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0ebe2a0f878b0c06953b88519bbb32a80e070b08 | (CNN) -- The death of Osama bin Laden does not necessarily mean the death of al Qaeda, the terrorist network he founded, though experts say none of his most likely successors offer the same combination of charisma, cash and credibility among militant Muslims. Bin Laden has long been a prime target for U.S. authorities, a member of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since 1999 who has had a $25 million bounty on his head since after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Yet except for a few audiotapes on subjects ranging from climate change to France's role in Afghanistan, he's been relatively quiet in recent years. But that does not mean he'll be easy to replace, nor that there is someone obvious to take his spot. A U.S. counterterrorism official said Monday there was "no succession plan in place" that the U.S. government is aware of to replace bin Laden. Even if the Saudi-born zealot appeared to have had a less active role of late in al Qaeda's operations, he remained the symbol of his movement -- one that tried to appeal to Muslims angry about allegedly corrupt and spiritually impure regimes in the Middle East and beyond, propped up by the United States and its allies. Death of bin Laden brings healing . He was known throughout the world, and beloved in parts of the Arab world, as someone who'd given up a life of luxury to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan before focusing his wrath on the West as he tried to build a radical Islamist society. "They don't have anybody now who is going to have the star power, the brand name of bin Laden," said Philip Mudd, a former CIA officer. His most obvious replacement -- given that he's developed a high profile as a jihadist leader in Egypt and is the face and voice in several videotapes since the 2001 attacks, some of them appearing by bin Laden's side -- is Ayman al-Zawahiri. Born into a wealthy family in Cairo, he was a key figure in the Egyptian Islamic Jihad who went to Afghanistan during their fight against the Soviets to offer his skills as a physician. By the 1990s, he refocused his attention on undermining and attacking the Egyptian government and, eventually, the United States. In 1998, when his organization had effectively merged with al Qaeda, he sent a fax to the Al-Hayat newspaper warning Americans. Three days later, suicide bombers hit the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people. Since then, al-Zawahiri has been depicted as bin Laden's closest adviser, as well as his doctor. But, the U.S. counterterrorism official said, he's "not popular with colleagues." "He's viewed as a very polarizing figure, someone who is not easy to deal with, not a good manager," said Mudd, a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation. Mixed emotions about bin Laden's death: How should we feel? Another possible contender is Anwar al-Alwaki. Born in 1971 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, he bounced between Yemen and the United States before settling in the Middle East. His face is known largely for his role as a spokesman for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is considered one of the terror network's most prolific and deadly affiliates. Al-Alwaki has been suspected of playing a key part in the failed Christmas Day plot, in 2009 by a Nigerian national to bring down a Northwest Airlines jet as it neared Detroit. He also has been suspected of encouraging U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan to kill 13 fellow soldiers during a rampage at the Fort Hood base in Texas earlier that year. Yet Paul Cruickshank, a CNN terrorism analyst, said the fact that al-Alwaki has never engaged in combat himself may hurt him in any bid to climb up the al Qaeda leadership ladder. The latest details of bin Laden operation . "He's a cleric, he's a speaker, but he's not a fighter," said Cruickshank, an alumni fellow at New York University's Center on Law and Security. "And al Qaeda, over the years, have wanted to be led by a fighter." Other less well-known contenders could emerge to head al Qaeda, or the Base as it's known in Arabic. They include men like Abu Yahya al-Libi, a leading al Qaeda ideologue. Less than two months before bin Laden's death, the Libyan native released an audiotape aimed at Islamists in that country and encouraging change that went beyond ousting leaders like Moammar Gadhafi. A former al Qaeda battlefield commander in Afghanistan perhaps best known for escaping from Bagram Air Base, al-Libi has been active in taped speeches urging resistance and trying to recruit new members. Then there's Ilyas Kashmiri, a veteran militant from Pakistan who has emerged as a mastermind of international terrorism operations, according to Cruickshank. The 313 Brigade, which he leads, has focused on finding and training recruits from Europe and North America on the grounds that they are less likely to be apprehended. Bin Laden killing caps decade-long manhunt . The succession challenge is compounded by the fact that, even before bin Laden's death, many experts said al Qaeda appeared to be staggering due to operational and organizational setbacks caused by actions like Predator drone strikes and the intensified allied campaign in Afghanistan and beyond. Intelligence officials have warned that threats may spike in the coming weeks. But the U.S. counterterrorism official said President Barack Obama administration's hope is that having a muddle of men posturing to be the next bin Laden could spur "disharmony and discord" among al Qaeda's ranks. Thus, while small bands of terrorists may continue to operate, the lack of one unifying leader threatens to undermine al Qaeda as an ideological, spiritual and operational force. "It's not good to have six people trying to fill (bin Laden's) shoes," said Mudd. CNN analyst Peter Bergen contributed to this report. | A U.S. official says they know of "no succession plan" now that bin Laden is dead .
An expert says his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is "not popular with colleagues"
Another contender is U.S.-born Anwar al-Alwaki, who is now based in Yemen .
Other possibilities are Abu Yahya al-Libi, from Libya, and Ilyas Kashmiri of Pakistan . |
0ec01eacb916f1713e5fe046830e84e0954d8f6b | By . Jennifer Newton . A 1920s Spanish castle that spends six months of the year surrounded by water and is only accessible by boat has gone on the market for £2.7million. For the same price as a four-bedroom townhouse at the redeveloped Battersea Power Station in central London, a new owner could snap up the picture postcard castle, which has a 150-seat banquet hall, located in the Valle Iruelas Nature Reserve in Burguillo, in the Spanish province of Avila. Included in the £2.7 million asking price is 10,000 square metres of land that forms the rest of the island, and a private jetty so that the new owner can come and go by boat. Located an hour from the Spanish capital Madrid, it has numerous terraces to ensure you can always find a place in the sun, the huge banqueting hall as well as a fully equipped gym. From the battlements it is possible to see the local wildlife such as the black vulture that makes its home in the surrounding forests. The castle has all the amenities of a modern house including solar power to provide electricity, full central heating, air conditioning and huge fireplaces. Until recently it was used as a hotel offering suites and double rooms for up to 34 people, with a golf course just nine miles away and many good local gourmet hot spots featuring local cuisine. The remote Spanish castle in the Valle Iruelas Nature Reserve in central-western Spain which is on the market for £2.7million . For six months of the year, the castle is surrounded by water and can only be accessed by boat, luckily there is a jetty for the owner so they can reach the property . The castle offers spectacular views across the surrounding forests, where the black vulture makes its home . Entertaining at the castle is easy as it comes with a 150-seat banqueting hall, with stunning views and rooms for up to 34 people . Until recently the castle, which is an hour away from the Spanish capital Madrid, was a hotel offering both suites and double rooms . The property was built in the 1920s in the middle of the Burguillo reservoir in the central western Spanish province of Avila . The castle has a number of terraces such as this meaning there is always somewhere you can go on a sunny day to catch a few rays . Despite being built in the 1920s, the interior of the castle has all he mod cons including solar power to supply the property with electricity . For cold wintry days, the castle has full central heating while in the summer the building has been rigged up with air conditioning . The unrivalled views surrounding the castle, which can only be accessed by car for six months of the year . For the same price as a four-bedroom townhouse at the redeveloped Battersea Power Station in central London, a new owner could snap up the picture postcard castle . Included in the £2.7 million asking price is 10,000 square metres of land that forms the rest of the island, and a private jetty so that the new owner can come and go by boat . | Castle in the Valle Iruelas Nature Reserve in Burguillo, central-western Spain is up for sale for £2.7million .
Water surrounds the property for six months of the year meaning it can only be accessed by boat .
Comes complete with numerous sun terraces, a fully equipped gym, a private jetty and a 150-seat banquet hall .
Also has solar power electricity, full central heating, air conditioning and huge fireplaces .
Asking price is the same as a four-bedroom townhouse in central London . |
0ec024bb01d6afa8a9492e9749947838adc2b983 | This is the emotional moment a man who was wrongly imprisoned for nearly four decades for murder met and forgave the young witness whose false testimony put him behind bars. Ricky Jackson, 57, was exonerated in November after spending a staggering 39 years in prison for a crime he did not commit - the robbing and shooting murder of a money-order salesman in 1975. His conviction at the age of 18 - which led to him being placed on death row, with his sentence later commuted to life - was largely based on the testimony of a 12-year-old boy named Edward Vernon. At the time, Vernon claimed under oath that he saw Jackson pull the trigger - even though he was actually several blocks away on a school bus. But in 2013, he went back on his testimony. Scroll down for video . Emotional: This is the moment Ricky Jackson - who was wrongly imprisoned for nearly four decades for murder - met and forgave Edward Vernon (right), whose false testimony put him behind bars in 1975 . Embrace: Jackson, 57, was exonerated in November after spending a staggering 39 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. His conviction at the age of 18 was largely based on Vernon's testimony as a 12-year-od . A lesson in forgiveness: At the time, Vernon claimed under oath that he saw Jackson pull the trigger - even though he was actually several blocks away on a school bus. But in 2013, he went back on his testimony . Dramatically changing his account, he said: 'All the information was fed to me - I don't have any knowledge about what happened at the scene of the crime.' Now, following Jackson's release on November 21, the pair have finally met outside of court for the first time in a heart-wrenching encounter that was captured on video by CBS. In the footage, Jackson beams and holds his hand out as he approaches Vernon, now 52, in a church. Incredibly, he tells him: 'It took a lot of courage to do what you did. Thank you man.' The pair then warmly embrace and Vernon starts sobbing, telling the former detainee: 'I'm sorry.' Jackson, dressed in a long blue coat, replies: 'It's all right brother. We were both victims man. It's alright. I do forgive you man. I wanted to be here personally to tell you that.' Speaking to the broadcaster after their meeting, Vernon, who claims police encouraged him to lie in his testimony, said: 'Wow, how could this man hug and embrace me after all these years?.' Free at least: Jackson, pictured speaking to CBS this month, nearly seven weeks after his exoneration, told Vernon: 'We were both victims man. It's alright. I do forgive you. I wanted to be here personally to tell you that' Wrongful conviction: Jackson (pictured, left, in his police mugshot) was convicted of the murder of Harry Franks in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. Right, Vernon, now aged 52, later admitted his testimony was 'all lies' Crime scene: This photograph shows the aftermath of the murder for which Jackson was convicted . Jackson was convicted of the murder of Harry Franks in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975, alongside two other men who have both since been exonerated: Wiley Bridgeman, 60, and Kwame Ajamu. Although at the time, police had no physical evidence to link the trio to the killing, they had testimony from Vernon, who claimed to have seen Jackson shoot Franks with the help of the other two. The trio were initially sentenced to death, but their sentences were commuted to life in 1978 after a Supreme Court ruling. They all spent years behind bars at Cuyahoga County Jail. Indeed, Jackson's sentence was the longest served for a wrongful conviction in U.S history. Thankful: Although at the time, police had no physical evidence to link Jackson to the killing, they had testimony from Vernon, who claimed to have seen him shoot Franks. Above, Jackson finds out he has been exonerated . Ecstatic: When he exited the courthouse, Jackson said: 'The English language doesn't even fit what I'm feeling' However, in 2013, Vernon recanted his testimony, saying that police officers coerced him into testifying and gave him details of the case, Cleveland.com reported. 'They knew that I didn't see anything,' he said. 'Everybody knew it was a lie. All these years I've been holding this shame and guilt inside, wanting to come forward and do the right thing.' Vernon - whose unreliable testimony was highlighted in an article by Cleveland Scene magazine in 2011 - eventually confided in his pastor, Anthony Singleton. He said he had initially fingered Jackson because he had seen him around the neighborhood. In good spirits: Jackson is pictured shaking hands with well-wishers following his exoneration in November . Also free: Kwame Ajamu (pictured) and Wiley Bridgeman (left) were also exonerated for the killing of Franks . When he dismissed Jackson's case in November, Judge Richard McMonagle said, 'Life is filled with small victories, and this is a big one.' Meanwhile, Jackson said when he exited the courthouse: 'The English language doesn't even fit what I'm feeling. I'm on an emotional high.' Jackson is now looking forward to his new life as a free man. He has so far applied for a library card and started studying for his driving theory test. He has also moved into a new home without bars and set mealtimes. | Ricky Jackson, 57, sentenced to death in 1975 for 'murdering salesman'
Conviction was largely based on testimony of Edward Vernon - then 12 .
But in 2013, Vernon went back on his testimony, revealing it was 'all lies'
Jackson, of Ohio, was exonerated and released from prison in November .
Now, he has met Vernon out of court for the first time - and forgiven him .
'It took a lot of courage to do what you did,' Jackson told tearful Vernon . |
0ec0571f1dbad584946e9bb5c3da0d603bb09475 | By . Dan Wootton . PUBLISHED: . 17:25 EST, 6 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:56 EST, 7 December 2012 . As the Spice Girls prepare to reunite briefly next week for the premiere of their new musical Viva Forever! and a major new TV show, there’s a growing prospect this might not be the final chapter for the world’s most successful girl group. The pressure to get back together is being driven by Melanie Brown — Scary Spice — who has been in Australia judging a version of The X Factor there. In her first interview about the stage production and highly anticipated ITV Christmas special, she reveals: ‘I keep saying to the girls, “Let’s reunite and tour again!” I’m up for it and I’m always championing it.’ Getting back together? The Spice Girls - from left to right, Mel B, Mel C, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham - could be considering a longer-term reunion . While Victoria Beckham was believed to have ruled out performing with her bandmates — Mel B, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell —again, their well-received outing at the closing ceremony of London 2012 may have changed that. ‘We didn’t get paid for the Olympics — we funded it ourselves, costumes and everything. It just goes to show how much we do get on and do like each other. But it’s easier said than done with our schedules,’ Mel adds. 'We're like sisters': Melanie Brown is said to be pushing for the group to get back together . ‘We’re like sisters. We can bicker and make comments to each other. We go through highs and lows together. We go through fallouts and make-ups and break-ups. That’s just the way we are.‘We’re five very passionate, creative girls. But we love each other and we’re like family. Well, the family you want to have.’ Mel could be referring to her high profile rift with her mum Andrea, who, I revealed, will not feature in the ITV documentary. ‘Not all the Spice Mums did the documentary,’ Mel says. ‘All I said during filming was that I adore my family. All of us love our mothers.’ ITV’s cameras followed Mel for a ‘few days’ and she found it emotional looking back at the band’s career. ‘It was really nice to be able to reflect,’ she says. ‘It makes you feel humble and appreciative of where you come from. I owe everything to the Spice Girls. I wouldn’t be able to live or travel like I do if it wasn’t for those four other girls.’ The world premiere of Viva Forever! on Tuesday at London’s Piccadilly Theatre will see the Spice Girls attend with their partners, including David Beckham. Victoria’s husband’s attendance has excited ITV producers because it means he will now feature in the Spice TV show. A star audience: David Beckham, left, will be joining his wife Victoria Beckham, right, at the premiere of Viva Forever! His schedule had . been up in the air as he planned his football future after LA Galaxy. But he has assured his wife, who will become Posh Spice again for the . evening, that he will be by her side. ‘Victoria’s . nervous about entering Spice World again, but she’s very proud of the . musical, so it’s important for her to have David there,’ my source . explains. For weeks, viewers have asked why Strictly Come Dancing’s judges have given Olympic gymnast Louis Smith tougher scores and critiques than his rivals. It was only after his near-flawless performance on Saturday that Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Darcey Bussell began to award him marks comparable to front-runner Denise Van Outen. I’m told that’s because staff on the show are well aware the heart-throb has been topping the viewers’ phone vote for weeks and is almost assured a place in the final on December 22. Tough critics: Olympic gymnast Louis Smith pictured with dancer Flavia Cacace on Strictly Come Dancing . My Strictly source reveals: ‘It’s been known behind the scenes for weeks now that Louis is a sure bet for the final. As a result, the judges knew there was no point giving him nines and tens every week because it would allow him no progression throughout the series. ‘To be truthful, they have marked him harder than the other dancers because he is a gymnast who has a natural advantage over a rival like Lisa Riley.’ While I don’t want to see the judges going easy on the celebs, it’s been clear to me they’ve been marking Louis, 23, down unfairly for weeks. If anything, that has only increased his support with the public. Barring a huge surprise over the next two weeks, it’s hard to see a scenario where he won’t become this year’s king of the dancefloor. ITV will premiere The McFly Show tomorrow night — a 1970s-style variety programme fronted by the popular boyband. If it’s a success, the one-off edition could be developed into a weekly series, featuring comedy sketches and performances. ‘It’s something we’ve been working on for a long time and we hope it could become something more regular,’ drummer and last year’s Strictly winner Harry Judd tells me. | Girl group back together next week for premiere of their new musical Viva Forever! and a major new TV show . |
0ec094b099444774bd1807f1b74293dd623b992b | (Mashable) -- Google announced on Wednesday that it is rolling out a significant redesign for its social networking platform Google+, which will allow users to create a more customized experience on the site. The company said it will introduce a variety of new features to the site in the next few days, from customizing apps and the navigation bar to more flexibility with profile pages and pictures. In addition, the update introduces a new Explore page that posts what's interesting and trending across the site. Google also noted that the social network now boasts more than 170 million users since it's 2011 launch. Google+ will now offer profile pages that will include bigger photos, a la Facebook's Timeline, and feature a chat list that puts friends front and center on your page. Another major update involves how users can navigate around the news stream. Instead of static icons at the top, there's a ribbon of apps on the left. The ribbon allows users to drag apps up or down to create the order, hover over certain apps to reveal a set of quick actions and show or hide apps by moving them out of the section. "Taken together, these powers make it easier to access your favorites, and to adjust your preferences over time," Google senior vice president Vic Gundotra wrote on Google's Official Blog. "We've also built the ribbon with the future in mind, giving us an obvious (and clutter-free) space for The Next Big Feature, and The Feature After That. So stay tuned." A dedicated Hangouts page has also been added to the site, so people can have quick access to public and On Air video chat hangouts. This will allow Google+ users to meet new people and watch live broadcasts, as well as enter new rooms via a rotating billboard of Hangouts. "It's still early days, and there's plenty left to do, but we're more excited than ever to build a seamless social experience, all across Google," Gundotra said. What do you think of the redesign? Do you think Google+ will ever be able to compete with Facebook? Let us know in the comments. See the original article on Mashable.com . © 2011 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Google says it will introduce a variety of new features to its social network in the next few days .
Google Plus boasts more than 170 million users since its June 2011 launch .
A dedicated Hangouts page has also been added to the site so people can have quick access . |
0ec0df1111a345989a7c1b7ff47390d61879a57d | MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- The Mexican government has ordered 2,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in response to a wave of drug-related violence that is blamed for 200 deaths since January, officials announced Thursday. Mexico has ordered troops to move near Juarez, shown here with El Paso, Texas, in the distance. The troops are expected to depart Friday. The majority will be near the northern border of Mexico, in Juarez. Juarez sits across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas. Officials said the violence in Mexico has increased in large part to competing drug cartels. "In this battle we will show that no criminal group is capable to resist the strength of the Mexican government," Interior Minister Juan Mourino said at a news conference Thursday. Defense Secretary Guillermo Galvan said 2,026 soldiers, 180 military tactical vehicles, three airplanes and more than a dozen drug detection devices would be employed in the military operation. "Violence, and this needs to be stressed, generates organized crime of drug trafficking," said Mexican Attorney General Medina Mora. "It's not in any way a sign of strength, but a sign of weakness, deterioration and decomposition." E-mail to a friend . CNN en Espanol's Ariel Crespo contributed to this report. | Officials: 2,000 troops to go to border in response to wave of drug violence .
Majority of troops will be near the northern border of Mexico, in Juarez .
Violence has increased in large part to competing drug cartels . |
0ec1910ce9f64617291991d504c5151920de3f38 | By . Jill Reilly . UPDATED: . 04:58 EST, 24 February 2012 . The U.S President and the First Lady . both covered thousands of miles between them yesterday, targeting the . rich during their busy fundraising campaign. Michelle Obama spoke to an audience of 300 supporters at a downtown Cincinnati hotel saying President Obama’s work 'is not done,' while her husband held a glitzy fundraiser at the home of Dallas Mavericks guard Vince Carter where about 70 guests gathered for a $30,000-a-person event. 'If any family in this country is struggling, we can not be satisfied with our own families’ good fortune,' said the First Lady, who spoke before an audience at the Westin Hotel who had paid anywhere from $250 to $10,000 for the mid-day event. On tour: First lady Michelle Obama tours the Cincinnati National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. She later appeared at a private reception with big donors where attendees had an opportunity to have their picture taken with the First Lady . 'If any family in this country is . struggling, we can not be satisfied with our own families’ good . fortune,' said the First Lady, who spoke before an audience at the . Westin Hotel who had paid from $250 to $10,000 for the event . Praise: At the hotel fundraiser, Michelle Obama was introduced by Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory,far left, who called her 'a woman of poise, a woman of elegance, a woman of grace, and, I would say, a woman of intelligence' Mrs Obama spoke for nearly half an . hour to the people in the ballroom, having already appeared at a private . reception with big donors, and offering attendees the chance to have a photo taken with her. She was introduced by Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, who called her 'a woman of poise, a woman of elegance, a woman of grace, and, I would say, a woman of intelligence.' She told the audience that her husband, raised by a single parent, with the help of his grandmother, understands the problems of struggling families 'because he has lived them.' She praised the passage of health care reform legislation that she said has already 'saved millions of seniors in this country an average of $600 a year for prescription drugs.” On the road: Before his fundraising blitz, Obama spoke to a campaign-like crowd at the University of Miami to defend his energy policy in the midst of spiking gasoline prices . Predictions: He told the crowd that his Republican rivals would offer nothing but more drilling and political promises of $2-a-gallon gas . Tour: U.S. President Barack Obama is shown a thermal camera as he tours the University of Miami's Industrial Assessment Center yesterday before heading to his star-studded fundraiser . 'Now, there are some folks talking about repealing that reform,’’ Mrs. Obama said. 'Are we going to let that happen? Are we going to allow children to be denied health care coverage who have cancer or other serious diseases? We can’t do that.” She also praised President Obama for getting rid of the 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy toward gays in the military as well as encouraging supporters in the crowd to go to work for the re-election campaign. 'Will be let everything we worked for just slip away?,' she asked. It was Mrs Obama’s first visit to Cincinnati since 2008, when her husband was running for president. Meanwhile her President Barack Obama held a glitzy fundraiser at the home of Dallas Mavericks guard Vince Carter where about 70 guests gathered for a $30,000-a-person event. Speech: US President Barack Obama speaks during a Democratic campaign fundraiser in Coral Gables - one of three events he attended yesterday . Starry lined up: Among those invited were former L.A. Lakers star Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, left, former Miami Heat star Alonzo . Mourning, right, and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers . Home at last: Mr Obama returns home late last night following the day trip to Miami and Orlando . Among those invited were former L.A. Lakers star Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, former Miami Heat star Alonzo . Mourning and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers. The event raised money from current and former NBA greats and an intimate group of supporters drawn to this weekend's All-Star game in nearby Orlando. The group gathered in Carter's . gymnasium, with the scoreboard showing 2012 on the clock and the score . tied at 44, Obama being the 44th president. 'It's . a nice gym,' Obama observed, understatedly. 'Vince said he left the . other side open in case I wanted to get in a dunk contest with him. I . told him I didn't bring my sneakers, so not tonight.' Obama . thanked NBA Commissioner David Stern, also in attendance, for resolving . the basketball lockout that delayed the start of the basketball season. 'I don't know what I would be doing with myself if I at least didn't have some basketball games around,' Obama said. Public engagement together: Earlier this week President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attended a ceremony for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington . The fundraiser capped a day hauling in campaign cash, taunting Republicans and pushing his energy policy in the face of rising gasoline prices. Yesterday's dinner was Mr Obama's third high-dollar Florida fundraiser of the day, including one at the swanky Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables and a $10,000-a-ticket gathering at the Miami home of veteran fundraiser Chris Korge. But he had more than the November election on his mind. An avid basketball fan, the president also lamented missing Thursday night's highly anticipated NBA matchup in South Florida between the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks - including the Knicks' emerging superstar, Jeremy Lin. 'I'm resentful I'm not going to the game tonight. I'm mad about that,' Obama joked. 'It's not right. It's not fair.' 'We've got a good story to tell about the last three years, but I'm not done here,' the president said. 'I need five more years.' Last week, Obama took a three-day West Coast trip and raised about $8 million in eight campaign events. Before his fundraising blitz, Obama spoke to a campaign-like crowd at the University of Miami to defend his energy policy in the midst of spiking gasoline prices. He predicted his Republican rivals would offer nothing but more drilling and political promises of $2-a-gallon gas. 'That's not a plan, especially since we're already drilling,' he said. 'That's a bumper sticker.' His trip to Florida came as gasoline has reached the highest price at the pump ever for this time of year: an average of $3.58 per gallon. White House advisers see it as a cyclical occurrence but knew Obama had to address the topic, one of deep concern to consumers and growing fodder for Republicans seeking to unseat Obama. | Spoke about poverty about fundraiser before an audience at a Cincinnati hotel who had paid anywhere from $250 to $10,000 for the mid-day event .
Told crowd her husband understands the problems of struggling families 'because .
he has lived them'
President Barack Obama held fundraiser at home of Dallas Mavericks guard Vince Carter where about 70 guests gathered for a $30,000-a-person . |
0ec27e8e4314b114f2516cd3a1b1bcda3d6b21ac | By . Lizzie Edmonds . An inquest in to the death of Peaches Geldof will be opened next week - with a cause of death expected to be released . An inquest will be opened into the death of Peaches Geldof next week, it has been confirmed. The 25-year-old mother of two, daughter of Sir Bob Geldof, was found dead at her country home earlier this month in what was described by police as a 'non-suspicious' and 'sudden unexplained' death. A post mortem carried out by a Home Office Pathologist days after she died proved inconclusive and samples of her blood and tissue were sent off to a laboratory to be tested for any possible toxins. It is understood those results have now been returned to North West Kent Coroner Roger Hatch who will open an inquest into Peaches's death next Thursday, May 1. The hearing is only expected to last around 10 minutes. A spokesman for Mr Hatch said a statement from a senior police officer will be heard and the coroner will release the cause of death. A date for a full inquest into the model and TV presenter's death is due to be set some time in late July, the spokesman added. The body of Peaches was found on April 7 at the home she shared in Wrotham, Kent, with her husband Tom Cohen, and their two young sons, Astala, 23 months, and 11-month-old Phaedra. At the funeral service in the village of Davington, near Faversham, Peaches' body was carried into church in a poignantly-decorated coffin which included a picture of her young family. Her father Sir Bob Geldof is thought to have led tributes in front of a host of well-known personalities, including Sarah Ferguson, supermodel Kate Moss and former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. The church, St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence, was where Ms Geldof married musician Mr Cohen in 2012. It was also where her television presenter mother Paula Yates married Geldof in 1986. Yates' funeral was held there after she died from an accidental heroin overdose in 2000, aged 41. Former Boomtown Rats singer Geldof has previously paid tribute to his daughter alongside his partner Jeanne Marine and Ms Geldof's sisters Fifi Trixibelle, Pixie and Tiger, saying she was the 'wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us.' Peaches pictured with her musician fatehr Sir Bob Geldof in 2009. He is believed to have led tributes to the model and television presenter at her funeral last week. He added: 'Writing ‘was’ destroys me afresh. What a beautiful child. How is this possible that we will not see her again? How is that bearable? 'We loved her and will cherish her forever. How sad that sentence is. 'Tom and her sons Astala and Phaedra will always belong in our family, fractured so often, but never broken. Bob, Jeanne, Fifi, Pixie and Tiger Geldof.' Her husband Tom Cohen said in a statement: 'My beloved wife Peaches was adored by myself and her two sons Astala and Phaedra and I shall bring them up with their mother in their hearts every day.' Police officers attend the home of Peaches Geldof in Wrotham, Kent, shortly after she was found dead earlier this month . The coffin of Peaches Geldof ahead of her funeral service at St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence Church in Davington, Kent . | Peaches Geldof, 25, found dead at her home in Kent earlier this month .
A post mortem was inconclusive - and blood and tissue samples were sent off to a lab for tests .
Inquest will be opened on May 1 after results were returned to coroner .
Cause of death expected to be announced at 10-minute hearing . |
0ec3bbee0219519f49b470e54ad58ee39e8f48db | London (CNN) -- Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is once again calling on the UK to hand back the Falkland Islands -- known in Argentina as Las Malvinas -- accusing Britain of blatant colonialism. In an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron, which was published in the British press, she says that Britain stripped the islands away from Argentina 180 years ago on Thursday's date: January 3. Read more: Falkland Islands will vote on political status . The two countries went to war over the territory in 1982, when the then-Argentinian military government landed troops on the islands. Argentina put its death toll from the conflict at around 645. Britain's civil and military losses amounted to 255. Falklands war wounds still fresh, 30 years later . In the letter, which was copied to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Argentinian president writes: "The Argentines on the Islands were expelled by the Royal Navy and the United Kingdom subsequently began a population implantation process similar to that applied to other territories under colonial rule. "Since then, Britain, the colonial power, has refused to return the territories to the Argentine Republic, thus preventing it from restoring its territorial integrity." She quotes a 1965 U.N. resolution inviting the two countries to negotiate a solution to the sovereignty dispute and calls on the British to abide by the resolution. Read more: Why tensions are rising over Falklands . Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 480 kilometers (298 miles) east of the tip of South America, the Falklands have long been coveted as a strategic shipping stopover and potential wellspring of natural resources. The Falklands, which raise their own taxes but rely on the United Kingdom for defense and foreign policy, are one of 14 British overseas territories and have been under British rule since 1833. Read more: Chavez, allies call for sanctions against Britain over Falklands . The British government swiftly rejected the idea of negotiations, saying the Falkland Islanders have chosen to be British. In a statement, the British Foreign Office said the islanders remain free to choose their own futures and "have a right to self-determination as enshrined in the U.N. Charter. This is a fundamental right for all peoples." The statement added: "There are three parties to this debate, not just two as Argentina likes to pretend. The islanders can't just be written out of history. "As such, there can be no negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falklands Islands unless and until such time as the islanders so wish." The islanders are due to hold a referendum on their political status this March but were also quick to dismiss the Argentinian position. Read more: What's behind renewed tensions? "We are not a colony," said Barry Elsby, a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands. "Our relationship with the United Kingdom is by choice." The exchange comes amid rising tension over the islands, which are home to about 3,000 people. In February of last year, the Argentinian leader accused the British of militarizing the South Atlantic after the Royal Navy sent its warship HMS Dauntless to the region. Then, in June of 2012, Fernandez confronted Cameron at the G-20 meeting and tried to hand him a letter about the islands -- something he refused to accept. Argentinian leader denounces 'militarization' of the South Atlantic . The dispute flared again ahead of the London 2012 Olympics, when Argentina released a video boosting its Olympic team that was filmed on the islands. The advertisement showed Argentinian field hockey star Fernando Zylberberg training in the streets of Port Stanley in the Falklands. The video ends with the slogan: "To compete on English soil, we train on Argentine soil." | Argentina says Britain stripped the Falkland Islands away 180 years ago .
The countries went to war over the islands in 1982, when Argentina put troops there .
Argentina, which calls the islands Las Malvinas, wants sovereignty negotiations .
British government says there won't be sovereignty talks unless islanders want them . |
0ec4590db94212436cdb84558322a09f54f56e03 | Phylicia Rashad, Cosby's former television wife, was today attacked by a lawyer for his alleged victims after for defending the star. Rashad was reported as saying: 'Forget these women. What you are seeing is the destruction of a legacy and it's a legacy that is so important to the culture.' But fire-brand lawyer Miss Allred hit out, branded her defense of the 77-year-old star 'pathetic'. 'Phylicia, I vow to you that I will not forget these women, because women matter. They deserve respect and dignity. Phylicia, you should be supporting these women rather than joining Cosby's paid "attack dogs" who are trying to undermine them in any way.' She added: 'Predators have no right to prey upon women, to drug them, to sexually assault them, to hurt them and to target them, humiliate them and force them to endure physical and emotional pain.' Rashad played Claire Huxtable, wife of Cosby's Dr Cliff Huxtable, in the Cosby Show. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Attack: Attorney Gloria Allred (center) today came out fighting after his on-screen wife, Phylicia Rashad, defended the comedian over allegation after allegation that he drugged and raped women . Phylicia Rashad (pictured with Cosby in 2011) came out to strongly defend her former co-star Bill Cosby against sexual assault allegations, in an interview published on Tuesday . Telling Phylicia that Cosby's legacy 'is destroyed', with no one to blame but himself, she added: 'Phylicia, if anyone did to you or to your daughter, your sister or your mother, what Cosby is alleged to have done to these women, I have no doubt that you would [not] be saying "Forget these women". Instead you would be supporting them.' Attorney Gloria Allred today introduced three more alleged victims of comedy legend Bill Cosby and said 'numerous' others have contacted her but choose to remain anonymous. The women – all of whom haven't spoken before – take the number of victims who claim to have been raped or sexually assaulted by Cosby to more than 30. Sitting next to Miss Allred at her LA offices the three women broke down in tears as they told of allegedly being attacked by the star. Two of them claim they were drugged and raped by Cosby while the third said she was drugged and sexually assaulted. Miss Allred said the women were allegedly attacked when they were 'young and extremely vulnerable' and have come forward despite moves by Cosby to discredit previous victims. Even more: Linda Kirkpatrick (second from right) and the two other new victims spoke at the press conference in Los Angeles . Comfort: As Linda Kirkpatrick cries, alleged victim Kacey is comforted by Gloria Allred, the attorney . She said recent reports indicated Cosby has spent thousands of dollars to hire investigators to try ti find ways to discredit some of the alleged victims. But Miss Allred said of her clients: 'The three women who are with me here today have decided that they will not be intimidated by Cosby's money, fame and power and they will have the courage to speak out today about what they believe was the victimization of them.' During the press conference Miss Allred also slammed Phylicia Rashad, Cosby's former television wife, for defending the star. She added: 'Predators have no right to prey upon women, to drug them, to sexually assault them, to hurt them and to target them, humiliate them and force them to endure physical and emotional pain.' Telling Phylicia that Cosby's legacy 'is destroyed', with no one to blame but himself, she added: 'Phylicia, if anyone did to you or to your daughter, your sister or your mother, what Cosby is alleged to have done to these women, I have no doubt that you would [not] be saying "Forget these women". Instead you would be supporting them.' Tonight Cosby is expected to take to the stage in Ontario Canada to perform his comedy show. The promoters of Cosby's three performances in Canada announced that they would go ahead with the shows despite the controversy. But women's rights leaders have organized protests outside the venues tonight tomorrow and Friday. Miss Allred said: 'What happened to these women is no joke and I don't think any of this is a laughing matter and I would hope that no one would be in essence subsidizing Bill Cosby's defense by buying tickets to his show.' Miss Allred said that none of the new accusations fall within the statute of limitations for a civil or criminal action against Cosby. But she reiterated that she has told Cosby's representatives that the star could waive the statute of limitations so all the women accusing him of assault could have their day in court. She has previously challenged Cosby to pay $100 million in damages to the women who claim he sexually assaulted them. Miss Allred even invited Cosby's wife Camille to come to her office to meet with the alleged victims personally adding that more women would 'find their voice' and come forward. She said: 'The end goal is as much justice that is possible under the circumstances.' Before Christmas Miss Allred introduced three other alleged victims of Cosby but when asked how many women she now represents, including those who choose to remain anonymous, she said: 'I've not kept count.' Cosby and co-star Rashad as the Huxtables in the long-running Cosby Show for which she won an Emmy . The three alleged victims Linda Kirkpatrick, Lynn Neal (not her real name), and Kacey (no last name given) all shared strikingly similar stories of their encounters with Cosby. And they all say it was the fear of retaliation that prevented them from speaking out sooner. Blonde Kirkpatrick says she was drugged and assaulted in 1981 when she was 25, after playing in a tennis tournament against Cosby in Las Vegas. The star invited her to his show after the tournament, where he gave her a drink which she said tasted ‘terrible’. ‘I knew something was terribly terribly wrong with whatever I had consumed in the drink he gave me,’ she says. The next thing she recalls was being back in Cosby’s dressing room. ‘I was lying down. Cosby was on top of me kissing me forcefully. I had no interest in sex of any kind with Bill Cosby.’ She added: ‘I recall seeing a silver bracelet with CAMILLE (Cosby’s wife’s name) on it. I remember thinking why is he doing this to me even while wearing his wife’s bracelet.’ Kirkpatrick says Cosby called her the next day to apologize, and that he invited her back to his show. He allegedly assaulted her again that night, using force instead of drugs, since Kirkpatrick says she was careful not to drink anything that time. She said Cosby ‘grabbed’ her from the front, ‘locked me in an aggressive hug, with his arms wrapped around my back and forcefully tried to kiss me. He held so tightly against my body that it was obvious he was sexually aroused. ‘I said “Stop it. No. Let me go”, and managed to get myself out of his grip and pushed him away.’ Lynn Neal, who was wearing a black baseball cap and spectacles, says Cosby assaulted her sometime between 1982 and 1983 when she was in her twenties. She says he drugged and raped her at one of his shows after meeting her at a health club where she worked. She says Cosby took her to dinner and made her down a shot of Stoli vodka before taking her back to his dressing room. The 77-year-old comedian is scheduled to appear at the Centre in the Square in Kitchener, Ontario, (pictured) on Wednesday . Tennis fan: Cosby is a high-profile player of the game. In 1994 he appeared during the US Open for a charity engagement . ‘When we entered the dressing room I sat on the couch and he started taking my pants down. I said what are you doing, stop. But he didn’t and I was weak I felt helpless and I couldn’t stop him. Neal claims Cosby raped her before rushing her out of his room. ‘He drugged and raped me. He betrayed my trust and took advantage of me.’ She added: ‘I know that there are people out there who know what this man has been doing all these years.’ The third victim Kacey, who didn’t give a last name, recalls that Cosby assaulted her while she was working as an assistant to one of his agents, Tom Illius, at the William Morris Agency between 1990 and 1996. Kacey said she considered Cosby ‘a father figure, or a favorite uncle’ at the time. He invited her to lunch at his suite in the Bel Air hotel in LA one day, where he allegedly forced her to take ‘a large white pill.’ Brunette Kacey says she tried to refuse the pill but Cosby asked her ‘would I give you anything that would hurt you? Trust me it will just help you relax.’ She even says Cosby made her open her mouth and move her tongue so he could check she swallowed it. She says after consuming the pill she woke up to see him naked in bed beside her. She quit her job shortly after. Breaking down in tears she told the press conference: ‘For those who will choose not to believe that I am speaking the truth of what happened to me, please know that I wish it were not true, but I lived it and know that it is true.’ | Bill Cosby's on-screen wife broke silence to say 'forget these women' after clam after claim he drugged and raped young women .
But today Glora Allred, who represents many of the victims, attacked Rashad and accused her of 'joining Cosby's paid attack dogs'
She spoke at press conference for three more women going public on claims they were attacked when 'young and extremely vulnerable'
One says he attacked her at a Las Vegas tennis tournament in 1981 after giving her 'terrible' tasting drink .
Lawyer says many more women have contacted her anonymously taking total of alleged victims far beyond 30 .
Cosby is due on stage in Canada this week but protesters are expected outside venue . |
0ec4829380fbf03836686102adda9cf498b5149c | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A claim that several dozen glass plates bought for $45 at a garage sale were negatives from Ansel Adams brought an angry response of disbelief from the man who oversees the famed photographer's trust. Adams' grandson is also unconvinced. Matthew Adams, who runs the Ansel Adams Gallery, said even if they are authenticated, they are not worth much beyond their historical value. The art dealer who placed their eventual value at more than $200 million said Wednesday that the controversy is increasing their value by "driving the market to them." "They're making them so desirable," said David W. Streets. "People all over the world are seeing this and saying 'I want one of each.'" That controversy took a bitter turn a day after California wall painter Rick Norsigian and his lawyer held a news conference at Streets' Beverly Hills art gallery to say they have proof the negatives were created by Ansel Adams. William Turnage, the managing trustee of Adams' trust, called Norsigian and those working with him "a bunch of crooks" who "are pulling a big con job." Norsigian's lawyer, Arnold Peter, called Turnage's attack "a shameful and pointless disparagement of the professional reputations of some of the top leaders in their respective fields." The team of experts included two court-qualified handwriting experts, a retired FBI agent, and a former assistant United States attorney, Peter said. Peter said that based on the overwhelming evidence they gathered "no reasonable person would have any doubt that these, in fact, were the long-lost images of Ansel Adams." Turnage, who was Adams' business manager before his death in 1984, challenged the expertise of Norsigian's team, saying the only one with art credentials was a "so-called expert that nobody has ever heard of from Jackson Hole, Wyoming." "They had to go out into the boonies to dig him up," Turnage said. Norsigian's lawyer responded by calling Turnage an "elitist." "Ansel Adams would likely be shocked and appalled at such blatant arrogance and condescending commentary in his name," Peter said. Turnage said Norsigian's strategy is to line up a long list of hired experts to tell "a big lie." "Hitler used that technique," Turnage said. "You don't tell a small one. You tell a big one." Peter said Turnage "has converted a professional disagreement over works of art into a personal attack utilizing tactics that are grossly offensive and unconscionable." "Likening Rick Norsigian to Adolf Hitler is nothing more than yet another bullying tactics designed to silence Mr. Norsigian," Peter said. The lawyer invited Matthew Adams and Turnage "to engage in a meaningful dialogue and examine the evidence which they have consistently refused to do." "We now offer them yet another opportunity to jointly agree on and hire experts who are qualified to render a final opinion on the authenticity of the negatives," Peter said. "Any honest and fair assessment will lead to but one conclusion -- these are the lost negatives of Ansel Adams." The approach was "to put these negatives on trial" using a "high burden of proof" to show that the 65 glass plates were created by Adams, the iconic American photographer whose images of the West inspired the country. "I have sent people to prison for the rest of their lives for far less evidence than I have seen in this case," said evidence and burden-of-proof expert Manny Medrano, who was hired by Norsigian to help authenticate the plates. "In my view, those photographs were done by Ansel Adams." Meanwhile, Matthew Adams said Wednesday, "I don't think that they've proven that they are (authentic). ... And I don't know that you could ever prove that they are." Adams, who reviewed Norsigian's evidence last year, said he wanted more scientific tests, including carbon dating, to prove beyond a doubt that the work was that of his grandfather. He cited "a number of inconsistencies," including the conclusion by two handwriting analysts that notations on manila envelopes containing the plates were made by Ansel Adams' wife, Virginia Adams. The envelopes had five misspellings of well-known Yosemite National Park landmarks, he said. "Bridal Veil Falls" is misspelled twice as "Bridal Vail Falls" and "Happy Isles" is misspelled "Happy Iles," Adams said. Virginia Adams -- who spent most of her life in that area of California -- would have spelled those names correctly, he said. Handwriting experts Michael Nattenberg and Marcel Matley said they used Virginia Adams' writing samples provided by her grandson to reach their conclusion that it was her penmanship. Matthew Adams said his belief that she was not the author of the notations is based on copies of the envelopes given to him by Peter. "I just looked at them myself," Adams said. "I did not hire experts." Norsigian's team also said the locations of the photographs, which were taken around San Francisco and Yosemite, helped prove their case. "The fact that these locations were well-known to Adams, and visited by him, further supports the proposition that all of the images in the collection were most probably created by Adams," said art expert Robert Moeller. Matthew Adams said that circumstantial evidence was unconvincing, since several other highly skilled photographers were known to shoot at the same places around the same period. Even if Norsigian's glass plates are authentic Ansel Adams photographs, they would have mostly historical value, "not anywhere near" the $200 million estimate given by Streets, Adams said. Streets said his estimate was based on decades of print sales and rights fees. "There will always be a demand for Ansel Adams' work," he said. "The long-term potential is very easy to prove for these." "You can't print original photographs from them because Ansel's not around to print them," Matthew Adams said. "Anything you make from them you would have to say is an unknown interpretation of something that may be Ansel's." The Ansel Adams Gallery is still producing prints, but with a printer who was trained by Adams. The iconic artist died in 1984 at the age of 82. "A lot of the magic that he created was in the darkroom making the print," his grandson said. "Ansel's not around to tell us how he would have printed it." Streets countered Adams, saying, "It's not a mysterious process." "There are master printmakers who are making prints today," he said. Norsigian has contracted with Jesse Kallisher, whose prints hang in the Smithsonian and the Louvre museums, to produce original fine arts prints from the negatives, Streets said. While Matthew Adams is unconvinced, he doesn't doubt that Norsigian is sincere in his belief that he has Ansel Adams negatives. "I think that they do believe it, but I don't think that they have proven it," he said. He doesn't agree, however, with Turnage's charge that it's a "con job." "My take on it is that it is irresponsible to present them as Ansel's," Matthew Adams said. Norsigian, a painter for the Fresno school system, kept the glass plates under his pool table for four years before realizing they might be too valuable to store at home. He believes they were from Adams' early career, a period that is not well documented since a 1937 darkroom fire destroyed 5,000 of his plates. "It truly is a missing link of Ansel Adams and history and his career," Streets said. Norsigian, who scours garage sales for antiques, was looking for a barber chair when he spotted two deteriorated boxes in the spring of 2000. When he pulled one of the glass negatives out, he saw Yosemite. "As a young man, I worked at Yosemite quite a bit. So, right away I recognized it as Yosemite," Norsigian said. He bargained with the seller, finally negotiating the price for the boxes down from $70 to $45. The owner said he bought them in the 1940s at a warehouse salvage sale in Los Angeles. It would be two years before Norsigian realized the photos might be from Adams, he said. After four years, he had done enough research to realize the plates could be valuable. He moved them from under his pool table and placed them in a bank vault. How these 6.5-inch x 8.5-inch glass plate negatives of famous Yosemite landscapes and San Francisco landmarks -- some of them showing fire damage -- might have made their way from Adams' collection 70 years ago to a Southern California garage sale in 2000 can only be guessed. Photography expert Patrick Alt, who helped confirm the authenticity of the negatives, suspects Adams carried them to use in a photography class he was teaching in Pasadena, California, in the early 1940s. "It is my belief that he brought these negatives with him for teaching purposes and to show students how to not let their negatives be engulfed in a fire," Alt said. "I think this clearly explains the range of work in these negatives, from very early pictorialist boat pictures, to images not as successful, to images of the highest level of his work during this time period." Alt said it is impossible to know why Adams would store them in Pasadena and never reclaim them. For now, the photos will go on a tour of universities and museums, starting in October at Fresno State University, Norsigian said. "I just hope everybody enjoys them," he said. Norsigian said he has not spoken with the man who sold him the two boxes a decade ago. "If he's still around, I'm afraid he may come looking for me," he said. Norsigian, who is 64, is still working but said he may retire this year. | NEW: Ansel Adams' trustee says garage sale claim is a "con job"
NEW: The lawyer for the man who found photos calls Adams' trustee an "elitist"
NEW: An appraiser says the controversy is fueling sales of photo prints .
Photographer's grandson wants more tests before he accepts photos as Adams' |
0ec4fb22f189f34e80f4e78812d04f0b40c9c57b | Too young: Audrey Dantzlerward, 22, was found dead in her Princeton University dorm room on Monday. School officials say foul play is not suspected . A Princeton student was found dead on Monday in her dorm room at the Ivy League institution in New Jersey. It's still unknown what caused the death of 22-year-old junior Audrey Dantzlerward, though school officials say foul play is not suspected. During her time at Princeton, Dantzlerward kept busy as a member of several campus groups including the Wildcats a cappella ensemble, the Women's Mentorship Program, Princeton Presbyterians and Edwards Collective - a community in her dorm Edwards Hall for students with an interest in humanities and the creative arts. Dantzlerward was an English major from Springfield, Virginia, the Daily Princetonian reported. The school has organized a remembrance for Dantzlerward scheduled for Monday night at 7:30pm in Murray Dodge Hall. Following news of Dantzlerward's early passing, her Wildcats a cappella group posted a message in mourning. 'There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go. You'll be forever in our hearts, Audrey. Love always,' the group wrote. Winter break ended for Princeton students on January 4, and final Fall term exams were scheduled to start this week on Wednesday. Cause of death unknown: The junior's body was found in her dorm room located in Edwards Hall (pictured above). Busy: During her time at Princeton, Dantzlerward was a member of the Wildcats a cappella ensemble, the Women's Mentorship Program, Princeton Presbyterians and Edwards Collective - a living community in her dorm Edwards Hall for students with an interest in humanities and the creative arts . Beloved: Dantzlerward pictured above with her college a cappella group (fifth from left, in striped shirt). Her body was found Monday, two days before Fall final exams . | Junior Audrey Dantzlerward was found lifeless in her room in Edwards Hall .
Cause of death is unknown, though school officials said foul play is not suspected .
She was a member of an a cappella ensemble, a women's mentorship program and a Presbyterian group . |
0ec545f674cfb3cb791c052a8546b105c5fa7482 | By . Sam Webb . Resolve: Lord Dannatt says Britain must retain military strength in mainland Europe . Britain must send a strong signal to Russia's aggression in the Ukraine by reversing the cost-cutting decision to remove all troops from Germany. The number of British servicemen will drop from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2020, although bolstered by an extra 11,000 reservists, and all troops based in Germany, currently around 20,000, will leave by 2019. But Lord Dannatt, who was head of the Army from 2006 to 2008, has proposed that 3,000 British soldiers should stay on in Germany to send a clear message to a 'resurgent Russia'. His comments come as Ukraine's leaders spoke of their fears of an imminent Russian invasion of their eastern industrial heartland after the last airbase in Crimea was taken over. The concern follows the violent storming of the military compound in Belbek, the biggest show of Russian force in the three weeks Kremlin troops have been stationed in the peninsula. Since the annexation of the region was confirmed on Friday, Russian troops have began to gather at the eastern border and Ukraine's military leaders believe they are ready to attack 'at any moment. Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council chief Andriy Parubiy told a rally in Kiev:'The aim of Putin is not Crimea but all of Ukraine... his troops massed at the border are ready to attack at any moment.' The interim leaders in Kiev fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin is developing a sense he could get away with further actions after the EU and U.S. only handed him limited sanctions. Lord Dannatt, in an article for The Daily Telegraph, said that military strength will add weight to diplomatic negotiations with Moscow. 'With a resurgent Russia, this is a poor moment for the U.S.-led West to be weak in resolve and muscle,' he said. Patrol: Men believed to be Russian soldiers walk near an Ukrainian military building, which was taken by Russian soldiers in the village of Perevalnoye, outside Simferopol, Ukraine . 'Diplomacy and sanctions may be the right response for now to the Russian president, but he will look beyond those things to see where the real check on his actions might come from. 'An additional 3,000 regular soldiers would provide an extra deployable brigade, sending the signal that Britain takes its defence duties seriously – not only on behalf of its citizens, but on behalf of our EU and Nato allies, too.' He also expressed concerns that falling troop levels could leave Britain unprepared for unexpected crises, such as the invasion of the Falklands. NATO's top military commander today added to fears, suggesting Russia had built up a 'very sizeable' force and even speculated Moscow could have other former Soviet states in its sights. Troops from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, prepare Warrior armoured vehicles at a base in Celle, Germany in January 2003 . Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove said Moldova, could be next if Putin decides to put his expansionist policies in place. Breedlove was one of several Western officials and politicians to warn that Russia may not stop there in a crisis that has damaged East-West relations. 'The (Russian) force that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is very, very sizeable and very, very ready,' the NATO commander told an event held by the German Marshall Fund think-tank.' U.S. President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken said the build-up might just be aimed at intimidating Ukraine's new pro-Western leaders but that Russia could invade the country's mainly Russian-speaking east. Occupation: Pro-Russian soldiers in unmarked uniforms arrange a position near a Ukrainian marine base in the city of Feodosia, Crimea, yesterday . 'It's possible that they are preparing to move in,' he told CNN. Russia said it was complying with international agreements and had no plans to invade. It has called the soldiers who took over Ukrainian bases in Crimea 'self defence forces'. Around 440 Russian 'peacekeepers' have been deployed in Transdniestria, a breakaway state on the eastern Moldovan border with Ukraine, with soldiers guarding Soviet-era arms stocks. It follows a launch of a new military exercise in the area, involving 8,500 artillery men, near Ukraine's eastern border 10 days ago. 'There is absolutely sufficient (Russian) force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Transdniestria if the decision was made to do that, and that is very worrisome,' Breedlove said. The speaker of Transdniestria's parliament has urged Russia to incorporate the region, which lies to the west of Ukraine. General Francis Richard Dannatt, 63, was born in Broomfield in Chelmsford, Essex, and joined the Army in 1971. He served as a platoon commander in Northern Ireland, where he was awarded the Military Cross. Despite suffering a major stroke in 1977, Lord Dannatt became a company commander and eventually took command of the Green Howards in 1989. He took command of 3rd Mechanised Division in 1999 and simultaneously commanded British forces in Kosovo. After a brief tour in Bosnia, he was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff. By 2005 Lord Dannatt was Commander-in-Chief, Land Command, and was appointed Chief of the General Staff in August 2006, succeeding General Sir Mike Jackson. Lord Dannatt faced controversy over his outspokenness, in particular his calls for improved pay and conditions for soldiers and for reducing operations in Iraq to bolster those in Afghanistan. He also brokered the agreement with the British press that allowed Prince Harry to serve in Afghanistan. He has served as a defence advisor to David Cameron. He is married with four children, one of whom served as an officer in the Grenadier Guards. | Lord Dannatt says troops would underpin diplomacy with Russia .
He said the West must not be 'weak in resolve and muscle'
Retaining 3,000 troops in Germany would show Britain is 'serious' |
0ec57541940dd3f00b9ea24c286766978b666fa3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:05 EST, 11 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:59 EST, 12 January 2014 . A man who was shot dead in an apparent road rage incident in Pennsylvania last Saturday made multiple calls to 911 as he was pursued by a crazed driver in a dark-colored pickup, police have revealed this weekend. Timothy Davison, 28, was driving from Florida home to Maine along Interstate 81 when the shooting occurred in Antrim Township. He told 911 in several calls in Maryland and Pennsylvania that he was being chased by an enraged driver who was very aggressive. Police have concluded that a 28-year-old Timothy 'Asti' Davison (pictured) was killed in a seemingly random act of road rage last Sunday in Pennsylvania. Driven off the road: Timothy Davison was run off the road by an enraged motorist and shot dead . Road rage: Timothy Davison called from Interstate 81 near Maryland early Saturday to say someone in a pickup truck was firing on him just moments before he was forced off the road (pictured) and shot dead . Police believe the shooter pursued Davison for up to 15 miles before he was run off the road onto a median strip and shot several times. Officials say the shooter was driving a dark Ford Ranger XLT pickup and are asking local mechanics to look out for a car fitting that description with damage to its driver's side as well as silver paint from Davison's car. Saluted: Fellow officers gathered from multiple states to attend the June 2013 funeral for Bardstown, Kentucky officer Jason Ellis, whose murder remains unsolved . As Davison called 911 in Northern Maryland to report the rage-filled motorist, he was being shot at by the trailing vehicle. The call was dropped and he called again, this time having crossed over the border into Pennsylvania. According to police, Davison was forced into a median, disabling his vehicle, before the assailant approached and fired several rounds at him. 'I think we can call it a road rage incident,' Pennsylvania state trooper Rob Hicks told The Portland Press Herald. Police are not releasing the recordings of the calls, but Hicks said that Davison indicated that a driving issue - like one person cutting another off or braking suddenly - may have sparked the problem. The only clues that the investigators, who have been joined by FBI teams, are basing their investigation on are grainy surveillance footage and bullet remnants. Search is on: The killer's car will have damage on the driver's side and silver paint from Timothy Davison's car . Crime scene: Davison's attack occurred on northbound I-81 in Antrim Township, about 10 miles north of Hagerstown, Maryland, as Davison was driving home to Maine after visiting family in Florida . State police are searching for a Ford Ranger-style pickup. They say the vehicle may be blue and may have damage to the driver's side. They say Davison, who was from Poland, Maine, died at a York hospital following the 2.10am attack. Police say the attack occurred on northbound I-81 in Antrim Township, about 10 miles north of Hagerstown, Maryland. 'I just hope this doesn’t happen to . anyone else. This wasn’t just road rage. This person is obviously . crazy,' the victim's mother Theresa Alloca told The Kennebec Journal. According to police reports, Davison called 911 in Maryland shortly before 2am to report that he was being pursued by another motorist, but his call was dropped when he crossed into Pennsylvania. | Timothy Davison, 28, was driving from Florida to Maine when another driver began following him .
Davison called 911 multiple times to report the 'aggressive' driver .
Police believed the driver followed Davison for 15 miles before running him off the road and shooting him dead .
Police are searching for the driver of a dark Ford XLP pickup with damage and silver paint on its driver's side . |
0ec62e193c5c8b8f379e1b6d9d299497bc9c7c97 | Supporters watching the NRL All Stars take on the Indigenous All Stars got more than they bargained for when a tackle left one player with his shorts round his ankles. Indigenous centre Greg Inglis was making a break during the first half of the clash when he, and his shorts, were brought down by an opposition player. The 28-year-old was wearing 'budgy smuggler' underwear in the pattern of the Koori flag - the official Australian Aboriginal flag. Fans watching the NRL All Stars take on the Indigenous All Stars got more than they bargained for on Friday . Greg Inglis was making a break during the first half of the clash when he, and his shorts, were brought down . The underwear, which normally cost 50 Australian dollars (about £25), were only on show for a few moments but it was long enough to cause a few smirks around the ground. Fortunately for Inglis, he stood out for more than just his choice of clothing during the match. He took a sensational catch early in the second half before evading opposing players and going over between the posts for his side's first try of the game. And his effort kick-started the Indigenous All Stars' comeback. Will Chambers and Chris Grevsmuhl also scored tries as the underdogs went on to win 20-6. Inglis celebrates scoring the Indigenous All Stars' first try of the match on Friday . Antonio Winterstein of the NRL All Stars had a try disallowed as they lost 20-6 on Friday . Dylan Walker celebrates giving the NRL All Stars the lead on Friday . But the Indigenous All Stars, who were supposedly underdogs before the match, fought back to win . | Indigenous All Stars beat NRL All Stars 20-6 on Friday .
Greg Inglis, Will Chambers and Chris Grevsmuhl all scored tries .
Inglis, and his shorts, taken down in a tackle to reveal his underwear . |
0ec6cd9bc704759191eaafc54f78e9a1cd95224a | By . William Turvill . PUBLISHED: . 08:35 EST, 27 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:36 EST, 27 February 2014 . A paedophile posed as pop star Justin Bieber to groom girls as young as seven over the internet. Richard Barlow, 24, from Big Arowry, North Wales, enticed ‘naive’ youngsters by posing as the 19-year-old American megastar in online chat-rooms and music sites. A court heard Barlow, who has been jailed for three years, also pretended to be a teenage boy and even a young girl to meet children where he encouraged them to strip and perform sex acts over Skype. Richard Barlow (left), 24, posed as pop star Justin Bieber to groom girls as young as seven over the internet . He groomed children aged between seven and 11 for his own sexual gratification and even used headphones and cameras to record them. Barlow blackmailed some victims by threatening to upload films he had already made of them for family and friends to see if they did not do as he said. When police raided his home and seized his computer they found a shocking video of him enticing a seven-year-old girl to perform a sex act on herself via a webcam. He was arrested and charged with inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child over the Internet and 12 charges of making indecent images. On Wednesday at Mold Crown Court he pleaded guilty to all charges and was jailed for three years. Barlow was also ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life. Sentencing Judge Peter Heywood said: ‘It is clear that for a significant period of time you have had an unhealthy interest in this sort of activity. ‘You engaged in conversation with young girls to encourage them to engage in sexual activity with them. ‘Heaven knows how they will be affected in their future lives. They may seem to be only images but they are young children being exploited by others. ‘Huge sums of money are made by people who have a prurient interest in this sort of material. ‘I would be failing in my public duty if I did anything other than pass an immediate custodial sentence.’ On Wednesday at Mold Crown Court Barlow pleaded guilty to all charges and was jailed for three years . Prosecutor Jonathan Austin told the court police seized computer equipment when they executed a search warrant at the address in September 2012. He said Barlow, who lived with his parents, also had a fetish for feet and persuaded other girls to show their feet via his webcam. Officers found a total of 2,200 indecent images and 116 films of children had also been downloaded off the internet. Defending, Owen Edwards said his client had pretended to be Justin Bieber, and others younger than himself, to entice naive young girls. He said: ‘This behaviour is shocking. ‘He has to face up to what he has done and to face up to the sentence. He knows he is going to prison. ‘This is yet another of these sad examples of the internet opening up activities which would never have been indulged in had it not been there..’ After the case DC Rachel Garbutt, from North Wales Police, said: ‘The sentence sends out a strong message to the community that these types of offences will not be tolerated. ‘These offences are never victimless and people who commit them will be dealt with accordingly by the police and the courts.’ | Richard Barlow, 24, from Big Arowry, North Wales, enticed 'naive' youngsters by posing as the star in online chat-rooms and music sites .
Barlow has been jailed for three years after a court heard how he also pretended to be a teenage boy and even a young girl to meet children .
Court heard he encouraged them to strip and perform sex acts over Skype . |
0ec7e5d1c41cc93f03837fa15ec4a93ed96641a8 | By . Damien Gayle . Patients in a taxpayer-funded rehab centre were sent rake leaves in one boss's garden and hand wash his wife's knickers and bras, it is claimed. Murray Kaplan, court liaison for the J-CAP programme in Queens, New York, had former junkies over to his Westhampton home to do chores, sources told the New York Post. Now New York's office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services has launched an investigation into the allegations after hearing of them from the paper, which described the incidents as amounting to 'slave labour'. The shop front for J-CAP's Admissions Office on Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica , New York: The drug-rehab organisation has been mired in controversy over claims that one worker asked addicts to do his housework . 'You have identified issues which we will now investigate,' an agency spokesman told Post reporters. The allegations come from former workers and patients at J-CAP, which offers residential care for up to 400 addicts to help them kick their drug habits. One worker told The Post of a veteran who lived at J-CAP who often visited Mr Kaplan's home. Then one day she turned up back at the clinic in tears, claiming she had been told to handwash Mr Kaplan's wife's lingerie. Another veteran resident of J-CAP told the post that Mr Kaplan asked him to rake leaves around his house, then paid him off with some hotdogs, $20 and a pack of cigarettes. Citing its sources, The Post claimed that Mr Kaplan had other recovering addicts for 'favours'. They included asking one to help move clothing from Manhattan to the home of Joseph Strasburg, head of the Rent Stabilisation Association. Mr Kaplan said he brings patients from J-CAP over to his house to enjoy the pool and have picnics, but he denied claims that he gets them to do his housework or any other chores. He told The Post: 'We have plenty of help in the house. We have gardeners. Certainly, nobody came over to do any work.' Mr Strasburg would not comment, The Post reported. MailOnline contacted J-Cap for comment, but nobody was available. J-CAP's New Beginnings Teen Parenting Program facility on South Road, Jamaica, NY: Murray Kaplan, court liaison for J-CAP, had former junkies over to his Westhampton home to do chores, sources told the NY Post . J-CAP is a taxpayer-funded residential drug treatment programme for adults founded in the early 1970s. Its website says its facilities can cater for as many as 400 patients in a group therapy setting. Patients are expected to contribute to the daily operation of what it calls 'the community', sharing in tasks such as housekeeping and meal preparation. The non-profit organisation, whose name stands for Just Caring About People, also runs a special programme for veterans, who are often at greater risk of alcohol and drug abuse. Patients are often referred to J-CAP by the courts, although the organisation says it accepts referrals 'from a variety of sources'. Its website says: 'We value our human and civil rights to education, health, dignity, privacy, confidentiality, and a desire to achieve real freedom from exploitation and harm.' But its future could be in doubt. The Post reports further reports that J-CAP has closed its biggest unit and is curtailing other programmes. | Lawyer Murray Kaplan had junkies over to his Westhampton home .
New York Office of Alcoholism and Substance Misuse services investigating .
Mr Kaplan denies getting recovering addicts to do his housework .
The only time they came over was for pool parties and picnics, he says . |
0ec8467e456e63d08e795c6992d2e3eb8e061fdd | (CNN) -- Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong brought a Scottish town center to a standstill on Tuesday when hundreds of people joined him for a group bike ride. Lance Armstrong's appearance in Paisley, Scotland, saw around 200 people joining him on a bike ride. The seven-times Tour de France winner used social networking site Twitter to invite fans to take part in the event in Paisley, Scotland and -- as a result -- around 200 people gathered in the town's High Street. Fans took photographs and asked for autographs from the American and the watching crowd applauded and cheered as the group set off on their ride. Asked whether he was surprised to see so many people turn out, Armstrong told reporters before climbing on to his bike: "Yes. It's a chance to meet lots of people. We made up our mind to come and see a show two nights ago and I said hey let's have a bike ride," he added. Watch the chaos as Armstrong starts to ride » . Asked whether he knew much about cycling around Paisley, he smiled and said: "I know nothing about it." In the Twitter messages before the gathering, Armstrong wrote: "Hey Glasgow, Scotland!! I'm coming your way. Who wants to go for a bike ride with me??" Followed by: "Hey Glasgow -- ride is at 12 noon. Stay tuned and yes, I have my rain coat!" iReport: Did you see Lance? Send pics, video . Cyclists and fans started to gather before 11am ahead of Armstrong's arrival at around 12.20pm. After the group cycle, Armstrong told fans through Twitter: "Thanks to everyone who turned up to ride in Paisley! I figured we'd have a nice ride for a dozen or so. But 100's came. Haha! Awesome!" | Lance Armstrong brought a Scottish town center to a standstill on Tuesday .
The American announced on Twitter that he wanted people to join him on ride .
A group of 200 people gathered in Paisley High Street to ride with Armstrong . |
0ec98ce46a4245dd421f9acab2ab807d68461684 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 08:01 EST, 10 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:41 EST, 11 August 2012 . Tragic: Scott Bradley was driven to suicide by rumours he was one of James Bulger's killers . A father was driven to suicide by rumours he was one of James Bulger's killers, his distraught mother has claimed. Scott Bradley, 36, was accused of being child murderer Robert Thompson, whose real identity is protected, and suffered months of malicious abuse and torment from a hate mob in the village of Garlieston, Wigtownshire, in Scotland. Mr Bradley, who moved to Scotland seven years ago, left a heartbreaking suicide note which read: 'They called me all sorts - a paedophile, a follower of young girls, walking around bullying old people. 'The list is endless. And I’m supposed to be a child killer.' Now his mother Sue, who found her son . dead at their home on Sunday, has described how the last 12 months of her son's life became a . 'living hell' after the hate mob spread the rumours that he was . Thompson, now 29. Sue said: 'My son was tormented by the allegations. He had a good heart and didn’t deserve this. It’s been heartbreaking. 'He kept saying ‘I’ve had enough, I’m going to kill myself’, but I didn’t believe him.' The rumours are believed to have . begun after a local playwright wrote a fictional play last year about Robert . Thompson moving to a remote coastal village in Galloway. The play, Village of the Damned, proved so controversial that playwright Des Dillon was interviewed by police. In June this year it was revealed Dillon was negotiating the rights to turn it into a Hollywood film. Scott Bradley was accused of being Robert . Thompson, left, who murdered James Bulger in February 1993 along . with Jon Venables, right. The pair were given new identities on release . James Bulger was abducted and murdered in February 1993 by Thompson and Venables . Mr Dillon said: 'The police come talk to me and keep asking me who’s it about. 'It’s set in a fictitious village with fictitious people.' James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus said . she was 'shocked and upset' to hear of Mr Bradley's death and claimed . he would still be alive if the identities of Thompson and Jon Venables . were not a secret. Mrs Fergus said: 'What happened to Scott makes my blood run cold. 'I’m shocked and upset that he has apparently taken his own life. 'Whatever the rights and wrongs of this case, this is one that shows how dangerous it is to spread false rumours and gossip about something as serious as the identity of child killers.' She said: 'Sadly Scott’s death goes to show it is other people who are left to suffer as a result of the official conspiracy, lies and deceit that the authorities have used in this case.' A Dumfries and Galloway police spokesman said Mr Bradley's death was not being treated as suspicious. Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were just 10 years old when they abducted James Bulger from a shopping centre in Bootle in February 1993. The . pair walked the toddler several miles to a railway line in Walton, . where they tortured and killed him, leaving his body on a train line . where it was hit by a train. Denise Fergus, James Bulger's mother, said she was 'shocked and upset' to hear of Mr Bradley's death . The two-year-old's body was found two days later. Thompson and Venables were convicted of murder and served eight years in prison before being freed in 2001 and issued with secret new identities to protect them from vigilantes. Venables was recalled to prison in 2010 after downloading child pornography. He is set to remain in prison indefinitely for his own safety after revealing his true identity. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details . | Scott Bradley, 36, was found dead on Sunday after being hounded for months over false rumours that he was the child killer .
James Bulger's mother Denise Fergus says she is 'shocked and upset' to hear of Mr Bradley's death . |
0eca67abceb3ef3a8a4d76f701b674f8d5f0be6a | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 11:37 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:22 EST, 21 August 2013 . A Canadian extreme sportsman has died during a parachute jump in Italy's Dolomite mountains after he crashed between two rock towers, Italian rescuers said today. Mario Richard, 47, was jumping from a 1,000-meter (3,300-foot) peak in the Val di Fossa near Bolzano on Monday when he failed to clear a rock by three meters, said Gino Comelli, of the Alpine rescue service in Val di Fassa who was one of the rescuers at the scene. 'There are two mountain walls connected by a rock. Richard arrived three meters too low, on this rock. Then, he rolled over in a canal,' Comelli told The Associated Press. Mario Richard was doing a parachute jump in Italy's Dolomite mountains (Dolomites' Fiscalina valley near Bolzano, northern Italy, pictured) Richard was jumping with a group of Italians and Canadians, wearing a webbed wingsuit designed to provide extra lift for flight. He had already done three successful jumps from the same peak the previous day, Comelli said. Richard lived in Utah, where he helped run Moab B.A.S.E. Adventures. B.A.S.E. stands for Building, Antenna, Span, Earth – the different platforms used by jumpers. His remains were being held in the nearby town of Canazei, pending cremation and repatriation to the United States, according to Rita Marchetti from Canazei's city hall. Richard is the second well-known jumper to die in a week. Mark Sutton, the skydiver who parachuted into London's Olympic Stadium during the opening of London's 2012 Games, died Aug. 14 in Switzerland when he crashed into a rocky ridge. | Mario Richard, 47, was jumping from a 1,000 meter (3,300-foot) peak .
He had done three successful jumps from the same peak the previous day . |
0ecab2729f8780c71e7140e239eac8ddd5d127eb | Winning everything suits Paul Pogba. While France now look unrecognisable from the disgraced 2010 World Cup 'team', and regardless of what happens in Friday's quarter-final, will return home to an appreciative welcome, the Juventus ace will probably feel short-changed. That is simply his nature. The 21-year old fears no-one and backs himself, permanently and unreservedly. His single-mindedness has raised eyebrows, yet, given his spectacular rise and success, does not appear to have harmed him. The only way is up: Pogba points to the heavens after scoring in France's win against Nigeria . Eyes on the prize: Pogba follows the flight of the ball before looping a header to make it 1-0 . His headed goal against Nigeria last night is another step toward tightening his grip on his place in France's midfield, within a squad bursting with positivity. In many ways, the most exciting element now, for quarter-finalists France, is what the next tournament holds. A future under Didier Deschamps is tantalising with promise, punctuated by the younger and hugely motivated players. Moreover, this World Cup has proven those who are bursting onto the scene are capable of carving out victories, not just making individual impressions. Full flow: Pogba powers past Ogenyi Onazi during France's last-16 victory at Estadio Nacional . Technique: The midfielder forced Vincent Enyeama into making a fine stop from this well-struck volley . Mentor: World Cup winner and current France boss Didier Deschamps congratulates Pogba at full-time . There was room for both Pogba and benched Real Sociedad winger, Antoine Griezmann, to start. It wouldn't have been placing all unhatched eggs into one basket. Yet the eternally inconsistent, always either brilliant or thoroughly pedestrian, Olivier Giroud, started and not until the substitution could Karim Benzema rifle through the middle in his preferred position. Pogba may feel as if he were slightly isolated in the first half, but trebled his effort after the break and certainly didn't look at risk of receiving a second back-heel nutmeg from John Obi Mikel. The dynamic among individuals in France is curious. Giroud smiles, while aware of his dips in form. Benzema is rebuilding his own pride, slowly, the ache of having his dedication, and even ability, questioned during a goalless period for France which lasted 1,224 minutes, finally ending - after 58 shots – against Australia in October last year. Graceful: Pogba controls the ball brilliantly during Juventus' Europa League clash against Benfica . Formidable: At Juventus, Arturo Vidal and Pogba have formed an exceptional central-midfield partnership . Pogba is a talisman, buoyed by a solid two years – and two Scudetti – at Juve, adorned with a £60million price tag and reported keen interest from Chelsea. In a similar manner to how the phrase 'complete midfielder' has been bestowed on Monaco's Columbian James Rodriguez, it has been afforded to Pogba. Forward runs, technical ability and the well-handled assurance which comes from being both young and having played at the top level. Of course, the Under-20 World Cup winner is also a complete joy to watch. Curled free kicks into top netting are one thing, following that curve which, with Pogba, starts from a skip onto a moving ball and shifts into a volley is poetic. Let go: Pogba in action for United's youth team in an FA Youth Cup semi-final versus Chelsea . Stalled: But the Frenchman was given few first-team opportunities at Old Trafford by Sir Alex Ferguson . Then there's the love lost in England. While Manchester United fans will be looking in healthy anticipation to the fabulous Dutch master, Louis Van Gaal, channel-hopping through highlights of Pogba's artistry will perhaps grate. Having completed his transfer to Old Trafford in October 2009, Pogba went on to score seven goals in 21 appearances for the under-18 team, prompting Sir Alex Ferguson to promote him, alongside three other academy players, to the first team. Fergie saw his remarkable ability early on, tactically observing if Pogba were to have been held back, he would leave for another club. What he may not have accounted for, however, is how 'special treatment' is exactly why Pogba looked elsewhere. He signed for Juventus in summer 2012, complaining of how United had forced him to train alone, and somehow disrespected his status as 'an athlete, not a footballer'. Specimen: Pogba is tall, muscular and quick on the ball, making him a nightmare for his opponents . Powerful: Pogba has emerged as one of the most complete midfielders in Europe during his time in Serie A . Cynics, or perhaps just most of us, who fail to make this professional distinction, predicted another 'Le Sulk' in the making. Pogba's attitude was frequently a point of discussion, the prodigious talent criticised for what many saw as petulance and arrogance, but for Juventus boss Antonio Conte, demonstrated an iron-cast ambition. Conte praised Pogba for his response to picking up the Golden Boy award in December last year, Tuttosport's annual award for recognising the best Under-21 footballer in Europe. The player said he wanted to win 'everything', and some interpreted this as if the award were a tick in a box rather than an achievement to savour. What could have been: United let Pogba leave and now he has become a star for club and country . Conte, in a far more measured way than those who scrutinise each of Pogba's actions to deride, said it showed hunger and was certainly not disrespectful. What is seldom open for debate, is Pogba's pronounced domestic form. Few managers are in a position to guarantee first-team football during academy graduates' contract negotiations, therefore United fans shrugged him off. Maybe now, they wonder what could have been. | Midfielder scored first goal in France's 2-0 win over Nigeria in the last 16 .
He has flourished at Juventus after being allowed to leave United .
Despite his age he is also one of the first names on France's teamsheet .
He has been one of Les Bleus most impressive players at the World Cup . |
0ecb5df57aadd4db750cf6f869d3155063366362 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- A cache of e-mails believed lost when Michael Jackson's last manager's laptop disappeared could become key evidence in the wrongful death trial against AEG Live. Lawyers for Michael Jackson's mother and three children don't know what they'll find in Frank DiLeo's e-mails, but they are hoping it will support their contention that DiLeo was beholden to the concert promoter and not to Jackson. Jackson changed managers twice in the last three months of his life. In late March 2009, he hired Leonard Rowe -- one of his father's friends -- to replace Tohme Tohme, the manager who initially negotiated the deal with AEG for his "This Is It" tour. Jackson lawyers argue that AEG Live forced Jackson to take DiLeo, who had worked for him off and on for decades, as his manager in May 2009 because they did not want to work with Rowe. Their contention is part of their larger argument that AEG Live executives were liable for Jackson's death because they hired, retained or supervised Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter. AEG counters that it was Jackson who chose and hired Murray, not them. AEG lawyers argue that Jackson was responsible for his own death and that drug addiction led to his bad decisions. Choreographer: AEG considered pulling plug on Jackson's comeback . The coroner ruled his death, which came near the end of preparations for a series of comeback concerts, was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol that Murray was using to treat Jackson's insomnia. AEG Live contends its executives had no way of knowing the doctor was using propofol in the privacy of Jackson's bedroom. The Jacksons are seeking billions of dollars in damages, equal to what Michael Jackson might have earned if he had not died on June 25, 2009. The Los Angeles trial began three weeks ago and is expected to continue into July. The lawsuit contends AEG Live ignored warning signs about Jackson's health in his last weeks, and instead of getting him help they pressured Jackson and Murray to have him at rehearsals. DiLeo would have been part of that pressure, they contend. "Get him a bucket of chicken," DiLeo said on June 19, 2009, in reply to concerns about Jackson's weight loss, makeup artist Karen Faye testified last week. "It was such a cold response, it broke my heart," Faye said through tears. The next day -- June 20, 2009 -- DiLeo left a voice mail on Murray's cell phone. "I'm sure you're aware he had an episode last night. He's sick. Today's Saturday. Tomorrow, I'm on my way back. I'm not going to continue my trip. I think you need to get a blood test on him. We got to see what he's doing?" Wade Robson calls Jackson 'a pedophile' DiLeo's e-mails were recovered after what the judge called "a lot of red tape and kind of cloudiness," that included the AEG's lawyers also representing the estate of DiLeo, who died in 2011, in fighting the Jacksons' subpoena for them. "Because (DiLeo's widow) didn't have litigation counsel, we're representing her for the limited purposes of responding to that subpoena," AEG's lead lawyer, Marvin Putnam, told the judge. Soon after an Ohio court ordered DiLeo's estate to give his laptop and e-mails to the Jackson lawyers, the AEG lawyers -- in their other capacity representing the DiLeo estate -- reported that they could not locate the computer or e-mails. Jackson lawyers, however, learned that the DiLeo estate's previous lawyer -- Pennsylvania lawyer David Regoli -- kept a copy of the e-mail files. For the past several weeks, however, the AEG lawyers argued he had no authority to provide them to the Jacksons' lawyers for use in the case against AEG. But in a phone call to the court this week, Regoli said he advised DiLeo's widow, Linda DiLeo, that "in my opinion, it was a conflict" for AEG's lawyers -- from the Los Angeles firm O'Melveny and Myers -- to represent her in the matter. Witness: 'Everybody was lying' after Jackson died . "She said that she never signed anything with O'Melveny and Myers to authorize them to represent her, and as of this moment they are not representing her anymore," Regoli said. Linda DiLeo then rehired Regoli, which allows him to send the e-mails on to the Jacksons -- after removing any that are personal or not relevant to the case. "I think I can give the court my assurances that I'll go through the documents that I have and I'll go through the e-mails, and anything that is related to the subpoena, I would obviously turn over," Regoli said. As for the missing laptop, there was a simple explanation. Linda DiLeo "had told me her daughter had given it to a friend who needed a computer," Regoli said. "It wasn't a very new computer." While the Jackson lawyers wanted to explore how AEG's lawyers came to represent the DiLeo estate in Ohio, the judge declined exploring the matter. "All we know right now they're not representing her, and that's enough for us," Judge Yvette Palazuelos said. The trial's fourth week starts Monday morning with AEG's chief counsel, Shawn Trell, on the witness stand. Jackson lawyers are expected to grill him about the contract negotiations with Michael Jackson and Murray. Witness: Jackson was paranoid, talking to himself in last days . | Frank DiLeo's laptop couldn't be found after Jackson's lawyers subpoenaed it .
AEG's lawyers represented DiLeo's estate in the fight to stop the subpoena .
Another lawyer kept a copy of the manager's e-mail file .
Jackson lawyers argue AEG forced Michael Jackson to take DiLeo as his manager . |
0ecc4ee1eb0065271e3f32a1bb7b56a19def5b71 | Britain's most pernicious invasive plant, Japanese knotweed, may have finally met its match in a two millimetre-long insect . It has plagued gardeners for decades and affected thousands of house sales because of its ability to grow more than 9ft in just ten weeks. But Britain's most pernicious invasive plant, Japanese knotweed, may have finally met its match in a two millimetre-long insect. Research on Aphalara itadori, a psyllid or plant louse similar to aphids, has established that it inhibits the growth of the knotweed and poses no risk to native species, including the plant's close relative rhubarb. Scientists at CABI, formerly Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International, announced that they have also succeeded in getting the insect to survive through British winters. Dr Kate Constantine, from CABI, said: 'The results confirmed the psyllid to be a high-specialised natural enemy of Japanese knotweed. The challenge now is to get the psyllid to establish in the natural environment which, as for any programme of this type, isn't easy.' Tens of thousands of specially bred lice were placed on knotweed at eight locations in England and Wales as part of the research. This was the first time the release of an alien insect species had been authorised in the European Union. The study found the insect would feed on the sap of the knotweed, inhibiting its growth - but it failed to breed on any of 90 other native British species, meaning that they would face no threat from the insect. Scientists say the number of colonies that have successfully over-wintered remains too small to be certain that the bug could widely establish itself in Britain. But if it does, they believe the bug will allow natural order to slowly reassert itself and knotweed could eventually be seen as just a 'mild nuisance'. Writing in The Ecologist, Dr Constantine said: 'A more natural equilibrium is restored. Biological control doesn't aim to eradicate the target plant, but rather to reduce its vigour and invasiveness. Keeping the invasive plant in check ideally allows native plants to re-establish and flourish.' Scroll down for video . Research on Aphalara itadori, a psyllid or plant louse similar to aphids, has established that it inhibits the growth of Japanese knotweed . Elizabeth Abraham's house lost half its value because Japanese knotweed started taking over the back garden . The Government last year faced calls to do more to tackle the invader following reports that banks were refusing to offer mortgages on properties affected by knotweed. Homeowners faced bills of up to £20,000 to remove the prolific foreign invader before they could sell. Earlier this year, Elizabeth Abraham's house lost half its value because Japanese knotweed started taking over the back garden. The 91-year-old was told the house in Swansea, which was expected to be valued at £80,000, will not sell for more than £45,000 because of the untamed wild weed. The destructive bamboo-like plant has flourished across the country and the Government estimates it would take £1.5billion to clear the infestation. It can grow more than 9ft in just ten weeks, and easily spreads from neighbouring homes, wasteland, waterways, railway lines or footpaths. Its extensive deep roots can penetrate roads, concrete, damage foundations and drains. Japanese knotweed - which has the scientific name fallopia japonica - was introduced into Britain by the Victorians. Incredibly invasive, it can grow four inches (ten centimetres) in a day from April to October and a tiny root can establish itself as a plant in just ten days. Apparently solid structures such as tarmac and flooring in houses are no barrier to its growth and the weed also creates a risk of flooding if leaves clog waterways. Knotweed is recognised by its shovel-shaped leaves, bamboo-like stem and white flowers produced in autumn. | Scientists have found an insect which inhibits growth of Japanese knotweed .
Aphalara itadori poses no risk to other species, meaning it could be released .
Scientists were able to keep the insect alive throughout the winter .
This is the first time biological control of a weed has been allowed . |
0ecc95739d6ca84c7a415f363f130500424610eb | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:50 EST, 31 August 2011 . Beyonce's bump reveal at the end of her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards sparked a new Twitter record. As Beyonce finished performing Love On Top at 10:35 p.m. EDT on Sunday night, there were 8,868 tweets per second. Twitter said that rate was a record for the social media service. Beyonce's bump rub sparked a Twitter frenzy, with a record-breaking 8,868 tweets being sent out a second at 10:35 pm Sunday night . The cameras skipped between Beyonce and her beaming husband Jay-Z, who was accepting congratulations in the audience, during moments of social media fury . At the end of her performance, Beyonce unbuttoned her sequinned purple blazer to reveal her burgeoning bump, cupping and rubbing her tummy through her maternity tuxedo trousers. The 29-year-old singer is married to Jay-Z, 41, who was shown in the audience receiving hugs and back slaps from friend Kanye West as his wife's belly made its debut. The previous record of 7,196 tweets per second was set in July during the end of the Women’s World Cup final, when the U.S.A. lost a penalty shoot out. And Beyonce's bump didn't just break Twitter records. The VMAs drew MTV's biggest audience since the network began measuring its viewership and Sunday night's show attracted 12.4 million viewers. | The previous record of 7,196 tweets pre second was set during the Women's World Cup final . |
0ecd4af9312b07986ce4173f28e89b8b1f222171 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Ap . PUBLISHED: . 21:07 EST, 30 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:08 EST, 30 July 2013 . The ongoing spat over national security spending between Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reached a fever pitch on Tuesday, with Paul referring to the plus-sized Christie as 'the king of bacon.' 'This is the king of bacon talking about bacon,' Paul told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Both are considered potential 2016 contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. Paul's remark was in response to Christie's comments earlier in the day that Paul brings millions in 'pork' spending back to his home state of Kentucky. How Rude! Senator Rand Paul called Chris Christie - the plus-sized governor of New Jersey - 'the king of bacon' 'So if Senator Paul wants to start looking at where he's going to cut . spending to afford defense, maybe he should start cutting the pork . barrel spending that he brings home to Kentucky,' Christie told reporters . Christie last week criticized Paul’s opposition to warrantless federal surveillance programs, saying it harmed efforts to prevent terrorism. Paul told reporters after speaking at a fundraiser outside Nashville on Sunday that Christie’s position hurts GOP chances in national elections, and that spending priorities of critics like the governor and Rep. Peter King of New York do more to harm national security. 'They’re precisely the same people who are unwilling to cut the spending, and their "Gimme, gimme, gimme — give me all my Sandy money now.’” Paul said, referring to federal funding after the hurricane last year. 'Those are the people who are bankrupting the government and not letting enough money be left over for national defense.' The king: Christie has been struggling with his weight for years and recently underwent gastric band surgery . King in a phone interview late Sunday called Paul’s criticism of Sandy aid 'indefensible.' 'This was absolutely life or death money that was essential to New York and New Jersey,' King said. Christie, at a forum in Colorado on Thursday, pointed to a 'strain of libertarianism' coursing through both parties as a 'very dangerous thought' more than a decade after the Sept. 11 attacks. Christie was asked whether he was referring to Paul, a fellow potential Republican presidential candidate who has been at the forefront of the party’s libertarian wing. 'You can name any number of people and he’s one of them,' said Christie. 'These esoteric, intellectual debates — I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and the orphans and have that conversation. And they won’t, because that’s a much tougher conversation to have.' War of words: Christie and Paul have been feuding for weeks about Paul's libertarian leanings . Paul on Sunday rejected arguments that the National Security Agency’s collection of hundreds of millions of U.S. phone and Internet records is necessary to prevent terrorism. 'I don’t mind spying on terrorists,' he said. 'I just don’t like spying on all Americans.' Paul said the issue resonates particularly with young people, a key demographic Republicans need to attract in order to succeed in national elections. 'If you talk about some privacy issues like that, I think you will find youth coming to you,' said Paul, who said his own decision on whether to run for president won’t come until next year. King called that argument misguided. 2016: Both Christie and Paul are considered to be potential presidential candidates for the 2016 election . 'When it comes to national defense, we shouldn’t be pandering to any demographic,' he said. 'We need to do what’s best for the country.' Messages left with Christie’s office late Sunday were not immediately returned. As for the back and forth with Christie, Paul said he wasn’t the one itching for a fight. 'I didn’t start this one, and I don’t plan on starting things by criticizing other Republicans,' he said. 'But if they want to make me the target, they will get it back in spades.' | Both men are considered to be potential presidential candidates in the 2016 election .
Christie said earlier in the day that Paul brings millions of dollars in 'pork' spending to his home state of Kentucky .
Christie last week criticized Paul’s .
opposition to warrantless federal surveillance programs, saying it .
harmed efforts to prevent terrorism . |
0ecd935b9ef15395d26742b52fc1b585eb7f9601 | PUBLISHED: . 13:31 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:28 EST, 2 December 2013 . A father and son have created their own DIY Stonehenge with seven foot stones on their family farm. The stone arrangement, which includes rocks weighing up to two tonnes, was erected by Tom Mason and his son Richard on their estate in Rothbury, Northumberland. But the history enthusiasts have been bombarded by confused tourists asking which century the arrangement dates back to after they put the stones on display six months ago. Unique garden display: Tom Mason and his son Richard have built their very own Stonehenge on the grounds of their family farm in Rothbury, Northumberland . Richard said: 'Quite often we’d come back from work and there would be a walker stood there, looking at his Ordenance Survey map, scratching his head. 'We’d stop and have a bit of a chat and they’d ask if this was an ancient place of worship. I’d say my ancestors built it - my father put it up six months ago. 'Both my father and I have a real interest in local history and my headmaster was well-known rock art expert, Stan Beckinsall. 'Every single lesson he would revert back to talking about stone circles, so I blame him for my interest.' Unusual: Tourists visiting Rothbury, Northumberland, have been left baffled by the display . Richard and Tom have received calls and . emails from history societies across the country, who have been . questioned by tourists over the historical nature of the stones. 'To the untrained eye the stones could be mistaken for being a lot older,' said Richard. 'But when you look closely you can tell they’ve been quarried in the last few years.' As early as 3300 BC, arrangements of standing stones began to be erected around Britain. The most famous is Stonehenge in Wiltshire. But contrary to popular belief, Stonehenge was not built by the Druids. It is believed that construction of Stonehenge started in 2600 BC and was completed in 2000 BC. Heavy work: Some of the stones are up to seven feet tall and weigh up to two tonnes . But some more outlandish theorists claim . the stones are UFO landing pads or observatories for a highly evolved . class of astronomer priests. All experts agree that stone circles are of pre-Christian date, but beyond that stone circles have proven difficult to date accurately. Dubbed Rothbury’s very own Stonehenge, Richard says his stone circle has a number of fundamental differences to the famous World Heritage Site. He said: 'We’ve got no objections to people asking if they can sit on the stones, have a cup of tea, and eat their picnics. 'My friends who own farms nearby and have a sense of humour like myself, quite fancy a stone circle for themselves.' | Tom Mason and his son Richard have created their own Stonehenge .
They laid out the seven foot stones on their farm in Northumberland .
Passersby have been left baffled by the stone arrangement . |
0ecdd480f6415558bc2ddd4da2c925dd26dd3ddd | By . Andrea Magrath for MailOnline . If you're thinking of taking a UK staycation next year, you'll want to book well in advance for any of these properties. Conde Nast Traveller has released the results its annual Readers’ Travel Awards, naming the top 20 holiday hotels in the country. Chewton Glen in Hampshire climbed five spots from number six to claim first place, while Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire dropped to number two, and Babington House in Somerset slid down one place to round out the top three. Above us only sky: Chewton Glen Hotel, on the edge of the New Forest, has been voted best hotel in Britain . There is just one new entry, London's Soho Hotel, among the usual suspects in the top ten. In terms of locations, London was named the UK’s favourite city for the fourth year running, favouredparticularly for its nightlife. However Brighton, whilst in fifth position overall, walked away with the inaugural Best UK City for Restaurants and Bars award. Edinburgh once again took the number two spot overall, and Bath is in third place with the city being awarded the highest score for its architecture. Cambridge, in sixth place, came top for culture, just ahead of rival Oxford, while Glasgow, in ninth position, was voted the most welcoming city. Anyone for croquet? Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire takes second place . Gidleigh Park, a country house hotel with a a two Michelin Star restaurant headed up by chef Michael Caines, was listed in the top 20 . When it comes tor staying abroad, New York beat Paris for a second year to take the coveted top overseas city title thanks to high scores for both nightlife and places to stay. For the fourth year running Italy was voted favourite country, gaining top sores for both food and culture. However the friendliest people and best places to stay can be found in the USA, according to the poll, while the first award for Best Overseas City for Restaurants and Bars went to Sydney. As for . hotels, Chewton Glen in Hampshire was voted top for service, while . runner up Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire appealed for its . food, voters revealed. Babington House in Somerset came a close third after being considered top drawer for design. Kate's favourite: The Goring continues to represent the epitome of traditional British luxury . French chateau style: Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire boasts three championship golf courses . 11. Coworth Park, Berkshire 12. Calcot Manor, Oxfordshire 13. Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire14. The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh 15. The Wheatsheaf Inn, Gloucestershire16. Gidleigh Park, Devon17. The Scarlet, Cornwall 18. The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath 19. Covent Garden Hotel, London 20. The Idle Rocks, Cornwall . 1. Chewton Glen, Hampshire . The luxury country house hotel is a favourite weekend retreat in the New Forest for Londoners, with a multi-award winning spa. 2. Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire . Raymond Blanc's 32-room Oxfordshire hotel is the ultimate gastronomic getaway, holding two Michelin stars. 3. Babington House, Somerset . Part of the ultra cool Soho House group, Babington House pairs city comfort with countryside design. 4. Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall . A cluster of houses by the seaside in picturesque St Mawes in Cornwall. The hotel is in a converted yachtsmen's club. 5. The Pig, Hampshire . Palm trees and sunshine: Hotel Tresanton in Cornwall took fourth position in the Conde Naste list . Hidden charms: The Barnsley House Hotel in Gloucestershire has beautiful gardens for visitors . Just outside the top 10: The 18th century Coworth Park Hotel in Berkshire . Elemental my dear traveller: The Scarlet Hotel, at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall . 6. The Goring, London . Also known as the hotel in which Kate Middleton stayed the night before her wedding, The Goring continues to be the epitome of traditional British luxury. 7. Lime Wood, Hampshire . Beautifully designed Lime Wood sits in the heart of the New Forest. Private cottage hideaways ensure guests can enjoy a tranquil stay. Early morning dip: Lucknam Park Country House Hotel in Wiltshire was placed at number 13 . Imposing: The Balmoral Hotel on Princes Street in Edinburgh is a traditional favourite . Opulent: Covent Garden Hotel in London makes a new entry onto the list . 8. Barnsley House, Gloucestershire . Laid-back . Barnsley house allows visitors to feel at home at its 18-room retreat . in the Cotswolds. The beautiful gardens are reason enough to visit. 9. The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire . The French chateau style hotel in the heart of Scotland is home to three championship golf courses within its 850 acres. 10. The Soho Hotel, London . Right . in the heart of vibrant Soho, this Firmdale hotel features quirky rooms . with splashes of colour and a chic bar and restaurant in which to . unwind. | Chewton Glen in Hampshire climbs five spots to claim top UK hotel .
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons drops from first to second spot .
Hotels voted the best in the country by Conde Nast readers . |
0eceb58eb7d31bff7e776af119833eae069d4685 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 10:49 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:53 EST, 10 January 2013 . Guilty: Majid Hussain is pictured arriving at Exeter Crown Court. Mr Hussain, who was found guilty of falsely claiming at least £35,000 in benefits, was handed a nine month suspended sentence . An Iraqi immigrant who falsely claimed at least £35,000 in benefits has been spared jail today. Majid Hussain claimed income support, housing benefit and a council tax reduction for more than a decade - despite having more than £35,000 stashed away in a bank account. He had denied three counts of benefit fraud but was found guilty at Exeter Crown Court. Hussain walked free from court however, when he was handed a nine month suspended sentence. The court had heard during the trial how Hussain, of Exeter in Devon, arrived in the UK as a mature student in the 1980s funded by Saddam Hussein's government. He was left around £18,000 by his father but said that the money had been put into a Royal Bank of Scotland account for use as a trust fund to pay for his children's education. But the unemployed 62-year-old signed forms saying that he did not have any undeclared savings when claiming benefits . He said that under Sharia law he did not consider the money to belong to him. While claiming benefits, the account grew to be worth £36,000. Hussain, who has never worked since he arrived in the UK, received at least £35,000 in benefits between 1997 and 2010 - though the precise figure can never be determined because records do not go back far enough. The father of four stopped receiving income support after the existence of the account was revealed in 2010 - at which point he immediately began withdrawing money from it. However, he is still receiving disability living allowance because he suffers from Crohn's Disease, kidney problems and muscle pain. The jury was given a dossier of forms signed by the defendant in which he declared that neither he nor any of his children - aged between nine and 18 - had any savings affecting the means test for their benefits. His defence statement read: 'He did not notify the DWP of some of the money under his control because it was left to him on strict Islamic terms by a relative for the sole use of his children. 'In accordance with Islamic belief and law, there was no possibility or option for it ever to be used for his own use and as such there was no intention to deceive.' Sentenced: Majid Hussain claimed he did nothing wrong because he was acting under the rule of Islamic law . Testifying in court yesterday, Hussain said: 'I read the Koran and in the Koran it commands you to honour your parents. 'You have to respect them. In the Koran we call them the "Second God".' He continued: 'I have an article of the Koran here - it says, "Allah commands you to render back your trust to those to whom they are due and not to break your oath. For Allah knows all that you do." 'That's what we've been taught - always obey your parents. I was just going to keep the money for my children and not touch it. I had no right to the money.' He added that his father had 'worked so hard' to save the money he gave his son, working in heat of up to 56C (133F). Hussain initially told investigators he had saved the money from the scholarship he received from the Iraqi government while studying at the University of Exeter from 1986 to 1996, according to prosecutor Gareth Evans. When an official asked him if he knew his benefits would be withdrawn if he had declared the account, he said 'yes', the court heard. Home: The defendant has lived in the UK since moving from Iraq as a mature student in the 1980s . He then allegedly started withdrawing large sums of money from the RBS account, reducing it by £24,000 over seven months. Mr Evans told jurors: 'I am afraid that his declarations that he had no bank accounts or savings with his wife or any children he was claiming for was a lie. 'If he would have disclosed this account then he would not have been entitled to benefits at all. 'He has been dishonest claiming his benefits, he knew that he should have declared the account and he failed to do so dishonestly in order to claim benefits.' Sentencing Hussain, Recorder Paul Dunkels QC said: 'The jury rejected that this money was held in trust for your children's education. 'The (benefit) forms you filled in when making your claims made it perfectly clear that you had a duty to tell the authorities (of the money). 'The real extent of how much money (paid in benefits) can never be obtained because your fraud has gone on for such a long period of time.' He made no order for costs, although confiscation proceedings are expected to be taken against Hussain. | Unemployed Majid Hussain given money by father to spend on his children .
Did not declare bank account because 'under Islamic law money was not his'
Came to Britain as student funded by Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government .
He was handed a nine month sentence suspended for two years . |
0eceb74253cbb01c34167d38fa9845c44b1d3af7 | By . Richard Spillett . TV presenters are prepared to handle all kinds of bizarre events when they broadcast live from an outdoor location. But BBC Breakfast's Carol Kirkwood could have been forgiven for thinking a weather report from a deserted beach in West Sussex would go off without a hitch. The weather presenter was, however, given a nasty surprise when a cheeky Labrador popped into view and took a pee in the sea behind her. Scroll down for video . BBC Breakfast's Carol Kirkwood was broadcasting live from a beach this morning when the dog appeared . Hosts Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin burst into laughter as the pet animal relieved itself in the background . Carol was delivering a live weather report this morning from the beach at West Wittering in Sussex when the black dog appeared. The animal crouched behind the unwitting presenter and had a pee before calmly trotting off, completely unaware that its antics had been broadcast to the nation. Staff working back at the BBC burst into laughter and hosts Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin struggled to compose themselves. Both presenters warned Kirkwood not to turn around and she joked: 'Upstaged by a dog, it is the story of my life.' The weather presenter was initially unaware what was happening behind her and carried on with the weather . But she burst into laughter after show producers told her that the cheeky dog had stolen the limelight . Staff in the BBC's studio struggled to contain their laughter after the incident, which happened before 8:30am . | BBC weather presenter was broadcasting live from a beach in West Sussex .
Black Labrador appeared in background half way through and relieved itself .
Carol carries on, unaware of view, but hosts erupt into laughter in studio .
Weather presenter then joked: 'Upstaged by a dog, it is the story of my life' |
0ecee0355d7598be0af73f8faa1bbf16b997f184 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:58 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:05 EST, 22 January 2014 . Legal battle: Terry Marley won a Supreme Court ruling today allowing him share of his adoptive parents' fortune . A man won a legal fight over a £70,000 inheritance today when the Supreme Court ruled that a will containing a 'clerical error' should be rectified. Terry Marley had lost challenges in the High Court and Court of Appeal. But five justices in the Supreme Court ruled in his favour today after a hearing in London. Judges heard that Mr Marley, now in his 50s, was taken in as a teenager by Alfred and Maureen Rawlings, and they treated him 'as their son' even though they were not related. They were told that Mr and Mrs Rawlings - who lived in Biggin Hill, Kent - had made wills in identical terms in 1999. Both agreed that Mr Marley should inherit after they had both died. But each had mistakenly signed the other’s will after an 'oversight' by a solicitor. Mrs Rawlings died in 2003 and the mistake came to light after Mr Rawlings died in 2006. The couple’s natural sons, Terry and Michael Rawlings, challenged the validity of their father’s will. They argued that the will was invalid and that their father had died intestate - therefore they should inherit. A court fight had started and a judge had ruled against Mr Marley - saying Mr Rawlings’ will did not comply with terms of the 1837 Wills Act and could not be rectified. The Court of Appeal had agreed. Victory: Five justices in the Supreme Court, pictured, today ruled a 'clerical error' which prevented Mr Marley from inheriting money from his adoptive parents should be corrected (Stock picture) But the Supreme Court disagreed - after analysing evidence at a hearing in December. One justice, Lord Neuberger - President of the Supreme Court - said the solicitor’s 'muddling' of the wills could legally be classified as a 'clerical error' and the mistake could be rectified. President of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, pictured, said the solicitor's 'muddling' of the wills could legally be classified as a 'clerical error' A legal expert said the Supreme Court had taken a 'common-sense' approach and made an important decision. 'The Supreme Court has taken a common sense approach to interpreting wills in the same way commercial contracts have been treated for over 40 years,' said Matthew Duncan, head of private client practice at law firm Kingsley Napley. 'The law has traditionally been generous in finding ways to fix errors in contracts. The Supreme Court saw no reason why the same principles should not apply to wills. 'Lord Neuberger was very clear that he would go as far as the letter of the law would allow in making sure Mr Rawlings’ wishes were carried out.' He added: 'Today’s judgment is important because the concept of ‘clerical error’ has now been a given a wider meaning by the Supreme Court. 'To date, it was thought only typing errors could be fixed. 'This has now been extended to include mistakes arising from office work of a routine nature such as preparing, filing, sending, and organising the actual execution of a will.' | Terry Marley was adopted by Alfred and Maureen Rawlings .
Couple made identical wills bequeathing some of their fortune to Mr Marley .
But each had mistakenly signed the other’s will after an 'oversight'
Their natural sons challenged the validity of the will in 2006 . |
0ecf914ec26f2b0690d61fb48d84a46bd07e791e | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 05:53 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:30 EST, 12 September 2013 . A sickening video captures the moment when a have-a-go hero was hit in the head and face with a machete when he tried to fight off a gang during an attempted robbery. Milton Tharmalingam was beaten with a heavy metal chain and then slashed across the head and face during the attack in a Merseyside shop. The 36-year-old shop worker was left staggering around SRE M News and Wine in Litherland, with blood pouring from a gaping head wound. Scroll down for video . The group burst into the store in Litherland, with two wearing skeleton masks, and were confronted by Milton Tharmalingam (right) The gang burst into the shop at about 10pm on Sunday. Two of the men wore skeleton-style masks and wielded heavy steel chains . MiltonTharmalingam can be seen trying to block the thugs who stormed into the shop and beat him . The gang burst into the shop at about 10pm on Sunday. Two of the men wore skeleton-style masks and wielded heavy steel chains. Shocking CCTV footage shows Mr Tharmalingam bravely fighting with the gang. He can be seen rushing at them and grappling with them, before throwing himself at the group. He is thrown to the floor and is thrashed with chains by the gang, who surround him and appear to hit and stomp on him. A second member of staff then comes to his rescue and throws a stepladder across the shop at the gang as Milton lies on the floor. In desperation the brave shopworker throws himself onto the gang of armed men in a bid to stop them . MrTharmalingam was thrown to the floor and beaten with a heavy metal chain and then slashed across the head and face . Milton Tharmalingam, 36, suffered a serious wound to his head after being attacked with a machete . At this point the gang decide to abandon the raid, although one of the men then attacks Milton with the machete. The CCTV footage shows the thug . lifting the machete into the air and bringing it down on his face and . head as the gang flee empty-handed. Milton said: 'The chains were very thick and heavy. One of them was left behind, which we passed to the police. 'My back is still marked from the beating. I did not know they had a machete too, that is why I jumped on them.' A shocked customer helped Milton after the attack and phoned the emergency services. Milton was taken to Fazakerley hospital by ambulance where he spent the night. He now has ten stitches in his forehead and a scar on his face. Canagasabai Sritharan, who owns SRE M News and Wine, said: 'Both members of staff in the shop at the time are heroes. But I have told them that they need to put their own safety first next time. 'I bought the shop in 2005 and we were trouble free until the last couple of years. 'We had a knife raid about 13 months ago, when my wife was behind the counter. She found the ordeal very upsetting. A second member of staff then comes to his rescue and throws a stepladder across the shop at the gang as Milton lies on the floor . At this point the gang decide to abandon the raid, although one of the men then attacks Milton with the machete . 'I think we need more CCTV cameras on this road. A neighbouring business was held up by a gunman last December. 'But I will continue trading. This shop is my family’s livelihood. It is all we have.' An hour before the raid four masked men burst into the Nisa Local store on Park Lane in Netherton. Two members of the gang entered the back office and forced a worker to hand over cash at knife point. He thrust a large kitchen knife toward the woman’s face and then flashed it inches from her face when he was leaving. Police said the two incidents could be linked because of the short time and distance between them. The four offenders are described as white and were wearing mainly dark clothing. | Milton Tharmalingam was beaten with a chain and slashed with a machete .
Shop worker was trying to protect store in Litherland from armed trio .
Hero was thrown to the floor, beaten with chains and slashed with machete .
Co-worker rushed to help by throwing a stepladder at vicious thugs . |
0ecfeafe248b0cbe64f80f8b549ab12b6676de8c | Christopher Pyne has denied 'harassing' senators in order to get them to support his higher education reforms, insisting that he holds an 'excellent relationship' with the Senate's crossbenchers. Palmer United Party Senator Glenn Lazarus accused the Education Minister of pestering him and others in a statement on Tuesday, saying he'd been 'inundated with text messages from Christopher Pyne' despite having never given him his mobile number. But Mr Pyne dismissed the accusations, suggesting that the 'seven or eight' messages he'd sent Senator Lazarus were entirely acceptable and telling ABC's 7.30 Report that he would be 'happy to send him more'. Scroll down for video . Education Minister Christopher Pyne has denied that he was 'harassing' Palmer United Party Senator Glenn Lazarus in order to gain his support for his higher education reforms package . 'Senator Lazarus is the only crossbench senator who has refused to meet with me to discuss these reforms, so the only avenue he's left to me to be able to communicate with him, besides letters, is SMS,' Mr Pyne told ABC reporter Leigh Sales. He then added: 'I hope you didn't mind the fact that I sent him a Christmas card today, Leigh, I'm sure he won't.' 'I would have sent him seven or eight texts and I'm happy to send him more texts.' Mr Pyne claimed that Mr Lazarus told a reporter he was happy for the Education Minister to send him 'as many texts as he wanted' after the post had been published, saying: 'I'm as confused as the next person about Senator Lazarus wanting me to send him texts or not'. 'I would have sent him seven or eight texts and I'm happy to send him more texts,' Mr Pyne told ABC's 7:30 . ABC journalist Leigh Sales, pointed Mr Pyne's ironic slip when pronouncing the name of cross bencher Zhenya 'Dio' Wang who he insisted he had an 'excellent relationship' with. He later scolded her, instructing her to study a bachelor of political science after being asked about the frequency of which he met with the crossbenchers . The Minister also made an ironic slip when pronouncing the name of cross bencher Zhenya 'Dio' Wang while insisting he had an 'excellent relationship' with him - a mistake that was quickly pointed out by Ms Sales. 'Well some people pronounce it Wang, some people pronounce it Wong; it depends where you are on the spectrum. But if you wish to pick me up on that Leigh, that's a very small thing and I'm surprised you'd bother with it. Never the less, Dio and I are good friends and I will continue to try and get their support,' he replied to the quip. Clearly put-off by the slip, Mr Pyne then scolded Ms Sales, instructing her to study a bachelor of political science after being asked about the frequency of which he met with the crossbenchers and the quality of the relationships they shared. 'I have met with some of the crossbenchers many, many times – in fact I've met with some of them six or seven or eight times, but I'm not going to go through the day-to-day machinations of how government works, Leigh,' he said. War of words. 'Christopher Pyne is embarrassing himself and needs to stop harassing me,' said Senator Glenn Lazarus of the Palmer United Party . 'You can go and study that at university if you wish to, in a bachelor of political science. The reality is that I'm working closely with the cross bench, I secured four of their votes today and I'll be back at it again tomorrow with a new reform bill.' The higher education reforms, which include a reduction in government funding and permit universities to set their own fees, were rejected by the Senate on Tuesday night with a vote of 33-31. Senators Lazarus and Wang were amongst those who voted against the bill, alongside independents Nick Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie and the Labor and the Greens parties. 'I have never given Christopher Pyne my mobile phone number,' said Senator Lazarus before the reforms were rejected by the Senate on Tuesday night . Mr Lazarus, who is the Leader of the Senate for PUP, claimed Mr Pyne had been virtually begging him to support the higher education reforms and urged him to stop his 'desperation'. 'Christopher Pyne is embarrassing himself and needs to stop harassing me and other cross benchers,' said Senator Glenn Lazarus. 'I am being inundated with text messages from Christopher Pyne virtually begging me to support the Abbott Government's higher education reforms. 'I have never given Christopher Pyne my mobile phone number.' The Senator claimed that Christopher Pyne's office and other Abbott Government ministers have been in constant contact with his office and those of other cross-benchers 'offering all sorts of deals and incentives to get our support for the higher education reforms'. Education Minister Christopher Pyne insists that 'let's be clear: there is no viable alternative to these reforms' But Senator Lazarus insisted that, 'I won't be bought and I am not prepared to horse trade'. 'It is clear that the Abbott Government is so desperate they will stoop to any level to win support. 'The majority of Australians do not want increased education costs. 'The higher education reforms are nothing more than a sinister Abbott Government budget cutting measure. 'The Abbott Government's higher education reforms are bad to the core and will only significantly reduce funding to universities which in turn will significantly increase the cost of higher education in Australia.' Senator Lazarus went on to doubt whether Christopher Pyne will retain the education portfolio in the next year and insisted that 'Palmer United will be voting down the higher education reforms'. Senator Glenn Lazarus says he doubts that Christopher Pyne, pictured here talking with the Prime Minister, will retain the education portfolio in the new year . With Labor and the Greens opposing the changes, the government would need support from 6 of the 8 cross-bench senators. Mr Pyne stated that: 'In the final week of Parliament for 2014 the Government is urging the Senate to pass the vital higher education reforms to secure the future of our universities and spread opportunity to more Australians.' 'Without these changes our universities will be condemned to a slow decline – losing their competitive edge in our region and internationally. 'Let's be clear: there is no viable alternative to these reforms.' | Glenn Lazarus accused the Minister of 'harassing' him and other crossbenchers in order to gain their support for higher education reforms .
Mr Pyne defended himself by saying Mr Lazarus was the only crossbencher who had refused to meet with him for discussions, forcing him to text .
The Senator claimed Mr Pyne is 'embarrassing himself' after being 'inundated with text messages .. virtually begging me to support reforms'
The reforms were rejected by the Senate on Tuesday night with a vote of 33-31, with Senators Lazarus amongst those who voted against the bill . |
0ed02729e32d3c345c953ba52ecba9fd2dfc73f3 | Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus honored a Nevada teacher killed by a 12-year-old student in a schoolyard shooting last year, calling him a 'true American hero.' Cyrus praised Michael Landsberry and presented a memorial plaque to his widow, Sharon, during a concert Saturday night in Incline Village, a Nevada community on north shore of Lake Tahoe. Police say Landsberry, a 45-year-old ex-Marine, tried to talk the shooter, 12-year-old Jose Reyes, into turning over the handgun before he was shot in the chest Oct. 21 at a middle school in the Reno suburb of Sparks. The student wounded two classmates before taking his life. Hero: Billy Ray Cyrus meets with the widow of Michael Landsberry, whom the country star lauded as a hero on Saturday . 'Tonight we are here to honor a true American hero,' Cyrus told a crowd of over 1,000. 'Michael Landsberry made the ultimate sacrifice to save his students after serving three terms in Afghanistan.' Cyrus said Landsberry also represented the courage of the Vietnam veteran honored in his patriotic song, Some Gave All. With a large photograph of Landsberry in the background and the math teacher's widow on stage, Cyrus led the crowd in singing the song. Cyrus said he was moved by the story of Landsberry's actions in the school shooting and decided to recognize him when offered a chance to perform at Lake Tahoe. He and his father, Ronald Ray Cyrus, made similar presentations honoring American heroes for more than a decade, and this marked the first time the country star has done so since his father's 2006 death. 'Just about every year, my dad and I would find an unsung hero and present them with a Some Gave All' award,' he told The Associated Press. 'I kind of play everything by ear, and I thought sometime when the time is right, I would love to recognize the sacrifice Michael made,' he continued. Marine: Landsberry, a former Marine, tried to get Jose Reyes to put the gun down before the 12-year-old killer fatally shot him . Sharon Landsberry thanked Cyrus and said his tribute moved her and their two daughters, Alisa Cook, 25, and Andrea Cook, 18. Alisa Cook also attended the concert, while Andrea Cook offered a videotaped message from an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, where she serves in the Marines. 'We all love him today. ... He lives within all of us,' Sharon Landsberry said of her husband. Cyrus, who rose to fame in 1992 with the hit song Achy Breaky Heart, also gave her a 'financial gift.' The amount was not disclosed. Interviews with Reyes' parents, teachers and classmates and the boy's own writings paint a portrait of a child troubled by depression and feelings of inadequacy at home and tormented by a school life in which he was mocked, teased and mistreated. Some warning signs were there. His father had taken him to a psychotherapist just three days before the shooting and the doctor proscribed an antidepressant after the boy told of being teased at school, called 'gay' and accused of peeing in his pants. His mother had done research on autism after Jose showed signs of it. 'True American hero': Cyrus mentioned Landsberry's three tours in Afghanistan when honoring the 'true American hero' A look at his phone and his video viewing habits was more troubling. In addition to phone images of the two teens who committed suicide after killing 13 at Colorado's Columbine High School in 1999, Sparks Police Chief Brian Allen said Tuesday investigators found searches on the Reyes family laptop in both July and October for 'Super Columbine Massacre Role Playing Game.' Forty-seven of the 69 video games in the boy's collection were 'violent themed first-person shooter or shooter type games' such as Grand Theft Auto V, Assassins Creed and Call of Duty 4. The youth who had wrestled with speech problems since kindergarten, who students told police been called 'stupid' and/or 'retard' in the hallways and poked by others in the side, tried to explain in separate suicide notes that offer insight and contradiction. In one to 'teachers and students,' Allen said the boy 'clearly expressed anger ... over his belief that he was embarrassed and mistreated at school' and 'indicated he would get revenge.' Reyes wrote that he'd been called gay, lazy, stupid, an idiot, had his money stolen and been accused of wetting his pants. Killer: 12-year-old Jose Reyes showed several signs that he was capable of violence - investigators discovered the boy's admiration for the Columbine High School killers . 'Well that all ends. Today I will get revenge on the students and teachers for ruining my life,' he wrote, adding that he would bring a pistol and rifle to school 'to shoot you and see how you like it when someone (sic) making fun of you.' 'Have a great death at school," he said on the one-page note of spiral notebook paper he closed with a drawing of a tombstone that read: 'Sparks Middle School 1965-2013.' But in the second contradictory note to his parents, he said 'this shooting is not because of the shooting games, bullying or other stuff.' He said it was because 'some bad things in the past cause of me.' 'And now I'm just a monster,' Reyes wrote. 'If you hate me and my family doesn't love me it's okay. I know that I'm just an idiot. But I love you and I wish the past would be good and better someday.' Police learned one of the students shot during the rampage had teased Reyes about not having muscles during a physical education class, had called him names and may have played a part in pouring water on him when he was accused of wetting his pants. The mistreatment didn't rise to the level to merit bullying charges, Allen said. Terrifying: Two other students were wounded before Reyes killed Landsberry and then took his own life . Police earlier said Reyes' parents could be charged if they knowingly made the 9 mm pistol available to the boy. But Allen said Tuesday the investigation turned up no evidence that Jose and Liliana Reyes were aware that their son knew where the 9 mm pistol was kept in a kitchen cabinet. Ken Robison, a Reno lawyer for the parents, said prosecutors indicated to him earlier they would not be charged, but Tuesday's announcement brought a 'sense of relief.' Allen said the boy acted alone and did not communicate his plan to anyone. 'We will never know the complete motive or intent behind this tragic incident as the only person with the true knowledge felt acting out in violence and taking his own life was the best course of action,' he said. 'That in itself is a tragedy.' | Michael Landsberry was fatally shot by a 12-year-old student at Sparks High School in Nevada on October 21, 2013 .
The boy, Jose Reyes, also shot two other students, both of whom survived .
Reyes then turned the gun on himself .
Landsberry was trying to talk Reyes into dropping the gun when he shot him .
The hero teacher served three tours in Afghanistan while in the Marine Corps.
Billy Ray Cyrus lauded Landsberry as a hero and presented his widow with a memorial plaque during a concert in Nevada on Saturday . |
0ed09f5a01e7482e55dda21d092f2b34a4e32ae4 | Bill Clinton has given an emotional tribute to an eight-and-a-half months pregnant Harvard graduate who worked for his foundation before she was gunned down in the Kenyan mall massacre. Speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative on Tuesday, the former president remembered Dutch-born Elif Yavuz, 33, who was killed with her Australian architect boyfriend, Ross Langdon, in the mall used by Westerners in Nairobi. Yavuz, a malaria specialist, was working for the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation at the time of her death and had moved to Nairobi as she deemed it the safest place to give birth. Clinton, who met Yavuz six weeks ago, remembered her as a 'brilliant young mother-to-be who did everything she could to make the most of her life' and called Langdon 'incredibly gifted and good'. Scroll down for video . Struggle: Speaking at the Clinton Global . Initiative on Tuesday, Bill Clinton became emotional as he remembered meeting Elif . Yavuz just six weeks before she was killed in Kenya. He called her a 'brilliant young mother-to-be' Emotional: He said he was 'a little choked up' as he just spoken to Yavuz's grieving mother, who said she was hoping to name the couple's unborn child after a Swahili word for 'life' or 'love' He recounted the moment he met Yavuz when he traveled to Africa to meet his employees. 'This . beautiful woman comes up to me, very pregnant,' he said. 'She was so . pregnant that I assured her that I was a Lamaze father and could be . pressed into service at any moment. 'She . and her baby's father, they went to Nairobi because they thought it was . the safest, best place for her to give birth... and they were just . walking in the mall that day. And they were killed.' Struggling . to keep back his tears, Clinton added that he was 'a little choked up' as he had just spoken with Yavuz's mother on the phone. She and her . family had decided to name the unborn child after a Swahili word for . 'life' or 'love', he said. He . added: 'I'm very grateful that this young woman gave so much of her . life in working with our foundation. I am sorry that she gave her life.' Loss: Elif Yavuz, who worked for the Clinton Foundation, was killed in the Kenya mall massacre. Bill Clinton and his family called her 'brilliant and dedicated' as they shared their condolences . The former president and his family also paid tribute to Yavuz on their foundation's website. 'Elif devoted her life to helping others, particularly people in . developing countries suffering from malaria and HIV/AIDS.' They added that she had previously worked with the foundation's Health Access Initiative as she worked on her doctoral studies before recently rejoining as a senior vaccines researcher in Tanzania. 'Elif was brilliant, . dedicated, and deeply admired by her colleagues, who will miss her . terribly,' the Clintons wrote. 'On behalf of the entire Clinton Foundation, we send our . heartfelt condolences and prayers to Elif’s family and her many friends . throughout the world.' The couple were two of the 62 people who lost their lives in the days-long attack at the mall. Images which are too graphic to print show Langdon cradling his love, the burger and chips they had just bought scattered across the floor. Prize-winning British-Australian architect Ross Langdon, and his Harvard-educated pregnant partner, Elif Yavuz, were killed in the Nairobi shopping centre siege . Devastating: Elif, who was due to give birth in a fortnight, was killed alongside Mr Langdon, a prize winning architect who had joint British and Australian nationality. He is pictured right giving a TED talk . The . takeaway counter next to them is riddled with AK-47 bullets, sprayed by . members of terror cell Al Shabaab at anyone deemed to be non-Muslim.. Mr Langdon had been involved with a number of projects across Africa, which included designing an HIV-Aids hospital in Kenya free of charge. The London-based architect could be seen photographed with Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, in a picture posted on his Facebook profile earlier this year. Mr Langdon, who studied architecture at the University of Tasmania then the University of Sydney, worked for several companies before founding his own firm Regional Associates Ltd in May 2008. Born and brought up in south-eastern Tasmania, his work included projects in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. Heartbreaking: The young couple are among the more than 60 people slaughtered by terrorists this weekend . Ms Yavuz had lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, while studying at the renowned Harvard University. Esther . Waters-Crane, a British expat who was an acquaintance of Elif's, . described her grief at losing the expectant mother, and how Kenya has . reacted to the unprovoked attack. She said: 'I'm so, so sad about Elif. We had been in regular contact about her birth her in Nairobi and . I feel sick/angry/furious/shocked by this tragic, tragic waste of lovely people. 'Nairobi is awash with helicopters right now. 'I'm . at home and the explosions from Westgate are so loud they sound like . they're on my road. We're all in pieces about this- a very very sad time . for Nairobi and for dear Kenya.' The architect's mother told of the 'excruciating loss' she was suffering. Mr Langdon's mother spoke of her grief on social media. 'We have lost my beautiful son Ross Langdon, his lovely partner Elif Yavuz and their much loved baby just two weeks away from birth,' Mrs Langdon wrote on her son's Facebook page. Smoke rises from the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi following a string of explosions during the third day of a stand-off between Kenyan security forces and gunmen inside the building . Fears: Volunteers run for cover after hearing a volley of gunshots at the scene of the siege . 'The loss is immeasurable, absurd and excruciating.' The architectural practice where he worked as a director said in a . statement: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss our friend and . colleague Ross Langdon and his partner Elif Yavuz. 'Profoundly talented and full of life, Ross enriched the lives of all those around him. Ross's leadership on projects throughout East-Africa was inspirational. 'Ross was living his dream, greatly . contributing to the lives of people within highly disadvantaged . communities and supporting habitat conservation for some of the world's . most threatened species. 'Ross . will be very, very sorely missed. Our deepest condolences and thoughts . are with Ross and Elif's families at this very difficult time.' Mr Langdon last year gave a talk at TEDxKrakow in Poland. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan 'ideas worth spreading'. Military forces take position inside a shopping mall following the attack by masked gunmen in Nairobi . Desperate: People help a wounded man outside the Westgate shopping mall, where scores have died . On a blog for TEDxKrakow, which calls itself an independently organised TED event, tributes were paid to the architect. The site said: 'It was with great sadness that we learnt of the tragic murder of Ross Langdon and his wife Elif Yavuz in the terrorist attacks in Nairobi on Saturday. They were expecting their first baby in a couple of weeks. 'Ross spoke at TEDxKrakow in 2012 about his work as an architect in Africa. He devoted his life to creating sustainable architecture that is integrated into communities, and he left us with hope for humanity. 'It's impossible to make sense of this senseless and shocking loss of life. We send our condolences to both their families.' At least 62 people have been killed since the assault began on Saturday and security forces believe the last hostages have now been freed. Somali group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack in retaliation for Kenyan military intervention in Somalia. | Malaria specialist Elif Yavuz, 33, and her Australian architect boyfriend, Ross Langdon, were gunned down by terrorists in Nairobi .
Ms Yavus, a Harvard graduate, was eight and a half months pregnant and worked for the Clinton Foundation .
Bill Clinton became emotional as he paid tribute to the 'beautiful, brilliant' woman as he spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative on Tuesday .
He said he had spoken to her mother who was going to name the couple's unborn baby after a word for 'love' or 'life' in Swahili .
More than 60 people killed by terrorists believed to be Somali Islamists . |
0ed0bca54ddd7f41b49d30a594e65e88c85be760 | By . Sally Lee . A 12-year-old girl has survived a 15m from a cliff on Friday in Terrigal, Sydney's north. It is believed the girl bounced against some rocks before she landed in water. She then swam her way out of the water and onto the sand at Terrigal Beach. She suffered a pelvic injury and a fractured wrist, Nine News reported. Paramedics treated the girl at the scene before 5pm. She was then taken to the helicopter which flew her to John Hunter Hospital for treatment. Scroll down for video . A 12-year-old girl fell 15m from a cliff on Friday in Terrigal, Sydney's north. Paramedics were called to the scene before 5pm . It is believed the girl bounced against some rocks before she landed in water at Terrigal Beach . The girl then swam her way out of the water and onto the sand at Terrigal Beach . | Paramedics were called Terrigal Beach, north of Sydney, before 5pm on Friday .
The girl was taken to hospital as she injured her pelvis and fractured her wrist . |
0ed254f28048d7b9d8e8653ec09544d530a80e60 | (CNN) -- The German blowout over Brazil stunned the world, launched countless memes and set a new Twitter record. Twitter's trending hashtags Germany (insert your verb) #Brazil 7-1 and "BrasilDecimeQuese7" should tell you the whole story. But in case you haven't heard, here's the recap. The pummeling of the Brazilian team on home turf was the most-discussed single sports game ever on the social media network with 35.6 million tweets. Not many saw this coming -- including ESPN's FiveThirtyEight statistician, Nate Silver. During the first 29 minutes, Germany scored five goals, leaving the vast sea of yellow and green in the stadium stunned. After halftime, things didn't get any better for the hosts. The Germans weren't in the mood for mercy, as they struck twice more to drive the point home. Some lamented the lack of Brazilian superstar Neymar, who was out with a fractured vertebra sustained in the previous game against Colombia. Photoshop tribute . With a blowout imminent, many football fans turned away from their televisions and poured their energy to Photoshop. Some found a new design for Rio's famous Christ the Redeemer statue -- with designs featuring an triumphant German Chancellor Angela Merkel or a weeping Jesus. And the Brazilian flag. Others held their heads up high, taking comfort in Brazil's storied soccer tradition. A Tumblr called Sad Brazilians popped up showing sobbing children, women with their face paint-stained, tears streaming down their cheeks, and -- of course -- the teary Brazilian captain, David Luiz. And as Brazil's players returned home, the German team celebrated with a picture on their plane ride back to prepare for their final showdown on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro. They will face the winners of Wednesday's other semi-final clash between Argentina and the Netherlands. Five things about the beat down in Brazil . | Twitter says Brazil-Germany game was the most discussed single sports game ever .
Germany's 7-1 win over of Brazilian team results in social media humor .
The result sent shock waves reverberating across the sports world . |
0ed29e62d5a7855aa7b5f9dca7bdece399204e8f | By . Anthony Bond and Arthur Martin . PUBLISHED: . 08:26 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:53 EST, 6 November 2012 . This is the moment six robbers on motorbikes horrified shoppers during a high-speed smash-and-grab. Dressed in black and wearing crash helmets, the robbers raced through a shopping centre on three powerful motorbikes just after opening time yesterday. The three who were riding pillion leapt off and used axes and bats to smash windows of a jewellery store. Dramatic: This is the moment robbers on motorcycles raided a shopping centre jeweller's shop armed with axes today . Raid: The gang reportedly stole hundreds of thousands of pounds of jewellery. This image shows the smashed window at the front of Fraser Hart . Witnesses said the men sped into an upper area of the shopping centre and headed for the Fraser Hart jewellery store, at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North London . They are believed to have taken Cartier and Rolex watches as well as other items of jewellery before speeding off. Witnesses described how shoppers began to panic as the robbery took place, with many people running for the exits. Some shops would not let customers leave while the incident was underway. Michelle Webber, 36, was at the . shopping centre when the robbery took place. She entered at the same . entrance which the gang are believed to have used, close to John Lewis . and New Look. She said as she entered - about 10 minutes before the robbery took place - she heard a man behind her say: 'let the fun begin'. Shortly afterwards she described how a wave of panic gripped the shopping centre. 'A man came running towards us shouting 'everybody out'. 'My first thought was that there was a . bomb and I just started thinking about my children and my family, my . stomach turned. People started running out of the stores in a panic. 'There was a surge of people coming towards us. They were all running at the same time away from what was happening. 'All of a sudden the shutters started . coming down in the shops around us and we realised that something . serious had happened. I caught up with the guy who had been shouting and . he said there were some guys upstairs on bikes with pickaxes who had . broken into the jeweller's.' Probe: Police officers and security guards from the shopping centre quickly closed off the crime scene as hundreds of shoppers looked on amazed . Crime scene: A section of the shopping centre was closed off as the investigation into the robbery started . Photographer Rick Treister was on his way to the Apple store in Brent Cross when he heard the sound of screaming and breaking glass. Seconds later the three bikes came roaring towards him past Clarks shoe store. He said : 'I did not have time to be frightened, the whole thing did not seem real. 'It was like the James Bond film, you could not believe something like this was happening inside Brent Cross. 'I just grabbed my camera phone and . managed to get one picture. The guy on the front bike shouted something . at me when he went past. 'The whole place was going mad. The . women in John Lewis were screaming and the man in the jewellery store . ran out after the robbers shouting “You b******s!' Shocked: Shoppers were left frightened after witnessing the robbery . Damage: As well as taking jewellery, the gang also left a trail of destruction in the shopping centre . 'Watches were just dropping off the motorbikes as they went. They accelerated away and I don’t know where they went after that.' Speaking to Barnet and Whetstone Press, . Richard Treister, 48, said: 'It was like a Hollywood film. 'I would never . have imagined someone would do that in a shopping centre. It was like a . scene out of James Bond.' Another eyewitness, Claire Smalley, told the BBC: 'We looked out and we saw six men, . two on each bike so three bikes, pull up outside Fraser Hart and then . they pulled out an axe and they were getting into Fraser Hart and . telling everyone to stay back.' The dramatic raid happened just 15 minutes after the centre opened to members of the public. There were no injuries, however, an elderly man was treated for shock at the scene. Brazen: The gang, who rode into the centre on three motorbikes, left with a haul of watches and jewellery from Fraser Hart jewellery store . A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman . said: 'No firearms were seen. The suspects fled the scene on the . motorbikes in the direction of Hendon Central. 'The motorbikes were subsequently found abandoned a short time later at a nearby golf course.' A spokesman for Brent Cross Shopping Centre said: 'We can confirm that there was an incident at the centre earlier this morning when there was an attempted robbery on a store at Brent Cross. 'The police have cordoned off a section of the centre to investigate the incident and we are assisting them with their enquiries. 'A small area is closed off to the public and Brent Cross staff are directing customers to alternative entrances. The majority of stores remain open as normal.' | Four people riding three motorbikes entered Brent Cross Shopping Centre in north London shortly after 10.15am .
Witnesses said the men sped into an upper area of the shopping centre and headed for the Fraser Hart jewellery store .
They are believed to have taken Cartier and Rolex watches as well as other items of jewellery before speeding off .
Witnesses described how shoppers began to panic as the robbery took place, with many people running for the exits and others trapped in stores . |
0ed4e4b98f93de9a758c457f88b829542b4b0bec | The international players' union wants FIFA to investigate why a Club World Cup match was played on a potentially dangerous rain-soaked field in Morocco. FIFPro says letting the Cruz Azul vs Western Sydney Wanderers quarter-final match continue in Rabat on Saturday 'posed a serious threat to the health and safety of all players.' The Mexican club won 3-1 in extra time with players splashing through large puddles. Cruz Azul player Mariano Pavone celebrates scoring his team's second goal by sliding through the large puddles that formed during the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final with Western Sydney Wanderers . Players' union FIFAPro have complained to FIFA over the state of the pitch in Rabat, Morocco . Torrential rain left the surface at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium virtually unplayable . Ground staff tried to improve conditions but the match was allowed to proceed by the referee . Cruz Azul won the match against Western Sydney 3-1, setting up a semi-final with Real Madrid . FIFPro official Tijs Tummers said 'players as workers have a right to a safe work environment,' adding FIFA must ensure 'effective rules are in place to prevent a repetition.' Referee Noumandiez Doue of Ivory Coast allowed the match to proceed, and Cruz Azul won, setting up a semi-final with Real Madrid. FIFA switched the semi-final match to Marrakech, citing 'difficult pitch conditions.' | Cruz Azul vs Western Sydney Wanderers in FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final went ahead despite a waterlogged pitch in Rabat, Morocco .
Torrential rain left the pitch covered in large puddles .
The Ivorian referee Noumandiez Doue allowed the match to proceed .
The Mexican side won 3-1, progressing to a semi-final with Real Madrid .
That match was moved to Marrakesh on safety grounds . |
0ed59088f84ea2ee3f3fe0d78ac9eea847c1da6c | (CNN) -- Milan might be most famous as the capital of Italian fashion and finance, but it's an ambitious architectural project that's generating buzz these days in the home of Armani and Alfa Romeo. Porta Nuova is a new 290,000 square meter (3.12 million square feet) site that will encompass office, residential and green space on the previously neglected outskirts of the city. Building work on the project started in 2009. When finished, it will feature numerous sleek skyscraper buildings that will juxtapose sharply with Milan's more traditional low-rise architecture. As Italy looks to emerge from the Eurozone crisis, there are even some who suggest developments like these could help get the country's economy moving again. "The made in Italy brand is not just fashion and design and food," said Manfredi Catella, CEO of property development and management firm, Hines Italia. "Now the first (brand) is our land. This is the natural resource of the country. The Middle East have their oil, we have our oil in our land. Now we have to take it back and create value. Porta Nuova is an example," Catella added. Valued at more than $2 billion Porta Nuova is 60% financed by European investors with the remaining 40% funded by Qatar holdings. The jewels in the crown of the project are arguably the Bosco Verticale (roughly translated as vertical forest) buildings. The taller of these two residential towers will stand 128 meters (419 feet) high while more than 900 trees will adorn exterior walls and balcony space. A new 231 meter curved tower close by, meanwhile, will house Unicredit Group's European headquarters and cater for 4,000 of the financial services firm's staff. Unicredit's general manager Paolo Fiorentino said the new building could change the way the company structures its premises in the future. "The feedback (so far) is so positive that we will replicate this project also in other cities like Vienna. We have in mind also Rome but we change the overall headquarters philosophy in the group," Fiorentino said. "In reality what we put under discussion is the way that our people are sharing space." Major global firms such as Google have also agreed to set up their Italian headquarters here. But while some see progress and opportunity, others are reserving judgment. "We are not used to certain skylines now you have to lift your head up," said local architect and designer, Massimmo Locatelli. "That new way of building for Milan is really unusual and I guess people expect to get used to it," he added. With just under a year to go until the Porta Nuova project is completed, traditionalists now don't have long to savor the city's existing skyline. See also: Suburbia gone wild . See also: Architects build first 3D printed house . See also: Giving Motown a replay . | Porta Nuova aims to transform Milan's skyline .
Project will feature new skyscrapers and buildings covered with trees .
Some experts believe construction ventures like these could get Italian economy moving . |
0ed6616aa1e18298ba1779769c33e4714ded608b | Harry Redknapp has stunned Queens Park Rangers by quitting the club with the Loftus Road outfit embroiled in a relegation battle. Redknapp, joined QPR in November 2012, but he claims he is ending his managerial tenure to undergo knee replacement surgery. Rangers chairman Tony Fernandes accepted the former Tottenham manager's resignation just a day after tweeting there would be 'no more cheque book' as the transfer window slammed shut on Monday. Harry Redknapp has resigned as Queens Park Rangers manager with immediate effect . Redknapp, pictured in his side's defeat at Stoke on Saturday, and right on crutches in 2013 after knee surgery . Redknapp, 67, has left Queens Park Rangers with the club 19th in the Premier League table . QPR are languished in a relegation dogfight . Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey will take temporary charge instead of Glenn Hoddle, who has been working as part of Redknapp's backroom team. Tim Sherwood meanwhile, has been installed as the early favourite to take over at Loftus Road. Redknapp had been under intense pressure for months with QPR languishing in a relegation dogfight, fending off what he claimed was a club insider trying to undermine his position. His side are 19th in the Premier League and have not picked up a single point away from home in their 11 matches this term. The 67-year-old's shock exit comes after a 3-1 defeat at Stoke on Saturday and an abject final day in the transfer window where he missed out on Emmanuel Adebayor, Aaron Lennon. and Matt Jarvis. He cut a forlon figure as the left Loftus Road late on Monday night. Joey Barton and his QPR team-mates reflect on his side's 3-1 defeat at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday . Queens Park Rangers have failed to pick up a single point in their 11 matches away from Lofus Road . He informed chairman Tony Fernandes of his decision at 5.30am on Tuesday morning. 'I have had such a fantastic time at QPR,' said Redknapp. 'I would like to thank the board, the players and all my staff, and especially the supporters who have been absolutely fantastic to me since I arrived at the club for their tremendous support. Redknapp, who spent six weeks on crutches in the summer of 2013 after he underwent surgery to fix a knee cartilage problem, added: 'Sadly I need immediate surgery on my knee which is going to stop me from doing my job in the coming weeks. It means I won’t be able to be out on the training pitch every day, and if I can’t give 100 per-cent I feel it’s better for someone else to take over the reins. 'My relationship with Tony Fernandes has been one of the highlights of my footballing career and I wish the club every success. I am confident they will survive in the Premier League this year.' Sherwood leads the race to replace Redknapp and has been out of work since leaving Tottenham last summer, although he has been in contention for jobs at Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion. Ferdinand was appointed head of football operations at the club in October and was soon followed on to the staff by Ramsey in a role on the club's academy. The pair worked together at Tottenham last season as assistants to Sherwood when he took over from Andre Villas-Boas at White Hart Lane. Tim Sherwood, pictured with Les Ferdinand, is the early contender to take over from Harry Redknapp . Sherwood is pictured with Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey; the pair have taken temporary charge of the club . Their presence at Loftus Road and Ferdinand’s close relationship with owner Fernandes has fuelled speculation for some time that Redknapp would be ousted in favour of Sherwood. And that the triumvirate from Spurs would soon be back together. Sherwood needed special dispensation from the Premier League to operate as a manager at Spurs because he did not have the UEFA Pro Licence required to do the job. He had to enrol for the first available course and is midway through it with the Football Association of Wales. It will be completed later this year. Redknapp cited his need for a knee replacement operation in the announcement from QPR but he has slowly become infuriated by what he regards as a whispering campaign to force him out. Rangers were chasing a number of targets on deadline day including Emmanuel Adebayor and Aaron Lennon but failed to complete any of them. Redknapp looked dejected as he left Loftus Road at the end of a long day and his resignation was tendered hours later. He took charge of 105 matches at the Loftus Road club winning 36 games, but his win rate in his 48 Premier League matches was only 19 per cent. | Harry Redknapp will undergo knee replacement surgery in coming weeks .
Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey have been placed in temporary charge .
Tim Sherwood is the early favourite to replace Redknapp on full-time basis .
Redknapp says relationship with Tony Fernandes has been one of the highlights of his career... he thanks board, players, staff and fans of QPR .
The club are 19th in the Premier League and have lost all 11 away matches .
HARRY REDKNAPP EXCLUSIVE: Why I REALLY had to leave QPR .
CLICK HERE for all the latest Queens Park Rangers news . |
0ed7b0bad52b2393d5586b5c1d5cb8b7d6c95783 | (CNN) -- Besides charting the nature of space and time and penning the bestseller "A Brief History of Time," Stephen Hawking has another distinction: He beat the life-expectancy odds for people with ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Stephen Hawking, shown in Pasadena, California, in March, is hospitalized but said to be "comfortable." Most people with ALS survive only two to five years after diagnosis. Hawking, on the other hand, has lived more than 40 years since he learned he had the disease, which is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease in America and motor neuron disease, or MND, in the United Kingdom. Hawking, 67, was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, England, on Monday in a "very ill" condition, and spent the night in the hospital. He was said to be "comfortable" Tuesday. Bob Hawkins, 75, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, who learned of his ALS diagnosis last year, said Hawking, with his long life and ability to communicate through a voice synthesizer, gives him hope. The physicist should be a role model for people with the disease as well as those without it, Hawkins said. "The man is brilliant, and he has striven through a lot of adversity to accomplish all of the things he has accomplished," Hawkins said. "He should be an inspiration for anyone." The British physicist also embodies the idea of empowering people with ALS to live life to the fullest, said Dr. Lucie Bruijn, scientific director for the ALS Association, in an e-mail. This empowerment theme is part of the mission of the ALS Association, she said. "To have achieved so much in his lifetime while battling Lou Gehrig's Disease is quite remarkable," she said. ALS affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, which results in muscle weakness and atrophy. The disease causes the death of motor neurons, meaning the brain loses its ability to control muscle movement. Hawking has had direct involvement in promoting awareness and research into his disease. He recently agreed to be a patron of the MND Association in Northampton, England, meaning he will lend his name to the charity and support it by attending events, fundraising, or other activities. He has participated in some of the organization's high-profile events, said Mel Barry, communications manager at the MND Association. "He's a very busy man, so it's wonderful that he's publicly supporting us with his very heavy workload," she said. Hawking's case is also unusual because his condition was diagnosed at a young age, said Sharon Matland, vice president of patient services at the ALS Association. People typically are between 40 and 70 when they learn they have ALS; Hawking found out at age 21. Some very rare cases manifest in the late teens, Bruijn said. There have been other rare cases of people living long lives with ALS, although none as famous as Hawking. Barry said she knows of a man in Ireland who has lived with the disease for 30 years -- but only about 5 percent of people with ALS live longer than 10 years. ALS affects 350,000 people worldwide and up to 30,000 people in the United States, the ALS Association estimates. "It totally upsets your entire way of living," Hawkins of North Carolina said. "It slowly takes over your entire muscle structure and eventually your limbs are affected, your speech may or may not be affected. The only part of your body that isn't affected is your mind." Still, patients experience different symptoms, and some do have cognitive impairment, Matland said. They may have trouble making day-to-day decisions, such as choosing which bills to pay first. Hawkins said he first experienced weakness in his legs and arms, typical symptoms of the disease. People with ALS may also find it difficult to lift their arms or feet, Matland said. "You drop things or you can't grasp things as you might have been able to do in the past," she said. Loss of voice is another potential symptom, but some people are able to speak until they die, Barry said. The nature of the disease is that it's very different in each person, she said. Most people with ALS become dependent on a wheelchair -- sometimes within six to eight months, but the time frame varies, Matland said. Typically, the ultimate cause of death is respiratory failure, because ALS affects the muscles used for breathing, she said. David Niven, the English actor known for his roles in "Around the World in 80 Days" and "The Pink Panther," died of ALS at age 73. He suffered from the disease for more than a year. A variety of ongoing clinical trials seek to find an effective treatment for ALS in the U.S. Drugs in these trials include lithium, ceftriaxone, and memantine, according to the ALS Association. A recent study showed there may be a genetic component to the disease. In the UK, the MND Association is funding a trial for lithium, which has produced promising results in mice, Barry said. Psychiatrists currently prescribe lithium, a mood-stabilizing drug, for bipolar disorder and other conditions. An FDA-approved drug called riluzole has been shown to prolong survival for some ALS patients, but extends the life span by only three to six months, Barry said. Typically, palliative care is the main treatment -- managing symptoms rather than stopping or curing them. Stem cell therapy may hold promise for the disease, but the general perception is that research into it is not sufficiently advanced, according to the MND Association. To raise money for research in the U.S., the ALS Association hosts walks across the country. Hawkins said he will be participating in the 2009 Fayetteville, North Carolina, Walk to Defeat ALS in May. "I would encourage everyone to recognize how terrible this disease is, and encourage them to support the ALS Association and research projects," he said. CNN's Jennifer Pifer Bixler contributed to this report. | Stephen Hawking is a rare case of someone who has survived decades with ALS .
ALS affects 350,000 people worldwide and as many as 30,000 people in the U.S.
Symptoms vary from person to person; some lose their speech but others do not .
Clinical trials are in progress for a variety of treatments . |
0ed7f79d2c4d9135f8b6cfc6835b034b1350c9ab | (CNN) -- After dealing with porcupine creatures, shape-shifters and planes full of crystallized bodies over five seasons, star John Noble is still having the time of his life on "Fringe." The cult favorite sci-fi series is in the midst of its final season on Fox, and classic episodes premiere Tuesday night on the Science Channel. Noble, who plays the brilliant (and occasionally mad) scientist Walter Bishop, recently spoke with CNN about his experience with the show and what fans can look forward to in the remaining episodes, leading up to a January 18 series finale. CNN: Are you nearing the end of filming now? Noble: My goodness, yes. We start filming our penultimate episode Tuesday morning. We're very close to the end, mate. CNN: And what's that feeling like? Noble: It just feels like an awful lot of work (laughs). We've still got a bit to do. It's an exciting thing feeling it all come together. There's a sense of closeness among the crew. We're here in Vancouver; it's our fourth year and, for the cast, our fifth year together. It's a bit odd. We are friends, so it's a bit sad. CNN: Meanwhile, you're getting a second life on the Science Channel. Noble: The thing about Science Channel is that they know "Fringe," and they love it. The people I know there have watched from the beginning. It's not just another product. They've brought people in to talk about the science of it. We're in a very good second home. CNN: This season, do you feel that Walter is bearing the weight of a tremendous amount of pressure to put together this plan to fight the Observers? Noble: Yes, but I think the pressure's on everyone. All the key players have to come to some sort of conclusion, and that's the gift of these last 13 episodes. Every character is under pressure, if you can call it that. But it's a good journey. Every episode takes us further on the track to the finale. It's like writing a novel and having the chance to write the final chapter. The stakes are lifted every week for us. It's kind of exciting. CNN: We've seen so many major twists just this season. What was your reaction to learning that Peter was going to utilize the tech of an Observer and sort of become one himself? Noble: Well, it's pretty inspired, really. If you can't beat them, join them. Peter realized to combat these people, he would have to be on equal terms with them. It also gave Joshua Jackson a marvelous journey, which I think he's done splendidly. The fun thing is that both men are struggling with their arrogance and hubris in different ways. It's a very interesting story arc to play as well. You have Walter not trying to be so smart and cruel, and Peter wanting to be more so. So that's playing out really well. CNN: The show took a short break in shooting this season, as you had to take some time to take care of yourself. Are you doing better now? Noble: I'm doing very well, mate. We decided we needed to address an ongoing issue, which been going on a long time for me, which is that I don't sleep. Ultimately, given the load of travel, I was starting to hit a wall. We did what we could to correct that. We probably really didn't need to take as much time as we did. The management was terrific and said, "Get it sorted out." We're still going strong at this stage, so something worked. CNN: Have you enjoyed discovering Twitter? Noble: I thought it was time I got with it. (Laughs) I resisted for so long. I have no idea, to be honest, what I'm doing. I just go on every once in a while and say something, and it gets retweeted 6,000 times. It's an astonishing way of communicating. Thank God for that, because it takes away the tyranny of those who would withhold information. I remember I tweeted, "Just saying g'bye to Georgina Haig. Lovely woman!" I just had afternoon tea with Georgina (whose character died in a recent episode). That was taken as, she's gone forever. At that stage, she was still on the show, so I thought "What have I done?" I knew she was gone! You've gotta be careful! (Laughs) CNN: Walter is famous for his love of junk food. Do you have a favorite junk food on or off set? Noble: To survive, I try not to eat junk food. I hate to destroy the myth! On a film set, if you eat junk food, you'd finish around 400 pounds at the end of the first season. That's just the nature of the work. To destroy another myth, we don't actually eat it, because we can't. In 40 takes, you'd be absolutely bloated with Red Vines or whatever else you're having. We go through the motions of it and then have to get rid of it to so we can do another take. There was a bacon sandwich I thought was rather nice ... CNN: And what can fans expect as it comes to a close? Noble: I haven't read the final episode yet, but I know that (executive producer) Joel Wyman has put everything, and I mean everything, he's got into this. He's directing the last episode. I think it will be a masterpiece. I haven't read it, but I can't imagine anything less with the amount of heart he's put into it. Fingers crossed, but that's my prediction. I think it will be a masterpiece. | John Noble's cult show "Fringe" is nearing the end of its run .
Noble addressed his sleep disorder treatment, which briefly halted production .
He's not as much of a junk food fan as his character; he recently discovered Twitter .
Noble shared his prediction for the final episode: "A masterpiece" |
0ed81dbeeb11c6b8fa33796faa8d297045e58daa | A woman who alleges an Uber driver raped her in the Indian capital has sued the online taxi service in a U.S. court, accusing it of failing to provide passenger safety. In her lawsuit, the Indian woman accuses Uber of putting profits over safety, calling the American-based company the 'modern day equivalent of electronic hitchhiking'. The American lawyer for the 25-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Uber was being sued for unspecified damages for 'physical and emotional harm'. Indian police escort Uber taxi driver and accused rapist Shiv Kumar Yadav (center) following his court appearance in New Delhi on December 8, 2014 . 'Despite its self-proclaimed commitment to safety, opening the Uber app and setting the pick-up location has proven to be the modern day equivalent of electronic hitchhiking,' according to the lawsuit filed in a court in California. 'Buyer beware - we all know how those horror movies end,' the lawsuit said, accusing Uber of negligence. The woman's lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, had earlier represented a hotel maid who accused former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault in 2012. The San Francisco-based company did not comment on the lawsuit but said 'our deepest sympathies remain with the victim of this horrific crime'. A spokesman said the company was also 'cooperating fully' with authorities to ensure the person responsible for the crime was brought to justice. Uber was banned from Delhi's streets in the aftermath of the December 5 attack on the woman, which sparked new safety fears in a city with a high record of sexual violence. The trial of the accused driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav, who allegedly attacked the woman as she was on her way home from dinner, is underway. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, kidnap and criminal intimidation. Uber, which connects passengers to drivers through smartphone apps, last week said it was resuming its Delhi operations, but authorities rejected its request for a licence to operate as a radio-taxi company. Uber has said it is committed to protecting its passengers in India and globally. India is one of the company's key markets outside the United States and operates in nearly a dozen Indian cities. A woman who alleges an Uber driver raped her in the Indian capital Delhi has sued the online taxi service in a US court, accusing it of failing to provide passenger safety . | The Indian woman accuses Uber of putting profits over safety, calling the company the 'modern day equivalent of electronic hitchhiking'
Her lawyer, Douglas H. Wigdor, had earlier represented a hotel maid who accused ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault in 2012 .
The San Francisco-based company did not comment on the lawsuit but said 'our deepest sympathies remain with the victim of this horrific crime'
Uber was banned from Delhi's streets in the aftermath of the December 5 attack on the woman .
Accused driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav, is currently on trial and has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape . |
0ed9bc219e8d337eb15373c9d44276fa5d493fca | One shameful statistic, if that is the right word, lies behind the dawn queues outside the Sunbury Health Centre in Surrey. It is this: the surgery was originally designed for 6,000 patients, but now serves nearly 19,000. Had the building in which the practice is based been a block of flats, say – and not part of the beleaguered NHS – it would surely have been closed down by now on the grounds of overcrowding. Scroll down for video . And still they wait... 24 hours on, the dawn queue at the Sunbury Health Centre is back . Instead, the sick and the elderly find the phones at Sunbury continuously engaged (a fifth of those using the centre had to wait more than ten minutes for someone to answer their call, according to a patient survey) and, even if they do get through, it is impossible to book a same-day appointment, and face up two weeks to see a doctor. Hence the reason why nursery teaching assistant Talitha Taylor, 34, foster carer Georgina White, 58, and retired Ray Samphire, 68, were among those who, once again, were waiting in the cold and dark outside the centre from 6.18am yesterday; a scene repeated at GP surgeries up and down the country. ‘Crazy’, Mr Samphire called it. Nevertheless, the surgery passed a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection with ‘flying colours’, which perhaps tells us more about the CQC than the Sunbury Health Centre. So what has gone wrong, or rather who is to blame for the scandal? Not the doctors who run the centre, it seems, if a newsletter issued by the centre is taken at face value. The extra demand is a result of new housing developments springing up in the area, the doctors say, and the ‘very old and tired’ health centre simply cannot cope with the influx. They applied to NHS England for permission to redevelop the building, but ‘we still have no news’. They applied for a grant to improve the centre ‘but, again, we have not heard anything more!’ They have had meetings with the local council but ‘despite our concerns, the council continues to grant planning permission and allow “new builds’’ in the area with no consultation.’ The bottom line? Sunbury Health Centre is 84 per cent undersized (the surgery’s phrase.) All this is true and has undoubtedly contributed to the crisis. Almost 2,000 readers have commented in less than 24 hours on the Mail’s picture of dozens of patients queuing before dawn to see their GP. Here’s what some of them said: . ‘It shames the Government and local authorities who did not plan for such an increase in population. It does not shame Britain, it shames those whose job it is to plan for this!’ Tony, from Derbyshire . ‘I gave up going to my GP and hospitals in 2009 and my local is not as bad as this. Our country has become over-crowded – we do not have the amenities to cope...’ Nelly, from Croydon, south London . ‘We can’t get an appointment so we go to our local chemist and ask for advice. We have had to go to A&E a few times. If my children need to be seen within 24 hours due to ill health we go to A&E.’ Patient at Sunbury Health Centre, Surrey . ‘This happens here where I live. My husband, who is healthy, has to queue, before they open, for me to be able to see a doctor. They won’t even open the doors and allow people to wait inside, no matter what the weather is.’ A reader from St Helens, Merseyside . ‘I live in Cleethorpes and if you need to see a doctor that day you have to queue before 8am because you can’t get through on the phone. It’s engaged all the time. ‘Then, when you do get through, all the appointments have gone and you get told to come down the next day before 8am and you will get an appointment then. How Victorian is that?’ Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire . ‘My surgery is exactly the same. People who’ve just come out of hospital, first- time mums with two-week-old babies, all queuing up in the dark or redialling 100-plus times to be told “We’re full. Try again tomorrow”. ‘Really, if you’re not quite fit and determined, you have no chance of getting an appointment. So why are they STILL advertising for new patients to join?’ Dulwich, south-east London . ‘This seems to happen on every new housing development. There are no increased local amenities to match the increased demand. ‘It is down to local councillors to see that the development does not cause the problems seen here and there does appear to have been a massive failure when planning permission was granted. The local council should have an inquiry into that before the press do because it looks like a pretty serious breakdown in democracy.’ Southend, Essex . ‘Most of those [patients] probably don’t really need to be there – they should be visiting their local pharmacy. ‘But no, they don’t want to pay for a pack of Paracetamol or a bottle of Calpol when they can get it free in prescription. These are the people draining the NHS, not the elderly who would not want to waste the GP’s time.’ London . * Have you suffered early morning queues at your GP? Email your story to: [email protected] . Indeed, the surgery – now one of the biggest in Britain – occupies less than half the existing building (the other half is occupied by Virgin, a private health care provider, which is responsible for the district nursing team.) But is this the whole story? The fact remains that more patients equals more money – for GPs. As its patient roll has increased, so has the NHS money flowing in to the surgery, which, like other practices, is paid £73.56 per patient a year. Or, to put it another way, 6,000 patients means £441,360, for Sunbury, but 19,000 patients means £1,397,640. Nor is this the full extent of the financial incentives for GPs . Under the latest GP contracts, they are also paid £7.64 for vaccinations such as flu and MMR jabs and £55 for every patient diagnosed with dementia; GPs qualify for the payment if they diagnose the patients themselves (with no checks as to whether their assessment is right), or if they update their records when their patients receive diagnosis in hospital. Some GPs have condemned the scheme as an ‘ethical travesty’ which amounts to ‘cash for diagnosis’. Either way, it means that a practice such as Sunbury – where patients have to queue at dawn to see their doctor – is also extremely lucrative. This is the perverse irony at the heart of this scandal. Once upon of time, of course, the NHS – and, in particular, the service provided by GPs – was the envy of the world. But under the new system, introduced by the last Labour government in 2004, doctors were allowed to opt out of evening and weekend work – which nine out of ten practices, including Sunbury, did. This brought the average GP’s basic salary down to £55,000, but, at the same time, new rules on bonus pay contained in the deal pushed their average pre-tax pay above £100,000. The new rules stated that GPs would earn bonuses for meeting certain performance targets – from distributing anti-smoking information to diagnosing illnesses such as depression. No cap was placed on the amount they could earn from the new contracts. As for patients, well, the daily scene outside the Sunbury Health Centre speaks for itself. Behind those scenes are patients like pensioner Mr Samphire and other personal testimonies written, in black and white on the centre’s own website. ‘I called every ten minutes from 7am until 8.45am (when I finally spoke to someone to only be told that all the appointments had gone … looking to changing doctors. Wouldn’t wish this practice on my worst enemy,’ wrote one patient.Another added: ‘Tried for two hours to get past the engaged tone then waited in a queue of five to wait to be answered.’ A third revealed: ‘I have been on hold for 45 minutes, told I am caller number one for 35 minutes and still haven’t spoken to receptionist. When I tried the automated system yesterday, soonest appointment was a week’s time – even though the medical centre is next door to my house.’ The surgery was originally designed for 6,000 patients, but now serves nearly 19,000 (file picture) The surgery has 12 GPs, four of them recruited in the past two years to cope with increased demand, and hopes to recruit more. But two new housing developments are also in the pipeline which are likely to place further strain on the oversubscribed health centre. The first of these, at the famous Kempton Park race track, could see more than 1,000 homes being built. A second is an application to build 196 houses on the site of London Irish rugby club’s former training ground in Sunbury, which is currently going through the planning process at Spelthorne Borough Council. ‘The council would be very keen to support new or improved health facilities in Lower Sunbury,’ said head of planning John Brooks. ‘However, these need to be supported by the relevant health funding bodies. To date, they have not given us specific proposals and neither have they made specific funding requests.’ In fact, more GP practices than ever are reaching capacity and applying for permission to refuse new patients, with the number of requests to reject additional patients soaring by 160 per cent in three years, according to GP magazine Pulse. Has the Sunbury Health Centre made such an application? After all, the surgery has blamed the crisis on a dramatic increase in the number of patients (19,000, remember) now on its roll? A spokesman for the centre said no such request had been made ‘because closing the list would be detrimental to local people who may wish to register with us as patients.’ Additional reporting by Tania Steere . | More than 30 patients queued outside The Sunbury Health Centre in Surrey .
Originally designed for some 6,000 patients, it now serves nearly 19,000 .
Doctors say extra demand is result of new housing developments in area . |
0eda5fd3990861e17ada88beb1195bfde52334da | If you've ever fallen in love with a piece of clothing and had trouble tracking it down, new technology being developed by the brains behind music identifying app, Shazam, could be the answer to your prayers. What's more, according to Shazam CEO, Andrew Fisher, the new fashion app isn't far away. 'We have the ability to identify the product in a TV show so that when somebody Shazams it, they could find out where a presenter's dress is from in one click,' Fisher told the Guardian. Stylish solution: The new app will let you find clothes in the same way the current Shazam identifies music . 'We are focused on creating a new category which we call media engagement. We make it easier for consumers to engage with a brand or a piece of content they are interested in, without having to go through search engines, then mining the results. 'That works with both TV programming and advertising: a 30-second slot can be turned into a three-minute brand engagement – and more.' The app has also been part of several high profile TV collaborations, most recently during the BRIT Awards ceremony, when users of the app were given special behind-the-scenes access and links to engage directly on Twitter and Facebook. Fisher revealed that the brand hopes to repeat the trick on a wider scale with a new app that will replace the information button on your remote control and provide content such as cast lists, scripts and tweets from the actors. Help: Whether celebrities such as Alexa Chung or street style shots, you'll be able to find what you love . 'When you use the red [information] . button, you take over the whole experience for everyone who is watching . in the room,' explained Fisher. 'With Shazam, individuals can access a . cast list, details of the soundtrack, read tweets from the actors, . check out the script, buy onscreen product and a whole lot more on their . individual mobile devices without disrupting anyone else's viewing.' The current musical offering from Shazam . is already one of the most popular apps on the planet, with 20 million . users in the UK alone according to the company. Shazam also revealed that the app is . downloaded by two million new users a week, which means that the fashion . version will have a lot to live up to when it launches. Unfortunately for fashion fans . desperate to get their hands on the new app, Fisher is staying . tight-lipped on how close to completion the technology is and on when it . might launch. TV: Shazam's biggest small screen venture to date was a tie up with the 2013 BRIT Awards ceremony . | The new app will let you instantly identify clothes worn by strangers .
No release date has yet been set but technology already exists .
Shazam are also working on an interactive TV version of the app . |
0eda7f6fbe2ef1b7802b304631c67c4e1501e4bf | Chelsea Manning, convicted of espionage and imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth, has filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming she "has been denied access to medically necessary treatment" for her gender disorder. The inmate once known as Bradley Manning announced in August 2013, the day after her court sentencing, that she is female. Manning is suing to follow grooming standards such as growing her hair longer and using cosmetics, and to receive hormone treatment "in order to express her female gender," said the suit filed Tuesday in district court in Washington. "She brings this action to compel defendants [Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the federal government] to treat her serious medical needs consistent with their obligation under the Constitution," said the suit. If the requests are denied, said Manning's lawyers, she "will suffer continued pain, depression and anxiety and is at an extremely high risk of self-castration and suicidality." A Kansas judge in April granted the former Army intelligence analyst's request to formally be known as Chelsea Elizabeth Manning. "I've been working for months for this change, and waiting for years," she said in a statement at the time. There was no immediate reaction from the government on Manning's new lawsuit. The Obama administration is expected to give a written response to the lawsuit in coming weeks. Manning is serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, an Army prison in eastern Kansas. She was convicted last year of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of documents and videos to WikiLeaks in what has been described as the largest leak of classified material in U.S. history. Manning was found guilty of 20 of the 22 charges against her, including violations of the U.S. Espionage Act. At the time of her announcement that she planned to live as a woman, Manning asked for support and said she wanted to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. "I requested that the military provide me with a treatment plan consistent with the recognized professional standards of care for trans [gender] health. They quickly evaluated me and informed me that they came up with a proposed treatment plan. "However, I have not yet seen their treatment plan, and in over eight months, I have not received any response as to whether the plan will be approved or disapproved, or whether it follows the guidelines of qualified health professionals," Manning said. She said that lack of treatment continues to this day. Her supporters had indicated a lawsuit would be a likely option. Manning said she was diagnosed in 2010 with gender dysphoria, which her lawyers describe as "the medical diagnosis given to individuals whose gender identity-- their innate sense of being male or female-- differs from the sex they were assigned at birth, causing clinically significant distress." 5 things to know about gender identity . Prisoners and male-to-female transsexuals, like Manning in particular, are at high risk of self-mutilation including castration, according to her legal team from the ACLU. Manning said Army officials have been too slow in responding to her requests for clinical treatment, grooming preferences and ultimate transfer to a civilian prison where she believes those requests would be better addressed. "No decision to transfer Pvt. Manning to a civilian detention facility has been made," said Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby in May, "and any such decision will, of course, properly balance the soldier's medical needs with our obligation to ensure she remains behind bars." There was no indication when the district court would try the case or render a decision. The case is Manning v. Hagel (14-cv-1609). Chelsea or Bradley Manning: Addressing transgender people . | Manning is serving a 35-year sentence for espionage .
She announced that she is female the day after her sentencing .
Manning is suing to receive hormone treatment "to express her female gender" |
0edb59f3ab175d563c9ced59336750b21a6d8552 | (CNN) -- Matthew Cordle hasn't yet been found liable of killing a man while drinking and driving, but there's not much question about whether he's guilty. It's not because of the the homicide charges that were filed against him on Monday. But it's because Cordle went on YouTube last week and told the world he'd done just that. Cordle's confession, a highly produced, three-and-a-half minute video that has been viewed by more than 1.2 million people, is the sort of pronouncement that would have been impossible before the world had social media platforms at its fingertips. And it's raising questions that go far beyond the 22-year-old Ohio man's guilt or innocence. Chief among them: Was Cordle, who says he plans to plead guilty and accept whatever punishment is handed down, just trying to get a lighter sentence by using the Web to get out in front of a criminal case in which he hadn't even yet been charged? On Flip the Media, a blog by students, faculty and alumni of the University of Washington's master's program in digital media, graduate Brook Ellingwood argues that parts of the video seem orchestrated to do just that. "That he sees the video as a tactical move in a legal chess game is evident," Ellingwood writes, noting the way Cordle cites depression as a reason for his drinking. And if it buys Cordle some sympathy from the court? Well, it's not farfetched to imagine others trying a similar tactic, he writes. "We may well be in for a flurry of copycat videos as miscreants of all sorts try to duplicate what works in this one," wrote Ellingwood. "One can imagine the appearance of less and less competent videos, resulting eventually in a criminal confession so ineptly scripted and produced that it becomes an ironically viral phenomenon in the manner of Rebecca Black's 'Friday'." Cordle's attorney, George S. Breitmayer II, dismisses such speculation. "Despite any speculation of his intentions, the video was meant to raise awareness related to the serious issues surrounding drinking and driving," he said in a statement sent to CNN. But what does it mean for criminal justice -- a system that is designed to move deliberately -- that a new generation of young people can potentially influence the system by sharing something instantly with the entire world? Alex Sheen is the founder of "Because I Said I Would," the website where Cordle's video began spreading. He's also the person who produced it, enhancing the raw footage with a swelling orchestral soundtrack and visual effects that make it look like a public service announcement. He told CNN that Cordle was familiar with his site, on which people make public pledges to help them follow through with good deeds, and reached out to him with his story. Sheen said he didn't consider contacting police because he knew Cordle was already a suspect and that prosecutors were preparing charges. A grand jury in Franklin County, Ohio, indicted Cordle on Monday on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He is charged in the death of Vince Canzani, 61, who was killed June 22 when a wrong-way driver hit his Jeep on Interstate 670 near Columbus, Ohio. "The whole goal of this video is to convince people to not drink and drive -- to come to that realization that a lot of people make the same excuses that Matt makes in his life about drinking and driving," Sheen said. "To make that message compelling, we made this video." Sheen calls Cordle's confession and plea for others to avoid drunken driving, "honorable." But he's pushed back against those on his site who have heaped praise upon the young man. "While Matt certainly made an honorable decision to confess, Because I Said I Would does not believe that Matt should be praised as a 'hero,' " Sheen wrote on the site. "Matt made an irresponsible choice to drink and drive that ended an innocent man's life. "Matt decided to release this video because he wants to raise awareness about the dangerous and irreversible consequences of drinking and driving. If that message is not heard ... if viewers do not make the commitment to never drink and drive, then the video has certainly failed in its mission." He's got at least one perhaps unlikely believer. "He ruined two lives," said Cheryl Oates, the victim's ex-wife. "He took Vince's life, and he ruined his life." "It's gut-wrenching, coming from a mother, looking at that young boy," she said, saying she admired him for confessing so publicly. "You've got to respect him for that. I'm sorry. You do." It's impossible to know the full measure of Cordle's motives. Was it self-interest? Sincere remorse? Perhaps some of both? Ellingwood, now interactive director for a Seattle TV station, can envision it as part of a new, look-at-me world in which Internet celebrity is celebrated, regardless of the reason for it. "Today, the only thing standing between any one of us and instant celebrity is our ability to create a message with resonance," he wrote. "Cordle may view the death he caused as a personal opportunity, the mother of all Facebook timeline life events. He may lose a few years to prison, but he won the Internet and when he gets out, he'll have a chance to parlay this 15 minute shot of fame into a repeat. Only time will tell if his redemption story gets him onto 'Dancing With the Stars.' " | Video confession raises questions about social sharing .
Matthew Cordle confessed to drunken driving death in YouTube video .
The viral post, with more than 1 million views, marks new wrinkle in criminal cases .
Some speculate video was an effort to sway judge in the case . |
0edc23d92ddd1647ee2e52c7ddad4a41e8cb1530 | By . Ap . It wasn't so long ago that David Hutchinson spent a month sleeping under a bridge while his wife and young daughter spent their nights at a domestic violence shelter.But this wasn't a case of domestic violence. The couple simply had no choice. There were just no shelters in Phoenix with room for another homeless family, and their top priority was finding a safe place for their daughter.The family is one of many in the U.S. that have been trying to raise children in the face of joblessness and homelessness. An annual survey released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows the number of children living in poverty increased to 23 percent in 2011, after the recession. Safe place: David Hutchinson and his daughter are an example of the tremendous toll the recession took on families, particularly in the Southwest, where Hutchinson lived under a bridge in Arizona as his family stayed in a shelter . The Southwest has been hit particularly hard. New Mexico, for the first time, has slipped to worst in the nation when it comes to child well-being. More than 30 percent of children in the state were living in poverty in 2011 and nearly two-fifths had parents who lacked secure employment, according to this year's Kids Count survey.Nevada is ranked No. 48, followed by Arizona. Mississippi, which has traditionally held last place, made slight improvements in early childhood education while reading and math proficiency for some students increased, putting the state at No. 49. Hopeless: The annual survey by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that children living in poverty increased to 23-percent in 2011 following the U.S. recession . Hungry: Julie Morris stands with her three daughters while awaiting extras after the dining hall closed at the Family Gateway homeless shelter in Texas, where 337,000 children are homeless . In Arizona, charities and government programs were cut during the recession, making it more difficult for families to get by and rebuild, said Dana Wolfe Naimark of the Children's Action Alliance in Phoenix.'So many things were slashed just when people needed it the most,' she said. 'That is a key policy issue that we do have choices over. We can find ways to rebuild that investment. It's not OK to just throw up our hands and say, 'We can't.'"According to the Kids Count report, a lingering concern is the effect of unemployment on children, particularly long-term unemployment. Researchers found that more than 4 million workers were unemployed for more than six months, and more than 3 million were without work for a year or more.David Hutchinson and his family eventually ended up in Albuquerque. He has been looking for work for months. Finally, he landed a job just this week with a contractor who installs fire suppression systems.'If I wasn't so crippled, I'd be doing backflips,' he said, pointing to the rod and pins in his forearm, an injury that ended his career in the U.S. Navy. Texas: The Lone Star State has the largest number of homeless children, including six-month-old Maleya Nevills, who sleeps while her family eats dinner at the Family Gateway homeless shelter in Dallas . 'Freedom': Li Tina Cross lost her home while serving a six-month jail sentence and moved into the homeless shelter with her three children upon her release . His wife, Chelsea, said she knows her husband is ready to put aside any pain because the prospect of their family being able to move from Joy Junction, the shelter where they have been staying since December, hinges on a regular income.William and Elimar Roper are in the same boat. They and their four children have been at the shelter for about a year. William just landed a job in the kitchen and Elimar has graduated from the shelter's recovery program, which helps those addicted to drugs or alcohol.'We're happy because we've upgraded from being homeless to something that can help us stabilize. It's the first step,' Elimar Roper said.William Roper served in the U.S. Army for nine years and did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. After the military, he worked as a janitor and then lost his job. The family's savings soon ran out, leaving them homeless.The Kids Count report shows the percentage of children whose parents don't have secure employment has been increasing. That's more than one-third of children in each of the four states at the bottom of the Kids Count list. Recession: Brian Morris was laid off from his construction job in April and the family was evicted from their Texas home when they could no longer make their rent payments. They now live in a shelter . Busy: Case worker Anastasia Nixon gives a tour to a new group of homeless women and children at the Family Gateway homeless shelter in Dallas, Texas . 'Growing up in poverty, it just has these terrible repercussions and you see these associations with much lower rates of high school graduation, lower performance overall in school, much lower rates of college attendance and the cycle perpetuates,' said Curtis Skinner, director of Family Economic Security at the National Center for Children in Poverty.Skinner said the center's research is showing a troubling trend in the aftermath of the recession: Poverty rates are rising in what used to be the middle class, in two-parent households and in families where parents have college educations.While there is a lag in the Kids Count data, officials in New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada believe some of their numbers will start to turn around in the coming years thanks to investments in education, particularly pre-kindergarten programs.New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has pushed for doubling pre-K funding and funneling more money to early literacy and high school graduation efforts.'Clearly, doing things the way they've always been done hasn't worked for our kids,' said Enrique Knell, a spokesman for the governor. 'And reform efforts must include ending the practice of setting our children up for failure by passing them on to the next grade level when they can't read.'The well-being of their children has been the motivating factor for both the Hutchinson and Roper families. They want something better for their kids, and they say things are starting to turn around.'Finally, being to the point of stabilizing and being able to get the kids out of this environment, that's a good feeling,' Elimar Roper said. | The Southwest has been hit particularly hard .
30 percent of New Mexico's children are living in poverty .
Expert: 'There's little doubt that things are getting worse' |
0edca6027c237a4fec42603c15d43ad37eee8d34 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 16:09 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:59 EST, 30 December 2013 . An official portrait of New York mayor Michael Bloomberg was unveiled at City Hall on Monday to commemorate the end of his third and final term in office. The portrait shows Bloomberg standing over his bullpen at City Hall, the infamous open-plan office that was at the epicenter of his mayoral organization for the past 12 years. Artist Jon Friedman has captured a good likeness of Bloomberg’s favored stoic pose with his lips pursed in his trademark half-smirk/half-frown expression. Artist Jon Friedman has captured a good likeness of Bloomberg's favored stoic pose with his lips pursed in his trademark half-smirk/half-frown expression . In the oil on canvas painting, Bloomberg wears a dark suit and an unusual purple tie. A badge on his lapel and his cufflinks feature an apple-shaped design that looks uncannily like the Applebee’s logo. The city's 108th mayor, Bloomberg imported the bullpit concept from his Wall Street days and has spent a large part of the past 12 years seated at a desk the same size as the 51 others. He donated the computers and paid for breakfast and light lunch for his entire staff every day - a cost of about $890,000 over the course of his tenure. Critics are divided with regards to Bloomberg's legacy. While many New Yorkers found him arrogant and insensitive to the needs of the poor, he has been at the helm during a period of tremendous growth and prosperity for the city. Bloomberg imported the bullpit concept from his Wall Street days and has spent a large part of the past 12 years seated at a desk the same size as the 51 others . The painting, which will be displayed outside City Hall's Blue Room, ‘was privately funded and is a gift to the city,’ according to NYC.gov. Enclosed in a gilt frame, it measures 50" by 36" and will have pride of place next to Rudy Giuliani in a chronological procession of portraits of his predecessors. By way of a comparison, Giuliani’s portrait showed him leaning on a railing. Friedman, whose work is also displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, paints from photographs. This portrait was based on an image taken on June 27. On January 1, Democratic Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio will be sworn in by Bill Clinton. Michael Bloomberg, joined by his mother Charlotte, waves to the crowd after being sworn in as the 108th Mayor of the City of New York at City Hall in New York on January 1, 2002 . Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks during the unveiling of his portrait at City Hall Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010 . | An official portrait of Mayor Bloomberg was unveiled at City Hall on Monday .
He is shown standing over his bullpen - an idea he imported from his time on Wall Street .
Bloomberg had the same-sized desk as everyone else in the open-plan environment .
The painting, which will be displayed outside City Hall's Blue Room, 'was privately funded and is a gift to the city' |
0edd72fddbc631a199f45dfd10f6efc7aac9c1fa | (CNN) -- A good soldier never publicly contradicts the commander in chief, at least not intentionally, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is a good soldier. A Vietnam War veteran, Hagel provided a robust defense of President Barack Obama's approach to ISIS jihadists in Iraq and Syria when interviewed Wednesday by CNN National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto. With Obama facing criticism over what even a fellow Democrat called too much caution, Hagel sought to make clear that the President wants to eliminate any ISIS threat to the United States and its interests -- both abroad and at home. 'Degrade and destroy' "We're providing the President with those options to degrade and destroy" the ability of the group that calls itself the Islamic State to attack Americans anywhere in the world, he said. When Sciutto pressed for clarity on Obama's statement earlier Wednesday , asking if the President meant containment, Hagel sough to clarify what his boss said. Asked whether Obama meant "containment" when he said earlier Wednesday that the goal was to manage the ISIS threat, Hagel said, "No, it's not contain." "It's exactly what the President said: Degrade and destroy." Why it took Obama so long to address his no ISIS strategy comments . And so it went for an hour of questions from Sciutto and some in the audience at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Hagel repeatedly expressed agreement with Obama's positions on Syria and Ukraine, where the international community has said Russian troops have crossed the border to help pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian military. Asked if Obama tipped his hand by rejecting a U.S. ground invasion against ISIS three years after bringing home combat forces from Iraq, Hagel said, "We're not going to go back into Iraq the same way we came out of Iraq a few years ago." Biden's warning to ISIS: 'We will follow them to the gates of hell' Instead, he advocated Obama's broad-based strategy that calls for a new and more inclusive Iraqi government, an international coalition supporting it and limited U.S. military action like the airstrikes launched last month at ISIS targets in the north. "There's no question in my mind" that the Obama administration approached the ISIS issue with a "sense of urgency," Hagel said, adding that possible airstrikes on the jihadists' positions in Syria were among the options the Pentagon has presented to the President for further steps. What can the U.S. do against ISIS in Syria -- and could it work? On the Ukraine conflict, Hagel sounded a similar theme. If Russian President Vladimir Putin continued to escalate the fighting there, he would face further consequences on top of U.S. and European Union sanctions imposed so far, but "we're not going to get into a military engagement, a war, over this with Russia," Hagel said. 'Sick to your stomach' The ISIS issue dominated the hour-long interview. Hagel said the videotaped beheadings of two American journalists by the Sunni jihadists "makes you sick to your stomach, but it again reminds you of the brutality and barbarism that is afoot in some places in the world." "It won't just recede into the gray recesses of history until we stop it," he said. At one point, Hagel misspoke about the number of Americans believed fighting with ISIS. "As we have acknowledged publicly, we are aware of over 100 U.S. citizens who have U.S. passports who are fighting in the Middle East with ISIL forces," he said, referring to the group by another acronym for the Sunni jihadists used by some U.S. officials. "There may be more -- we don't know." The Pentagon later told Sciutto that Hagel's figure referred to the total number of Americans believed fighting in Syria with various groups, not just ISIS. About a dozen Americans are thought to be with ISIS. When Americans leave for jihad . CNN's Shirley Henry contributed to this report. | Defense Secretary Hagel tells CNN's Jim Sciutto that ISIS must be stopped .
"It's exactly what the President said," Hagel says of ISIS strategy .
No ground invasion of Iraq or war with Russia over Ukraine, he insists .
President Obama has been criticized for not attacking ISIS in Syria . |
0edde295342ebc475ea636903c587d4609050173 | Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the middleweight boxing contender who spent 19 years in prison after being wrongly convicted of a triple murder, has died in Toronto, according to Win Wahrer, the director of client services for the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted. Carter, 76, died of complications from prostate cancer, Wahrer said. "I always remember spending hours and hours with Rubin talking about the wrongful convictions," she told CNN. "He was a great mentor and teacher. I felt very fortunate to have those times with him. ... He lived a very full life." Carter spent 19 years in prison for a triple killing in New Jersey before a federal judge ruled in 1985 that he and John Artis, who was with Carter on the night of the shootings, did not receive fair trials and released them. Artis was with Carter when he died early Sunday morning, Wahrer said, adding that Carter had lived in Toronto since his release from prison. Carter told CNN three years ago that prison allowed him to do two things: shed the illusions and anger that spurred his youthful delinquency, and come to the realization that his destiny might lie in fighting for justice. He was a title-seeking prizefighter no more. But first, he had to scrap his way out of prison. "Hatred and bitterness and anger only consume the vessel that contains them. It doesn't hurt another soul," Carter told CNN. "If I were to allow myself to continue to feel that anger and the bitterness of being a victim, I would have never survived prison itself. Prison can deal with anger; prison can deal with hatred because prison is about all those things. So I had to overcome those things." Carter became an activist for the wrongly convicted after his release and was the first executive director of the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted from 1993 to 2004. "Rubin will be remembered by those at AIDWYC who were fortunate enough to have worked with him as a truly courageous man who fought tirelessly to free others who had suffered the same fate as he," the group said in a statement. "We will continue to fight against wrongful convictions, a battle that Rubin valiantly fought until the day he died. Rest in peace Rubin, your battle is over but you will never be forgotten." There was a time when boxing enthusiasts were giddy about Carter's future. He was fast and powerful, hence his sobriquet, and despite being short for his weight class (5-foot-8), he became a Madison Square Garden and television fixture. Ring magazine declared him one of the top middleweight contenders in 1963 after he knocked out 11 of his first 15 professional opponents. "His shaven head, prominent mustache, unwavering stare and solid frame made him an intimidating presence in the ring decades before such a look became commonplace," according to the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame. Following a loss in his only title bout in 1964, Carter precipitously fell from grace, losing seven of his 15 final matches before being fingered in a 1966 triple homicide at the LaFayette Bar and Grill. He was convicted and sentenced to three life terms the following year. The ruling was later overturned, but Carter was convicted again in 1976, a year after Bob Dylan co-wrote a song declaring his innocence. That conviction, too, was tossed out, and Carter walked out of prison in 1985. In 1988, a Passaic County prosecutor filed a motion to dismiss the charges. By that time, Carter was a cause celebre. In addition to the Dylan tune, his case had drawn the attention of a heavyweight counterpart, Muhammad Ali, and actor Burt Reynolds, among others. His plight has also inspired at least a half dozen books, including his own autobiography, written from prison. A major motion picture that opened years after Carter's release would earn actor Denzel Washington his fourth Oscar nomination. "God bless Rubin Carter and his tireless fight to ensure justice for all," Washington said Sunday. The 1999 film played a key role in introducing Carter to an audience that had not followed his two-decade legal saga, but the ex-boxer said Washington, in a way, also introduced him to himself. In his 2011 book, "Eye of the Hurricane: My Path from Darkness to Freedom," Carter explained that he was not perfect and conceded guilt to a host of regrettable crimes including assaults and robberies -- but not murder. Those crimes, he said, were perpetrated when he was blind, operating unconsciously -- a recurring theme in his book -- and they were the product of the anger to which he succumbed growing up under Jim Crow, he said. People we've lost in 2014 . | Denzel Washington: God bless Rubin Carter and his tireless fight .
Carter wrote in a 2011 book that he was guilty of other crimes but not murder .
A federal judge said Carter and another man failed to receive fair trials .
Carter lived in Toronto after he was freed from prison . |
0edf83de164102a1a84528841e711d331b39036e | By . Becky Barrow . PUBLISHED: . 17:20 EST, 29 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:20 EST, 29 August 2012 . House prices in London have rocketed to a record high – but in the rest of the country they have plunged by up to 20 per cent since the credit crunch began. The biggest risers are in Kensington and Chelsea, where the average property costs a record £1.089million. In the past year, the price of a home in the London borough has jumped by an average of £150,000, or £12,600 every month, according to the Land Registry. For sale: House prices have dipped across the UK, apart from in the capital . This rise is nearly six times the . annual pre-tax wage of a typical full-time worker on £26,100. The . average property in Kensington and Chelsea ‘earns’ the same in just over . two months. But prices have fallen dramatically in the rest of the country. Tracy Kellett, director of the buying . agents BDI Home Finders, said: ‘Like a drunk uncle at a wedding, the . housing market is still dancing in slow motion on the spot. ‘For every small step forward, there is an ungainly lurch backwards. ‘While London is making strong . progress, prices are still dropping in the North.’ In the North West, . one of the worst affected areas, the average home was worth £135,988 . when the credit crunch began in August 2007. Today it is worth £109,235. This is equal to a drop of 19.6 per cent, or £26,753. Houses like these in Kensington and Chelsea have seen the biggest price rise with an average of £12,600 a month since the credit crunch began . Estate agents told the Royal . Institution of Chartered Surveyors how the market is ‘in the doldrums’ and that confidence is ‘very low.’ One agent, from Carlisle, Cumbria, . said: ‘[The] market still lacks confidence with nothing in sight to . suggest it might improve. ‘Vendors need to be prepared to . compromise if they are to make progress with a planned move.’ In the . North East, average prices have dropped below £100,000 to £98,557, . falling by a further 3.8 per cent over the last year. Overall, house prices in London have jumped 6.5 per cent over the last year to an all-time high of £367,785. Peter Rollings, managing director of . Marsh & Parsons, a specialist London estate agency, said: ‘There is a . chronic lack of supply [of homes for sale] and an overdose of demand. ‘People do not want to put their money . in a bank. The stock market is up and down like a yoyo. They are . looking for a place to put their money, so they decide to buy a . property.’ The cheapest one-bedroom flat in the area is currently on the . market for £300,000 while the most expensive is on the market for . £2.25million, he said. Overall, the Land Registry figures . showed the price of the average home has risen by 0.3 per cent over the . last year to £162,900. Outside London, the most expensive . county is Windsor and Maidenhead where the average home costs £342,596, . up 5.5 per cent over the last year. Land Registry figures do not include Scotland. | Average home in Kensington and Chelsea cost over £1m .
Prices in London higher than ever .
Property values in North West drop 19.6 per cent . |
0ee04e3dd910c9cce9fb8793435bece3ad9b62c5 | (CNN) -- An American journalist held in Syria by Islamist rebels for close to two years was released Sunday. Peter Theo Curtis, 45, is believed to have been captured in October 2012 and held by al-Nusra Front, a Syrian rebel group with ties to al Qaeda. "My heart is full at the extraordinary, dedicated, incredible people, too many to name individually, who have become my friends and have tirelessly helped us over these many months," said Curtis' mother, Nancy Curtis. "Please know that we will be eternally grateful." The United Nations said Curtis was handed over to U.N. peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, which is under Israeli government control, and was given a medical checkup. White House national security adviser Susan Rice said Curtis was safe, no longer in Syria and expected to be reunited with his family shortly. He was on his way to Tel Aviv, according to a senior administration official. Nancy Curtis spoke to her son briefly by phone Sunday. "He sounded so happy and excited to be free," she said. He told her "I can't believe they let me out." His cousin Viva Hardigg said, "We've heard that his health appears good. That was very encouraging." The United States was not involved in negotiations for his release but was aware of private efforts to secure the release, two U.S. law enforcement officials said. It's not known whether any ransom was paid, the officials said. Curtis' release comes just five days after ISIS militants released a video of one of its militants beheading American journalist James Foley. "Particularly after a week marked by unspeakable tragedy, we are all relieved and grateful knowing that Theo Curtis is coming home after so much time held in the clutches of (al-Nusra Front)," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement. When asked about the death of James Foley, an American journalist killed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria last week, Nancy Curtis began to weep. "I feel so bad for their family. Diane (Foley's mother) has become a good friend of mine, and I'm just so heartbroken for their loss." Author and journalist . CNN obtained two videos that appear to have been recorded during the late stages of Curtis' captivity. In one, a gun is pointed at his head, and Curtis speaks rapidly, as if under duress. He gives his name and the date and says he is a journalist from Boston. Curtis is an author and freelance reporter who writes under the name Theo Padnos. He contributed articles about the Middle East to various publications, including the New Republic, The Huffington Post and the London Review of Books. He has also published two books: "My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun," a memoir about teaching literature to young offenders at a correctional facility in Vermont, and "Undercover Muslim: A Journey into Yemen," which investigates Islamic extremism. He was born in Atlanta and graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont. Curtis holds a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Massachusetts and is fluent in French and Arabic, according to a statement from his family. He also speaks German and Russian. "Theo has a deep concern and regard for the people of Syria," his mother said, "which is why he returned during the war. He wanted to help others and to give meaning and to bear witness to their struggles. "I am very fortunate that I do not have to tell his whole story. He eventually will be able to do so himself." President Barack Obama has been briefed on Curtis' release and "shares in the joy and relief that we all feel now that Theo is out of Syria and safe," said White House spokesman Eric Schultz. "But we continue to hold in our thoughts and prayers the Americans who remain in captivity in Syria -- and we will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to see that the remaining American hostages are freed." Former cellmate speaks . In August, CNN spoke to Curtis' former cellmate in Syria, Matthew Schrier. They were locked up together in six prisons before Schrier broke free by climbing through a window. "I took apart the screen, pushed the sandbags aside, and I got stuck, around my waist, so I had to reach in. I unbuckled my pants, and as soon as I unbuckled my pants I shot right out," Schrier said. Curtis wasn't as lucky. He got stuck. Schrier said he tried to get Curtis out, but he simply didn't fit, and so Schrier left, promising to get help. "It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do," Schrier said. "It's hard to move on, because he's still there. You know, it hasn't ended yet 100%," he said then. "I'm not going to have closure until he's home." Fears heightened for Western hostages . Why freelance reporting is so dangerous . Foley's murder: 'A message to Britain' CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, Jim Acosta, Mary Grace Lucas, Evan Perez, Jethro Mullen, Lawrence Crook III and Deanna Hackney contributed to this report. | "Please know that we will be eternally grateful," his mother says .
Peter Theo Curtis is a freelance journalist and author .
He had been held for nearly two years by Islamist militants .
U.N. peacekeepers in the Golan Heights facilitated his handover . |
0ee0835f9ec00fe2d448428ec1615e52f6065609 | By . Caroline Graham . Updated: . 16:59 EST, 31 December 2011 . Mark Kennedy spent eight years posing as eco-warrior Mark 'Flash' Stone . An undercover police officer has defended having sexual relationships with unsuspecting eco-activists, saying they were ‘essential’ to maintaining a convincing cover story. Mark Kennedy, who spent eight years posing as eco-warrior Mark ‘Flash’ Stone, has spoken out after learning that three women plan to sue the Metropolitan Police for emotional distress, saying he ‘duped’ them into sex. ‘I never conned anyone into having sex,’ he says. ‘I lived undercover for eight years and if I hadn’t had sex, I would have blown my cover. But I never used these women to gain information. The love we had was real. ‘I am not the first man to give a false name to a woman. I do have sympathy for those I may have hurt but this doesn’t warrant a lawsuit. The world of eco-activism is highly promiscuous. It was essential for me to have relationships in order to do my job.’ In total, eight women are accusing five undercover officers, including Kennedy, of causing them ‘intense emotional trauma and pain’. The lawsuit, thought to be the first of its kind, alleges the ‘degrading deceit’ caused them psychiatric and psychological injuries, including depression, anxiety and trauma. It states: ‘It appears that [the men] used techniques they had been trained in to gain trust . . . officers obtained the consent of [these women] to sexual intercourse by deceit.’ Kennedy’s cover was blown a year ago and he has since left the police and moved to America, where he is working on a book and has signed a lucrative film deal. A Channel 4 documentary about him, Confessions Of An Undercover Cop, aired in November. In 2002, Kennedy, 42, was recruited by the Met’s National Public Order Intelligence Unit and travelled throughout Britain and Europe, infiltrating activist groups as long-haired, tattooed protester Stone. Kennedy, who is now getting divorced, insists he was celibate during his first year undercover. ‘I avoided sexual contact, despite the fact that free love is part of that lifestyle,’ he says. ‘I was a new face with money and a van, so I was a catch but I said I’d just ended a relationship and was recovering emotionally.’ In fact, Kennedy was married to Edel, mother of his 12-year-old son and ten-year-old daughter, though he claims he and his wife stayed together only because of the children. ‘The subject of sex came up once during training,’ says Kennedy. ‘It was basically “Don’t do it.” But I talked to my cover officer dozens of times a day. There is no way he could not have known about a relationship. I told him where I was going and with whom. He knew where I spent my nights. I didn’t have to spell it out to him. I couldn’t go to the loo without him knowing. The police chose to turn a blind eye because the intelligence I was providing was so good.’ Dirty protesters: A picture of female mud-wrestlers taken by Mark Kennedy. Kennedy's cover for the £2million operation was blown after a high-profile trial of eco-activists collapsed amid allegations that he had been organising the very protests he was being paid to help stop . Kennedy says that his first sexual encounter came with a woman who ‘seduced’ him at a party in Leeds in 2003. He believes she is one of his lawsuit accusers, although the women’s identities are not being disclosed. ‘She came up and planted a huge kiss on me,’ he says. ‘One thing led to another and we ended up in bed. We had an on-off sexual relationship for two years. The lawsuit makes it sound as if I was predatory but I treated the women lovingly. ‘I am surprised she states we were in a relationship from 2003 to 2005. She had multiple lovers and I didn’t consider her a proper girlfriend. ‘I knew I had crossed the line by having sex with the people I was infiltrating but I felt I had little choice. One activist told me, “If a man doesn’t respond to sexual overtures, then it is likely he’s a cop or informant.” ’ He says the louche lifestyle promoted casual sex. ‘No one worked, so there was a party lifestyle, filled with drink and drugs like ecstasy, ketamine and marijuana,’ he says. ‘It was not unusual to have 100 to 150 people passing through a party lasting two or three days. There would always be a big bowl of condoms on the bar. They were vegan ones because regular condoms can contain animal by-products.’ Kennedy says that the sex-filled parties often had a theme. ‘At one party, called M&S / S&M, you had to wear something from Marks & Spencer with a sadomasochistic theme – the women were wearing cardigans with their breasts hanging out. At another, called the Queer Option, everyone cross-dressed – it was a case of anything goes. Undercover as an eco-activist in Spain in 2007. Kennedy says he never indulged in the sexual free-for-all because, by 2004, he had fallen in love with a red-haired Welsh activist . ‘The parties would end in a mass of arms and legs as people got into the free-love thing.’ He says children would frequently be present. ‘The parties would go on for days. One party had semi-naked mud-wrestlers and there were children wandering in and out, fascinated by all the high jinks.’ Kennedy says he never indulged in the sexual free-for-all because, by 2004, he had fallen in love with a red-haired Welsh activist to whom he remained devoted until his cover was blown. ‘I believe she is one of the women in the lawsuit,’ he says, sitting in a hotel near his home in Cleveland, Ohio. ‘When we met she was involved with another man but I was smitten. She ended things with her other boyfriend and we were totally in love with each other.’ He says he felt ‘terrible guilt’ in hiding his identity from her. ‘I wanted to tell her, but I couldn’t. ‘I never used any information she gave me. To be frank, I had much better sources. After my identity was revealed, we met up and I told her how sorry I was. I thought we had made our peace. ‘This lawsuit is about money and politics. I was exposed and I admitted having these two relationships [of the third woman who cites a relationship with him between February and September 2005, he says, “I haven’t a clue who that is”]. ‘They are trying to discredit undercover police officers. Some people may have pound signs in their eyes, too. Perhaps they think the Met will pay them to go away.’ Kennedy’s cover for the £2 million operation was blown after a high-profile trial of eco-activists collapsed amid allegations that he had been organising the very protests he was being paid to help stop. He too is planning a lawsuit against the Met. ‘The police did not properly support me. I did not receive the proper psychiatric counselling during my eight years undercover and when my cover was blown, the police hung me out to dry,’ he says. ‘I lost my job, my girlfriend, my life. I will be suing for the emotional distress that caused.’ A Scotland Yard spokesman last night responded to Kennedy’s claims via email, saying: ‘There is a review under way led by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons which is assessing various issues arising from covert deployments over the period 1968-2008. ‘This is a complex process due to the elapsed time, the nature and volume of material and the inherent sensitivity of the issues.’ Harriet Wistrich, the lawyer representing the women, said: ‘There is a huge difference between not being totally honest about who you are and being an undercover policeman spying on your lover’s activities and those of her friends and associates. ‘There is no way that any of the claimants would have considered an intimate relationship with a man if they knew what his real job was . Kennedy was trained by the police to lie and deceive in order to gather information, as were the four other officers . ‘What he and the other officers did to these women and what his bosses either sanctioned or turned a blind eye to was unlawful, sexist and has caused real psychological damage to those involved.’ | Mark Kennedy spent eight years posing as Mark 'Flash' Stone but his cover was blown a year ago . |
0ee0e813b035610bcb5ae737f496d4ae3da7c8cb | By . Jack Crone for MailOnline . A bank robber accused of raiding more than a dozen banks in New York lost all of his stolen cash playing roulette in Atlantic City. Dorren Singh, 26, of East Harlem, allegedly robbed 12 banks in Manhattan, one in Queens and one in The Bronx during an eight-month crime spree lasting from January until his arrest on Thursday. The bandit was eventually caught after being filmed on CCTV ditching his bank-robbing disguise in a Manhattan subway, reports say. Out of luck: Dorren Singh was arrested by police when he returned to his home in east Harlem after blowing $32,000 of stolen cash in Atlantic City . According to a police source after raiding his last bank, Singh caught a bus at Port Authority Bus Terminal and rode it down to Atlantic City 'to meet girls and have fun', reports the New York Post. They added: 'He met some girls and hung out. And he slept over in one of the hotels'. But Singh had far less luck at the roulette table at Bally's casino as it nearly wiped him out - leaving him with only enough cash to buy cheap clothes and food. And while he was blowing his stolen fortune, detectives in New York were piecing together CCTV footage to identify him. When Singh returned to his home in east Harlem on Thursday, investigators were waiting to arrest him. He was charged with robbery for the 12 Manhattan bank heists, and is awaiting charges on the two other thefts. Karma: After getting away with $32,000 in stolen cash, the bandit (pictured above in several CCTV clips collected) was not so fortunate in the casino . Singh has one conviction for criminal sale of narcotics in 2009 and has also been arrested for minor offenses, including criminal trespass and turnstile jumping. It is believed that the casinos where Singh played and lost are not responsible for repaying the money. | Dorren Singh, 26, robbed 14 banks, 12 of them in Manhattan, in eight months .
Then travelled to Atlantic City where he blew the cash playing roulette .
Caught by cops after being filmed on CCTV ditching disguise in the subway . |
0ee2489489d0fcd96f0faab1684011ac5cf1e20f | Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Turkish authorities have detained American activist and freelance journalist Jake Hess in the southeastern, predominantly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. At a court appearance Sunday, a prosecutor charged Hess with "taking orders from a terrorist organization" and called for his immediate deportation from Turkey, witnesses said. Turkish officialdom regularly refers to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, as a terrorist organization. U.S. diplomats say Hess rejected their offer of assistance after he was taken into custody. "We have spoken with him on the phone regarding his situation, and he specifically asked us not to share any information on his case," said Deborah Guido, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Ankara. "He did not sign a privacy waiver. We can take an oral privacy waiver [by phone], and it was his choice. He did not want to be helped." Asked why he rejected the American offer, Hess answered that "the U.S. is an imperialist country, and I disagree with U.S. policy towards Turkey and the Kurds. It would be hypocritical to support an American journalist who is persecuted for human rights journalism while at the same time supporting the Turkish policy of criminalizing Kurdish political activists." Hess spoke with CNN by telephone on Monday from the detention center in Diyarbakir. He said he was initially detained by a Turkish anti-terrorist police unit on August 11. "I am being targeted for criticizing the Turkish government and criticizing human rights abuses," he said. "The prosecutor accused me of waging a smear campaign against the Turkish republic." Turkish officials in Diyarbakir and in the capital, Ankara, have declined to comment on Hess' case. The 25-year old American said he hoped his detention would focus attention on the arrest of hundreds of ethnic Kurds in recent years, including elected mayors from Turkey's Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), a Kurdish nationalist political party. "Some of these people have been in custody since April 2009 without trial," he said. "It's an absolutely unbelievable and outrageous injustice." Hess is a native of New Hampshire who studied at Suffolk University and Brown University. He said he previously volunteered as an activist with several Kurdish activist organizations in Europe and in Turkey. After moving to Diyarbakir more than a year ago, Hess volunteered with the Human Rights Association (IHD), a local non-governmental organization that has reported extensively on abuses committed against ethnic Kurds during Turkey's quarter-century long war with PKK guerrillas. More than 30,000 people, most of them ethnic Kurds, have been killed in the conflict. Hess had also begun writing as a freelance journalist with the online Inter Press Service news agency, filing a report this month from Iraqi Kurdistan about periodic Turkish and Iranian artillery bombardment of Kurdish villages on the Iraqi side of the border. Hess denied charges that he was an active accomplice to the PKK, which is formally classified by the Turkish and U.S. governments as a terrorist organization. "The only relationship I had with the PKK was maybe two months ago, when I went to northern Iraq and interviewed a PKK spokesman there," Hess said. Media watchdog organizations are demanding Hess's release. "We call for Hess's immediate release. Neither placing him in pre-trial detention nor deporting him are appropriate solutions," said the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders in a statement. "Kurdish media and journalists who cover the consequences of Turkish policy towards the Kurds are too often the target of harassment, which the authorities clumsily try to justify as a necessary part of their efforts to combat terrorism." Turkish police also briefly detained several other residents of Diyarbakir in connection with Hess's case, including Yilmaz Akinci, a respected Kurdish journalist who has worked with Reuters, National Public Radio, ABC News and CNN, and who is now a producer with Al Jazeera's Arabic language service. Akinci said Hess approached him in June, looking for work. "He had been applying for jobs everywhere," Akinci said. "He came to me and said, 'I want to be a journalist.' " Turkish police detained Akinci at his family's home in a predawn raid Sunday. He said he later learned that security forces had secretly photographed him during his earlier meeting with Hess. Akinci said he was released later Sunday, after authorities learned that he was a journalist. | He is charged with taking orders from a terrorist organization .
Turkey often refers to Kurdistan Workers' Party as a terrorist group .
American diplomats say Jake Hess did not want help .
Hess says he is not Kurdistan Workers' Party accomplice . |
0ee3b171efe19c8f242c91a83db5d7ca2b2e58ed | Ithaca, New York (CNN) -- According to a recent report by the Pew Research Center, one of every seven new marriages in 2008 was interracial or interethnic -- the highest percentage in U.S. history. The media and blogosphere have been atwitter. Finally, it seems, we have tangible evidence of America's entry into a new post-racial society, proof of growing racial tolerance. Intermarriage trends are being celebrated as a positive sign that we have come to think of all Americans as, well, Americans. But others have an entirely different take -- a more ominous one. They see increasing interracial marriage rates as proof that the country is amalgamating racially. To them, intermarriage is a putative threat to whites and America's essential character. Their concerns are heightened by recent Census Bureau projections that the U.S. will become a majority-minority society by the middle of the century. My research with Ken Johnson, a demographer at the University of New Hampshire, indicates that for American's youngest residents, that future is now. Nearly half of U.S. births today are to minority women. It's time for everyone -- on all sides of this issue -- to relax and take a deep breath. The reality is that racial boundaries remain firmly entrenched in American society. They are not likely to go away anytime soon. We are still far from a melting pot where distinct racial and ethnic groups blend into a multi-ethnic stew. Indeed, seemingly overlooked in the Pew Report is the finding that less than 5 percent of all married whites have a spouse of a different race or ethnicity. The vast majority of whites today -- as in the past -- marry other whites. What is changing are marriage patterns among America's minorities, but in ways that are not easy to understand or summarize in short news releases. (Pew used the categories of non-Hispanic whites, blacks, Asians, American Indians and Hispanics.) For example, Pew reports that the share of newly married blacks with spouses of a different race increased threefold between 1980 and 2008. Media accounts have variously trumpeted this as good or bad news for America's future, depending on the presumptive beliefs and attitudes of their audiences about racial matters. It is easy to forget the U.S. Supreme Court waited until 1967, in Loving v. Virginia, to outlaw state prohibitions against interracial marriage. Increases in black-white marriages, at least on a percentage basis, are large because baseline numbers are very small. Romantics like to believe that love is blind. We embrace the idea that falling in love is a product of our emotions rather than rational deliberation. Of course, the empirical evidence suggests otherwise. Love may be blind, but it clearly is not color-blind. Indeed, for all the hyperventilation, the demographic reality is that only about 15 percent of newly married blacks today became married to whites or other minorities. This is hardly a basis for celebrating a new racial tolerance in America or, if you prefer, for now believing that white identity is rapidly being lost to interracial intimacy and childbearing. Unfortunately, most of the nation's headlines ignored Pew's observation that intermarriage rates with whites actually have declined among Asians and Hispanics since 1980. This is something new. My research with Julie Carmalt and Zhenchao Qian, to be published in Sociological Forum, documents recent declines in intermarriage rates among U.S.-born Hispanics and Asians after decades-long increases. Declines in intermarriage have been largest among the second generation, the U.S.-born children of immigrant parents. Among second-generation Hispanics, for example, intermarriages with whites declined by more than one-third between 1995 and 2008. Over the same period, they became more likely to marry Hispanic immigrants. Since 1980, there has been a fivefold increase in the number of native-born Asian women marrying Asian immigrants. One explanation is that substantial new immigration has simply expanded the marriage opportunities for native-born Hispanics and Asians. But it is also likely that the extraordinary recent growth of the immigrant population has reinforced a new sense of identity rooted in shared ethnicity and culture. This seems to have encouraged more in-marriage with co-ethnics at the expense of more out-marriage with whites. Demographers sometimes consider intermarriage to be the final step in the assimilation process, or an indicator of racial boundaries or lack of them. The current retreat from intermarriage among America's non-black minorities raises new questions about racial and ethnic balkanization in America. Issues of race and immigration are an important part of the public dialogue. In today's highly charged political environment, it is easy to latch onto information that buttresses our own point of view and preconceptions. Unfortunately, short headlines and easy-to-digest narratives about rising intermarriage rates tend to oversimplify or even distort a complicated statistical story that is still unfolding. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daniel T. Lichter. | Daniel Lichter: 1 of 7 new 2008 marriages was interracial or interethnic, report says .
Lichter says racial boundaries are firm; vast majority of whites still marry whites .
Marriage patterns among minorities changing, he says, but in complex way .
Complicated statistical story is still unfolding and can be easily distorted, Lichter cautions . |
0ee4715365f2a59272dda0048747c3fc51ece039 | (CNN) -- Chelsea Handler has made a clean break from E!. Or at least we assume it was clean, since Handler's final "Chelsea Lately" episode Tuesday included one of her infamous celebrity-accompanied shower scenes. Over the past seven years of "Chelsea Lately" on the E! network, host Handler has roped two other stars -- friend Sandra Bullock and fellow late night host Conan O'Brien -- into having nude shower fights with her. The running gag was brought to a close on Tuesday as an indignant Ellen DeGeneres climbed into Handler's roomy shower set, fully clothed but wearing a shower cap, demanding answers as to why Handler never had her on the show. "Is it because I'm a lesbian?" DeGeneres asked Handler, who, per usual, was stark naked. "No!" Handler responded. "I didn't even know you were a lesbian. I thought you were married to Ryan Seacrest." You didn't think Handler would say goodbye to E! without landing another joke against the network's patron saint of celebrity news, did you? What we'll miss about 'Chelsea Lately' Throughout "Chelsea Lately's" eight-season run, Handler has commandeered an unabashedly salty late night show, which on a typical night included a ring of celebrity trash-talking comedians and a celebrity interview that ran more bawdy than promotional. Those irritated by the Justin Biebers and Kardashians of the world likely found a kindred spirit in Handler, who wasn't ashamed to have open contempt for some of her show's topics. (One of the rumored reasons for Handler's exit was that she just didn't want to talk about Bieber anymore.) It's no surprise that neither the pop star nor E!'s first family participated in Handler's farewell show Tuesday, but there wasn't a shortage of celebrity guests. Handler is known to run with a powerful crew that includes A-list actress Jennifer Aniston. On Tuesday, the former "Friends" star joined Sandra Bullock and Mary McCormack for a mock intervention (sit through it until the end; the surprise guest is worth it), and Miley Cyrus also showed up to perform a cover of Roy Orbison's "It's Over." Several more famous faces arrived to help sing Handler off the network, from Fergie and Gwen Stefani, to Gerard Butler, Selena Gomez, Dave Grohl and Alanis Morissette. Stefani, who accidentally called "The Colbert Report" the "Colbore Report" at the Emmys on Monday, poked fun at her mistake by introducing Handler as her "good friend, Chelsea Hammer." "Goodbye to E!, it's time to move on," the stars sang in unison before instructing in classic Handler fashion, "so roll yourself a joint, and have a drink." On a more serious note, Handler did make some final remarks. "I want to thank every single person who's shown up for me in the last seven years," Handler said. "I never really got a good chance to be serious and say thank you, and I want you to know that I am grateful for this career." Handler is moving on to Netflix from E!, where she's expected to produce some comedy specials and deliver a new talk show in early 2016. "Thank you to my family, and mom I hope you're watching me," Handler said in her goodbye speech. "I'll see you on Netflix!" | Chelsea Handler said goodbye to E! with the final episode of "Chelsea Lately" Tuesday .
The hourlong episode was star-filled, including a shower with Ellen DeGeneres .
Handler is moving to Netflix next . |
0ee47301cd6f05fd9a7b5f17fc6931b20e892dce | By . Jennifer Newton . Lower Manhattan looks set to be extended into the East River after the scheme to expand a 1.3 mile stretch of land was ruled financially feasible. The proposal, released last month, was dubbed Seaport City and could be built alongside a levee scheme aimed at offering protection from storm surges such as the one caused by Hurricane Sandy. The expansion could provide two new city blocks as well as open space and according to documents is 'technically, legally and financially feasible.' An artist's impression of Seaport City, which could be built on a multi-purpose levee to protect Lower Manhattan from storm surges . An artist's impression of how the Bridging Berm which will protect the lower east side of Manhattan from storm surges could look . It is hoped that one of the benefits of creating both residential and commercial developments would help offset the construction costs that would run into billions of dollars and even fund additional resiliency programmes. During Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the shoreline of the East River rose to 19 feet above sea level highlighting the city's vulnerability to coastal flooding and storm surges. Last year, another report first floated the idea of a 'multi-purpose levee' to protect the city from extreme weather. Dan Zarilli, director of New York City's Office of Recovery and Resiliency said: 'If we don't make something like this happen, we are totally exposed to the risk of climate change. The area near to the Williamsburg Bridge, which could be reclaimed and transformed into what has been dubbed 'Seaport City' 'We’re . putting big, bold ideas out there because traditional solutions are . going to prove ineffective. This is a feasible way to protect the city.' Multi-purpose levees have been successfully implemented in flood-prone areas in the Netherlands, Japan and Singapore. They are usually built in areas of particularly high vulnerabilities due to high population densities, concentration of economic activity, and the location of critical infrastructure systems. It appears that the levee will run along the East River from East 13th Street to Corlears Hook Park, just south of the Williamsburg Bridge. A map showing how the island of Manhattan has expanded outwards from 1650 to 1980 . Building on reclaimed land in Manhattan has been taking place since the 17th century when it was still known as New Amsterdam. The first expansion took place in 1646 under Peter Stuyvesant, who took over as the governor of New Amsterdam colony when the island of Manhattan was expanded between one and four blocks on each side. But it was not until the 20th century that Lower Manhattan's geography underwent a dramatic transformation. In 1934, construction began on the East River Drive (known now as the FDR Drive), expanding Manhattan to the east. Running 9.5 miles from Lower Manhattan's Battery to the Triborough Bridge, the highway is built on a combination of landfill and pile-supported relieving platforms. Lower Manhattan pictured in 1934, while construction began on the East River Drive, now known as FDR Drive, which expanded Manhattan to the east . By 1976, Lower Manhattan had expanded an additional 23.5 acres with the creation of Battery Park City along the Hudson River, with 1.2 million cubic yards of earth and rock excavated for the World Trade Center as its foundation. The area became home to an upscale residential neighborhood with great schools and parks not far from New York's City bustling financial district, but the close proximity to the water has left that part of Manhattan prone to flooding. Now, New York City has 400,000 people and 68,000 buildings inside the flood plain. The bridging berm will effectively raise the riverbank to nine feet above current level, which is more than four feet above Hurricane Sandy’s high-water mark. Predicted timelines on how long the project will take to complete range from five to 35 years but the city has already started to consult with the local community on plans. Manhattan has been subject to a series of land reclamations, the first of which took place in 1646 when the island expanded between one and four blocks on each side. The berm will also provide better access to the park, left, which is largely cut off from the neighbourhood by the highway . However, it was Lower Manhattan's violent encounter with Sandy, which overwhelmed the streets with water and plunged most of the area into darkness, that made local residents, business owners and city officials realise how truly vulnerable that reclaimed land was. In 2000, the Guggenheim Foundation announced plans to build a 400 foot tall building south of the Brooklyn Bridge near to Battery Park on the East River waterfront. However, two years later it was revealed the project had been cancelled as foundation director Frank Gehry acknowledged the prospect of finding the $950million funding was unrealistic. A model of the Guggenheim Museum, which was planned for the East River but was dropped as the Guggenheim Foundation said it was unrealistic to find the $950million needed to finance the project . In November 2000, the Guggenheim Foundation announced plans to develop piers and build a 400-foot tall building south of the Brooklyn Bridge on reclaimed land in Lower Manhattan. The foundation were said to have pledged $67.8 million towards the project, which was to include a new Guggenheim museum designed by Frank Gehry. Mr Gehry designed Guggenheim's museum in Bilbao and crowds were drawn to view the plans at the New York museum on Fifth Avenue. The plans showed it would have had 200,000 square feet of exhibition space, a theatre and a centre for arts education as well as six acres of open space. It would have been built on connecting platforms extending from Old Slip to Maiden Lane. However, just two years later the plans were dropped from a report released by city mayor Michael Bloomberg called 'New York City's Vision for Lower Manhattan'. Guggenheim Foundation director Thomas Krens acknowledged that the $950million needed to finance the project would be unrealistic to find. In a statement at the time he said: 'The Guggenheim project has to be rethought, perhaps on a more modest level, and certainly in the context of the city's master plan for the development of Lower Manhattan.' | Plan to expand Manhattan by 500 feet deemed 'financially feasible'
Proposal dubbed 'Seaport City' and could provide two new city blocks .
Could be built alongside a levee scheme to protect area from flooding .
Appears it will run from East 13th Street to Corlears Hook Park . |
0ee5207cc2f7b38cce4fb671cfef3dda5931a456 | By . Joel Christie . Kwasi Enin has a very tough decision to make. On March 27, as tens of thousands of the country's university hopefuls similarly waited patiently at their computers for news - if any - that their applications were successful, the 17-year-old from Long Island, who had already been accepted early into Princeton, got into Brown. And then Columbia. And then Cornell, Yale and Dartmouth, too. 'I was like - this can't be happening!' Kwasi told Newsday. Scroll down for video . Now that's high achievement: Kwasi Enin, 17 a senior at William Floyd High School in Shirley, New York, applied to all eight Ivy League Universities - and was accepted by the lot . Harvard University - a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts - has an acceptance rate of only 5.9 per cent, meaning only 2,023 of the 34,295 applicants will get in. They accepted Kwasi Enin . By 5pm, he had six Ivy League colleges offering him a place at their institutions, and then the toughest of them all, Harvard, sent the William Floyd High School student an email. The university has an acceptance rate of only 5.9 per cent - meaning only 2,023 of the 34,295 applicants will get in - and they wanted Kwasi. Cornell, similiarly, accepted only 14 per cent. So what makes Kwasi so desirable as a freshman? With an SAT score of 2,250 out of 2,400 - which places him in the 99th percentile for all students taking the exam - as a competitive shot putter he is also a star athlete. He also sings and plays viola for the school orchestra. Kwasi is a first generation American from Ghana. His parents, both nurses, moved to New York in the 1980s. His father, Ebenezer Enin, said Kwasi - who wants to study medicine - was raised to strive for excellence. 'He's an amazing kid. He's very humble.,' Mr Enin said. 'He's been trained to be a high achiever right from when he was a kid. 'We have been encouraging him to be an all-around student. So far, he has proved himself.' Kwasi Enin matriculated at William Floyd High School, a large school on Long Island, New York. His principal said that, from the start, it was clear he would succeed . According to USA Today, Kwasi's feat is extremely rare, with few students even able to apply to all eight Ivy Leagues, because each seeks different qualities in their students. 'My heart skipped a beat when he told me he was applying to all eight' says Nancy Winkler, the guidance counselor at William Floyd. In 29 years as a counselor, she says, she's never seen anything like this. 'It's a big deal when we have students apply to one or two Ivies. To get into one or two is huge. It was extraordinary.' Kwasi's success is the third big college announcement highlighting Black male excellence in recent weeks. Another success story: Avery Coffey, 17, a senior at D.C.'s prestigious Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, applied to five Ivy League schools and was accepted to all of them. Avery Coffey, 17, a senior at D.C.'s prestigious Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, applied to five Ivy League schools and was accepted to all of them. Coffey, who has a 4.3 GPA in his intense International Baccalaureate program, applied and was accepted to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, and Brown. All but Harvard have already presented Coffey with generous financial aid packages. Chad Thomas, a senior football player at Miami's Booker T. Washington High School, has received 150 scholarship offers for his talent both on and off the gridiron. | Kwasi Enin, 17, is the son of immigrant nurses from Ghana .
He was a senior at William Floyd High School in Mastic, N.Y, with an SAT score of 2,250 out of 2,400 .
He is a competitive shot-putter and violist .
Kwasi decided to apply to all eight Ivy League universities in the hope that maybe one would accept him .
Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale have all offered him places .
He was also accepted to Duke, Stony Brook University, SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton University . |
0ee57426dc693264026b3e1332a8d8fb44b943bb | The heartbroken boyfriend of a young woman found dead in the playground of a primary school said she gave him the 'best seven years of his life,' in an emotional tribute. Blonde Charlotte Christodoulou, 23,was discovered dead at Harlescott Junior School in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Two men aged 32 and 39 along with a 31-year-old woman were initially arrested on suspicion of her murder but the charge was later changed to obstructing a coroner. It is an offence to obstruct a coroner, whether by disposing of a body before they can inquire into the circumstance of the death, or acting to prevent an inquest, the Crown Prosecution Service say. Miss Christodoulou's devastated boyfriend Rich Arnold, of Malvern, Worcs., described her as 'the best' and said he did not know what he would do without her. This is the first picture of Charlotte Christodoulou, 23, who was discovered dead at Harlescott Junior School in Shrewsbury, Shropshire . Writing on Facebook, he said: 'Thanks every1 for ur support, means the world dnt no wat to do wiv myself. 'She gave me the best 7 years ov my life, she was the best wont find no1 as gud as her. 'Cheers every1 never thought id have this much support means the world makin me stay strong but shill cant believe my babys gone, thanks every1.' Charlotte Christodoulou, pictured with her boyfriend of seven years, Rich Arnold. Mr Arnold described his girlfriend as the 'best' The two men and the woman arrested in connection with Miss Christodoulou's have been released on bail to return to Shrewsbury Police Station on March 6. A police spokesman said that her death was no longer being treated as murder following the results of the post mortem examination. Harlescott Junior School caters for 277 boys and girls from the age of seven to 11. It received a rating of 'Good' in its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2013. Miss Christodoulou, from Walsall, West Midlands, was found just 500 metres from where Julie Mercer, 47, was found dead at business premises on Christmas Eve. The scene at Harlescott School where Miss Christodoulou's body was discovered . A man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has been bailed while detectives continue that investigation. Police are not linking the two deaths. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Charlotte Christodoulou, 23, was found dead at Harlescott Junior School .
Her death in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, is no longer being treated as murder .
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing a coroner .
The two men, 32 and 39, and a woman, 31, have been released on bail .
Miss Christodolou's boyfriend paid an emotional tribute to his 'baby' |
0ee68d3447af2cc5a45a18d8322a583982f20d5d | A 23-year-old online poker star has beaten the reigning World Series of Poker Player of the Year in a $1million buy-in charity poker tournament. Holden, Massachusetts, resident Daniel Colman won $15.3million on Tuesday in the Big One for One Drop poker event in Las Vegas. It's the second-largest payout in the series' history, behind only the $18million paid out in the inaugural Big One event in 2012. Mr Colman, a professional card player, refused to talk to reporters after winning the tournament, or even smile, according to The Las Vegas Sun. Daniel Colman of Massachusetts outlasted 41 other poker players to win this $15.3million pile of cash at the Big One for One Drop tournament in Las Vegas . Eventually he was persuaded to pose with his winnings and special bracelet, but declined every request for an interview to discuss how he outlasted 41 other players during the three-day event. He wouldn't even talk to ESPN, which is planning to air a six-hour documentary later this month chronicling his victory. Instead Mr Colman sped out of the Rio's Amazon Room within five minutes of the high point of his short career, accompanied by Olivier Busquet and Haralados Voulgaris, high-rolling gamblers presumed to have bankrolled part of his buy-in, the paper reported. Mr Colman, or one of his handlers, apparently said as they rushed out the door that he had 'no interest in promoting poker.' Daniel Negreanu, the famed poker player and Canada native who took second place at the tournament, discussed the event afterward . Just two months ago Mr Colman had just $350,000 in live tournament earnings to his name. Now he's earned more than $18million, the fourth-most any American has made playing poker, according to the Hendon Mob poker database. 'Really he’s a class act, a good kid and I really like the way he plays,' said Daniel Negreanu, the famed poker player and Canada native whom Mr Colman bested, according to Card Player. 'He plays a lot different than a lot of the other young kids, because he’s a lot more careful.' Mr Negreanu took home $8million for his second-place finish. In a 2013 interview with HUSNG.com, Mr Colman said he almost gave up poker the year before to pursue his education. 'Summer of 2012, I was making plans to go back to college and give up poker, but I messed up my applications and then ultimately decided to give poker one last go around,' he said. 'It was winter in Montreal and I was playing every single day. After that, I moved to Rio de Janiero where I definitely didn’t play as much, and now I am back in Montreal in the summer when the weather is nice so my grind isn’t ideal here, but it’s still pretty good. I’ve also made a lot of trips to Vegas, New York, and back home in Massachusetts, as well as one trip to Sweden for a week.' The Big One tournament raised $4.6million for the One Drop Foundation, a nonprofit created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and dedicated to providing clean water to developing countries. The event attracts businessmen and poker professionals alike. | Daniel Colman beat out 41 other players during the three-day event to win the second-largest payout in the series' history .
The Big One for One Drop poker event, which required a $1million buy-in, raised $4.6million to provide clean water to developing countries .
Canadian Daniel Negreanu, the reigning World Series of Poker Player of the Year, finished second and took home $8million . |
0ee81357709ebbe32b8b152932d04a4707974805 | By . Associated Press . and Reuters . U.S. military officials have grounded all F-35s while continuing to investigate a runway fire involving one of the fighter jets at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Pentagon's F-35 program office, Air Force and Navy issued directives on Thursday ordering the suspension of all F-35 flights after a June 23 fire on an Air Force F-35A jet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Pentagon said U.S. and industry officials had not pinpointed the cause of the fire, which occurred as a pilot was preparing for takeoff. The pilot was not injured. An F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter pictured off on a training sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in 2012 . The incident is the latest to hit the Pentagon's costliest weapons program, the $398.6 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It followed an in-flight oil leak that triggered mandatory fleetwide inspections of the jets last month. 'Additional inspections of F-35 engines have been ordered, and return to flight will be determined based on inspection results and analysis of engineering data,' the Defense Department said in a brief statement issued late on Thursday. Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. that built the engine, said it was working closely with Air Force officials who are investigating the fire and are inspecting all engines in the fleet. Spokesman Jay DeFrank said it would be inappropriate to comment further since the incident was the subject of an investigation. The Pentagon's F-35 program office has made determining the cause of the fire its highest priority and it is assessing the impact on flight tests, training and operations of the radar-evading warplane. A person familiar with the situation said it was premature to rule in or out any quality problem or manufacturing defect. Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera he wanted to discuss the F-35 problem when he visits the United States next week to tour U.S. bases and meet with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. A US Air Force F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter aircraft seen being run through pre-flight checks before launching at Eglin Air Force Base in 2013 . 'On my coming trip to the U.S. I plan to be reviewing troops and will have a chance to discuss the F-35 development on the ground,' Onodera told a regular news conference. 'I’d like to confirm the details of this accident.; . Japan has ordered 42 of the single-engine stealth jets that will be assembled locally by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, maker of the World War II-era Zero fighter. Tokyo may order more F-35s when it decides the future of 100 of its older F-15s. Australia and South Korea said there had been no change to their plans to buy the fighter jets. Australia plans to buy 58 of the fighters and South Korea intends to buy 40. To date the JSF aircraft has accrued 15,000 flight hours While the F135 engine has successfully completed nearly 32,000 hours of testing,' a spokesman for Australia's Defense Minister David Johnston said. 'Single engine fighters are operated by many air forces and Defense remains confident the F-35 JSF will be reliable and safe.' Reuters reported on Wednesday that U.S. and British authorities were preparing directives ordering a mandatory engine inspection estimated to take about 90 minutes. British officials remained part of the discussions with U.S. officials and concurred with the U.S. recommendation to ground the jets, pending further inspection results, the F-35 program office said. The Pentagon said preparations were continuing for F-35 jets to participate in two UK air shows later this month, but a final decision would be made early next week. The fire has already derailed plans for an F-35 jet to fly by a naming ceremony for Britain's new aircraft carrier on Friday. The Royal International Air Tattoo (RITA) kicks off July 11 followed by the Farnborough International Air Show starting on July 14. | Industry officials have not pinpointed the cause of the fire, which occurred as a pilot prepared to takeoff .
The Pentagon's costliest weapons program is the $398 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter . |
0ee82e3b94f6ecec4f4374b27c149e6fffb290d5 | Paris continues to be a source of joie de vivre for Warren Gatland as Wales secured a fourth successive victory over France to keep alive their RBS 6 Nations hopes. The local papers identified Leigh Halfpenny as ‘La Menace’ of the Welsh team and the boy from Gorseinon provided the kicks that proved the difference. Gatland missed his side’s victory in the French capital two years ago but the Kiwi travelled back across the Channel with his side building momentum and still in for a late charge for the championship . Leigh Halfpenny was key for Wales with his kicking, and he scored all six of their points in a tight first half before adding nine in the second . Dan Biggar (second right) is congratulated by Scott Baldwin after scoring the opening try for Wales in the second half at the Stade de France . The hosts started well with a crunching tackle on Liam Williams and a clinical turnover by Eddy Ben Arous, but Wales were undeterred. The visitors attacked the gain-line, with Jamie Roberts making hard yards off No 10, and played through 11 phases before Halfpenny was awarded a kickable penalty to open the scoring in the seventh minute. Les Bleus’ play had revolved around crash-ball merchant Mathieu Bastareaud but by naming the 19st 12lb centre on the bench, Philippe Saint-Andre had signalled a wider and more open approach. It was a chance for Remi Lamerat, who has been identified by Racing Metro as a potential replacement for Roberts, but he lasted just 18 minutes and, as Camille Lopez lined up a kick to level the scores, Bastareaud was given a rousing reception by the sell-out crowd. Wales knew that a powerful start would silence the Parisian audience and a scuffed 25th-minute penalty by Lopez was a let-off. Assisted by a defence-splitting kick from Davies, Wales were able to clear their lines and move play into opposition territory. The scrum looked unconvincing on a churning pitch but, with the skills of Toby Faletau at the base, still provided a platform to attack. Rather than crash through the middle, the ball went out wide to George North off first phase and France conceded a penalty at the subsequent breakdown. With his usual pinpoint accuracy, Halfpenny took full advantage of the three points. It was advantage Wales but, with Bastereaud playing a key role in the French phases, they almost struck straight back. Yoann Huget finished clinically in the corner, but his score was chalked off for a forward pass. George North made his return after three weeks out with concussion and the game in Paris marked his 50th cap for his country . Wales' Rhys Webb ducks out of a challenge from France's Yoann Maestri as he attempts to break through during the first half . A hard-fought first half brought no tries for either side but Wales' Dan Biggar was among those in a battle with the French on Saturday . North pumps his legs down the touchline on a winning return to action after his last outing ended in defeat against England in Cardiff . Luke Charteris tries to break through the challenge of French No 8 Damien Chouly and lock Romain Taofifenua in the second half . Damien Chouly (left) and Alun Wyn Jones (right) both win the ball at line-outs as the two countries exchanged blows at the Stade de France . Morgan Parra struggles to find a way through against the amassed Welsh defence as France chase the lead in Paris on Saturday evening . Wales fly half Biggar crosses the line for the opening try of the game to open up a lead after a cagey opening period of the game . France were unfortunate not to be level at half-time after Lopez shanked another penalty just before the break. His half-back partner and club team-mate, Morgan Parra, takes the kicks for Clermont but the scrum-half too was off target when he took over the duties. They attacked the Welsh line through Wesley Fofana, but again left empty handed after play was called back for crossing. Wales fell foul of the law soon after when Alun-Wyn Jones failed to roll away from the tackle and France drew level with Lopez’s kick. When France collapsed a driving maul, Halfpenny was able to edge his team back in front with the kick. Then North, becoming the youngest ever player to reach 50 caps, broke through the defence and Rhys Webb was allowed to snipe down the side of the breakdown. Biggar scores after seeing off the close attentions of Brice Dulin to help keep Wales' Championship hopes alive with a vital victory . Biggar (second left) is congratulated by his team-mates as they head back to their half after his opening try on Saturday evening . Wales fans at the Stade de France celebrate the try that helped bring them the victory in among the French supporters . The scrum-half found Dan Lydiate with his offload and Dan Biggar switched play to touch down in the corner on the stroke of the hour. Halfpenny missed the conversion but he was on hand with a penalty shortly after to give his side an 11-point cushion. Brice Dulin crossed in the 67th minute but, despite a fine conversion from Lopez, it was to be Wales’ night as Halfpenny kept the scoreboard ticking. North gets among the action as two Frenchmen team up to take him down on a typically powerful run from the man on the right wing . Jamie Roberts (left) and Rhy Webb (right) both try to evade French tackles although the latter looks headed for the ground . France flanker Bernard Le Roux tries to release the ball to a team-mate after being tackled as Wales held firm to the French attacks . The Welsh pack engage in a scrum as they held out for a victory to really bring themselves back on track in the Championship . Dulin goes over for a French try to close the gap and, despite a brilliant successful conversion, they could not quite catch Wales . The Welsh players celebrate victory at the full-time whistle in Paris while the defeated French players look dejected with their defeat . | George North made his return to the Wales side on his 50th cap after three weeks out with concussion .
An edgy first half ended with Wales in a 6-3 lead courtesy of the boot of Leigh Halfpenny with two penalties .
Camille Lopez levelled the scores with a second penalty for France early in the second half .
But Halfpenny's metronomic kicking continued as he made it 9-6 10 minutes into the second period in Paris .
Dan Biggar went over in the corner for his first try for Wales on the hour mark at the Stade de France .
France's Brice Dulin scored their first try against Wales in six games after a five-match try drought .
Halfpenny added six more points with the boot to give the Welsh a cushion and they saw out the victory . |
0ee9c5a8defc0cf790d3e2fb05d081d9b381b66f | The killer of Daniel Morcombe could get out of prison early due to a email to Queensland's top judge from a child protection worker that a 'smiley face'. Lawyers for Brett Peter Cowan, who was convicted for the murder of 13-year-old schoolboy Daniel Morcombe in 2014, will file an application to have Chief Justice Tim Carmody disqualified from hearing his appeal, citing a potential bias in the case. Cowan received a life sentence for murdering, indecently dealing and dumping the Sunshine Coast teenager's body in 2003. Scroll down for video . Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Peter Cowan mugshot, four months into his prison sentence in July this year . Cowan's barrister, Peter Davis, said Mr Carmody had met with Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnson shared an email, in which she referred to him as 'Tim' and included a smiley face. Mr Davis said Bravehearts' interests were contrary to Cowan's, which created the conflict. 'It's not suggested for a moment that Bravehearts is a dubious organisation, however it's a lobby group and Mr Cowan is someone who has been directly targeted by that very lobby group,' Mr Davis said. Mr Carmody denied he had any sort of relationship with Ms Johnson, and said the meeting was standard practice. 'None of these meetings impede my neutrality or impartial discharge of my judicial function,' he said. 'Ms Johnston and I do not have a relevant, close and continuing relationship that would impact on the impartiality of my decisions or processes.' Director of Public Prosecutions Tony Moynihan said the situation was unprecedented and there should be no "next step" until the application is actually filed. Daniel Morcombe's parents Bruce and Denise arrive at court for their son's killer's appeal on Wednesday . Daniel Morcombe was only 13 when he was abducted and murdered in December 2003, waiting at a bus stop to go Christmas shopping . Cowan's sentence includes a non-parole period of 20 years. When he was convicted, Cowan was found guilty of murder, indecent treatment of a child and interfering with a corpse, after abusing and killing Daniel in an abandoned house after abducting the teen from a Sunshine Coast bus stop. A covert police operation culminated in Cowan's arrest in August 2011, after Cowan unknowingly confessed to Daniel's murder on camera to an undercover detective. The high fences and tough security that keeps high-profile inmates, such as Cowan, locked behind the Wolston Correctional Centre . How Brett Peter Cowan looked - a frail and gaunt figure - before he was locked away in Wolston Correctional Centre . Cowan's defence will now claim that showing his video confession was illegal, with Cowan's lawyer arguing 'they should never have been played to the jury'. Lawyers are also expected to criticise what they say was biased media coverage of the trial. Daniel, 13, was abducted in 2003 on Queensland's Sunshine Coast while waiting for a bus to go Christmas shopping. Daniel's parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, desperately searched for their son for almost eight years before Cowan's arrest. Daniel's parents Bruce and Denise are comfortable with the appeal process as they 'always knew it was going to happen' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Daniel Morcombe's killer could be freed early because of judge's 'bias'
Lawyer's for Brett Peter Cowan demand chief justice removed from appeal .
Claim judge Tim Carmody had a friendship child protection advocate .
Daniel, 13, went missing in December 2013 after Cowan abducted him .
Cowan was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in March last year . |
0ee9f981874a0f5928d2acee0cda0167ee3b39f0 | (EW.com) -- The box office had to contend with the World Series, a very early snowstorm in the Northeast, and Halloween festivities across the country this weekend, but audiences still managed to make it to the movies! That being said, grosses for new releases "Puss in Boots," "In Time," and "The Rum Diary," weren't all that strong. Check out how they performed below: . Dreamworks Animation's "Puss in Boots" was the top cat this weekend, clawing its way to a $34 million debut, 51 percent of which came from 3-D screens, and 7 percent of which was from IMAX theaters. On paper, that number sounds good -- and, to be clear, it is by no means a disaster -- but the result comes with a "Real Steel"-ish caveat. "Puss in Boots" cost $130 million to produce, and it earned Dreamworks' third-worst debut for a computer animated film, beating only "Flushed Away" and "Antz," which started with $18.8 million and $17.2 million, respectively. The 3-D "Shrek"-spinoff, cost as much as Dreamworks' "Megamind," which opened in early November 2010, but that film began with $46 million, and it played well through the Thanksgiving season on its way to a $148.4 million total. "Puss in Boots" entered theaters a week earlier, but it will need to endure even better than "Megamind" to earn back its budget. The "A-" CinemaScore grade it earned from audiences should at least make that achievement possible, but considering people are already familiar with the "Puss in Boots" character, it's doubtful that the film will attract many uninitiated viewers. We won't officially know where "Puss in Boots" is headed until next weekend, when we see how much the snowstorm, the World Series, and Halloween really affected the box office this frame. (My guess is not much -- and I'm not just being catty.) Second place belonged to "Paranormal Activity 3," which fell by 65 percent to $18.5 million in its second weekend. The found footage horror sequel has scared up $81.3 million after ten days in theaters, and considering the huge business the film will likely do on Halloween, "PA3" is only a day away from passing Paranormal Activity 2's $84.8 million cume. Not too shabby for a film that cost Paramount only $5 million to make! Fall Movies: Get the latest news, photos, and more . Fox's $40 million Justin Timberlake/Amanda Seyfried thriller "In Time" underwhelmed with just $12 million in its opening weekend. That debut is less than Timberlake's last film, "Friends with Benefits," which began with $18.6 million on its way to $55.8 million, as well as Seyfried's recent "Red Riding Hood," which debuted with $14 million on its way to $37.6 million. Ads for "In Time" failed to effectively communicate the convoluted time-shifting story, and negative reviews likely kept older moviegoers away. Timberlake's leading man status may not have helped matters too much, either -- audiences seem to find him more appealing as part of an ensemble, like in "The Social Network" and "Bad Teacher." Moviegoers issued "In Time" an unenthusiastic "B-" CinemaScore grade, which may prevent the film from finding the same kind of legs that time-jumping thriller "Source Code" ($14.8 million opening, $54.7 million total) enjoyed earlier this year. In its third weekend, dancing remake "Footloose" fell to fourth place, dropping 48 percent to $5.4 million. The $24 million production has now earned $38.5 million after 17 days in theaters, and it will pass the total of Julianne Hough's first feature film, "Burlesque" ($39.4 million), sometime this week. Johnny Depp's latest, "The Rum Diary," stumbled out of the gate with just $5 million. "Pirates of the Caribbean" this was not. The disappointing opening fell in line with Depp's other substance abuse picture, 1998′s "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," which debuted to $3.3 million and earned $10.7 million total. "The Rum Diary's" edgy story was always going to be a tough sell, and FilmDistrict's President of Theatrical Distribution Bob Berney admits: "While we all wish the numbers were better, we're proud of the film and its loving tribute to Hunter S. Thompson." The $50 million picture marks the third straight box office disappointment for FilmDistrict, the young distributor that found success with Insidious ($54 million) earlier this year. The studio has since struggled with both "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" ($23.9 million) and "Drive" ($33.7 million so far) recently. Unfortunately for FilmDistrict, audiences, which were 88 percent above the age of 25, gave "The Rum Diary" a harsh "C" CinemaScore grade, so it's not likely to hold well in future weeks. Talk about a bad hangover... In limited release, Sony's Shakespeare tale "Anonymous" started with $1 million out of 256 theaters. That was good enough for a $3,774 per theater average, which does not merit huge expansions in the coming weeks. Young romance "Like Crazy" fared better, grossing $120,000 out of only 4 theaters, resulting in a $30,000 average. Richard Gere's latest, "The Double," was D.O.A., pulling in only $27,545 out of 11 theaters. It's not likely to platform much further. Zeitgeist-y Wall Street thriller "Margin Call" continued to play fairly well, grossing $713,000 out of 140 theaters. It has earned $1.5 million so far. Internationally, "The Adventures of Tintin" got off to an excellent start. Sony's motion capture animation grossed $55.8 million out of 19 territories, including $21.5 million in France and $10.7 million in the United Kingdom, where its being distributed by Paramount. Sony is bragging loudly about the film's performance, perhaps in response to some prognosticators claiming that "Tintin" is likely to underperform domestically. (The picture is based on a series of comic books by Hergé which were very popular in Europe, but only cult hits in the U.S.) We'll find out how excited audiences are about "Tintin" on December 21. 1. "Puss in Boots" -- $34 million . 2. "Paranormal Activity 3" -- $18.5 mil . 3. "In Time" -- $12 mil . 4. "Footloose" -- $5.4 mil . 5. "The Rum Diary" -- $5 mil . 6. "Real Steel" -- $4.7 mil . 7. "The Three Musketeers" -- $3.5 mil . 8. "The Ides of March" -- $2.7 mil . 9. "Moneyball" -- $2.4 mil . 10. "Courageous" -- $1.8 mil . See full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "Puss in Boots" had a $34 million debut .
"Puss in Boots" earned Dreamworks' third-worst debut for a computer animated film .
"Paranormal Activity 3" fell by 65 percent to $18.5 million in its second weekend . |
0eea49ab57f46a9312600f3f8d33f4c8f53961e2 | (CNN) -- For a new parliament, it was an inauspicious beginning. While most new buildings are inaugurated with a ceremonial shovel, a gentle turning of the first sod and possibly a brass band, Georgia turned the earth on its new parliament by demolishing a 46-meter-high Soviet-era war memorial with explosives. The blast ended in tragedy when it killed a Georgian woman, her 8-year-old daughter and left several more injured. "According to preliminary information, safety measures were not met," Murtaz Zodelava, the country's chief prosecutor, stated at the time. Three years later and the glass dome -- a vast structure that would not be out of place on the set of a science fiction film -- is still dogged by controversy. Costing almost $83 million, critics see the building as a gigantic folly in an impoverished country. Others say the decision, which effectively takes the seat of power from the capital Tbilisi and puts it in Georgia's second city Kutaisi 220 kilometers (137 miles) to the west, will mean less rather than more transparency. For the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili, however, the building represents Georgia's hopes for the future. His pro-Western government, which suffered a defeat at the hands of Russia's military in 2008, has continued to defy its giant neighbor. The destruction of the war memorial, which commemorated Russian and Georgian war dead from World War Two, was denounced by Moscow as an act of "vandalism". For Saakashvili, the new parliament sends a potent message to Moscow. "This new building of our parliament is a symbol of the new Georgia," Saakashvili said at the official opening of the yet-to-be finished legislature late last month against a backdrop of marching troops and military hardware. He warned in his speech that Moscow still wanted to "accomplish its cherished dream: to topple Georgia's government". "I am confident that the Georgian people will stand guard to save Georgia's independence," he said. "We have fought so that Georgia would not have a single elite and that the country would not be managed from a single street." Meanwhile, opposition groups maintain the construction of the parliament has been shrouded in secrecy and at least $45.3 million in public funds has been allocated for the project in a 'totally non-transparent' manner, according to a report by the Tbilisi-based legal advocacy group, Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), released in April. The GYLA report said papers requested under the country's freedom of information laws only resulted in the partial release of some documents, while other documents on the public record were not released at all. "It became obvious from the very beginning of the monitoring that information about construction of the parliament building was totally concealed," the report reads. "The absolutely non-transparent process gives a legitimate reason to conclude that 73.77 million Georgian lari ($45.3 million) has been handled in an absolutely vague and, possibly, corrupt manner." The group also maintains that the move to Kutaisi will sideline the country's opposition, taking the legislature to the industrial city where it will not be called to account by protests or petitioners. The Georgian government, however, is unperturbed by the critics, saying the move makes a clean break from the brutalist Soviet-era architecture that dominates Tbilisi. The Regional Development and Infrastructure Minister, Ramaz Nikolaishvili, who heads the construction work, recently told foreign media on a tour of the site that the building would raise the bar on Georgia's levels of visual education. "We don't want our children's taste to be ruined by communist architecture," he said. "We want beautiful buildings and we want the next generation to grow up with good taste. This will help them live in a better and more dignified way." CNN's Eye On series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries we profile. However CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports . | New parliament building being constructed away from capital Tbilisi .
Structure resembles a huge, glass bubble, cost $83 million .
Critics claim it is an expensive folly in impoverished country .
President defends it as symbol of revitalized nation . |
0eeaffbf4087b74eb2ebb05784e8d67c3ffb0b84 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:32 EST, 2 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 2 January 2014 . While most of us were celebrating as the clock struck midnight, some were enduring a very different New Year's Eve experience - among them the parents of the babies born as Big Ben's bongs chimed out. First off the mark was Lethea Rankine, from Edgbaston in Birmingham, who gave birth to her 7lb 7oz daughter Gracie just seconds after midnight. She was followed into the world by Martin Oglivie, from West Lothian, and Edward Sutheran and Lola-Jai Fenton, both from Coventry, who put in an appearance in the early hours of New Year's Day. Speedy arrival: Little Gracie Welcome, from Birmingham, was born as Big Ben chimed midnight . Gracie, weighing in at 7lbs 7oz, is the latest addition to a family who share their birthdays with big occasions. Gracie’s great-grandmother Adina Seymour and grandmother Georganne Rankine were both born on Christmas Day. And Gracie’s grandad, Leighton Rankine, was born on December 31. Cradling Gracie, who was born by caesarian section, in her arms, her proud mother Lethea said: 'She’s so beautiful. It was exciting knowing she was born just as the new year arrived.' The 22-year-old added: 'My waters broke at about 9.30am on the morning of New Year’s Eve. Then my contractions started about 7.30 in the evening. She came at 12 on the dot! Well, ten seconds past 12.' Proud: Parents Lethea Rankine, 22, and Romeo Welcome, 27, say they are delighted by the new arrival . Second: Martin Ogilvie was born at 12.01am at St Johns Hospital in Livingston, Scotland to Colleen . But Lethea, who moved to the UK from the Cayman Islands two years ago, said the birth brought mixed emotions. 'It was terrifying, painful and I just wanted to get it over with,' she added. '[Gracie's father Romeo Welcome] says she looks like him! 'We’ve been on the phone to my family and everyone was so excited. There must be something in the genes about birthdays.' In all, 11 babies were born at the Birmingham hospital on New Year’s Day. Hospital spokeswoman Nichola Robinson said: 'It’s quite a high number in such a short space of time.' Poignant: Martin's parents Edward and Colleen suffered the loss of his twin in the same hospital in November . | Gracie Welcome, from Edgbaston in Birmingham, was the first to arrive .
The 7lb 7oz baby girl made her appearance at 10 seconds past midnight .
Other new arrivals included Martin Oglivie from West Lothian .
Edward Sutherland and Lola-Jai Fenton were both born in Coventry . |
0eeb98087cadb30b7bb2241905f09171f0fe7b6f | (CNN) -- The CEO of popular messaging app Snapchat is apologizing after a set of filthy e-mails he wrote several years ago to his fraternity brothers at Stanford University was leaked publicly this week. In the e-mails, acquired by Gawker's Valleywag blog, Evan Spiegel encourages fellow Kappa Sigma members to get sorority women drunk enough to have sex, mocks another fraternity by suggesting its members are gay and refers to a different group of sorority members as "sororisluts." "Hope at least six girl[s] [performed a sex act on you] last night because that didn't happen for me," he wrote in one e-mail after a fraternity party, according to the Gawker blog. In another, the blog says, he jokes that the point of a laser-tag outing was to "shoot lazers at fat girls." In a written response sent to CNN by Snapchat, Spiegel, now 23, apologized for the e-mails. "I'm obviously mortified and embarrassed that my idiotic e-mails during my fraternity days were made public," he said. "I have no excuse. I'm sorry I wrote them at the time and I was a jerk to have written them. They in no way reflect who I am today or my views towards women." A Snapchat spokeswoman told CNN that Spiegel had no further comment. In other messages that were screen-grabbed onto the Gawker blog, Spiegel described a party "shopping list" that included "3 kegs, 5 ... plastic shot glasses, 1 ounce of marijuana, 1 kilo of blow (cocaine)." In another, he writes, "I'll roll a blunt for whoever sees the most (breasts) tonight," according to the blog. Some of the messages were too sexually explicit for CNN to publish. Snapchat is a mobile messaging app popular with teens and young adults. It lets users trade photos and videos that disappear after a few seconds. Spiegel created Snapchat along with fraternity brother Bobby Murphy while attending Stanford. He left the university in 2012, shortly before finishing his degree, to focus on Snapchat. A third Kappa Sigma member, Reginald "Reggie" Brown IV, is suing Snapchat, saying he was the one who came up with the app's concept of disappearing messages and designed its logo but was omitted from the launch of the company. It's now valued at around $4 billion. Spiegel has denied the lawsuit's allegations. Spiegel and Murphy founded their company as Picaboo in July 2011 and later changed its name to Snapchat. The app, which developed a reputation early in its history as a tool for sharing sexual images, is estimated to have more than 30 million users. Snapchat claims its users send more than 700 million photos and videos a day. Snapchat reportedly turned down a $3 billion acquisition offer from Facebook last fall. Time magazine last month named Spiegel and Murphy among its 100 Most Influential People of 2014. Spiegel's leaked e-mails may be seen as yet another example of a "brogrammer" culture in Silicon Valley and the male-dominated tech industry, where some female employees have complained about sexist comments and a lack of respect from their male co-workers. | Snapchat's CEO apologizes for crude e-mails he sent while at Stanford .
The messages insult women and encourage getting them drunk for sex .
Evan Spiegel, 23, says he's "mortified" by the e-mails .
Snapchat is a photo-based messaging app with more than 30 million users . |
0eebad1de3a6f8d668973d95fff1778bf4938ee9 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 07:48 EST, 16 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:53 EST, 16 March 2014 . Its . usage has apparently increased by 17,000 per cent over the past 12 . months and it was even named the Oxford Dictionary's word of the year. And it seems . that the power of the 'selfie' - defined as a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam, and uploaded to a social media website - shows no sign of abating thanks to image . conscious Brits. Shoppers can now take selfies trying on clothes in store changing rooms and send them to their friends for a second opinion. The year of the selfie: Thanks to the likes of Kim Kardashian (left) and Kelly Brook (right), the selfie has become a mainstay and now shops are cashing in by introducing changing room iPads to capture the perfect self-portrait . Leading the trend for changing room selfies is Chanel kaiser Karl Lagerfeld. The fashion stalwart's flagship store, which opened on Regent Sreet, London, on Friday, is kitted out with internet-connected iPads embedded into the changing room walls. These built-in touchscreens allow shoppers to . photograph their looks and apply various Karl-inspired filters to their . photos before sharing the images via Facebook, Twitter . and email. There's also iPad minis integrated into display racks, enabling visitors to explore the entire collection online. While the changing room selfie is the first of its kind, other shops are also using technology to capture the attention of shoppers and change the way they make purchases. Leading the trend: Karl Lagerfeld's new Regent Street store has been kitted out with changing room iPads so shoppers can snap themselves in their new outfits and share them on social media . Burberry is also embracing technology with interactive mirrors that react to microchips in the clothes and show wearers product information, as well as a video of the look on the catwalk. Burberry's Beauty Box, which opened recently in Covent Garden, was designed to 'blur the physical and digital', says the brand. The space features digital screens, a 16ft 'digital chandelier' showcasing monthly beauty content over multiple screens and the brand's first till-free retail environment. The fashion house has also introduced a Digital . Runway Nail Bar, which offers a playful virtual experience for trying on . the latest Burberry runway nail shades. By placing a Burberry nail . polish onto an RFID-enabled platform, customers can choose their . skin-tone and virtually experience the selected nail shade. You can then have a shape and colour with your chosen polish. Tech-savvy: Burberry has installed mirrors that react to microchips in the clothes and show wearers product information, as well as a video of the look on the catwalk . Digital beauty: Burberry's Beaty Box features digital screens, a 16ft 'digital chandelier' showcasing monthly beauty content over multiple screens and the brand's first till-free retail environment . Over at Harvey Nichols, virtual mirrors have been installed that scan customers' faces and superimpose new looks onto them, you can then purchase the suggested products. High street Mecca Marks & Spencer is giving 'virtual rails' - where customers in smaller stores can see and purchase virtual rails of clothes from the larger stores on a touchscreen tablet - a spin. So why are our favourite shops becoming so tech-savvy? It seems that technology is fast becoming a battleground for retailers as the lines between physical and digital shopping rapidly blur. 'It's important for us to respond to the rise of online retail, which offers consumers the convenience of browsing and buying at the click of a button, explained Myf Ryan, Westfield's marketing director, to the Sunday Times. | Karl Lagerfeld's new store lets you take selfies and share online .
Burberry has digital chandeliers and mirrors .
Harvey Nichols' has digital mirrors to virtually superimpose makeup . |
0eec5926864110b348394412cf7e9e9a29d8f70d | The cost of the Foreign Secretary using VIP airport suites was more than £100,000 over four years, with William Hague holding the position for most of that time . The Foreign Office has spent more than £2million on VIP airport suites in four years, figures show. Between 2010 and 2014 its total bill for using exclusive lounges at home and abroad was almost £2.4million. Just over £2million went on providing VIP services for visiting foreign dignitaries, while the cost of the Foreign Secretary using them amounted to more than £100,000 over the four years. William Hague held the position from May 2010 until July this year. The figures were published on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website in a response to a freedom of information request. They showed that the FCO’s overall spending on using airport VIP lounges almost halved in 2013/14 compared to the previous year. The bulk of the FCO’s spending on the lounges was for visits by foreign heads of state and other dignitaries. The bill for overseas guests was highest in 2010/11 and 2011/12, with a total of £669,019.68 and £715,157.76 spent in those years respectively. It fell to £489,953.96 in 2012/13 and £197,444.00 in the most recent 12-month period. Two payments of £100,000 in 2012/13 and 2013/14 for a contract to use the Royal Suite at Heathrow made up the rest of the total. The response said: 'In November 2012 we reviewed our position on the use of VIP suites and as a result moved away from part owning the Heathrow Royal Suite to becoming a contracted customer for private flights. 'This represented better value for money and greater freedom to use other facilities. Our contract with Heathrow Airport Limited costs the FCO £100,000 per annum, in return for 50 private flight movements with exclusive rights to the suite whenever required.” The Heathrow VIP website says departing guests enjoy an 'oasis of calm' in a private lounge before being chauffeur driven directly to the aircraft. Arriving passengers are greeted by staff before being 'whisked away by luxury vehicle' to their private lounge. | Foreign Office bill for VIP airport suites hit £2.4million over four years .
More than £2million was for visiting dignitaries and heads of state .
£100,000 spent on suites for the Foreign Secretary between 2010 and 2014 .
William Hague held the office from May 2010 until July this year . |
0eed37bc7410679750b4f2317787f656e145e10c | Anthony Joshua is convinced he is ready to beat both Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora, and has former world champion David Haye in his sights, too. Joshua, whose next test is against American Kevin Johnson on January 31, insisted he wants a significant step up. And after watching Fury dominate Chisora last weekend, he echoed his promoter Eddie Hearn’s calls for a high-profile domestic dust-up next year. Scroll down to watch Anthony Joshua square off with Kevin Johnson . Anthony Joshua (right) squares up to Kevin Johnson ahead of their heavyweight clash on January 31 . Joshua will face the toughest test of his career against Johnson when they meet at the O2 in the new year . ‘I went to see Fury beat Chisora but there wasn’t much to see,’ Joshua said. ‘You can’t write off either but from an entertainment point it was poor. ‘But it’s done me good because the guys who went will say, “who’s next on the agenda?”. ‘I’m confident in my own ability that I could cause an upset and beat those guys. ‘But if I was to line them all up, David Haye is the one I would like to fight. He’s the best and when you fight the best it brings the best out in you. I need to step up, which is what we’re doing. I think we’re going to take some risky fights and I’m sure I’ll overcome them.’ Before that, however, Joshua must navigate a way past Johnson, who has never been stopped in his 36-fight career. He unsuccessfully challenged Vitali Klitschko for the world title in 2009 and has taken both Chisora and Fury the 12-round distance. Johnson took Vitali Klitschko the distance in their world title fight in 2009 and have never been stopped . But Joshua said: ‘Just because he’s never been stopped does not mean he’s a winner, it just means he goes in to survive. It should be a tough sparring session. If I can stop him, I’ve ticked a box and I move on. I’m confident I can. ‘I’ll train over Christmas; if I want to beat him I have to make the sacrifice. I don’t think he’ll train over Christmas or New Year. If I get the stoppage it’ll be because I’ve done the extra bits, if I don’t you know I’ll have been out raving!’ On a visit to London on Wednesday, Johnson challenged his younger opponent to a wager. He said: ‘I want to make an agreement. If Anthony knocks me out I’ll donate 50 per cent of my purse to one of his charities. And if he gets knocked out, he gives 50 per cent to my charity. Joshua is confident he would beat both Tyson Fury (left) and Dereck Chisora next year . Joshua also wants to fight David Haye (right) who has been out of action since beating Chisora in 2012 . ‘There’s going to be a knockout so let’s up the ante.’ But Joshua said: ‘I do my charity work but I’ve got a professional job to do. I’ve seen boxers throw cash about but I want to leave that to one side.’ Before he returns to his gym in London, however, Joshua will spend 10 days in Cuba. He said: ‘I’m taking my gumshield to see if I can get some sparring. What an experience that would be. ‘I’ll start ticking over for this fight, get some sun on my back and some runs on the beach. Then I’ll come back feeling refreshed.’ | Anthony Joshua takes on Kevin Johnson at the O2 on January 31 .
But Joshua believes he is ready to face Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora .
Joshua also wants to fight former world champion David Haye .
The Olympic champion has won his first 10 fights as a professional . |
0eed4e1f94a7402e4a0b21e78bc33a8977219fdb | (CNN) -- Former football star Deion Sanders and a third person also were cited for misdemeanor assault in an incident this week that resulted in Sanders' estranged wife being arrested and taken into custody, according to a statement Wednesday by the Prosper, Texas, police department. The statement said police responded to a domestic disturbance call Monday afternoon at a residence in the Dallas suburb where Sanders, 44, complained he was assaulted by Pilar Sanders, 38, and another woman identified as Dianna Boswell, also 38. Pilar Sanders was detained and taken into custody on a charge of simple assault, a misdemeanor, the statement said. "Further investigation of the circumstances prompted the responding officers to cite Mr. Deion Sanders and Ms. Dianna Boswell with Class C Simple Assault," it continued. Only Pilar Sanders was taken into custody. She was released Tuesday and said she hasn't been given a "fair shake" over allegations that she attacked Sanders in an incident he made public in a series of bizarre Twitter postings. "I understand that I have very little chance at beating a Hall of Fame, two-sport man that everyone seems to love and adore," Pilar Sanders said, proclaiming her innocence. The Collin County Sheriff's Office said Pilar Sanders, under an emergency protective order, is forbidden from returning to the couple's home for 61 days and cannot threaten or harass any member of the family. In one of the messages posted Monday on his verified Twitter account, Deion Sanders included a photo of what he said were his children filling out complaints to give to police in Texas. "Pray for me and my kids now! They just witnessed their mother and a friend jump me in my room," said the first tweet, posted at 6:15 p.m. "She's going to jail n I'm pressing charges!" Two minutes later, Sanders tweeted again. "I'm sad my boys witnessed this mess but I warned the police department here that she was gone try n harm me and my boys. This is on my mama!" it said. Shortly after that, Sanders tweeted a picture that showed him and his two boys, 10 and 12, filling out paperwork. "Filling out police reports now! Thank God for this platform to issue the Truth," the caption read. Pilar Sanders was booked into jail Monday night on suspicion of assault family violence, according to booking records at the Collin County Jail. Bail was set at $264. "I can tell you that there are two sides to every story, and the truth will come out in court," Larry Friedman, an attorney for Pilar Sanders, said Tuesday. Deion Sanders played for several NFL teams, including the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Atlanta Falcons. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame and works as an analyst for the NFL Network. During much of his NFL career, he also was an outfielder with four Major League Baseball teams and played in a World Series with the Atlanta Braves. The NFL Network and Sanders' business manager, Constance Schwartz, declined to comment about the incident. But a clearly emotional Sanders spoke to Dallas television station KXAS on Monday night and appealed for help. "My kids, they are scared for their life," he told the station. "They just saw two women jump their dad in his own house, in his room, in my room. It's sad. "I got locks on my doors right now," he added. "Is somebody going to have to die? Is it going to be me before the court does something and get this woman out of my house? It's absurd." The Sanderses have three children together. Deion Sanders has two other children from an earlier relationship. The couple married in 1999 and starred in a reality show, "Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love," that aired on the Oxygen network. The marriage soured, however, and the two are in a bitter divorce. In February, Pilar Sanders filed a suit against her husband and his aunt, Laura Jones. She said the aunt attacked her in their 10-bedroom, 29,000-square-foot home in Prosper while Deion Sanders watched. At the time, the athlete tweeted that his wife was the aggressor and the aunt was in the home merely to fix his phone. Pilar Sanders also filed a separate suit against her husband and his daughter, Deiondra, after she called her stepmother a "gold-digging (expletive)" and "the number one gold digger of the year" in Twitter posts. In the second suit, Pilar Sanders demanded $200 million in damages for libelous and slanderous comments. She claims that her husband "endorsed Deiondra's false statements" and himself tweeted he was "tired of all (Pilar's) lies and foolishness." | Sanders, his estranged wife and a third person all were cited in the Monday incident .
Only Pilar Sanders was detained by police .
Pilar Sanders was released from custody Tuesday .
The Sanderses are in the middle of a bitter divorce battle . |
0eeda4a1da8427520d579f26cbb3c0e78ba254eb | An underage suspect has confessed to killing a dolphin in the northern Gulf of Mexico by shooting it with a bow and arrow. The dolphin, with a yellow-feathered arrow embedded in itsside, washed ashore on Orange Beach, Alabama, over the weekend,according to a news release from the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA), whose law enforcementofficers are investigating. As the suspect is a juvenile, authorities are not identifying them or the charges they may be facing. An underage suspect has confessed to being responsible for the dead body of a dolphin lethally shot by a hunting arrow in the northern Gulf of Mexico that washed ashore on Orange Beach, Alabama . Preliminary results from a necropsy indicate that thedolphin may have survived with the arrow for at least five daysbefore dying of an infection caused by the wound . Close up wound of a dolphin killed with a hunting arrow is shown in this National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) photo . NOAA notes that in normal cases criminal charges and fines up to $100,000 can be levied. Investigators found the suspect after being tipped off. This is the second . violent killing of the protected animal in recent weeks, federal . authorities said on Monday. Preliminary results from a necropsy indicate that the . dolphin may have survived with the arrow for at least five days . before dying of an infection caused by the wound, NOAA said. The agency also is investigating the death of a pregnant . bottlenose dolphin found on Miramar Beach, Florida, last month . after being shot in the lung. The dolphin was within weeks of giving birth, according to a . news release in that death. Authorities are seeking additional information in both . cases. Harming, harassing or feeding a wild dolphin is . prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. NOAA officials said they have seen a rise in violent . killings of dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico, with at . least 17 dolphins stranded, or beached in shallow water, with . gunshot wounds since 2002. The majority of these deaths have . occurred in the past four years. People can help to protect dolphins by refraining from . feeding them, which encourages them to approach dangerous . situations, NOAA said, noting they will remove bait and catch . directly from fishing gear. This can result in violent . retaliation. The NOAA is also investigating the death of a pregnant bottlenose dolphin found on Miramar Beach, Florida, last month . A bottlenose dolphin fetus from a pregnant bottlenose dolphin found on Miramar Beach, Florida, last month. The dolphin was within weeks of giving birth . The pregnant bottlenose dolphin found on Miramar Beach, Florida, last month had being shot in the lung. NOAA officials said they have seen a rise in violent killings of dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico, with at least 17 dolphins stranded, or beached in shallow water, with gunshot wounds since 2002 . | WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGES .
Underage suspect has not been identified by authorities .
A dolphin, with a yellow-feathered arrow embedded in its side, washed ashore on Orange Beach, Alabama, over the weekend .
Animal survived for at least five days before dying of an infection caused by the wound .
There has been a rise in the violent killings of dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico .
A pregnant bottlenose dolphin was found on Miramar Beach, Florida, last month after being shot in the lung . |
0eeda847050bc80fc2801ed89d6edacad808048e | Foreign investors are a big part of the Australian property market, with their passion to buy down under, especially the Chinese, continuing to grow. But there's been a major push for foreign investors to be exposed to more stringent dealings when snatching up properties. A change.org petition, calling for tougher rules on foreign ownership of Australian property, has now reached more than 29,000, a jump of more than 20,000 in the last month. Foreign investors are growing in Australia, the Chinese making up a big part of that . A change.org petition is hoping to enforce tougher rules for foreign investment on Australian properties . Simon Hocking who launched the petition argues it is hard for Australian's to purchase properties overseas so why can't we implement the same sort of rules. 'I would not be able to buy property in China, Sri Lanka with 100% tax on foreign freehold purchases, Thailand and Singapore generally prohibited with strict limitations, Indonesia prohibited and many emerging economies requiring citizenship,' he said. 'I am not suggesting no foreign investment, but a more thorough testing of foreign buyers and purchases and a toughening of regulations by the Foreign Investment Review Board.' The FIRB current foreign investor rules state that they need to notify the government and get prior approval to acquire interest in certain types of real estate. 'Interest' has been defined as buying real estate, obtaining or agreeing to enter into a lease or license or financing or profit sharing arrangements. It also states that regardless of value, foreign persons generally need to notify the Government and get prior approval to take an interest in residential real estate, vacant land or to buy shares or units in Australian urban land corporations or trusts. The FIRB current foreign investor rules state that they need to notify the government and get prior approval to acquire interest in certain types of real estate . 'We predict Chinese property investment will increase in Australia by 15 to 20 per cent over the next 12 months,' Simon Henry, co-CEO of Juwai.com told Domain . In the FIRB annual report for 2012/2013 it was found that the real estate sector recorded 12,025 foreign investment approvals, compared with 10,118 approvals in 2011‑12. It was determined as the most popular sector for foreign investment with approvals in 2012‑13 of $51.9 billion. A parliamentary inquiry into foreign investment was investigating concerns raised that foreign investment in Australian real estate is causing a distortion in the market and making housing less accessible and affordable.’ Leading the inquiry, Kelly O’Dwyer said ‘this inquiry is not focused on investors from any particular country into Australia’s real estate market'. 'The committee will take a very broad and holistic approach to examining whether the current policy settings in this regard are delivering the best possible outcomes for Australia.’ The Foreign Investment review board's annual report for 2012/2013 found that the real estate sector recorded 12,025 foreign investment approvals, compared with 10,118 approvals in 2011‑12 . The Sydney Morning Herald reports it has been suggested that the FIRB has not prosecuted a single case since 2006, though the FIRB has said there were 33 ongoing investigations. Simon Henry, the co-CEO of Juwai.com, a Chinese property website, predicted interest by foreign investors has increased. 'We predict Chinese property investment will increase in Australia by 15 to 20 per cent over the next 12 months,' Mr Henry, told Domain. 'The average price of a property a Chinese person is buying in Australia is around US$1.36 million,' he said. Mr Hocking said 'the FIRB and Treasury connections are formidable adversaries. Pressure needs to mount on lax Executive Members and a 'political culture' which could be described as against the national interest.' | change.org petition has more than 29,000 who support tougher rules for foreign investors buying Australian real estate .
Currently foreign investors must notify the government and get prior approval to acquire interest in certain types of real estate .
In 2012/2013 the real estate sector recorded 12,025 foreign investment approvals, compared with 10,118 approvals in 2011‑12 . |
0eee01a92a2bc312378154ba11f43955d734c0eb | (CNN) -- Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant could be sidelined for up to nine months after tearing his Achilles tendon, the team said Saturday. The injury happened Friday against the Golden State Warriors. An MRI later confirmed the tear. "Bryant elected to have surgery to repair the torn left Achilles tendon," the team said. "The successful surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache and Dr. Stephen Lombardo of the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Group. Recovery time is expected to be a minimum of six to nine months." A ruptured Achilles could take up to a year to heal, according to Will Carroll, sports injuries lead writer for Bleacher Report. Bryant has previously said that next season could be his last in the NBA. This is the 16th season in the league for the 34-year-old. Asked if the timetable means Bryant will be back next season, trainer Gary Vitti said on Twitter "that's the plan." Bryant reacted with disappointment on social media after the injury. On his Facebook page he posted a lengthy update: . "This is such BS! All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I've done millions of times! The frustration is unbearable. The anger is rage. Why the hell did this happen ?!? Makes no damn sense. Now I'm supposed to come back from this and be the same player Or better at 35?!? How in the world am I supposed to do that?? "I have NO CLUE. Do I have the consistent will to overcome this thing? Maybe I should break out the rocking chair and reminisce on the career that was. Maybe this is how my book ends. Maybe Father Time has defeated me." Later, Bryant called the injury the first step in a new challenge. "One day, the beginning of a new career journey will commence. Today is NOT that day," he wrote. The post received more than 136,000 likes. According to an earlier tweet from the Lakers, Bryant could tell what the injury was before seeing a doctor. "I was just hoping it wasn't what I thought it was," Bryant said, according to the tweet. The Lakers have two games left in the regular season, both at home. They face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. After beating the Warriors 118-116, the team is one game ahead of the Utah Jazz for the final spot in the NBA's Western Conference playoffs. Bryant is the NBA's fourth all-time leading scorer, and he currently ranks among the top three in the NBA in scoring this season, averaging 27.3 points. This season, he has averaged 5.6 rebounds, a team-high 6.0 assists, 1.36 steals and 38.6 minutes in 78 games. | NEW: Bryant has "successful" surgery to repair the tendon .
NEW: Recovery time "a minimum of six to nine months"
Bryant has said that next year could be his last in the league .
Lakers have two games left in race for playoffs . |
0eee02cbef99a999253ac64ef2389095b156ee28 | (CNN) -- Australia continued to dominate the Commonwealth Games with another golden haul in India on Friday, as swimmer Alicia Coutts picked up her fourth winner's medal and cyclist Cameron Meyer claimed his third. The country, which hosted the Games four years ago, ended day five of competition with 98 medals overall -- 47 golds, 24 silver and 27 bronze. India, for whom shooters Gagan Narang and Omkar Singh won their third titles of the week, were second on 20 golds, 16 silver and 12 bronze. England has the second-most overall medals with 76, but only 19 of them are gold -- despite claiming another seven on Friday, including victories for swimming stars Rebecca Adlington, Liam Tancock and James Goddard. While double Olympic champion Adlington, Goddard and Tancock each claimed second golds in the 800m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke respectively, it was again Australia's day in the pool. The 23-year-old Coutts added 4x100m freestyle relay gold to her three individual titles -- which all came in different disciplines -- as the Australians set a new Games record of 3:36.36 in retaining their title. Leisel Jones completed a breaststroke double for the third successive time with victory in the 100m, becoming only the third woman to win nine golds since the Games began 80 years ago. The 25-year-old saw Yolane Kukla -- a decade younger than her -- win the 50m freestyle, while Sophie Edington retained her 50m backstroke title. Meagen Nay, who withdrew during last year's world championships due to the death of her brother and whose late father was a Commonwealth champion in 1974, won the 200m backstroke. Her teammate Geoff Huegill also set a new record time in winning the men's 100m butterfly, which he also won 12 years ago before retiring in 2004. Cycling . Meyer helped Australia win two of the three track golds on offer for 12 out of 14 overall as he took out the men's 25km scratch race from compatriot Michael Freiberg as he matched the feat of teammate Anna Meares. Australia also won the team sprint, but New Zealander Alison Shanks claimed gold in the women's 3,000m pursuit ahead of Northern Ireland's Wendy Houvenaghel. Wrestling . India's wrestlers had another successful day, with two golds and a silver in the women's divisions. Anita won the 67kg class and Alka Tomar claimed victory in the 59kg. Shooting . India also won three golds in the shooting, with world No. 17 Singh triumphant in the men's 10m air rifle singles final. Narang, ranked third in the world, was again successful in the 50m rifle three positions event along with partner Imran Hasan Khan, setting a new Games best points tally. Vijay Kumar won the 25m rapid fire pistol -- India's 10th shooting gold, and 18th medal in the sport. Track and field . Amantle Montsho won Botswana's historic first gold medal with victory in the women's 400m in a Games record time of 50.10 seconds, heading off Nigeria's Folashade Abugan and Guyuna's Tabitha Pompey. She took advantage of the absence of Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogo and Jamaica's Shericka Simpson, Novlene Williams-Mills and Kaliese Spencer from the field. Kenya dominated the women's distance events, with Olympic champion Nancy Langat winning the 1,500m in a record time of 4:05.26 from New Zealand's Nikki Hamblin and Scotland's Stephanie Twell. Grace Momanyi won the 10,000m from Doris Changeywo in the absence of their world champion compatriot Linet Masai, with India's Kavita Raut claiming bronze. European champion Andy Turner won the men's 110m hurdles title from fellow English runners William Sharman and Lawrence Clarke. Jamaica's Trecia Smith retained her triple jump title, while Canada's Jamie Adjetey-Nelson was a dominant winner of the men's decathlon. Field hockey . South Africa's men's team joined New Zealand with two wins in Pool B, but have played one more game following the 5-3 victory against pointless Trinidad and Tobago. Malaysia picked up a first win from three in Pool A, beating bottom team Scotland 2-0. In the women's competition, New Zealand reached the semifinals after stunning top seeds England 4-1 in Pool B, where Canada kept their slim hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Wales. Defending champions Australia were surprisingly held 1-1 by South Africa, leaving both teams on seven points in Pool B, where India thrashed Trinidad and Tobago 7-0 to stay in contention. | Australian swimmer Alicia Coutts claims her fourth gold medal of Commonwealth Games .
Cyclist Cameron Meyer wins his third as Australia race ahead in medals table .
Three English swimmers claim second golds, but Australia dominates in the pool .
Hosts India have continued success in shooting and wrestling events . |
0eee288b9d5fba2ae15e1d4e85a9e3303906f2ef | By . Dan Bloom . A politician's wife found dead after she reportedly tweeted that he was having an affair suffered an 'unnatural, sudden death', doctors have revealed. Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor was found by her husband Shashi Tharoor yesterday in New Delhi's five-star Leela Palace hotel after cleaners struggled to open the door. Days earlier the 52-year-old had allegedly launched an online attack against Mr Tharoor, the junior human resource development minister in the Indian government. Scroll down for video . Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor are seen at their wedding in 2010. Since her death her son has said she died from 'stress' and 'wrong medication' Mrs Pushkar Tharoor and her husband in 2012. The couple were described as 'very much in love' by son . Earlier Mr Tharoor's personal assistant Abhinav Kumar told reporters there were no signs of foul play. He added: 'She was lying in bed. There were no signs of any foul play or any struggle. She had no sign of poisoning or anything'. Mrs Pushkar Tharoor appeared to detail an affair, but a statement later said the tweets were unauthorised and her marriage was a happy one . Today doctors said the minister's wife suffered 'certain injuries' and an 'unnatural death'. Sudhir Gupta, head of forensics at the All India Institute of Medical . Sciences, spoke after medics carried out an initial autopsy on her body. 'It is a case of unnatural, sudden death,' he said. 'We will conclude our report and opinion within a couple of days. 'Since the investigating agency is now working on the case there are certain issues relating to the injuries that cannot be revealed now. But there were certain injuries on the body'. However, it is unclear who or what could have inflicted the injuries referred to, or whether they are believed to be the cause of death. A news agency, Press Trust of India, reported yesterday that Mrs Pushkar Tharoor was believed to have taken her own life. And one doctor involved with the post mortem, Dr Adarsh Kumar, told the Daily Mail's Indian edition Mail Today: 'The injuries didn't contribute to her death. We suspect that she might have died due to a drug overdose.' She also had underlying illnesses, it was reported. Earlier this week, messages on Twitter said Mrs Pushkar Tharoor would expose a 'rip-roaring affair' between her husband and the Pakistan-based journalist Mehr Tarar. She reportedly hacked into her husband's Twitter account to publish private messages between the pair to his two million followers. One of the messages, allegedly sent from Ms Tarar's account, was reported to have said: 'I love you, Shashi Tharoor. And I go while in love with you, irrevocably, irreversibly, hamesha [always]. Bleeding, but always your Mehr.' The tweets were deleted and Mr Tharoor, 57, said his account had been hacked. Journalist Ms Tarar also denied claims that she had any involvement with the minister. Then on Thursday, a day before her death, Mr Tharoor and his wife released a joint statement on Facebook saying they were still happily married and intended to stay together. Shashi Tharoor was left red-faced after messages appeared on his Twitter feed suggesting he was having an affair with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar, who has denied any affair. The messages were quickly deleted . Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor's body was reportedly found lying on a bed at the luxury Leela Palace Hotel, pictured . A room at the five star Leela Palace Hotel. According to Mr Tharoor's personal assistant, there were no signs of any foul play or any struggle. Today, however, doctors said Mrs Pushkar Tharoor was injured . An ambulance arrives at the Leela Hotel in New Delhi where Sunanda Pushkar was found dead . 'We are distressed by the unseemly . controversy that has arisen about some unauthorised tweets from our . Twitter accounts,' the statement said. 'Various distorted accounts of comments allegedly made by Sunanda have appeared in the press. 'It . appears that some personal and private comments responding to these . unauthorised tweets -- comments that were not intended for publication . -- have been misrepresented and led to some erroneous conclusions. 'We . wish to stress that we are happily married and intend to remain that . way. Sunanda has been ill and hospitalised this week and is seeking to . rest. We would be grateful if the media respects our privacy.' Police have launched an inquest into Mrs Pushkar Tharoor's death and were questioning her husband about the circumstances of her discovery last night. As the story unfolded, Sunada Pushkar, Shashi Tharoor and Mehr Tarar all took to Twitter . Denial: Mehr Tarar's Tweets . Tharoor's aides said the couple had checked into the luxury hotel this week because of renovation work at his Delhi bungalow. Yesterday he left the hotel room to attend a session of the Congress . party in the capital but returned in the evening to find the door . locked, they said. The body of his wife of four years was found after the door was forced open. He complained of chest . pains in the early hours today and was treated in hospital. Former . UN diplomat and author Tharoor, who had more than two million Twitter . followers, married Sunanda in 2010, in a third marriage for both. Earlier . that year he had been forced to resign from his first ministerial job . after accusations which linked him to a company bidding for a cricket team in . the lucrative Indian Premier League. Sunanda had a stake in the company at the time. The . scandal could hardly come at a worse time for India's ruling Congress . party. It is trying to shake allegations of corruption as it prepares to . face the main opposition Hindu nationalist party in an election before . May. Television images . showed Sunanda's young son from a previous marriage hugging close . relatives outside the morgue where her body lay. Ms . Tarar, meanwhile, denied any involvement with the Indian minister after . the scandal was splashed on the front pages of newspapers earlier this . week. She took to Twitter to express her shock at Mrs Pushkar Tharoor's death. 'Oh my God,' she wrote. 'This is too awful for words. So tragic I don't know what to say. Rest in peace.' Twitter: Shashi Tharoor is one of the most active Indian politicians on social media with two million followers . Couple: Shashi Tharoor and his bride Sunanda Pushkar pictured at their wedding, the third for each of them . | Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor, 52, found dead in New Delhi hotel yesterday .
Doctor examining her said today she suffered 'certain injuries'
But another doctor said those injuries did not contribute to her death .
Wife of Shashi Tharoor had appeared to tweet about 'rip-roaring affair'
Statement later said tweets were unauthorised and marriage was happy .
Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar has denied having an affair with the minister . |
0eef1095fff61df4634468a6eebd122a01db668e | (EW.com) -- It was last fall when EW originally broke the news that pop superstar Gloria Estefan would be appearing on "Glee" as Santana's mother, Maribel Lopez. Now, Estefan is finally making her first appearance in the season finale! Sadly, Gleeks, the singer won't be carrying a tune in the episode, fittingly titled "Goodbye," which finds McKinley's seniors graduating. "I don't sing on the show but I kinda think that's better because I think that would throw fans," says Estefan. "Hopefully, we can come back and do the singing. But I love to be on there and establishing a character." EW talked to Estefan about her character's relationship with Santana as well as her favorite "Glee" number of all time -- the answer may surprise you! Entertainment Weekly: How did this come about? Gloria Estefan: First, we went to visit the set on the last season. My son lived out in LA and we were visiting. We were all a big fans so we finagled our way on the set. EW: Did you guys wear disguises? Estefan: No no! We were in the same room. I met Naya Rivera and I met Chris [Colfer] and Kevin McHale. I know Emilio had been talking with the music people on the show and stuff about different things. But then Ryan [Murphy] reached out to me to play Santana Lopez's mom and I was thrilled because I think it was a great opportunity after what the grandma did to do something supportive. EW: You mentioned this but obviously Santana came out to her grandmother and it did not go well. Estefan: No not at all! EW: So is your character more accepting? Estefan: Yes. I'm very supportive of my daughter. You always have to have a back story even if you have one line. So my back story with Santana's mom was she didn't get to go to college so she really wants Santana to do that. Up until now Santana has had a good relationship with her grandmother, but when she confronted her the response was very hard. She was probably the same way with Maribel. Santana's dad they mentioned was a doctor, so I think she helped put him through school, but decided for motherhood. [She] loved to sing and was a singer and put her life on hold because she thought being a mom was very important so she wants Santana to make it through. She's supportive of her daughter. She just wants her to be happy -- bottom line. I know the feeling because my daughter is getting ready to do her last year of high school and she's gonna do a summer program. It's the first time we're all going to be separated. I'm there! It was a very hard thing for me to imagine. EW: How's the chemistry between you and Naya? Did you all get along like gangbusters from the start? Estefan: Yes. From day one. She was so sweet when we met on the set. She was really really nice and sweet. I thought we fell into the roles well. She was fun to be around. EW: It sounds like you have scenes with Heather Morris, too. Estefan: Yes we did. We had a scene at Breadstix. I had to ask for a booster chair [laughs]. EW: That must have been fun to be at such an iconic "Glee" location? Estefan: It was fun. There's some very funny stuff with Heather Morris. It was a fun scene and it's also poignant and there's a scary moment there for the mom. EW: Did your family come to watch the shoot? Estefan: Yes. My husband and my daughter. My husband said to me, "You know what? You're my wife but when you hugged her, I got choked up." I know he's probably feeling the same thing because of [our daughter] Emily . I go, "That's a good sign!" [laughs] . EW: Why do the Estefans love "Glee" so much? Estefan: I'll tell you what I love: I'm a musician first and foremost. Music has been a really big and healing part of my life. I studied psychology so I tend to analyze a lot of things. But if you go back to WWII, you had musicals and happy things and escapist things because that's what entertainment does -- it takes you away. You couldn't have done this before because we were all too cheeky back in the '80s and '90s and would have snubbed our noses at something so whimsical. Now, people need it! It's fun. Great music. My favorite so far was "One Less Bell to Answer/House is Not a Home." See the full story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Gloria Estefan is finally making her first appearance in the "Glee" season finale .
She will plays Santana's mother Maribel Lopez .
"She's supportive of her daughter," Estefan told EW . |
0eefc1a254c56244f70c5044a592024801a92465 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 4 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:01 EST, 4 November 2012 . A man who uses Twitter to encourage people to sign up as organ donors after a double transplant saved his life has been told he didn't deserve his new heart and lungs by cruel internet trolls. Chris Richardson who was born with a congenital heart defect and left wheelchair bound, had a heart and lung transplant at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle five years ago. But he has been left angered and upset after a vicious cyber bully attacked him for being overweight. Chris Richardson, from Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, whose life was saved by a double heart and lung transplant, but he has now been targeted by internet trolls who told him he didn't deserve his life-saving organs . The female Twitter follower from America sent a disgusting message to Chris telling him that his weight makes him a letdown to his donor's family. The spiteful message read: 'You are overweight and a disgrace to your donor. You do not deserve a transplant.' Chris, of Walker, Newcastle, who has more than 1,000 Twitter followers, including celebrities such as Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, has said that the message left him shocked and upset. He has since blocked the sender on the social networking site. He said: 'I could not believe what had been said. 'It was pathetic and I immediately blocked the bully from my Twitter page - I don't have that tweet anymore and don't know who sent it because I acted quickly. 'I use Twitter to try and encourage people to join the Organ Donor Register so I was shocked to see a message like this. 'I can't believe someone would say such a thing about my weight, especially when they don't even know me.' But Chris's Twitter friends rallied round in support of the 28-year-old. One friend said: 'Chris only you, your family and your real friends know what such an amazing, strong and inspirational person you are.' His heart defect sadly meant that he spent most of his childhood in a wheelchair. But he was given a new lease of life with the double transplant back in 2007. The Freeman Hospital where Chris Richardson had his double transplant operation . Since then, Chris has had to take daily medication to prevent his body from rejecting his donor organs and requires steroid injections, which can cause weight gain. He added: 'I have to take steroids for my condition and that does cause an increase in weight. 'However, I do go to the gym and do what I can. 'There is no way that I am going to let this stop me from using Twitter in the future.' Chris decided not to report the matter to the police, but a Northumbria Police spokesman said that officers take reports of cyber bullying seriously. He added: 'The internet has become an invaluable resource for people of all ages. 'However, people need to be aware that what they say on sites such as Facebook and Twitter could cause distress and even get them into a lot of trouble.' | Chris Richardson, 28, was sent a vicious Twitter message from an American follower .
She callously attacked his weight and said that he is a 'disgrace' to his donor . |
0ef04b1279de453231b66c27bb429537c5d67995 | Claim: WPC Kelly Jones, 33, has launched the health and safety claim against the owner of the station in Thetford, Norfolk, where she tripped on a 6in kerb . A policewoman who answered a midnight call to a suspected burglary is suing the man who dialled 999 – because she tripped over a kerbstone. WPC Kelly Jones is seeking a potential five-figure payout after claiming the owner of a petrol station failed to keep her safe as she investigated the possible break-in. Her claim that the 999 call exposed her to ‘an unnecessary risk of injury’ raises new questions about the extent of Britain’s compensation culture, and has wide-reaching implications for anyone who calls the emergency services to their property. WPC Jones, 33, has hired a top firm of London solicitors specialising in personal injury lawsuits – but her health-and-safety claim has shocked MPs, who have branded the lawsuit ‘bizarre’. Petrol station owner Steve Jones is enraged by the WPC’s action against him, saying: ‘I am incredulous that I am being sued by a police officer whose duty is to protect the public. ‘How can anyone feel safe calling the cops if they size you up for compensation while they’re fighting crime? 'Surely policing has elements of both public service and risk. Isn’t that what officers sign up for when they put on the uniform – chasing villains and keeping us safe?’ WPC Jones tripped on a 6in kerb as she was checking the petrol station in Thetford, Norfolk, with the owner. He said: ‘I thought nothing of it – other than she must have been a bit embarrassed – and I helped her up. Then we carried on with the search.’ Mr Jones, 50, had called 999 after the alarm went off at Nuns’ Bridges Service Station on August 25 last year. He had put the incident out of his mind – until he received a three-page letter from WPC Jones’s lawyers Pattinson Brewer last week. Incident: Steve Jones called 999 after the alarm was triggered at Nuns' Bridges Service Station, where the policewoman tripped on the 6in kerb (pictured) In good spirits: WPC Jones pictured on Saturday. She appeared in good health, carrying bags of shopping, but refused to answer questions about the case . The document made a total of 11 allegations against him – including that he failed to turn the lights on or warn her of the kerb. She says she injured her left leg and her right wrist in the fall – although she was well enough to continue the search of the garage at the time. Mr Jones is accused of ‘failing to ensure [WPC Jones] was reasonably safe in using the premises for which she was permitted/invited by you to be there’ and of a ‘failure to carry out any and/or adequate risk assessment’. The letter concludes the 999 call-out ‘exposed our client to an unnecessary risk of injury’. Keith Vaz, chairman of the powerful Home Affairs Committee, is now demanding urgent Home Office guidelines on the issue. He said: ‘This civil claim will have huge implications for every citizen if they call police out to their premises to help them in an emergency. Part one: The letter that Mr Jones received from WPC Jones's lawyers Pattinson Brewer last week . ‘It is in the public interest to know where exactly people stand in circumstances like this. If there are going to be cases like this, then people will feel reluctant to call the police in case they are sued. ‘I do not think in such circumstances the public would feel they had a responsibility for health and safety issues, in the middle of the night while apparently facing danger. 'It’s a bizarre case and we need some urgent guidelines from the Home Office.’ Norfolk MP Norman Lamb added that any successful lawsuit would ‘set an extraordinary precedent’. He added: ‘I think most people would regard it as quite bizarre that an officer acting in the course of their duties would pursue a claim against a member of the public who has legitimately called them out. 'It is preposterous to imagine that it is appropriate; it is the police doing the job they are employed to do.’ Part two: In the letter, the petrol station owner is accused of exposing the policewoman 'to an unnecessary risk of injury' His thoughts were, understandably, echoed by garage owner Mr Jones, whose business had previously been targeted by a professional gang of thieves. He said: ‘If an officer can now sue you because they’ve tripped over on your property what does that mean for the average homeowner? ‘If you hear a burglar downstairs, do you have to nail down your stair carpet, close the windows and put the lights on before you dial 999? 'This is the health and safety culture at work, the fallacy that someone is to blame for any and every accident and that compensation is free.’ When The Mail on Sunday traced WPC Jones to her semi-detached home in Thetford, she declined to answer questions about the case. The mother of two appeared in good health, carrying bags of shopping from her 4x4 into her house and laughing and joking. Injuries: WPC Jones claims she injured her left leg and her right wrist in the fall ¿ although she was well enough to continue the search of the garage at the time . Trip: The kerb upon which WPC Jones tripped in the station's jet wash area. The lawyers claim 'there was little to draw this raised section to our client's notice' She took the legal action without the knowledge of her employers at Norfolk Constabulary, who knew nothing about it until alerted by this paper on Friday. The force declined to say if WPC Jones had finished her shift on the night in question or if she had gone on sick leave and if so, whether she had returned to duty. Implications: Keith Vaz, chairman of the powerful Home Affairs Committee, said: 'This civil claim will have huge implications for every citizen if they call police' A spokeswoman said: ‘Norfolk Constabulary was unaware of this litigation and as it appears to be a private matter the officer has chosen to undertake, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.’ The precise nature and extent of WPC’s Jones’s injuries are not known, although her claim states she went to West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds for treatment. It does not specify if the treatment is ongoing. Pattinson Brewer said the case was instigated by employees’ body, the Police Federation. Spokesman Chris Theobald said: ‘In response to a recent request from the Police Federation we are representing their woman police officer member Kelly Jones. ‘The officer was attending a 999 call and she subsequently made certain allegations against the proprietors of a service station which have now been detailed to them in writing. 'The basis of any future claim will be determined by a court and a judge, who will make an independent determination of culpability and the award of any damages based solely on the evidence supplied by both parties.’ Pattinson Brewer’s website says compensation for a serious wrist injury can be as high as £30,500, with payouts for more minor injuries approaching £3,000. Compensation for a leg injury could reach £16,000 for a bad fracture, with a simple break being valued at £5,000. Paul Ridgway, chairman of the Norfolk Police Federation, told The Mail on Sunday last night: ‘If officers get injured in an incident, it’s going to be for a court to decide whether someone is at fault or not, whether it be a health and safety issue or otherwise.’ A spokesman for the Police Federation, the 'union' for rank-and-file officers, said: 'The vast majority of police officers undertake their duties with public protection as their top priority, with the potential risk to themselves as a secondary consideration, if at all. 'However, on occasion private prosecutions and civil claims are made by police officers – and they must be treated each on their own merits. 'However, we share the public view that policing is a job that carries with it a reasonable amount of risk, at times much higher than that. 'The Constables Central Committee is funding this particular case and the decision making for this lies with them. We are unable to discuss the details of this case further.' Private matter: She took the legal action without the knowledge of her employers at Norfolk Constabulary. They described it as a 'private matter' | WPC Kelly Jones, 33, tripped on 6in kerb while checking station in Thetford .
Owner had called 999 after alarm went off at Nuns' Bridges Service Station .
Steve Jones received three-page letter from London law firm last week .
Said he is 'incredulous' at being sued by officer whose 'duty is to protect'
He is accused of 'failing to ensure [WPC Jones] was reasonably safe'
WPC injured leg and wrist after being 'exposed' to 'unnecessary risk'
MP said claim will have 'huge implications for every citizen if they call police'
Took legal action without knowledge of employers at Norfolk Constabulary . |
0ef05097a833685fa3e263f5dd58cf88c97326c0 | By . Craig Hope for the Daily Mail . Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany believes Liverpool could struggle to mount a title challenge like last season given the demands of the Champions League. The Reds were odds-on favourites to win their first English crown in 24 years until a late-season slip allowed City to oust them from top spot. The rivals meet at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night — both opened with victory on Sunday — and they will learn their Champions League group-stage opponents three days later. Scroll down for videos... Things will be different! Vincent Kompany has played down Liverpool's title hopes this season . Slip up: Liverpool had the title race in their hands before falling away in their final few games . Kompany and City have failed to emerge from the first phase in two of the last three seasons, and the Belgian said: ‘When the Champions League comes in it will be a different competition all over for Liverpool — and for all the clubs that are involved in the Champions League because it will get more demanding as the weeks go on.’ City were 2-0 victors at Newcastle on Sunday and Kompany believes it was important to lay winning foundations in the bid to defend their title. ‘Newcastle was important for us because it takes a lot of pressure away from the Liverpool game,’ he said. ‘It is one of the most poisonous away games you can have at the start of the season and we did really well.’ Staying power: Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero have all signed new contracts at the Etihad . City rewarded David Silva, Aleksandar Kolarov and Samir Nasri with new long-term contracts during the summer and are currently in discussions with Edin Dzeko and Joe Hart. And Kompany believes securing the future of his team-mates is worth just as much as bringing in new faces. ‘It is one thing to make new signings but it is another to make sure we have a core of players who know the league and have enjoyed success in the league,’ he said. Kompany missed 10 league matches last season because of injury, but insists he is ready for the physical demands of the campaign ahead. Red hot! Raheem Sterling celebrates after scoring in Liverpool's opening league win against Southampton . ‘I feel great,’ he said. ‘That (Newcastle) was the first test for me . I felt straight away that I was at the level I wanted to be at.’ Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has been called into the Brazil squad for the first time by new coach Dunga for friendlies against Colombia and Ecuador next month. VIDEO New signings excellent - Rogers . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Vincent Kompany has played down Liverpool's title hopes this season .
Manchester City captain says Merseyside club will struggle after returning to the Champions League .
Reds came within two points of the Premier League title last season .
City have handed new deals to Kompany, Aguero, Silva and Nasri .
Belgium defender insists he has returned to full fitness . |
0ef110d45ce71eabf731aff069fb31d5baaf09c1 | Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant is just weeks from operating at full capacity, the country's top nuclear official said Saturday. Feireidoun Abbasi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, also said Tehran has shown its new Iranian-made centrifuges to a representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Bushehr plant, located along the Persian Gulf coast, will reach its full capacity of 1,000 megawatts by February 1, Abbasi said, according to the country's official news agency, IRNA. The plant was connected to the country's electric grid in September with a capacity of 60 megawatts. At 1,000 megawatts, Bushehr will be able to provide 2.5% of Iran's current electricity consumption, the IAEA said. Abbasi made the announcement about Bushehr while attending a meeting on Iran's nuclear achievements held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. He told the meeting that Tehran had shown the new generation of its homemade centrifuge machines to the IAEA "in a bid to demonstrate the ability of Iranian scientists," he said. Abbasi said the centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium, were shown to the deputy of IAEA, Director-General Yukiya Amano, but he did not say when. It was not immediately clear whether an IAEA representative had in fact been to Iran and seen the centrifuges. The new centrifuges will enable Iran to enrich uranium over the current purity level of 5%, according to experts cited by the news agency. Uranium enriched to between 3% and 5% is necessary to make fuel for reactors. Uranium enriched to 93.5% is considered weapons-grade. The construction of Bushehr -- a civilian, not military, plant -- started in 1975 when Germany signed a contract with Iran. Germany, however, pulled out of the project following the 1979 revolution that created the current Islamic republic. Iran then signed a deal with Russia in 1995, under which the plant was originally scheduled to be completed in 1999, but the project was delayed repeatedly. Bushehr finally opened in August 2010. The United States and other Western nations have expressed concerns that Iran's development of missile and nuclear fuel technology mean it is developing a nuclear program for military purposes. The IAEA said in a November report that it has "serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions" to Iran's nuclear program. The agency said it has information indicating Iran has carried out "activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device." Iran has denied such allegations, saying the Bushehr plant will be used only to generate electricity and operates under IAEA supervision. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the concern is not the Bushehr plant, but other nuclear facilities like Natanz, in the middle of the country; a facility at Qom, south of Tehran; "and other places where we believe they are conducting their weapons program." | Bushehr plant will reach full capacity of 1,000 megawatts by February 1, IRNA reports .
Iran's nuclear chief claims the centrifuges have been shown to an IAEA representative .
IRNA cites experts who say centrifuges will be able to enrich uranium beyond 5% purity .
Uranium enriched to 93.5% is considered weapons-grade . |
0ef19601ae425f65954f6f8d9e9c97a677e48fd6 | (CNN) -- The legendary rock band KISS becomes the next big act to make an extended stop in Las Vegas. The group, which is in the middle of a summer tour with Def Leppard, will play nine nights in The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas in November. "What happens in Vegas will not stay in Vegas, not if we have anything to do with it," KISS co-founder Gene Simmons said. "We intend to blow the roof off the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino." The Vegas miniresidency is a first for KISS, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a band. Extended stays in Las Vegas are proving profitable for a growing list of music acts, including Olivia Newton John and Britney Spears. Both singers have filled Vegas venues for weeks at a time this year. Britney Spears kicks off Las Vegas casino residency . KISS, known for its fireworks and over-the-top energy and volume, "will unleash its signature elaborate set designs, jam-packed set list, intense pyrotechnics and much more for nine of the biggest shows in KISS performance history," the Hard Rock news release said. While KISS usually plays for tens of thousands of fans in arena and stadium shows, the Vegas shows will be much more intimate, with less than 4,000 seats. The schedule includes three shows a week for the first three weeks of November. Simmons, 64, and Paul Stanley, 62, have been with the band since it formed. Eric Singer first joined as drummer in 1991 and lead guitarist Tommy Thayer was added 12 years ago. Emotional night at Rock Hall of Fame Induction . Carlos Santana rocks Vegas 'Joint' | KISS will play 9 nights in November at the Hard Rock in Vegas .
The Vegas miniresidency is a first for KISS, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary .
A growing list of acts, including Olivia Newton John and Britney Spears, is playing Vegas .
"What happens in Vegas will not stay in Vegas," KISS co-founder Gene Simmons says . |
0ef1be30e38bb8417b24d3f733a1325075d5b14b | (CNN Student News) -- February 10, 2012 . Media Literacy Question of the Day . Why do you think that news organizations spend more time explaining some topics than others? What kinds of stories require the most explanation? * . * . Know Your News -- The following questions relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. Click here for a PDF version of this Newsquiz. 1. Susan Rice is the U.S. ambassador to what international organization? * . * . 2. What two countries voted against a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have addressed ongoing violence in Syria? * . * . 3. Which U.S. candidate won Republican presidential contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri on Tuesday? * . * . 4. What is the current U.S. unemployment rate? * . * . 5. What is the study of family histories and ancestors? * . * . 6. What islands are at the center of a dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom? * . * . 7. What type of energy would be generated by two proposed power plants in Georgia? * . * . 8. What country's state of Queensland has experienced severe flooding in recent weeks? * . * . 9. Scientists believe the Burmese python is wiping out other species in what Florida region? * . * . 10. What country's population is aging faster than any other on Earth? * . * . | Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News .
Write your answers in the space provided .
Today's Newsquiz includes the Media Literacy Question of the Day . |
0ef1d3814c5331c10241fe2673ab82ecb058924c | (CNN) -- A word to the wise. If you're going to go walking in snow, take big steps. I was knee deep in a Swiss forest pretending to be the adventurer Bear Grylls when I came a cropper and collapsed face first into a snowdrift. Before I could emerge from my embarrassing predicament, a photograph was helpfully plastered across social media. I held out a hand for help, but Beau, a giant of a cameraman, was too busy laughing. Welcome to the World Economic Forum. This place eats up Davos virgins and spits them out faster than you can say CEO. Veterans like Richard Quest, who is attending his 10th WEF, take great pleasure in warning new CNN producers that it'll cost a fortune, it's exhausting, but it's like no other event like it you've ever been to before. They're not wrong. Imagine taking a small Swiss city, laden with shops selling little more than overpriced cuckoo clocks, chocolate and snowboards, surrounding it in barriers of steel and snipers, and inviting the masters of the universe in business, politics and academia to visit. Europe's highest city is a very strange place. It's where $20 won't even get you a portion of pasta, where your pidgin German and French is quietly laughed at, and where any kind of shoes feel like a bad choice. Billy Connolly once said: "there's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong kind of clothing." In Davos, everyone's changing clothes every time they move from ferocious air blowers indoors to the Baltic outdoors. I saw one CEO quickly dump his $400 brogues in favor of some slightly ridiculous moon boots. Hunters are stylish and do rather well. My $7 discount store rubber attachments have -- so far -- survived intact. Beyond the ring of steel, tourists were rapidly banished as journalists from round the world take over ski lodges and budget hotels. Small businesses clear off as corporate hospitality moves in. Over a weekend I watched a pet shop converted into a plush hospitality suite for Barclays. The RBS lounge looked like no other bank I've ever been to. If only my local branch in south London was kitted out with comfy sofas and a bar. It would be somewhere to drown your sorrows when you've smashed through your overdraft. Inside the barrier, once you've passed armed security, the x-ray machine and the ID card scanner, you're finally allowed entry to the Kongress Centre (clearly a typographical error) using the back entrance though a tunnel made from material not unlike a bouncy castle. It's brilliant white, and resembles a bio-hazard emergency tent which featured in E-T 30 years ago. Sweating in heavy winter gear under the power of hot air blowers, I soon discovered how my ID badge dictates your right to access, food and hospitality at WEF. Simply put it's a reinvention of the class system. Journalist purple badge holders are ranked just above pond life, but at least we can get inside the center. White badges are allowed better nibbles. Meanwhile, back in the forest, I struggled to tie a washing line between two trees. I then added some Davos related surveys with clothes pegs. This was a stunt for my show, Marketplace Europe, which showed the plethora of reports which come out to coincide with WEF. The phrase "it seemed like a good idea at the time" sprung to mind more than once in the freezing wind, followed by another whispered piece of advice from Richard which I had cheerfully ignored: "Don't forget the long johns, Pepper." Opinion: Will global elite listen to Pope of poor? Can Davos make a difference to global inequality? | Chris Pepper, a "Davos virgin" shares his experience of attending the WEF for the first time .
He is told it'd cost a fortune and would be exhausting, but also that iDavos is nothing like any other event .
He discovers how the color of his ID badge dictates his right to access, food and hospitality . |
0ef2fa4d58f3d6b09b69b98357cff34b1bca3caa | NHS finance boss Paul Baumann (pictured) has warned the service is on a 'knife edge' The NHS is on a ‘knife edge’ and there may be ‘unexpected disasters', a senior boss has said. Paul Baumann, the health service’s finance chief, gave a stark warning after it emerged hospital waiting times are at their worst for six-and-a-half years. It came as a report revealed the number of hospitals needing emergency government bailouts has doubled in 12 months. The National Audit Office said 31 trusts had handouts last year, costing more than half a billion pounds. MPs and health experts said the situation was ‘deeply alarming’. Figures released yesterday show 3.2million patients are waiting for operations, scans and treatment – the most since April 2008. This includes 37,712 waiting for surgery longer than the Government target of 18 weeks – nearly double the number in May 2010. Mr Baumann told an NHS England meeting yesterday: ‘This feels as if it is the year we are on the knife edge.’ He said the health service ‘can’t guarantee against any unexpected disasters’. Officials would not say what these might be but they could include patients having to wait for hours on trolleys in A&E units this winter. Mr Baumann’s ‘knife edge’ comment is understood to refer to whether NHS England would meet financial targets. He is understood to have been explaining that meeting the financial targets are on a ‘knife edge’ and will depended on whether there are unexpected disasters such as a flu epidemic. Today’s report by the National Audit Office shows the number of hospitals needing Government bailouts rose from 17 in 2012/13 to 31 in 2013/14. Scroll down for video . Margaret Hodge MP, chairman of the influential Public Accounts Committee, said the report was ‘deeply alarming’, adding: ‘I do not believe it is any exaggeration to say that the future sustainability of our National Health Service is at risk. ‘Some trusts are only getting by on handouts. Things are getting worse … and we all know that when trusts are under this kind of financial stress it is the quality and safety of patient care that can suffer.’ A report has revealed the number of hospitals needing emergency government bailouts has doubled in 12 months . Last month health bosses warned the NHS would need an extra £8billion by 2020 to meet the demands of the aging population. NHS chief Simon Stevens said that without the money consequences for patients would be ‘severe’. The Patients’ Association’s Katherine Murphy said: ‘We receive many calls … about delays in treatment, incorrect diagnosis and undignified care. ‘We have known for many years that underfunding … has a direct impact on the quality of care … [and] on patient safety.’ North Cumbria University Hospitals received a £42million bailout, and Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals, Cambridgeshire, £41million. A Welsh cancer patient faces having to move to a caravan in England to get a drug that could prolong his life. Kidney cancer sufferer David Southwood, 53, of Newport, Gwent, used savings to buy Axitinib as the NHS in Wales will not pay for it. But he cannot afford to keep funding the treatment, and may have to live 50 miles away in a Somerset caravan, owned by his mother, to continue receiving it. David Southwood (pictured with wife Angela) used savings to buy Axitinib as the NHS in Wales will not pay for it . He faces having to move to a caravan (picured) in England to get the drug that could prolong his life . He said: ‘If I wait until December or January I probably won’t be here. It’s quite disturbing … I may lose the consultant I’ve had for the last two years. I have … no family at all in England so it would be isolating.’ Axitinib is free on the NHS in England via the Cancer Drugs Fund. But the Labour-run Welsh government has rejected calls to set up a similar fund. A spokesman said: ‘We are unable to comment on individual cases.’ Labour’s health spokesman Jamie Reed said: ‘NHS waiting lists are still heading in the wrong direction. People will be alarmed to hear NHS bosses talking about possible imminent disasters.’ - Meanwhile, the NHS could save £2billion a year by introducing appointments via video link, prescribing cheaper drugs and cutting needless X-rays, senior doctors said. The Academy of Royal Medical Colleges highlighted 16 areas where spending could be cut including lower-cost statins, which would save £85million a year. | Senior boss: NHS on a 'knife edge' which may lead to 'unexpected disasters'
Stark warning was issued by the health service's finance chief Paul Baumann .
Comes as it emerged hospital waiting times are at their worst for six years .
No of hospitals needing emergency government bailouts doubles in year .
MPs and health experts have described the situation as 'deeply alarming' |
0ef313016e58710bffca8c80a94bd3f9adfb326d | New York (Financial Times) -- Christie's has become the first international fine art auction house to receive a licence to operate independently in mainland China, giving it an edge in the race among dealers and auctioneers to unlock the potential of the Chinese market. The 247-year-old auction house, with sale rooms in London, Paris, New York and Hong Kong, announced on Tuesday that it plans to hold auctions in Shanghai starting this autumn. Christie's opened an office in Shanghai in 1994 and has held auctions with local firm Forever. "The market for arts and objects in China has grown exponentially over the past decade. There are more new buyers coming into play in China than any other market in the world," Steven Murphy, Christie's chief executive, told the Financial Times. "To be in mainland China and serve those clients directly . . . has been a dream of ours for quite some time." In the past five years, the Chinese art market ranked as the fastest-growing in the world, as well as the most important emerging market in terms of the size of its domestic sales, according to a report by TEFAF Maastricht. After briefly overtaking the US as the largest market in the world in 2011 with 30 per cent market share, China slipped to the number two slot in 2012 behind the US with 25 per cent market share following a slowdown in growth. Rival Sotheby's this week closed its five days of sales in wine, jewellery, Asian and Chinese art, ceramics and watches, which were watched closely following slow economic growth in 2012 and a crackdown on extravagant spending by officials. An imperial bowl broke a world record for Chinese Kangxi ceramics, selling for $9.5m. Christie's said that the number of clients from mainland China bidding at its global auctions has doubled since 2008. "The demand still is there because the number of clients being served is increasing. That is why we wanted to be in China with a home for Christie's, to serve those clients entering the market," Mr Murphy said. The agreement restricts Christie's from selling cultural relics, which predate 1911, such as valuable classical paintings and antiques. Christie's ignited controversy in China with the attempted sale in 2009 of two bronze sculptures of animal heads from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing that were part of the late Yves Saint-Laurent's collection. Mr Murphy said the incident did not enter the discussion. Both Christie's and Sotheby's have operated out of Hong Kong for several years, where a large portion of the items are sold to mainland Chinese collectors. In mainland China, Sotheby's has a deal with GeHua to conduct sales in the country. Christie's total sales in Asia were $715.1m in 2012. The granting of a licence to Christie's signals a determination in China to continue to open up to international businesses. This week, Xi Jinping, China's president, promised to protect global companies' interests amid concerns about discriminatory policies that hurt their operations in China. © The Financial Times Limited 2013 . | Christie's received license to operate independently in mainland China .
Christie's is the first international fine art auction house to receive license .
Chinese art market ranked as world's fastest-growing in past 5 years . |
0ef4d123961a763a11e938520347118069b6e29e | (CNN) -- For the South Korean who picked up the second major title of her career to move up to second in the world rankings, it was a walk in the Park. Inbee Park led the field by three strokes heading into the final day of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, carding a three-under-par final round of 69 to finish 15-under for the tournament - four strokes ahead of compatriot Ryu So-Yeon. After taking the traditional plunge into Poppy's pool at the Mission Hills Country Club, Park is setting her sights on usurping Stacy Lewis and becoming the world's top-ranked female golfer. "That's the place that I've always wanted and I only have one more spot to go," the 24-year-old told the LPGA Tour's official website after clinching 2013's opening major. "That brings a lot of momentum, keeps momentum going for me, especially after this week. I felt a lot of confidence with my swing and with my putting. Everything has been going the right way this season. It feels good." American Lewis was full of praise for Park, hailing the 2008 U.S. Women's Open winner as "the best putter on Tour." "I've seen Inbee do this before," said Lewis, who finished 14 shots adrift of Park. "When she rolls it, you just can't beat her. "The course here is a little softer than normal, so I think that's to her advantage. She doesn't hit it as high as some other people, but when she's rolling it, you are not going to beat her." The 2011 U.S. Women's Open winner and Park's compatriot Ryu So-Yeon (65) was second on the leaderboard on 11 under, ahead of Sweden's Caroline Hedwall (68) and 2007 LPGA Championship winner Suzann Pettersen (69). Haeji Kang (68), also of South Korea, and seven-time champion Karrie Webb (72) were tied for fifth. Fifteen-year-old New Zealander Lydia Ko was the highest-placed amateur, finishing tied for 25th. Former world No. 1 Yani Tseng finished two over for the tournament, in a four-way tie for 48th place. | Inbee Park moves to No. 2 in the world rankings with win at Kraft Nabisco Championship .
The win at Mission Hill CC the second major triumph of Park's career .
World No. 1 Stacy Lewis finished 14 shots behind Park .
Park's fellow South Korean Ryu So-Yeon was second on the leaderboard . |
0ef4e102755499a629614d29e90311bd6abb5aba | Eight months after he ordered the destruction of Osama bin Laden's camp in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical weapons facility in the Sudan, President Bill Clinton doubted that the al-Qaeda leader posed a serious threat to the United States, judging from a hand-written note mad public Friday. The William J. Clinton Presidential Library released its latest trove of documents, including a hand-written note from the president to his national security adviser, Sandy Berger, on April 14, 1999. Clinton was reacting to a New York Times story the day before that questioned whether bin Laden was behind a pair of August 7, 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. 'Sandy – If this article is right,' he wrote to Berger, 'the CIA sure overstated its case to me – what are the facts?' In this April 14, 1999 hand-written note to then-National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, President Bill Clinton questioned whether the CIA had oversold its intelligence showing the threat to the U.S. that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had become . Bill Clinton (L) announced on 20 August 1998 during his Martha's Vineyard vacation that US forces had attacked terrorist bases in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical weapons facility in Sudan. His note eight months later to National Security Adviser Sandy Berger (R) betrayed his lack of confidence about his decisions . Osama bin Laden, killed in a Navy SEAL raid in 2011, was top-of-mind in 1998 when Clinton bombed his terror training camps, but a year later the president questioned the CIA's intelligence . Berger is now co-chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a commercial consultancy he runs with Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and George W. Bush Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez. 'Intelligence on those responsible for the embassy bombings in Africa was continually developing,' he told MailOnline. 'At the time of the attacks in Afghanistan and Sudan, we were confident that it was al-Qaeda.' That position likely colored Berger's followup communications with his two National Security Council underlings most . closely associated with Middle East issues and transnational threats, . Richard Clarke and Daniel Benjamin. Those conversations were redacted when the library released the documents on Friday since they were classified. Clarke and Benjamin couldn't be reached for comment. Reactions online and in print to the publication of Clinton's 1999 note have generally been negative, focusing on Clinton's indecisiveness in the face of a mortal enemy who would mastermind the deaths of thousands of Americans a few years later with the 9/11 attacks. 'While al Qaeda was planning the Sept. 11 attacks, President Clinton dashed off a note doubting that Osama bin Laden was a major threat,' author and Middle East expert Richard Miniter told MailOnline. Al-Qaeda also bombed the U.S.S. Cole in October 2000, killing 17 American sailors. Miniter's 2004 best-seller 'Losing Bin Laden' chronicles the Clinton Administration's earlier failures to corral the bin Laden, including its refusal of a back-channel offer from Sudanese intelligence to hand him over in 1996. Susan Rice, then a junior State Department officer, was involved in those discussions. They culminated, Miniter writes, with Sudan's vice president asking a U.S. intelligence official if the United States wanted bin Laden. It's unclear if Clinton himself was ever made aware of the overture. But bin Laden had publicly declared war on the U.S. six times between 1995 and 1998, making some of those declarations in public press conferences. Two weeks after the August 1998 embassy bombings in East Africa, the president green-lighted a series of cruise missile attacks against six terror camps in Afghanistan. Bin Laden was uninjured. He was at the time operating in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban. In August 1998 a bomb blast at the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya (L) killed 213 people and injured more than 4,000. Another blast occurred simultaneously at the U.S> embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, leaving 11 dead and injuring 85 . Early al-Qaeda: The October 12, 2000 bombing of the destroyer USS Cole in the port of Aden in Yemen killed 17 American sailors . No WMDs: Clinton ordered a cruise missile attack on the al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, Sudan, killing one worker; his administration believed falsely that the facility was used to produce nerve gas for al-Qaeda . Clinton also ordered a missile attack on the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan. One worker died under the rubble. 'Today, we have struck back,' Clinton said that day. Defense Secretary William Cohen told reporters then that there would be 'no sanctuary for terrorists and no limit to our resolve to defend American citizens and our interests.' The White House argued at the time that al-Qaeda was using the Al-Shifa factory to produce VX nerve gas that its militants could use against Western populations. Clinton's spokespeople said the plant was heavily guarded, but that soil samples collected outside indicated the presence of EMPTA – short for O-ethylmethylphosphonothioic acid. That toxic chemical compound, U.S. intelligence officials said then, was a nerve gas component that had no known commercial use. A British engineer who worked in the plant later told reporters that EMPTA was used at Al-Shifa, but to manufacture antibiotics and fungicides. And the administration later walked back claims from Cohen, who had said after the factory was leveled that bin Laden had 'a financial interest in contributing to this particular facility.' The most damning criticism Clinton received at the time came from dovish Democrats in Congress, who suspected that he had ordered the attacks in Afghanistan and Sudan to draw attention away from his sex scandal that had monopolized newspaper headlines and news broadcasts. In Washington, the attacks were widely seen as a 'Wag The Dog' episode, a name drawn from a popular movie about a political consultant who distracts voters from a sex scandal by hiring a Hollywood filmmaker to create and film a fake U.S. war with Albania. 'Wag The Dog' premiered just weeks before Clinton's own sex scandal, about a White House intern he had seduced, made international news. Clintons' sexual dalliance with White House intern Monica Lewinsky became public in January 2008, and by mid-year the White House was eager to refocus the news media on other topics . Life imitates art? Washington insiders believed the film 'Wag The Dog,' about a political consultant hired to create a fake war to distract the public from a sex scandal, provided a template for Clinton's cruise missile order, and his 1999 note to Berger suggests he wasn't sure he did the right thing . Clinton's 1999 note to Berger indicates that he doubted the intelligence that preceded his cruise missile order. It may also lend credence to the 'Wag The Dog' scenario, since it suggests that Clinton ordered the cruise missile attacks despite lacking what he considered a complete intelligence assessment. A U.S. intelligence source told MailOnline on Friday that Clinton 'certainly saw the CIA's evidence that bin Laden was behind the first World Trade Center bombing' in 2001. 'Clinton saw everything they had, at least what they could prove,' he said. The agency quickly established a section dedicated to finding the terror ringleader in 1996, the same year mid-level talks with Sudan fell through, once that information was deemed authentic. On June 8, 1998, two months before the embassy bombings, a federal grand jury issued a sealed criminal indictment against bin Laden and other terrorists including Ayman al Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's current leader. The indictment, which made national news, charged them with six crimes including 'conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against nationals of the United States.' | In a hand-written note to his national security adviser, Clinton questioned in 1999 whether bin Laden was behind terror attacks against the U.S.
Sandy Berger, the adviser Clinton wrote to, told MailOnline exclusively that 'we were confident that it was al-Qaeda'
A NY Times reporter had concluded it was hard to prove, so Clinton thought the CIA might have 'overstated its case' to him .
Plenty of evidence already existed, which the CIA presented him in 1998 after al-Qaeda bombed two U.S. embassies in East Africa .
Clinton himself ordered retaliation in Afghanistan and Sudan just weeks after those attacks – a move that some thought was inspired by the film 'Wag the Dog' about a war created to distract America from a sex scandal .
A best-selling author wrote that Sudan had offered to hand over bin Laden to the U.S. in 2006, but Susan Rice and others never closed the deal . |
0ef53bb6f8f6413e330c7f48e4962e2804a5bd69 | It's a scene that no-one could have imagined when a Malaysian Airlines jet disappeared more than seven weeks ago - a farewell photo by the men and women who have searched in vain from the sky for the missing plane. They posed with their aircraft in Perth to mark the official end to the huge international air search for MH370, which lost contact on March 8 with 239 passengers and crew. A scaled down operation, including a few vessels on standby and an underwater search for the Boeing 777, will still continue for an indefinite amount of time. All together: Multinational air-crew and aircraft were involved in operation Southern Indian Ocean . So far not a single piece of debris, stretch of oil, or a clue of any kind has been found to pinpoint the location of the plane. There have been 'pings' that might have come from the aircraft's two black boxes and experts have made their calculations from satellite data, but if the jet is at the bottom of the ocean its whereabouts have remained a mystery. Eight nations have taken part in the search, either physically or using technical know-how but despite a number of hopeful sightings, the personnel who posed for Tuesday's photo have ended their relentless operation with nothing to show for it. They have scoured more than two million square miles from the air since the search moved to the Indian Ocean and officials now concede that the area will have to be expanded - but this time entirely underwater. No results: Not a single piece of debris, stretch of oil, or a clue of any kind has been found to pinpoint the location of the Boeing 777 . Finished: Japanese officials and members of Japanese and Australian aircrews, who participated in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370, pose for a photo on the tarmac at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Pearce, located north of Perth . Prime Minister Tony Abbott has conceded that if anything was left floating after the aircraft had, as experts believe, come down in the ocean, it would by now have become waterlogged and sunk. Just when a new underwater search will begin has not been decided, with authorities saying the transition from surface to underwater would begin 'over the coming weeks.' Never in the history of aviation has such a vast search been conducted, with eight nations - Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Malaysia, the US, Japan, South Korea and China - involved in the hunt, flying more than 300 sorties across an enormous expanse of unforgiving southern ocean. Now the search planes have been stood down, a spokesman for the Australian-led Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre saying: 'Most of the aircraft will have left by the end of today.' Farewell photo: Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, centre, stands on the tarmac during the ceremony on April 29 to mark the end of the air search for MH370 . International effort: Eight nations have taken part in the search, either physically or using technical know-how . But an Australian P3 Orion will remain on standby in Perth. As well as aircraft, as many as 14 ships from Australia, China and Britain were involved in the search for debris or listening for black box signals. Most of those vessels were today also pulling out. 'Some need to head back to port and refuel and give the crew a rest, while others will go back to doing what they were doing for their respective nations before they joined in the search,' the agency's spokesman said. 'In essence the surface search has been scaled back. 'We will keep a few vessels out there and others on standby, but the large-scale air and sea search has ended.' The conclusion of the surface hunt will be a distressing landmark for relatives of the mostly-Chinese passengers who were on the aircraft. Waiting for news in a hotel in Beijing, they have repeated daily that they want closure - to know what has happened to their loved ones. Huge mission: Teams have scoured more than two million square miles from the air since the search moved to the Indian Ocean . Grounded: The personnel who posed for the photo have ended their relentless operation with nothing to show for it . They tried: Air crew members from China, Malaysia and Japan wait for the official photo to be taken at the RAAF Pearce Base, near Perth . With no result, they now have only an underwater search - with no clues to pinpoint the correct area - to rely on. But first, they have to hear when that search will even begin. The news of the scaled back search comes as the Chinese families of passengers and crew were played a recording of the finale exchange between the airplane's crew and ground control for the first time. The families listened to the audio from the plane's cockpit during a public conference in Beijing on Tuesday, more than 50 days after the plane disappeared. In the audio, a radar controller from the airport in Kuala Lumpur says: 'Malaysia three seven zero contact Ho Chi Min 120.9, good night.' A male voice, believed to be a male crew member, replies: 'Good night Malaysian three seven zero.' Officials explained that MH370 crew members did not respond to further requests to contact ground control. Grateful: The Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force thanks members of the international and Australian air crews for their efforts . It's over: The air crews ended their search on April 29, more than seven weeks after the Malaysian Airlines jet disappeared . Searching: Australian leading Seaman Aircrewman Joel Young is pictured here manning the doorway of a S-B70-2 Seahawk helicopter during the search on April 21. He is just one of the hundreds of people who helped on the mission . Yesterday an Australian company said it had located the wreckage of a commercial airliner lying on the ocean floor in the Bay of Bengal - an area located in the northern tip of the original search area, but thousands of miles from where authorities are currently focused. Tech firm GeoResonance claims its sensor technology has found the wreckage of a plane in the Bay of Bengal, 118 miles south of Bangladesh. The company said images taken of the same spot five days earlier showed it had appeared between the 5th and 10th of March 2014. The plane disappeared on March 8. However, these claims have now been dismissed by search coordinators. The Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), which is managing the multinational search for the missing plane, said it continued to believe that the plane came down in the southern Indian Ocean off Australia . And it explained that the location in the GeoResonance report was not within the search arc that it has created from satellite information and other data to determine the missing aircraft's location. 'The joint international team is satisfied that the final resting place of the missing aircraft is in the southerly portion of the search arc,' it said, The Telegraph reports. | Aircrews who participated in the search for MH370 have called an official end to their large-scale operation .
They posed for a photo at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Pearce, located north of Perth, on Tuesday .
An underwater search will continue to hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet in the southern Indian Ocean .
Not a single piece of debris, stretch of oil, or a clue of any kind has been found to pinpoint the location of the plane . |
0ef5c715acd7a70f51a9d800c9e01bfe69657bed | By . Stephen Adams . As many as 12,000 people may have died needlessly of heart attacks and strokes because of the Government’s ‘disastrous’ policy on salt, a leading doctor has claimed. Meddling by former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley meant vital salt reduction targets – which should have been introduced four years ago – have only just been agreed, said Professor Graham MacGregor of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine. People should eat no more than 6g of salt a day, according to the World Health Organisation. Higher intake can lead to heart attacks and strokes. As many as 12,000 people may have died needlessly of heart attacks and strokes because of the Government's 'disastrous' policy on salt, a leading doctor has claimed . The average Briton currently consumes about 8g. Prof MacGregor claimed that, had targets been set four years ago, consumption would now be 0.5g per day lower. He said: ‘We estimate we would have saved approximately 3,000 people a year if the targets had been set by the Food Standards Agency in 2010.’ Professor Graham MacGregor said meddling by ex-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley (pictured) meant vital salt reduction targets - which should have been introduced four years ago - have only just been agreed . Mr Lansley took responsibility for public nutrition away from the FSA in 2010 and gave it to the Department of Health. Prof MacGregor claimed this ‘basically caused chaos’. He said that Mr Lansley also ‘adamantly refused’ to set a rolling target for reduction in the 2010-2014 period – leading to ‘a loss of momentum’. A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘Far from lacking momentum, the World Health Organisation has said our salt reduction work is world leading.’ | Prof Graham MacGregor said meddling by ex-Health Secretary Andrew Lansley meant vital salt reduction targets have only just been agreed .
He said the targets should have been introduced four years ago .
People should eat no more than 6g of salt a day, according to the WHO . |
0ef81479272eb98af4cdf0890f632fc51fbe2768 | A Virginia mom has come to believe the ghost of a US Marine who was killed over 30 years ago in a terror attack is somehow now possessing her four-year-old son. Michele Lucas of Virginia Beach claims her son Andrew has been recalling the story of Sgt. Val Lewis, a soldier who died in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing. Lucas told WTKR-TV it started when the toddler began talking about things no child his age should, beginning with saying he used to live at 860 Main Street in Sumter, Georgia. Lucas began researching herself but couldn't work out what Andrew was talking to, however the behavior only increased. Scroll down for video . Spirit within: Andrew Lucas, of Virginia Beach, is being haunted by the spirit of a fallen U.S. Marine, according to his mom. The four-year-old has been reliving the soldier's death . Scared: Michele Lucas says she's searching for answers for her son's strange behavior, including asking her why she let him die in a fire . Connected?: Sgt. Val Lewis (left) died in the Beirut barracks bombing in October 1983. Virginia Beach boy Andrew Lucas has been recounting details of the Marine's death recently, his mother claims . She started suspecting there was a spirit living inside her son, she told WTKR, and reached out to the creators of television show Ghost Inside My Child. 'He just starts crying hysterically and I say “What’s wrong Andrew?” and he says, “Why did you let me die in that fire?' Lucas told the station. The show producers investigated further and apparently connected the things Andrew was saying with the story of Sgt. Lewis, using the address and the fire. The Beirut barrack bombings killed over 300 people, including 241 American servicemen - among them Sgt. Lewis - during the Lebanese Civil War. They showed the boy pictures of Sgt. Lewis and some of his Marine friends, who Andrew seemed to recognize and was able to talk about. Closure: Andrew's parents believed taking him to visit the grave site of Sgt. Lewis may help him find closure, however they say his behavior was just as strange . Lucas decided to take her son to the Georgia gravesite of Sgt. Lewis in the hope it might bring him some closure. She said he walked straight up to the headstone and placed flowers atop of it, before taking off for another grave nearby, which he said was one of his friends. The strange occurrences continued when the family returned to Virginia Beach. 'About two weeks ago, there was an emblem on my wall and it was like somebody went up to it and turned it, and it went right back,' Lucas told WTKR. Scene: Michele Lucas is now wondering if her Virginia Beach house is haunted . Odd: The toddler's behavior has been frightening his mother, who suspects something supernatural . 'So it’s kind of creeping me out. 'I don’t know if I’ve picked up spirits while I was in the graveyard. 'I don’t know.' Lucas said her next step is to see a psychic, hoping they will able to give her better answers. 'Is my house haunted? Is my child haunted?' she said. 'I don’t know.' | Michele Lucas of Virginia Beach claims her son Andrew has been recalling the story of Sgt. Val Lewis .
Sgt. Lewis was one of 241 American servicemen killed in the Beirut barracks bombing in October 1983 .
Andrew has been crying hysterically asking his mom: 'Why did you let me die in the fire?'
She claims he recognizes photos of other soldiers that were with Sgt. Lewis when he died .
The family are working with the TV show Ghost Inside My Child . |
0ef8163221f24c7d573c97d06637f0557d90b345 | In 2010, . the action of a friend changed Rachelle Friedman's life when an innocent . push into a pool at her bachelorette party left her a quadriplegic. Now . a wife and an advocate for people with spinal cord injuries, she is . hoping her life will be changed again by the actions of a friend — one . who has agreed to carry her first child. Rachelle, . 28, plans to become a mother with the help of Laurel Humes, a friend she . met while attending East Carolina University. Humes, 31, has agreed to . serve as a gestational surrogate for Rachelle and her husband, Chris . Chapman. Paralyzed bride: Rachelle Friedman became paralyzed from the waist down after a tragic accident at her bachelorette party more than four years ago. Pictured above at her Knightdale, North Carolina home on June 25 . Starting a family: Friedman and her husband Chris Chapman (pictured on their wedding day three years ago) now plan on having a child through a surrogate . However, not all have been supportive of Rachelle's decision to get pregnant, considering her physical handicap. When Rachelle wrote about her desire to become a mother through surrogacy on her blog on March, she received some negative feedback. 'People . will say, "She can't be a mom; she's in a wheelchair." That's a little . frustrating,' Rachelle said. 'No one judges a single mother or a single . father's physical ability to raise a kid, so why am I a hindrance? 'I can hold the baby. I'll be able to change diapers and feed it and comfort it and dress it,' she said. 'All . those things are going to take a little longer, but I can still do all . those things. ... I know plenty of people in wheelchairs who are parents . who are amazing parents.' Frustrating: Some have criticized Friedman's decision to become a mother through surrogacy, saying her physical handicap would impact her parenting abilities . Despite receiving some negative comments, the blog post also caught the attention of surrogate-to-be Humes, the former college friend who followed the couple's story on social media. 'When I . saw that Rachelle was looking for a surrogate, I thought, "You know, . this is something I really want to do,"' Humes said. '... She responded . right away and said, "Wow! That's the nicest thing anyone's ever offered . to do for me."' Humes, . who lives in Asheville with her husband and their 2-year-old son, is . scheduled to travel to California next month for the embryo transfer. 'I . was just assuming we would have to hire someone,' said Rachelle, who . has established an account with gofundme.com to help cover expenses. 'I . think a lot of people were like, "What about one of the bridesmaids and . the girl who did it?" But none of those girls have ever been moms, ever been pregnant, are . just not in that mind-set, I guess. That alone didn't make me feel . comfortable. I wanted someone who had been pregnant before, who knew . what they were doing. Also, as far as the friend who was involved, I . didn't want this to start off with guilt.' For Humes, the prospect of surrogacy is exciting. 'I feel really good about it,' she said. 'They're going to be great parents, and I'm really excited to watch their family grow.' Rachelle and Chris also have not ruled out a second child. After the initial transfer, the couple plans to keep one embryo. 'In . 10 years, who knows where I'll be physically?' Rachelle asked. 'If . there's a cure in five years and I'm able to carry one, I would love to . have another one.' They are considering donating any remaining embryos to help change someone else's life. 'Having . the difficulty we're having,' Rachelle said, 'you know some couples . just struggle forever. So (for them) to have a healthy embryo, . eventually maybe I'll donate one.' Busy: In the four years since the accident, Friedman has gotten married, and published a book titled 'The Promise' Rachelle isn't letting the negativity get to her. More than four years after her tragic accident and nearly three years after her idyllic wedding, Rachelle's life is going well. In the last three months, she has secured a surrogate, traveled to California for in vitro fertilization and released a book, 'The Promise: A Tragic Accident, a Paralyzed Bride and the Power of Love, Loyalty and Friendship.' That book was not part of the plan when Rachelle received her degree in recreation management in 2008. Before the accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down, she worked as a program assistant at a seniors activity center and taught aerobics and line dancing. 'I never enjoyed writing,' Rachelle said. 'I never enjoyed having to write a paper, so it was really interesting that once I had something to say (I did).' In 'The Promise,' which she wrote with former journalist and media consultant Stephanie Krikorian, Rachelle has a lot to say. The book, released in May, not only retells the events of the now-famous accident following her bachelorette party but also shares the love story that brought her there. Promises: In her book, Friedman details the night of the accident but continues to protect the identity of the bridesmaid who pushed her into the pool . Rachelle met her very first boyfriend and the man who would become her husband during her freshman year at ECU, just before Halloween in 2004. Though she and Chris are both from Virginia Beach, and they would later learn that their paths had crossed many times, they never knew one another until both were off at college, 150 miles from home. The two were best friends long before any romance blossomed. 'My love story means so much to me, and everyone wanted the friend (bridesmaids) story,' Rachelle said of the book, which originally was to be titled 'The Pact,' a reference to the fact that neither she nor her bridesmaids have ever disclosed the identity of the bridesmaid who pushed Rachelle into the pool. Friedman and Chapman are thinking about donating their remaining embryos to another couple struggling to get pregnant . '(The Pact) made it sound like we all sat around and did like some blood promise to each other or something,' she said. 'We didn't sit there beside the pool and say this out loud. ... (The Promise) was supposed to mean not just my friends but also me and Chris.' 'The Promise' does expound on the reasons behind the unspoken agreement to keep silent about the friend responsible for the push, a young woman who struggled with debilitating guilt and depression for years after the accident. In the book, the names of all the women who were by the pool the night of the accident have been altered. 'None of us has ever revealed the name of the girl who playfully pushed me that night, and none of us ever will,' Rachelle wrote. 'Protecting her has always been too important, her feelings too important, the situation too fragile and fraught with potential pain. Besides, it could have been any one of us.' As the media relentlessly pursued the woman's identity, the decision to withhold her friend's name proved, at times, to be a costly one. One magazine offered to pay Rachelle for the revelation, and she turned down an interview with Oprah Winfrey after being told the talk show host wanted the bridesmaid in question to come on the show, too. Rachelle has learned to take both the criticism and the compliments in stride. 'I appreciate the compliments, I guess,' she said. 'People were like, "That's so amazing of you not to say anything." ... I think I've done a lot of amazing things, but not throwing my friend to the wolves while she was depressed is not one of them.' Since the accident, Rachelle, a former lifeguard and cheerleader, has taken up wheelchair rugby and hand cycling. She has learned to surf and to drive again. She also has become a motivational speaker and an advocate for others with spinal cord injuries. Though Rachelle has had a chance to personally reach out to a fellow Knightdale resident who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, most of the encouragement she offers has been virtual. '(People) sent letter after letter to my Facebook inbox and my email,' she wrote. '... People wanted to relate to me and wrote things like "My son had this happen to him," or "I am married to a quadriplegic." They were trying to connect, and I quickly learned I had the strength to help them.' Fans of 'The Promise' already are asking if there will be a sequel on motherhood. Rachelle said she plans to blog about her experience and has not ruled out a second book. | Rachelle Friedman, 28, became a quadriplegic four years ago after a bridesmaid playfully pushed her into a pool at her bachelorette party .
Now Friedman and her husband Chris Chapman are starting the process of getting pregnant via a surrogate .
However, Friedman's desire to become a mother has been met with some criticism by those who believe her handicap will hinder her parenting . |
0ef865cdf1a53bce536cc9c73799ed5aa77e2c8f | (CNN) -- Through sports, Scott Strode was able to overcome his addiction to drugs and alcohol. He worked out in a boxing gym, got involved with triathlons and climbing, and made new friends who supported him through his transition. Encouraged by his success, Strode wanted to help others deal with their own addiction. So in 2007, he started a nonprofit, Phoenix Multisport. Phoenix Multisport has provided free athletic activities and a sober support community to more than 6,000 participants in Colorado. It offers dozens of programs every week, from casual walks and yoga to mountain biking and ice climbing. CNN asked Strode for his thoughts on being chosen as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012. CNN: What do you hope this recognition will mean for Phoenix Multisport? Scott Strode: My hope is that sharing this story on the national stage will help Phoenix Multisport reach the angel donors that we need to support our current work and help us expand nationally. More than 23 million people over the age of 12 in the U.S. are struggling with addiction and need treatment. Of those, only about 10% get treatment. When I got sober, I was alone and didn't know what to do. I knew I couldn't go back to using or I was going to die. Finding others living a sober, healthy lifestyle and finding hope and happiness in sobriety were gifts that saved my life. I knew I had to give this gift to others. There are millions out there in the dark days of their addiction, alone, trying to figure out how to stay alive. I hope that sharing my story and the story of Phoenix Multisport does two things. First, I want those who are addicted and those who love them to know they are not alone and that there is hope. Second, everyone knows someone who has struggled with addiction. It may be your mother, cousin, friend, co-worker, admired athlete, movie star or musician, but we are all well aware of how bad things can get when addiction takes over. It is my hope that by sharing this story on the national stage, people will realize recovery is possible. Who should be the CNN Hero of the Year? Cast your vote now! Phoenix is only in existence because of the support we receive from donors. It is my ultimate hope that this amazing opportunity allows us to reach donors who can help us create a sober active community in cities and towns across the nation. By supporting Phoenix Multisport financially, donors can make recovery possible for millions nationally and we can break the cycle of addiction so future generations don't have to grow up under the shadow of alcoholism or drug addiction. CNN: What was the reaction when you found out you were a top 10 CNN Hero? Strode: I was deeply moved. (Our) staff and supporters have been working so hard for several years to help build the Phoenix Multisport sober active community. Telling the successes of this story I believe will help rally other supporters around us, allowing Phoenix Multisport to reach thousands more with our programs. (We) and our supporters were overjoyed by the acknowledgement of our work. So rarely is the recovery side of addiction discussed in the media, so Phoenix Multisport felt honored to share the telling of this story of recovery and hope with CNN and its audience. CNN: How will you use the $50,000 award you receive for being selected as a top 10 CNN Hero? Strode: Phoenix Multisport has always had the goal of having chapters in cities across the country. And with this recognition from CNN, we believe this dream will come true, allowing Phoenix's programs to reach others battling the darkness of addiction. We believe that recovery heals individuals and families. CNN: What do you want people to know most about your work? Strode: Phoenix Multisport prides itself on our ability to help recovering addicts and alcoholics repair their self-esteem. Many of us in recovery had our dreams stripped away during our alcohol and drug use. The Phoenix Multisport community helps give those dreams back through standing on top of mountains and crossing finish lines. We also help those in recovery let go of some of the shame associated with their addiction by wearing a Phoenix T-shirt or bike jersey. It makes a statement that "I'm a better person today because I'm sober, and if you are out there struggling with addiction, we are here for you." Read the full story on CNN Hero Scott Strode: . Ex-addicts staying sober through sport . More Q&As from top 10 Heroes: . 'A ray of hope' where girls didn't count . A voice for America's caregiving kids . After losing daughter, dad vows to change culture . Seeking justice for Haiti's rape victims . $50K to help 'Kliptown kids' rise up . Changing reality for impoverished teen moms . Dogs help war vets find 'new normal' Son's drowning spurs mom to action . A lifeline for kids growing up behind bars . | Scott Strode was named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012 .
His nonprofit uses exercise and sports as a way to help people beat their addictions .
It also provides them with a sober support group: friends who understand their struggle .
Who should be the CNN Hero of the Year? Cast your vote now! |
0ef89976f0d4468ea6e228dcd7d737688e90f107 | So NBC has signed Bill Cosby for a new sitcom. The 76-year-old comedian is slated to play the patriarch of a multigenerational family, NBC told CNN on Wednesday. Bill Cosby to return to NBC in new sitcom . A network representative did not elaborate on anything else involving the show. No doubt, NBC is hoping this version of Cos brings back memories of his eight-year run as the gruff but warmhearted Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" -- and not the failed gumshoe of "The Cosby Mysteries," which lasted one season in 1994-95, or the cranky retiree of "Cosby" (1996-2000), which started out strong but sank quickly in the ratings. The return of Cosby coincides with other figures from the '80s and early '90s making their return to prime time in one way or another. Michael J. Fox has been heading a clan on "The Michael J. Fox Show" since September, and Bob Saget, Dave Coulier and John Stamos are reuniting for a yogurt commercial to air during the Super Bowl. (No word on whether the Olsen twins will be in tow.) "Full House" stars reunite for Super Bowl . But nostalgia and Q scores -- those popularity measuring sticks marketers love so much -- only go so far. Sure, Cosby is a popular guy. People still have warm feelings about the comedian, even if it's been ages since he was TV's most popular pitchman. (Don't laugh -- the man's in the Advertising Hall of Fame.) And "The Cosby Show" was a landmark in TV sitcoms, not only showcasing a bright African-American family but leading the ratings for five straight years in the 1980s. NBC began more than a decade of dominance thanks to "Cosby's" success. "Bill Cosby is always going to be welcomed into people's homes because of nostalgia for the Huxtables," says Amanda McClain, a communications professor at Holy Family University in Philadelphia. The trick, however, is the show he'll be placed in. "A famous name is itself no guarantee," wrote Time's James Poniewozik, observing that Fox's show has suffered because it's depended too heavily on memories of the lead instead of making his show interesting. "Bill Cosby, like the Jell-O he once pitched, remains a beloved brand. But if his show makes it to air, the proof will be not in the brand but in the pudding." 'Television isn't very reflective of reality' So what might a new Cosby sitcom look like? Probably something like America -- whatever that is these days. After all, TV families have always reflected our culture, even if they've sometimes been a year or two behind the times. In the 1950s, "Father Knows Best" showed off a happy nuclear family in Springfield, USA. In the 1960s, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" offered a Kennedyesque household in suburban New York. The 1970s included "The Brady Bunch," about a blended clan for a time in which divorce and second marriages were becoming commonplace. (However, divorce was still stigmatized enough that it was never revealed whether Carol Brady was a widow or a divorcee.) In the wake of "All in the Family" and producer Norman Lear's other edgy shows, 1970s TV families took on the broader appearance of society. "Good Times" was set in a Chicago housing project; "One Day at a Time" featured a single-mother household in Indianapolis. But TV is also nothing if not aspirational, says McClain, and Lear's unflinching sitcoms -- exceptional even in their time -- were swept aside in the 1980s. "Television isn't very reflective of reality," she says. "There's underrepresentation of people of color, underrepresentation of many different types of people. Still today, there are very few Asian-American or Latino people on television." Even "The Cosby Show," with its upper-class doctor and lawyer living in Brooklyn Heights, was often more aspirational than realistic, she says. Viewers, however, apparently like aspirational. Since the '80s, the dominant family shows have been "The Cosby Show" and "Family Ties," "Home Improvement" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Two and a Half Men" and "Modern Family." Some have unusual family structures -- "Modern Family," famously, includes a gay couple, an old-young husband-wife combination and several stepchildren -- but they generally feature white clans and take place in well-off circumstances. Though there have been several sitcoms featuring people of color or folks in working-class circumstances, about the only breakout exception has been "Roseanne," Roseanne Barr's early '90s hit, which regularly reflected genuine working-class circumstances. "Compared to like the '70s, where you had true diversity -- 'Sanford & Son' and 'Good Times,' people of all walks of life, jobs and bank accounts -- today it's as if we've regressed in some ways," says John Griffiths, president of the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association and TV critic for Us Weekly. He suggests one reason might be because Hollywood is somewhat insular. "The networks try really hard at having diverse sitcom writing staffs, but there's still an issue with a lot of white guys who maybe went to Harvard and live on the west side of L.A. who write these shows," he says. Next step: Senior citizens? There have been some attempts to change the view on broadcast television, he points out, though new styles have struggled to catch on. "The New Normal," which featured a same-sex couple and their relationship with a surrogate and her family, was canceled after one season; "The Middle," about a middle-class family in Indiana, has plodded along, "underrated," in Griffiths' opinion. Cable television, which has the luxury of targeting its "reality" shows -- many of which are simply sitcoms in different guise -- at specific demographics, has opted for upscale families ("Keeping Up With the Kardashians"), heartland groups ("Duck Dynasty") or a mix of flavors ("Here Comes Honey Boo Boo"). Families come in many forms on television, of course -- what was "Friends" if not about a family of sorts? -- and the next wave may include more senior citizens. With baby boomers starting to take care of aging parents and being called "the sandwich generation," a Cosby show truly reflecting issues across generations could be a hit, says McClain, the communications professor. Or perhaps a new Cosby show could simply focus on the elderly, Griffiths says. "The aged are very underrepresented," he says. He observes that his group's pick for unsung TV show of the year, HBO's "Getting On," is set in an extended-care unit and includes a closeted homosexual, an African-American nurse and a variety of senior citizens. (HBO is a unit of Time Warner, as is CNN.) "It's almost like a Norman Lear show," Griffiths says. A Cosby show need not go that far -- it'll be on NBC, not HBO, after all -- but the lead could make of it what he wants. "The great thing is that Cosby is at an age where he'll be playing a grandfather," Griffiths says. All you need is one successful show to start a trend, and if a wider range of ages is shown on a TV show, it could lead to others. After all, the ultimate family show -- even in these days of DVRs and second screens -- is watching TV, McClain says. "Television is a family event," she says. "Families watch television together." | Bill Cosby is set to star in a new NBC sitcom .
"The Cosby Show" was a landmark family sitcom .
Latest family sitcoms feature variety of family structures .
Still, diversity -- of age, wealth, color -- often left out of equation, critics say . |
0ef9dc9c7a54f7d66194ad034642470cc308ac78 | (CNN) -- A Hong Kong man who brought a Filipino maid with his family when they moved to Vancouver -- but then made her work 16 hours a day for 21 months and allowed her one phone-call a month -- has been convicted of human trafficking in a landmark verdict. In the first conviction for human trafficking in Canada, a British Columbia Supreme Court found 50-year-old father of three, Franco Orr Yiu-kwan, guilty of illegally employing a foreign national and immigration breaches. His partner, Nicole Huen Oi-ling, was acquitted of the charges. "My clients are in shock frankly," defense lawyer Nicholas Preovolos, told CNN affiliate CBC News. "They're stunned. It's an odd verdict, in that the jury apparently believed a number of allegations that Ms. Sarmiento made against Mr. Orr, but didn't believe the allegations she made against Ms. Huen." Leticia Sarmiento, 40, told the court she was brought to Canada in 2008 with promises that the couple would help her get permanent resident status within two years and help bring her three children to Vancouver from the Philippines, CBC News reported. When she arrived in Vancouver, however, she says she was required to work 16 hours a day, seven days a week, with no days off and no statutory holidays. She said that after a temporary visitors' visa was acquired in Hong Kong, the couple withheld her passport from her. In Canada, she claimed, they restricted her movements and prevented her from talking to anyone. Things came to a head in June 2010 when Sarmiento called the police after getting into a confrontation with Huen. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that she told the court that while she had a good relationship with her employers in Hong Kong, "things had changed dramatically in Canada." She said apart from caring for the couple's three children, she was required to do cooking and cleaning duties that another domestic helper had performed in Hong Kong. Preovolos argued that Sarmiento was lying under oath, and was motivated by the damages that could ensue from a civil lawsuit that has yet to be heard in a B.C. Supreme Court. He argued that Sarmiento had begged the couple to take them with her when they moved to Canada following a business failure in Hong Kong and had refused to leave when her six-month tourist visa expired even though Orr had purchased a return ticket to the Philippines for her. He told the court that in 2010 the couple had bought her another ticket to return home to the Philippines and it was only then that Sarmiento, desperate to stay in Canada, had called police. Sarmiento agreed she planned to apply for permanent residency in Canada. A defense witness also testified that Sarmiento had provided her passport when she unsuccessfully tried to open a Canadian bank account, undermining her testimony that the couple had confiscated her passport. Orr remains free on bail, pending sentencing on July 10. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $1 million fine. | Hong Kong man convicted of human trafficking in landmark case in Vancouver .
Franco Orr Yiu-kwan charged over Filipino maid he brought from Hong Kong .
Court was told how the maid worked 16 hours a day for 21 months without a holiday .
The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $1 million fine . |
0ef9f24af07639c4868874a0b97833906f689205 | Washington (CNN) -- Federal civil rights lawyers filed suit Wednesday against Meridian, Mississippi, and other defendants for operating what the government calls a school-to-prison pipeline in which students are denied basic constitutional rights, sent to court and incarcerated for minor school infractions. The lawsuit says children who talk back to teachers, violate dress codes and commit other minor infractions are handcuffed and sent to a youth court where they are denied their rights. It's the first time a jurisdiction has been charged under a law designed to protect the due process rights of juveniles in such circumstances. 2010: Feds accuse Miss. county of rights violations . Also among the defendants were Lauderdale County, judges of the county's Youth Court and the State of Mississippi Division of Youth Services. About 6,000 mostly African-American students attend grades kindergarten through 12 in a dozen schools in the Lauderdale County School District. About 86% of the district's students are African-American, but all of those referred to the court for violations were minorities, the government suit said. The federal action came more than two months after the Justice Department warned local and state officials that they had 60 days to cooperate or face a federal lawsuit. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Roy Austin said Wednesday that Mississippi officials had failed to cooperate with the eight-month investigation. "We had no choice but to file suit," Austin said, giving examples of what he alleged are unconstitutional actions taken by the school district and court: . • Children are handcuffed and arrested in school and incarcerated for days at a time without a probable cause hearing. • Children detained wait more than 48 hours for a hearing, in violation of constitution requirements. • Children make admissions to formal charges without being advised of their Miranda rights. • Children are not routinely granted legal representation during the juvenile justice process. Austin said Wednesday that Meridian is not the only location in the country with such a system. However, he said, it is the only one to date where local authorities have not been fully cooperative with federal investigators. He pointed to Shelby County, Tennessee, as a school system where complaints had been received but where local officials had been fully cooperative with the Justice Department. Mississippi officials did not have an immediate response to the lawsuit. | Federal civil rights lawyers sue Meridian, Lauderdale County, agencies .
They say children at Youth Court are denied rights .
Youth Court sees minorities disproportionately, lawsuit says .
Justice Department had warned officials about lawsuit . |
0efb026e61345491e191bc1aff2f1ef4964f5c3d | By . Jennifer Smith . PUBLISHED: . 14:03 EST, 8 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:20 EST, 9 December 2013 . Over 100 homeowners were issued threatening letters telling them their houses were to be bulldozed in a 'breathtaking error' on the part of a local council, it has emerged. The residents, many of whom are elderly, were warned they would face criminal prosecution if they did not go along with the sale of their houses to a council contractor. Hampshire County Council has apologised for the letters which detailed plans for the new Stubbington bypass. Homeowners were left horrified when they received this threatening letter which claimed their houses would be bulldozed to make way for a new bypass . Around 150 of 500 drafted letters were mistakenly issued to local residents on Friday morning, with recipients being told they had just 14 days to respond. Council representatives have reportedly spent the weekend delivering letters of apology to those affected, claiming the notice was meant only for a handful of local landowners. Councillor Sean Woodward, executive member for transport said: 'I would like to apologise to residents who received letters and for any distress this may have caused. 'A breakdown of communication between the council and the consultants led to an inaccurate letter being mistakenly issued. 'I have asked that the exact circumstances be investigated and measures put in place to ensure nothing like this can happen in the future.' His apology seems to have fallen on deaf ears however, with some homeowners struggling to understand why such an error could occur in the first place. Residents of Burnt House Lane in Stubbington were left dumbstruck by the letters which have been described as a 'breathtaking error' One recipient, Barry Gee said: 'It is a bit shocking for anybody... A mistake is a mistake, but why did it happen? 'You have to wonder what’s the real reason why they sent so many letters? How did the mistake happen?' Pensioner Elizabeth Abbott, who lives on the same street, added: 'Do we even really need a bypass? Whatever they do will not be enough.' Chris Wood, county councillor for Fareham Crofton, said: 'I am terribly sorry this error has occurred and the needless anguish it has caused some of my residents. 'This is absolutely unacceptable, I am as angry as some of them are. 'I can assure villagers this was sent in error and no homes are to face compulsory purchase orders. 'The letters were meant to inform of ecological surveys, the company overstepped its remit and caused good people needless worry.' Stubbington Borough councillor Jim Forrest described the incident as a 'breathtaking error.' He . said: 'There is a lot of elderly residents in that area and they spent . the weekend worried about what will happen to their homes. Barry Gee and Elizabeth Abbott who both live on Burnthouse Lane (pictured) were baffled by the mistake, and questioned whether the area need a bypass in the first place . An estimated 150 residents received the letters on Friday morning. Hampshire County Council have since insisted no homes will be destroyed in the construction of the bypass . A Hampshire County Council spokesman said: 'We would like to apologise unreservedly for any distress caused by a letter that was sent out in error to around 150 householders in the Fareham area by consultants working on developing proposals for Stubbington Bypass. 'The County Council would like to reassure residents there are no plans to Compulsory Purchase any residential properties as part of work to develop options for a Stubbington bypass. 'The letter issued to householders, by consultants working with the Council, was intended for owners of land directly affected by the route options consulted on earlier this year, but was inadvertently sent to residents in the surrounding areas.' After considering three proposed routes for the new bypass, the council has said it will investigate alternative options and carry out ecological research before making a decision. | Letters were mistakenly sent to 150 residents in the village of Stubbington .
Residents were told they had 14 days to respond to legal notice .
Hampshire County Council has apologised for the 'breathtaking error' |
0efd4c4870ac0adef6f0377dbc3d9aff2c05e75c | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:36 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:22 EST, 14 November 2013 . An elderly hospital consultant who allegedly fell asleep in an operating theatre during an emergency caesarian has been allowed to return to work. Senior anaesthetist Michael Cowen's behaviour was investigated after the operating surgeon claimed he nodded off during surgery. Hospital bosses confirmed today that an inquiry had been held but decided that the woman patient had not been put at risk by the consultant, who is understood to be aged in his 80s. Nodding off: Senior anaesthetist Michael Cowen allegedly fell asleep during an emergency caesarian but has been allowed back to work . A hospital source, who asked not to be identified, said of Mr Cowen: 'His head was slumped on his chest and he was apparently fast asleep. He didn't even wake up when the surgeon asked him to adjust the anaesthesia. 'The surgeon was furious apparently. It happened towards the end of the operation, when the surgeon instructed Mr Cowen to do something with the anesthetic - to adjust the mixture or something similar. 'Mr Cowen did not reply and when everybody looked at him he was sitting in his chair with his head slumped forward onto his chest - sound asleep. 'The surgeon said something else and Mr Cowen still didn't wake up. In the end the surgeon had to do whatever it was himself.' Two midwives and the surgeon involved made an official complaint to hospital chiefs after the incident earlier this year at Milton Keynes General Hospital. The source added: 'The patient's partner was in the theatre, sitting near her head. He saw what happened and was a bit shaken. But afterwards he was so thrilled about being a new dad and so relieved the baby was alright, that he didn't want to complain.' Abroad: Mr Cowen, who was unavailable for comment at his home today, will not be barred from returning to the hospital where the incident allegedly happened . Mr Cowen, who qualified as a doctor in 1965 and registered as an anaesthetist 12 years ago, was suspended for nine months on full pay while the investigation took place. He lives in Milton Keynes, Bucks. This month he was allowed to return to work at the Milton Keynes hospital. He is also continuing his work as a private consultant at the nearby BMI Saxon Clinic. Milton Keynes General Hospital's medical director, Martin Wetherill, said today: 'A concern was raised about an anaesthetist allegedly falling asleep during a caesarean section procedure. 'A full investigation into the events was conducted. 'The patient involved was not put at risk during the procedure and no concerns were raised by the patient or relatives in regard to the care they received.' The unnamed source said: 'People have decided to speak out because of the safety aspect. How can the hospital say there was no risk to the patient when the anesthetist falls asleep?' Mr Wetherill added that no other claims had been made against Mr Cowen. A spokesman for the General Medical Council, which regulates anaesthetists and requires all practitioners to register with it, declined to comment on the case. The GMC website shows that no referral has been made to it regarding Mr Cowen, who was unavailable for comment and currently on leave doing charity work in Pakistan. | Michael Cowan's suspension lifted because his actions caused no harm .
'His head was slumped on his chest. He didn't even wake up when the surgeon .
asked him to adjust the anaesthesia', source said .
Milton Keynes General Hospital's say they had no complaint from patient . |
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