been banned from human consumption and . flatulence pills made from rat poison. Morell's methods were so controversial, other doctors believed he was a 'double agent' trying to poison Hitler who was experiencing 'rapid double cycling'. 'Some of his American interrogators . wondered whether he was a double agent, trying to make Hitler so . dysfunctional that he couldn’t win, couldn’t achieve what he wanted,' Ghaemi said. Mis-medication? Hitler's physician Dr Theodore Morell ¿ dubbed the ¿Reichsmaster of injections¿ by Nazis - allegedly prescribed the Fuhrer a cocktail of drugs . Addict: Recently-discovered records and letters from his physician reveal Hitler was prescribed a cocktail of more than 80 different drugs . The report also state Morell injected Hitler with extracts from the . prostate glands or ground testicles of young bulls to boost his libido so he could keep up with his much-younger lover. 'Morell gave Hitler a . preparation called Testoviron, a kind of testosterone preparation, . usually before Hitler was going to spend a night with Eva Braun,' Cambridge . University historian Richard Evans said. 'Eva . Braun was young and much fitter. Hitler was much older, he was lazy, he . didn’t take much exercise and I’m sure he asked Dr Morell to help . him out before he went to bed with Braun.” Morell’s . notes also reveal the dictator feared cancer and was paranoid about catching the common cold. Morell . treated Hitler throughout the war even though other Nazi doctors . blamed him for the dictator’s dramatic deterioration and hyperactive gabbling. The Irish Mirror reports the doctor confessed to administering opiates, morphine, . barbiturates and amphetamines when he was captured by the Allies and accused of criminal . negligence. The revelations have led some historians to speculate whether Hitler's extreme and erratic war-mongering was influenced by his drug addiction. However others fear the claims feed Hitler excusers and . neo-Nazis. 'Just 48 . hours before his death Hitler dictated his will, as lucid and alert as . ever. His mental capabilities were normal,' Hans-Joachim . Neumann, author of Was Hitler Ill?, said. 'The Jews were not wiped out because Hitler was ill, but because . most Germans followed his decisions. Hitler always knew what he was . doing.' | Hitler was a manic depressive hypochrondriac with deformed genitals, according to a National Geographic documentary .
Medical documents show Hitler's top physician fed him 80 drugs a day, including rat poison, amphetamines, bull semen and morphine .
He also allegedly snorted powdered cocaine to 'clear his sinuses .
and soothe his throat'
Holocaust-deniers claim Hitler's addiction impaired his judgement . |
0d4404c55bb46c414e939e3f0134dc07fbaf22cd | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 4:23 PM on 3rd January 2012 . He was the last member of the Republican party to hold office in the White House - but it seems none of the new candidates want to talk about him. George W. Bush, the two-term U.S. President who finished just three years ago, has hardly been mentioned on the GOP campaign trail so far. No contenders have embraced a legacy of huge budget deficits, two wars and record low approval ratings - or blame him for America’s troubles. Not remembered: George W. Bush, a two-term President who finished just three years ago, has hardly been mentioned on the GOP campaign trail so far . The seven contenders often criticise Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama - but only fleeting references have been made to President Bush. However his name was brought up by a voter in a question to Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who is often critical of U.S. military engagements abroad. ‘We've had, in the past, a couple of presidents from Texas that said they weren't interested in wars - like George W. Bush,’ the voter said. ‘My question is - how can we trust another Texan?’ Analyst Jack Pitney said Republicans 'talk a lot about losing their way during the last decade' and are 'talking about the Bush years'. ‘For Republicans, the Bush administration has become the "yadda yadda yadda" period of American history,’ the political science professor added. Targets: The seven contenders often criticise Ronald Reagan, right, and Barack Obama, left - but only fleeting references have been made to President Bush . When the eight-year Bush presidency does surface it's often a point of criticism, with a former Pennsylvania senator coming in with an attack. 'For Republicans, the Bush administration has become the "yadda yadda yadda" period of American history' Jack Pitney . Candidate Rick Santorum told CNN on Sunday that he regretted voting for the No Child Left Behind education law Bush championed. The former president himself has been all but invisible since leaving office in 2009 with a Gallup approval rating of just 34 per cent. Bill Clinton had a 66 per cent approval rating in 2001 when he stepped down after two terms marred by a sex scandal and impeachment. The presidential contest has been dominated by concerns over the weak economy, government spending and the $15trillion federal debt. But Republicans controlled Congress for six of the eight years President Bush was in power, clearing the way for many of his policies to be enacted. Contender: Rick Santorum told CNN on Sunday that he regretted voting for the No Child Left Behind education law George W. Bush championed . President Obama's policies, including the federal stimulus programme and car industry bailout, have swollen the deficit and deepened the debt. 'I think Bush has made America a safer nation and better nation and I'm proud of it. But politics isn't about what's fair, it's about winning' Ari Fleischer . He often falls back on complaints about the bad situation he inherited when seeking to defend his own economic performance. But while he may often like to blame the Bush years, GOP presidential contenders seem just as eager to pretend those years never happened. ‘Sad to say, they're looking at polling data that indicates they're better off not bringing him into the campaign,’ ex-Bush spin doctor Ari Fleischer said. ‘I think President Bush has made America a safer nation and better nation and I'm proud of it. But politics isn't about what's fair - it's about winning.’ Taking office in 2001 with a balanced . federal budget and a surplus, he pushed through sweeping tax cuts that . were not offset by spending cuts. Unpopular: George W. Bush left office with an approval rating of 34 per cent . The tax cuts have cost about $1.8trillion and were set to expire after 10 years, but President Obama . allowed them to remain in place temporarily. That was in exchange for a jobless benefits extension and a payroll tax cut. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after . the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 were never budgeted and have cost . taxpayers $1.4trillion so far. Bush signed legislation in 2003 . enacting a prescription drug benefit as part of Medicare, projected to . cost as much as $1.2trillion over 10 years. The Troubled Asset Relief Program, the bank bailout programme widely loathed by many conservatives, was another Bush-era program. Congress authorised nearly $700billion . in response to the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers and the subsequent financial crisis in autumn 2008. | George W. Bush only left White House three years ago .
But no GOP candidates have blamed him for troubles .
Bush had approval rating of 34% when leaving office . |
0d449a73dad18ca72307e60852b6aadda766633d | Maria C. Waltherr-Willard (pictured) tried to sue her school district for discrimination after claiming she had a phobia of young children . An Ohio school teacher who tried to sue her school district for discrimination after claiming she had a phobia of young children has had her case thrown out by court. Maria C. Waltherr-Willard, of Greenhills, Ohio, had worked as a high school French and Spanish teacher but alleged the school district reassigned her to teach junior high as a way of expediting her exit. The 63-year-old said she suffered from pedophobia, a fear of young children, and claimed the Mariemont school district knew of her condition and still assigned her to teach younger aged students. But she lost her appeal at a three-judge panel of the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. The teacher claimed she had suffered from pedophobia since the 1990s and had been told by school district that she would not have to teach young children. Mariemont sent Willard to a psychiatrist for an independent evaluation, which confirmed that her 'mental state...would disable her from teaching [children under 12].' For the next twelve years, Willard remained at the high school, where she taught all levels of French and the introductory course in Spanish. Ms Willard had worked as a high school French and Spanish teacher but alleged Mariemont High School (pictured) reassigned her to teach junior high as a way of forcing her to quit . Eventually, Mariemont decided to move its French courses online, which meant that the high school no longer needed a French teacher. The school district's superintendent, Paul Imhoff, met with the high-school principal, James Renner, to discuss what to do with Ms Willard. Mr Renner told Mr Imhoff about Willard's pedophobia and so he decided to transfer her to middle school. Ms Willard did not object to the new assignment, and later expressed 'enthusiasm' for teaching middle school children. Willard began teaching at the middle school in September 2010. Six months later, she asked Mr Imhoff to send her back to the high school, saying that her talents were 'underutilized' at the middle school and that another year there would have 'further detrimental impact on [her] health.' Mr Imhoff responded that '[t]here are currently no openings at Mariemont High School for the next year, but I will keep your request on file.' Shortly thereafter, Ms Willard retired. The teacher claimed her move to middle school caused her blood pressure to soar - but her case was rejected . Two years later, she brought the lawsuit against the school saying her transfer to the middle school had triggered her phobia. She claimed it caused her blood pressure to soar and forced her to retire in the middle of the 2010-11 school year. But the federal court upheld the decision of the lower court saying it was correct in ruling in the school district's favor on the various claims, including age and disability discrimination. It said Ms Willard had asked to school to employ her at the high school as a full-time Spanish teacher (on account of her disability), but it already had one and so did not need another. It also said she was not discriminated against for her age, as her replacement was 'not substantially younger than she was'. The court also rejected her claim she was treated with 'ridicule and insult' as any emails circulated behind her back did not refer to her age or pedophobia. | Maria C. Waltherr-Willard tried to sue her school district for discrimination .
Claimed she had a phobia of young children but has had case thrown out .
Alleged the school knew but still assigned her to teach younger pupils .
But not needed as French teacher as school moved to online courses .
School also did not need another Spanish teacher in the high school . |
0d449d42494c4a284de9680463ef4f6b51939f73 | (Mashable) -- Facebook released a new version of its Questions feature on Thursday, the result of nearly a year of beta testing. The new version of Questions takes the focus off public inquiries (a service already dominated by Q&A sites like Quora) and instead focuses on soliciting recommendations from friends. "There are a lot of places you can go on the internet to ask questions of people who you don't know, but there are very few places you can go to get responses from your friends," said Adrian Graham, a project manager for Questions. "We thought that this is where we should focus." The updated version will be rolled out to current testers first. When they start asking questions, the feature will automatically be pushed to their friends. Those who don't want to wait for a friend to ask a question on their profile in order to use the new feature can download it here. For now, the feature is only available in English. Here's a quick look at the new product: . Asking a question . When asking a question, users have an option to create a poll with restricted answers or one that allows anybody to add answers. The latter option is helpful if, for instance, they want to ask their friends for restaurant recommendations. Generally, this type of question only requires a short answer, but it's not as though there are a limited number of options. Friends can add their favorite restaurants to the answer list easily, and if they have something else to say can write it in an attached comment section. For questions that don't work with a poll format (i.e. "Can we have a long discussion about the meaning of life?"), this comment section becomes the answer section. When we last checked in on the product in July, wall posts about Questions merely referenced isolated pages where friends could respond. Now questions can be answered and commented on within newsfeeds and profile pages. When a friend participates, the question is also posted to his or her profile page. Hypothetically, a compelling question could spread to every Facebook user in this way. Answering a question . As users respond, each option's box fills to reflect its popularity. This way, viewers see the poll questions and results at the same time. Facebook also displays the profile photos of respondents next to the options they select. More on social media from Mashable . When users are adding an option to a poll-style question, Facebook prepopulates a drop-down menu with corresponding Facebook pages. One of these pages can be tacked to the answer so that other users can see a preview window of that page. © 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Facebook's new version is the result of nearly a year of beta testing .
Version focuses on soliciting recommendations from friends .
Updated version will be rolled out to current testers first . |
0d46ec53b6151a669ba75150d14fa6f8b6557414 | Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli government asked the country's high court Friday for a delay in the scheduled demolition of an unauthorized West Bank settlement outpost. Many of the homes built by Jewish settlers in a neighborhood of the Beit El outpost are located on private Palestinian land. Last year the Israeli government told the court the homes would taken down by May 1. The right-wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the court for a three-month delay in carrying out the demolitions so a government committee can reassess the current policy of demolishing settler homes built on private Palestinian land. In the request the government argued, "The evacuation of the buildings could carry social, political and operational ramifications for construction in Beit El and other settlements." An official in Israel's Justice Ministry who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter said the case of Beit El differed from other illegal settler outposts because it was home to dozens of families that would lose their homes if the demolition went ahead. Many of these houses have existed since the 1980s. Illegal outposts are usually much smaller and not so well established. Previous Israeli governments have pledged to demolish the unauthorized settler outposts in the West Bank, but only a handful have been removed. Michael Sfard, an attorney for Yesh Din, an Israeli nongovernmental organization that advocates for Palestinian rights, said the request was "an announcement of war by the Israeli government against the rule of law." "They said clearly that they have reached a decision not to evacuate illegal construction on private Palestinian property," Sfard said. "They ask for 90 days to change the policy. What kind of legal option is there when private property is taken other than restoring the possession of the property to its rightful owner?" The request comes just days after the Israeli government said it had decided to legalize the status of three other settlements that were built in the West Bank during the 1990s. The move to authorize the settlements of Sansana, Rechelim and Bruchin was based on "decisions by previous governments," Netanyahu's office said in a short statement issued earlier this week. The announcement was condemned by the Palestinians and brought public criticism from both the European Union and the United States. The issue of settlements and their continued growth is a key obstacle in the path of reviving the moribund peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. | Many homes of Israeli settlers in a West Bank outpost are on private Palestinian land .
The Israeli government said last year the homes would be demolished by May 1 .
Government now requests a three-month delay in the demolition .
Critic calls the request "an announcement of war ... against the rule of law" |
0d47a55f0b9c8cd122c7d530935f0a94fc021d05 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 12:13 EST, 15 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 15 January 2014 . The German sense of humour has a reputation for backfiring. And it nearly did in this case - in spectacular fashion. Pranksters in Germany came within inches of getting badly burnt after a massive firework blew up in their faces. Scroll down for video . In the video, this man was seen laying his firework bomb somewhere in Germany . The firework, laid on a crossroads, went off with a small bang and a flash of flame at first. But then... Boom! A second blast goes off seconds after the first - but this one is much much bigger . Footage of the incident posted online on January 14 shows a young man placing the mammoth rocket in the middle of the road moments before a car passes. He lights it and dashes off to the side as his friends yell and also run for safety. The firework lets off a small flash and bang as the man filming slows his retreat, seemingly thinking the danger is over. A fraction of a second later the mega rocket explodes fully, sending sparks shooting out sideways and surrounding the man filming with a blaze of light and smoke. All of the men escaped unscathed and can be heard beginning to laugh and sing as the smoke clears. The enormous flash of flame spread through the street, inches away from the pranksters . | Pranksters in Germany came within inches of getting badly burnt .
But they escaped unscathed when their prank went badly wrong . |
0d47c7c8af5749114d8b1e5d09e34228b9a457f4 | Councillors have slammed a £1.8million planned gypsy site as a 'glorified mod-con holiday camp' - and even a gypsy leader thinks it's too expensive. The revamp of a 13-pitch site near Bath will include driveways, street lights, soundproofing, landscaping and a permanent building next to each caravan with a kitchen, shower, toilet and living room. Each pitch is expected to cost around £140,000. But Conservatives and a national gypsy leader alike criticised the cost of the scheme, which could eventually rise to £2.5million, as too much of a burden on taxpayers. Holiday camp? Officials plan to revamp this traveller site near Bath - but its £1.8m cost has been attacked . Idyll: An artist's impression of how the site could look once work is completed next year. Conservative councillor Tim Warren said: 'It is costing a fortune and I just don't understand why' Tim . Warren, opposition group leader on Bath and North East Somerset Council, said: 'When the . plans first emerged I said it would be cheaper to buy 13 houses with . drives, now they are building the houses as well as the plots. 'It is costing a fortune and I just don't understand why. I have seen the plans, the buildings are really expensive. 'I think it's like the Hilton, it's just a glorified mod-con holiday camp. I agree that we need to address the travelling problem and make a site for them but this is over the top.' The council currently has £1.72million set aside for the revamp of the site, which is on the outskirts of the historic city and subject to a planning application. Officials will also be handed a £750,000 grant for the work by the government's Homes and Communities Agency if they include all the facilties, which are part of the government's standard requirements for new traveller sites. Each plot must have an amenity building, which will include a . minimum of hot and cold water, an electricity supply, heating, and space . for a cooker, fridge-freezer and a washing machine. The current site. Joseph P Jones, leader of the national Gypsy Council, told MailOnline: '[£140,000 per pitch] sounds quite high - you could build a two-storey house for less than that, let alone a small brick building' Plan: A view of how the site could look. The facilities must be included to obtain government funds . It . must also have a separate toilet and sink, a bath or shower room, a . kitchen or dining area, storage space, and ideally a living room. The proposed single-storey buildings are designed to be around the same size as a static caravan each and are thought to measure 33ft by 6ft. The site must also have water and waste drainage, lighting and fencing between the pitches. The final cost of the site has not been confirmed. Officials on the Liberal Democrat-run council currently say it will be around £1.8million - but some councillors claim that could rise to £2.5million. Those who live on the site will be charged rent of around £5,800 per pitch per year. But chairman of the national Gypsy Council Joseph P Jones told MailOnline the cost sounded too high. He said: . 'A concern that we've had for a long time is the inability of most local . authorities to deliver projects at a cost-effective price. 'Their contractors seem to charge so much more money than anyone else that I don't even understand where the funding goes. Tory councillor Tim Warren said: 'I agree that we need to address the problem but this is over the top' 'If it was someone from the community they could probably deliver the whole site for a fraction of that. 'It . sounds quite high - you could build a two-storey house for less than . that, let alone a small brick building with some hardstanding to park a . car. 'Those day rooms might still be just a bit bigger than a normal garage.' However, he insisted the buildings themselves were necessary. He said: 'It's quite . normal for gypsy sites to have a dayroom where people can spend time and . make sure they can keep themselves clean and tidy and prepare their . meals. 'It's a government . recommendation, a pitch should have a dayroom... That's the 21st . Century, that's what we live in, we don't expect to be living in tents . any more. 'Gypsies and . travellers have been forced into the situation they're in today inasmuch . as they're supposed to live on sites rather than having a travelling . lifestyle. The least the council can do is make sure the sites are . decent. 'If the local . councillors are complaining because these are bigger than what they've . seen in the past then they should look at where they live.' A . report set to go before the council's resources policy development and . scrutiny panel next week said the site will be developed and managed . by a unknown 'registered provider', whose job it will be to collect rent from the residents. Detailed: Full plans for the site, which could be completed by March next year. Mr Jones said: 'Contractors seem to charge so much money, I don't even understand where the funding goes' But Cllr Warren added the rent charges themselves could put many travellers off. 'Although it is addressing the . problem the people currently living on the site say they will be leaving . once it is done because it will be too expensive for them,' he said. 'It will just be shifting the problem else where. It is unbelievable, the money is ridiculous. 'The . budget for the whole thing would probably equate to, or be in excess of . every bit of council tax collected in the ward of Twerton, where it is . going to be based, in a year.' Bath and North East Somerset Council has a statutory duty to identify a certain number of gypsy and . traveller sites each year, and said the development work was necessary to stop . unauthorised traveller sites being set up around the area. Ben Lownes, a spokesman for the Homes and Communities Agency, said the body had agreed to provide funding for the gypsy site but the details were up to the council. He said: 'The traveller pitch funding programme which supports these projects is set up to provide new and improved pitches for travellers across England. 'We will have agreed to fund the programme as part of a national programme of activity. 'In terms of detail of what is provided, that is for whoever is bidding to the scheme to decide.' The HCA provides £60 million for projects to fund gypsy and travelling sites. | Cost of revamping 13-pitch traveller site near Bath could rise to £2.5million .
Each £140,000 pitch will also have a kitchen, shower, toilet and living room .
Travellers will then be charged a rent of around £5,800 per pitch per year .
Councillor: 'I agree we need to make a site for them but this is over the top'
Gypsy leader insisted facilities were needed but said cost was too high .
'You could build a two-storey house for less than that', he told MailOnline . |
0d48490518050fa77a804043e5b84d7c382d0b81 | (CNN) -- We've had octopuses, camels and turtles providing World Cup predictions, but now a computer software program has got in on the act of forecasting football matches. And, according to Microsoft, their recently released software program Cortana had a 100% success rate in predicting the winners in Brazil 2014's round of 16 games. Like Apple's Siri, MIcrosoft's virtual assistant Cortana -- named after the AI character in its Halo video games and voiced by the same actress -- is using a number of indicators to predict the winners of World Cup matches. "For the tournament our models evaluate the strength of each team through a variety of factors such as previous win/loss/tie record in qualification matches and other international competitions and margin of victory in these contests" said Microsoft's Bing blog. One of the Cortana software developers Mouni Reddy tweeted: "If she gets the United States-Belgium game right we are officially living in the matrix." And so it proved with Belgium beating Team USA 2-1 after extra time. So if you don't want to know which teams will reach the World Cup semifinals look away now. If you're still reading, Cortana predicts Germany will beat France, hosts Brazil will triumph over Colombia, Argentina getting the better of Belgium and the Netherlands knocking out Costa Rica. In pictures: Joy and pain for U.S. fans . | Software program says it has successfully predicted outcome of round of 16 World Cup games .
Program named after the AI character in Microsoft's Halo video games .
But who will reach World Cup semifinals? |
0d48d554414fd0f0a19596ddc22e3ad4e7e196a4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:21 EST, 5 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:42 EST, 6 August 2012 . Half a million Sikhs in the U.S. have worried about their safety ever since the September 11 attacks, when some began targeting adherents of a peaceful religion that stresses the equality of people. Those fears came true on Sunday, when six worshippers were gunned down at a temple in suburban Milwaukee in a massacre which police believe was an act of 'domestic terrorism'. While police have not identified the gunman, who was killed by police, or described a possible motive for the Wisconsin shootings, several leaders of Sikh organizations nationwide say the killings have brought to the surface fears that have lingered since 9/11, when some ignorant about their beliefs began mistaking them for potential terrorists. Nightmare: Armed police outside the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in response to a massacre which left six worshippers dead on Sunday morning . Grief: A Sikh man wipes away a tear in the aftermath of the tragic shooting in Wisconsin . 'This is something we have been fearing since 9/11, that this kind of incident will take place,' said Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Washington-based Sikh Council on Religion and Education. 'It was a matter of time because there's so much ignorance and people confuse us [as] being members of Taliban or belonging to Bin Laden.' Valarie Kaur, 31, a filmmaker from New Haven, Connecticutt who has chronicled Sikh attacks for 11 years, said the shooting 'is reverberating through every Sikh American home,' where the worst is feared. 'We are experiencing it as a hate crime,' she said. 'Every Sikh American today is hurting, grieving and afraid.' The cloth turbans worn for centuries by members of the Sikh faith so they could better serve their communities through a commitment to the oneness of God in all faiths and equality for all people has ironically made them targets of those ignorant of their history, she argued. 'That turban has tragically marked us as automatically suspect, perpetually foreign and potentially terrorists,' Ms Kaur said. Horror: Sikhs have long feared a backlash from people who confuse them with jihadi terrorists . Confusion: Many members of Sikh communities in the U.S. have felt victimised since September 11 . Amarjit Singh, vice president of the Illinois Sikh Community Center, which serves 5,000 Sikhs, agreed about the September 11 fears and said the congregation prayed for the slain victims as word of the shooting spread. 'We have a lot of families who have family members that attend that temple,' Mr Singh said. 'It seemed so random.' Two elderly men wearing turbans were shot to death in March while taking a walk in Elk Grove, California, and police are investigating it as a hate crime. Days after the 2001 terror attacks, a Sikh man was killed in suburban Phoenix. The man who was later convicted of his death had told his wife that 'all Arabs should be shot'. And at airports, controversy has erupted when airport workers try to search or remove Sikh turbans, considered sacred in the Sikh faith. Comfort: A father holds his daughter near the scene in Oak Creek where six Sikhs were shot dead . Tragedy: On Sunday, Sikhs were faced with a disaster many had feared would eventually come to pass . Though there were no known threats, the New York Police Department announced it was increasing coverage in an abundance of caution in and around Sikh temples. Harkirat Sandhu, 45, of Hanover Park, Illinois, a member of the Sikh Religious Society of Chicago for more than 10 years, said he worried more Sikhs could be targeted. 'The Sikh community is a peaceful community,' he said. 'We don't believe in this type of hate and crime. We condemn this situation.' 'Americans of all faiths should stand in unified support with their Sikh brothers and sisters,' said Sapreet Kaur, executive director of the New York-based Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh American civil rights organization in the U.S. Barack Obama and his presidential challenger, Mitt Romney, expressed their sorrow in statements.South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, whose parents are Sikh, posted a statement with condolences to 'the innocent victims and the family of the heroic officer' on her Facebook page. Ms Kaur, the filmmaker, said she was encouraged by the outpouring from others, unimaginable a decade ago. 'My phone has been ringing off the hook,' she said. 'That gives me hope. Any expressions of solidarity, messages, prayers, will be felt not only by Sikhs in Milwaukee but all over the country.' | Many Sikhs have felt victimised since September 11 attacks .
Shooting in Milwaukee suburbs was latest in line of incidents targeting faith . |
0d49e3bab38ea64603fe66545c448a7970a5c570 | London (CNN) -- Global media tycoon Rupert Murdoch is "not a fit person" to run a major international company, British lawmakers investigating phone hacking at his tabloid News of the World reported Tuesday. The ruling could prompt British regulators to force him to sell his controlling stake in British Sky Broadcasting, a significant part of his media empire. The damning report accused Murdoch and his son James of showing "willful blindness" to phone hacking at News of the World, and said the newspaper "deliberately tried to thwart the police investigation" into the illegal activity. The paper's publisher, News Corp. subsidiary News International, "wished to buy silence in this affair and pay to make the problem go away," the Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee found. Ofcom, the British media regulator that could force Murdoch out of BSkyB, said it was "reading with interest" the report from Parliament. The agency noted that it "has a duty under the Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996 to be satisfied that any person holding a broadcasting license is, and remains, fit and proper to do so." News Corp., which Rupert Murdoch leads as chairman and chief executive, accepted responsibility for some failings Tuesday but pushed back against some of the more critical remarks made by lawmakers. "Hard truths have emerged from the Select Committee Report: that there was serious wrongdoing at the News of the World; that our response to the wrongdoing was too slow and too defensive; and that some of our employees misled the Select Committee in 2009," it said in a statement. However, remarks made by some lawmakers after the report was issued on Tuesday were "unjustified and highly partisan," it said. News Corp. said it had already acted on many of the failings highlighted in the report, had brought in new internal controls and is supporting police investigations into alleged wrongdoing. Allegations of widespread illegal eavesdropping by Murdoch journalists in search of stories have shaken the media baron's News Corp. empire and the British political establishment, up to and including Prime Minister David Cameron. Police have arrested dozens of people as part of investigations into phone hacking, e-mail hacking and police bribery, while two parliamentary committees and an independent inquiry led by Lord Justice Brian Leveson are probing the scandal. Testifying last week before the Leveson Inquiry, Rupert Murdoch admitted that there had been a "cover-up" of phone hacking at News of the World, which ceased publication last July. But Murdoch, who owns the Sun and the Times in London, as well as controlling The Wall Street Journal, New York Post and Fox News, said his News Corp. had been a victim of the cover-up, not the perpetrator. "Someone took charge of a cover-up, which we were victim to and I regret," he said Thursday at the Leveson Inquiry. He apologized for not having paid more attention to the scandal, which he called "a serious blot on my reputation." Tuesday's report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee is based, in part, on earlier testimony by Rupert and James Murdoch. John Whittingdale, the chairman of the committee, said Tuesday that, while there is "no definitive evidence to prove whether or not James Murdoch was aware of ... evidence which indicated that phone hacking was widespread, the committee was nevertheless astonished that he did not seek to see the evidence." Tom Watson, the Labour lawmaker who has long been one of the fiercest critics of Murdoch, was blistering in a news conference announcing the parliamentary findings. "These people corrupted our country," he said. "They have brought shame on our police force and our Parliament. They lied and cheated -- blackmailed and bullied and we should all be ashamed when we think how we cowered before them for so long." But Louise Mensch, a Conservative member of Parliament who is on the committee with Whittingdale and Watson, said the report had gone too far. She was one of the four Conservative MPs who dissented from the amendment to the report finding that Murdoch was not a fit person to run a company. She called the amendment "faintly ridiculous," given Murdoch's decades in the business, and accused the Labour members of the committee of pushing through a "nakedly political" statement. "The amendments were so far out of left field they made a mockery of the whole thing," she said. The section declaring Murdoch "not fit" passed by a vote of 6 to 4, with support from Labour and Liberal Democrat lawmakers, over opposition from Conservatives. Committee chairman Whittingdale, a Conservative, did not vote. The report did not accuse either Murdoch of misleading Parliament, but said three of their underlings had done so in testimony to the committee. Longtime Murdoch right-hand man Les Hinton was criticized, as were Colin Myler, the last editor of News of the World, and Tom Crone, who was the paper's lawyer for decades. Myler and Crone "gave repeated assurances that there was no evidence that any further News of the World employee, beyond Clive Goodman, had been involved in phone-hacking," the report says. "This was not true and, as further evidence disclosed to us by the newspaper's solicitors Farrer & Co now shows, they would have known this was untrue when they made those statements. Both Tom Crone and Colin Myler deliberately avoided disclosing crucial information to the Committee and, when asked to do, answered questions falsely." Mensch noted that Myler, the editor of the New York Daily News, "has misled a select committee of Parliament. I would hope that a little bit of attention would be paid to the unanimous findings of the committee where named individuals misled Parliament." In a statement, Myler said he stood by the evidence that he gave the committee. "The conclusions of the Committee have, perhaps inevitably, been affected by the fragmented picture which has emerged from the various witnesses over successive appearances and by the constraints within which the Committee had to conduct its procedure," he said. "These issues remain the subject of a police investigation and the Leveson judicial inquiry and I have every confidence that they will establish the truth in the fullness of time." The full House of Commons will have to rule on whether the three committed contempt by misleading the committee, "and, if so, what punishment should be imposed," the report says. "It is effectively lying to Parliament," Whittingdale said. "Parliament at the end of the day is the supreme court of the land. It is a very serious matter." BSkyB shares were up slightly in London on the news. Shares in News Corp., which is traded in New York, closed Tuesday up 2.64%. In a statement to News Corp.'s 50,000 employees, Rupert Murdoch said the report "affords us a unique opportunity to reflect upon the mistakes we have made and further the course we have already completed to correct them." He said that it was difficult for him to read many of its findings, "but we have done the most difficult part, which has been to take a long, hard and honest look at our past mistakes." He continued, "We certainly should have acted more quickly and aggressively to uncover wrongdoing. We deeply regret what took place and have taken our share of responsibility for not rectifying the situation sooner." He said News Corp. officials "have gone beyond what law enforcement authorities have asked of us, to ensure not only that we are in compliance with the law, but that we adhere to the highest ethical standards." Rupert Murdoch said last week that if he had known the depth of the problem in 2007, when a private investigator and a Murdoch journalist were sent to prison for phone hacking, he "would have torn the place apart and we wouldn't be here today." But he also suggested last week that key parts of the scandal have been overblown. "The hacking scandal was not a great national thing until the Milly Dowler disclosure, half of which has been somewhat disowned by the police," Murdoch said. He was referring to the revelation that people working for him had hacked into the voice mail of a missing 13-year-old who later turned out to have been murdered. The Guardian newspaper originally reported that the hackers had also deleted some of the voice mails left for the girl, leading to false hopes that she was still alive and deleting them herself. In fact, the messages may have expired automatically. Murdoch was also grilled over his media empire's back-channel lobbying of the British government and said he learned of the existence of one of the key lobbyists only "a few months ago." He said he was "surprised" by the extent of the contact by the employee, Fred Michel, with the British government as it considered a bid by News Corp. to take full ownership of British Sky Broadcasting. That bid collapsed because of the phone-hacking scandal. The scandal has also forced News Corp. to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation to the victims of phone hacking. Murdoch and his son James have been hammered over the past year about what they knew about phone hacking by people working for them. They have always denied knowing about the scale of the practice, which police say could have affected thousands of people, ranging from celebrities and politicians to crime victims and war veterans. CNN's Alex Mohacs, Alexander Felton Erin McLaughlin, Elaine Ly and Claudia Rebaza contributed to this report. | NEW: "We deeply regret what took place," Rupert Murdoch says .
British media regulators are studying the findings "with interest"
Lawmakers: Murdoch not fit "to exercise the stewardship of a major international company"
News International "wished to buy silence" over phone hacking, the report says . |
0d4a95469a6cbf8e69b92ae822c8f70dc0dc8dd6 | By . Matt Chorley and Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 20:57 EST, 9 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:17 EST, 10 December 2012 . Home Office minister Jeremy Browne said he was willing to travel to Portugal to see first hand how the 'depenalisation' of drugs has worked in practice . Ministers are to examine Portugese laws to ‘depenalise’ drugs after a damning report said the government’s current strategy is not working. Home Office minister Jeremy Browne said he was ready to visit Portugal to see first hand how the removal of criminal penalties for people caught with small amounts of drugs could help tackle the problem in the UK. He insisted the government was ‘open to new ways of thinking’ after the Commons home affairs select committee asked for a royal commission to examine . whether possession of drugs – even heroin and crack – should cease to be . a criminal offence. The committee said it was 'impressed' by the Portugese system and 'alternative strategies should now be considered'. Mr Browne said today: 'There are interesting new ideas. The report says we should look more carefully at the model that’s happened in Portugal. 'I’m certainly happy to go to Portugal as the report recommends and see what they’re doing there. So we should be open to new ideas and fresh thinking but we should also acknowledge that we’ve made a lot of progress in the last five or ten years.' Mental health campaigners warned the link between cannabis and mental health should not be ignored. But the committee said was clear from other countries that the British approach was not working, and alternative strategies - such as those developed in Portugal - should now be considered. 'We were impressed by what we saw of the Portuguese depenalised system. It had clearly reduced public concern about drug use in that country, and was supported by all political parties and the police,' it said. 'Although it is not certain that the Portuguese experience could be replicated in the UK, given societal differences, we believe this is a model that merits significantly closer consideration.' Ministers should, it said, open discussions with the United Nations Commission on Drugs on new ways tackle what it called the 'global drugs dilemma' - including 'the possibility of legalisation and regulation'. Legalise it: Some say a legalisation of drugs would prevent a black market and benefit Britain whilst anti-drugs charities say it will flood the country with drugs . However Mr Browne said so-called legal highs now posed a 'mutating threat' after an 'explosion' in their use in recent years. 'We have a growing problem with the . drugs that are legal, so called legal highs and we have a diminishing . problem with drugs that are illegal like heroin and crack cocaine. So I . don’t think that it automatically follows that making drugs legal . reduces harm.' Mr Browne was forced to repeatedly deny the report would be shelved, as a senior Tory appeared to back a major . shift in drugs law by suggesting legal bans should be . replaced by education for users. On Twitter, Michael Fabricant, who is a Tory party vice-chairman, wrote: ‘Have often said: Prohibition in US didn’t work. Created crime & black market. Home Affairs Committee is right to ask if drug prohibition works. ‘If we spent the money on educating people that drugs are dangerous instead of attempting & failing to ban them, I suspect more effective.’ The committee’s conclusions were undermined however by detailed minutes of its meetings that showed three of its five Tory members voted against the recommendation to call for a royal commission. Drug support: Tory vice-chairman Michael Fabricant, pictured at a 2008 protest, said money is better spent on education about the dangers of drugs than enforcing bans . The panel also split evenly on whether cannabis should be given a lower classification. That recommendation was included on the casting vote of the chairman, Labour MP Keith Vaz. The report sparked fury among drugs campaigners – and ministers immediately ruled out major changes to the law. Mary Brett, of the charity Cannabis Skunk Sense, said: ‘A royal commission would cost the earth, and we do not need it to tell us what we already know: legalisation would open the floodgates and drug use would increase. It will also do nothing to help Colombia.’ Marjorie Wallace, of Sane, a mental health charity, said: ‘If the report is to be responsible, it must take account of the specific damage that cannabis can do to the developing brain. ‘Not only because recent studies have shown it inducing irreversible cognitive deterioration but in around 10 per cent of cases triggering severe psychotic illness.’ The MPs took evidence from comedian and former heroin addict Russell Brand, who said drug bans didn’t work, and Sir Richard Branson who said the sale of drugs should be permitted and taxed. They visited Colombia to see the effects of the drugs trade, and met the country’s president. The report said the MPs ‘recognise and sympathise with the immense suffering and slaying of innocent people which tragically has taken place over the years in Colombia and other Latin American countries, as a result of the murderous rivalry between drug gangs.’ The MPs called for cannabis to be reclassified as a Class C drug from Class B. The report also claims the lack of a ban on cigarettes and alcohol can send a ‘confusing message’ to drug users. A Government spokesman said: ‘We have no intention of downgrading or declassifying cannabis. A royal commission on drugs is simply not necessary.’ | Home Affairs select committee says government strategy is not working .
Lib Dem minister Jeremy Browne to visit Portugal to see no-penalty policy .
But campaigners warn over link between cannabis and mental illness .
And Tory vice-chairman suggests legal ban should be replaced by education . |
0d4ad98336deb1389f9a05ff774a06a67339dfd8 | Brendan Rodgers has rubbished claims by West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce that Liverpool succumbed to defeat to Aston Villa due to complacency by insisting the Reds are 'allergic' to such a thing. The Anfielders surprisingly fell to a 1-0 home loss against Villa last weekend and Hammers manager Allardyce suggested Liverpool had taken their opponents lightly because they were instead focusing on facing Ludogorets in the Champions League in mid-week. But Rodgers, whose side will aim to bounce back with a win at Upton Park on Saturday, insists nothing could be further from the truth. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers (left) has hit back at claims from Sam Allardyce (right) that his side lost 1-0 at Anfield against Aston Villa last week due to 'complacency', saying they are 'allergic' to that at the club . Jordan Henderson (right) and the rest of the Liverpool squad look dejected after the Aston Villa defeat . Mario Balotelli (left) and Raheem Sterling (right) train at Melwood ahead of this weekend's West Ham match . When asked if there was any truth in what Allardyce had said, Rodgers responded: 'No, not at all. We are allergic to complacency here. 'It was that - we're not good enough to be complacent yet. The fact is that Villa played well, as simple as that. 'There are a lot of experts in the game and I am consistently being told how to play, how to work - but we will always find ways to win.' Gabby Agbonlahor (centre) runs off in celebration after bagging the winner for Aston Villa at Anfield . Rodgers (centre) watches on during Liverpool training ahead of the trip to West Ham United on Saturday . The Liverpool squad train at Melwood on Thursday as they look to bounce back from defeat to Aston Villa . | Brendan Rodgers hits back at Sam Allardyce's claims of complacency .
West Ham United boss said Liverpool had taken Aston Villa lightly .
Liverpool lost 1-0 against Villa at Anfield in Premier League last weekend .
Rodgers says his Liverpool side are 'allergic to complacency'
West Ham host Liverpool at Upton Park in Premier League on Saturday . |
0d4aee13279b588594b55e84dd68e40e742754b4 | Coronado, California (CNN)Rick Perry used his final public address as Texas governor on Friday to sharply criticize President Barack Obama's stewardship of the country and called on fellow Republicans to articulate a plan to voters explaining how the GOP will turn the country around. "What is needed at this time in history is a clear vision for the world with America leading again, and freedom on the march again," Perry said Friday afternoon in a speech to the Republican National Committee. "What is on the ballot in 2016 is a choice whether we are going to ... rise to the challenge of defending Western values or accept the decline of Western civilization, because those who had the most to lose did the least to preserve freedom." Perry, who delivered his remarks from behind a podium, reading from prepared notes, was at times halting in his speech. But he delivered heaps of political red meat to the state party leaders and activists sitting in the audience. Not once did Perry, who is considering a possible White House run, mention any of his possible opponents for the Republican nomination during his speech, and he refrained from doing so when he spoke afterward to reporters. "I'm not going to go back and rehash the 2012 campaign," Perry said when asked what was Mitt Romney's biggest mistake as presidential nominee. "I am not sure that is particularly of great utility. We need to be talking about the future and laying out a good bright vision for this country and how to get people back working again, how to get Washington to focus on the few things it needs to do and do rather well. Get our foreign policy back to where our allies know we are going to be standing with them and our enemies fear us. That is what we need to focus on." Perry sidestepped a direct question about what type of candidate Romney would be if he decided to seek the GOP nomination again. "Whenever someone becomes a certified official candidate I'd be more comfortable making a statement about him," Perry said. "I think whether it is Jeb [Bush], or it is Mitt or whoever it might be, adding quality people to the field raises the level." In his speech, Perry did not necessarily present policy solutions, but rather critiques of Obama on everything from the President's handling of the economy and energy policy to foreign affairs. The Texas governor specifically chastised Obama for failing to travel to France for a unity march that drew leaders from around the world, who came come together to condemn the slaying of 12 people by terrorists at Charlie Hebdo magazine. "When leaders of the world gather to stand against terrorism, the president of the United States needs to be there and he needs to be standing in the front of that march," Perry said. Perry did highlight the Texas economy and held it up as an example of how jobs should be created and copied throughout the nation. "Our formula for success is simple: Keep taxes low, implement smart regulations," he said. "You have an educated workforce and stop lawsuit abuse at the courthouse. That is the formula. It is simple." Before heading into a private reception to meet people attending the RNC's Winter Meeting, Perry, who is leaving office in a few days, was asked what his next job would be. "I will call you when I get that all figured out," he said. | Outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks to the Republican National Committee .
He delivers plenty of red meat to his audience, but gives no clues about his 2016 plans . |
0d4b32d6b9dc6f44639c754954dfeb7800e42d50 | (CNN) -- Veteran Jim Furyk produced the round of the day at the Tour Championship in Atlanta after carding a score of 64 at East Lake. The American birdied six of the first nine holes to record an outward 29 as he raced through the field. Furyk won the FedEX Cup $10 million prize two years ago and looked to have an incredible opportunity to record a 59 after hitting seven birdies in the first ten holes. He also claimed birdies at the 15th and 17th but bogeys at the 13th, 16th and 18th left him just two shots clear at the top of the leader board. England's Justin Rose shot a 68 to move into second place on six-under-par. The joint overnight leader hit five birdies to remain in contention following his opening round of 66. But World No.1 Rory McIlroy remained in pole position to claim that $10 prize for overall winner of the playoffs after producing his 10th consecutive sub-70 score. McIlroy sank a 25-foot eagle putt on the 16th to ensure he finished with a round of 68 and leave him four shots off the lead at halfway. The Northern Irishman was joined on three-under-par by Americans Robert Garrigus and Zach Johnson after both players hit rounds of 69. Woods and Rose share first round lead . But Tiger Woods, who shot an opening round 66 to share the lead with Rose, struggled to produce a repeat performance. Woods, whose last win came at July's AT & T National, could only manage a 73 to leave him on one-under-par, a setback to his challenge to McIlroy for the playoffs title. Masters champion Bubba Watson moved into contention on five-under-par alongside Bo Van Pelt, with Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson a shot further back. Last year's money list winner Luke Donald of England shot a 69 to finish level par at the halfway stage, while his compatriot Lee Westwood was 28th out of 30 on five-over-par following a disappointing round of 73. . | Jim Furyk leads the way after stunning start to second round .
Rory McIlroy in control of the race for the $10 million FedEx Cup bonus after a 68 .
Tiger Woods falls down the leaderboard as he shoots one-over 73 .
Justin Rose to play alongside Furyk in third round . |
0d4bb54062405596bdf35684ffbcbd7513d21e96 | By . Luke Salkeld . A deputy headmaster was yesterday jailed for five years for secretly filming pupils using the school toilets and showers. Gareth Williams, 47, installed tiny hidden spy cameras in clocks, fans and toilet cisterns in order to obtain pictures and videos of boys without their knowledge. The married father of four even put a camera in the changing rooms on school sports day in order to catch as many children as possible. Gareth Williams was jailed for five years for filming children in the toilets and showers of his school with secret spy cameras - but he is still being paid by education authorities, months after he pleaded guilty . Cardiff Crown Court heard that Gareth Williams installed secret cameras in the school toilet on sports day to catch as many children as possible . Cardiff Crown Court heard that Williams was appointed deputy headmaster at Glantaf High School in 2008, one year before the first indecent images were recorded . A court heard how Williams also . installed cameras in two private homes, as well as the large mixed . school where he worked, for his sexual gratification. He was investigated by police after computer specialists found he had been buying illegal images of children on the internet. Officers . who searched his home found two laptops and 11 memory sticks along . with the pinhole camera gear and software he had installed with the aim . of browsing the internet undetected. Williams, . from Cardiff, was deputy head of Glantaf Welsh-language high school in . the city, where former pupils include Hornblower actor Ioan Gruffudd and . former Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones. The court heard a total of 31 boys at the 1,300-strong school aged between 11 and 16 were caught on Williams’s cameras. Cardiff Crown Court heard he had 16,419 indecent images of children and 691 videos. The court heard some of the images dated back to 2009 – a year after he was appointed deputy head at the school. The court heard that Williams had 16,419 indecent images of children and 691 videos at his home in Cardiff . Prosecutor . Michael Jones said of the images relating to the voyeurism charges: . ‘All these images were of children exposed as they were using the . lavatory or the showers. ‘They . had also been uploaded to a computer and catalogued by their age at the . time the children were filmed. Officers discovered images of young . males and the school’s badge could be seen. ‘They had been filmed in the changing facilities in the school sports hall.’ Williams, . who concealed one camera as a meter on the water cistern, even filmed . himself on some of the videos as he secretly installed his devices. Mr . Jones explained: ‘On one of the videos he is seen crossing his fingers . as he put it up. It showed he is hoping the camera is capturing the best . possible images.’ Mr Jones . continued: ‘This was a serious systematic abuse of trust. A devious and . determined invasion of privacy of the children. The effect on children, . staff and parents was one of complete and utter disbelief.’ Williams . pleaded guilty to 31 charges of voyeurism and the making and possession . of more than 16,000 indecent images of children. The voyeurism charge . states Williams recorded other persons for the purpose of sexual . gratification. Williams had . also been coach of an under-15 rugby team and helped out with a scout . group, while his duties at the school where he worked included . ‘pastoral care’. In police interviews Williams said he had been looking at child images for ten years ‘to understand physical development’. He also admitted an ‘enduring interest in boys’ development’ but couldn’t explain why. He admitted it had become an obsession. After . he was sentenced, his wife Georgina said in a statement: ‘I feel . physically sick at what he has done to me and my family. I was . shell-shocked and my whole world came crashing down.’ A judge sentenced Williams to five years at Cardiff Crown Court (pictured), describing his actions as 'depraved' Judge Rhys Rowlands told Williams: ‘This is a dreadful and protracted breach of trust on your behalf. ‘As . a result of your depraved behaviour you have lost your career, . livelihood and reputation. But this is nothing compared to the worry and . real horror which is felt by parents who have trusted their children to . you.’ The judge also ordered Williams to sign the sex offenders’ register, banning him from working with children. He said: ‘I cannot conceive that you will ever be able to return to your previous occupation.’ The governors at the school said they had been ‘dismayed’ by the revelations. In . a joint statement with Cardiff Council they said: ‘The sense of . betrayal and disappointment among the pupils, staff and wider school . community is profound. This has been a very distressing episode for all . concerned.’ Catrin Davies, . from the Crown Prosecution Service Wales, said: ‘The offences committed . by Gareth Williams constituted a gross breach of the trust placed in him . by those close to him, his community, his pupils and his employers.’ | Teacher bought spy cameras over the internet and installed them in the toilet .
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Gareth Williams downloaded the images at home .
The 47-year-old deputy headmaster admitted possessing 16,000 indecent images .
The 'depraved' images dated back to 2009 - a year after Williams was appointed .
Williams told police he had been viewing child pornography for ten years .
Judge Rhys Rowlands described the case as a 'dreadful and protracted breach of trust' |
0d4c35951a3ba3638ac303b460b1c7ea3962ea74 | By . Barry Norman . PUBLISHED: . 19:55 EST, 26 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:57 EST, 26 March 2013 . The first sex scene I ever saw in the movies that left me vaguely gobsmacked was the moment in Darling when Dirk Bogarde performed a sex act on Julie Christie. We didn’t see the act itself, merely the strongest possible suggestion of it, but that was astonishing enough. For this was back in 1965 when the censorship rules were just beginning to be relaxed, and daring sexual stuff was still uncommon in the cinemas. Raunchy: Dirk Bogarde and Julie Christie in Darling which was made just as censorship rules were beginning to be relaxed . From there, of course, the movies went on to ever greater licence, culminating in what is probably the most famous (or perhaps that should be notorious) sex scene — the sequence in 1992’s Basic Instinct when Sharon Stone uncrosses her legs to reveal that she isn’t wearing any underwear. That one brief flash, which defined Stone’s career and boosted her to A-list stardom, caused a great kerfuffle. She agreed to do it, she told me, because the director Paul Verhoeven had persuaded her that this simple, startling act proved that she had total control over all the goggle-eyed men in the room with her. Flash: Sharon Stone became an A-list superstar after that scene in Basic Instinct . This, however, was nonsense. Verhoeven asked her to do it because he knew it would arouse controversy, this being the first time cinema audiences had ever seen a movie star’s private parts in quite such intimate detail. But that occurred 20 years ago — a more innocent age before the internet — and now it seems we will not be seeing its like again. Not in the immediate future anyway. According to recent reports, Hollywood has decided that sex, far from being here to stay, is now dead as far as audience interest is concerned, and that there is more money to be made from special effects-dominated blockbusters. No more raunchy sex on the big screen? I can live happily with that because I’ve never regarded sex as a spectator sport. The energetic, simulated rumpy-pumpy of two complete strangers, however attractive, when viewed from the detached comfort of a cinema seat — cool drink in one hand, popcorn in the other — is, let’s face it, faintly ludicrous. It is, in my experience, more likely to raise a grin than anything else. This is not to say that sex scenes cannot be effective and memorable. Some have entered cultural folklore, such as one sexual encounter between Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider in Last Tango In Paris, which is said to have increased the sales of butter —though not necessarily for use on toast. Or the moment in a coffee shop in When Harry Met Sally, when Meg Ryan simulates an orgasm in front of Billy Crystal, causing another customer to tell the waitress: ‘I’ll have what she’s having’. Those sequences are memorable for different reasons — the first one because it’s genuinely shocking, the second because it’s very funny. Then there are other controversial sex scenes, like those in Don’t Look Now in 1973 when the carnal encounters of Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie were so lustily convincing as to cause a rumour to spread that, golly, they really did it. Unfortunately, bad sex movies also tend to stick in the mind. If you ever had the misfortune to see that great turkey Gigli, you will probably recall a lengthy bedroom encounter between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Memorable: The scene in When Harry Met Sally went down in movie history when Meg Ryan simulates an orgasm in front of Billy Crystal . I’m afraid that left me (and, I suspect, the audience) cold because even though Lopez was Affleck’s squeeze at the time, there seemed to be no empathy between them at all. And then there was 9 ½ Weeks — the supposedly ground-breaking 1986 erotic drama in which Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger were at it so often that I grew positively bored. And the scenes of mental violence when he makes her crawl about like a dog and watch while he sleeps with a prostitute were hard to take. For the great disadvantage of graphic sex scenes, whether done well or not, is that for better or worse you tend to remember them rather than the rest of the film. Besides, in the past 30 years or so, with the advent of looser censorship allowing filmmakers to show pretty much what they want, the cardinal rule that less is often more seems to have been forgotten — in other words that what is implied can be far more arousing than what is explicit. Reel love: Madeleine Carroll and Robert Donat in The 39 Steps . I still maintain that one of the most erotic scenes in cinema history is to be found in Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, released in 1935. Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll, handcuffed together — for reasons too complicated to go into here — and on the run from the bad guys, seek refuge, rain-drenched, in a small hotel. There she takes off her stockings and as she unrolls them his hand follows down the line of her leg without ever touching her. That was far more effective than any number of shots of heaving bodies, because everything was left to the audience’s imagination. For that reason, I won’t lament the decline of sex scenes in modern films, though the reasons for that decline — money being the dominant one — do worry me. Films with raunchy sex scenes are likely to be given stringent certificates, which bar under-15s from the cinema. And in an age when the target audience for the Hollywood studios in particular is those aged from 12 up to 18, that means a serious loss of revenue. These days, the film-makers argue — and this is another reason why sex is now less common on screen — that even pre-teens have seen much more graphic acts on the internet, and aren’t remotely interested in watching tamer stuff in the cinema. The time when teenagers got much of their sex education from the movies — because an adult would never have dreamt of discussing it with them —has long gone, and they have nothing to learn from anything on offer in the local picture palace. Then there’s a third reason why film producers, far from demanding sex scenes as they once did, are now ruthlessly cutting them from screenplays. And that is because women, who increasingly decide which films they and their partners will watch, are fed up with seeing themselves depicted not only as sex objects but often as the victims of sexual assault, as in Lars von Trier’s Breaking The Waves, in which Emily Watson is gang-raped. Instead, Hollywood executives seem to have decided we should be force-fed ever more CGI-dominated action epics which they believe will appeal to that core young audience, even if those special effects only serve to swamp the story and the characters. Frankly, I could do without most of them as well. In fact, I’d take The 39 Steps any day. | Raunchy movies like Basic Instinct are no longer popular among fans .
Hollywood executives want to appeal more to female audience . |
0d4c5b74d31ddabde0fc73756ae0cffd2ec74fb0 | (CNN) -- The U.N. Security Council approved sanctions Thursday against Nigeria's Boko Haram. It added the terrorist group to the United Nation's 1267 sanctions list, a list of al Qaeda-linked organizations subject to arms embargoes, travel bans and asset freezes. "Today, the Security Council took an important step in support of the government of Nigeria's efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities," said Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "By adding Boko Haram to the U.N.'s 1267 sanctions list, the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram, and shown global unity against their savage actions," she added. Nigeria had asked the United Nations to make the move as attacks in Africa's most populous nation appear to be escalating, spreading beyond Boko Haram's hotbed in the rural northeast. Twin blasts killed at least 118 people Tuesday at a market in the central city of Jos. The explosions went off 20 to 30 minutes apart, sparking an inferno that sent crowds running and screaming, covered in blood. Nigerian authorities described the blasts as "terrorist activities" but declined to speculate on who might be responsible. In separate attacks in Borno state this week, at least 30 people were killed by members of the terror group, according to local residents. Boko Haram attackers swooped in on motorcycles Monday and killed 10 people in one village, residents said. A day later, gunmen stormed a nearby village and killed 20 others, residents said. During the attacks, Boko Haram set fire to homes and food stores, residents said, and fired machine guns. The group has not claimed responsibility for those attacks. Both villages are close to where more than 200 girls were kidnapped from a school last month. A Boko Haram leader claimed responsibility in a chilling video and said he was willing to free the girls in exchange for imprisoned militants. "The sanctions designation is the latest step in the international community's long-term effort to help Nigeria counter this terrorist threat," Power said. "We will continue doing everything we can to help the people of Nigeria bring back their girls, and we will work with the government of Nigeria to eliminate Boko Haram, including refuting their backwards and bloodthirsty ideology, because no child anywhere should ever be afraid to pursue a brighter future." CNN's Richard Roth, Nana Karikari-apau, Faith Karimi and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | The move helps hold the group's "murderous leadership accountable," says official .
Boko Haram abducted more than 200 girls from a school in northern Nigeria .
Attacks in Africa's most populous nation appear to be escalating . |
0d4c6e633af1f5db179a226474f5707d11c30e87 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- America's first female four-star general has been nominated, the Pentagon announced Monday. Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody was nominated to be America's first four-star female general. President Bush nominated Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody to serve as head of the Army's supply arm. By law women are excluded from combat jobs, the typical path to four-star rank in the military. "This is an historic occasion for the Department of Defense and I am proud to nominate Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody for a fourth star," said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. "Her 33 years of service, highlighted by extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty, make her exceptionally qualified for this senior position." The Senate must approve the nomination. Dunwoody, a native of New York, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1975 after her graduation from the State University of New York in Cortland. She also holds graduate degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management. She became the Army's top-ranking woman in 2005 when she received her third star and became deputy chief of staff for Army logistics. "I am very honored but also very humbled today with this announcement," said Dunwoody. "I grew up in a family that didn't know what glass ceilings were. This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career ... that the doors continue to open for men and women in uniform." The Army Materiel Command handles all material readiness for the Army. During her career, Dunwoody has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division and the Defense Logistics Agency. She served with the 82nd Airborne in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. She has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, Master Parachutist Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge. The first woman to become a general officer in the U.S. armed services was Brig. Gen. Anna Mae Hays, chief of the Army Nurse Corps, who achieved the rank in 1970 and retired the following year. Elizabeth Hoisington, the director of the Women's Army Corps, was promoted to brigadier general immediately after Hays. She also retired the following year. Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm, the first director of Women in the Air Force, was the first woman to wear two stars, attaining the rank in 1973 and retiring two years later. In 1996, Marine Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter became the first woman to wear three stars. Mutter retired in 1999. Currently, there are 57 active-duty women serving as generals or admirals, five of whom are lieutenant generals or vice admirals, the Navy's three-star rank, according to the Pentagon. | Bush nominated Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody to be head of Army's supply arm .
By law women are excluded from combat jobs, the typical path to four-star rank .
Dunwoody has served 33 years, and became Army's top-ranking woman in 2005 .
There are 57 active-duty women serving as generals or admirals . |
0d4c926435cada1a8d792541076bf4a36464897a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:16 EST, 16 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:08 EST, 16 November 2012 . At noon on Wednesday, Keith Kirk, a homeless man, took an expensive bicycle from outside a One Stop Food Mart in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Yet the bike’s owner, Calvin McDougal of Lauderhill, was watching his property closely. While waiting in line, he noticed it was no longer where he left it. So he left the store to apprehend the thief. According to police reports, McDougal pursued and tackled Kirk. This led to a fight which left Kirk with two black eyes, one which is swollen shut, and several cuts, one requiring stitches. After stealing a bike, Keith Kirk was apprehended by the owner and then came off worse in the fight that followed . Keith Kirk has been accused of burglary and theft in the past, but he didn't get away with it on this occasion . It is unclear if McDougal was injured in the altercation, but Kirk was taken to a local hospital. There he admitted trying to steal the bike and charged with one count of grand larceny. The badly-beaten Kirk appeared in first appearance court in Thursday. As reported by the Sun Sentinel, Broward County Judge John 'Jay' Hurley told him: ‘I believe there was a little bit more than just a tackle. Now, sir, you allegedly steal someone's bike and it looks like there was some street justice carried out.’ Judge Hurley charged Kirk with grand theft and the disfigured man was released on his own recognizance. 'Street justice': Judge Hurley told Keith Kirk that he had experienced a 'little bit more than just a tackle' Florida law states that if there is reasonable suspicion that a felony has been committed, a citizen's arrest can be made and the suspect detained until police arrive. Yet a citizen’s arrest is subject to the same laws as any police arrest. What might be deemed as excessive force, for example, cannot be used. The authorities have made their decision on whether excessive force was carried out in this case. Detective DeAnna Garcia told the Sun Sentinel that 'Mr McDougal was a victim making a citizen's arrest and was not arrested.' | Keith Kirk, 30, took a $600 bicycle from outside a convenience store .
The rightful owner catches up with him and makes sure he doesn’t get away . |
0d4d13d7e1523231c451710acf595b817ddc4bec | (CNN) -- Watch out for the latest scam targeting veterans and their credit card numbers, the Department of Veterans Affairs warns. Scam artists are calling veterans and posing as VA workers who need credit card information. Scam artists are calling veterans and posing as VA workers who need credit card information to update prescription information, as part of a scheme that fraudsters have recycled over the years. "America's veterans have become targets in an inexcusable scam that dishonors their service and misrepresents the department built for them," said Dr. Gerald Cross, the VA's undersecretary for health. "VA simply does not call veterans and ask them to disclose personal financial information over the phone." The scam callers say the VA has changed its procedures on dispensing prescriptions, so it needs the credit card numbers. "VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines," Cross said. "Nor has VA changed its long-standing commitment to protect the personal information of this nation's veterans." Other schemes targeting veterans and active members of the military have surfaced over the years, including high-priced life insurance sales, payday loans, car title cons, repair scams and fraudulent discounts. "In Harm's Way," a 2003 report by the National Consumer Law Center, concluded that service members often are targeted because of their predictable pay days and a military culture that encourages orderly finances. | Scam artists are calling veterans and posing as VA workers .
They say they need credit card information to update prescription information .
Official: VA does not call vets and ask them to disclose financial information .
Scam "dishonors their service and misrepresents the department," official says . |
0d4d7e2219a0106f578d4ed9229364ba57a56735 | West Ham midfielder Diego Poyet is on a mission to make a name for himself in the Premier League - so people no longer refer to him by his father's name, Gus. The 19-year-old has just recently returned to Upton Park after a month's loan at Championship side Huddersfield. And Poyet could feature for the first time in three months for the Hammers, when he comes head-to-head against his father on Saturday, as Poyet Snr's Sunderland side entertain the high-flying Hammers at the Stadium of Light. Diego Poyet will be looking to stamp a claim for a regular spot in West Ham's team . Gus Poyet will come face-to-face with his son, Diego, on Saturday as his Sunderland side face West Ham . He told The Sun: 'Do I get called Gus? Yes, I do - just five minutes ago I got called Gus! People forget. 'Even when I am playing, people are always comparing me, but when they see me play, they see we're different players. 'Hopefully in the coming months I will be called Diego more. It would be nice for people to know of Diego Poyet at the end of the season.' Sam Allardyce's side can move up to third in the table with a win over the Black Cats, as they look to continue their fine run of form in the Premier League. | West Ham face a trip to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon .
Diego Poyet comes face-to-face with his father Gus at the Stadium of Light .
The West Ham midfielder is frequently referred to by his father's name .
Poyet Jnr wants to forge his own reputation in the Premier League .
The 19-year-old has just returned from a month's loan spell at Huddersfield . |
0d4dd10153a95e25cb3e231354c69d0bb4cfa8f7 | By . Lucy Crossley . A fascinating collection featuring almost every British Army recruitment poster for the First World War has emerged after 30 years hidden in an attic. The extremely rare archive boasts almost 200 posters issued between 1914 and 1916, which hoped to persuade British men to do their bit to protect King and country by enlisting. They highlight the increasingly menacing tone used in the run-up to compulsory conscription in 1916 after Britain suffered so many losses on the Western Front. Hidden history: A fascinating collection featuring almost every British Army recruitment poster for the First World War has emerged after 30 years hidden in an attic. These two posters from 1915 (left) and 1914 (right) hoped to persuade British men to do their bit to protect King and country by enlisting . Haul: Arthur Maxted inherited the collection, including this pair from 1915) from his grandfather who worked for a printing company during the war. He kept them in his attic for 30 years and only realised their true value recently . Arthur Maxted inherited the collection from his grandfather who worked for a printing company during the war. Mr Maxted has kept the posters in the loft of his home in Kent for the past 30 years, forgetting all about them, and only realised their true importance recently when he started researching and documenting the collection. Now, 100 years on from the outbreak of the war the posters are being sold at auction and have a pre-sale estimate of £20,000. 'The posters were collected by my maternal grandfather who worked for a printing company during the war,' said 72-year-old Mr Maxted. 'It is a mystery as to why he kept hold of them, as they were not of any monetary worth back then. Collection: 100 years on from the outbreak of the war the posters, such as this one which urged men of all backgrounds to enlist, are being sold at auction and have a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 . Justice: These two posters feature Britannia and urge men to recall the deadly December 1914 raid by the Imperial German navy on Scarborough (left) and the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 that cost 1198 lives (right) Anger: This poster (left) also recalls the sinking of the Lusitania as well as other wartime atrocities, while a 1917 design sought to remind men that others, including women and children, were doing their bit . 'My aunt passed them on to me about 30 years ago and they spent many years in my loft. 'It was only recently that I started to document them and realised they might be quite valuable.' The posters were the brainchild of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, a board set up in the early days of the war to bolster the number of British troops. They were displayed in public areas around towns and cities like train and bus stations and on billboards and hoardings. Change: When it became clear victory was more than a matter of months away, enthusiasm dwindled and recruitment posters quickly turned to emotional blackmail, playing on the conscience of working men who had yet to volunteer . Mission: The posters were the brainchild of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, a board set up in the early days of the war to bolster the number of British troops, and were displayed in public areas around towns and cities like train and bus stations and on billboards and hoardings . The initial response to the posters was good and the committee was inundated with offers of enlistment following Britain’s declaration of war against Germany. Many thought the war was an opportunity for adventure with friends - but when it became clear victory was more than a matter of months away, enthusiasm dwindled. Recruitment posters quickly turned to emotional blackmail, playing on the conscience of working men who had yet to volunteer. Tragedy: Another poster with its focus on the Scarborough raid, this time showing a damaged home and a little girl left alone to care for a baby . Messages included ‘Why aren’t you in khaki? You’ll be wanted. Enlist at once’, ‘Don’t stand looking at this - go and help!’ and ‘Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?’. Others targeted the wives and girlfriends of potential recruits, urging them to persuade their partners to join the army. One read: 'To the women of Britain. Some of your men folk are holding back on your account. Won’t you prove your love for your Country by persuading them to go?' Target: Many posters, such as these two from 1915, targeted the wives and girlfriends of potential recruits, urging them to persuade their partners to join the army . Appeal: This 1915 poster (left) was also geared towards women, telling them their the safety of their children depended on men going out to fight, while another played on the insecurities of fathers who wanted to make their children proud . By the time conscription was made compulsory in March 1916 the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee had issued 164 posters, with some reproduced in different sizes and in Welsh. The collection, which is only missing eight posters, is being sold by Onslows Auctioneers in Blandford, Dorset. Auctioneer Patrick Bogue said: 'With an inevitability of war approaching and a shortfall in soldiers, Parliament authorised an increase in the army of half a million men in August 1914. 'As a result the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee was formed to boost the recruiting effort and part of the drive included creating posters which were put up in public places. Positive: The initial response to the posters was good and the committee was inundated with offers of enlistment following Britain¿s declaration of war against Germany . 'Interestingly, the posters show how over time the methods and messages used to recruit men changed. 'Many of the early posters depended on patriotism. 'Early . recruits viewed the war as a great adventure which was not to be . missed, particularly as the general view was that it would all be over . by Christmas 1914. 'Initially . these methods of propaganda provided a steady stream of new recruits . but by November 1914 there was a marked decline in numbers. 'As . it became clear the war was not going to be over as quickly as first . thought, more sophisticated and sinister methods were employed. Output: By the time conscription was made compulsory in March 1916 the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee had issued 164 posters, with some reproduced in different sizes and in Welsh. This poster from 1916 (right), bearing the message 'Forward', was the last printed before forced enlistment was introduced . Collection: Patrick Bogue of Onslow Auctions with the collection of posters. They are expected to reach £20,000 when they go up for auction on July 9 . 'The messages were much more direct and even targeted the wives and children of potential soldiers, such as the now famous ‘Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?’ 'This collection is almost complete - it includes every poster issued by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee apart from about eight. 'A collection like this is incredibly rare and serves to remind us of the iconic images used to recruit soldiers for this historic war.' The posters will go on public display at Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire from June 23 to 29 ahead of the auction on July 9. At the outbreak of war in 1914, many young men were quick to enlist into the Army - spurred on by a desire to serve their country, or simply to avoid unemployment. By the end of September 1914 more than 750,000 men had joined up - many of them as part of 'Pals battalions' from the same workplace, football team or friendship group. However, within a year of Great Britain's declaration of war in August 1914, it became obvious that the country would not be able to continue fighting with just voluntary recruits. Although the famous 'Your Country Needs You' poster helped encourage more than one million men to enlist by January 1915 this was not enough to cover the rising number of casualties and the government decided there was no choice but to bring in conscription - compulsory active service. The Military Service Act became law in March 1916 and imposed conscription on all single men aged between 18 and 41, other than the medically unfit, teachers, clergymen and certain industrial workers. Conscientious objectors who opposed fighting on moral ground were also spared the draft, as were those living in Ireland, and men called up could appeal against the call up at a local Military Service Tribunal. Married men were subject to conscription following the passing of a second Act in May 1916, and in 1918 a further law raised the age limit to 51. Conscripted men were not given a choice of which service, regiment or unit they joined. However, if they expressed a preference to join the Navy then it had first refusal on whether to take him. Throughout the war around 2.5 million men joined the Armed Forces through conscription, with 1.1 million of them joining during the first year. Source: www.parliament.uk . | Arthur Maxted, 72, from Kent, inherited the collection from his grandfather who printed the posters during the war .
He stored them in his attic for 30 years and forgot all about them until he started researching the 1914-18 conflict .
Rare archive boasts almost 200 posters issued between 1914 and 1916 which hoped to persuade British men to enlist .
Collection shows the increasingly menacing tone used in the run up to compulsory conscription in 1916 .
The collection of posters will be sold at auction in July in Dorset and are expected to fetch £20,000 . |
0d4ea93ddcfcdabad2a812c519a8babc697f240d | (CNN) -- As a group of tourists was passing through the villages of Lesna and Zabrody in the north east of Poland last month, they caught glimpse of something that immediately sent them reaching for their cameras. Strolling through the meadows near the densely forested Bialowieza National Park were three magnificent European bison, standing up to two meters high and weighing up to 1,000 kilograms each. It was a doubly gratifying sight for Rafal Kowalczyk, a conservationist and the Director of the Mammal Research Institute at the Polish Academy of Sciences, who enjoyed seeing the tourists as much as the bison. Europe's largest land mammal had been declared extinct in the wild at the end of the 1920s, but after spirited and careful re-introduction efforts throughout the past 60 years, descendants of a small captive herd have gradually reassumed their position among Poland's vibrant indigenous fauna. The tourists, meanwhile, were training only their lenses on the animals and not the viewfinders of a shotgun, proving to Kowalczyk that the creatures could bring visitors to Poland for reasons other than to hunt them. "It really increases the touristic attraction of the area," said Kowalczyk, who co-ordinated one of several bison conservation programs between 2006 and 2010. "This is a unique animal, a kind of relic of the past because most of these large herbivores have become extinct. There are fewer European bison than the black rhino in Africa, for example." Back from the brink . European bison, also known as "wisent", roamed freely across the continent until the early 20th century, when a combination of factors including a shrinking habitat and poaching left only 54 individuals in captivity, according to a recent report commissioned by the Rewilding Europe initiative. But since 1959 small populations have been introduced in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia, but most successfully in Poland where there are now 1,299 closely monitored, free-roaming individuals in small herds. The European bison spent several years classified as "endangered" on the Red List of Threatened Species published by the International Union of the Conservation of Nature. But recent population trends have increased annually by around 15%, earning the bison an upgrade to "vulnerable". The animal is far from out of the woods yet, but there is reason for cautious optimism. Conservationists regard bison as a so-called "umbrella species", whose well-being also tends to ensure a positive habitat for many other treasured creatures including moose, wolf and lynx, plus various bird and insect species. READ MORE: Poland's little-known heritage sites . In attempts to broaden the genetic diversity among bison --all of Poland's bison descend from those 54 captive animals that survived "extinction" -- scientists have created migration channels to facilitate the interbreeding of herds. Locals residents have also been educated about the animals habits and the perceived damage caused by the bison to young trees, or when they stray into agricultural land. The principal concerns now are centered on controlling the bison population, ensuring herds do not become too large for the areas of land they occupy. Natural mortality among bison is low and the space they demand vast; five bison per 1,000 hectares of land is deemed the optimal density. Some culling of old, sick or unusually aggressive creatures has therefore become necessary, but the process is controversial, particularly since the Polish Ministry of the Environment has recently allowed commercial hunters to take part. Hunting as a conservation measure? Bison is not a game animal in Poland, meaning specific permission must be sought in order to kill one. But a small number of permits are now being issued annually to commercial agencies, providing the chance for hunters from anywhere in the world to add this rare beast to their trophy collections at a cost of up to $30,000 per animal. "Rather than have him (a bison selected to be culled) killed in a fight or smashed through a fence and injured, they simply allow him to be hunted," said Bob Kern, President and Founder of the Hunting Consortium, who arranges overseas trips for hunters from the company headquarters in Virginia. "That brings money into the reserve and into the conservation system and it prevents wanton waste." Kern added: "About 70% of money that goes into wildlife conservation nowadays comes from the sustainable use community. That means hunters and fishermen." Dr Wanda Olech-Piasecka, of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, is a member of a commission -- alongside veterinarians, ecologists and scientists -- that discusses the number of hunting permits to issue each year and decides on the individual bison to be removed. She said that the process is strictly regulated, with a hunter being escorted by a forest ranger, pointed to the one animal he is allowed to shoot and only permitted to fire when it is alone. "Everything is organized," said Olech-Piasecka. "This kind of hunting involves 20, maybe 25 animals per year in Poland." But Kowalczyk does not believe that the animals are plentiful enough in Poland for even this carefully regulated hunting to take place. "This culling or hunting is occurring in some populations that number below 100 individuals," he said. He suggests that the bison might be better suited to life on the plains and out of the forests, which would not place an artificial limit on population numbers. "There is huge potential for bison increase in many areas and I'm quite sure that culling or hunting is not a good way to mitigate conflicts." | European bison have been successfully reintroduced to Poland .
Animal was declared extinct in the country in the 1920s .
Around 1,200 animals are closely monitored by conservation groups .
Controlling population is now an issue with hunting a controversial proposal . |
0d4fd929b099a7e1a3876d3cf4cf636cbdf8fb5d | By . Leon Watson . UPDATED: . 11:55 EST, 22 February 2012 . A lorry driver had a miraculous escape when his 30-tonne HGV smashed into a bridge - leaving this devastating wreckage. Incredibly, the driver escaped serious injury following the crash on the A64 near Malton, north Yorkshire, yesterday afternoon. The vehicle, which was carrying grain, hit the Castle Howard flyover, causing extensive damage and closing the westbound carriageway. The lorry belonging to East Yorkshire firm Warcup crashed into the supports for a flyover along the A64 at Malton . But although the lorry was very badly damaged and the air ambulance was called, its driver escaped life-threatening injury and was said to be sitting up in bed and talking. Chief Inspector Ian Thompson said: 'The vehicles are very well made and are meant to take the impact and collapse to protect the driver. 'From what we first saw we were expecting it to be much more serious which is why the air ambulance was sent. It's a very happy ending.' The driver was out of the vehicle by the time firefighters arrived and was able to talk to police at the scene. Twisted: The truck hit the Castle Howard flyover, causing extensive damage and closing the westbound carriageway . Incredibly, the driver escaped life-threatening injury and was said to be sitting up in bed and talking . The bridge was examined by structural experts who concluded it was not seriously damaged . The eastbound carriageway was temporarily closed to allow the air ambulance to land and to airlift the man to York Hospital, but quickly reopened. The westbound carriageway remained closed well into the evening. The lorry driver was treated for a cut to his head and abdominal pains, a police spokesman said. No other vehicles or people were involved in the crash. An engineer was sent to check for any structural damage to the bridge, which was found to be safe, a police spokesman said. | Crash happened on the A64 in north Yorkshire yesterday .
Driver escaped serious injury and is setting up in bed talking . |
0d5102f74ce55b82b77e55092a06c37e65092667 | (CNN)It swept across 214 countries worldwide and killed more than 18,000 people. The 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak, dubbed "swine flu," put the entire world on alert. The outbreak was declared to be a global pandemic until August 2010. But threat of deadly disease outbreaks didn't stop -- or start -- there. In 2003, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) crossed the world, originating in Asia and reaching Canada in less than a day. Then, in 2012, a new virus emerged in the Middle East and has now entered the global arena. Aptly named Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) it continued to spread globally with outbreaks now taking place in South Korea. As of June 3, 1179 people have been infected with MERS-CoV across 25 countries --including 442 deaths -- according to the World Health Organization. The current outbreak in South Korea has led to 35 confirmed cases -- including 3 deaths -- and as of June 2, 1369 people were under quarantine. The virus began its spread slowly initially but is now gaining momentum. In 2014, the disease on everyone's mind was Ebola. The Ebola virus has infected more than 27,000 people across ten countries to date, with more than 11,100 deaths as of 13 June 2015. However, despite the high number of infections, the spread of Ebola remains technically an outbreak, not a pandemic, because it hasn't spread globally. "It will only be over when the last person with Ebola is either dead or recovered without infecting other people," stated Peter Piot, who co-discovered the virus in the 1970s, at the 2015 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. But he warned that risks from such outbreaks were far from over, saying: "There will be other Ebola outbreaks and there will be other epidemics, not least influenza." But is the world ready? Hundreds of infectious diseases continue to plague the planet in both urban and rural locations, from ones spread by insects, such as Chikungunya, which is currently sweeping through the Americas, to those spread by water, such as cholera, or human contact, such as Ebola. "Infectious organisms can travel in humans, food and insects ... you can't stop disease from crossing borders," says David Heymann, head of the Centre for Global Health Security at think tank Chatham House. One initiative in place to identify those posing a more global risk is the WHO-led Global Alert and Response Network (GOARN). "[It's] a series of laboratories, national public health institutions and groups like Medecins Sans Frontiers who report regularly when an outbreak occurs," says Heymann. The goal is the rapid identification, confirmation and response to outbreaks of international importance. "The ones with most risk are airborne," says Heymann. The greatest pandemic to date was the Spanish flu which spread in 1918 and is estimated to have infected a third of the world's population at the time and caused approximately 50 million deaths. More recently, the hardest hitting outbreaks were the SARS coronavirus in 2003, followed by H1N1 influenza virus in 2009. All of which were respiratory infections with the potential to spread far and fast. "With flu I'm quite sure there will be another pandemic," says Wendy Barclay, chair in influenza virology at Imperial College, London. Barclay researches the origin of pandemics and why some viruses cross species to jump from animals into humans. In the case of H1N1, the virus was a re-assortment of bird flu and pig influenza viruses, resulting in a new form infectious to humans and with no immunity among those at risk. "If it's a new one, there's no pre-existing antibodies to hold that off ... and you may then pass it on to someone else," says Barclay. Experts agree that future outbreaks and potential pandemics may occur, but the lessons learned from previous ones should enable a faster response. The key is to identify the virus, estimate its threat and its potential to spread across a population as quickly as possible to then put a pandemic preparedness plan into action. "Flu is difficult to control in terms of an outbreak," says Barclay, as the virus has the ability to spread before people show symptoms, meaning measures such as airport screening are ineffective. The converse is true for viruses such as Ebola and particularly SARS, where people are only contagious once showing symptoms of the disease. "We were able to contain SARS," says Barclay, because patients could only transmit the virus days after symptoms had begun. If a patient was admitted to hospital soon after their symptoms appeared, there was a lesser risk that they had already infected others in their wake. The challenge facing public health teams across the world is the fact they must be ready to expect the unexpected. SARS, swine flu and Ebola took everyone by surprise. "It's completely unpredictable in the end," says Barclay. Confronting this unknown are mathematical modelers, including the Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS) -- a network of scientists who visualize how a disease might spread. "It's useful to predict where an outbreak is going," says Irene Eckstrand, the former scientific director of MIDAS. Under Eckstrand's leadership, the modelers in her program predicted scenarios for various big outbreaks, including H1N1 and currently Ebola. Information about the biology of the virus, the mode of transmission, and the geographical spread can be used to predict who will be affected next and how fast they'll be reached. The various scenarios modeled are then used to inform policy decisions such as travel restrictions and school closures by determining their impact. It's also crucial to envision the distribution of vaccines, to ensure the most vulnerable are reached first. In the case of Ebola, models helped determine the number of hospital beds required in high-risk areas. The likelihood of disease models accurately reflecting reality are regularly called into question but Eckstrand states they are crucial when working with the unknown. "Infectious disease models are never going to accurately predict the future," she says. "[They] are better at saying 'if we do this, here's the range of things that can happen.'" When a virus is well understood, such models can be generated quickly. "Models can integrate complexities in a way our brains can't," says Eckstrand. However, the spread of a disease is about more than its biology. Human behavior plays a key role and is much harder to predict, as was the case for Ebola, where burial traditions and cultural practices aided transmission when the outbreak emerged. The lack of trust between those affected in West Africa and their health authorities also prevented people from seeking diagnosis and treatment. "[There's been a] great deal more collaboration in Ebola," says Eckstrand speaking of weekly phone calls between those working on control, including scientists, researchers, homeland security and national laboratories. "The world is unprepared," stated WHO director general Margaret Chan at a session alongside Peter Piot in Davos. "After H1N1, the conclusion was the world is ill prepared for severe and sustained disease." In her eyes, the scale of Ebola last year was unprecedented. New ideas are needed to prevent this happening again in the future. "We need to think outside the box in the future," says Barclay, whose team works on the development of vaccines to stop the H1N1 pandemic in its tracks. But she doesn't think disease-specific vaccines are the way forward for all outbreaks. "For Ebola, Chikungunya, Lassa fever, Marburg ... are we really going to invent one for each one?" Barclay instead thinks one way forward could be therapeutics that tackle the symptoms of disease, meaning where diseases have similar symptoms -- such as Ebola and Marburg virus disease -- there could be a drug against the symptoms of all of them to reduce further spread of infections. But when it comes to influenza, where the greatest global risk lies, the experts seem more optimistic. "If we had another flu pandemic we would be fairly well set to run models quickly," says Eckstrand. Given the likelihood of another pandemic, Barclay's team see it fit in this case to develop disease-specific antivirals and vaccines against influenza when it arrives. In 2009, the development of an H1N1 vaccine slowed down the spread of the virus during the second wave of its transmission. The time taken for development meant it wasn't available during the first big wave of infections. At the core of it all, the global monitoring systems in place are constantly being tuned to spot any strange, or new, occurrences. "I look at GOARN as a safety net," concludes Heymann. GOARN is growing its capability to both spot and control disease outbreaks, with a network of labs, provision of advice and assistance when a new outbreak occurs. It is also building capacity within countries through improved labs, technology and skilled staff, to enable systems to be in place worldwide to tackle new or emerging infections spreading throughout a population. "Countries that have had Ebola are more ready to deal with it, like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)," says Heymann of the country where the disease was first identified in 1976. Congolese communities now have a word for the disease and messages are in place to send out when a new outbreak occurs. With MERS now climbing to the top as the infection on people's minds, its worth knowing that whilst we may not be quite ready to prevent disease outbreaks, we are, at least, more ready than ever before. Epidemics throughout history . | Ebola, SARS and swine flu are just a few of the deadly diseases outbreaks in recent years .
Global networks provide early warning of potential outbreaks .
Airborne diseases pose the biggest threat to global health, say experts . |
0d516d897d56bd9bdc345a6eb0d269ff57da3dbd | (CNN) -- Twice each day, 12-year-old Charlie Bothuell V says in court documents, he was forced to do 100 push-ups, 200 sit-ups and 100 jumping jacks. He told child welfare investigators in Michigan that he'd have to curl a 25-pound weight on each arm and do 5,000 revolutions on an exercise machine, and if he didn't finish in less than an hour, he'd have to do the routine again, according a petition filed in Wayne County court in Michigan this week. The Detroit boy said that he feared being "in trouble again" for not completing his work-out routine. Sometimes he couldn't finish because he was in too much pain, he said. Charlie made national news in June when his father Charlie Bothuell IV said his son went missing for 11 days, prompting a search that involved the FBI and that ended bizarrely when the child turned up barricaded in the father's basement. The father was talking live on air with HLN's Nancy Grace when he learned that state police had discovered his son, appearing shocked when Grace told him that she'd just received breaking news about it. On her show, the elder Bothuell became visibly upset. He started breathing hard and clutching at his chest, and told Grace that he had no idea how his son could have been in the basement. "I checked my basement. The FBI checked my basement. The police checked my basement," he said on air. "My wife checked my basement. I've been down there several times. We've all been checking." Bothuell added that his home has been searched repeatedly by law enforcement trying to find his son. Police and the FBI also have said they searched several times and didn't see the boy and now indicate he might have moved during the 11 days -- they won't say yet specifically what their investigation revealed. 'Never seen anything quite like this' At the time, Detroit Police Chief James Craig reacted to the discovery of the boy with his own disbelief. "I've never seen anything quite like this," Craig told CNN affiliate WXYZ-TV. "We found him barricaded in the basement, behind boxes and a large ... drum. There's no way he could have erected this makeshift area of concealment." This week, Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody reiterated how surprised police were that the boy turned up in the basement. He told CNN, "It's possible" that investigators "didn't see" the boy while they searched the home from attic to basement. The department is reviewing its procedures, he added. A petition, signed Monday, and filed in Wayne County juvenile court describes allegations of abuse that the boy says he endured from his father and stepmother, Monique Arnel Dillard-Bothuell. Neither have been charged; in fact, no one has been charged with anything in the case. Blood found on PVC pipe . Wayne County child protective services opened an investigation of the family June 23 as FBI agents were looking into the boy's disappearance. Petitions seeking state custody of Charlie and his younger siblings were filed this week. They say that on June 23, the father "disclosed physically disciplining Charlie V with a PVC pipe. An FBI search of the home produced the PVC pipe with which Charlie V was disciplined. It was disclosed that blood was found on the pipe." On June 25, the documents say, the boy was found in the basement of the Bothuell home. He was taken to a hospital and a doctor examined him, finding a "half circular scar" on the 12-year-old's chest. The boy said that scar was a "result of his father driving a PVC pipe into his chest." The child was "also observed to have old scars on his buttocks from being hit with the pipe," the document states. Boy says he heard authorities searching . Representatives from the state's protective services agency witnessed two forensic interviews of the boy, according to the petitions, including an FBI interview on July 1. Charlie V made numerous allegations, saying that he was disciplined with a PVC pipe to the point that he was too sore to walk or sit and that he'd been punched by his stepmother who, he said, told him, "I can make you disappear." The boy said that the stepmother accused him of lying about whether he'd finished his workout, and put him in the basement on June 14. The boy told interviewers that he showered and put on his pajamas for the evening before entering the kitchen where his stepmother was "very upset regarding the workout," the petition states. "Charlie V reported Mrs. Dillard-Bothuell's voice was angry. Charlie V felt as if he did not have a choice, so he did as he was told," it continues. "Charlie V followed Mrs. Dillard-Bothuell to the basement. She then led Charlie V to the back of the basement" and gestured to an area along a wall. The boy said that she told him, "There, back there, go!" The petition states the boy said he climbed over a drum and that she added boxes to conceal him, and then went upstairs, called his father and said that the boy was missing, that she'd looked "everywhere" for him. Police said it was a 55-gallon drum, clarifying the petition's description as a "5-gallon" drum. When the stepmother came down to the basement, the petition says, she would approach the area where the boy was and say, "Shut up, stay quiet and don't say anything no matter what you hear!" "Charlie V reported Mrs. Dillard-Bothuell never brought him food, or anything to drink the entire time he was in the basement," the petition states. When the house fell silent, he would run upstairs to grab food. The boy told interviewers that he heard authorities come to the house while he was in the basement. The Wayne County prosecutor's office will decide whether criminal charges will be filed but had no public statement Thursday. A hearing was held in the case Thursday but state authorities would not discuss it, citing their regulations in cases involving children. Developments included a psychological evaluation being ordered for the 12-year-old to determine whether his father can have visitation rights, and discussions of petitions on termination of parental rights. Meanwhile, police told CNN that they have no reasons to disbelieve Charlie's claims. Police Sgt. Woody added that full results of the investigation have yet to be released. Efforts to reach Mark Magidson, an attorney for the boy's father and stepmother, were not immediately successful Thursday afternoon. And police were not commenting on the boy's whereabouts beyond telling CNN that he is living with a relative for the time being. Another hearing is scheduled for July 17. Michigan investigators talk with boy about basement ordeal . Parents locked Georgia boy in basement for 'disciplinary reasons' Car bakes in sun for investigation into toddler's death . | Authorities searched for 12-year-old Charlie Bothuell V for 11 days .
His father had reported him missing .
He was found barricaded in his father's basement .
In court papers, the boy tells of forced twice-a-day exercise that included 100 push-ups . |
0d52953222cdb8ec32b47d48877419fac693904d | Tensions between Russia and Japan have intensified after two Russian warplanes were allegedly spotted flying over Japanese territory. Japan scrambled its own fighter jets in response, claiming the Russian Su-37 planes had entered its air space off the northern tip of Hokkaido island in the South China Sea. Russia denied any border violation, but Japanese Defense Minister . Itsunori Onodera said that Tokyo will deal with yesterday's incident 'strictly, within the bounds of international law.' Japan released a picture of one of the Russian jets it claims made the incursion. Too close for comfort: This photo taken by the Japan Air Force apparently shows a Russian fighter jet SU-27 flying over the sea off the Japanese island of Hokkaido . Tension: Some fear Russia, under president Vladimir Putin (left) may be trying to test Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe (right), who has a reputation as a staunch nationalist . Rally: Silent prayers were offered during a national meeting in Tokyo - attended by Mr Abe - to demand the return of what Japan calls the Northern Territories, seized by Russia in the closing days of WWII . Disputed: The remote Kuril Islands are at the centre of a battle between Russi and Japan . Mr Onodera accused the Russian fighter jets of . intruding into Japanese air space, heightening regional tensions as . Beijing denied Tokyo's claims that Chinese naval vessels had locked . their weapons-targeting radar on to a Japanese destroyer last month. The alleged intrusion, which lasted just over a minute, happened when Japan was observing 'Northern Territories Day,' when it holds annual rallies urging Russia to return a series of islands off eastern Hokkaido captured at the end of World War II. The islands, called the Southern Kurils in Russia, are 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of where the incident took place. In Beijing meanwhile, China's Defense Ministry issued a statement denying Japanese claims that Chinese naval vessels had locked their radar on to a Japanese destroyer and helicopter in two instances last month in the East China Sea. Calls: Mr Abe delivers his speech during the annual rally which calls for the return of all four Russian-held islands North of Hokkaido in northern Japan, in Tokyo . Support: Some 2,000 people inclucing former residents of the Northern Territories attended the meeting . The countries are embroiled in a territorial spat over a cluster over tiny, uninhabited islands - called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese - in the vicinity that are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. 'The Japanese so-called claims that the Chinese navy locked on to Japanese ships and aircraft with fire control radar are not factual,' the Chinese statement said. It also accused Japan of repeatedly fabricating reports to smear China over the normal training actions of its military and building China up into an international threat. 'The Chinese side wishes that the Japanese side take practical actions, cease creating a tense atmosphere in the East China Sea, and refrain from issuing irresponsible statements,' it said. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida rejected Beijing's denial as 'completely unacceptable.' He told reporters that a thorough review of data by the Defense Ministry confirmed that the Chinese naval ship had locked on with its weapons targeting radar. Protest: Another supporter holds a placard reading 'Kuril Islands ours forever' as tensions over the disputed territory rises . The US Navy has said that Chinese . ships have in the past switched on their fire control radar as a . response to being hailed by US ships. Experts say this underlines the . need for better communication and coordination between navies. The . verbal back-and-forth comes amid the rise of China and to a lesser . extent Russia's re-emergence as a major power in Asia - but it does not . point to an imminent military conflict, said Narushige Michishita, a . security expert at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in . Tokyo. 'That's been . encouraging them to be more assertive and more active both on the . diplomatic front and military front in this region,' he said. China . and Russia may also be trying to test Japan's new prime minister, . Shinzo Abe, who has a reputation as a staunch nationalist and came to . office late last year pledging to defend Japan's sovereignty and to get . tough with its neighbours in territorial disputes. 'In the short run, this is happening I think partly in reaction to Mr Abe's return to office,' Mr Michishita said. While . a conflict between Japan and Russia is much less likely than with . China, Russia's alleged flight intrusion may be trying to send a signal . to Tokyo not to take them lightly, he said. That the incident took place on a day when Japan was demanding the return of Russian-controlled islands seems intentional, he added. Russian 'military operations and diplomatic intentions are pretty well coordinated,' he said. Photos of the Russian jets provided by Japan's military indicate that Japanese fighters got relatively close. When a Japanese fighter aircraft scrambles towards foreign aircraft, it usually maintains a 2,000 feet distance to avoid possible collisions, Mr Michishita said. Collisions can happen. In 2001, a Chinese fighter collided with a US Navy EP-3 flying about 60 miles from the southern Chinese island of Hainan. The Chinese jet crashed, killing the pilot, and the US plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Hainan, where the 24 crew members were detained and interrogated by Chinese authorities. | Japan scrambles warplanes after 'Russian intrusion over its territory'
Comes as rallies in Japan call for return of disputed islands from Russia .
Tokyo says it will deal with alleged incursion by Russia 'strictly' |
0d529d1af5525c8c07f9935545efdde046fb7b5a | By . Lizzie Parry . A young boy has died after becoming entangled in a garden swing. Billy Hughes, 10, was killed when he got caught in a rope swing at his Glasgow home on Monday night. The youngster was playing in the garden at his home when the incident happened shortly before 9.30pm. Billy Hughes, 10, was killed when he got caught in a rope swing at his Glasgow home on Monday evening. He was rushed to Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital for Sick Children but died as a result of his injuries . He was found unconscious by his family, who dialled 999. Paramedics rushed the youngster to Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital for Sick Children, but he died as a result of the injuries he suffered. Police officers were also called and a post-mortem is due to be carried out to help establish what happened. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'We can confirm that around 9.40pm on Monday we received a report of the sudden death of 10-year-old Billy Hughes in his garden at Balveny Street, Garthamlock. 'A post-mortem examination will be held in due course. 'At this time, his death is being treated as unexplained and enquiries are continuing.' A Police Scotland spokesman said a post-mortem is due to be carried out to establish what happened at the home in Garthamlock in Glasgow . | 10-year-old was playing in the garden when tragedy struck on Monday .
Billy Hughes was killed after becoming caught in a rope swing .
Police spokesman said his death is being treated as 'unexplained'
A post-mortem is due to take place to help establish what happened . |
0d5361027cc4e8412f889eb86bafc80acb6ae719 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 05:36 EST, 25 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:46 EST, 25 February 2014 . One man died and four people were injured after a hydraulic crane fell over at a wedding in India. The crane was lowering a ‘crystal platform’ carrying the bride and her sister into the wedding venue in Adalaj village, near Ahmedabad in Gujarat state. The man, said to be a 40-year-old guest, died, while the injured are being treated at a nearby hospital following the accident last night. Scroll down for video . So far, so good: Pyrotechnics goes off at the bride and her sister is lowered down towards the guests at the wedding . Dangerous entrance: The diamond-shaped platform . began dropping at a worrying speed as it became apparent that the entire . crane was coming down with it . According to local police, the 40ft-crane fell over after it was parked in uneven and muddy ground. A video from the wedding shows the cone-shaped platform being lowered down as pyrotechnics go off. As the platform gets closer to the ground, the crane suddenly topples over and the platform, carrying the bride and her sister, crashes to the ground. The wedding was hosted by a local resident for his daughter. It is not clear how badly the bride, or her maid-of-honour sister, were injured. Tragedy: The neon-lit crystal platform crashed to the ground as the crane fell over during the wedding in Gujarat state, killing one man and injuring four people . ‘As per the plan, the bride was to . reach the venue from outside the plot through the crane as she would be . showered with flowers,’ a relative told Times of India. ‘Everything went as per the plan till the platform almost reached at the designated spot. 'The incident took place when the crane was about to drop it to the ground from the height of four feet. ‘Suddenly, the crane turned one side and both the occupants fell on the ground.’ As the 40ft-crane toppled over with the two women still in the platform, guests got out of their chairs to run to their aid . Accident: One man died and four people are currently being cared for in hospital following the incident in Adalaj village, near Ahmedabad in Gujarat . | One died and four were injured at a wedding in Gujarat state, West India .
Hydraulic crane toppled over after being parked in mud on site .
It was lowering platform carrying bride, which crashed to the ground . |
0d541b0955275349772735796ea8129ee9d2ff19 | By . Andy Dolan and Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:40 EST, 9 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:34 EST, 10 September 2012 . Victim: The body of Colin Dodds was found early this morning in a pool of water . A couple were in mourning yesterday after their teenage son was found dead in a river – the third of their five children they have lost. Sixteen-year-old Colin Dodds got into difficulties while swimming with two friends on Saturday evening and disappeared under the surface before he could make it to the river bank. His body was found by police divers early yesterday. The tragedy comes three years after parents Colin, 38, and Wendy, 40, lost another son, Ryan, who died suddenly at the age of 14 from multiple organ failure. He had been diagnosed at birth with Hirschsprung’s disease, a rare condition that affects the bowels, and was on lifelong medication. The couple’s first child, Kenneth, died in 1992 at six weeks from complications associated with his premature birth. They also have two daughters, Rebecca, 19, and 13-year-old Nikkita. The family live on a close-knit estate in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, but their home appeared empty yesterday. It is thought family members had spent the night on the banks of the Wear in the town, waiting for news, until divers located Colin’s body at 4.20am. A neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, said: ‘Your heart just goes out to the family. They’ve lost three boys now, and it’s just heart-breaking. No one deserves to lose one child let alone three.’ Colin and his friends, also 16, are said to have entered the river at Batts Pool, a deep but slow-moving section of water which is a popular spot for fishing. Tragedy: Colin with his mother Wendy, centre, and sisters Nikkita, left and Rebecca. He was swimming with friends when he got into difficulties . All-night hunt: Search and rescue teams on the River Wear were called out after the alarm was raised . After his friends raised the alarm a . major search was launched, including an RAF jet which conducted an . infrared scan of the river in an attempt to locate the teenager. Chief Inspector Sukhsham Sahani of . Durham Constabulary said yesterday: ‘There’s some suggestion that Colin . was a weak swimmer. It’s too early to tell exactly why he went under . though. ‘It was a very pleasant, sunny day, but it’s not commonplace for people to actually go diving in at that particular area. ‘The Wear is well known as being unpredictable, you can never estimate the current. ‘I accept that there is a temptation . on a sunny day to paddle and play around the banks but I want to . reinforce the message to teenagers that they should be particularly . mindful of the dangers of playing by a river. ‘The family are distraught, it’s been a tragic end.’ Searching: An emergency service crew in a dinghy on the River Wear in Bishop Auckland during the hunt for missing teenager Colin Dodds . Rescue operation: A helicopter hovers over the River Wear after the teenager got into difficulties while swimming with friends . Another of the couple’s neighbours . said: ‘People don’t often go swimming there, but there’s no way I’ll let . my kids play down there any more. It’s too dangerous. The family must . be in bits about Colin.’ The teenager is the second child to die in the Wear this year. On April 27, the river was the scene . of a major search and rescue operation when eight-year-old Ian Bell was . swept to his death as he played with friends at a stretch near the Brown . Trout pub at Sunnybrow, near Willington, County Durham. The river was swollen with rainfall at the time. Ian’s body was recovered nine days later. A teenage boy has told how he desperately tried to save his best friend from a river after he began struggling in the water. A major search and rescue operation was launched after Colin Dodds, 16, got into difficulties in the River Wear at Bishop Auckland at 5.15pm. Colin and his friends Ryan Howard and Marwan Barq, both 16, had gone to cool off at an area known as Batts Pool near to the Market Square in the town when Colin disappeared. After an extensive search involving three helicopters, fire and rescue teams, police, and a Hazardous Area Response Team, Colin’s body was recovered in the early hours of Saturday morning from near the bottom of the deep section of the river, close to where his friends last saw him. Ryan, who had known Colin for around five years and described him as his best friend, told how he attempted to reach Colin before he went under the water. 'I tried to grab him and I tried to swim towards him, but I couldn’t get to him,' he said. 'I stretched my arm out, but I couldn’t reach him, he was too far away. 'He shouted he couldn’t swim, I just started panicking. I told him to kick his legs and arms as much as he could, but then I just saw his head go under and it didn’t come back up. 'I just got out and ran up to the bank to get help. A man rang for an ambulance. I was in so much shock. I was crying and shaking.' Colin and his friends had been to Darlington before they returned home to Bishop Auckland. Ryan said: 'We just went in the river to cool off because it was too hot. 'We’ve never been up this part of the river before, but we just went in. My mum woke me up on Sunday morning to tell me they had found the body at around 4am. 'As soon as I heard I just went and got some flowers and came back up the river to lay them.' Colin had just started a painting and decorating course at Bishop Auckland college with his friend. It is the second tragedy to have occurred on the river this year. In April, eight-year-old Ian Bell of Sunnybrow, County Durham, died after falling into the River Wear as he played with friends by the water near the Brown Trout pub in the village. | Colin Dodds was unable to reach river bank after getting into difficulties .
Operation involved helicopters from RAF, police and ambulance service .
Family 'distraught'; police say death was 'tragic accident'
Youngster is the third of parents' five children to die, it emerges .
Colin's best friend Ryan Howard has described his attempt to save him .
'I tried to grab him but I couldn’t get to him,' he said . |
0d559f6ea47994a8173048746e9715dd79bd35d6 | (CNN) -- Last September, William Jeffrey Dumas was convicted of three counts of rape. According to the charges, he had raped a woman three times over a night and the following morning, and the jury agreed with the prosecution that he was guilty. But just last week, a judge overturned the jury's conviction and ordered a new trial. The Georgia appeals court judge, Christopher McFadden, argued that the verdict went "strongly against the weight of the evidence" because, in his judgment, the woman in question -- I'll join other writers in calling her Jane -- didn't act like a victim and the man didn't act like a rapist. Jane has Down syndrome and the growing national outrage to this case has focused, with reason, on her disability. But Down syndrome is only part of the story. The outrage is not only because this judge didn't understand Down syndrome, but that judges frequently impose their perceptions on cases of sexual assault, reducing sentences even for convicted rapists on the grounds that the victim didn't act "correctly." Jane's troubling case reveals the intersections between rape culture and the way we strip agency from people with disabilities. Here are a few details. In October of 2010, Jeffrey Dumas was hanging out with friends in a home where a 24-year-old woman with Down syndrome was staying while her mother was out of town. According to the complaint, Dumas raped the woman three times over an evening and the following morning, but she made no "outcry" until the following day, despite having ample opportunities to tell the other adults in the house. People with intellectual disabilities, especially women and girls, are sexually assaulted at a much higher rate than the rest of the population. People with intellectual disabilities, even those with strong communication skills, can be vulnerable to sexual assault because they are unsure of what's right or wrong or whether they can say no. They rarely receive sexual education or are provided assertiveness training. Given this context, one might well invoke Down syndrome to explain the delay between the assault and the complaint. Most important, during the trial, Jane testified that she was raped, the jury believed her, and the medical and physical evidence confirmed her story. But the judge, acting as he says in his decision, as the 13th juror, saw things differently. McFadden writes that although "the evidence is sufficient to sustain the conviction," he offers a long list of confusing aspects in the testimony, which he boils down to, "At no time prior to her outcry on the 19th (the next day), did (she) behave like a victim. Nor did Mr. Dumas behave like someone who had recently perpetrated a series of violent crimes against her." I don't pretend to know what happened on the night of October 18 in the Fayetteville, Georgia, home. But I do know that what happened in the courtroom is not just about disability and agency, but about rape and the way authorities respond to women's testimony. Down syndrome may be a reason this judge decided that Jane's words carried less weight when measured against his perception, but many nondisabled women, women of all social classes, races, sexual orientations, and levels of ability, have experienced precisely the same kind of dismissal. Here are a few examples that do not involve disability. Last year in Montana, a judge reduced a former teacher's rape conviction to 31 days because the victim, a 14-year-old girl, was "as much in control of the situation" as her rapist and, in his opinion, "older than her chronological age." In California, a judge reduced a sentence of a convicted rapist because the woman didn't fight hard enough. The judge said, "If someone doesn't want to have sexual intercourse, the body shuts down. The body will not permit that to happen unless a lot of damage is inflicted, and we heard nothing about that in this case. That tells me that the victim in this case, although she wasn't necessarily willing, she didn't put up a fight." In Arizona, a judge reduced a sentence of a police officer convicted of sexual abuse to community service and probation, instead blaming the victim for being in a bar. The judge said, "If you wouldn't have been there that night, none of this would have happened to you. ... When you blame others, you give up your power to change." In Alabama, a judge structured a 40-year sentence for rape so the rapist would serve two years in a community program for nonviolent criminals and three years of probation at home. The judge, much like McFadden, argued that the victim just didn't behave correctly. He said, "You didn't hear the evidence. The original allegation was that both of these crimes were forcible. But then you have to believe that although she was forcibly raped twice, she continued to come back and have a social relationship (with the rapist)." Other women have been prosecuted for false reporting of rape because they didn't "act traumatized." Rape convictions have been vacated entirely because the victim didn't fight back, such as in Connecticut, when the state supreme court freed a rapist because his victim, a woman with cerebral palsy and a mental age of 3, with no ability to speak, didn't bite, kick, or scratch her attacker. As disability blogger Sarah Levis has commented, all of these stories should push our attention to this aspect of rape culture in the courtroom. Rape culture creates the myth that victims of rape must react within a predictable set of norms or raise doubts about the legitimacy of the rape. All of these women, including Jane, behaved in a way that judges didn't understand, so they overturned convictions or reduced sentences. And here is where disability comes back into play. Because of her Down syndrome, Jane is relatively immune to the kinds of victim-blaming endured by other women who are assaulted or abused. We know she wasn't asking for it. We can't blame her for staying in the house while Dumas got drunk. We know she didn't encourage him, then change her mind the next day. All of the myths about false reporting of rape don't apply to Jane because of her disability, and for that at least we can be thankful. Jane's experience points to the offensive way women's behaviors are interrogated when they seek justice. I hope that Jane and Dumas get justice in their next trial. If there are discrepancies in the timeline of events, as the court documents suggest, let them be explored. After an outcry, Judge McFadden recused himself from the retrial, which seems like a good decision. But as the next trial unfolds, do not focus on Jane because she is a woman with Down syndrome. Focus on Jane because she is a woman who says that she was raped. Focus on Jane because she's joined the ranks of other women, women of all races, classes, sexual orientations, and levels of ability who have said that they were raped and then had their testimony disregarded by a judge on the basis of not acting enough like a victim. There is no one correct way to respond to being violated, but there are so many ways that our justice system can make it worse. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Perry. | Judge reversed rape verdict, saying woman didn't act like a victim, man didn't act like rapist .
David Perry: The victim "Jane" has Down syndrome, but that is not reason for outrage .
Perry: See "Jane" not as person with Down syndrome, but as a woman who wasn't believed .
Perry says judges blame victims, dismiss cases cause victims "didn't fight back" |
0d568315586ee914f5a871347c47bc7efc437fb7 | (CNN) -- As a kid growing up in the mid-1960s, Scott Brusaw would spend hours setting up miniature speedways on the living room carpet so that he could race his favorite slot cars up and down the electric tracks. "I thought that if they made real roads electric, then us kids could drive," recalls Brusaw, who grew to become an electrical engineer. "That thought stuck with me my entire life." Fast forward to mid-2000s, with the debate over global warming in full swing, Brusaw's wife Julie asked him whether he could build the electric roads he'd concocted as a child out of solar panels. Brusaw initially laughed off the idea -- but not for long. With an airplane's black box in mind, the couple started mulling over the possibility of creating a solar powered super-strong case that could house sensitive electronics. They explored the idea of embedding solar cells to store energy inside the case, LEDs to illuminate the road lines and heating elements to resist ice and snow -- soon after, the concept of Solar Roadways was born. The couple's proposal calls for the traditional petroleum-based asphalt highways to be replaced with a system of structurally-engineered solar panels. These would act as a massive energy generator that could feed the grid during daytime. They would also recharge electric vehicles while moving, thus helping to reduce greenhouse emissions drastically. "Our original intent was to help solve the climate crisis," says Brusaw. "We learned that the U.S. had over 72,000 square kilometers of asphalt and concrete surfaces exposed to the sun. If we could cover them with our solar road panels, then we could produce over three times the amount of energy that we use as a nation -- that's using clean, renewable energy instead of coal." The Idaho-based couple received their first government contract to work on the project in 2009, and have been working to perfect it ever since. Initially, they joined forces with researchers to develop a super-strong textured glass that would offer cars the traction they require. Then, they fitted LEDs road markers to avoid destroying the cells by painting highway lines over them and heating to warm the surface and keep the system working. Now, the pair is hoping to raise enough funds on crowdfunding site Indiegogo to gear up production following the successful test of its latest prototype: a Solar Roadways parking lot laid next to their electronics lab. "They [solar panels] prevented snow and ice accumulation this past winter and are producing the expected amount of power -- the parking lot is equivalent to a 3600W solar array," says Brusaw, who's hoping to be ready for production later this year or early 2014. "The panels have passed load testing for vehicles weighing up to 125 tons without breakage," he adds. "Our textured surface has been traction tested and can stop a vehicle traveling 128kph on a wet surface in the required amount of distance." Brusaw says solar road panels could theoretically be laid anywhere -- from motorways and parking lots to pavements and playgrounds. He believes that such a prospect could transform the existing motorway infrastructure, prevent accidents and ultimately help save the planet from an environmental disaster. "In the U.S., roughly half of greenhouse gases are generated by burning fossil fuels to create electricity," he says. "Another 25% comes out of our tailpipes," adds Brusaw. "By replacing coal with solar and making electric vehicles practical -- which could lead to the end of internal combustion engines -- we could theoretically cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%. Brusaw admits that "in the beginning about half of the people thought we were geniuses and the other half thought we were nuts," before quickly adding that now "the vast majority of reactions are positive and supportive." "I think that many people expect their governments to solve the world's problems, but the climate crisis is getting worse and our politicians seem baffled," he says. "Many of our greatest technologies were created in someone's garage. That's where Solar Roadways was born and we think that we finally have a solution to the causes of global warming." | The Solar Roadways founders are raising funds to gear up production .
The aim is to replace Asphalt roads with solar panels that can support cars .
Their idea calls for a solar powered roadway made of durable textured glass .
The system also involves built-in LED lights and heating elements . |
0d57152704e6c219b806188221de965817ea420f | By . Snejana Farberov . Kansas City, Missouri, may not have access to the ocean, but for local resident Georgianna Reid, every day is a beach day. After three decades spent mowing and watering the lawn around her house on East Meyer Drive, the elderly resident decided to draw a line in the sand, literally, by replacing the greenery with grit. ‘I would say I'm putting in the largest litter box in the world,' said Ms Reid of her unusual approach to landscaping. Scroll down for video . Life's a beach: An elderly resident of Kansas City, Missouri, transformed her yard into a sand lot after growing tired of mowing and watering the lawn . 'Before' picture: In 2011, a Goggle Streetview camera captured the home on East Meyer Boulevard with trimmed grass in the front yard . A photo taken by a Google Streetview camera back in 2011 captured Reid's neat two-story red-brick home in the 100 block of East Meyer Boulevard surrounded by trimmed grass. Burying her head in the sand: Georgiana Reid does not care that some of her neighbors think her property has become an eyesore . Fast-forward to 2014, the woman has turned the land in front of her home into a giant sandbox with outdoor furniture off to one side and garden sculptures of gnomes for decoration. To execute her design, Ms Reid spent around $4,000 to cart in 80 tons of sand, which she then enclosed with a small fence. Reid used to have an oversize chess set in the yard and a volleyball net, but someone had stolen them. Not everyone has embraced the desert-like front yard. Some of the homeowner's neighbors expressed concern that Reid's sandbox has become an eyesore, which could lower their property values. 'I think the house looks revolting with all that is out there,' neighbor Edwin Bisby told the station KCTV. Some angered residents have even complained about the king-size 'litter box' to city officials, but an inspector found no code violations on Reid's part. True grit: It cost the homeowner $4,000 to truck in 80 tons of sand to cover her yard . Curb appeal: To make the arid landscape homier, Reid bought outdoor furniture and decorated the yard with garden sculptures . KCTV5 . | Georgiana Reid spent $4,000 transforming her front yard in Kansas City, Missouri, into a mini-beach filled with 80 tons of sand .
Neighbors are concerned Reid's sandbox will lower their property values . |
0d57be97c1e0664da28beeaf55d2d4fe705ac8af | By . Erin Van Der Meer . Former Australia cricketer Shane Warne has finally confirmed he is in a relationship with Playboy model Emily Scott after the pair were pictured kissing in Sydney last month. Warne revealed the news on Twitter on Wednesday night as he headed to Wimbledon to watch fellow Aussie Nick Kyrgios play Milos Raonic. He wrote: 'Ps And yes I'm taking my girlfriend @EmilyLScott who's looking smoking hot too hahaha !!!' VIDEO Scroll down for Aussie legend Shane Warne caught kissing Playboy's Emily Scott . New love! Shane Warne has confirmed he and Australian Playboy model Emily Scott are in a relationship . It's on: The pair have been spending time watching fellow Aussie Nick Kyrgios play at Wimbledon this week . Howzat? Former cricketer Warne lifts Scott as they leave a Coldplay after party in Kensington, London . Glory days: Warne lifts the official Ashes trophy in 2007 after victory over England in Sydney . The pair have attended several events together in London in recent days, including a Coldplay concert and after party. They also spent time in Paris prior to the London jaunt, as a photo posted to Warne's Instagram account revealed. Warne had denied the pair were anything more than friends, responding to the speculation via a tweet last month: . 'Wow, 8 years of friendship, a full moon party & attending a mates 50th turns into us dating? Whats next, down on a knee!' But now he has held up his end of the deal he made fans on social media last month, insisting he an Scott were not a couple - but if they ever were, he wouldn't hide it. 'We're good friends. Both single and intent to keep it that way, end of story,' he had said. 'If and when I'm ever in a relationship, I will let you know!!' The model, who also works as a DJ, looked a a little too worse for wear to walk out of the Coldplay after party herself on Tuesday night, with Warne picking her up and carrying her out of the Kensington Roof Gardens venue. Looking good: Scott, who is a model and a DJ, poses for a picture on her Twitter account . Revealed: Scott appeared on the UK version of hit TV show 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' in 2011 . Passionate: Warne has a heated exchange with Marlon Samuels of the Melbourne Renegades during an appearance for the Melbourne Stars in January, 2013 . Fresh start: Warne, pictured leaving Kensington Roof Gardens with Scott, split from actress Liz Hurley last year . Follow me: The Playboy model lead Warne home after a spending the evening together in London . City of love: The pair were spotted enjoying the fruits of their blossoming romance in Paris just the day before . Racy: The former Spin King, who was seen sharing a kiss with the buxom blonde last month, also took her to the Moulin Rouge . Earlier in the day, the new couple cheered on wildcard Kyrgios as he upset world No 1 Rafael Nadal in the last 16 at Wimbledon. Emily and Shane also stepped out together for their first joint public appearance on Sunday, attending the Wellbeing of Women's Celebrity Cricket Match in Oxford. News of Warne's new relationship follows his split from actress Liz Hurley in November last year. The pair spent more than three years together and got engaged in October 2011, but parted ways on good terms. Out of the picture: Warne, pictured at a charity match in June 2013, split with his fiancee Liz Hurley in November having continually put off plans to marry . Finished: Warne and Hurley spent around three years together but remain on good terms after their split . | Warne took to Twitter to reveal he is dating Scott .
The pair have been spotted out together in recent weeks .
Scott is an Australian model who also works as a DJ .
Warne split up with actress Liz Hurley last year . |
0d57ec3d6cc9f7055ec4e6bffcafce3f4437cf6e | By . Peter Rugg and Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 23:28 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:36 EST, 31 October 2012 . The scale of the mammoth challenge facing authorities in the US following Superstorm Sandy was clear to see today in the flood-hit state of New Jersey. National Guard troops arrived in the devastated city of Hoboken to help evacuate thousands of people still stuck in their homes. Trucks were delivering ready-to-eat meals and evacuating the area, across the . Hudson River from New York City - half of which remains flooded two days after the storm struck. Thousands of people are still holed up in their . brownstones, condos, and other housing in the square city. The Mayor's spokesman said many people . are now asking to be evacuated. Payloaders have been used to get . people out for medical emergencies but as the streets are so narrow they . can get stuck. Homeless: Vihaan Gadodia, two, is handed from a National Guard truck after he and his family left a flooded building in Hoboken . Rescue effort: Hoboken firefighters bring Eliza Skye LaPointe, 18-months-old, from a National Guard truck (left) and a resident is carried through floodwaters in Hoboken . Celebrating despite the floods: Triplets Aliah (L), Steven (C) and Aiden Tarabokija (R) take part in the annual Halloween Ragamuffin Parade in Hoboken . Wading through water: A man carries his dog as people make their way out of the floodwaters in Hoboken, New Jersey today . Struggle: There may be clear skies but one resident is forced to wade through knee-deep water in this desolate neighbourhood . Wearing black bin liners strapped to his legs, this man carries his dog through the murky water . Water everywhere: Cars are seen on a street flooded at Hoboken in New Jersey, while a vehicle drives on a flooded street in the wake of Superstorm Sandy on Tuesday . Water taxi: A Hoboken car park full of yellow cabs is flooded as a result of Superstorm Sandy this week . The spokesman said the city is asking . people with generators and boats to bring them to city hall, which is on . dry ground and powered by a backup generator. Mayor Dawn Zimmer . ordered an evacuation of basement and street-level units on Sunday. Hoboken was hit hard by Superstorm . Sandy, which flooded roughly half the town of 50,000 people. Mayor Zimmer had pleaded for the Guard's help late on Monday, saying thousands . of residents were stuck in their homes. Astonished: A man carries his wife through the floodwaters to stop her getting wet . Hoboken Mayor: Dawn Zimmer, left, ordered an evacuation of basement and street-level units on Sunday and right, a man bails floodwater out of his basement apartment . Ruff ride: A dog named Shaggy is handed from a National Guard truck to personnel after the dog and his owner left a flooded building in Hoboken on Wednesday . Members of the U.S. army help to rescue residents in the city as it began crawling back to normal on Wednesday . The Army from Morristown evacuate elderly victims of Hurricane Sandy today in the city . A member of the Army National Guard Unit Fox 250 from the Teaneck Armory delivers emergency drinking water to the Hoboken Homeless Shelter to aid victims . Evacuated: An elderly victim to the storm is wheeled away to help . The Army deliver emergency supplies to people whose lives have been wreaked by the storm . Supplies: The storm has claimed many lives in the United States and has caused massive flooding across much of the Atlantic seaboard . Victims are evacuated today in an Army truck in Hoboken, New Jersey . Members of Army National Guards load a truck heading to flooded areas in Hoboken, New Jersey . 'We have two payloaders and we're . trying to go in where we can to help people, but we have small city . streets and payloaders cannot fit down them', Mayor Zimmer said last night on MSNBC. 'We've got live wires in the waters, . and the waters are completely contaminated and getting more . contaminated,' she said. 'It's rain water mixed with sewage water; it's . becoming more sewage water.' NFL superstar Eli Manning, a quarterback for the New York Giants, lives in Hoboken and has also been hit by the rising waters. Army guards stand ready to help with the recovery today as the storm wreaked havoc across the city . Stuck: Mayor Zimmer said the city's payloaders cannot fit down city streets to evacuate people trapped in their homes by rising flood waters . Submerged: Flood waters surround a car parked on a street in Hoboken . Stricken: Public transport has ground to a halt, and half of the city of 50,000 people is under water . 'We've got live wires in the waters, and the waters are completely contaminated and getting more contaminated. It's rain water mixed with sewage water; it's becoming more sewage water' Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer . Actress Kate Mara, niece of New York . Giants owner John Mara, tweeted the image of the Superbowl winner . standing in the flooded lobby of his Hoboken home to her followers last night. He appears to be taking a photo of the floodwater and is . clutching a flashlight. Hoboken resident Polina Pinkhasova, a . 27-year-old engineering student, has been volunteering at a shelter in . the city, where water is still 3ft deep in spots and the power . remains out. 'Once the sun sets, complete darkness,' she told the Associated Press. 'You really can't see anything.' Glum: A dejected-looking Eli Manning takes a picture of the flooded lobby of his Hoboken building . A sailboat is pictured tossed onto the shore in Hoboken today in the wake of the superstorm . A boat lies on a sidewalk by a residential complex after being washed ashore . Devastation: Water rushes into the Hoboken PATH station through an elevator shaft (left). The water has become contaminated with sewage and gas from abandoned cars (right) Filthy: Waste from the North Hudson Sewage plant has further contaminated the flood covering almost half of Hoboken . Perseverance: Hoboken residents got around any way they could as the waters rose . Donning waterproof clothing, a man bikes his way through flooded streets, left, and floodwater drains from a basement as residents undertake clean-up operations, right . Biblical flooding: Filthy water pools in front of a ground floor apartment. The National Guard was sent in to help residents after the mayor begged for help . Local residents wear wellies and waterproofs as they journey through murky waters in the aftermath of the storm . Amazement: People take pictures of a street flooded with water from Hurricane Sandy on Tuesady in Hoboken, New Jersey . A good Samaritan provides electricity for storm victims to charge electronic devices, left, and a truck pumps water out of a flooded building, right . A municipal truck drives through flooded streets two days after the massive storm made landfall . Her house is on dry land, but she has . seen evidence of price-gouging, saying she paid $14 (£9) at one store for . three small bags of chips and a small bottle of cranberry juice, all . expired. 'There are just pumps going all over the city of people trying to get the water out of their basement apartments' PJ Molski, Hoboken resident . PJ Molski, a 25-year-old graphic . designer who lives in Hoboken, said that his place is dry but that his . car, which he left parked on a flooded street, won't start. Almost every basement apartment he has seen in the small city, which makes the most of its housing stock, is flooded. 'There are just pumps going all over the city of people trying to get the water out of their basement apartments,' he said. In a typical scene, along Grand Street . on Hoboken’s south side, cars can be seen partially submerged as . residents lean out their windows waiting for help, reported The Star-Ledger. VIDEO: Displaced New Jersey residents count the cost of Sandy ahead of Obama visit . | Trucks delivering ready-to-eat meals and evacuating New Jersey city, located across Hudson River from New York .
More than half of its 50,000 residents are affected by flooding and the water is infested with sewage and live wires .
Mayor Dawn .
Zimmer had pleaded for Guard's help on Monday, saying thousands .
of residents were stuck in homes . |
0d57f73fd9755dcc1ff76598d832973e7b948ad5 | Washington (CNN) -- The "nuclear option" would be the changing of Senate rules to enable judicial and executive nominees to be confirmed with just 51 votes instead of 60. Apparently you need 60 votes to do just about anything in the Senate but change the rules. That only takes 51 votes. Nuclear? That sounds harsh for something as simple as a rule change. Senators view themselves as being part of the "world's greatest deliberative body." It's a debatable point, but in order to protect the minority party and make sure nobody does anything without a full debate, Senate rules require that 60 of 100 senators agree to votes to move toward confirming a nominee or passing legislation. In the fancy language they speak on Capitol Hill, moving toward a vote is called "invoking cloture." Senate moving toward 'going nuclear' Actually confirming the nominee or passing the legislation takes only 50 votes, but because of the procedural rules, it pretty much takes 60 to invoke cloture and get anything done these days. By requiring only 51 votes, the entire character of the chamber would change. Instead of being forced to get buy-in from the minority party (Republicans right now), the majority party (Democrats right now) would be able to confirm anybody for whom they could get a simple majority. Click here for a good academic paper from George Kroger at the University of Miami on "The Rise of the 60-Vote Senate" The idea is that it would "blow up" the Senate. We're speaking figuratively, of course. The symbolism of "going nuclear" also portends a sort of mutually assured destruction in the future, to borrow another Cold War term. Democrats won't always control the Senate. And when Republicans are in charge, you can bet they'll return the favor. Man who coined the term 'nuclear option' regrets ever pursuing it . Wow. That does sound serious. Is this constitutional? Sure is. The Constitution doesn't say anything about Senate rules. It puts that power in the hands of senators and congressmen. "Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings," according to Article 1, Section 5. Senators are tasked with signing off on nominees in Article II, Section 2. But it doesn't say how exactly, which has led to a centuries-long debate on the matter. Here's what the Constitution says about the president's power to appoint: "He shall have Power... with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments." OK. Fine. There's nothing in the Constitution. But Senate rules are pretty clear on the 60-vote threshold. Yes, they are. Read the chapter on cloture. But they've changed over time. Until 1949, for instance, according to the Congressional Research Service, senators couldn't even move to limit debate (invoke cloture) on nominations. According to the Senate website, Henry Clay was the first senator to threaten going nuclear, back in 1841, on legislation. Up until 1975, it actually took 67 votes to overcome a filibuster. The most famous examples came during the Civil Rights era when Southerners from both parties blocked equal rights legislation. It took 60 days of filibustering to find the votes for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. What role does filibustering play in all this? Everybody seems to have a different definition of what a filibuster is. In pop culture, filibustering brings to mind Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," speaking for hours to block legislation with which he disagrees. Anymore the filibuster is an implied thing. When everybody realizes that if there aren't 60 votes to limit debate, senators don't generally spend much time debating at all. They just move on. Even when a senator mounts a long, all-night speech, the outcome is usually pre-ordained. Take Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who spoke all night just before the recent government shutdown. Even before Cruz started speaking, senators had reached agreement to vote on a government funding bill the next day. His speech was not a filibuster; it was preaching to his political choir. Why is all this coming to a head now? This is where it gets even more complicated. Republicans have been blocking nominees to the D.C. Court of Appeals not because they dislike all the nominees, but because they don't want more Democrats than Republicans on that court. Currently, there are equal numbers of Democratic and Republican appointed judges on the court, which is considered second only to the Supreme Court in importance. In fact, Republicans want to shrink the number of judges on the court and expand the number of judges in other courts. But this is a fight that extends way beyond the current spat over the D.C Circuit Court. The number of filibusters has exploded in recent years, and so has the number of votes trying to end them. Between 1949 and 2012, cloture was invoked 122 times. The vast majority of those occurred in the past decade. Democrats, who employed the tactic of filibustering to some effect during the George W. Bush administration, now say they're fed up with Republicans employing it against President Barack Obama. Read a really detailed look at the history of filibusters and cloture filings from the Congressional Research Service. Republicans block nominees to D.C. court . | Senate rules require 60 votes to move toward confirming a nominee or passing legislation .
Up until 1975, it took 67 votes to overcome a filibuster .
Sen. Ted Cruz's floor speech before the government shutdown wasn't a filibuster .
Current fight is over D.C. court, but impact extends well beyond that . |
0d5816835241165a0be31f512814f700b0d498de | By . Richard Spillett . The heartbroken family of a toddler found dead at his home have paid tribute to the 'happy-go-lucky' boy with a 'cheeky smile'. Liam Fee was discovered after emergency services were called to a flat he shared with his mother and her partner in Thornton, Fife on Saturday evening. As pictures of the tragic two-year-old were released today, police said they are continuing their investigation into his death, which is being treated as unexplained. Liam Fee, who was found dead at his home in Fife on Saturday, was described by relatives as 'happy-go-lucky' Grieving relatives of the two-year-old told of their 'devastation' at their loss. In a statement released through police, his family said: 'Liam was a happy-go-lucky little boy, with blonde hair, big blue eyes and a cheeky smile. 'He was very much loved by his family and will be deeply missed. Liam had his whole life ahead of him and we are devastated at our loss. 'We would like to thank our friends for their continued support and for all the teddies and flowers left as a tribute to Liam outside the family home, which has provided us with some comfort. 'We request privacy and time to grieve at this very sad and difficult time.' Liam lived with his mother Rachael Fee, her partner Nyomi Fee and his seven-year-old twin brothers, JJ and Matthew, in the three-bedroom flat. Relatives said Liam had his 'whole life ahead of him'. Police are treating his death as unexplained . Police at the house in Thornton, Fife, where Liam was found dead on Saturday evening . Police were called after a neighbour heard a woman’s screams coming from the flat. Officers say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the death. A local resident, who did not want to be named, said: ‘I heard a woman’s crying coming from the flat. She sounded hysterical. Then the police arrived.’ Friend Gillian McCusker, 35, said the family seemed happy on the afternoon before the incident. She added: ‘He seemed perfectly fine. They all seemed OK. The twins said hello and Liam smiled at my son. It’s horrible to think that was the last time he’d be seen alive. It is such a tragedy.’ Liam's mother Rachael Fee (far left), pictured with her partner Nyomi Fee, and father Joseph Johnson (right) Mr Johnson, with Liam's older brothers, twins Matthew and JJ, who lived with Liam and their mother in Fife . Forensic experts spent hours at the . property on Saturday night, while floral tributes and soft toys were . left on the grass outside. Liam's mother and her partner are believed to have both come from Tyneside and struck up a relationship after Rachael split up with the father of her three sons. They moved to Scotland about two years ago and took part in a civil ceremony a year ago. Rachael changed her name from Telfer to take Nyomi’s surname. The boys also began using the name Fee. The boys’ father, Joseph Johnson, is believed to still live in Ryton,Tyneside. Friends of the women said that Liam suffered from autism and his brother JJ had to use a wheelchair after being diagnosed with an infection in his lower leg. But the two women often held parties at their rented flat, where they also kept snakes, dogs and several pet rats. | Liam Fee was discovered at his home in Thornton, Fife on Saturday evening .
Police are investigating the death, which they are treating as 'unexplained'
Family say he was a 'happy-go-lucky' boy and had 'whole life ahead of him'
Toddler shared home with mother, her lesbian partner and two brothers . |
0d583a429bcfa61eac49f2f3a14f6d265f77dc6e | Idiotic TV shows and all the latest apps bumming you out on the 21st century? Ready for some "me time" on the world's remotest islands? Forget golden sands and swaying palms -- the reality of solitude is different as these terrifyingly distant landfalls demonstrate. Tristan da Cunha1,750 miles from South Africa . The British island group of Tristan da Cunha stands profoundly alone in the South Atlantic. The nearest landfall is South Africa, 1,750 miles east, and to the west, South America is more than 2,000 miles. It's the world's most remote inhabited island chain -- so precariously occupied that when a volcanic vent erupted in 1961, the whole population was evacuated to England. Reaching Tristan da Cunha: This is no easygoing excursion. To quote the official website, "There are no package tours for independent travelers, no hotels, no airport, no holiday reps, no night clubs, no restaurants, no jet skis nor safe sea swimming." All visitors need to clear their arrivals in advance through the Island Council, and they also need to obtain a police certificate. (A 40-day wait is typical.) There are around 10 sailings a year from Cape Town, South Africa, and Namibia, each taking five to six days to reach the islands; it costs $800-$1,500 for a round trip. A list of available ships can be found on the official website: www.tristandc.com. Bear Island400 miles off Europe's north coast . Bjornoya, better known as Bear Island, is the southernmost island in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, 400 miles north of mainland Europe -- but only on paper, given that it's almost 150 miles south of the Norwegian island chain with which it's lumped. It's been a nature reserve since 2002 and has a lively history of failed occupation -- hard to believe for a place of barren cliffs, near-zero precipitation and risk of leaks of radioactive material from the nearby wreck of a nuclear submarine. Reaching Bear Island: Getting to the heart of Svalbard is a relatively simple matter -- there are daily flights from Oslo and Tromso to Svalbard's capital, Longyearbyen, on the west coast of Spitsbergen. Now it gets tricky. Research vessels infrequently call on Bear Island (the Norwegian Polar Institute makes an occasional appearance), while individually chartered boats and the occasional adventure cruise (such as this one from Polar Quest) haul in the remaining visitors. Bouvet1,000 miles from Antarctica . Tristan da Cunha is the remotest inhabited island in the world -- now, welcome to its uninhabited, far bleaker counterpart. Its cliffs are sheer. It's almost entirely covered by a glacier. In winter, its seas are pack ice. And its nearest neighbor is Antarctica, 1,000 miles to the south. In short, idyllic. Reaching Bouvet: The entire island is a nature reserve -- so unless you can make a compelling case for visiting, you'll be blocked by Norwegian authorities. Get permission, and it's now a simple matter of finding a research vessel, quickly mastering a valuable skill such as arctic geological surveying or marine biology and then getting someone to land you via helicopter. (There are no ports or harbors.) If all else fails, try becoming an amateur radio enthusiast: In 1990, a multinational expedition of operators spent 16 days on the island. Bishop Rock30 miles from England . Regarded by Guinness as the world's smallest island with a building on it, Bishop Rock stands at the end of Britain's Isles of Scilly, where coastal waters give way to the fury of the Atlantic. In 1847, engineers started building an iron lighthouse there -- and it washed away in a storm. Its extraordinary successor, first lit in 1858, stands to this day. Reaching Bishop Rock: Visiting the most southwesterly point in Britain is surprisingly easy -- the St. Mary's Boatsmen's Association runs day trips. But as Martin Hesp notes, even on a "calm" day you're in for serious chop. Boreray60 miles off mainland Scotland . Love the Scottish islands, but want something with a little more bite? Head west of the Outer Hebrides, and you'll find the archipelago of St. Kilda, 40 miles into the Atlantic. It's one of Scotland's five World Heritage sites, with a main island that was abandoned in the 1930s when crops failed. Imagine the surprise of archaeologists when they found that one of the least hospitable islands, Boreray, was occupied in prehistoric times. Reaching Boreray: Since Boreray comes under the protection of the National Trust for Scotland, you need its permission to visit. Then? Lots of time and lots of luck -- with a rugged shoreline and savage sea swell, this isn't an island built for landings. According to one guide, more people have reached the summit of Everest than have landed at Boreray since the National Trust took ownership in 1957. North Sentinel Island . 400 miles from Myanmar . North Sentinel is one of the 572 islands making up the Andaman chain in the Indian Ocean's Bay of Bengal. It's surrounded by dangerous reefs, but North Sentinel is intimidating because of its inhabitants. The Sentinelese want nothing to do with the modern world and have repeatedly rebuffed attempts to make peaceful contact. Reaching North Sentinel Island: You're kidding, right? If the above description didn't put you off, this article about a pair of fishermen who strayed onto the island certainly should. Rockall270 miles from Ireland . If you think Boreray sounds forbidding, try sailing 187 miles west of it. Rockall is the tip of an extinct volcano reaching 20 meters (about 65 feet) above sea level, in seas with waves recorded as high as 29 meters (95 feet). In 1955, the British Empire, in its final territorial acquisition, seized Rockall -- allegedly due to fears the Soviets would build a missile battery on it. Reaching Rockall: In the words of the recently minted Rockall Club, "visiting Rockall is difficult, completely weather dependent and not cheap." Your best bet is contacting Kilda Cruises and arranging a tailor-made excursion. Or you could sail there, lash yourself to the rock and claim it as your very own micronation -- but you wouldn't be the first. | Forget swaying palms; these islands offer real solitude .
The islands of Tristan da Cunha sit 1,750 miles off South Africa .
Bear Island is the southernmost island in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard . |
0d59fa110d13eec3d09519731879332fc036f8ce | Nogales, Mexico (CNN) -- In the push to free an American woman from a Mexican prison, a video shown in court Thursday could be key. The security camera footage shows Yanira Maldonado and her husband boarding a bus in Mexico last week. They are carrying a purse, two blankets and two bottles of water. It's an everyday scene that plays out at bus stations around the world. But in this case, defense attorney Francisco Benitez argues that the images are a crucial piece of evidence. Why? Because nothing they're carrying, he argues, could hold the amount of marijuana that Yanira Maldonado is accused of smuggling. Maldonado, a Mormon mother of seven, has been in a Mexican jail for more than a week. Authorities accuse her of trying to smuggle 12 pounds of marijuana under a bus seat. She has maintained her innocence, and the case has drawn widespread media coverage and attention from U.S. lawmakers as family members push for her freedom. The revelation of the video comes at a key juncture in the case. A Mexican judge must decide by Friday whether there's enough evidence to charge Maldonado with drug trafficking. If she's not charged, Maldonado must be released, Benitez said. The video footage shown in court Thursday suggests that someone else brought the marijuana aboard the bus, the lawyer said. The packages of marijuana allegedly recovered from under Maldonado's seat would not have fit in her purse, Benitez said. Maldonado's attorneys also presented documents that show that she and her husband, Gary, have no criminal records in the United States, Benitez said. Word that the surveillance video had been shown in court was a big relief, Gary Maldonado told reporters Thursday night. "That was the key that would help us prove her innocence," he said. Prosecutors' efforts to say the drugs could be hidden inside the blankets won't win the day, he said. "It showed right on the film clear as day there's no way you could carry 12 pounds or 5.7 kilos with one arm. You could see me fold the blankets curled up," he said. The Mexican military officials who arrested Maldonado haven't made their case yet in court. The soldiers were scheduled to appear Wednesday but didn't show. Maldonado's family denies the charges and are optimistic the case against her is crumbling. Mexican authorities arrested Maldonado on May 22 as she and her husband were on their way back to Arizona. Gary Maldonado said he believes Mexican soldiers at the checkpoint wanted a bribe. A Mexican state official also told CNN it appears that Maldonado was framed. A regional office of Mexico's defense ministry said troops conducting a routine investigation stopped the bus Maldonado was riding in and found 12.5 pounds (5.7 kilograms) of a substance that appeared to be marijuana under her seat. Troops turned the case over to the Mexican attorney general's office, the defense ministry said. Maldonado is being housed in a women's prison in Nogales while authorities decide her fate. In an interview Wednesday with CNN, Maldonado said she has been turning to Scripture to survive the ordeal. "Reading the Scriptures, reading the Book of Mormon, praying, fasting," Maldonado said. "And all the support that I've been getting from my family, my husband, my children and everybody out there reaching out to help." Family members' tearful pleas for her release have drawn widespread media attention to the case and caught the attention of U.S. officials. "I am watching this very, very closely," said Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Arizona. "After the hearing tomorrow, if I have concerns, I may end up having to go to Mexico myself and get involved in this thing personally." Salmon said he's spoken about the case with the U.S. ambassador to Mexico and Mexico's ambassador in Washington. "This case gets stranger by the minute," Salmon said, "and I think most Americans as they've been watching it unfold have a lot of concerns." Salmon said witnesses' testimony that Maldonado was only carrying a purse when she got on the bus is among the details that caught his attention. "What concerns me more than anything is that I want to make sure justice is met. I want to make sure that she is treated with every courtesy and fairness that we would expect in our own judicial system," he said. State Department officials said consular officials met with Maldonado Wednesday and last Friday, and are in regular contact by phone. U.S. diplomats are doing the same things they usually would when a U.S. citizen is arrested in a foreign country, but maybe to a higher degree because of the high-profile nature of the case, a senior administration official said. On Thursday night, Gary Maldonado said his wife was in good spirits. "She was in a good mood," he said. "She feels like she was going to get out, since we have the evidence that proves her innocence." CNN's Christine Theodorou, Casey Wian, Elise Labott and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | NEW: Yanira Maldonado's husband says the video evidence is "clear as day"
Her lawyer says security camera footage is crucial evidence .
Maldonado is accused of smuggling drugs on a bus .
A judge has until Friday to decide whether to press formal charges . |
0d5a098e11ae514e5824f3ea00486313474cdec7 | (CNN) -- Ayan Mohamed wears a niqab that covers her face, not for religious reasons but to hide what lies beneath. "She wears it to cover the deformity. She covers it because people would stare, children would cry," says Edna Adan Ismail, Somaliland's former foreign minister and first lady. "It's not easy to look at." Ismail founded the region's first maternity hospital, The Edna Adan University Hospital. The facility is now a bustling general clinic providing care to all. For 11 years, she's been seeking help to repair Mohamed's face, which was torn apart by shrapnel during the Somali Civil War. Mohamed was just two years old when she was injured. She is now 25 and can't close her right eye. Food falls from the hole in her cheek when she tries to eat. She's long learned to deal with stares and awkward questions. "The hardest thing for her is when somebody asks what happened to her face," Ismail says, translating the softly spoken words from Mohamed, who's seated beside her. "It just hurts me," Mohamed says. They're sitting at a press conference in Brisbane, Australia, a shiny modern city some 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) -- and a world away -- from her home and her daughter in Burao, northwest Somaliland in the Horn of Africa. Her child, Marwa, is just two years old, the same age as Mohamed when she was so horrifically injured. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. John Arvier from the Wesley Hospital is explaining the extent of the damage to her face and what's going to be done to fix it by a team of experts, who are offering their services for free. "Essentially Ayan is missing most of the tissue of her midface from the bottom part of the eye socket, the whole top jaw and most of the cheekbone and her palate," Arvier says. "The surgery will involve replacing, with a small synthetic implant, the rim of the eye socket. Then the bulk of the missing tissue will be replaced by muscle that comes up under the cheekbone on the side of the head." Skin taken from her forearm will be moved to her face, and a plastic surgeon will also use cartilage from her ear to rebuild her nostril. Extensive dental work will then be needed to reshape her smile. From behind her veil, Mohamed expresses her faith in the team of surgeons. "I'm confident, I'm not worried." Ismail adds, "She's a brave woman. She's had to live with this a long time... she's very relaxed. I'm the one who's falling apart." She first heard of Mohamed's plight when the girl's mother went to her hospital several years ago seeking help. Then, the hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland had been open just one year and didn't have the expertise to deal with Mohamed's problems. It still doesn't. Ismail spread the word about Mohamed's injuries and a website was built. Photos were taken. And, since it was uploaded to YouTube in 2009, a video about Mohamed's need for help has been viewed more than two million times. Two years ago, a group of Rotarians in Australia met and vowed to bring Mohamed to the country for surgery. It wasn't easy. There's no postal service in Somaliland so something as simple as sending a letter required outside help. And then there was the travel -- Mohamed had to travel hundreds of kilometers to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for scans, x-rays and assessments. Just when the medical challenges seemed to have been resolved, the Australian government refused Mohamed's visa application. It was the second time a country had denied her approval to enter because her injuries weren't deemed to be life threatening. "Since this is not a growing cancer or a heart condition or a situation that could kill her overnight, I guess some people would classify that as not life threatening," Ismail says. "But then when you're a young women what's more life threatening than not having a face?" "The first visa denial was from the United States, and that was hard. And then when the visa was denied a second time in Australia, we thought 'who will have the courage to tell this to Ayan?'," she says. "Here's a woman who's only begging to have medical treatment which she's not able to access anywhere else. I'm glad that the decision was reversed," she adds. Since Mohamed arrived in Brisbane there have been a number of firsts. "She saw a river for the first time yesterday," Ismail says. "And walking up to this conference room she saw fish in a fish tank for the first time. "She rode an elevator for the first time (and) we had a few lessons to learn how to ride the escalator -- we had a few almost-trips but we're here," she laughs. Ayan will undergo surgery on Saturday. Recovery will take weeks, if not months. When the scars have healed Ayan hopes to be able to face the world for the first time with nothing to hide. "She says she's looking forward to removing this," Ismail says, motioning toward the black niqab that cloaks Ayan's features, "and to have a face like everyone else." | Ayan Mohamed to undergo surgery in Brisbane to rebuild her face .
She was disfigured at the age of two during the Somali Civil War .
Ayan is now 25 and has endured years of stares, pain and shame .
Surgery in Brisbane is the result of an 11-year plea for help from Edna Adan Ismail . |
0d5b1eb766356d5f70a8f0b22f9b882f1d013be0 | Jermain Defoe will make his home debut when Sunderland take on Fulham in the FA Cup Fourth Round on Saturday. The 32-year-old – signed from Toronto earlier this month – made his Black Cats bow during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at former club Tottenham. But Defoe will now run out at the Stadium of Light for the first time this weekend. Jermain Defoe (centre) jogs with his Sunderland team-mates during a training session on Thursday morning . Defoe is expected to make his home debut against Fulham on Saturday in the FA Cup fourth round . ‘Jermain will probably play,’ said assistant boss Charlie Oatway. ‘He looks good in training and although he had an injury before he came here, he is ticking over nicely. ‘We need to be careful with him but I am sure he will take part in some capacity on Saturday.’ Meanwhile, Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson and Wes Brown are all set to miss the game. Cattermole and Brown are both carrying minor knee injuries, while Johnson is struggling with a calf problem. The players were seen laughing and joking during the session, as they prepare for the visit of Fulham . Players were made to bunny-hop over each other during a game at the Academy of Light on Thursday . Oatway added: ‘There are one or two issues on the injury front. ‘Adam has a bit of a calf problem, Wes has a knock to his knee and Lee has also got a bit of a problem with his knee. We are still monitoring those. ‘Lee will be struggling for the weekend but it is not a major concern. We are confident he will be ready for next week.’ Emanuele Giaccherini (second left) and Costel Pantilimon (third left) show their height difference . Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet gets involved in the session (left) while Sebastian Larsson looks on (right) | Jermain Defoe joined Sunderland from Toronto earlier this month .
He made his debut against former club Tottenham at White Hart Lane .
Defoe will now make his home debut in the FA Cup against Fulham .
Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson and Wes Brown are all set to be out . |
0d5d907c890a33d3ae6c52784e6c92f6f18e356a | When Cara Delevingne, Suki Waterhouse and Jourdan Dunn stomped down the Burberry catwalk in THOSE blanket coats - a new AW14 style staple was born. The wool blanket ponchos, knitted in muted yellows, reds and blues, patterned with Apache-style zig zags were monogrammed with the initials of the model who wore it. Since then, Sarah Jessica Parker, Olivia Palermo and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have been spotted in the luxurious blanket scarves emblazoned with their initials. Scroll down for video . Get the look: Burberry unveiled its blanket coat at the AW14 show, as modelled by Cara Delevingne and co, and it quickly became the season's must-have accessory . If you can't afford the luxury version but still want to look on-trend this season, Matalan is here to help. As part of its Christmas charity campaign, the high street store has unveiled a range of monogrammed scarves for just £10. The best part? All profits go to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Cheap and chic: If you can't afford a Burberry scarf, Matalan has unveiled a range of monogrammed scarves for just £10, as modelled by Abbey Clancy. The best part? All profits go to Alder Hey Children's Hospital . A-list fans: Britney Spears, left, and Sarah Jessica Parker, right, have both been wearing the new scarf, which gives profits to a children's charity . In fashion: Big, cosy scarves are big news this season - Chloe, Prabal Gurung, Sacai and DKNY's models all wrapped up warm in theirs on the runway - and now Nicola Roberts, left, and Rod Stewart are working the look, too . Celebrity fans of the scarves so far include Sarah Jessica Parker, Abbey Clancy, Dame Helen Mirren and Lea Michele, among many others. Available in a variety of vibrant winter colours for women, men and children, the scarves feature a collegiate style appliqué letter. The money raised by the alphabet scarves will go towards a new state-of-the-art children’s hospital, education and research centre ‘Alder Hey in the Park’. It's a spice thing: Mel B, left, and Mel C, right, each have a scarf with their initials emblazoned on . Trendy: Vogue's catwalk edit describes scarves as the new 'wrap stars' - and Glee's Lea Michele and Tinie Tempah have clearly taken note . Big, cosy scarves are big news this season - Chloe, Prabal Gurung, Sacai and DKNY's models all wrapped up warm in theirs on the runway. Vogue's catwalk edit describes them as the new 'wrap stars', with Helen Hibbird advising: 'Exquisite fabrics take this trend from sofa to street; look for double-faced cashmere and silk blends for the perfect drape.' Fashion editor and stylist Lisa Haynes mused: 'When I saw Cara and co. storming the Burberry Prorsum AW14 catwalk, I had instant bespoke blanket envy. The monogramming, showcased by CD (Cara Delevingne) and SW (Suki Waterhouse), gives the piece massive trophy appeal. 'If you can't afford the £895 Burberry price tag, look to the high street for a homage.' Men can wear them, too! Wayne Rooney, left, and Mark Wright show us how to work the look in red . | Burberry set the trend with monogrammed blanket scarves for AW14 .
Matalan has unveiled £10 version with lots of celebrity fans .
All profits go to children's charity . |
0d5dd1ffd19659fd884496ce8567ab1a184030bd | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 07:27 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:58 EST, 18 October 2012 . A billionaire Arab prince has been charged with being drunk on an aircraft after being thrown off a passenger jet by police officers armed with 50,000 volt Taser guns. Bahraini national Mubarak Hamad, 29, will appear before magistrates in London later this month in connection with the incident at Heathrow airport in July. Hamad - believed to be a close relative of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa - lives in Eaton Square, Belgravia, one of central London’s most sought after addresses. Allegations: . Mubarak Hamad had boarded a Boeing at Heathrow Airport (file . picture) on Sunday July 22 when he allegedly began shouting and . complaining about the poor service . Past and present residents include . Charles Saatchi and his wife Nigella Lawson, James Bond actors Sean . Connery and Roger Moore plus former Chelsea football manager Jose . Mourinho. Family: Hamad is believed to be a close relative of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (pictured) He had . boarded a Boeing 777 on the morning of Sunday July 22 when it is alleged . that he began shouting and complaining about the poor service on the . BA125 flight to Doha in Qatar, via Bahrain. It . is also alleged that members of the crew were forced to call the police . who arrived with stun guns after he stormed the flight deck and refused . to go back to his seat. Wealthy Hamad was then dragged off . the plane and taken to a police station near the airport where his DNA, . mugshot and fingerprints were taken. He . was bailed, but was told he was being formally charged when he answered . his bail yesterday. He is due to appear in court later this month. A . Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: 'Mubarak Hamad, 29, of Belgravia, was . charged on October 17th with being drunk on an aircraft and has been . bailed to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates Court.' Human . rights campaigners have in the past criticised King Hamad whose regime . has been accused of violently repressing pro-democracy activists. Mubarak Hamad - believed to be a close relative . of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa - lives in Eaton Square, . Belgravia, (general view pictured) one of central London’s most sought after addresses . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Bahraini national Mubarak Hamad, 29, will appear before magistrates in London later this month .
He had .
boarded a Boeing 777 when it is alleged .
that he began shouting and complaining about the poor service on the .
BA125 flight .
Hamad lives in Eaton Square, .
Belgravia, one of central London’s most sought after addresses . |
0d5ea4954895c2fc8024f41b8e324220553a39c1 | (CNN) -- Authorities have arrested the leader of Mexico's largest union, accusing her of embezzling millions of dollars and using some of the money to pay for plastic surgery, shop at luxury stores and buy real estate. Elba Esther Gordillo, who has led Mexico's high-profile national teachers union for more than two decades, was in federal custody after she was arrested at an airport outside Mexico City on Tuesday, the country's attorney general told reporters. Investigators from Mexico's treasury found that 2.6 billion pesos (more than $200 million) had been routed from union funds into private bank accounts abroad, including some managed by Gordillo, Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said. Some of the money was used to pay for $17,000 in plastic surgery, more than $2 million in purchases at a Neiman Marcus department store and a house in San Diego, California, prosecutors said. Gordillo, 68, is a powerful, well-known figure in Mexico, and news of her arrest sent shock waves through the country's political spheres. Her arrest comes as Mexico's government enacts sweeping education reforms that have been sharply criticized by the union. She was notably absent when Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced the education overhaul on Monday. Gordillo has led the union, the largest in Latin America with 1.5 million members, since 1989. She is widely known as "La Maestra," Spanish for "The Teacher." A court issued an arrest warrant for her Sunday after "many operations within the financial system," Murillo Karam said. "It was identified that between 2008 and 2012, resources were diverted from the accounts of education workers, obviously from the union, to accounts of individual people," Murillo Karam said. The resources "later were withdrawn in large quantities through cashier's checks and transfers triangulated to individuals and corporations" inside Mexico and also in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, he said. Gordillo was expelled from Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party in 2006 and helped found the New Alliance party. CNNMexico.com could not immediately reach Gordillo's daughter, a senator for the New Alliance party, and the teacher's union had not responded to Gordillo's arrest late Tuesday. CNN en Español's Mario Gonzalez and CNNMexico.com contributed to this report. | Elba Esther Gordillo is accused of using union funds for plastic surgery, shopping .
She is in custody in Mexico after being arrested at the airport, the attorney general says .
Word of the union leader's arrest sends shock waves through Mexico's political spheres .
Gordillo has led Latin America's largest union since 1989 . |
0d602ba86e504f2a0f5e5328798e0cc5b0ef029c | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 07:17 EST, 16 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:15 EST, 16 January 2013 . Carlos Tevez was fined more than £1,500 after he did not respond to police letters when his car was clocked speeding . Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has been disqualified from driving at court today after he failed to understand the word 'constabulary' on official letters from the police. Tevez, 28, was banned from driving for six months at Manchester Magistrates' Court and ordered to pay £1,540 in fines and costs. The court heard he received letters from . the police when his car was clocked speeding twice but his solicitor said he failed to respond because . he did not recognise the word constabulary. The striker, who did not attend the hearing in person, pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to furnish information in relation to the incidents. Tevez also admitted not having a proper UK driving licence, but denied he was driving when his car was caught speeding. The footballer’s solicitor, Gwyn Lewis, told the court: 'He does understand the word "police", but not more complicated words. 'The letters are written from Cheshire Constabulary and the word police doesn’t appear on it anywhere.' He said that was also the case in relation to the speeding office in Morecambe, which was pursued by Lancashire Constabulary. 'The word constabulary is not one that is recognised internationally, but of course police is,' Mr Lewis said. 'The correspondence was not dealt with properly and that has resulted in these offences.' When discussing the possibility of a fine, Mr Lewis told the bench: 'He is a footballer and in that regard he is relatively well paid.' The court ordered that the disqualification period would start from November 26, last year, when an interim driving ban was imposed on the player. Tevez, from Alderley Edge, Cheshire, mimicked driving a vehicle after he scored twice in his team’s Premier League win at home to Aston Villa on November 17 last year. The striker mimicked driving a vehicle when he scored against Aston Villa on November 17 last year . Last November Lancaster magistrates imposed an interim ban on him after he failed to provide information when his car was clocked doing 39mph in a 30mph zone in Morecambe, Lancashire, on March 28 - the night he played for City’s reserves against Morecambe Reserves. The court heard he failed to respond to letters sent to him by police on April 3 and May 4. Mr Lewis told the court his client accepted he did not provide identification - which carries six penalty points - and that under the totting up procedure he was now liable for disqualification. The court heard that Tevez’s Hummer vehicle was also clocked doing 66mph in a 50mph zone in Crewe, Cheshire, on May 8 and that he again failed to respond to letters from the police about it. On November 15, last year, his Porsche Panamera was impounded in Manchester as he could not produce a full UK driving licence. The car was seized under section 165 of the Road Traffic Act in a routine patrol near to the Britannia Airport Hotel. Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, said police pulled the car over after they checked it on the police system and it was found that Tevez was listed as a provisional driving licence holder and he was not displaying L-plates. He was spoken to at the side of the road with the aid of a Spanish interpreter, the court heard. He was then summonsed for driving otherwise in accordance with a driving licence. The striker, pictured arriving at training last year, was sent letters when his car was twice caught speeding and his Porsche Panamera was later impounded when he could not produce a full UK driving licence . Three years ago - when he was playing for City’s rivals Manchester United - his Bentley Continental GT Speed was impounded in similar circumstances. The Bentley was removed by police near to junction six of the M60 in February 2009 after it was found he did not have a full UK driving licence. As an Argentinian driving licence holder, Tevez, is permitted to drive in Britain for the first 12 months of his stay in the country but is then required to apply for a provisional licence and pass the UK driving theory and practical test. Mr Lewis said the theory test will be problematic for his client as it is normally conducted in English. The centre forward joined West Ham United in 2006 and then moved to Manchester United a season later. He signed for Manchester City in the summer of 2009. | Manchester City striker did not respond to Cheshire Constabulary letters .
His solicitor told Manchester Magistrates' Court he knew the word 'police'
But he said the Argentinian did not understand the word constabulary .
The footballer has been ordered to pay £1,500 in fines and costs .
He was banned from driving for six months . |
0d60a628092367aa9b2364323e3b60b82060eff2 | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 05:26 EST, 15 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:32 EST, 15 August 2012 . A man accidentally shot himself in the buttocks last night at a Nevada cinema during a screening of The Bourne Legacy. The 56-year-old victim's injuries are not life-threatening and no others were hurt in the incident, which took place at a theatre in the city of Sparks. Police said the man had a permit to carry a concealed firearm. Bum deal: A man accidentally shot himself in the buttocks last night at a Nevada cinema during a screening of The Bourne Legacy, starring Jeremy Renner (pictured) The man told officers the gun fell . from his pocket at about 8.40pm as he was adjusting himself in the seat . and that it discharged when it dropped to the floor. Bizarrely for the other cinemagoers at Century 14, he then apologised and left the building before police arrived. He was later found at a Reno hospital receiving treatment for this wound. Police . spokesman Sgt Pay Dyer said: 'Witnesses inside the theatre at the time . the shot was fired stated that a man was adjusting himself in his seat . when a gun he had on him discharged. 'The man was cooperative with police and admitted that his gun fell out of his pocket and when it hit the floor it discharged.' Bizarrely for the other cinemagoers at Century 14 in Sparks (pictured), the man apologised and left the building before police arrived . The case will be sent to the city attorney for possible charges, authorities said. Police rushed to the cinema after one 911 caller claimed seven or eight shots were fired. But officers soon established that just one shot took place. A police statement to RGJ.com said: 'There was no panic in the theatre as only five people heard the shot out of the approximate 30 people in attendance.' The incident comes less than a month after a shooting at a suburban Denver cinema that left 12 dead and 58 injured. | No others were hurt in the incident, which took place in the city of Sparks, Nevada, last night .
The 56-year-old victim's injuries aren't life-threatening .
He apologised to people in cinema and made his own way to hospital .
Police said man had permit to carry concealed firearm . |
0d60ec3c0c7167ea920a1330a9bb5455a7a6ef33 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 21:49 EST, 2 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:09 EST, 3 January 2014 . A restaurant owner and ex-cop was caught off guard when a brazen burglar entered his steakhouse and walked out with a 250-pound safe. Kevin Hynes owns Stockholders Steakhouse in South Weymouth, Massachusetts where the burglary happened last Sunday, during the busy dinner hours. 'It was almost like a perfect storm, he had some kind of information, I'm thinking from the inside or someone that knew what was going on here at the time,' co-owner Erik Hynes told Fox 25. Scroll down for video . Brazen: A burglar was caught on camera entering Stockholders steakhouse in Weymouth, Massachusetts Sunday night and making off with the restaurant's safe . Inside source: During the six minute heist, the burglar remained on his cellphone leading the restaurant's owners to believe that he was getting information and it was an inside job . Right under their noses: The burglar conceals the 250-pound safe in a garbage bag and walks out of the restaurant without notice . Surveillance footage shows a man wearing a hat and tan jacket enter the restaurant through a side door before going down the stairs and into the storage room, all while on the phone. 'That tells me it was one of the employees, an inside job,' Kevin Hynes told CBS Boston. 'Or it was one of the delivery guys.' At one point the burglar passes a manager on the floor, who gives him a second look, but moves on without raising suspicion because people come in and out of the restaurant all day. From there, the burglar forces his way into the office where he picks up the 250 pound safe and walks right out of the restaurant without attracting notice, using a trash bag to conceal his loot. Caught off guard: Stockholders is co-owned by former policeman Kevin Hynes who says he's never heard of such a brazen burglary . Won't happen again: The Hynes family will be stepping up security at all three of their restaurants. They replaced the safe with a new 315-pound one that has been bolted to the floor . 'This guy was a big guy. He knew it was a one man job, he knew his size, he could pull it off and he did' Erik Hynes said. They wouldn't say how much cash was in the safe when it was stolen, but Kevin Hynes said 'it was enough to hurt'. Weymouth police continue to investigate the burglary and the restaurant is offering a $2500 reward of their own for any information to lead them to the thief. Since the burglary, The Hynes' have purchased a heavier 315-pound safe for the restaurant, which has been bolted to the floor. They said they will be stepping up security at all three of their restaurants. | A burglar walked into Stockholders steakhouse in Weymouth Massachusetts last Sunday and stole the restaurant's 250-pound safe .
The restaurants owners believe it was an inside job since the man was talking on his cellphone the entire time .
Police are still investigating the burglary and the restaurant is offering a separate $2500 reward .
The stolen safe has been replaced with a new 315-pound safe that has been bolted to the floor . |
0d61f5e56db5a35b952bded46844b5a5b010cff1 | (CNN) -- Headlines and pundits once again declare that we have a crisis on our hands in the wake of discovering that North Korea is building a new nuclear reactor and a uranium enrichment plant. More ominously, Tuesday brought news of direct artillery barrages between North and South Korea, heightening tensions and costing lives. But as provocative and serious as this is, neither is a crisis. Both fit a clear pattern of North Korean behavior -- a pattern that ultimately holds out the opportunity for progress. Unfortunately, so far the U.S. response also fits a pattern of rhetorical condemnation but little in the way of creative or effective engagement. Some key lessons need to be re-learned in light of these developments. First, the fundamental security situation with respect to North Korea has not changed. Pyongyang's estimated stockpile of plutonium bombs remains the same (four to eight bombs' worth). It does not have the capability to deliver these devices by aircraft or missile and its plutonium program remains frozen or perhaps even further eroded, as described in a report by Dr. Sig Hecker, who visited the North's nuclear facilities two weeks ago. Tuesday, in a briefing in Washington, Hecker, the former head of the Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory, said that his report had been "hyped" in the media. He detailed how the new facilities, while potentially capable of producing material for bombs, are hardly the quickest route for North Korea to do so. Here's why. Uranium weapons are bigger than plutonium weapons, thus more difficult to shrink to the size needed for a missile warhead. The facility Hecker visited could only produce one or two bombs' worth of material a year, it is not clear when it will be fully operational and it has been built to replace the plutonium production facilities, not add to them. The new, small light-water reactor under construction is actually not very good for producing weapons-grade plutonium. If North Korea wanted to expand its nuclear arsenal, it makes much more sense for it to restart the plutonium reactor it has, not replace it with this new one. Finally, the North Koreans said they would scrap their plutonium capabilities completely in exchange for improved relations with the United States. In short, it is conceivable that the facilities are what the North claims, its attempt at home-grown nuclear energy, a goal the North has had for decades. As Hecker said, the trip raised "as many questions as it answered." Second, as difficult as engagement is, it is preferable to the alternative, isolation and instability. Remember that North Korea succeeded in acquiring or building these new facilities during a time when sanctions were extreme and U.S. engagement was absent. In fact, we only know about the facilities because of an unofficial visit by Americans whom the North wanted to use to reveal them. Before that, the Bush administration's years-long policy of complete isolation allowed North Korea to produce plutonium, fashion it into bombs and test two of them. Only in the last two years of the Bush era did a change in U.S. approach bear some fruit in freezing North Korea's programs. "Strategic patience" has been the nickname for the U.S. approach to North Korea since the early weeks of the Obama administration, when Pyongyang rejected early overtures of dialogue. What the administration failed to grasp is that diplomacy with the North is pretty much the most difficult exercise one can do in international relations. But that does not mean you shouldn't continue to try, even when -- or maybe especially when -- the response is a poke in the eye. So where does this leave us? What can or should the United States do to respond to these latest developments? Here again, everything old is new again: Creative, thoughtful approaches to engaging North Korea have to be designed and tested -- persistently. Yes, U.S. overtures will annoy allies in the region, but not if done in concert with or through consultation with them. Yes, the administration will suffer reactionary criticism from the right for "dealing with evil" or similar screeds. But the stakes are too high to allow the long-term threats that North Korea poses to be hamstrung by near-term political scorekeeping. President Obama has to be bold. A number of ideas about how to proceed are offered in a recent piece by Lee Sigal of the Social Sciences Research Council. These suggestions, including economic incentives and diplomatic measures such as a trip by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to North Korea and the conclusion of a peace declaration involving both Koreas and China, are a good starting point. Sun-tzu, an ancient Chinese expert on the region, advised, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Good advice and as relevant as ever for the United States regarding North Korea. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Carroll and Joe Cirincione. | North Korea's artillery barrage was serious, but this is not a crisis, say co-authors .
They say the action fits pattern of North Korea's behavior and doesn't preclude progress .
Revelation of a uranium enrichment plant doesn't signal escalation in its weapons capability, they say .
U.S. needs to try economic and diplomatic measures to move ahead, they say . |
0d62bbc4a8c057486994c0c6d50a6c3ed7ed757d | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 10:11 EST, 22 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:02 EST, 22 October 2013 . Driver: Businessman Darren Jarvis, pictured arriving at Cardiff Crown Court, is charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a road traffic accident which left Jacek Stawski & Lee Williams dead . A businessman whose car number plate read 'Who's bad' lost control on a country lane while showing off his sports car at 100mph and killed two married fathers, a court has heard. Property developer Darren Jarvis, 42, was driving friend Lee Williams in his white turbo-charged Nissan Skyline sports car when he lost control. Cardiff Crown Court heard Jarvis span across the road and crashed into a Citroen Xsara driven by Jacek Stawski. Mr Williams, 40, and 38-year-old Mr Stawksi - both married with two children - were killed 'almost instantly' in the horror smash in Cwmbach, south Wales, in August last year. But Mr Stawski's four-year-old-son Thomas miraculously survived in the back seat of the family car. Prosecutor Nicholas Jones said Jarvis was speeding at 100mph on a winding road to show off in the £30,000 3.8 litre turbo sports car. He said that although the car's number plate was WHO6 BAD, a screw had been put through the number six to make the registration read 'Who's bad' from a distance. Mr Jones told the court: 'Jarvis and his passenger Mr Williams were at the head of a line of traffic - there was no one in front of them. 'Jarvis put his foot down and accelerated hard. 'Witnesses behind them in cars heard the sound of the exhaust and saw dust and gravel being kicked up by the wheels. 'As he came around the bend he started to lose control and the nearside wheels hit the kerb and went onto the grass verge for some distance until the car started to spin. Tragic: Lee Williams, who was a passenger in Darren Jarvis's car when it crashed was killed almost instantly . Victim: Father of two Jacek Stawski (pictured) was in another car that was hit head on in the collision. He was also killed in the crash . 'A woman was coming the other way and she swerved and managed to avoid the car somehow as it came across the road. 'Mr Stawski behind her was not so lucky.' Witnesses said Jarvis was 'frantically' trying to wrestle back control of the speeding car as he span into the oncoming traffic. Mr Stawski was driving well below the 60mph speed limit with son Thomas in the back seat when his family saloon was hit 'broadside' by the spinning sports car. Mr Jones said: 'The Citroen had almost stopped when the crash occurred. 'It was struck with such great force to the front that it was knocked backwards and spun 180 degrees. 'Both Mr Williams and Mr Stawski suffered the full impact of the collision and were declared dead within minutes of the paramedics arriving.' Personalised: The sports car driven by Jarvis had the number plate 'WHO6 BAD' Father-of-two Jarvis, of Radyr, Cardiff, was airlifted to hospital. He was treated for broken ribs, internal bleeding and spinal injuries and released after five days in hospital. When interviewed by police he said he couldn't remember anything. Mr Jones told the jury: 'There seems to be two issues Jarvis relies on. Sports car: Mr Jarvis was driving a Nissan Skyline, similar to the car pictured . 'First that he may have had some sort of fit or seizure during the crash, and second that the crash speed was considerably lower than the 100 mph. 'Our case is that he put his foot down as fast as he could and probably to show off to the passenger in his car. 'This was a case of deliberate acceleration and dangerous driving.' Jarvis denies two charges of causing death by dangerous driving. Nissan claims that the top speed of the 3.8litre Skyline is 193mph. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Darren Jarvis lost control of his Nissan Skyline in South Wales last August .
His passenger father-of-two Lee Williams, 40, died 'almost instantly'
Jacek Stawski, driving a Citreon Xsara, was killed when his car was hit .
Mr Stawski's son Thomas, four, survived in the back seat of the car .
Jarvis denies two counts of causing death by dangerous driving .
Nissan claims that the top speed of the 3.8litre Skyline is 193mph . |
0d6327a2a5cd601f4f5135c0ad2972115082fda9 | General Sir David Richards, Chief of . the Defence Staff, also pays token rent on apartment at Kensington Palace - at yearly cost of around £256,000 to taxpayer . By . Mark Nicol and Nick Craven . PUBLISHED: . 19:17 EST, 15 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:01 EST, 20 June 2013 . Head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall, is paid £180,000 and has a . flat in London as his official residence . Britain’s military top brass should sacrifice their ‘lavish lifestyles’ and move into council flats, a former government economist has said. In an attack on the ‘grotesque’ culture of grace-and-favour privileges enjoyed by senior officers – including heavily subsidised luxury apartments – the former Chief Economic Adviser to the Ministry of Defence says up to £1 billion can be saved. This could be done by cutting ‘questionable’ allowances to senior officers, axeing up to one in three posts above the rank of brigadier (or equivalent) and by procuring new aircraft carriers and submarines more efficiently. Neil Davies, who retired last year, rubbished suggestions by the head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall, that any further cuts to the £34billion defence budget would jeopardise Britain’s ability to win wars. Mr Davies said: ‘Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he? As the head of the Army, General Wall is paid £180,000 and has a flat as his official residence. 'This is a lavish lifestyle and it is shared by a number of very senior officers in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. 'Senior officers say they require official residences in easy reach of Downing Street so they can be summoned to advise the Prime Minister at any time. 'In that case they could be found a council flat in Vauxhall – the point being that other properties could fill the same geographic criteria. General Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, pays a . token rent on Princess Diana's former apartment in Kensington Palace and . can live there with his wife Caroline (above) for the duration of his . time in office. The property reportedly costs the taxpayer £256,000 a . year to run . Favours: General Sir David Richards (circled left) and General Sir Peter Wall (circled right), with the Queen and the military top brass at the Armed Forces Parade and Muster in Home Park, Windsor, last year . ‘At the same time, many junior ranks’ accommodation resembles council estates. Some of these flats and houses are abysmal and the comparison between the treatment of those at the top and bottom ends of the Armed Forces is grotesque.’ General Sir David Richards, Chief of the Defence Staff, pays a token rent on Princess Diana’s former apartment in Kensington Palace and can live there with his wife Caroline for the duration of his time in office. The property reportedly costs the taxpayer £256,000 a year to run. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas – the most senior officer in the Royal Navy – has a luxury apartment in Admiralty Arch, just off Trafalgar Square. Remarkably, none of these Service chiefs is reported to pay more than £750 a month to rent these properties, and there are many other such officers in luxury properties. They may also claim for domestic assistance and some enjoy the services of personal chefs and drivers. In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, Mr Davies described visiting an eight-bedroom house at the Royal Naval base in Devonport, Plymouth, which was maintained for entertaining guests by the Rear Admiral commanding ‘FOST’ – the Flag Officer Sea Training establishment. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas - the most senior officer in the Royal Navy - has a luxury apartment in Admiralty Arch, just off Trafalgar Square . He said it was fitted out with antiques and grand paintings like a country hotel, all at public expense. ‘The Rear Admiral admitted he and his wife hadn’t liked living there so they had moved to a much smaller place nearby, but their huge house was maintained for guests of FOST,’ he said. ‘What we have is a relic of the 1920s class system in the Armed Forces that is perpetuated through a package of privileges and remuneration to senior officers which they couldn’t maintain in civilian life and is denied even to senior officials in the diplomatic service.’ Mr Davies also said many of these officers were doing little more than ‘manning desks’ in Whitehall and that one in three could be removed from the command chain without remotely damaging Britain’s chances of winning future wars. He said: ‘All three Services are top-heavy with senior officers, even in comparison to the US military, which is hardly an example of efficiency. Many are replicating each other’s jobs. ‘We would be better off amalgamating the three Services at the level of high-ranking commanders to end this duplication. This would mean the Armed Forces wouldn’t need to retain and promote so many officers in order to compete for the top jobs.’ The MoD's ex-Chief Economic Adviser, Neil Davies, said: 'Senior officers say . they require official residences in easy reach of Downing Street so they . can be summoned to advise the PM at any time. In that case they could . be found a council flat in Vauxhall'. Above, Kensington Palace . Mr Davies said politicians and civilian officials were reluctant to challenge the generals and admirals over their packages because they would have to put their own pay deals and perks under similar scrutiny. ‘At the end of the last Labour government a report was commissioned into these privileges. It was intended to highlight the cost of official residences and vehicles and the lifestyles but it was never published and effectively buried,’ he said. On procurement, Mr Davies suggested the MoD was restricted by its relationship with the British defence industry, with companies such as BAE Systems enjoying a ‘feather-bedded monopoly’. ‘BAE won a contract to build the Astute attack-class submarines after offering a price that it simply could not afford. So it went cap in hand to the MoD claiming that it would have to default on the order unless the MoD coughed up more money. BAE are untouchable.’ An MoD spokesman said: ‘Senior ranks do not just fulfil command positions in the three services, they also hold senior management roles . . . as well as positions in UK embassies, NATO and other coalition headquarters around the world.’ ... as No. 10 goes to war on 'luxury' Army budget . Britain can no longer expect to punch ‘way above its weight’ on military spending, David Cameron has told Defence Secretary Philip Hammond. The warning comes as the MoD fights to avoid deep cuts in this month’s spending review. Mr Hammond has angered No10 by refusing to sign up to any reductions that might damage frontline capabilities. Britain can no longer expect to punch 'way above its weight' on military spending, David Cameron has told Defence Secretary Philip Hammond (right) But he has been warned in stark terms by Mr Cameron that the MoD’s £34 billion budget should be regarded as generous because it is the fourth largest in the world – even though the UK economy is only sixth. The French, who are sixth in the defence pecking order, spend £8 billion less than the British. America accounts for 40 per cent of global defence spending with an annual £436 billion budget. China is second, with £106 billion, while Russia is third on £57 billion. Mr Cameron said that the Chancellor is demanding ‘just’ £1.6 billion to be trimmed from the MoD. Mr Hammond responded by saying he would try to find ‘efficiency savings’ but would not slash deep into manpower or equipment budgets. The exchanges between Mr Cameron and Mr Hammond took place as negotiations continue between the MoD and the Treasury ahead of the spending review on June 26. A Whitehall source said: ‘Mr Cameron is proud of that fact we have such powerful, well-resourced Armed Forces. But he wanted Philip to be aware that it is something of a luxury when there is a such a pressing need to trim spending.’ The MoD has been at the centre of some of the most public, and acrimonious, exchanges about the spending review, with the head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall, warning that cuts could endanger soldiers’ lives. Sir Peter argued it would be dangerous to lose more troops when the Army is already being reduced from 102,000 to 82,000 personnel. ‘Imposing more on us now before the last round of efficiencies have materialised properly in a balanced way would be very disruptive,’ he said. An earlier version of this article said General Sir Peter Wall had an apartment at Kensington Palace. In fact his Army accommodation in London is at a different location. Nor does he have a country residence as was stated. We apologise for these inaccuracies. | Neil Davies, ex-Chief Economic Adviser, says up to £1bn can be saved .
Head of Army, General Sir Peter Wall is paid £180,000 and has flat in central London as official residence .
General Sir David Richards, Chief of .
the Defence Staff, also pays token rent on apartment at Kensington Palace - at yearly cost of around £256,000 to taxpayer . |
0d633fecef0e5a988ab7e440b86a03d8e24219c5 | Edinburgh city has ruled out a proposed 'bed tax' on tourists for the second time after a cool response from the Scottish Government and local hotels. Local authorities contacted Scottish ministers to discuss a voluntary 'transient visitor levy' which would impose an additional fee for every night's stay in Edinburgh. But concern over the reliability of income and whether enough hotels, B&Bs and guest houses would sign up saw the plan stall. Edinburgh city chiefs scrapped plans to tax tourists visiting the city extra per night for the second time . A proposal of a compulsory tax - which would have added between £1 and £2 per night to a room bill - were backed by the council in 2011 and they say up to £10 million could have been raised for festivals, venues and conference centres. The tax, however, would have needed new legislation to pass through the Scottish Parliament and ministers weren't responsive to a potential backlash against the move. City officials are now considering whether to create a Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID), which would see hotels pay levies to fund urban improvements. Tristan Nesbitt, chairman at the Edinburgh Hotels Association (EHA), said: 'The compulsory tourist levy was dropped as it was not deemed a fair, suitable and efficient way to raise additional funding. Funds raised from the 'bed tax' would have raised money for local festivals and venues . 'Those same reasons still apply to the business environment today and it is difficult to see how a voluntary scheme would be feasible or desirable by members of EHA. 'We would also worry that this additional cost could make Edinburgh even less price competitive as a destination to travellers on top of some of the highest VAT taxes and Air Passenger Duties in Europe.' But festival promoters said it was unlikely large numbers of high-paying overseas tourists would be put off by a bed tax, particularly during the Fringe. Scottish Highlands Council is considering a similar fee but VisitScotland has urged against it . Tommy Sheppard, director of The Stand comedy club said: 'I think it might have a deleterious effect on the weekend break market, particularly in the off-peak months. 'But in terms of peak demand, I don't think it would present a great barrier compared to the considerable charges already being levied, and it creates a pot of money that's ring-fenced for visitor improvements.' Council finance leader Alasdair Rankin, said: 'The idea of a voluntary Transient Visitor Levy has now been ruled out, however Marketing Edinburgh continues to explore options around a TBID for the city.' | Edinburgh 'bed tax' has been shelved after talks with Scottish government .
A voluntary 'transient visitor levy' was proposed but deemed unfair .
Ministers and the Edinburgh Hotels Association reject the proposal .
It follows the axing of plans for a compulsory tourist levy in 2011 that was to be brought in to raise money for local festivals and venues .
Comedy club director Tommy Sheppard said peak period visitors wouldn't mind however the weekend market may take exception to the fee . |
0d638a3aeb0cec4c02005be9a15d9fb84a35b13c | Washington (CNN) -- The danger of Islamic radicalization inside U.S. prisons "remains real and present," said Rep. Peter King of New York, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. But during a Wednesday hearing on the subject, others said there are only a few cases in which prison radicalization has been linked to terrorism. "Prisons have not served as a major source of jihad radicalization," according to Bert Useem, a Purdue University sociology professor. Useem said that since the September 11 attacks, 178 Muslim Americans have been prosecuted for terrorism or related charges, but there is evidence in only 12 cases that prison radicalization was a factor. "If prisons were a major cause of jihadist radicalization, we would expect to see a lot of it, but we don't," Useem added. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, says that judging from the information he's seen, "the risk of terrorism originating from Muslim converts in U.S. prisons is small." Thompson and several other Democrats on the panel also complained that the King hearing focused only on Muslims in prisons and did not address other groups such as gangs and white supremacists. "I actually believe that the focus on one particular group on the basis of race or religion can be deemed as racist and discriminatory," California Democrat Laura Richardson said, adding that members of other groups could pose threats as well. King blasted back that when Democrats were last in control of the House and his committee, they never brought up threats from some of the groups they were mentioning now. King also distinguished radical Muslims from other groups, saying Muslim radicals could be connected to terror groups overseas. Do King's hearings betray American values? Michael Downing, who heads the counterterrorism unit for the Los Angeles Police Department, told the committee he takes the threat of radicalization in prison very seriously and thinks "we are on the front end" of a growing problem. Downing and other witnesses called for an in-depth study of the problem and for standards on vetting prison chaplains and on reading materials and videos that prisoners are allowed. "There's radical material inside the prison system still. Anwar al-Awlaki's material is inside the prison systems," Downing said in reference to the Yemeni-American cleric who U.S. officials contend is a key member of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He is accused of involvement in the plot to blow up an airliner headed into Detroit in December 2009 and the 2010 plot involving explosives placed in copiers on planes headed for the United States. King cited a number of terrorism cases involving prison radicalization, including that of Michael Finton, who pleaded guilty in May to wanting to blow up a Springfield, Illinois, courthouse; James Cromitie, who was convicted in a plot to use surface-to-air missiles against a troop transport aircraft in New York and detonate explosive devices at a Jewish community center and a synagogue; and Jose Padilla, who was convicted in Miami in 2007 of providing material support to terrorism. Hearings recall my life in internment camp . Another case cited by King and the committee's witnesses involved Kevin James, who was serving time in a California prison where he formed a radical group called JIS and recruited a fellow prisoner named Levar Washington. When Washington was paroled, he recruited a couple of other men, and they plotted to attack a military recruiting station and a Jewish target. James was involved with the plot while he remained behind bars and was later convicted for his actions. Kevin Smith, a prosecutor on the James case, said James taught himself about Islam and because of his charisma was able to entice others to join his plot. Smith said the prison system was not able to interfere with James preaching about Islam to fellow prisoners. Perhaps the most emotional moment in the hearing came when Rep. Hansen Clarke, D-Michigan, talked about childhood friends who went to prison but were never able to get their lives back on track. Clarke said too many people go to prison when they should be treated for mental illness or drug use. "We are spending too much money incarcerating young men, young black men whose lives can be saved," Clarke said. "It's not about Islam. It's about the sentencing policy. It's about this prison system." | Rep. Peter King cites "real and present" danger of radicalization of prisoners .
But some Democrats on House committee dispute claims .
Los Angeles police official says "we are on the front end" of growing problem . |
0d63cc5fe993185dcd0c8e7cb0f3784400434ea9 | New York (CNN) -- New Jersey resident Becky Fisher said Tuesday that she's counting the favors she'll now owe her neighbors after a powerful snowstorm left her family and more than a million others without power across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Fisher, along with her husband and their 6-month-old daughter, have been camped out at a neighbor's house in Maplewood, New Jersey, since the weekend storm coated her home in snow and knocked down trees and power lines across the region. "There are just pockets of those who have electricity," Fisher said. "So we're using our neighbors' goodwill. "We'll owe them lots." Fisher said they first lost power Saturday and were forced to relocate to her neighbor's house the following night as temperatures dropped to just above freezing. Fisher said that while she and her husband are accustomed to cold weather, they didn't want to risk it with their child. "Every time I call (the state's utility provider), they say the ticket's open," she said. "Initially the message (of when power would be restored) was for Wednesday night, then Thursday, and now maybe Friday. "Luckily, we have nice neighbors," she added. By Tuesday evening, about 195,000 New Jersey residents remained without power. Meanwhile, temperatures in parts of New England were expected to hit the low 50s Tuesday, which could be considered balmy to some who braved the October snowstorm that dropped more than 2 feet of snow in some places over the weekend. But while temperatures are on the rise for parts of the Northeastern United States, more than 1 million residents were still in the dark, dealing with widespread power outages. On Monday, officials warned it could be Friday before power is back on everywhere. At least 15 deaths have been blamed on the weekend storm, which prompted emergency declarations from the governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and also canceled Halloween trick-or-treating in some areas. President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration for Connecticut Monday, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts. Gov. Dannel Malloy on Tuesday said he was not satisfied by the number of crews coming from out of state, CNN Hartford affiliate WFSB reported. By Tuesday evening, about 612,000 Connecticut residents remained without power, down from a peak of 830,000, according to the state utility company. More than 900 crews were restoring electricity. About a dozen Massachusetts cities postponed Halloween celebrations, according to CNN affiliate WGGB. At least 20 Connecticut cities and towns, including the capital, Hartford, canceled events or asked parents to wait until later to take their kids trick-or-treating, according to CNN affiliate WFSB. Malloy and his wife, Cathy, said they will be leaving the lights off. "No amount of candy is worth a potentially serious or even fatal accident," the governor said in a statement. In Worcester, Massachusetts, officials asked residents to postpone Halloween celebrations until Thursday, when temperatures are expected to climb to 60 degrees. Trick-or-treating, the city said, would "put families and our youth in harm's way as they negotiate piles of snow and downed limbs." In Springfield, Massachusetts, school officials announced classes would be canceled for the week. Some of the heaviest snow fell in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, but snowfall amounts of at least a foot were recorded from West Virginia to Maine. The Berkshire County community of Peru, Massachusetts, received 32 inches of snow during the storm. In Massachusetts, state officials said utility crews had come from as far as Louisiana and Texas to help. About 256,000 people remained without power Tuesday evening, according to officials. Elsewhere, about 77,000 customers were without power in Pennsylvania. Thousands also lost power in New Hampshire, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, according to figures from emergency managers and power companies in those states. About 128,000 were affected in New York. As of Monday, authorities reported at least 15 deaths blamed on the storm. Three people died in Massachusetts, officials said, including a Lunenberg resident who died in a fire and a resident of Hatfield who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning, apparently from an improperly vented generator. The third death happened in Springfield when a man in his 20s ignored police barricades surrounding downed power lines and touched a metal guardrail, which was charged, city fire department spokesman Dennis Legere said. Four people also died in New Jersey because of the storm, police said. Two were killed in motor vehicle accidents, one in Bergen County and one in Passaic County, while two others died after trees fell on their cars. In Connecticut, four people died, officials said. They included one person who died in a traffic accident in Hebron, a second who died in an accident on Interstate 91 in Hartford, one who died in an ATV accident in Enfield and one who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to heat their home, also in Enfield. CNN's Chuck Johnston and Marina Landis contributed to this report. | NEW: About 195,000 New Jersey residents remain without power .
About 612,000 Connecticut residents still have no electricity .
Trick-or-treat postponements spread through the Northeast .
The death toll from the storm is now at 15 . |
0d648cc10c1986b018d5ca8ba41fdcf7f8baf73a | By . Harriet Hernando . For most people, having a shower and sponging off is an easy task - but it sends Jackie Wrights's heart racing. The mother-of-four suffers from Trypophobia, a fear of holes which means even the thought of holding a sponge sends shivers down her spine - and she is forced to flee the shower if she spots any bubbles floating in the plug hole. Her terror is so real she quit her job in a school kitchen because as soon as she saw a cluster of holes - in crumpets, the bottom of mushrooms or the inside of peppers - she would have a panic attack. Jackie Wright, 45, from Wallsend, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne suffers from Trypophobia - a fear of holes. Even sponging off in the shower brings her out in a cold sweat . Even having a cup of tea brings her out in a cold sweat. She said: ‘If I see any bubbles in my tea, I have to stir them out with a spoon or I have to drink with my eyes closed.’ Jackie, who now works as a part time check out assistant, said: ‘I’m worried that insects will crawl out of the holes, especially in the sponges. It’s not the holes themselves that frighten me, but rather what’s inside them. Jackie Wright, 45, had to quit her job in a kitchen because the holes in food like crumpets and peppers gave her panic attacks . ‘My life was turned upside down. I was in tears and started to think I was going to break down every time I saw something that triggered me.’ The nightmare first began three years ago, after Jackie, from Wallsend, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, watched an advert for Sanex shower gel on TV. She said: ‘I hated it when the camera would pan out from the naked people on the screen and merge into the pores of someone’s skin. ‘As soon as I saw it, my skin would crawl and after that, as soon as I heard the voice over for the advert I had to turn over to another channel.’ Her world was turned upside down. She said: ‘There were loads of things I was fine with, and then suddenly I just couldn’t bear them. ‘When I suffered an episode at work, I felt like I was going to pass out and I’d be on the verge of tears. ‘It . would start with a tingle in my head, which made me want to rip my hair . out then I would break out in goosebumps all over my body and I’d want . to rip my skin off.’ Jackie suffered in silence, until one day at work in the school kitchens, she had a breakdown. The final straw came when her colleague was making a pizza and unaware of her phobia, she showed her the holey base. Jackie . said: ‘She had no idea about my phobia, but was telling me how she . didn’t like the patterns herself. I started crying and had an anxiety . attack, it was horrible. My heart was racing and I had to sit in the . office to calm down. ‘I realised that I couldn’t carry on like this so I quit my job a month later.’ Jackie researched her symptoms on the internet and discovered that her bizarre fear was in fact a phobia of holes. But doctors do not recognise the phobia, and Jackie wants sufferers to be taken seriously. She . said: ‘Not many people understand, so I am very careful who I tell . about my phobia. I have told some friends and family and they were . supportive but it was still embarrassing. I just don’t want people to . think I’m mad.’ But her phobia does have one plus point – she doesn’t have to do the washing up. But Jackie's phobia does have one 'silver lining' - she doesn't have to do the washing-up because her husband David, 46, (pictured) does it . Trypophobia is fear, revulsion or disgust of objects with irregular patterns of holes. British academics Arnold Wilkins and Geoff Cole, who claim to be the first to scientifically investigate trypophobia, believe the reaction to be based on a biological revulsion, rather than a learned cultural fear. They found that holes in skin, meat, wood, plants, coral, sponges, mould, dried seed pods, honeycomb, soap, cheese, soil, plants, wounds, bubbles, waffles, speakers caused sufferers distress. Their study in journal Psychological Science also found some people think that something might be living inside holes and are afraid that they might fall in the holes. Cole and Wilkins concluded that Trypophobia triggers a fear of danger. The holes, or images of holes, stimulate 'a primitive portion of his or her brain that associates the image with something dangerous.' Jackie, who lives with husband David, 46, and children Rachael, 22, Connor, 20, Sofie, 14, and Caitlin, 12, said: ‘It’s the only silver lining of the phobia.’ And now she has started to face her fears and is receiving Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help her cope with anxiety. During the therapy she has to pop bubbles and is forced to use the objects she fears most - sponges and crumpets. Trypophobia has been investigated by Dr Geoff Cole, a lecturer in vision science at the University of Essex. Dr Cole believes everyone has the phobia to a certain degree. He said: ‘Trypophobia is the most common phobia you’ve never heard of. We estimate that around 16 percent of the population is Trypophobic but we think that everybody has it to a certain degree.’ And Dr Cole has his own theory as to why people are so embarrassed to disclose their fear to their loved ones. ‘As the phobia isn’t officially recognised, people think they are the only ones to suffer from it. Thankfully the internet is raising awareness and we hope that with more publicity we can get the condition recognised.’ | Jackie Wright, from Wallsend, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, suffers from Trypophobia, a fear of holes .
Her terror is so real she had to quit her job in a kitchen because she was scared of the holes in crumpets and mushrooms .
The part-time check-out assistant is receiving treatment to cope with anxiety .
Jackie, 45, who has four children, says she wants to raise awareness about bizarre phobia . |
0d64d00a9118fb35178f1978a9737b1f77686877 | The facial mask, which contains 24 carat gold dust, is on sale on the High Street for £9.99 . It is a craze which has seen celebrities and the super-rich splashing out thousands of pounds to have their faces caked in 24 carat luxury. Undergoing gold facials in a bid to banish wrinkles, however, is an expensive trend out of reach of most ordinary working women. Until now. For the first time in the UK a new do-it-yourself face mask, which contains 24 carat gold dust, is going on sale on the High Street for less than a tenner. Containing a range of vitamins, minerals and marine algae, the Casmara Gold rejuvenating facial claims to offer all the anti-aging benefits of a boutique salon experience for a fraction of the price at home. Costing £9.99, the mask is formed by mixing a powder and gel together, before being applied onto the face to create a gold ‘second skin.’ This solidifies and becomes rubbery in texture and is left on the face for 20 minutes. The gold particles work to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by triggering the replenishment of collagen – the substance vital for giving skin elasticity which depletes with age. Although some experts are sceptical, others believe gold has the ability to remove bacteria from the face, helping reduce conditions such as acne, as well as promoting lymphatic drainage, thus reducing dark circles under the eyes. They also say gold can stimulate blood circulation, helping the skin to remove toxins quicker and more efficiently, making for a clearer, more even skin tone. The mask also contains marine algae, a powerful natural moisturiser, while a combination of vitamins A, C and E work to boost skin thickness and tone, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. The mask also cools the skin as it works, reducing puffiness. Users are able to peel off the mask from the forehead to the neck in a single piece. It remains active for 24 hours and can be re-used if refrigerated. They are also encouraged to apply a moisturising cream, which comes as part of the mask kit, beforehand. This contains Aurealis, an active ingredient derived from bitter orange which claims to boost the production of hyaluronic acid – a substance found naturally in the body which can hold up to 3,000 times its weight in water, giving it the ability to quench dry skin, retain moisture and combat wrinkles. In clinical trials, conducted on 50 women and 25 men, aged between 21 and 66, more than 90 per cent said their skin felt more hydrated for at least 24 hours after using the mask and the same number said it smoothed imperfections and restored their complexion’s natural glow. Previously the rich and famous have paid thousands for 24-carat treatment from spa specialists . Hollywood actresses Nicole Kidman (left) and Cameron Diaz (right) are said to fans of the once-expensive treatment . Eight out of ten also said their skin felt tighter, smoother and more refined. Joe Mitchell, beauty innovation buying manager at Boots, where the mask is on sale, said: ‘There are some products that you just have to try as soon as you see them and at Boots we’re always looking to bring these to our customers. ‘Algae is being used in new and interesting ways in beauty, and in looking for breakthrough algae products I found Casmara. It looked totally different to anything I’d seen before, not least because it contains gold. You quickly feel your skin getting colder as it gets to work, and it delivers on its promise of instantly softer skin.’ A BBC documentary last month claimed that celebrities were spending up to £29,000 a year on gold facials. Hollywood actresses Nicole Kidman and Cameron Diaz are reportedly fans and Brits, including model Lisa Snowdon, TV presenter Donna Air and singer Ellie Goulding have all splashed out on the treatments, which can cost up to £1,000 a time. Historically, the use of precious metals for beauty goes back centuries. It is said that Cleopatra slept in a gold mask every night, and Chinese empresses supposedly used gold rollers to massage their faces. | Do-it-yourself gold face mask goes on sale on the High Street for just £9.99 .
Craze has previously seen celebrities pay thousands for 24-carat luxury .
But the new, cheaper facial claims to offer all the same anti-aging benefits .
Gold particles reduce appearance of wrinkles by helping replenish collagen . |
0d65be0de0e9b4da16c79d8102e345304bf0abd5 | (CNN) -- International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen reports from the site of E1, a controversial settlement that the Israeli government plans to build. What is E1? I was standing on the barren hilltops East of Jerusalem and it is hard to believe the area could be at the center of an international controversy. E1 stands for East 1 and marks territory that the Israeli government has slated for settlement construction in the West Bank. It's about 12 square kilometers (4.6 square miles), and when completed will touch the outskirts of Jerusalem. The construction in the E1 area would be an expansion of one of the largest Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Ma'ale Adumim, with about 40,000 inhabitants, and would merge it with the greater Jerusalem area. Why has the plan caused so intense international reaction? After the United Nations General Assembly vote on November 29 to grant the Palestinians the status of a non-member observer state in the body, Israel announced settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as a response, saying part of that would likely take place in the E1 area. The Palestinians believe construction here would essentially cut the West Bank in half and could also impede access from the West Bank to East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians would like to see as the capital of any future Palestinian State. In an interview with CNN, the Palestinians' chief negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the plan saying: "There is no chance for a Palestinian state. I mean it is impossible. Anyone who looks at the map, looks at the geography will know exactly that this decision means that there is no more two-state solution." How many Israeli settlements are there? According to the settlement monitoring group Peace Now, there are currently 137 Israeli settlements in the West Bank, with about 325,000 inhabitants in total. The settlements are essentially Israeli towns of various sizes in Palestinian territory. Many of them, like Ma'ale Adumim, look almost like any other Israeli town with everything from supermarkets to shopping malls and schools. What is their legal status? The legal status of the settlements is in dispute. The United Nations and many scholars of international law consider them illegal, but Israel and some experts like the late Eugene Rostow of the Yale Law School and Julius Stone, international law professor at the University of Sydney, have said they are legal. The Palestinians want Israel to give up most settlements as part of any future two-state solution, but many believe that is not realistic considering the size of some of them. How do settlements impact the peace process? Settlements are one key reason why there have been no negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians for several years. The Palestinians say they will only return to the table if Israel freezes all settlement construction, while Benjamin Netanyahu's government wants negotiations without preconditions. The dispute over new construction in the E1 sector is adding fuel to the fire and the U.N. believes it might destroy any chance of a two-state solution for good. How would ordinary Palestinians be affected by E1 development? For average Palestinians in the area, the concerns are immediate. Attala Titi, a taxi driver in the town Eizzaria near Jerusalem, told me he fears additional detours and checkpoints if settlements are constructed in the E1 area. "If they build this settlement and close off our roads it will mean that my trip from Hebron to Jericho would take between five hours to a whole day." How about people currently living in the settlement? Ma'ale Adumim's Mayor Benny Kashriel is happy at the prospect of expanding the settlement, a project that has been on hold for years. "This place, this residential neighborhood, it is in the Ma'ale Adumim municipality, part of Ma'ale Adumim municipality, government land. It has to be built for our young couples," he told me from his office. | Israel plans to begin construction of settlements in the East 1, or E1, zone in the West Bank .
Comes after the U.N. voted to grant Palestine non-member observer status .
Palestinians believe construction here would essentially cut the West Bank in half .
Group: Currently 137 Israeli settlements in the West Bank, with about 325,000 inhabitants . |
0d65da6aba9669924d29b911f0ac25153c844ace | JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An archaeological dig in Jerusalem has turned up a 3,700-year-old wall that is the largest and oldest of its kind found in the region, experts say. The wall is built of enormous boulders, confounding archaeologists as to how ancient peoples built it. Standing 8 meters (26 feet) high, the wall of huge cut stones is a marvel to archaeologists. "To build straight walls up 8 meters ... I don't know how to do it today without mechanical equipment," said the excavation's director, Ronny Reich. "I don't think that any engineer today without electrical power [could] do it." Archaeologist Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority added, "You see all the big boulders -- all the boulders are 4 to 5 tons." The discovered section is 24 meters (79 feet) long. "However, it is thought the fortification is much longer because it continues west beyond the part that was exposed," the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a news release. It was found inside the City of David, an archaeological excavation site outside the Old City of East Jerusalem on a slope of the Silwan Valley. The wall is believed to have been built by the Canaanites, an ancient pagan people who the Bible says inhabited Jerusalem and other parts of the Middle East before the advent of monotheism. Watch report on the discovery of the ancient wall » . "This is the most massive wall that has ever been uncovered in the City of David," Reich and Shukron said in a joint statement about the find. It marks the first time "that such massive construction that predates the Herodian period has been discovered in Jerusalem." It appears to be part of a "protected, well-fortified passage that descends to the spring tower from some sort of fortress that stood at the top of the hill," according to the joint statement. The spring "is located in the weakest and most vulnerable place in the area. The construction of a protected passage, even though it involves tremendous effort, is a solution for which there are several parallels in antiquity, albeit from periods that are later than the remains described here." Such walls were used primarily to defend against marauding desert nomads looking to rob the city, said Reich, a professor at the University of Haifa. "We are dealing with a gigantic fortification, from the standpoint of the structure's dimensions, the thickness of its walls and the size of the stones that were incorporated in its construction," the joint statement said. Water from the spring is used by modern inhabitants of Jerusalem. "The new discovery shows that the picture regarding Jerusalem's eastern defenses and the ancient water system in the Middle Bronze Age 2 is still far from clear," Reich said. "Despite the fact that so many have excavated on this hill, there is a very good chance that extremely large and well-preserved architectural elements are still hidden in it and waiting to be uncovered." CNN's Kevin Flower contributed to this report . | Made of boulders weighing 4 to 5 tons, the 3,700-year-old wall is 26 feet high .
Archaeologist: "I don't know how to do it today without mechanical equipment"
The wall appears to have been used to defend path that led to spring .
Wall is believed to have been built by Canaanites . |
0d67e84418f07499a2a56ad7c1ad83c38ab15c76 | A couple who held hands as they jumped off George Washington Bridge together may have killed the woman's uncle before their joint suicide plunge. Gary Crockett, 41, and Nickie Circelli, 40, both of Suffern, New York, died after jumping into the Hudson River about 11:20 a.m. on Monday. And now their deaths have been linked to that of Circelli's uncle in Suffern, according to a source. Gary Crockett, 41, and Nickie Circelli, 40, both of Suffern, N.Y., died after jumping into the Hudson River span about 11:20 a.m. on Monday . The couple were reportedly living in Suffern with Circelli's elderly uncle, who was found dead inside the home on Monday afternoon. His body was discovered along with a note implicating Crockett and Circelli in his murder. Police believe the uncle discovered that the pair had stolen money from another relative and had threatened to turn them in. Their death has been linked to that of Nickie Circelli's (pictured) uncle in Suffern on Monday . He had a broken vertebra in his neck. A neighbor told the New York Daily News that she heard a loud 'boom' from Circelli’s relative’s flat on Monday night. Josefina Rodriguez, 42, lives in an apartment above Circelli’s uncle said: 'In the morning I didn’t hear him cough,' she added, referring to the victim. 'He always coughed. And every day I heard his truck. When I didn’t hear his truck, I thought something must be wrong.' She said Circelli’s uncle was found dead on Monday afternoon by his business partner - they owned a catering business. Investigators found a letter in which the couple apologized for their actions, a source told the New York Daily News. The couple did not have identification on them when they were pulled from the water so the letter was a crucial piece of evidence that enabled investigators to identify them. A woman who said she had been a friend of the couple, Heather Becraft of Sloatsburg, N.Y., said Circelli had children who live in another part of New York State with their father. She said they 'were very much in love' but had been having problems that she did not disclose, reported North Jersey.com. Another friend, who asked not to be identified, told the website that the couple struggled with drug addiction. The deputy mayor of Suffern, Jo Meegan-Corrigan, said on Tuesday night that a man’s body was found at the home where the couple lived on Washington Avenue. She declined to provide more details, saying she 'would like to give the family time to gather themselves.' Port Authority spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said workers on the lower level of the bridge saw an object go by them at about 11:20 a.m. When they looked down, they saw the man and the woman in the water . The pair, who both had a criminal record, were seen walking on the bridge together, from the Hudson River near 125th St. at about 12:10 p.m., officials said. Port . Authority spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said workers on the lower level of . the bridge saw an object go by them at about 11:20 a.m. When they . looked down, they saw the man and the woman in the water. Workers had seen the pair along the walkway moments earlier before hearing a splash. They were in critical condition after . NYPD units pulled them from the Hudson River and took them to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s hospital in Manhattan where they died. | Gary Crockett, 41, and Nickie Circelli, 40, both died on Monday morning .
Circelli's uncle was found dead on Monday at his apartment .
Pair allegedly stole from him and then left a note apologising for his death . |
0d6937b789b603d702181fa67551c713d2fd6bd5 | The mission to produce the world’s first 1,000mph (1,600km/h) car has been given a boost - or more accurately thrust - with the installation of a state-of-the-art jet engine. A team of five engineers spent eight hours fitting the EJ200 engine to the upper and lower chassis of the supersonic Bloodhound car. Driver Andy Green, 51, is hoping to break the world land speed record when he tests the £10 million rocket-powered vehicle next year. The mission to produce the world’s first 1,000mph (1,600km/h) car has been given a boost - or more accurately thrust - with the installation of a state-of-the-art jet engine. A team of five engineers spent eight hours fitting the EJ200 jet engine to the upper and lower chassis of the supersonic Bloodhound car (pictured) The engine, which is normally found powering a Eurofighter Typhoon, weighs a tonne and produces 20,000lbs (90kN) - or nine tonnes of thrust. It was fitted at the Bloodhound technical centre in Avonmouth, near Bristol. The upper chassis is made of strong, but lightweight aluminium, onto which titanium stringers and titanium skin will be fixed using glue and 1,400 aircraft specification rivets. The SSC stands for ‘SuperSonic Car’. The vehicle has four wheels and is powered by both the newly-fitted jet engine and a rocket. It is set to travel at 1,000mph (1,600km/h). The slender body, 44 feet (14 metres) long, keeps the entire vehicle aerodynamic. It weighs just over seven tonnes and the engines will produce more than 135,000 horsepower. That’s more than six times the power of all the cars on a Formula 1 starting grid put together. In the coming years the vehicle will begin test runs at lower speeds before attempting to set a new land speed record. The current land speed record stands at 763.035mph (1,227.985km/h), set by former RAF pilot Andy Green - who will also drive the Bloodhound - back in 1997 in the ThrustSSC. The Bloodhound will beat this record by some distance if it is successful. The lower chassis, below the jet, is made of aluminium and steel, and houses the Nammo hybrid rocket. The two power plants together produce 135,000 thrust horse power, or the equivalent to 180 Formula 1 cars. The pencil-shaped car will be 44ft (13.4m) long, 6ft (183cm) in diameter, and weigh 7.5 tonnes when completed. Chief engineer Mark Chapman said: ‘This is a fantastic moment in the project. ‘It’s great to see the jet engine fitted, it validates the many years of hard work by our team of motor sport and aerospace engineers.’ The project is on course for the finished car to roll out for low speed testing at up to 200mph (321km/h) at Newquay’s Aerohub next summer. The team will then head to South Africa and attempt to break the 1,000mph barrier on a purpose-built 12-mile track in the desert in 2015 and 2016. During the record-chasing run, Bloodhound will cover 12 miles (19km) in two minutes, exerting an acceleration force of almost 2G, and peak deceleration force of 3G on the driver. The current land speed record stands at 763.035mph (1,227.985km/h), set by former RAF pilot Andy Green - who will also drive the Bloodhound - back in 1997 in the ThrustSSC. The pencil-shaped car (concept pictured) will be 44ft (13.4m) long, 6ft (183cm) in diameter and weigh 7.5 tonnes when completed. The upper chassis is made of strong, but lightweight aluminium to which titanium stringers and titanium skin will be fixed using glue and 1,400 aircraft specification rivets . The lower chassis, below the jet (pictured), is made of aluminium and steel, and houses the Nammo hybrid rocket. The two power plants together produce 135,000 thrust horse power, or the equivalent to 180 F1 cars . Earlier this year, designers of the supersonic car revealed the vehicle’s futuristic cockpit. It has been made from five different types of carbon fibre weave, and two different resins. It has taken more than 10,000 hours to design and manufacture in total. The team behind the Bloodhound SSC also revealed how they intend to slow it from 1,000mph (1,600km/h) to zero. After the car reaches its top speed, air brakes and parachutes slow it to 160mph (260km/h). Breaking to this speed is done at a constant 3G deceleration - equivalent to going from 60mph (95km/h) in a normal car to zero in just one second - for 20 seconds. At this speed the cars wheels are still spinning 10,000 times per minute. Attempts to use carbon rotors from a jet fighter in the form of car-like disc brakes shattered at speeds of just half this, so the team needed a new approach. Instead, they switched to steel rotors. In tests, these could withstand temperatures of up to 850°C (1,560°F), and be used again. The next step will be to test these brakes out at the full 10,000rpm that will be experienced. Sandwiched between the layers of carbon fibre are three different thicknesses of aluminium honeycomb core, which provide additional strength. At its thickest point the material is made up of 13 layers, but measures just 0.9-inches (24mm) thick. The cockpit structure weighs 441lbs (200kg) and bolts directly to the metallic rear chassis carrying the jet, rocket and racing car engine. It has to be strong as this front section will have to endure peak aerodynamic loads of up to three tonnes per square metre at 1,000mph (1,609kph), as well the considerable forces generated by the front wheels and suspension. It will also carry ballistic armour to protect Wing Commander Green should a stone be thrown up by the front wheels at very high speeds. The cockpit is positioned in front of three loud motors - the jet, a cluster of hybrid rockets and the racing car engine that drives the rocket’s oxidiser pump, which are expected to generate a noise level estimated at 140 decibels - the equivalent to a shotgun blast. Wing Commander Green will wear a specially made in-ear communications system to protect his hearing and to ensure that he can communicate with mission control. The team behind the Bloodhound SSC also revealed how they intend to slow it from 1,000mph (1,600km/h) to zero. The current land speed record stands at 763.035mph (1,227.985km/h), set by former RAF pilot Andy Green - who will also drive the Bloodhound - back in 1997 in the ThrustSSC. The first attempt to break the 1,000mph barrier will take place in South Africa on a purpose-built 12-mile track in the desert in 2015 and 2016 . The engine was fitted at the at the Bloodhound technical centre in Avonmouth, near Bristol (pictured). Chief engineer Mark Chapman said: ‘This is a fantastic moment in the project. It’s great to see the jet engine fitted, it validates the many years of hard work by our team of motor sport and aerospace engineers’ The engine, which is normally found powering a Eurofighter Typhoon, weighs one tonne and produces 20,000lbs (90kN) - or nine tonnes of thrust . After the car reaches its top speed, air brakes and parachutes will slow it to 160mph (260km/h). Breaking to this speed is done at a constant 3G deceleration - equivalent to going from 60mph (95km/h) in a normal car to zero in just one second - for 20 seconds. This last stint to zero is where the problem lies, however. Even at this speed the cars wheels are still spinning 10,000 times per minute. Attempts to use carbon rotors from a jet fighter in the form of car-like disc brakes shattered at speeds of just half this, so the team needed a new approach. Instead, they switched to steel rotors from brake manufacturer AP Racing. In tests these proved much more promising, withstanding temperatures of up to 850°C (1,560°F). They even survived to such an extent that they can be used again. The next step will be to test these brakes out at the full 10,000rpm that will be experienced. Earlier this year, designers of the supersonic car revealed the vehicle’s futuristic cockpit. It has been made from five different types of carbon fibre weave and two different resins. It has taken more than 10,000 hours to design and manufacture in total . During the record-chasing run, Bloodhound (pictured) will cover 12 miles (19km) in two minutes, exerting an acceleration force of almost 2G, and peak deceleration force of 3G on the driver . | EJ200 engine weighs a tonne and traditionally powers a Eurofighter Typhoon .
It produces 20,000lbs (90kN), or nine tonnes, of thrust .
The Bloodhound SSC is designed to go over 1,000mph (1,60km/h)
Engineers spent eight hours fitting the engine to the upper and lower chassis of the car .
Car will be 44ft (13.4m) long, 6ft (183cm) in diameter and weigh 7.5 tonnes .
Driver Andy Green is hoping to hit speeds of up to 1,000mph (1,609km/h)
First record attempt will take place in the South African desert next year . |
0d698a501e6f6f6a901406773c79b3504b8d2ab5 | A new Christmas survey has shown that New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia are forecast to spend the most per person on Christmas gifts, while cheap jewellery or something from a service station may be the ideal gift if you come from Victoria. According to the Commonwealth Bank’s survey of 1,000 Australians, the bludgeoning economy of NSW with their strong population growth, and Western Australia, whose economy is thriving because of the mining industry, means that people from here will be forking out the most cash over Christmas. However, their survey also showed that Victoria was the ‘Mr Scrooge’ state as the statistics proved that it is the most frugal state over Christmas. With this in mind, Victoria shoppers should check out the results from another recent survey. Canstar asked 3,000 adults questions like if they feel obliged to spend lots of money, and how much they spend on their loved ones. The Chodzinski family and friends sit down for Christmas dinner last year. Matriarch, Dorothy Chodzinksi, from Newcastle was one of those surveyed by CommBank about spending over the festive season . Their research discovered that the worst gift people received at Christmas was cheap jewellery on 28 per cent; followed by toiletries (such as deodorant, body spray, perfume) at 25 per cent, and socks or underwear at 20 per cent. Canstar also found that 57 per cent of people feel obliged to spend a certain amount on gifts; 48 per cent tended to leave buying gifts until the last minute; while 12 per cent have bought a last-minute gift from a service station. Cheap jewellery was rated by Canstar's survey as the worst Christmas present to get . Tacky underwear might appeal to some, but 20 per cent of people told Canstar's survey that they hated receiving them as a Christmas present . On a more serious note, Commbank's survey uncovered that while many consumers expected to have the bulk of their festive shopping done by today, the average Aussie is forecast to spend an additional $1,079 over the coming weeks. Nationwide, CommBank forecasted that festive spending would peak at $17.8 billion in the five weeks between December 1, 2014, and January 6, 2015. Dorothy Chodzinksi from Newcastle was one of those surveyed by CommBank. This Christmas she said she’d spend $600 in total on her two daughters, while on her three nieces and three nephews she’d spend a total of $500-$600. (From left to right) Andrew White, Dorothy Chodzinski and Ania Chodzinski sort out last year's decorations. Dorothy said she would spend $600 in total on her two daughters this Christmas . ‘In my extended family we don’t buy gifts for our siblings, but instead concentrate on each other’s children. Christmas is all about them after all,” she said. She also couldn’t agree more with some of the results that Canstar’s research threw up. ‘Cheap jewellery is a pretty ordinary present, I have to say. Something that doesn’t reflect the person’s personality and lifestyle I’d class as a bad present. You have to show that you’ve made an effort,’ she said. 20 per cent of the 3,000 people surveyed by Canstar hated to get socks as Christmas presents . In a sign of the changing times, CommBank stated that online retailers can expect a busy start to December, with the research revealing six million Aussies plan to do their online gift shopping on December 1, 2014. However, the vast majority (72 per cent) of shoppers will purchase gifts at bricks and mortar stores, with festive spending expected to peak at shopping malls on Saturday, December 13, when 3.2 million consumers are forecast to hit the shops. Dorothy Chodzinksi's nephew Daniel (left) and niece Monica (right) open their Christmas presents last year. Dorothy spends a total of $500-$600 on her three nieces and three nephews at Christmas . ‘While consumers have been sending mixed signals on their spending intent in recent weeks, our research shows consumers are planning to open their wallets and spend big in the lead up to, and directly after, Christmas Day,’ Diana Mousina, Economist, Commonwealth Bank, said. In other areas Aussies are expected to spend a large portion of their festive budget in the Boxing Day sales ($2.6 billion) and entertaining friends and family ($1.7 billion). Underwear, cheap jewellery, toiletries and socks ranked as the worst Christmas presents going . ‘Interestingly, while consumers expected to have completed the bulk of their Christmas shopping by today, our research shows they are still planning to spend an additional $1,000 and the bulk of that will go on gifts,’ Mousina said. ‘Other areas we’re expecting consumers to spend include entertaining friends and family, and eating and drinking in and out of the home.' | CommBank forecasts that festive spending will peak at $17.8 billion .
Statistics prove that Victoria is the state that spends the least in Australia .
Vast majority of shoppers will purchase gifts at bricks and mortar stores .
Canstar survey shows 30 per cent of people will spend between $51-$100 . |
0d6a2926292ee186ab8f55b36c2a80f302ef262e | Look! Out by the bridge! It's ... it's ... Ant-Man? Yes, Ant-Man, also known as Scott Lang, a superhero who can change his size, thanks to the scientific prowess of Dr. Hank Pym. Paul Rudd is playing Lang, who has a two-bit criminal background, in the movie -- due out next year -- and Marvel just released a photograph of the grizzled figure standing by San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, an old Ford van nearby. "Ant-Man" is being directed by Peyton Reed ("Bring It On," "Yes Man") with a script from Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and Adam McKay. Michael Douglas is playing Pym. Judy Greer, John Slattery join 'Ant-Man' The movie will also film in Atlanta. What do you think? Are you looking forward to "Ant-Man"? | Marvel releases pic from "Ant-Man"
Paul Rudd plays the superhero, a former thief who can change size .
The film is due out in 2015 . |
0d6a95a3bd0f0ea87b2427a9042a271f73d32585 | BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Having completed his Olympics gold rush, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps is now poised to make another haul -- this time of the endorsement variety. Phelps already is collecting about $5 million a year in endorsement checks from companies like Visa -- payments that came after he won six gold medals during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. His performance in Beijing, where he won a record eight gold medals, puts him in line to earn much more. "He may be at $30, $40, $50 million a year in endorsements after all this is said and done," said David Harrow of the National Sports Lawyers Association. Even before the Beijing Olympics, Phelps collected a million-dollar bonus from one his sponsors, Speedo. iReport.com: Ask Michael Phelps a question . "Michael came out of the Athens Games an American sports hero," said Michael Lynch, head of global sponsorship management at Visa. "He's coming out of these games a global sports icon." Visa declined to say how much it pays Phelps, but whatever the amount, sports agents say they expect it to go up -- a lot. That could put him in the same stratosphere as soccer star David Beckham and golfer Tiger Woods, though Harrow doubted that Phelps is "at the $87-million endorsement number of Tiger." Phelps said he will look back fondly on his time in Beijing. Watch how Michael Phelps can cash in » . "Outside the pool, inside the pool -- there are tons of memories," he said. "Every single one I will remember for the rest of my life." Much of the United States was caught in the wake of Phelps' gold medal surge. And after the past week, it seems he may have made many new fans in China. "He has done so much in these Olympics," one woman said. "He's a hero. He's great!" "I really, really worship him," said one man. "He's really great." For global companies looking for brand recognition in the world's fastest growing economy -- one made of 1.3 billion people -- Phelps may be pure gold. | Phelps already is collecting about $5 million a year in endorsement checks .
Before the Beijing Olympics, Phelps collected a million-dollar bonus from Speedo .
Phelps could join soccer star David Beckham and golfer Tiger Woods in big money . |
0d6bbe231f40d0598677bb314e41df1514a81329 | Two referees working at the World Cup have been identified as strong suspects in the fixing of international games, the Mail on Sunday can reveal. Sources say FIFA were informed during the current tournament that there is evidence of alleged past malpractice by at least two officials on duty. FIFA gather intelligence from associations and anti-corruption partners around the world on an ongoing basis. In recent times they have been swifter to act on intelligence than in the past. Questions: Two World Cup officials are under suspicion but there are no suggestions Ravshan Irmatov is one of them . But it is understood that by the time the latest information filtered up to FIFA’s security hierarchy in Brazil, the two referees in question had already officiated matches. The suspicions surrounding the officials are linked to historic games involving the ‘double whammy’ identifiers of unusual in-game incidents matched with highly unusual betting. FIFA responded to Mail on Sunday questions about the allegedly corrupt officials by saying: ‘It is important to note that we have no indications that the integrity of the FIFA World Cup has been compromised.’ There was no denial the information had been received or that it was considered serious. ‘Generally speaking, we are not in a position to comment or provide information on any match-manipulation investigations that are ongoing so as not to compromise investigations, nor do we provide any comments as to whether or not any investigations are underway,’ said a spokesman. Under fire: Cameroon's players were alleged to have taken bribes to fix their match against Croatia . Seeing red: Alex Song was sent off in Cameroon's 4-0 defeat to Croatia, leading to suspicions about the game . The tournament has already been rocked by allegations of fixing after German magazine Der Spiegel reported that convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal had told them before Cameroon’s group match with Croatia that Croatia would win 4-0 and Cameroon would have a man sent off. Perumal denies telling Der Spiegel this, saying he spoke to them after the match. FIFA have publicly requested that Der Spiegel supply evidence of their claims, with FIFA director of security, Ralf Mutschke, saying the allegations ‘put the integrity of FIFA World Cup matches in question, which is a serious allegation’ One source suggested to the Mail on Sunday that Der Spiegel may have been hoaxed by somebody on Facebook pretending to be Perumal. Der Spiegel has yet to hand any evidence to FIFA. Accused: Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal is alleged to have predicted Cameroon's 4-0 defeat . On the subject of the allegedly corrupt referees who have been working at Brazil 2014, a FIFA spokesman told the Mail on Sunday that any action taken against a corrupt party would become public only after such action had been sanctioned by various FIFA committees. ‘It would be only after a decision has been taken by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee or FIFA Ethics Committee and first notified to the parties concerned that FIFA would be in a position to communicate the contents of that decision publicly,’ said a spokesman. ‘FIFA continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies as well as the respective public authorities and other sports organisations on a national, regional and global level to tackle the issue of match manipulation. ‘And we encourage that anyone with information about any suspicious matches should contact relevant authorities such as through FIFA’s integrity hotline or email address and confidential reporting system.’ | Suspicions relate to past games involving officials that had unusual in-game incidents and high betting .
Information came to light after officials had taken charge of games in Brazil .
World Cup already rocked by allegations of corruption in Cameroon's 4-0 win over Croatia .
FIFA insist integrity of World Cup has not been damaged . |
0d6bc1eb8f927bd20e7e94262409127d6dc5a467 | A three-year-old is giving the performers at Disney a run for their money thanks to an impressive wardrobe of homemade costumes designed for her by her mother using 'upcycled' old clothes and material. Lane Rouch and her parents Jennifer and Chad, who are self-confessed 'Disnerds', visit one of the Orlando-based Disney parks once or twice a week in order to showcase the youngster's never-ending collection of Disney-inspired ensembles and have, unsurprisingly, become one of the most popular attractions at the tourist site. Even the professional performers clamor to have their photo taken with the adorable toddler. Scroll down for video . Second star to the right: The three-year-old Disney fan (L) has dressed up as many of her favorite cartoon characters, including Tinkerbell (pictured) From Frozen to Star Wars: There is no Disney movie that mom Jennifer doesn't use for inspiration. Lane has been dressed as everyone from Star Wars character Padme (L) and Anna from Frozen (R) The prettiest princess: The three-year-old's favorite costume is Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog (pictured) Jennifer, who is a longtime fan of all things Disney and even got engaged at a Christmas party at Disney World, began creating the costumes for her daughter after she and her husband decided to purchase unlimited annual passes to the park for the whole family. And while the Rouch's well-dressed daughter managed to slip under the radar on her first few visits, it wasn't long before her unique outfits became the talk of the park. After dressing as Tarzan's Jane Porter for the park's 'Dapper Day', the young Disney fan was even invited to attend a special Beauty and the Beast-themed event where she was treated to a tea party with talking tea cup Chip, a story from the beautiful Belle and a dance with the Beast. But the highlight of the evening, mom Jennifer told the Huffington Post, was the standing ovation that Lane, who dressed up as Belle for the evening, received from her fellow guests as she and the Beast made their way through the Disney Castle restaurant. 'The music from the from the movie swelled up and the entire restaurant stood up and applauded our little girl, the beauty and the beast,' Jennifer recalled. In order to document their daughter's journey through Disney characters past and present, Lane's parents started an Instagram account, where they capture every one of the family's trips to the theme park. Famous face: Lane's unique costumes, including her take on Peter Pan's Wendy (pictured) have made her something of a celebrity among the performers and staff members at the park . Little Lane: It's not just the movie's main characters that Jennifer uses as inspiration for the costumes - even Toy Story's Little Bo Peep (pictured) has been included . Fancy frocks: As well as her glamorous replica gowns, such as her Cinderella dress (R), Lane also has a number of outfits which feature the faces of her favorite characters, including Hercules (L) Thus far, their account has amassed nearly 62,000 followers, including a number of staff members from the park. In order to document their daughter's journey through Disney characters past and present, Lane's parents started an Instagram account, where they capture every one of the family's trips to the theme park. Thus far, their account has amassed nearly 62,000 followers, including a number of Disney staff members. Some of Lane's most popular costumes thus far include a remake of Cinderella's iconic ball gown, a glamorous green Tinkerbell dress - with matching wings - and a pink satin Little Bo Peep costume, complete with a miniature shepherd's crook. Creepy costumes: Lane's Halloween-ready ensemble was more than a match for the Nightmare Before Christmas' Jack Skellington . Part of the Disney family: The youngster is friends with almost all of the regular performers at the Orlando park, including Anakin Skywalker (L) and Gaston (R) The star of the show: Lane's incredible collection of costumes often eclipses the performer's professionally-made ensembles . And it's not just miniaturized replicas that Jennifer creates on her sewing machine. The crafty seamstress also designs a number of Disney-inspired dresses which often feature the faces of some of Lane's favorite characters, including Hercules, the Little Mermaid's Ariel and Jack Skellington from the Nightmare Before Christmas. 'I learned how to sew when I was 18,' Jennifer wrote on her Instagram account. 'I was given a sewing machine and my boyfriend's dad (my father-in-law now) showed me how to use it. I'm mostly self taught though I credit working at a fabric store for most of my education in sewing... 'Eventually I started sewing for local costume shops and theaters and then professionally on my own a bit. I've been sewing now about 20 years.' Super style: From Superman to Cinderella, the three-year-old has an outfit to match almost every Disney character . Smiles all round: The performers at the Orlando park have embraced every one of Lane's outfits . Life is the bubbles! Lane's parents are longtime Disney fans and are more than happy to indulge their daughter's love of the theme park . But of all the costumes that Lane has worn, it is The Princess and the Frog's Princess Tiana that holds the most memories for the family. '[Princess Tiana] was the first princess at the parks that Lane went up to all by herself,' Jennifer said. 'And they shared a game of peek-a-bo that was truly magical... 'Now they have a thing for looking for wildlife and picking flowers in "the bayou".' | Lane Rouch's mother Jennifer makes the costumes using recycled clothing and material bought at thrift stores .
The Disney-obsessed family have an unlimited annual pass to the park . |
0d6be608af78f3e70b80d5501dee458a72b78dbc | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- It probably would have been just another ho-hum city council budget meeting. Except that the leader of Atlanta's police union, and second-highest ranking member of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, said he wanted to beat Atlanta's mayor with a bat. "I want to beat her [Mayor Shirley Franklin] in the head with a baseball bat sometimes when I think about it," Sgt. Scott Kreher said into a microphone earlier this month in an apparent off-hand remark during a presentation he was giving to the council. Within days, the 17-year department veteran was suspended. Kreher said the "it" that made him want to club the mayor was that, despite repeated complaints, the police union contends the city is not honoring workers' compensation claims for cops whose careers ended when they were seriously injured on the job. Franklin, one of the nation's high-profile mayors, told CNN on Tuesday that the officers' complaints are a "separate issue" from Kreher's comments. "Some people think I'll just shake it off," she said of the sergeant's threat. "I can't shake off an officer at City Hall -- not in his shower or in his front yard, but in official capacity -- threatening to hit me in the head with a bat. That is a severe act of violence. When you hit someone with a bat, you intend to kill them." The police officers union called a news conference Thursday, in part, to defend Kreher, who's their second-highest ranking member. Three officers in wheelchairs were there, at times crying, their voices raised, as they told their stories of being shot on duty and paralyzed for life. They say they've made repeated calls for months to city officials to get help with their medical claims and have been ignored. They are part of a group of officers alleging that NovaPro, a San Diego-based private insurance company, has refused or made it difficult for them to get the medication they need to alleviate pain and repair or replace medical equipment. "I've been calling the mayor's office for more than a year, and no one has called me back or I've been told to talk to another department. Kreher called me back the same day," said Ryan Phinney, a 43-year-old paraplegic whose squad car was T-boned in 1989. He said he suffered with kidney stones, made more painful due to his paralysis, because NovaPro either ignored or rejected his claims for months. "Kreher was defending us against people who refused to listen, and that is so offensive. It's no wonder he got upset," Phinney said. The city used to provide its own services, but "there were concerns about internal management," Franklin's office explained to CNN, so it began contracting in 2004 with NovaPro. The police union complained for months about the company. Atlanta officials this month renewed the city's agreement with NovaPro for $3.7 million over three years, saying no other company they're aware of was in position to do a better job. Russ Whitmarsh, chief operating officer of NovaPro, referred all questions about the officers' allegations to city officials. Mayor Franklin's spokesperson issued this statement to CNN: . "We are aware of the complaints of the five injured former Atlanta police officers. We greatly respect the service of these officers on behalf of Atlanta and the sacrifice they have made. The City of Atlanta has worked and will continue working with the employees' attorneys to address their current complaints. We take that responsibility and obligation seriously and intend to address every complaint within the framework of the Workers' Compensation Act." A few days after the bat comment, Kreher apologized to Franklin in a letter, which was published on the union Web site. He called his remark "inexcusable," explaining that it sprung from "frustration and anger." | Atlanta police union head says he got frustrated at city meeting .
Other cops quick to defend him, saying mayor is ignoring larger issue .
Police: Company refusing to help cops injured in the line of duty .
Mayor Franklin's spokesperson says mayor will work to address complaints . |
0d6d0f1210b35514cf13c7a137ab9d015a9485ec | A 'devoted' son who cared for his elderly mother is believed to have murdered her before killing himself amid fears his own health problems meant he would not have been able to continue looking after her. The bodies of Stephen Dohoney and his mother Ethel, also known as Olwen, were discovered by neighbours at their home in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Mr Dohoney, 55, was found hanged in the attic while his 86-year-old mother's body was discovered in her bed. Stephen Dohoney and his mother Ethel, known as Olwen, who were discovered by a neighbour at their home in Wythenshawe, Manchester . Investigation: Police were today continuing investigations at the house where a son is believed to have murdered the elderly mother he cared for before killing himself in a suspected murder-suicide . Detectives are treating the incident as a murder-suicide and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths, it is understood. According to reports, former civil servant Mr Dohoney had quit his job to care for his mother full time after she had started to suffer from a number of ailments in recent years. But it is believed he himself had to undergo tests to diagnose a health problem amid fears he might have had cancer. He is said to have snapped over the level of 24/7 care he was providing for his mother at the end terraced home they shared for more than 40 years. Officers were called to the house after a concerned neighbour made the gruesome discovery. A police source said: 'We can’t be sure at the moment but the most likely scenario is that the 55-year-old resident has killed his mother and hanged himself. 'A concerned neighbour has let themselves in to check on them and found this horrific scene. 'The house was secure. There was no sign of a break in.' Scene: Stephen Dohoney was found hanged in the attic while his mother's body was discovered in her bed at their home in Wythenshawe, Manchester . Police were last night standing guard at the door of the neat corner terraced house on a small crescent. Forensic officers could be seen going in and out carrying suitcases and taking photographs inside and outside the property. Nearby resident Lee Gardener, 28, said: 'They were quiet and just went about their own business. There were no arguments or any trouble or anything like that. 'He was very devoted to his mother. It is a real shock' - A nearby neighbour . 'It was just the two of them in the house. She was quite small with permed hair. I did not see him as much but I do not think that he worked. It is just sad and my heart goes out to the family. 'Nobody wants something like this to happen around where they live. I think it is important not to judge because you do not know what goes on behind closed doors. 'We have heard that the man killed his mother then took his own life. It is just a tragedy.' Another neighbour said the Dohoneys had lived in the house since 1972. She added: 'He was very devoted to his mother. It is a real shock.' Neighbour David Gage said: 'It’s a shock. She was a nice lady. She was friendly. 'She only came out of the house about once a month. She had been ill for a long time.' Post-mortems were due to take place today. Discovery: Officers were called to the house after a concerned neighbour made the gruesome discovery . Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin said: 'At this time we are making initial enquiries into the death of this man and woman and a post-mortem is yet to take place. 'The community will be understandably concerned therefore we do have extra patrols in the area to offer some reassurance. 'A full investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths is now underway.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here. | Bodies of Stephen Dohoney and his mother Ethel discovered at their home .
Mr Dohoney found hanged in the attic while his mother discovered in bed .
Detectives are treating the incident in Manchester as murder-suicide . |
0d6d24c6c69cb1a78631528a84b72a9354a36957 | By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 07:48 EST, 24 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:43 EST, 24 October 2013 . As a prisoner of war, Gerald Imeson had plenty of time on his hands. But at least as he waited to take part in the Great Escape, the RAF bomber pilot had an elegant timepiece with which to watch the hours tick down. It was a Rolex Oyster 3525 – and it was delivered to him in the Nazis’ notorious Stalag Luft III camp from the watchmaker’s headquarters in Switzerland after he bought it by mail order in 1942 for £170 – the equivalent of £5,000 today. Timeless: The Rolex watch worn by British prisoner of war Flight Lieutenant Gerald Imeson as he helped dig tunnels for the famous 'Great Escape' attempt from the Stalag Luft III camp is to go on sale at auction . During preparations for the . imaginative but ill-fated breakout, Flight Lieutenant Imeson acted as . one of the ‘penguins’ who dispersed the soil dug from the tunnels . through enlarged pockets in their trousers as they exercised in the . compound. But come the . actual escape in March 1944 he was number 172 in the queue of PoWs... and the Germans had discovered what was going on before he made it into . one of the three tunnels. The . story casts light on a surprising marketing enterprise whereby Hans . Wilsdorf, Rolex’s owner, sold the watches on credit to British PoWs . during the Second World War, allowing them to pay when the war was over. He . only made the offer to British officers because they were seen as . honourable gentlemen. They were invited to write to him on postcards . explaining their circumstances and whereabouts and which Rolex they . wanted. Replacement: Swiss watchmaker Rolex had offered all British officer PoWs one of their timepieces to replace the ones seized by the Germans, on condition they pay for them after the war . Honour: The Rolex deal was only made to British officers as they were seen as honourable gentlemen . Survivor: F/Lt Imeson wore the Rolex Oyster Chronograph watch on the hellish forced marches through Germany to evade the advancing Russians in the winter of 1945 . Details of Flt . Lt Imeson’s case came to light yesterday as his watch emerged for sale. The watch is likely to fetch £30,000 when it is auctioned on November 6. He . was captured after his Wellington bomber was hit by flak, following an . attack on Cologne, and crashed into the North Sea in 1941. He . was sent to Stalag Luft III – at Sagan in eastern Germany – the camp . made famous by the 1963 film The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen, . which immortalised the audacious bid for freedom by Allied prisoners . there. Seventy-three of the 76 who did escape were recaptured and 50 of . them executed. RAF . personnel’s military issue watches were often seized by the German . troops who captured them. But once in the PoW camps, some 3,000 are . thought to have taken up Mr Wilsdorf’s offer. Attempt: F/Lt Imeson, fourth from left at Stalag Luft III camp. He was allocated position 172 in the queue of PoWs to escape but never made it into the tunnel as the German guards discovered the break-out . Prized: F/Lt Imeson was made a member of the Goldfish Club, for those who have jumped by parachute from an aircraft into the water, or whose aircraft crashed in the water, in 1943 . Artifact: The reverse side of the prized Goldfish card . Flt Lt Imeson, who had married his wife Lesley only two months before he was captured, remained a PoW for the rest of the war. The . watch survived intact even though he wore it on the forced marches . without adequate food or protection that PoWs endured as the Nazis . evaded the advancing Russians. He was eventually liberated from another . PoW camp in May 1945. After . the war, Flt Lt Imeson, from Overton, Hampshire, returned to his job as . a civil servant with the Air Ministry. He had four children and nine . grandchildren. Treasured: F/Lt Imeson is pictured wearing his treasured timepiece as he relaxes with wife Lesley in the 1980s . Home front: During his time at the camp F/Lt Imeson would have been cheered by the thought of his wife, pictured in 1944, who wrote to him from their home in Kent . He did . not pay for the watch until a couple of years after the war because of . British currency restrictions. He treasured it until he died in 2003 . aged 85 and his last wishes were for the timepiece to one day be sold so . his family could benefit. It is now being auctioned for his grandchildren by Bourne End Auction Rooms in Buckinghamshire. Martin . Perrin, from the auction house, said: ‘Airmen who were kept in Luft . camps were treated quite well and there would have been a gentlemen’s . agreement for the PoWs to order these watches. The model Flt Lt Imeson . chose was one of the top Rolex made at the time.’ Reworking history: The 1963 film The Great Escape was based on real events, and although some characters were fictitious many were based on real people, or amalgams of several of those involved . In the spring of 1943, RAF Squadron Leader Roger Bushell conceived a plan for a major escape from the German Stalag Luft III Camp near Sagan, now Żagań in Poland. With the escape planned for the night of March 24, 1944, the PoWs built three 30ft deep tunnels, named Tom, Dick and Harry, so that if one was discovered by the German guards, they would not suspect that work was underway on two more. Bushell intended to get more than 200 men through the tunnels, each wearing civilian clothes and possessing a complete range of forged papers and escape equipment. To hide the earth dug from the tunnels the prisoners attached pouches of the sand inside their trousers so that as they walked around it would scatter. The prisoners wore greatcoats to conceal the bulges made by the sand and were referred to as 'penguins' because of their supposed resemblance to the animal. When the attempt began it was discovered that Harry had come up short and instead of reaching into a nearby forest, the first man in fact emerged just short of the tree line, close to a guard tower. Plans for one man to leave every minute was reduced to 10 per hour. In total 76 men crawled through to initial freedom, but the 77th was spotted by a guard. In the hunt for the entrance one guard Charlie Pilz crawled through the tunnel but after becoming trapped at the other end called for help. The prisoners opened the entrance, revealing the location. Of the escapees 73 were captured, and 50 of them executed. THE HOLLYWOOD FILM . The 1963 film The Great Escape was based on real events, and although some characters were fictitious many were based on real people, or amalgams of several of those involved. The film starred Steve McQueen as Captain Virgil Hilts, James Garner as Flight Lieutenant Robert Hendley and Richard Attenborough as Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett, and was based on a book of the same name by Paul Brickhill. Contrary to the film no American PoWs were involved in the escape attempt, and there were no escapes by motorcycle or aircraft. Hilts' dash for the border by motorcycle was added by request of McQueen, who did the stunt riding himself except for the final jump. | Timepiece worn by Flight Lieutenant Gerald Imeson at Stalag Luft III camp .
F/Lt Imeson wore watch as he helped dig tunnels for 1944 escape attempt .
He queued to join fleeing PoWs before German guards discovered escape .
Attempt immortalised in 1963 Steve McQueen film The Great Escape .
Watch expected to sell for £30,000 when it is sold at auction . |
0d6f3a527c0ba08c7e540fb29a10e3d71217fcb2 | (EW.com) -- Remaking a landmark film ought to be a perfectly respectable proposition. After all, we see new versions of Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams all the time (whether on stage or screen). What's wrong with doing an updated version of a beloved Hollywood movie? In theory, nothing, yet in practice, it seldom works out well. There's something about how movies, with their singularity of mood and density of detail, imprint themselves on our imaginations that places the prospect of a remake somewhere between a rock and a hard place. Think about it: If you follow the original too closely, duplicating signature shots or lines of dialogue or acting flourishes, then you're stuck in a mode of mindless imitation — and what's the point of that? People might as well just watch the great version they already know (or, for new generations, have yet to discover). But if you seriously update the movie in question, making a lot of eyebrow-raising changes, then you risk violating the essence of the original — or leaving out too much of what everyone loved about it in the first place. When you get down to it, a ''new'' version of a classic is a contradiction in terms. Carrie, the rapturous and terrifying 1976 Brian De Palma thriller based on Stephen King's first novel, is a movie that has earned its place as a quirky horror milestone without, perhaps, ever having quite attained the status of a masterpiece. Yet I personally think it's a great film. There's nothing that compares to its glittery fusion of dreaminess and dread — of Cinderella-at-the-prom fantasy and blood-bucket horror, all mixed up with elements of '70s teensploitation comedy and primally entangled mother-daughter tragedy. And what acting! Sissy Spacek, as the squashed-nerd telekinetic high school wallflower Carrie, and Piper Laurie, as her ragingly repressed Evangelical mom, achieved a tremulous power together. And De Palma, a prankish virtuoso, perched the whole thing on the knife's edge between sincerity and satire. Carrie is a timeless movie because it's both one of the most passionate and most scandalously funny horror films ever made. So what does one do for a remake encore? Kimberly Peirce, the gifted director of the new Carrie, has gone down what seems, on the surface, to be a savvy road. She follows De Palma's version quite faithfully, evoking everything from his camera angles to his lighting to his flying-object F/X to his gleeful staging of mean-girl antics. At the same time, she offers just enough tweaks and updated details to present the material in a new way. The fabled shower-room scene, in which the naïve, sheltered Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz) gets her first period and is shocked into thinking that she's dying, now has an added fillip of cruelty: Chris, the most hateful of the girls, doesn't just pelt Carrie with tampons and shout ''Plug it up!'' She records the whole ordeal on her smartphone and then posts the video. In a neat reversal, Chris and her best friend, the popular but far more empathetic Sue (who feels so guilty about what happened that she gets her boyfriend to take Carrie to the prom), are both portrayed against type: Nice-girl Sue is played by Gabriella Wilde, who looks like a vintage snooty princess, whereas the awful Chris is made into a pensive bohemian punk by Portia Doubleday. And Carrie's mother (Julianne Moore), a fundamentalist fanatic who tries to cut Carrie off from the world, is now herself a cutter who pinpricks her own flesh in secret. Moore makes her fierce, guilt-tripping, and scary — but not, in the way that Laurie did, almost religiously possessed. Despite being 40 years old now, the Carrie story lives quite comfortably in the 21st century. Here's the problem, though. The original film had King's ingenious plot, with its fusion of innocence and cruelty and that subliminal wink of demonic takeover, but it also had De Palma's voluptuous operatic style, which gave the story the quality of a daydream-turned-nightmare. When you take away that style and serve up the plot fairly straight, as Peirce does here, we seem to be watching a Carrie that's been flattened, robbed of its over-the-top emotional extravagance. Given the challenge of revamping Spacek's brilliant shivery-nerd-turned-avenger performance, Chloë Grace Moretz does a creditable job. In stiff hair and lumpish clothing, she's very much the geek outsider (though today there's a much greater context for geeks as heroines), and the emotions seem to bleed through her ghostly, lunar-pale skin. Yet the way Peirce has updated Carrie White, without making any overt changes to the character, is to portray her as a little less clueless, a little less pathetic, a little more defiant. She's now a cute, bright, painfully shy girl who sees herself (wrongly) as a loser. Before, she was a total walking blob of misery and dysfunction. That slight tonal shift robs the story of its masochistic edge. Of course, Carrie isn't merely a fable of adolescent agony. It's all about Carrie's revenge, once she's subjected to the most diabolical practical ''joke'' in movie history. Carrie's telekinetic powers, driven by the rage she represses, allowed De Palma to orchestrate a senior-prom apocalypse that was pure filmmaking mastery. Peirce stages the prom as a prosaic rerun, without a lot of gaudy inspiration. And it's here that the real problem with redoing a classic reveals itself. Sure, a lot of famous movies are timeless, yet they're also rooted in their time. In the original Carrie, Spacek's character seemed to be channeling something creepy and larger-than-life — maybe it was even the underworld. But now we're a lot more accustomed to seeing movie characters mold their destiny through special effects, and since Peirce films the climax in a rather depersonalized, shoot-the-works way, Carrie comes close to seeming like an especially alienated member of the X-Men team. She blows stuff up real good, in a way that would make the devil — or Bruce Willis — proud. Grade: B-- . See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | The remake stars Chloë Grace Moretz .
The film has some modern updates .
EW gives it a grade of B- . |
0d6fea476fd53cb67b84525407f639541560f81c | (CNN) -- In the aftermath of the decision in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, there is one thing (and perhaps only one thing) that most everyone agrees upon: It is a game changer. The Background: A game changer . By Jonathan Turley . After decades of conflicting and increasingly convoluted decisions on the use of race as a criterion for university admissions, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the citizens of Michigan could constitutionally ban the use of race and other criteria in the selection of students. For some, the court affirmed the right to establish a colorblind selection process. For others, the court engaged in an act of willful blindness to the racial realities of society. The court has been struggling in this area for decades. In 1977, in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, the court allowed only a limited use of race for the purpose of achieving "diversity" in classes. The Medical School at the University of California at Davis set aside 16 of the 100 seats for minorities. The court ruled it unconstitutional but was deeply divided on why -- a harbinger for the line of cases that would follow Bakke. The court spent nearly the next 40 years spinning on the ice of affirmative action, unable to get traction or a clear direction. The court's split decision in 2003 is illustrative. It was presented with two cases involving the use of race as a criterion in the undergraduate and the law school admissions processes at University of Michigan. In one case, Gratz v. Bollinger, the court voted 6-3 that the university violated equal protection in the selection of students based on race and other criteria. It then ruled 5-4, in Grutter v. Bollinger, to uphold race criteria in the admissions process for Michigan Law School. However, Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor stressed that the court "expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today." O'Connor's statement was ridiculed by many (including some on the court), but seemed to capture the fluidity of the court's position on the use of race. In 2013, the court again seemed to produce a nuanced and uncertain decision in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, where the court rejected a lower court decision upholding the use of race in admissions at the University of Texas. However, it did not prohibit the use of race but rather sent back the case for the imposition of a more demanding test of "strict scrutiny." These cases offered little hope that a "bright line" could be reached to bring resolution of the issue and meant that the court would continue to referee such matters. That line, however, may now have been reached in Schuette. Michigan voters responded to the divided results in the Grutter and Gratz cases to bring their own clarity to the area. They passed a constitutional amendment that required an entirely colorblind process for selection at state schools (as well as barring schools from giving an advantage to some students based on other immutable characteristics like gender). By a vote of 6-2, the court ruled this week that citizens could do precisely that. In so ruling, the court for the first time created an avenue that could end this longstanding controversy by vote of citizens. Seven states have already passed such rules, and this decision is likely to encourage others to follow. In my seminar on the Constitution and the Supreme Court, my students and I debate leading cases each term and voted both on the merits and on our prediction as to the outcome in that "other" court. So, in our recent vote, the GW Supreme Court voted overwhelmingly, 11-4, to reverse the Sixth Circuit and allow Michigan voters to make such a decision. The class also predicted the result in the case -- again by an 11-4 vote. Here are two of our "GW justices" who viewed the case in manifestly different ways: . AGAINST: Ruling reflects 'sad history' of racial hurdles . By Yvette Butler . The importance of the court's decision is amplified by our sad history of placing hurdles to bar minorities from meaningful participation in the political process. Race-conscious policies, by the court's own admission, are highly controversial and should be confronted in the political process through healthy debate. However, the debate means little if no real action can be taken to implement what was decided through that debate. The Michigan Constitution already contained a process for deciding university admissions policies. Michigan residents had ample voice through elections to choose members of a board that were an integral part of this process. If the board members were not advancing the will of the people, residents could have made their voices heard through elections. This switch from a highly accessible and accountable board to a state constitutional amendment is an impermissible restructuring of the political process which will only serve to cripple the effectiveness of public debate and severely disadvantage the minority. By adopting a change on a state constitutional level, the issue is further removed from the hands of the people. Even assuming that a healthy debate will take place, the decision places a significant hurdle in the way of any concrete action. This decision goes against clearly established Supreme Court precedent that it is unconstitutional to inhibit meaningful access to the political process for minorities. The Supreme Court plays a special role in our system. It must uphold constitutional rights, especially in the face of majority rule where that majority seeks to take a voice away from the minority. FOR: Court should not undo the will of the people . By Vincent C. Cirilli . The political process yields favorable and unfavorable results. As long as the government does not interfere with the right to participate in the process, and as long as the results of that process are constitutional, the courts cannot take power from voters and undo the will of the people. The Supreme Court made clear that Schuette was not about the constitutional validity of affirmative action programs. Instead, the case was about whether Michigan's constitutional amendment barring affirmative action interfered with the right to participate in the political process. The court correctly ruled that the process functioned properly. What did that process entail? Michigan's Proposal 2, a statewide referendum, was approved by 58% of Michigan voters. The amendment the voters passed does not restrict speech, deny voting rights, or impose majoritarian barriers designed to prevent the minority from achieving its goals. In other words, the amendment does not interfere with the political process. Voters are not silenced, the issues are not censored, and the debate surrounding affirmative action is not over. If the role of the court is to perfect democracy, then the court fulfilled its role in not overturning Michigan's amendment. A ruling to the contrary would undermine democracy by removing this debate from the public sphere and leaving its resolution in the hands of nine unelected judges. Some may disagree with Michigan's amendment. That is to be expected and encouraged. The political process is always ongoing and perhaps the issue will be revisited. In the meantime, the debate will continue, ideas will be shared, and the political process will march forward. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | Jonathan Turley and his law students debate the ruling in the Michigan affirmative action case .
Yvette Butler argues the amendment takes the issue out of the hands of the people .
Vincent C. Cirilli counters that the will of the voters should not be ignored .
But all agree: The ruling is a game changer . |
0d70169cf22fed9317a83c8b590bd6f9db6a18a8 | (CNN) -- Tiger Woods has been clubbed into the long grass by EA Sports after the games manufacturer ended its association with the world's most famous golfer. Woods, 37, won the last of his 14 major titles back in 2008, but this year returned to world No.1 after replacing Rory McIlroy at the top of the rankings. There were 14 editions of the video game bearing his name, which was played by millions of golf fans across the world. Writing on EA's official website, the company's vice-president and general manager Daryl Holt commented: "EA Sports and Tiger Woods have made a mutual decision to end our partnership, which includes Tiger's named PGA Tour golf game. We've always been big fans of Tiger and we wish him continued success in all his future endeavors. "EA Sports golf fans have always loved authentic courses and players, but they've also asked for more choice and customization in how and where they play." EA had previously stuck with Woods through his acrimonious divorce in August 2010 at a time where several other sponsors severed ties with the American. Gatorade, AT&T and Accenture and Tag Heuer all withdrew sponsorship or did not renew their deals following the revelations of Woods' infidelity and subsequent divorce from Elin Nordegren -- costing him $20 million in earnings. From the endorsements he held in 2009, just two remain: Nike, which teamed up with Woods when he turned professional in 1996; and NetJets, a plane ownership-sharing company. "For most mortal sportsmen, losing the EA deal would constitute a real body blow. At an estimated $6.2 million a year, it's a very significant chunk of change," Sami McCabe, CEO of Clarity PR, told CNN. "However, Tiger Woods is in a unique category in terms of earning potential from sponsorship deals -- particularly from his sportswear sponsor Nike, which ensures he dwarfs the majority of his peers -- in any sport. "So I don't see this news being a source of sleepless nights from a financial perspective. However, it might be the cause of concern for the longevity and sustainability of 'Brand Tiger.' " According to market tracking company NPD Group, EA sold $771 million worth of games boasting the Tiger Woods name. DFC Intelligence, a consulting firm which deals with the gaming market, states that EA made $3.79 billion last year -- with its Battlefield and Madden NFL games the top sellers. But while the loss of the EA partnership should not cause major damage to the Woods brand, McCabe does believe the move remains significant. "Losing a marquee sponsorship deal says two things: first, he's no longer the force he once was on the golf course; and secondly, EA will no doubt be replacing him with someone else," he said. "Rory McIlroy would seem the most obvious choice -- assuming his form picks up. So this might be perceived as the first major step in a changing of the guard. "Losing EA Games won't make much of a dent on Tiger's bank balance, but it does make a dent on his ubiquity. "And that ubiquity is the single biggest reason why he's able to command such astronomical sponsorship deals. "That said, a couple of major wins would surely turn the tide back in his favor." EA started making golf simulation games back in 1990, with PGA Tour golf coming out on PC, Amiga and the Sega Megadrive. In 1998 it produced the "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 99" which became a huge hit on Playstation and blazed the trail for further success. But in recent years EA has begun to take a step back, with the 2010 cover of the game the first to feature another golfer alongside Woods -- Northern Ireland's rising star McIlroy. A few months later on a newer version it simply showed Augusta, home of the Masters, with no trace of Woods on the cover. Rickie Fowler joined Woods on the front of "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13" in the U.S., while Arnold Palmer was used in the latest version. | EA Sports will drop the Tiger Woods name from its next-gen golf games .
There have been 14 editions of the Tiger Woods game .
PR expert believes Woods in unique category when it comes to sponsorship .
EA Sports sold $771 million worth of games with Woods' name on it . |
0d70377a4d3c6d03874b113c87d1642b4b827f92 | Manchester United centre back Marcos Rojo got into the festive spirits with his family as he posted a picture of him, his partner and daughter in front of their Christmas tree. Louis van Gaal got an early present when the the 24-year-old recently returned to full fitness for United. Rojo dislocated his shoulder against Manchester City at the beginning of November. Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo poses with his family in front of their Christmas tree . Rojo (left) competes for a header with Southampton's Graziano Pelle during his side's 2-1 win at St Mary's . It was initally featred that Rojo could be out for up to six weeks, compounding United's dreadful list of injuries this season. The Argentine, however, made a quicker than expected recovery has been a rock in United's defence in recent weeks. Rojo lined up in a defensive back three with Chris Smalling and Paddy McNair as Van Gaal's side ground out a 2-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary's on Monday. The versatile left-hander will need to bring his best form as United welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford on Sunday as Van Gaal's side look to continue their march up the Premier League table. Fernando checks on Rojo after the Argentine dislocated his shoulder against Manchester City . | Marcos Rojo recently returned to fitness after dislocating his shoulder .
Rojo's sustained the injury against Manchester City in early November .
Rojo started for Manchester United in their 2-1 win over Southampton . |
0d7092d1ef2b2347759041a597a49e175b54545c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 10:40 EST, 5 December 2011 . His daughter’s serious health condition makes her life 'measured in days and weeks' - so it’s fair to question why he wants to run for president. But Republican candidate Rick Santorum, 53, says his daughter Bella’s genetic disorder Trisomy 18 is actually spurring him on in the race. The former Pennsylvania senator said he was focussed on running to ensure the U.S. continues to 'respect' the lives of children like Bella. Scroll down for video . Together: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, 53, says his daughter Bella's genetic disorder Trisomy 18 is spurring him on . Serious illness: He has revealed his fears about the effects of socialised medicine on children like Bella . Father and daughter: Trisomy 18 is a genetic disorder in which a person has a third copy of material from chromosome 18, instead of the usual two copies . The father-of-seven was asked to . 'justify' how he could focus on the Presidential campaign trail by . Christiane Amanpour on This Week. She said: 'As a mother, I just wonder . how you can keep going and how you justify this with so much personal . toll at home... given the polls?' He is now polling just five per cent in Iowa, trailed only by Jon Huntsman, but claimed he does not worry about this. ‘I don't worry about the polls,’ Mr . Santorum said. ‘I worry about what I'm trying to do to be the best . father and husband I can be. Father-of-seven: Mr Santorum is pictured at his headquarters in Bedford, New Hampshire, on Friday, just a few weeks before the GOP elections begin . Family: Mr Santorum, right, walks with his wife Karen, son Daniel, and daughter Sarah Maria during his visit to Charmingfare Farm in Candia, New Hampshire . 'And obviously a big part of that is . making sure that we have a country that respects her life and a country . that is free and safe and prosperous for all of my children. Trisomy 18 is a genetic disorder in which a person has a third copy of material from chromosome 18, instead of the usual two copies. It can cause a range of problems including severe developmental delays, holes in the heart and kidney failure. Half of infants with this condition do not survive beyond the first week of life. Some have survived to teen years - but with serious medical and developmental problems. 'And I just felt like given this is . really I believe the most critical election in the history of the . country that I had to step up and make sacrifices, like everybody does, . to make our country a better country.' Mr Santorum's remarks come two months after he revealed his fears about the effects of socialised medicine on children like Bella. 'Life expectancy wasn't particularly . long, and just the idea of going off and doing something like this . (running for president) was something I really struggled with.’ He said ‘those on the margins of life . are treated differently’ in every ‘socialised-medicine country - which is . absolutely where we're headed’, reported the Washington Post. 'They're not given the care, the . resources aren't allocated because it is very costly, and my little girl . would probably be seen as - I hear, not only from anecdotal but actual . evidence from other countries - that children like this simply do not . get care.' See video here . | Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is a father-of-seven .
Santorum's daughter Bella suffers from genetic disorder Trisomy 18 .
It's 'spurring him on' as he wants U.S. to respect lives of children like her . |
0d7132aa9a30671b65ebb66f637f980989517b3a | (CNN) -- In an industry known for elevating a certain look, prizing a certain age and sticking to the script, Jane Lynch is exceptional. At 52, the 6-foot-tall comedienne and actress has experienced more success in the last five years of her career than most actors could dream of for their entire life. Her role as Sue Sylvester on the hit television series "Glee" has won her critical praise and accolades including a Screen Actor's Guild Award, Golden Globe Award and Primetime Emmy Award. Likewise, Lynch's personal life is experiencing its own renaissance. In 2010, she married Dr. Lara Embry and in doing so became a second mom to daughters Haden and Chase. With the ease of a seasoned vet, Lynch masterfully balances bawdy with heart. If you missed her outrageous turn as a lesbian dog trainer in "Best in Show" or lampooning fellow funny lady Roseanne during a Comedy Central roast, you might have caught her as the voice of Calhoun in the recent Disney movie "Wreck-It Ralph." For her next adventure, Lynch moves from the screen to the page, hoping to entertain kids of all ages with the new holiday book "Elfbot." CNN: Tell me about "Elfbot." Lynch: Oh, it's great! It's an audio book that Barnes & Noble is offering. It's a great reverse Pinocchio story where the toymaker wants to become a toy. It's a lot of fun. We're hoping to start a holiday tradition. CNN: And I hear it's a family affair? Lynch: Yes, my daughter Haden is on it. Actually, we all know each other very well, and Kenny G is on it. The director is my best friend. CNN: Is it scary or exciting to see your child possibly getting into showbiz? Lynch: Scary. There's a part of me that had to find my own way. I started from kind of an obscure place, and I really wanted it. I think that adds to my level of professionalism. ... But, I just have to have faith in the goodness of my kids, and she's a great kid. I have this thing about me, because I came up from nowhere, that she should too, but you know what, that's not her path. CNN: You have come a long way, all the way from Dolton, Illinois, to the red carpets of Hollywood. Do you still pinch yourself? Lynch: Every day! And it's a plethora of things. I pinch myself every day, and there's a part of me that's always like, "wow!" CNN: When you hosted "Saturday Night Live" and went completely nude for that digital short, I remember thinking, "this woman is fearless." Was there a moment in your life when you just decided to be completely unapologetic for your creative choices? Lynch: Oh, absolutely. It was when I was doing improv at Second City. You're doing these sets afterwards, and sometimes it's like the bigger choice you make, the bigger you fall on your face. I think my work started to seem profound when I started making huge choices. Yes, some of them were too huge, where you lose people and you lose reality, but I think you have to go that far in order to know what you can do -- what's inside of you. CNN: I hope someone was recording those big moments. Lynch: I remember playing Queen Margaret in "Richard III" in Chicago's Shakespeare Company. Usually, that character is cut because she is so bombastic. Well, I wanted to keep her in! So I did and a review came out that said when I was finished, there was no scenery left! So yeah. CNN: Cleared the room, did you? Lynch: Exactly. It was huge. CNN: Sue Sylvester knows how to clear a room. What's going on over at "Glee" these days? Lynch: Well, we have these new kids, and I'm absolutely floored by their talent. I love the fact that we're following the gang in New York, you know, Rachel and the kids. The writers have really stepped up. It's a new show this year but with all the same principles. It's all about raising your voice in song and having each other's back, and I think that's why it's resonated so strongly. CNN: The show's diverse themes have been a lightning rod for praise and criticism. It reminds me of a modern "All in the Family." Do you ever feel like Ryan Murphy has taken the baton from Norman Lear? Lynch: You know, I hadn't made that connection, but I think that's really apt. Norman Lear was really ahead of his time. "All in the Family" was all about progress and was so groundbreaking. Why didn't things take off from there? But, I think you're absolutely right. Ryan is on the line and pushing people. We have a transgender character on "Glee," and we're showing the realism in that -- the struggle with the kids and the parents to accept him. Ultimately, they do, and they cast him as Rizzo in "Grease." And, of course, I ruin it all! You know, it's Sue's own prejudice, her own fear that someone will be ridiculed, whereas the kids feel strong enough. CNN: You've become a role model to millions of people but especially gay women. Did you set out to champion gay rights? Lynch: It's not something I ever set out to do, but I'm glad I can. I really have to thank all those that came before me. They made it possible. People like Ellen and Rosie. There are so many people out there every day working for all of us. CNN: It sounds like the themes of acceptance and inclusiveness on "Glee" really line up with your own personal views. Lynch: Oh, very much! I always wished I had something like "Glee" when I was growing up. I'm glad there are kids living out there in not-so-friendly parts of the country who have "Glee" to watch. They can see that there is hope and that it does get better and that there are people who have your back. You just have to find them. | Lynch is providing the voice for new holiday book "Elfbot"
Her daughter Haden also appears on the audiobook .
Lynch said she loves the new talent on "Glee" |
0d7148ee6d808943ee9d46a0ac72d2280cb6e5e6 | Fancy a vape, bae? Or perhaps you're a slacktivist who'd prefer to discuss the indyref? The word vape has been named the Oxford English Dictionaries word of the year, beating bae, a term of endearment for a romantic partner, and indyref - used to describe the poll on Scottish independence. Researchers found that use of the word vape, meaning to inhale from an e-cigarette, has doubled in a year reflecting the meteoric rise of popularity - and scrutiny - of electronic cigarettes. This year has also seen the rise of 'slacktivism' - a political or social movement which requires little time or involvement, such as signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a social media website. Scroll down for video . Oxford Dictionaries has announced vape as its international word of the year, reflecting the meteoric rise of popularity - and scrutiny - of electronic cigarettes . Judy Pearsall, editorial director for Oxford Dictionaries, said: 'As vaping has gone mainstream, with celebrities from Lindsay Lohan to Barry Manilow giving it a go, and with growing public debate on the public dangers and the need for regulation, so the language usage of the word vape and related terms in 2014 has shown a marked increase.' When used as a verb vape means inhaling and exhaling the vapour produced by e-cigarettes, while it can also be used as a noun to refer to the devices themselves. Language research found that the use of the word vape has more than doubled this year compared to 2013. Associated phrases have also developed including vape pen and vape shop, while the 'retronym' phrase tobacco cigarette has even begun to resurface in order to draw a distinction between traditional cigarettes and electronic devices. The word of the year does not need to have been coined in the last year but must have become prominent or notable during that time. Vape was added to the website OxfordDictionaries.com in August 2014 and is currently being considered for inclusion in future editions of the official Oxford English Dictionary. In fact the word vape dates back to the 1980s. Its earliest known use is in an article titled Why Do People Smoke? in New Society in 1983 in which the author, Rob Stepney, used the word to describe a hypothetical device being explored at the time. Indyref - used to describe the poll on Scottish independence - was also shortlisted for the title . He wrote presciently of 'an inhaler or non-combustible cigarette, looking much like the real thing, but...delivering a metered dose of nicotine vapour. (The new habit, if it catches on, would be known as vaping)'. Bae originated in African-American English and has been propelled into global usage through social media and lyrics in hip-hop and R&B music. It is thought that it most likely originated as a shortened form of baby or babe, but is sometimes interpreted as an acronym for 'before anyone else'. Come Get It Bae is the name of a song by Pharrell Williams featuring Miley Cyrus. Referring to indyref, researchers said it was 'inevitable that vocabulary around the subject of the Scottish independence referendum would make its mark on the lexicon'. The candidates for the word of the year are drawn initially from the Oxford Dictionaries New Monitor Corpus, a research programme which collects around 150 million words of current English in use each month, using automated search criteria to scan new web content. Sophisticated software allows experts to identify new and emerging words on a daily basis and examine the shifts that occur in geography, register, and frequency of use. The 2013 word of the year was selfie. The term 'contactless' has also risen to prominence this year thanks to technologies that allow a smart card or mobile phone to contact wirelessly . Other shortlisted words were: . budtender (noun): A person whose job is to serve customers in a cannabis dispensary or shop. This word has come to the fore following moves to legalise the drug for medical use in some US states. It combines bud - slang for marijuana - and tender - as in bartender. normcore (noun): A trend in which ordinary, unfashionable clothing is worn as a deliberate fashion statement. Oxford Dictionaries said use of the word peaked in 2014 and remains 'very much alive' despite predictions from fashion pundits that the trend is over. contactless (adjective): Relating to or involving technologies that allow a smart card or mobile phone to contact wirelessly to an electronic reader, typically in order to make a payment. Usage peaked in September, when the technology was rolled out across London's transport network. slacktivism (noun): Actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement, for example signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a social media website. Oxford Dictionaries cited the Ice Bucket Challenge and the No Makeup Selfie as examples. | Oxford Dictionaries has announced vape as international word of the year .
It reflects the rise of popularity - and scrutiny - of electronic cigarettes .
Bae, a term of endearment for a romantic partner, was shortlisted .
Indyref - used to describe the Scottish independence poll - also considered . |
0d7292d09dd44c7707af154291ed04131c24a109 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:15 EST, 12 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:41 EST, 12 August 2013 . The Mercedes Benz belonging to notorious Nazi leader Herman Goering sat for over half a century in a North Carolina garage and is now finally being restored. The car was seized by Allied authorities on the final day of World War II in May 1945 and shipped to the United States. Since then, the Mercedes 540K Cabriolet B, custom built for Hitler’s designated successor, was largely left to waste away until High Velocity Classics of Pompano Beach, Florida, stepped in to preserve the classic piece of history. Notorious: Hermann Göring eats soup during a break from the Nuremberg trials in 1945. His custom Mercedes was seized by allied forces on the final day of the war and has sat in a North Carolina garage for most the time since . War Relic: Officers of the Third Reich with Goering's custom-built Mercedes while (right) Colonel Heintges, the commander of the 7th Infantry, took possession of the car as his personal vehicle after the German defeat . The Mercedes is now in the hands of a Florida group, High Velocity Classics, Inc., who are assembling a team of experts and investors to restore the vehicle to concours quality . According to the Times of Israel, the car was considered a trophy of allied victory after it was captured at Hitler’s villa at Berchtesgaden at the close of the war. It was used by Colonel Heintges, the commander of the 7th Infantry who captured the vehicle, as his personal vehicle, which it remained during the Allied Occupation of Germany. Towards the end of the occupation, the car was sold as surplus to a U.S Army staff sergeant and brought to the United States. He kept it in Texas for a few years, and then sold it to Richard Taylor of North Carolina, who has kept it in his garage to this day. It was shipped to Texas, where it received a proper American paint job complete with army green body and allied star. The car stayed with Taylor up until recently, when High Velocity Classics owners Steven Saffer and David Rathbun heard about the relic. Write caption here . Relic: A Pompano Beach, Florida restoration group tracked down Goering's . Mercedes Benz 540K Cabriolet B to the North Carolina garage of Richard . Taylor, who even had its original documentation] . ‘Steve was having dinner one evening, and he ran into someone in the car business who told him the car was in existence,’ Rathbun told The Times of Israel. ‘We knew we had to follow up on this extraordinary piece of history.’ Two and a half months of searching later, Rathbun and Saffer’s efforts led them to Taylor. Though much of the car was in boxes after an aborted 1970 restoration attempt, they were able to verify its authenticity with the manufacturer, thanks in part to the original documentation Taylor still retained. History: Goering was Hitler's second in command. Two of the Third Reich . leader's cars are now in North America. The restorers of his custom . Mercedes intend to offer the car to a Holocaust or other World War II . museum . Rathbun said the car is one of just three belonging to Nazi leaders now in North America. Now, Rathbun said he and his partners intend to restore the car and offer it to a Holocaust or World War II museum. ‘We saved it, and we want to put it into the right hands,’ Rathbun said, adding that they intend to offer a portion of whatever profit the group makes from the restoration ‘to a Jewish cause.’ The car was commissioned by Goering in 1940, and delivered in 1941. Loaded with special features, the powerful vehicle was one of the fastest cars in the world at that time. Among its attributes are a custom body for a raised back seat and parade platform and, according to the records of Mercedes Benz, was the last of its type ever made. Hermann Goering amassed a personal fortune from confiscated Jewish property . Hermann Goering founded Hitler's Gestapo secret police and was a prime architect of the Nazi Holocaust. A fighter pilot in the First World War, Goering went on to join Hitler's Nationalist Socialist Party and eventually became his deputy in 1939. Goering was the head of the SA, also . known as the Brownshirts, and helped Heinrich Himmler set up Germany's . concentration camps. In 1938, he became head of Germany's armed forces and when the Second World War broke out the following year, he was put in charge of the Luftwaffe and led the Nazi air force during the Battle of Britain. Following Hitler's suicide in 1945, Goering surrendered to the U.S. Army in Austria. He was found guilty of war crimes at the Nuremberg trials and was sentenced to death. However, he cheated the hangman's noose by killing himself in his cell aged 53 with a phial of hidden cyanide. He was known as a Nazi 'magpie' and amassed a personal fortune through the confiscation of Jewish property. His collection included paintings, tapestries, jewellery, hunting ornaments, altarpieces and rugs. | Hermann Goering had Mercedes Benz 540K Cabriolet B custom built in 1940 .
The car was seized by American authorities on the final day of World War II .
The car sat in North Carolina until it was rediscovered by a Florida classic car restoration group . |
0d7325bc627029e6d792a3e6208dc0b0d44bc6b0 | A seaside town got a trendy new look when some mystery knitters covered public spaces in brightly coloured crochets. Residents in Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset awoke to find walls, seats, decking and statues in the seafront gardens covered in knitwear. It is said to be the work of the anonymous 'ninja knitters' who use wool like graffiti to decorate everything and anything, from bollards to parked cars, as part of the knit-bombing craze. A knitted blanket was left overnight in Burnham-on-Sea complete with knitted sandwiches and cakes . But unlike graffiti, the knits can be easily removed and tend to be welcomed by the community. Lesley Cook told Burnham-On-Sea.com: 'It's so lovely to see. The kids are enjoying it - they especially love the flowers and the woven picnic blanket which is complete with knitted sandwiches.' Another visitor, Dave Andrews, added: 'It's brilliant. They've done such a fantastic job. The cherub statue is superb and the First World War themed blanket was very touching.' A knitted beanie adorns a statue in the seafront gardens in Burnham-on-Sea as part of the knit-bombing craze . The tribute taken from poem For The Fallen to commemorate soldiers who died in World War One . The tribute to World War One comes from a poem by Robert Laurence Bnyon, For The Fallen and is decorated with knitted red poppies. Other creations included knitted flower pots, hanging baskets, a knitted bird and birdhouse and a watering can. The news comes as a Polish knitter called Agata 'Olek' Oleksiak got into trouble with authorities in Mexico, who are are lodging a case against her, for covering sculptures under the sea in knit-wear. | Residents awoke to find the seafront gardens covered in knit-wear .
Everything from flowers to hanging baskets got coated in colourful crochets .
Included tribute to First World War soldiers with knitted poppies . |
0d736c2d736bfa58254dcbc46e514a294432d367 | Juan Mata’s relationship with Jose Mourinho had sunk so low that he had no option but to leave Chelsea after the pair stopped speaking. The Spain midfielder cost Manchester United £37.1million in January and has revealed there was ‘no dialogue’ with his manager at Stamford Bridge. It marked a sorry end for Mata, who was widely adored in west London and had scooped the club’s fans’ and players’ Player of the Year awards the previous season. Jose Mourinho (left) and Juan Mata weren't on speaking terms before the latter left Chelsea last season . Spaniard Mata eventually left for Manchester United in a £37.1million move back in January . Manager Louis van Gaal has drawn lavish praise from Mata in an interview with El Pais on Monday . ‘For better or for worse, we had no relationship, there was no dialogue,’ Mata told El Pais. ‘I was not happy, but always gave the most respected and my colleagues. You never know what will happen in life.’ For a man usually so reserved, it is a damning character assassination. The 26-year-old hasn’t properly clicked into gear at Old Trafford just yet, although Louis van Gaal has found it easier to engineer more consistent performances than predecessor David Moyes. Mata – in direct contrast to his forthright criticism for Mourinho – praised the Dutchman highly as United attempt to claw their way back into the Champions League. ‘He [Van Gaal] has so much experience and I can learn a lot from him. He’s tough when he has to be. ‘He says things in a firm way, intensely, but then he’s somebody who is very close with the players. He really likes to talk with us, to ask us what we think about the exercises that we do in training.’ They are comments which could be construed as more than a thinly-veiled dig at Mourinho. Mata has won the players' and fans' Player of the Year awards at Chelsea before leaving the club . Spain Under 21 midfielder Ander Herrera (centre) lives on the same street as Mata in the North West . Mata does appear to have settled in the north – labelling Manchester as ‘the real England’. Hardly surprising, given he lives on the same street as Spanish team-mates David de Gea and Ander Herrera. ‘De Gea told me that at first it was difficult because I did not know the language,’ he added. ‘When I got [here, he] helped me a lot and now we take a hand [to] Ander, with whom I have a very close relationship because our way of interpreting life is similar. ‘We spend almost every day together.’ It was a candid interview, in which the former Valencia playmaker also asserted that he's undervalued in his homeland after playing just once for Spain this calendar year. 'Maybe I feel my values more in England than in Spain,' he added. 'Now I have not [been] mentioned, but am not looking for excuses or justifications.' Like our Manchester United Facebook page. VIDEO Mourinho pleased with evolution of his team . | Man Utd star Juan Mata reveals he and Jose Mourinho had 'no relationship'
Manchester United signed the Spaniard from Chelsea for £37.1m in January .
Mata lives on the same street as David de Gea and Ander Herrera . |
0d7383a44955b41c5a472151a35a842751f0004c | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 07:02 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:47 EST, 1 August 2013 . He is only a week old, but the royal baby has already been bombarded with gifts from Britain’s party leaders. Prince George is the lucky recipient of an apple tree, a blanket embroidered by Spanish nuns and a set of books by Roald Dahl. David Cameron and Ed Miliband both revealed what they had sent William and Kate’s son after Nick Clegg disclosed his present on his weekly radio phone-in programme. Scroll down for video . Showered with gifts: Kensington Palace has been inundated with messages from well wishers since Prince George of Cambridge was born last week . Kensington Palace has been inundated with gifts from well-wishers since the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the third in line to the throne. The proud parents asked for donations to charity rather than presents. But the three main party leaders ignored the plea. The Prime Minister and wife Samantha gave a box-set of books by Roald Dahl, whose works famously include George’s Marvellous Medicine – a story in which a naughty boy creates a magic potion to teach his evil grandmother a lesson. Other popular titles by the author include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, The BFG, Matilda and Revolting Rhymes. The Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge had asked for donations to good causes instead of being sent presents . Dark tales: David and Samantha Cameron sent a . collection of books by Roald Dahl (right) whose spine-chilling stories . have thrilled youngsters and adults for generations . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may have to wait a few years before reading the tales to their first son, though. Dahl’s anarchic style is generally enjoyed by children who are well beyond their toddler years. Labour leader Ed Miliband gave a three-year-old apple tree, which a party spokesman said was a traditional gift for a first-born son. It already has some fruit growing on . it and was sourced from community groups the Brent Eleven Streets . residents association and the London Orchard Project. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and his . wife Miriam sent William and Kate a large bag of coffee to help them . cope with the fatigue caused by sleepless nights caring for their new . baby. The Cleggs also gave George a white . cot cover and sheet hand-embroidered by nuns in Miriam’s home village in . Spain, where the Deputy Prime Minister was holidaying at the time of . the royal birth early last week. Holiday: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and wife Miriam bought a blanket while vising a village in Spain when the prince was born . Labour leader Ed Miliband gave a three-year-old apple tree, which a party spokesman said was a traditional gift for a first-born son . Mr Clegg told his LBC radio audience: . ‘We found some beautiful, I think anyway, beautiful cover, a cot cover . and a cot sheet which is hand-embroidered in a convent in the village . where Miriam comes from in Spain, where I was a few days ago. ‘The nuns, they make these beautiful . handmade things so we’ve sent that and we’ve thrown in with a gift, a . large bag of our favourite coffee because as parents of little boys, we . know you need that coffee when you’re coping with little boys. ‘Miriam and I sent a letter with a gift just yesterday to Kensington Palace.’ | Kate and William asked for donations to charity instead of presents .
But the party leaders could not resist sending their choice of gift .
The Camerons chose a box-set of books by Road Dahl .
Nick Clegg and wife Miriam gave a blanket and coffee, for sleepless nights .
Ed Miliband and wife Justine chose a three-year-old apple tree . |
0d75678e20a165105b6ea2250655553c73023022 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- A landscape restoration of a rubbish dump has won the Energy, Waste and Recycling category at the 2008 World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, Spain. Spanish architects Batlle and Roig have returned a 150 hectare rubbish dump back to nature. "La Vall d'en Joan" (The Valley of Joan) project, designed by Spanish architects Batlle and Roig, has transformed a 150 hectare site in the Garraf Natural Park, south-west of Barcelona into a green terraced agricultural landscape. In awarding the prize, judges Luis Mansilla -- Mansilla + Tunon architects -- and Martin Keiding -- editor-in-chief of Arkitektur DK -- described the scheme as: "a perfect example of bringing dead nature back to life by converting rubbish into a beautiful piece of landscape architecture...using few and humble means". Joan Roig of Batlle and Roig Architects told CNN: "The idea was to create a system of hills and banks in a way that would avoid erosion from water and to give the rubbish dump back to nature with a natural design." Work to transform the site -- the largest landfill in Spain -- began in 2000 and was completed earlier this year. It is a striking redrawing of a previously scarred and polluted landscape. The landfill has been servicing Barcelona's metropolitan area for over 30 years. More than 20 million tons of rubbish was spread around the valley before the site was closed in 2006. In some places, you would have to dig down over 100 meters before you found soil again. But this isn't just a cosmetic makeover. There is an underground drainage system on site which filters contaminated waste fluids. Part of this recycled water is then used to irrigate the park. "The whole project is very sustainable," Roig said. Furthermore, the dump is also utilizing the bio gas that is emitted to provide electricity. Some of the rubbish has remained above ground. Housed in large steel cages which flank the entrance to the site, Roig says they serve as a permanent reminder to visitors of the site's previous life. Judge, Martin Keiding told CNN: "It's a very beautiful and simple design. It is landscape architecture that is inspiring. It is a very good example that everyone could look at and say: 'We could do the same.' This competition is about pointing out good examples that could inspire architects." Batlle and Roig's winning design was one of eight short-listed projects in the Energy, Waste and Recycling category, which was notable for the variety of entries. They range from state of the art, hi-tech plans such as the Digital Beijing designed by Studio Pei Zhu and Urbanus, right down to low-cost, primitive ventures like the Community Cooker devised by Kenyan company, Planning Systems Services. The communal cooker is turning rubbish into fuel to feed residents of one of Africa's biggest slums -- Kibera -- on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The project was highly commended by the judges. "Sustainability is a very important issue and so are the questions about rubbish, especially in Third World countries," Keiding said. "The community cooker is a way of introducing a solution directly into the society." Keiding, himself a trained architect, believes that Energy, Waste and Recycling is the most important category at the inaugural World Architecture Festival. "We are facing big problems, so it is a great opportunity for architects to work seriously with this problem on many different levels. "I think flashy executive buildings are interesting in one sense but they are not interesting if they are not dealing seriously with this matter. In my opinion you can throw them out. We have to be far more serious about integrating aspects of sustainability into architecture." Both Mansilla and Keiding noted that engineering and architecture had to combine to deal with issues concerning waste and recycling. They said that achieving sustainability was a difficult task but it also represented a great opportunity for architects to contribute to the sphere. | Spanish architects win prestigious category award at World Architecture Festival .
"La Vall d'en Joan" project turned rubbish dump into architectural landscape .
Millions of tons of rubbish was dumped at the site near Barcelona for 30 years .
Water from site purified for use in irrigation, bio gas used to create electricity . |
0d7583f6256585ef49a5b8bbc3b3e6580a37daef | New York (CNN) -- You could be forgiven for thinking no one cares -- or even should care, right now -- about climate change. For starters, there's all that other terrifying stuff competing for attention: President Barack Obama's war with ISIS; the Ebola outbreak, which recently put Sierra Leone on national lockdown; Ukraine; Scotland; wife-beating athletes. That scary guy in Pennsylvania. The world seems like a pretty big mess right now. The climate? Not top of the agenda. Polls indicate Americans care less about climate change than pretty much anything. Even among those of us who are inclined to care about the planet, there's the holy-crap-I-can't-even-deal-with-it factor. It seems too big, too daunting -- and like so much damage is already being done. But I put those doubts completely to rest on Sunday as I wove through hopeful crowds of thousands at the People's Climate March in New York, which was billed by organizers as the biggest rally against climate change world has ever seen. There was no independent estimate of the size of the crowd immediately available, but organizers said as many as 310,000 people attended -- many from far reaches of the globe, ahead of a UN climate summit here this week. Marchers sound urgent call for climate change action . World leaders are expected to discuss the topic and, hopefully, build momentum for more-concrete climate talks in Paris next year. Climate marches also were held on Sunday in 2,800 other locations, according to organizers, from Paris to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Related: 'I'm on the front lines of this crisis' In a world disinclined to care about the urgent threat of climate change, these were the people who are both experiencing the crisis -- right now, not 100 years in the future -- and who also believe there's still time to make a difference. "I am fearful, but for the most part, I'm optimistic," said Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, a 26-year-old who came to New York from the Marshall Islands, in the Pacific. Sea level rise already is washing away grave sites and lashing homes on the islands, she said. She came to New York in part to represent her 7-month-old daughter, who she hopes will be able to live on the island, rather than relocate. "I see this movement and I see this march and I see all these thousands of people coming together for climate change; I believe there are things we can do to change the world. "I believe it can happen." It's not possible for her to ignore this issue like the rest of us. "The thing you have to imagine is the ocean is huge next to our islands," she told me. "Our islands are completely tiny ... You don't get to forget how vulnerable you are." The march, which wandered along the edge of Central Park and through the streets of Midtown Manhattan, took on the feel of a celebration for a planet that's worth saving rather than a funeral for one already lost. I saw accordions, drums, a giant-dancing-puppet representation of Mother Earth. The mood was a bit surprising considering some climate scientists and policy experts say the world already has acted far too slowly to curb carbon emissions and that we're locked into some level of harmful warming. The atmosphere already has warmed about 1-degree Celsius because of people, said Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org, which helped organize the events. "That's enormous," he told me. "It's been enough already to melt the summer Arctic" and to increase ocean acidification by 30%. "As astonishing as those changes are, they are a very small trailer for the horror movie that's coming if we don't act quickly," he said. And that's what people here were calling for: Quick, assured action. A reduction in harmful carbon emissions. Real targets, based on science. New, clean industry. A revolution, really -- an economy that looks beyond the fossil era. I met people from China, Tibet, West Virginia, Arizona -- all of whom want the world to act. "We are here representing the Earth," said Whatwenïne "Freida" Jacques, 64, who moving with the crowd in a motorized wheelchair. "I really think this should have happened a good 20 years ago." Jayeesha Dutta, a 36-year-old from New Orleans, marched in New York wearing a Mardi Gras mask and carrying one side of a banner that read, "The Seas Are Rising and So Are We!" "We are at the front lines of climate change," she said, echoing a familiar refrain. "Our communities are going to be the first climate change refugees of our country ... As we lose the land, we're also going to be losing cultures." Some of the most poignant pleas for action came from people impacted by Superstorm Sandy, which hit New York in October 2012, filling subways with water, displacing coastal residents and killing more than 100 people in the United States as well as more than 60 in the Caribbean and Canada. Hurricanes are expected to continue to get stronger as the climate warms, and locals here fear a repeat tragedy. I met Silaka Cox, 19, from the Rockaways, at the city's edge. It was hit hard by Sandy. If climate change isn't stopped, Cox told me she worries her community, where she still lives even though it means a 1 1/2 hour commute to New York University, where she's a sophomore, might not be viable. "The sea levels are just going to keep rising if we don't do anything about it," she said. And I met Brendan McAvoy, a 21-year old who lost his home in the storm. He came to the rally Sunday with a blue sign simply reading, "Hope." The letters were made of sand he collected from the beach in New Jersey. He told me he initially made the sign for his mom, to help get her through the months after the storm. "That's all you have when the water takes away your house and takes away your family," he said, referencing the fact that he attributes his father's death, after the storm, in part to the stress caused by the displacement. "All you have is hope." Climate change is a collective tinnitus -- always ringing in the background, but so constant and seemingly incurable that we try to ignore it. That's impossible for McAvoy and the others I met on Sunday. For them, climate change is sounding an alarm far too loud to be silenced. To demonstrate this in the most literal of ways, rally attendees raised their hands in the air in a moment of silence at 12:58 p.m. Then at 1 p.m., they let out a collective yelp. It was so loud and heartfelt it gave me chills. I hope it brought some degree of comfort -- and maybe inspiration -- to all those attending whose lives already are being shaken up by this crisis, which the world should act far more urgently to address. As I heard from many people I met, we have the technology and the popular will to fix this. It's just time for someone in power to listen. | Organizers say more than 300,000 gather in New York for climate rally .
The People's Climate March is billed as the largest climate demonstration ever .
CNN's John Sutter says it's easy for people to write off climate change .
But he writes that meeting people at the march should cause a change of heart . |
0d75c9f066878289d552eb76137feb1c512a76bc | Bruce Willis has vanquished terrorists, basement rapists and the defenses of Cybill Shepherd. But in his three decades in Hollywood he may not have faced as daunting an opponent as Apple. According to an unconfirmed report in a British publication, Willis wants to bequeath his extensive iTunes music collection to his daughters -- something that's not permitted under the current iTunes terms. The Daily Mail says the actor has spent thousands of dollars downloading music on to "many, many iPods" but, like many iTunes users, was surprised to discover that in Apple's eyes he doesn't actually own the songs. The Mail, without citing any sources, says Willis is considering legal action against Apple to gain control over the music. CNN could not confirm the report Monday, and a request sent to representatives for Willis was not immediately returned. The "Die Hard" actor's wife, Emma Heming-Willis, cast doubt on the report when she said Monday on Twitter, "It's not a true story." But the news reports, exaggerated or not, do raise potentially significant issues about ownership of digital music and whether someone could pass on digital assets to heirs. Apple's terms and conditions for iTunes are an exhaustive, jargon-filled document that users must "agree" to before downloading content but that many people don't bother to read. In simplified terms, they state that when we buy music from iTunes, we are paying for the license to listen to songs via our iPhone, iPod or other Apple device. But we are not buying the music itself. "When you buy a book, you own the copy of that book but not the actual material," Jonathan Handel, a Los Angeles-based entertainment attorney who specializes in digital media and intellectual property, told CNN last year. "What you are buying here is right to use music on certain devices." If Willis did take on Apple over ownership of his iTunes collection, he might have an uphill legal battle. The iTunes terms are essentially a contract between the user and Apple, and clicking "Agree" counts as an electronic signature, digital-media lawyers say. Nothing would stop Willis from leaving music-loaded laptops or phones to his children, although things would get more complicated if his kids tried to transfer the songs to other devices. Apple limits use of digital music to Apple gadgets used by the iTunes account holder. Apple also prohibits users from downloading songs to more than 10 devices, or burning a playlist more than seven times. Willis, 57, has three adult daughters with ex-wife Demi Moore and a young daughter with current wife Heming. Apple did not respond Monday to a request for comment. The company's formidable legal team last month won a $1 billion judgment against rival Samsung in a patent dispute. Other online music retailers, such as Amazon and Google Play, impose similar restrictions on downloads. Willis was trending on Twitter Monday, with some commenters poking fun at the issue. Wrote one Twitter user, "I don't know what's more shocking Bruce Willis suing Apple ... or the fact he actually read the Terms and Conditions." | Report: Bruce Willis wants to bequeath his iTunes music collection to his daughters .
Apple limits use of digital music to Apple gadgets used by the iTunes account holder .
A legal challenge against Apple could raise significant issues about ownership of digital music .
Actor's wife, Emma Heming-Willis, cast doubt on the report Monday on Twitter . |
0d7650be643a81d26e90a9c4e0296660f941c153 | India successfully launched its biggest ever rocket today in an effort to ramp up its ambitious space programme. The rocket, designed to carry heavier communication and other satellites into higher orbit, blasted off from Sriharikota in the southeast state of Andhra Pradesh. The launch was the next crucial step in India's space programme history, after the nation successfully put a satellite into orbit around Mars in September. India today announced two more successes in its space program — launching the country's largest rocket and testing the re-entry of an unmanned crew module, part of India's quest to send humans into space . 'This was a very significant day in the history of (the) Indian space programme,' Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K.S Radhakrishnan said from mission control. ISRO scientists have been riding high since an Indian spacecraft successfully reached Mars on a shoe-string budget, winning Asia's race to the red planet. Although India has successfully launched lighter satellites in recent years, it has struggled to match the heavier loads sent up by other countries. The new rocket, weighing 630 tonnes and capable of carrying 4 tonnes, is a boost for India's attempts to grab a greater slice of the £190 billion ($300 billion) global space market. The rocket was carrying the crew module and released it 78 miles (125km) above the Earth. The pod, meant for carrying two to three astronauts, splashed down in the Bay of Bengal . India, which is striving to become a player in the multi-billion dollar space market, has successfully launched lighter satellites in recent years, but has faced problems sending up heavier payloads. Pictured is the GSLV Mark-III which launched today . 'India, you have a new launch vehicle with you. We have made it again,' ISRO mission director Mr Somnath said. 'The powerful launch vehicle has come to shape, which will change our destiny... (by) placing heavier spacecraft into communications orbits.' The rocket - officially named the Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III - was carrying an unmanned crew capsule. ISRO said this successfully separated from the rocket and splashed down in the Bay of Bengal off India's east coast 20 minutes after liftoff. ISRO says the crew capsule project would take at least another seven years to reach the point where an astronaut could be put into space. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the test mission as 'yet another triumph of (the) brilliance and hard work of our scientists' in a post on Twitter. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the test mission as 'yet another triumph of (the) brilliance and hard work of our scientists' in a post on Twitter . ISRO said the unmanned crew capsule successfully separated from the rocket and splashed down in the Bay of Bengal off India's east coast 20 minutes after liftoff . The GSLV MK-III rocket sits on launch pad at The Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota Island. The new rocket, weighing 630 tonnes and capable of carrying 4 tonnes, is a boost for India's attempts to grab a greater slice of the £190 billion ($300 billion) global space market . The 630-tonne Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (MK III) blasted off from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh on this morning, the Indian space agency reported . The rocket blasted off from Sriharikota - barrier island off the Bay of Bengal coast located in Andhra Pradesh . In September, India triumphed in its first interplanetary mission, placing a satellite into orbit around Mars. In scenes broadcast live on Indian TV, scientists broke into wild cheers as the orbiter's engines completed 24 minutes of burn time to place the spacecraft around Mars. Scientists described the final stages of the Mars Orbiter Mission, affectionately nicknamed Mom, as flawless. The success marked a milestone for the space program in demonstrating that it can conduct complex missions and act as a global launch pad for commercial, navigational and research satellites. Reaching the fourth planet from the sun is a major feat for the developing country of 1.2 billion people, most of whom are poor. At the same time, India has a robust scientific and technical educational system that has produced millions of software programmers, engineers and doctors. India describes Mom as the first successful Mars mission on a maiden attempt by any country, although Esa also did it on its first Mars mission in 2003. Rival China is also expanding its space exploration program with a space station in orbit and the landing of a lunar rover on the moon earlier this year, although it has not sent a satellite to Mars. India also as its sights on a low-budget missions to land on the moon and study the sun after its recent space successes. 'The aim is three years from now, an Indian lander and Indian rover will land on the moon,' Mr Radhakrishnan said. 'We have a programme to study the sun that is by putting a satellite into the sun-Earth Lagrangian point,' he said, referring to the position where the satellite, held by the pair's gravitational pull, can orbit with them. India has come a long way since it began its space programme half a century ago when it set up the first rocket launch pad in a field in the southern state of Kerala. A church in a fishing village was the agency's main office. The chairman said the agency was reaping the benefits of years of hard work, after sticking to its 'mantra of self reliance' rather than relying on other countries for assistance. Western sanctions were slapped on India after it staged a nuclear weapons test in 1974. ISRO also remained committed to its national mandate of benefitting the 'common man' - for example by launching Indian satellites that help with weather projections and disaster management - in a country with tens of millions of poor. 'Twenty-two years we worked on it (a launch vehicle for satellites and other craft) and we got it. We adapted and we improved,' said Mr Radhakrishnan. 'It was not a soft route, it was the hard route.' The GSLV Mark-III rocket shoots skyward past a flock of geese, from the east coast island of Sriharikota . In September, India triumphed in its first interplanetary mission, placing a satellite into orbit around Mars. Scientists described the final stages of the Mars Orbiter Mission, affectionately nicknamed Mom, as flawless. An artist's impression of the spacecraft is pictured . A comparison of how much countries have spent on their attempts to reach Mars. Both Russia and the US failed their first attempts to Mars, while the Chinese mission to Mars, dubbed Yinghuo-1 mission failed in 2011 and the Japanese mission to Mars ran out of fuel . | The rocket can carry heavy communication satellites into higher orbit .
It blasted off from Sriharikota in the southeast state of Andhra Pradesh .
Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III was carrying a capsule .
This capsule could someday take two to three astronauts into space . |
0d76e199f3adbf1b7f31191e5bdfc0612729abf9 | (CNN) -- The Marine husband of a slain Fort Bragg soldier was charged with murder Monday and another Marine was charged with aiding the crime, a local police chief said. Fayetteville, North Carolina, police released this undated photo of 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc. Authorities have been searching for the missing soldier, Army 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc, 24, since a fire torched her North Carolina apartment on July 10. Marine Cpl. John Wimunc and fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden were initially charged with arson, but after police interviews Wimunc was charged with first-degree murder, said Fayetteville Police Chief Tom Bergamine. Alden was charged with felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, Bergamine said. Both were taken to Cumberland County's jail and held without bond, he said. Earlier, a witness found a charred body in woods, but Detective Jeff Locklear told reporters that police were still awaiting a positive identification from the medical examiner and could not say for certain it was Holley Wimunc. The lieutenant's father released a statement about the death Monday in which he said his daughter was a nurse at a military hospital and had two children. "It is with profound sadness that our family just received the news from authorities that our beloved daughter Holley is dead," Wimunc's father said in a statement released to CNN affiliate WRAL in Raleigh, North Carolina. "Since last Thursday's shocking news about Holley's burned apartment and her missing person status, our family through the country has nonetheless been holding on to a thin thread of hope that she would be found alive." Military officials said both Marines were stationed at Camp Lejeune, which is about two hours away from Wimunc's Fayetteville home. Joe Lenczyk -- resident agent-in-charge for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- said Wimunc and her husband were estranged and lived apart. Wimunc is the second female soldier from Fort Bragg to die under suspicious circumstances in recent weeks. Spc. Megan Lynn Touma, 23, was seven months pregnant at the time of her death in June, authorities said. Investigators say they are treating that death as a homicide. Camp Lejeune also has had a suspicious death of a female soldier this year. Twenty-year-old pregnant Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach's charred body was found January in the back yard of another Marine stationed at the base. That suspect, U.S. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, was captured in April in Mexico. | NEW: Soldier's husband, Cpl. John Wimunc, charged with murder .
Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden charged with arson in connection with the crime .
Authorities have been searching for 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc since July 10 . |
0d770a70a3834ac592321811aff3b6bc73c699f5 | Family and friends of the Indiana aid worker beheaded by ISIS extremists were joined by politicians and prominent figures in the Muslim community at a memorial service Sunday. Abdul-Rahman Kassig, the former Army Ranger who was 26 at the time of his death, was remembered for his commitment to aid work at Butler University two days after his funeral services. 'We're not here because of how he passed,' said Hazem Bata, executive director Islamic Society of North America in Plainfield. Humanitarian: Abdul-Rahman Kassig, the 26-year-old former Army Ranger, was remembered for his commitment to aid work at Butler University . 'We're because of how he lived. We're here because of the type of man he chose to be. We're here because of his selflessness.' Kassig landed in the hands of ISIS extremists last year while delivering aid to Syrians caught in the crossfire of a ghastly civil war. At the time he was working as part of Special Emergency Response and Assistance, or SERA, a relief organization he founded in 2012 and which suspended operations after his kidnapping. His parents learned of his capture last year, though the information was not made public at the time. When Kassig appeared in a beheading video of a British aid worker, his parents recorded a video pleading for his release to ISIS militants. Kassig, who converted to Islam and changed his name from Peter during his time in captivity, inspired the Muslim community to come to his family's side. Memorial: After speeches by politicians and members of the Muslim community, photos remember Kassig's life were shown . Comfort: At funeral services held Friday, friends spoke to Paula, Kassig's mother, who had pleaded with ISIS extremists for the release of her son . The Indianapolis Star reports that at a funeral service Friday, Muslim leaders denounced ISIS violence, citing the Quran's prohibition of Muslims killing other Muslims. 'The question is, is this Islam? Definitely not. Does this group belong to Islam? No, it does not. Islam is a religion of love, mercy and peace,' said Syrian Imam Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi. 'Encouraging killing is not Islamic,' added Imam Al-Yaqoubi. At Clowes Hall at Butler on Sunday, public figures who hadn't known Kassig got up to speak about his legacy. 'It's the spirit of believing things can get better. That together we can make a difference,' said Indiana senator Joe Donnelly about Kassig's commitment to humanitarian work. 'He was an extraordinary in every way.' | During services held at Butler University on Sunday, speakers touched on the humanitarian legacy of Abdul-Rahman Kassig .
Kassig, a 26-year-old former Army Ranger, was beheaded by ISIS extremists last month .
He was kidnapped back in 2013 while delivering humanitarian aid in eastern Syria . |
0d77c048672908b37950f6cadeb1ea819ac31cd7 | GP Thomas O'Brien told an un-named patient that she should stop taking medication as God was her surgeon according to a Fitness to Practice hearing . A Christian GP performed an exorcism on a seriously ill patient after promising he could 'heal' her without medication, a medical tribunal heard. Dr Thomas O'Brien, 56, persuaded the mother-of-one to undergo the spiritual procedure at his local Pentecostal church after telling her: 'God is your surgeon,' it was claimed. During a four month period leading to the ceremony, Dr O'Brien subjected the patient who was in great pain after stomach surgery to 'religious grooming' in which he said the 'devil was having a real go at her' and that she had 'devil items' in her house, it was alleged. The doctor further exploited her vulnerability by quoting the Bible at her, taking her to religious meetings, praying with her at home and even programming her television remote to satellite TV's The Gospel Channel, it was said. Dr O'Brien and his wife Tina, 62, also gave the woman a copy of a book he had written with his wife called the Occult Checklist and got her to meet the local pastor over lunch at a restaurant. The couple later pressurised the woman into a signing a document called the Prayer of Repentance, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service was told. The patient who was also severely depressed became convinced she had been possessed by demons and all her troubles were because of the devil. She was told to stop taking anti depressants and blood pressure medication and allegedly warned not to tell her psychiatrist as Dr O'Brien claimed they were 'very dangerous.' She later told her psychiatrist who subsequently reported him to the General Medical Council. At a fitness to practise hearing in Manchester Dr O'Brien, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, faced misconduct charges which include using his professional position to influence the patient's religious beliefs. It is also claimed his actions caused 'distress' to the woman and was 'detrimental' to her health. The woman - known as Patient A - had been prescribed anti depressants, anti hypertensive and analgesic medication and was said to be suicidal and in great pain after colostomy surgery. She met the GP in August 2012 when he was a locum at Apsley Surgery in the Corbridge Health Centre in Stoke. Peter Atherton, counsel for the GMC, said: 'She first consulted Dr O'Brien by telephone when she was in great pain, depressed and suicidal. In the course of that telephone consultation Dr O'Brien asked her if she had a faith and she said she didn't he told her his wife knew of a different way that could heal her that did not involve medication. Dr O'Brien was working as a locum GP at the Aspley Surgery at the Corbridge Health Centre, pictured . 'Later that same day Dr O'Brien telephoned Patient A and his wife Tina spoke to her. The following day Dr O'Brien went to her home and started to talk to her about God. 'On that occasion he also programmed the television to the Gospel Channel. 'Dr O'Brien and his wife also invited Patient A for lunch with them and their friends at a local restaurant. 'One of the friends present was a pastor at the church. Dr O'Brien and his wife befriended and attempted to evangelise Patient A. They often prayed with her and took her to meetings where she took part in religious practices.' Mr Atherton said that Patient A - and other members of her family - were also given numerous religious gifts, including the Occult Checklist and was offered the use of a log cabin. 'It was compiled and written by Tom and Tina O'Brien,' he said. 'Together with that document they included a document called Prayer of Repentance, which they pressurised her, particularly the doctor's wife, to sign. 'She has said the doctor advised her that for religious reasons she should stop taking her medication and not go to see the psychiatrist. When he saw him he advised her that there is a better way. He is linked to the Pentecostal church. 'He and his wife took her to a meeting and at that meeting she was advised against seeing a psychiatrist, that god was her surgeon and she should stop her medication. They also offered her an exorcism and performed it. She was made to feel as if all things going wrong were due to the devil.' 'From documents provided by Dr O'Brien it appears he and his wife's relationship with Patient A was based solely on Christian principles whereas Patient A believes the gifts and acts of kindness amounted to a form of religious grooming designed to cause division within her family - particularly herself and her partner, and caused her great distress.' The woman rang Dr O'Brien at the surgery in Stoke, pictured, and he asked whether she had any faith . She later told her psychiatrist of the doctor's conduct, who in turn wrote a letter to the General Medical Council and an investigation commenced. When Dr O'Brien, who qualified as a doctor from the National University of Ireland in 1982, heard about the allegations, he filed a complaint to the GMC about the psychiatrist's conduct in reporting the matter but the case was quickly dismissed. An initial report claimed the patient was subjected to a four-hour 'testimony' in January 2013 where an exorcism was performed and she claimed Dr O'Brien specifically told her not to tell her psychiatrist about the meetings - because they 'do the devil's work'. The GP is said to have further told her that if she told the GMC 'she would be cursed'. The patient ignored this advice and complained to both - after she broke down about her treatment and first told her psychiatrist who then rang a confidential helpline to report her allegations. Dr O'Brien later denied all of the accusations, calling them 'attacks' on his 'private Christian faith and life' and insisting he was a lay bible teacher . He accepts visiting Patient A's home shortly after their first consultation, but refutes the allegations against him over the alleged exorcism. He did not attend the hearing but in a letter said that he has already resigned from medicine. He said: 'I know what went on and what my wife and I did or did not do. Even if they [GMC] did side with me, I know true justice will be done one day and no-one can escape from that. 'The allegations have been severe enough to break anyone down emotionally and I'm grateful for my faith which sustained me throughout the ordeal. 'I forgive the patient and her husband and also the psychiatrist for the horrendous allegations against my wife and me. We are enjoying living a quiet private life and we are able to help many more people than I would have done by staying in the NHS. God knows everything and will judge fairly.' The case continues. | Dr Thomas O'Brien told the female patient God was her surgeon .
Tribunal hears he told her to stop taking her medicine as it was 'dangerous'
The GP is said to have changed his patient's TV to The Gospel Channel .
He also brought her to his Pentecostal Church for a 'spiritual procedure'
Dr O'Brien wrote a book, The Occult Checklist, with his wife Tina .
He told the General Medical Council he has since resigned from medicine .
Dr O'Brien claimed that he was being attacked for his Christian faith .
The medic has denied what he describes as 'horrendous allegations' |
0d79d056f3e33292dad2f3bebdfdbfae4ee3dc88 | By . Stephen Adams and Jackie Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 19:34 EST, 10 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:44 EST, 14 August 2013 . British holidaymakers needing emergency treatment at Spanish accident and emergency units are being greeted by chip-and-pin machines as hospitals force them to provide upfront payment details before care is given. Hospitals in tourist towns including Alicante and Benidorm have installed the instant payment devices even though Spain faces a hefty fine for refusing to accept European health insurance cards. The cards entitle EU citizens to emergency treatment for free, with the costs being reimbursed by the recipient’s home country. British holidaymakers are confronted by chip and pin machines for upfront payment at A&E departments in some Spanish tourist resorts . But hard-up Spain has been flouting the arrangement, with the country’s politicians blaming tourists and expats for putting strain on its health service. Twenty-five payment machines have been installed throughout the Costa Blanca and Valencia, with six in A&E departments and the rest in outpatient clinics. They are also being trialled in Navarra, a wine-growing region in the north. Officially, the machines are meant to be used to charge only patients ‘without the right to [free] treatment’. Health minister Manuel Llombart said they were introduced because hospitals were having problems chasing up bills. But hundreds of Britons have complained of being charged. Patients at the ever-popular resort of Benidorm are confronted by charges for hospital care . Josh Fryer Bloom, 15, impaled himself on a spiked fence and ruptured his groin. Blood was pouring out as he limped into the A&E at Benalmadena near Malaga with his mother Samantha Fryer. They refused treatment when faced with a demand for €450 (£387) but found a private clinic that treated him for just €35. Mrs Fryer, from London, said: ‘I am appalled. I would expect this sort of thing to happen in the US, but not in the EU to a British citizen.’ Cash-strapped Spain claimed tourists and expats were an extra strain on its health service . A new law that came into force last September removed full healthcare rights for 873,000 working-age foreigners who had not registered to pay income tax. Some were people who had retired early and been given Spanish health cards as inducements to buy property in the boom years. But under the new rules, there have even been reports of Britons having cancer treatment stopped halfway through. A European Commission spokesman said Spain adopted new guidance on accepting European health cards last month. A substantial fine could follow if the EC is not satisfied with its actions. | Hospitals in tourist resorts have installed machines to collect payment .
Hundreds of British holidaymakers said they were forced to pay for care .
Patients in popular resorts of Benidorm and Alicante face hefty bills .
Boy impaled on fence asked to hand over cash before treatment . |
0d7af377dfa7a02e788af344cb76fecbdbf3ad06 | By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 14:51 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:46 EST, 24 January 2014 . These images show the terrifying moment a lion turned on a pair of children hanging out of their car window to photograph it. The children, a boy and a girl, were allowed to get within metres of two of the deadly animals in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Fortunately, after the male growled and lurched at the pair, it turned around to leave the scene with its female companion. Scroll down for video . The adults in this car have been criticised for allowing the children to lean out and photograph these lions . They got to within metres of the deadly animal, which growled and lurched at them after a minute . The car pulled up close to the wild animals after another vehicle had moved on. The children appeared to use a camera and a tablet device to photograph and possibly video the creatures. Another electronic device is visible poking through the front window. A minute after the car parked, the male lion jumped up towards the children - who ducked back into the car, but continued to film the lions with the window open. Luckily, the lions, which were surrounded by a group of vehicles watching them, turned around and left the area. Exposed: After it turned on them, the children retreated back into the car, but continued to picture the deadly animal with the window open . Passengers in all cars around the lion can be seen pointing lenses at the creature . Commenters on the video, uploaded on to Live Leak yesterday, have condemned the adults in the car for allowing the children to get so close. The user who uploaded the clip said: ‘This is very irresponsible behaviour by the parents of these children! ‘Please obey all rules if you visit a wildlife park! These animals are not tame and will attack if provoked!’ Luckily, as its female companion turns away, the male lion decides to leave the scene without causing any harm . The user who uploaded the clip said: 'This is very irresponsible behaviour by the parents of these children' Commenters on the video also criticised the behaviour. One said: ‘By the time the parent behind the wheel had even put the car in gear that lion would be using a tooth pick.’ Another added: ‘Those kids were lucky! Those cats could have leaped in and killed them with one swipe of the paw!’ A third said: ‘That lion could have jumped up and grabbed one of those kids in a split second.’ | Boy and girl were allowed to get to within metres of the two deadly animals .
Forced to retreat into their car after the male growled and lurched at them .
The children were photographing the animals in Kruger National Park . |
0d7c47edd0662af58dbb78d666ef131e3532c2f5 | The Premier League says referees chief Mike Riley will contact Swansea manager Garry Monk this week but insist that a letter and DVD from the Welsh club only arrived at its offices earlier on Monday. Monk was vitriolic in his criticism of Riley after the defeat at Stoke on Sunday, claiming the head of Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) has been 'very poor' in not responding to a list of what he felt were bad refereeing decisions he had sent him. The Swansea manager was speaking after blasting match official Michael Oliver for a 'disgusting' decision in awarding a penalty for a foul on Stoke's Victor Moses, which he claimed was a blatant dive. Swansea City manager Garry Monk was angry with the penalty given against Swansea at Stoke . Monk accused Victor Moses of diving to win a penalty . Referee's chief Mike Riley says he will contact Monk . A Premier League spokesman said the package from Swansea had not landed on Riley's desk until after the weekend. 'The correspondence from Swansea was received by PGMOL on Monday morning and Mike will no doubt be speaking to Garry this week,' the spokesman said. Football Association disciplinary officials are understood to be studying Monk's comments about the referee to see if the Swansea manager should face any action. Monk had said about Riley: 'I have sent a DVD off with a letter, expressing my disappointment and I've had no contact from Mike Riley. 'I think it is about being pro-active and he is clearly not doing that - he is clearly not listening to anything I am saying. '(Riley's) job is to ring me - it's not mine to ring him. He is supposed to be the head of these guys and overseeing it all, and seeing what managers feel. 'But I've had no contact whatsoever, and for me, that is very poor.' | Garry Monk sent Mike Riley a DVD and letter with him complaints .
Premier League claim the package did not arrive until Monday morning .
Referee chief Riley is due to ring Monk this week . |
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