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Ann Romney slammed the door Monday on another attempt at the White House for her husband Mitt, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee. Attempting to put a pin in rumors that her husband is secretly plotting another campaign for higher office once and and for all, Romney told a reporter for the Los Angeles Times that she and Mitt were 'done' running for president 'completely.' 'Not only Mitt and I are done, but the kids are done,' she said, referring to the couple's five sons. 'Done. Done. Done,' she added, making her feelings on the matter crystal clear. Ann Romney, wife of 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, attempted on Monday to put a pin in rumors that her husband is secretly plotting another campaign for higher office once and and for all . Mitt has repeatedly said he's not preparing for another run, but a series of vague statements from both Romneys about what it would take to change their minds have had the political world buzzing for the last several months about a possible 2016 campaign. First Mitt claimed that 'circumstances can change.' Then Ann indicated that her husband may consider a comeback if former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush bowed out of the race. Mitt tried to clear up any remaining doubt about his intentions earlier this month, telling a horde of reporters chasing him around a Kentucky event for for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 'I'm not running, I'm not planning on running and I expect to be supporting one of the many people who I think are looking at this race.' He repeated the refrain in an on-camera interview with Bloomberg reporters John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. 'I'm not letting my head go there. Where I'm focused on making sure we nominate the right person, who cares about the kinds of issues I care about,' he stated. In her interview with the LA Times, Ann said she hadn't 'been pushed to that point mentally' to truly consider another run, and the publication said she indicated that she and Mitt would make the decision together if it ever came to that point. Among Ann's list of 'really interesting' Republicans who may enter the race next year, the LA Times said, were Bush, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and her husband’s 2012 running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. 'We’re going to see a nice field shake out,' she said. Mitt has not said who he's leaning toward in 2016. 'We have a number of different voices within our party that have have different views about where America should go, and I look forward to supporting one of them,' he said, according to The Courier-Journal. Former Massachusetts Gov. and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, right, speaks on behalf of Iowa Republican State Senator and U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst, left, during a rally on Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa . Romney was flocked over the weekend by supporters of his previous presidential campaigns. They're hoping he decides to run again even though he's explicitly said he won't . Romney supporters have continued to hold out hope that the retired Republican politician will change his mind, however, and are aggressively encouraging him to run when he makes appearances on the campaign trail for the GOP candidates competing in November's elections. 'When you get elected to the Senate, your job should be to convince Mitt Romney to run for president again,' a donor reportedly told Iowa senate candidate Joni Ernst him last weekend at a private fundraiser that Romney headlined. The Washington Post says that at another event for Ernst on Sunday night, several businessmen approached Romney about another run. At a rally for Ernst on Monday, the Post says a state legislator who introduced Romney said, 'If his address was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I would sleep a lot better.' Attendees also chanted, 'Run, Mitt, run!' the Post reported. Romney has experienced similar nudging from backers at events across the country. Clad in Romney campaign gear, dire-hard fans have turned out at several major campaign events the former Massachusetts governor has spoken at this fall. But the Romenys have their designs set on other, non-political projects after the midterm elections, including spending more time with their children and 21 grandchildren, and raising money for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The Romneys are in the process of launching the Ann Romney Center for Neurological Diseases at Brigham. The LA Times, which interviewed Ann for the specific purpose of talking about the research facility, reports that the center will look for cures and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors and a research facility that will focus on finding cures and new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, a disease Ann suffers from. Ann Romney is seeking to raise $50 million dollars in seed money for the center to mirror the 50 million people afflicted with the five diseases, the Times said. Tonight the Romneys are hosting a dinner for former donors and political associates - strictly to raise money for the research center, the Post reports. | She attempted to put a pin in rumors that her husband is secretly plotting another campaign for higher office once and for all . Mitt has repeatedly said he's not running, but other, more vague statements have had the political world buzzing . The Romenys have their designs set on other projects after the midterm elections like raising money for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital . They are in the process of launching the Ann Romney Center for Neurological Diseases at Brigham . | 2e9ffd38719cd05948ddd4afd341c18996326f50 |
Andrew Faulds, 40, from Greenford, west London, was jailed for 15 years after police found video footage of the horrific act, as well as hundreds of indecent images of children on his phone and laptop . A youth football coach and children's worker who filmed himself raping a 13-year-old girl with severe learning difficulties has been jailed for 15 years. Andrew Faulds, from Greenford, west London, was sentenced at Harrow Crown Court after police investigators found video footage of the horrific act, as well as hundreds of indecent images of children, on his mobile phone and laptop. The 40-year-old, who previously worked as a learning mentor for the Ealing tuition service in Southall, as a youth worker at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and for Ealing Council's play service, pleaded guilty to a number of sex offences during today's court appearance. He was caught after the video of a child being raped was seized during an arrest in Canada. Detectives established that the video had been recorded on March 26, 2011, on a mobile phone on an estate in Southall, west London. The case was handed over to the Metropolitan Police and officers identified the victim in the video as a girl with severe learning difficulties. Further inquiries then led to the identification of Faulds, who was arrested on suspicion of rape at his home on March 7. Police were able to match the living room where the act occurred in the video to Faulds' previous address. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape two weeks later but further investigations revealed he owned hundreds of indecent images of children, including one that showed him masturbating in the same room as a young girl. He was charged with further offences of possessing and distributing indecent images and sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13. He admitted all of the offences in court today. Detectives now believe Faulds may have committed even more offences and are urging anyone with information to come forward. Faulds was sentenced to 15 years at Harrow Crown Court (pictured) after admitting two counts of oral rape and further offences of possessing and distributing indecent images and sexual activity in the presence of a child . Met Police detective constable Emma Macdonald said: 'Faulds has proven himself to be a predatory paedophile who took advantage in the most despicable way of a young girl with learning difficulties. 'He has an unnatural interest in children that he fuelled by accessing hundreds of indecent images and interacting with other paedophiles online. 'This case demonstrates the world-wide commitment to tackling child abuse and paedophilia and I am pleased this process has led to Faulds' conviction. He has been sentenced to a substantial jail term, thankfully putting him out of reach of other children. 'We believe these offences were not his first and would appeal for any other victims to approach us in confidence.' | Andrew Faulds, 40, raped a 13-year-old girl with severe learning difficulties . Youth football coach caught after police found video of act on mobile phone . Officers also seized hundreds of indecent images of children from his laptop . Children's worker jailed for 15 years after admitting a string of sex offences . | 3c8f851f926c90555ef2fb68e8606481237aaf8b |
Regularly drinking beer could help slow dementia, research suggests. Scientists have discovered an ingredient in hops which they think could slow the progression of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. In laboratory experiments they found that the chemical, called xanthohumol or Xn, could help protect brain cells from oxidative damage associated with dementia. The research, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggested that people who regularly drink beer might be better able to ward off the progression of neurological diseases. Scroll down for video . Healthy pint: Scientists have discovered an ingredient in hops which they think could slow the progression of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (file photo) Dr Jianguo Fang, of Lanzhou University in China, wrote: 'Hops from dried female clusters of the hop plant are widely used in beers and a few types of soft drinks. 'In traditional Chinese medicine, hops have been used to treat a variety of ailments for centuries. 'The presence of a high concentration of Xn in beers might be linked to the epidemiological observation of the beneficial effect of regular beer drinking. 'Xn has attracted considerable interest because of its multiple pharmacological functions, including anti-oxidation, cardiovascular protection, anticancer and cancer chemoprevention, antivirus, anti-obesity, and anti-inflammation.' His team isolated Xn molecules and tested them on brain cells from rats in a series of laboratory experiments. They found that Xn reduced the level of oxidative stress on the cells, a damaging process thought to be closely linked to degenerative diseases. Writing in the journal, they said: 'As neuronal cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress and have limited replenishment during the entire lifespan, increasing evidence has supported oxidative stress as one of the pathogenic causes in the neuropathology of adult neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.' Stopping the oxidative process 'could efficiently block or retard the process of such diseases', they wrote. Discovery: Scientists found that the chemical called xanthohumol (Xn) could help protect brain cells from oxidative damage associated with dementia (file photo) Dr Fang's team suggested that beer might slow down common neurological diseases, but they also suggested the molecule could be used in drugs to better target the problems. They cited a 1998 Canadian study in which men who regularly drank beer were found to have lower rates of prostate cancer, a trend they suggested may also be down to the protective function of Xn molecules. 'Our results suggest that Xn might be a potential candidate for the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders,' they wrote. British scientists, however, warned against drinking beer too often. Previous research has suggested that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to brain tissue loss and that binge drinking is associated with an increased risk of dementia. And separate studies have concluded that developing a beer belly in middle age boosts the risk of Alzheimer's in later life three-fold. Doctors have warned that increasing trends of heavy drinking among the middle class and younger people will lead to a 'silent dementia epidemic' within a few years. Dr Arthur Roach, director of research at Parkinson's UK, said last night: 'Many drugs have their origins in natural products. 'Xanthohumol, the molecule in beer this study focuses on, appears to have protective effects on cells grown in the lab similar to those lost in Parkinson's. 'It certainly does not suggest drinking a pint a day could stave off the condition. 'This is a very early step, and only further work will indicate whether this could lead to new drugs for Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.' | A chemical in hops could slow the progression of degenerative diseases . Scientists claim xanthohumol (Xn) might protect brain cells from damage . Dr Jianguo Fang's team tested it on rats' cells in laboratory experiments . He says hops have been used to treat a variety of ailments for centuries . | 48913ec6a788e832c457f00492878c3773a39da6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:06 EST, 24 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:16 EST, 24 October 2012 . A 24-year-old cut from his mother's will poisoned and dismembered her before he was caught driving around with her remains according to police. Ari Liggett, charged with first-degree murder on Tuesday, had a history of threats according to newly released documents in Centennial, Colorado that went so far as placing him on an FBI watch list. Questioned by police, the former University of Colorado student mentioned his mother’s will and said his ‘definition of right and wrong may be different from what others think,’ according to an affidavit. Scroll down for video . Federal radar: Accused killer Ari Liggett, seen left after his arrest on Oct 17 and right in 2010, was on the FBI watch list and suffered bipolar disorder and Asperger syndrome according to a family friend . Tragic end: The body of Liggett's mother, 56-year-old Beverly Liggett, seen centre after her recent graduation from nursing school, was found in her SUV driven by her son last week . After found driving his mother’s SUV with her remains on October 17, friends of his mother, 56-year-old Beverly Liggett reacted saying the recent nursing school graduate lived in fear of her son after a previous arrest and threat but that she loved him too much to put him away. 'She loved her son very much and went out her way to protect him,' her neighbour Lisa Davis told Our Centennial News. 'So much that she eventually gave her life for . him.' According to police, Liggett had a history. Arrested in 2010, Ari was found welding a homemade silencer and mixing dangerous chemical's in his home's backyard that eventually led to the evacuation of a homeless shelter. Threatening to kill his mother and his sister, his family took him to an unsecured facility and was placed on the FBI's watch list while expressing antisemitism remarks, despite his own Jewish heritage, the Denver Post reports. Motive: Liggett told police his mother Beverly Liggett, pictured, had recently cut him out of her will . Family's home: The family's home in Centennial is pictured where in 2010, Liggett was found welding a homemade silencer and mixing dangerous chemical's in its home's backyard . With his latest arrest he told officers his 'definition of right and wrong may differ from what others think, but he knows what society and the law consider to be right and wrong,' according to the affidavit obtained by the Post. Ms Davis, who said she heard directly of the woman's troubles, said Liggett had been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder and Asperger syndrome. She said the family had tried to find Liggett help but, 'couldn't find a place that would take him.’ 'It's just really sad so much more money was spent on police and bomb squad and hazmat,' she said of the spectacle outside the family's home, 'when really it could have been better spent on helping this kid.' 'I saw that Beverly was trapped in this situation,' her boyfriend of five years Seth Masia told 9News. 'The resources didn't exist to extricate her, one way or another it was not going to have a happy ending.' Living in fear: Friends of Beverly Liggett say she lived in fear of her son after his previous arrest and threat but that she loved him too much to put him away . He said he just never though it would get this out of control. 'It's just tragic, it's just tragic,' Mr Masia said. 'We were planning to grow old together. We were going to have a good life. She deserved a good life.' - Seth Masia, boyfriend of Beverly Liggett . Recently having graduated from nursing school with honours, Mr Masia said she worked with handicapped children and loved what she did. 'Her patients loved her,' he said. 'Her employers loved her. She loved her patients.' Having first met on JDate.com, Mr Masia said 'we were so happy together. She made me laugh. I made her laugh.' They planned to marry one day. 'She deserves to be remembered with love and admiration and she will be,' he said. Liggett was arrested two days after he and his mother were reported missing by concerned family members. Bright future: Beverly Liggett's boyfriend of five years, Seth Masia, pictured with her at her graduation ceremony, said the couple planned to marry . Unexpected loss: Mr Masia said that Beverly cared deeply for her son and they never expected he could be capable of such a deadly and gruesome act . Searching the family's home, court documents revealed authorities find of traces of human blood in the freezer and bathtub along with a hand saw and large kitchen knife on the top rack of the dishwasher. They reported nicks and chips along the edge of the bathtub. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson confirmed that the body parts in Liggett's gold Honda CR-V was his mother, a registered nurse. Family called police to perform a welfare check on the home on Monday evening. There was no one at home but police were able to verify their whereabouts after tracing credit card transactions. The car was then apprehended on Wednesday and the 24-year-old was arrested after a police chase which resulted in Liggett crashing the car. He fled the scene on foot but was captured a short time later, according to the Denver Post. Liggett, being held in the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office Detention Facility, has his next court appearance scheduled for December 19. When police searched the home, they found potassium cyanide which is one of the most fast-acting poisons known. Sheriff Robinson said: 'A preliminary test of that liquid showed a positive for potassium cyanide. It changed our perspective dramatically. 'A detailed missing person's investigation became a complex hazardous material investigation combined with a very complex homicide.' In 2010, Liggett was arrested and accused of smuggling an unknown substance into a homeless shelter which caused it to be evacuated for seven hours. The chemical was not able to be identified and he was not charged with a hazardous-material violation. He was, however, charged with possession of a dangerous weapon after he was found with the silencer a short time later. Watch the video here: . | Ari Liggett, 24, charged with first-degree murder after found driving with his mother's dismembered body in her SUV . Liggett told police he was recently cut from his mother's will and disagrees with society's definition of 'right and wrong' Friends of Beverly Liggett say she lived in fear of her son after he threatened to kill her and his sister in 2010 . | 27138dc74f88714c038c9026fc1bc8e93a5b04d4 |
By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 13:07 EST, 30 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:11 EST, 31 May 2013 . An archaeologist who stole three 17th century relics found during excavation work on the site of a new shopping centre and tried to sell them on eBay has been spared jail. James Vessey, 35, took three 17th century Bellarmine vases while excavating earth for the SouthGate shopping centre in Bath, Somerset in 2008. But Vessey, who was employed by the Museum of London Archaeology to work on the dig, was caught when another archaeologist found the vessels, which date back to 1650, for sale on eBay last year. Historic find: PC Peter Hunt of Avon & Somerset Constabulary, left, returns two stolen 17 century vases to Stephen Clews from the Roman Baths in Bath. James Vessey admitted stealing them from an archaeological dig in 2008 . Stolen: The vases, which date back to 1650, were stolen from an archaeological dig ahead of work on a new shopping centre in Somerset . He was given a four month suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 270 hours of community service at Bath Magistrates Court after admitting the thefts. The court had heard that Vessey had a history of stealing historical artefacts from digs and had been jailed for a similar crime for 15 months in 2001. This time around he was spared a custodial sentence after the court heard that he was no longer working as an archaeologist and had been dealing with illness and the death of his parents. Avon & Somerset Constabulary PCs Peter Hunt and Gemma Kirby worked alongside the Museum of London Archaeology to identify the vases and where they came from. Police eventually carried out a raid on Vessey's Oxfordshire narrowboat home and he was arrested, Bath Magistrates Court heard. Andrea Edwards, prosecuting, said the crime 'cast suspicion over other archaeologists' and led to the loss of potentially significant historical evidence. The two PCs at the centre of the investigation have since presented two of the recovered vases to museum archaeologist Bruno Barber and Roman Baths manager Stephen Clews. Back in safe hands: Bruno Barber from the Museum of London Archaeology (far left) and Stephen Clews from the Roman baths (second right), gratefully receive the vases from PCs Peter Hunt and Gemma Kirby . The third vase is to follow. After further examination in London the vases will eventually be returned to the Roman Baths Museum. The vases, also known as Bartmann jugs, were traditionally used to protect against witchcraft. They originated particularly from the Cologne region of modern Germany. They were often decorated with a bearded face mask on the lower neck and came in a variety of sizes. They are named Bellarmine vases after Catholic cardinal Robert Bellarmine who was a fierce opponent of Protestantism in Germany and the low countries. It is unclear why his name became associated with the vases, but it may be connected to his anti-alcohol stance as the jugs were often used to store drink. Roman Baths manager Stephen Clews said: 'These vases are very important to us because we don't have many objects and artefacts from medieval Bath that give us a better picture of that period in the city's history.' | James Vessey stole three Bellarmine vases dating back to 1650 in 2008 . They had been found while he worked on an excavation dig in Somerset . The three artefacts turned up on eBay four years later in 2012 . | 99839410e3a701d24dc70d30b090b26ab64b787f |
By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 23:16 EST, 21 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:40 EST, 22 September 2012 . A haul of art worth more than $10 million has been stolen from the home of a wealthy Californian banker known as the 'Bond God.' Pieces by some of finest artists of the 20th Century, including celebrated Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, were among the 13 works snatched from the Santa Monica residence of Jeffrey Gundlach. The thieves also took Mr Gundlach's Porsche, expensive watches and wine during the raid, which is thought to be one of the most costly of its kind on a private home. Theft: Art by some of the finest painters of the 20th Century were taken during the raid, including this piece (pictured) by the Canadian-born artist Philip Guston . Valuable: Also taken was an eye catching piece by the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian (pictured left) and a work by the Impressionist painter Guy Rose (right) Raid: This piece by American landscape painter William Wendt was part of the stolen haul . Santa Monica Police have published . pictures of the art work in a bid to track the pieces down, while Mr Gundlach has reportedly offered a $200,000 reward for the return of his property. $1,000 is also being offered for information leading to the arrest and . conviction of those who carried out the raid, according to Santa Monica police. The theft took place between 3 pm last Wednesday and 8 pm on Friday while the owner was away from his Santa Monica home. Among the watches stolen were high-end . pieces by Breitling, Tag Heuer and Philip Patek, while the car stolen . was a red 2010 Porsche Carrera 4S. Victim: Among the art work stolen from the home of financier Jeffrey Gundlach (pictured left) were pieces by the American artist Joseph Cornell (an example of which is pictured, right) The items are believed to have been taken from different rooms within the house. The haul included a painting by the Expressionist artist Richard . Diebenkorn and two glass-fronted boxes by the American Surrealist artist and sculptor Joseph Cornell. A colourful landscape by William Wendt known as the 'Dean of Southern California landscape painters,' was part of the stolen haul. Work by Impressionist Guy Rose and landscape artist Hanson Duvall Puthuff were also taken, as well as pieces by Abstract Expressionists, including Johns, Philip Guston and Franz Kline. One of the most eye catching pieces stolen was by Mondrian, who became famous for the geometrical coloured boxes used in his work. Mr Gundlach, who is CEO of investment firm DoubleLine Capital, is one of the most successful bond and mutual fund investors in the US. His firm has assets of over $30bn. The financier, who is in his 40s, was fired from his former company in 2009 after he was found to have breached his 'fiduciary duty' but was awarded $67m in back pay. Anyone with information on the theft or . the whereabouts of the stolen items should contact Santa Monica Police . or call Crime Stoppers. Return: Mr Gundlach has reportedly offered a $200,000 reward for the return of the art work - which included these pieces by Jasper Johns (pictured left) and Franz Kline (right) Santa Monica: The art work was stolen from a home in Santa Monica, California . | Financier Jeffrey Gundlach was on business trip when his home was raided . Stolen art includes work by some of America's finest painters . Thieves also took his Porsche, wine and a collection of valuable watches . Gundlach has offered $200,000 reward for return of his property . | db5049ff1b65e8921049751733a69ff92abd3453 |
Genetic clues: The Stone Age caveman had black hair, dark skin and blue eyes contrary to given understanding of racial transformation . His piercing blue eyes are in striking contrast to his dark complexion and hair. It means this 7,000-year-old caveman holds the clue to man’s genetic evolution. His remains were discovered 5,000ft up in the mountains of north-west Spain in 2006. Experts were astonished to find the ancient hunter-gatherer, given the name La Brana 1, had a combination of African and European genes. Results from an analysis of DNA taken from a tooth show he had dark – possibly black – hair and skin with deep blue eyes, the online edition of the journal Nature reports. The mixture of African and European traits implies that the racial transformation of modern humans was still in progress long after they left Africa, with changes in eye colour coming before alterations in skin tone. Study leader Professor Carles Lalueza-Fox, of the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, said: ‘The biggest surprise was to discover that this individual possessed African versions in the genes that determine the light pigmentation of the current Europeans. 'Even more surprising was to find that he possessed the genetic variations that produce blue eyes.’ La Brana 1 shows genetic similarities to Scandinavians and also shared a common ancestor with people who lived in Siberia more than 20,000 years ago. His was one of two unusually well preserved male skeletons unearthed from the La Brana-Arintero cave system near Leon. The scientists focused first on La Brana 1's DNA because it was in better condition. They hope in due course to piece together the genome of the other man, La Brana 2. Both individuals have been dated to around 7,000 years old. They lived in the Mesolithic period, which ended 5,000 years ago with the development of agriculture and livestock farming in the Middle East. Discovery: The remains of the 7,000-year-old man were found 5,000ft up a mountain in north-west Spain . Despite La Brana 1's dark colour, the research revealed genetic similarities with Scandinavians from Sweden and Finland. He also shared a common ancestor with people who inhabited the Upper Palaeolithic site of Mal'ta, near Lake Baikal, Siberia, more than 20,000 years ago. DNA from one of the Siberians, a boy, last year revealed links with native Americans. 'These data indicate that there is genetic continuity in the populations of central and western Eurasia,' said Prof Lalueza-Fox. La Brana 1's genome hints at some of the changes that occurred in humans as a result of switching from a hunter-gatherer existence to farming. He would have been unable to digest lactose in milk or to cope with the starchy food that became the mainstay of later Neolithic farmers. Transformation: This is an artists impression of the man's face based on DNA from his tooth . Tests: So-called La Brana 1 was found alongside another - La Brana 2 - which scientists hope to examine shortly . Farming is thought to have driven changes in the human immune system as a result of exposure to bacteria and viruses from animals. But a number of DNA variants conferring resistance to infection in modern Europeans were already present in the hunter-gatherer. This suggests they did not arise as an adaptation to farming, but had a more ancient origin. The mixture of African and European traits implies that long after modern humans left Africa their racial transformation was still in progress, with changes in eye colour coming before alterations in skin tone. Writing in Nature, the scientists concluded: 'Our results indicate that the adaptive spread of light skin pigmentation alleles (genetic variants) was not complete in some European populations by the Mesolithic, and that the spread of alleles associated with light/blue eye colour may have preceded changes in skin pigmentation.' | Remains discovered 5000ft up mountains of north-west Spain . Findings suggest racial transformation happened later than thought . Man, dubbed La Brana 1, also shows similarity to Scandinavian DNA . | 85a243077e52b20871c4da1563f65ecac4ad7f3d |
It was one of the most audacious missions of World War Two that saw false information about Allied plans to invade Italy planted into the hands of a German intelligence officer. And today a Jolly Roger flag from HMS Seraph - which had a crucial role in the clandestine mission known as 'Operation Mincemeat' - has emerged, 70 years after the famous event. In April 1943 the senior crew of the Royal Navy submarine dropped the body of a Welsh tramp, dressed up as a uniformed commando, a mile off the Spanish coast. A piece of history: A Jolly Roger flag denoting a Royal Navy submarine's clandestine mission known as 'Operation Mincemeat' has emerged after 70 years . Secret mission: The corpse of Welsh tramp Glyndwr Michael was dropped into the sea near to Spain by HMS Seraph's commander Lt Bill Jewell - a moment imagined in the film The Man Who Never Was, above . False identity papers showed the corpse to be that of Major William Martin of the Royal Marines and attached to his wrist was a briefcase containing secret bogus plans. The highly-sensitive papers falsely stated the Allies planned to invade Italy through Greece and Sardinia. As planned, when the body washed ashore in southern Spain the documents ended up in the hands of a local German intelligence officer. As a result the German high command diverted troops to Sardinia and Greece - away from Sicily where the Allies successfully invaded two months later. It gave the Allies a foothold on Hitler’s fortress in Europe for the first time since Dunkirk. 'Operation Mincemeat': Mr Michael's body, pictured, was taken from a London hospital and kept aboard the HMS Seraph in a canister - which most thought held a meteorological device . The extraordinary deception was later the basis of the film The Man Who Never Was. To mark the special operation the flagman on HMS Seraph added a dagger emblem to the submarine's Jolly Roger to go alongside five others for clandestine missions. It was tradition for Royal Navy submarines to have its own skull and cross bones after a World War One Admiral famously compared submarine warfare to piracy. Emblems were added to the flags each time the submarine sunk an enemy or completed a mission. One of the other daggers on the flag signified a bizarre special operation which involved the entire crew speaking in American accents to appease an English-hating French general they were rescuing. General Henri Giraud refused to board a British craft and so the sub hoisted the Stars and Stripes and pretended to be American. The HMS Seraph's Jolly Roger was kept by a junior rating, whose role was to update it, after it was replaced by a new one in 1944. He handed it on to his son who has now made it available for sale at auction and is estimated to fetch £10,000. Auctioneer Steven Bosley, of Bosleys of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, where the flag is to go on sale said: 'It is rare for these Jolly Rogers to come on the open market because most of them went to the submarine captain or ended up at a museum. 'It is hard to value it because they are so rare but this one does carry a premium because of the association with Operation Mincemeat. Imagined: A scene from film The Man Who Never Was shows the body being carried through the streets . The plan was the brainchild of an . eccentric 25-year-old RAF Flight Lieutenant named Charles Cholmondeley - . who took it to the chief of Section 17M, naval Lieutenant Commander . Ewan Montagu. Section 17M of the . British Intelligence Service was a group so secret that only 20 people . even knew of its existence. Codenamed . Operation Mincemeat by Montagu - as a bleak joke on the fact that it . hinged on the discovery by the enemy of a corpse - the cunning scheme . was hatched in a tiny basement beneath the Admiralty building in . Whitehall which had once been used as a wine cellar. It . was a plan that was to make history - but first it had to be approved . by British Intelligence's inter-service Twenty Committee (named after . the Roman numerals XX, or double cross), which oversaw the use of double . agents. Cholmondeley . told the Committee that his plan was simple - they would obtain a body . from a London hospital, dress it up in a military uniform, fill the . corpse's lungs with water, provide it with misleading documents, and . then drop it from an aircraft so that it washed up on the coast of . Spain. The plan . was all the more important as Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill, above, . had agreed with the U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt in January 1943 . that - in the wake of the Allied success in North Africa - the next step . would be to attack Sicily, as the first step to the invasion of Italy. The troops would then aim to take on the rest of Europe from the country. However, . as Churchill himself famously remarked, 'Everyone but a bloody fool . would know' that their objective was to attack Sicily - and so the . clandestine plan was hatched. It was hoped that if the Germans and their Italian . partners could be made to believe the Allies were going to attack . Greece, some 500 miles to the east, and Sardinia, the Germans might . divert some significant part of their forces, which would help the . invasion succeed. Attack: American soldiers landing on the coast of France in the Normandy landings June 6th 1944 - a year after the successful 'Operation Mincemeat' mission . So, at 4.30am on April 30, 1943, HMS Seraph . surfaced a mile off the Spanish coastal town of Huelva, and the vessel's commander Lieutenant Bill Jewell . and a few senior officers gently pushed the body into the sea. The body was supposed to be that of Major William Martin of the Royal Marines. It was found washed up by a fisherman at 9.30am and was reported to German agent Adolf Clauss. As . well as the ‘top secret’ documents, love letters from the body's . pretend fiancee were also placed on his body. By doing so, the men from the Ministry believe they saved the lives of some 40,000 British servicemen and women. 'The flying of a Jolly Roger on a submarine is a British tradition that still goes on today and whenever an operation has been completed a new emblem is stitched on to it. 'The provenance for this one is excellent. The vendor’s father served aboard HMS Seraph as a junior rating but it was his remit to look after the Jolly Roger and update it. Man with a plan: Lt Commander Montague, section chief of British Intelligence Service group Section 17M, pictured, worked with RAF Lieutenant Charles Cholmondeley to create the corpse's identity . 'A new Jolly Roger was taken into service when the submarine had a new captain in March 1944 and this one was preserved by the vendor’s father who took it with him on leaving the vessel.' HMS Seraph was chosen to take part in Operation Mincemeat because of its previous success with special operations. Its commander, Lieutenant Bill Jewell, knew the truth of the operation but he had to tell his men the canister carrying the body of the dead tramp, whose real name was Glyndwr Michael, contained a meteorological device. At 4.30am on April 30, 1943, HMS Seraph surfaced a mile off the Spanish coastal town of Huelva, and Lt Jewell and a few senior officers gently pushed the body into the sea. It was found washed up by a fisherman at 9.30am and was reported to German agent Adolf Clauss. As well as the ‘top secret’ documents, love letters from the body's pretend fiancee were also placed on his body to give the deception more credence. After the war HMS Seraph was broken up. Its conning tower was preserved as a memorial at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, US. It is the only shore installation in the US where the Royal Navy ensign is allowed to be permanently flown. The Jolly Roger flag, that measures 31ins by 48ins, is being sold by Bosleys on November 6. | Jolly Roger flag from HMS Seraph has appeared after 70 years . Craft had a crucial role in mission - codenamed 'Operation Mincemeat' Saw body of a tramp, dressed as a uniformed commando with a briefcase full of bogus 'secret plans' tied to his wrist, dumped off the coast of Spain . Body was then picked up by German intelligence officer . As a result, German high command diverted troops to Sardinia - where the papers claimed Allied forces would attack - and away from Sicily . Allied forces invaded two months later, changing course of the war . Piece to be auctioned next week - and expected to fetch £10,000 . | 0a10314be206b7329b8f1526b11aa4a1ef825530 |
By . Charlotte Kemp . Splashed out on a new sheer summer dress? Dug out those white trousers for the weekend? Then you, like me, risk the scourge of sunshine dressing: the dreaded Visible Panty Line (VPL). While winter woollies and thick fabrics hide all manner of underwear sins, your summer wardrobe is another matter entirely. VPL was cited as Sixties supermodel Twiggy’s pet hate this week, when she advised women of a certain age to spend as much time looking in a rear view mirror before leaving the house, as they do in their bathroom one. But how do you banish VPL? The good news is there’s an astonishing array of ‘invisible’ knickers said to be undetectable beneath even the flimsiest of clothing. Summer scourge: Charlotte isn't loving this unsightly case of VPL . But are these new breed of second skin undies really as effective as they are claimed to be?I road-tested 12 pairs ranging from £3 to £75 under a sheer frock and a pair of tight white trousers to find out which work and which don’t. Florence and Fred No VPL Nude Knickers, £3, tesco.com . These . are a hipster style with a generous cut where it counts across the . rear. The material has been laser cut so there are no seams, meaning the . knickers sit flat against the skin. The lace panel might show up under . some dresses but was totally invisible under light-coloured trousers. Great value, too — I’m stocking up. SCORE: 5/5 . Sloggi Invisible Light Hipster in camel, £9, sockshop.co.uk . I tried the shimmery caramel shade, which was a little dark for my skin tone but would look very natural against tanned skin. These . have laser cut, scalloped edges at the back to avoid the seams that can . give that tell-tale line under clothes and there’s no label to get in . the way either — the washing instructions are printed on the fabric . instead. But they are let down by the vertical back seam visible beneath . the sheer dress. Quite . tight and high cut at the back so I had to go up a size to a size 12 to . stop them digging in and creating two bottoms. SCORE: 3/5 . M&S cotton No VPL Brazilian with stretch, £6, marksandspencer.com . Great . everyday knickers if you are more of a J-Lo than a Gwyneth in the rump . stakes. The lace at the back gives discreet, reassuring coverage without . leaving a line. These comfy smalls were totally invisible under white . trousers, though you could see a lacy shadow in places beneath the . dress. They were the most flattering by far, and cotton, too, so cool . for summer. SCORE: 4.5/5 . Primark Secret Possessions seam-free full briefs, £5 for three, primark.com . Bridget Jones, . eat your heart out. These are definitely in the passion killer category . of big pants. But they are seamless and label-free so they give a . smooth finish and are very soft — and reassuring if you like a high-cut . style that covers the tummy. The leg trim could be seen beneath the . sheer dress, but there was no VPL under the white trousers. SCORE: 3/5 . Ultimo Invisible Thong, £10, ultimo.co.uk . Avoid . these teeny tiny knickers unless you have a teeny tiny bottom. There . are no seams but the fabric was so tight fitting, even in a larger size, . it pressed against my skin leaving unsightly bulges. These smallest of . smalls confirmed all my worst fears about wearing a thong at my age. They were tight, hideously unflattering and within minutes I felt like I . was being spliced with cheesewire. SCORE: 1/5 . Elle Macpherson Dentelle Culotte Brief, £25, houseoffraser.co.uk . These . are white with pale pink trim. The back panel is made in a very fine, . seamless netting which doesn’t cling and they are generously cut so that . you feel you are wearing something substantial rather than simply . wobbling about unsupported. Sadly, the white fabric showed up beneath . the sheer dress, but they’re great for jeans. SCORE: 4/5 . Triumph Body Make Up Lace Tai Brief, £15, triumph.com . A pretty . design that’s less skimpy than most and therefore much more flattering. Comfy, too. Smooth across the bottom but the seams at the leg are quite . bulky and so sadly were still visible beneath the white cropped . trousers as well as under my favourite cream dress, which was . disappointing. Had an unsightly label, too, that I had to cut out. SCORE: 2.5/5 . Studio La Perla Invisible Brief, £24, houseoffraser.co.uk . These . come in a dark nude shade that would best suit darker skin tones. Quite . skimpy on, so not great for containing curves and I found they rode up . at the back when worn. I had no lines across the bottom cheeks but the . sides were quite narrow, and, in my usual size, dug in to my hips . creating unsightly bulges. Bafflingly, they’re also hand-wash only. SCORE: 1.5/5 . Victoria’s Secret No-Show Seamless Thong, £11 . Low . cut at the front so there’s the risk of a muffin overspill, but the . soft, stretchy fabric mercifully doesn’t dig into love handles at the . back or sides so they are not too torturous to wear. They’re . great under white jeans, and invisible under the dress, but they won’t . protect against cheek-wobble under a floaty skirt, so are only for the . brave/under-30s/flat-bottomed. SCORE: 4.5/5 . Next No VPL shorts, £12 for a three-pack . These . are not attractive. They look like hot pants and that’s only a good . thing if you are Kylie Minogue. But they did prove to be invisible under . the sheer dress and gave some coverage and wobble-protection. Sadly let . down by the back seam and label, which could be seen under the white . trousers. SCORE: 4.5/5 . Wolford Tulle Control Shorts, £75, wolford.com . These . transparent control shorts are not at all pretty, but they were totally . invisible under both the sheer dresses and the white trousers, and as . an added bonus they kept all my wobbly bits in place. There are no seams . so they don’t dig in to the upper thigh or waist. Just . don’t wear them on a windy day or your skirt might flap up and reveal . your secret. They’re seriously expensive, but could prove an . indispensable addition to your summer armoury if you need a little extra . help. SCORE: 5/5 . Marks and Spencer Waist Cincher Knickers With No VPL, £19.50, marksandspencer.com . Tummy . control pants can be the worst for digging in across the bottom, but . these big beauties have seamless mesh panels at the top of the thigh and . across the rear so that they lie flat against the skin and are . completely invisible. They . cinched in the waist well, but its best to go up a size to avoid a roll . of fat being pushed downwards to the upper thigh. SCORE: 3.5/5 . | Summer dressing means one thing - the dreaded Visible Panty Line . Winter woolies hide underwear sins but summer clothes are another matter . 'Invisible' knickers claim to be undetectable under the flimsiest clothing . | 374d7ba71942673b23f04fc52d7f1648588cfec8 |
By . Amy Oliver . PUBLISHED: . 06:49 EST, 10 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:11 EST, 11 August 2012 . The Pentagon's F-35 fighter jet programme has been plagued with problems and spiralling costs. But this week, the Department of Defense was keen to put the aircraft's troubles to one side to launch its first weapons test - using an inert bomb with no target. The test marks something of a step forward in the programme, which may yet be axed to reduce the $1.4trillion U.S. deficit. Current Pentagon plans call for . buying . some 2,443 F-35s for the Air Force, . Marine Corps and Navy through to the mid-2030s at a cost projected to . top $396billion (£254billion). In February last year the Pentagon said . the price of each fighter jet could rise to a staggering $304.15million (£194.8million). Scroll down for video . Test complete: The Pentagon this week successfully carried out its first weapons test on an F-35 jet to see if it could drop an an inert bomb on no particular target . The 1,000lb inert bomb was released over the Atlantic, the Naval Air . Systems Command said in a statement. Wednesday's test checked the jet could actually release a bomb from its . carriage systems and path away from the aircraft but did not check for targeting. 'The . targeting aspect will come further down the road,' said Victor Chen, . spokesman for the F-35 integrated test facility at Patuxent River, . Maryland. He declined to say when however. The event, which was captured on film, is one of thousands being tested this year and starts the 'validation' of the . ability to drop precision weapons on the ground and in . the air, the command added. Dogged by problems: In February last year the Pentagon said the price of each fighter jet could rise to $304.15million (£194.8million) The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35A aircraft. It has just two-thirds of the A system's fuel capacity in order to make room for its vertical flight design. Unlike other F-35 designs, the B aircraft has no landing hook. Instead, it sends jet thrust straight downwards during vertical take-offs and landings. Captain Erik Etz, director of test for the naval . versions, said in the statement: 'While . this weapons separation test is just one event in a series of hundreds . of flights and thousands of test points that we are executing this year, . it does represent a significant entry into a new phase of testing for . the F-35 programme.' The Pentagon this year postponed . production of 179 F-35s until after 2017, stretching out development and . testing to curb costly retrofits. But the . latest restructuring, the third such major revamp, has added 33 months and an extra $7.9 billion to the development plan. Last year The commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps General James Amos defended the programme and said there was 'no plan B' if the plans were axed. He said at the time: 'To do the things that our nation requires of this Marine Corps, we need this airplane. So I don't speculate: "Will it make it through probation?" I'm absolutely confident it will.' Hundreds of additional F-35s are . expected to be purchased by U.S. friends and allies, including eight . co-development partners - Britain, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Australia, . Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. The . F-35, also called the Lightning II, is designed to replace a range of . fighter, strike and ground-attack aircraft, including the F-16, . the world's most widely used fighter jet. Now watch the F-35 in action . | Current Pentagon plans for jet programme projected to top $396billion . Department of Defense dropped 1,000lb inert bomb over Atlantic . Trial was carried out to see if jet could drop bomb from carriage but did not test for targeting . | 56a059433fccc34e6d24957225533455c9be0f33 |
Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Elian Gonzalez, the focus of a bitter international custody dispute after he was rescued at sea as a child, left Cuba on Friday for the first time since 2000, when the U.S. government returned him to the island. Gonzalez, who also turned 20 on Friday, traveled to Quito, Ecuador, as part of a 200-member Cuban delegation to a weeklong youth conference there. It marks a return to the international spotlight for Gonzalez, who recently said in an interview published in Cuba's state-run media that his fame continues to follow him in Cuba. "Wherever I go there's always a child, an old woman that comes to me and wants to meet me," he said. "Not because I am famous but because they suffered with my family." Where is he now? In 1999, Gonzalez, then 6 years old, was found clinging to an inner tube on the open sea after the rickety boat he was traveling in from Cuba to the United States sank. Gonzalez's mother and nine other people who were taking part in the clandestine journey drowned. After his rescue, Gonzalez was placed with relatives in Miami, who wanted to keep him in the United States. But Gonzalez's father, Juan Miguel, fought to bring him back to Cuba. Then-Cuban leader Fidel Castro led massive protests on the island demanding Gonzalez's return. The case of the telegenic boy became a flashpoint between supporters and opponents of Castro's revolution. As the two sides fought out the high-profile case in court, U.S. immigration officials decided to put Gonzalez in the custody of his father, who had come to the United States to argue for Elian's return. His relatives in Miami refused to go along, and armed federal agents then raided the home of Gonzalez's uncle and seized the boy. Gonzalez was reunited with his father, and after a few more weeks of court proceedings -- ending with the Supreme Court rejecting the Miami relatives' efforts to get him back -- the father and son returned to Cuba. There the government celebrated a political victory but largely kept Elian Gonzalez out of public view and surrounded by government bodyguards. A state celebration was held on the 10th anniversary of his return to Cuba. "Fidel Castro for me is like a father," Gonzalez said in the recent interview. "I don't profess to have any religion but if I did my God would be Fidel Castro. He is like a ship that knew to take his crew on the right path." Now a military cadet studying industrial engineering, Gonzalez said he would have suffered had he stayed in the United States. 10 years later, Gonzalez says he's happy to be in Cuba . | Elian Gonzalez was returned to Cuba at age 6 after a tragic attempt to get to the U.S. He had not left Cuba since then until now; he is going to Ecuador for a youth conference . "Fidel Castro for me is like a father," Gonzalez said in a recent interview . | a3ccb3711b2eba69ffa54b628f6b008ae255160b |
By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 12:02 EST, 4 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:56 EST, 4 May 2012 . A sneering sex attacker found guilty . of a string of brutal rapes has been handed his fifth life sentence – . but told he could be back on the streets in little more than four years. Stephen Crawford - branded a . ‘dangerous’ predator ‘who enjoys the act of rape’ - was today given a . life sentence for raping a 13-year-old schoolgirl thirty years ago. He had already been serving four life . terms following his conviction in 2007 for a series of sex attacks including raping three women between 2005 and 2006. Predator: Judge John Milford QC, left, told Stephen Crawford, right, that he 'enjoys the act of rape' before imposing a life sentence which could be as short as four and a half years at Newcastle Crown Court . And it emerged after the latest trail . at Newcastle Crown Court, that Crawford had previously been cleared on . five separate occasions of raping women over two decades. He was found not guilty of rape during . the 1980s and 90s – managing to convince the jury in each trial the . alleged victim had consented to sex – but picked up a string of . convictions for unlawful sex with teenage victims and sexual assault. But despite his horrific past, Judge . John Milford imposed a life sentence which has a four-and-a-half year . minimum tariff, meaning he will be eligible for release as early as . 2016. Judge Milford told him: ‘I am satisfied you are dangerous, you are a man who enjoys the act of rape. ‘Nobody knows when you will cease to be a danger to woman so the only sentence I can pass upon you is life. You will only be released when the parole board is satisfied you are safe to release.’ Crawford was working as a mobile disc jockey when he targeted the young girl as she walked home alone in the early 1980s. The now 49-year-old, from Washington, . Tyne and Wear, had once again denied his guilt but jurors convicted him . of rape after just 90 minutes deliberation. The victim had told the court of the look of ‘sheer power’ on Crawford’s face when he attacked her all those years ago. It was only when the woman could not . cope with keeping her ordeal secret, after three painful decades, she . reported what had happened to her. Horrific past: Jurors heard some details of Crawford's long history of brutal and predatory attacks on young girls and women over several decade during his trial at Newcastle Crown Court . Judge Milford added: ‘She was so . frightened by the experience she did not think anyone would believe her . over your inevitable denials and she kept the matter to herself for all . those years. ‘It is clear to me that this offence has had an immense impact upon her, that it has lived with her throughout her adult years. ‘One only had to see her demeanour in the witness box to appreciate that.’ Five separate women in the 1980s and 1990s found the rape accusations they made against Crawford come to nothing. In 1985, Crawford was accused of . raping a 15-year-old girl in Washington. He admitted unlawful sex and . the rape charge was dropped. In June 1992 he was found not guilty . by a jury of raping an 18-year-old girl he had offered a lift in his . caravette after insisting she consented. At the same time another charge of rape against a different woman was dropped after prosecutors offered no evidence. In September 1992 he was cleared by a jury of raping a woman in his car after offering her a lift home. Again, he claimed the 18-year-old consented. And in March 1993 a rape charge made . by an off-duty special constable was dropped when she backed out of . giving evidence against him. The jury in the 2007 case were never . told of Crawford’s chilling background which included; a conviction for . sex with a girl under 16, 21 months in jail for unlawful sex with a . 13-year-old. Or that in April 1999 he got a . suspended sentence after he attacked a 15-year-old girl in the cab of . his car transporter after driving her to a secluded lane in Gateshead. Attacks: The jury were told how Crawford would pretend to be a taxi and target lone women including one victim who became separated from friends after a night out in Durham . Or that he has been convicted of failing to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders register twice. During the 2007 trial three victims – none of whom knew each other - gave evidence one after another before the same jury. The court heard how Crawford stalked . the streets posing at a taxi driver looking for lone females to pick up . and attack in Durham and Sunderland. He offered lifts to the three women . who had become separated from friends during nights out. One of his . victims was subjected to a five hour ordeal. Another victim, a 17-year-old, told . jurors she had resorted to showing Crawford pictures of her family on . her mobile phone and begging him to look at their faces to imagine how . they would suffer if he killed her. One of the victims, who faced Crawford while . giving evidence from the witness box, told jurors: ‘I’ve never, ever in . my life hated anyone as much as I hate that bloke. ‘It has got to the stage where I’ve had nightmares about it, I can’t stop thinking about it. ‘For someone to have such an impact on somebody else’s life like this, even after this many years, its just wrong.’ Crawford admitted he offered lifts to the women but said they consented to any sexual activity which took place. He claimed to the jurors that the women seemed to ‘enjoy’ what happened and insisted they consented to sex. But after hearing evidence from his sobbing victims, jurors found him guilty. During his defence, Crawford claimed the victim was a ‘total stranger’ to him and denied having any sexual contact with her. Crawford told jurors: ‘They were total . strangers to me yesterday, both people who stood in this dock, I have . never seen them before in my life.’ When asked if the victim’s name meant . anything to him, Crawford replied: ‘It didn’t then, it doesn’t now, it . means nothing, no idea.’ Andrew Walker, defending, said . Crawford has now admitted the past offending he was convicted of, . despite his denials at the time. He maintains his denials in relation . to his conviction this week. Mr Walker said Crawford is co-operating . with officials and undergoing programmes in jail. Mr Walker added; ‘He is in extremely poor health, he informs me he has had 16 heart attacks since his remand in custody in 2007. ‘His cardiologist is extremely pessimistic about his life expectancy.’ | Stephen Crawford was branded a . ‘dangerous’ predator ‘who enjoys the act of rape’ by the judge . The 49-year-old posed as a taxi driver and targeted lone women before subjecting them to horrific attacks . Crawford was already serving four life terms for a string of serious convictions including three previous rapes before this latest sentence . He has been told he could be eligible for parole in little more than four years . | f7169ad873bee6648999aaf00289eb3c642f209f |
It appears Lukas Podolski's 'selfie' influence has rubbed off on Arsenal team-mate Alexis Sanchez. Sanchez posted a picture via his Twitter account with the whole Chile squad while on international duty on Monday night, where he needed to use a camera stick to be able to fit everyone in. The South American squad can be seen all smiles as they each pose with miniature 2015 Copa America mascot toys ahead of next year's tournament, which they will host. Alexis Sanchez (bottom centre) uploaded a selfie picture with his Chile team-mates on Monday night . The 2015 mascot, was revealed earlier on Monday to be in the guise of a young Culpeo fox, but a name for it has yet to be determined. As the hosts, Chile have been seeded in Pot 1 alongside Argentina and Brazil ahead of the draw for the 12-team event which will take place on November 24. Sanchez, who has been in scintillating form for the Gunners since his £30million move from Barcelona this summer, scored the opener in his country's 5-0 friendly win against Venezuela on Friday night as he demonstrated his fox in the box instincts. The 25-year-old will be looking to add to his international goal tally on Wednesday when Chile entertain Uruguay. Sanchez celebrates scoring Chile's opener in their 5-0 win against Venezuela on Friday night . | Chile are the 2015 tournament hosts for the Copa America . Alexis Sanchez scored in Chile's 5-0 thrashing of Venezuela on Friday . South American nation host Uruguay in a friendly on Wednesday . | f4ce498a0e3f30bca9483afdea064df818129cc6 |
(CNN) -- Bashar al-Assad wasn't supposed to rule Syria. He grew up in the shadow of his father, the late President Hafez al-Assad, and his older brother, who was groomed to be the next president. But the deaths of his father and brother thrust a young Bashar al-Assad into power. Now, a bloody crackdown by his regime on pro-reform demonstrators is defining his rule. Reports of deaths across the country trickle in almost every day. The government has maintained the same narrative: It is targeting armed terrorists. But opposition activists say it is a systematic, sustained slaughter on civilians by the al-Assad regime. And the United States is moving toward calling for al-Assad to step down, government sources said. Politics weren't in al-Assad's original career path. He studied medicine in Britain, receiving a degree in ophthalmology, and headed the Syrian Computer Society. "Dr. Bashar," as he was widely known, liked to windsurf and play volleyball. But he switched his focus to military science after his older brother, Bassel, died in a 1994 car accident. When his father died in June 2000, it only took hours for the Syrian parliament to vote to amend the country's constitution to allow al-Assad to become president. The parliament lowered the age of eligibility of the president from 40 to 34, allowing the son to take over. Within weeks, al-Assad was also made a member of the regional command for the ruling Baath Party, another requirement of succession. In the beginning, al-Assad was viewed by some as a fresh, youthful leader who might usher in a more progressive, more moderate regime. But more than a decade into his rule, amateur videos of violent protests and bloodied bodies paint a gruesome picture of the conflict in Syria. Human rights groups say such scenes are evidence of Syrian security forces firing on their own people, though state-run media disputes such claims. Initially, protesters wanted basic reforms, more freedoms, a multiparty political system and an end to emergency law. Some of these reforms have, on paper, been implemented by al-Assad, but they were far too little and, by the time they came about, too late. Syrians have lived in fear of political repression for decades. Hafez al-Assad ruled with an iron fist for three decades, ruthlessly putting down dissent by jailing dissidents and crushing the opposition. For more than 47 years, the country had been under emergency law, which effectively suspended most constitutional protections, according to the U.S. State Department. The law authorized the government to conduct preventive and arbitrary arrests, according to the British Foreign Office. Security forces didn't need to obtain arrest warrants, and suspects were detained for prolonged periods without charge, trial or access to lawyers. Amid the conflict in recent months, al-Assad lifted the state of emergency and abolished a court set up to try people posing a threat to the regime. But at the same time, arbitrary detentions have continued, as has the use of force against demonstrators. Al-Assad, now 45, denies he is a dictator, seeing himself instead as a modern leader. His official website says he has built free-trade zones, licensed more private newspapers and private universities, and fought government waste and corruption. He has also worked on social and economic reform. While there have been some changes during his rule, many say al-Assad's promises have largely not been delivered. Human Rights Watch has called his time as president "the wasted decade" with a media that remains state-controlled, a monitored and censored Internet and prisons still filled with dissidents. Activists say that with the current protests, however, al-Assad can no longer look away. "He has to start listening," said Wissam Tarif, executive director of the human rights group Insan. "It's the time to start listening and acting. He can't afford any more promises." Other analysts say force may have worked in the past to quell dissent, but not this time. "The government is going to try to continue to use the tactics that it has for a very long time, which is just to snuff out any protest," said Anne-Marie Slaughter, a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University. Now, however, "the wall of fear is coming down." The late president was a cautious, slow-moving tactician, and while his son's style may appear modern, he was still schooled in the old Assad family way. In 1982, the Syrian military -- acting under orders from Assad's father -- brutally crushed an uprising in the western city of Hama. Estimates of the number of casualties vary from 3,000 to 40,000. In early August, scores were once again reportedly killed when tanks rolled into the city, which has been a center of the anti-government movement roiling the country. Many activists are already comparing the havoc now in Hama to the massacre there in 1982 -- but say it is happening in slow motion rather than in a single, devastating strike. CNN's Arwa Damon and Stan Grant contributed to this report. | Bashar al-Assad has ruled Syria since 2000 . His older brother died in a 1994 car crash . The death meant Bashar al-Assad was the next heir to power . Despite some reforms, critics highlight empty promises . | 2db2d325bb82a9593b925745d47c92634305e034 |
By . Ryan Kisiel . Sir Mick Jagger’s former girlfriend has revealed that she could have died through the pressures of their relationship. Marianne Faithfull, who went out with the Rolling Stones front man in the 1960s, said being with him is ‘very difficult’. The 67-year-old singer described how she took an overdose of pills while travelling with Jagger and said L'Wrenn Scott’s suicide by hanging ‘could have been me’. Scroll down for video . Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull in 1969 shortly after they were arrested on drugs charges at their home on Cheyne Walk, Chelsea . Scott was found in her New York apartment with police later ruling that it was death by suicide in March. The 49-year-old left her estate, believed to be worth £6million to Jagger despite their relationship being described as ‘troubled’ by friends. Faithfull, who sang the Jagger-Richard’s song As Tears Go By, is a daughter of an Austrian baroness, Eva von Sacher-Masoch. She is credited for introducing the then young rocker to literature, ballet and opera. Marianne Faithfull believes that it is difficult being in a relationship with Sir Mick Jagger . Mick Jagger with Marianne Faithfull outside Marlborough Street court,London where on 18 December 1969 they pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing cannabis resin . Baroness Eva Sacher-Masoch, mother of singer Marianne Faithfull, pictured arriving at London Airport on her way to Australia to visit her daughter who is recovering from a drug overdose . She told The Sunday Times magazine that she had emailed Jagger following Scott’s death, but had not spoken to him. ‘I sent him an email on his private email address and just said “Love, compassion, so sorry if you need me or anything” that’s all,’ she said. ‘I look at poor L’Wren and I feel tremendous compassion because she obviously couldn’t cut it. Being with Mick was very difficult – and it could have been me. I did take a huge overdose in Sydney.’ Faithfull swallowed 50 sleeping tablets and washed them down with hot chocolate while on a flight to Australia with Jagger in 1969. She then drifted into a coma while arriving at their hotel. ‘I was unconscious for six days and nearly died, so that could have easily been me. Mind you, I was 22.’ Mick Jagger and L'Wrenn Scott who killed herself earlier this year . Despite saying what the pressures were in her relationship, she described them as ‘enormous’. The previous year, she had been pregnant with Jagger’s daughter — whom she’d already named Corrina — but miscarried at seven months. Faithfull said the pressures with a relationship with Jagger are: ‘Enormous, yes, but obviously for a lot of people it’s worth it.’ When asked why, she replied: ‘I really couldn’t say. And I wouldn’t say. That’ s nobody’s business. Anyway, it must be different for everybody. Most of those girls who are with him, since me actually, really like the fame and the money, all that s***. I never cared. ‘You have to be very strong, and poor L’Wren,’ she told the interviewer while shaking her head, ‘I think she also came from that very weird background, that Mormon thing.’ Sixties glamour: Faithfull with her friend Britt Ekland who was married to Goon star Peter Sellers in 1964 . The end of their relationship was the start of a downward spiral into heavy drug use and alcoholism for Faithfull. After leaving Jagger, she was penniless, became a heroin addict and lived rough in Soho. Last week Faithfull claimed that her drug-dealing ex-boyfriend ‘killed’ rock star Jim Morrison by giving him heroin which was too strong. Mystery has long surrounded the death of The Doors lead singer after he suddenly collapsed and died in his Paris apartment in the summer of 1971. More than 40 years on, singer Faithfull has claimed that her then boyfriend - a drug dealer called Jean de Breteuil - supplied Morrison with drugs which led to an overdose. Jim Morrison, nine months before his death, leaves the courtroom in the custody of a policeman after the singer was sentenced to six months in jail, and fined $500 for using profanity in public and indecent exposure during a performance in March 1969 in Florida . In an interview with Mojo, she said of de Breteuil: ‘He went to see Jim Morrison and killed him. ‘I mean I’m sure it was an accident. Poor B******d. The smack was too strong? Yeah, and he died. ‘I didn’t know anything about this. Anyway, everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now, except me.’ Morrison was found dead aged 27 in the bathtub of a rented flat on Rue Beautreillis in the Marais district of Paris. French authorities revealed he died of ‘natural causes’ following an autopsy. De Bruteuil himself died of an overdose later the same year in Morocco. | Faithfull, who sang the Jagger-Richard’s song As Tears Go By, is the daughter of Austrian baroness, Eva von Sacher-Masoch . She is credited for introducing Jagger to literature, ballet and opera . Faithfull emailed Jagger after Scott's death to offer support but has not spoken to him . | 77852df9ec6d555ec05112fd5006975bc467e6bc |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . It's a job for the flying squad, at the very least a member of the Old Bill who won’t duck a challenge. Officers at Sutton Coldfield Police Station were called out at 7am to help mallard Matilda and her six ducklings who were stranded outside a pub in the West Midlands town. Two officers were dispatched to the Bottle of Sack pub after the manager became concerned that the family of ducks were risking their lives crossing a busy road to reach a nearby brook. Help from the old bill: Two police officers help Matilda and her ducklings cross the road in Sutton Coldfield . The hardest part was rounding them up in the pub's beer garden; after that they did as the policemen told them . Caroline Wrenn, who runs the Wetherspoons pub, said the mallard moved into the pub garden five months ago and has already raised one family of ducklings there without a problem. But when she watched the latest brood try their luck at crossing the road, she decided it was time to call the police. She said: 'To start with, I think they thought it was a hoax, but when the officers arrived, they were marvellous. 'Finding all the chicks in the beer garden was the hardest part. Once they were at the roadside they seemed to instinctively know where to go.' Matilda has become a much loved regular at the pub and still makes regular visits, despite her latest family flying the ceramic nest she hatched them in. Barmaid Kirsten Jeffs said: 'Locals really look after her and enjoy watching her waddle around the beer garden.' Matilda and her brood were ushered safely across the road before the officers considered their work done . Matilda is becoming used to have uniformed help when she needs to move her family around. In May, rangers from nearby Sutton Park helped her first, eight-strong brood reach water safely. A park spokesman said 'The duck nested in a less than ideal place, so when the youngsters hatched they were exposed to the road. 'We took them to the nearest running water stream and let them go. It had a happy ending.' | Matilda the mallard and six ducklings required police help to cross the road . Two officers from Sutton Coldfield police called to the Bottle of Sack pub . Pub's manager was concerned they'd get squashed on their way to a brook . | 734f1db58bb9322ac5033f9b707bfd409531b28b |
By . Julian Robinson . A huge manhunt has been launched for a suspect in the murder of a guest house landlady, police revealed today. Detectives searching for John Heald, 53, say they are concentrating on the Rotherham area of South Yorkshire after members of the public reported sightings in the town and in nearby Mexborough. The public have been warned not to approach him as police consider him 'a dangerous man'. Landlady Bei Carter, pictured left, was found battered to death at her guest house in Bridlington, East Yorkshire. John Heald, right, is believed to have been a resident at the hotel at the time of the death . He is wanted in connection with the murder of Bei Cater, 49, who was found dead at Morayland Hotel, Marshall Avenue, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, late on Friday night. Humberside Police revealed he is also wanted in connection with a serious offence in Rotherham. Mr Heald, who is from South Yorkshire, was believed to have been staying at the guest house before she was killed. Detective Superintendent Mathew Hutchinson, leading the search for the wanted man for Humberside Police, said: 'There have now been reported sightings of John Heald in Rotherham and Mexborough and we have officers on the ground here to locate him. 'John Heald is a dangerous man and he needs to be found and arrested as a matter of urgency. 'He is wanted for a serious offence in the Rotherham area as well as for the murder of Bei Carter in Bridlington and I believe that people here in this local area know him and may well know where he is. The body of a 49-year-old woman was found at a guest house in Bridlington, East Yorkshire . Police have warned the public not to approach John Heald, pictured left. Police have been carrying out detailed forensic examinations at the guest house . 'It is absolutely imperative that anyone who has seen this man or has any information about his whereabouts calls the police now and tells us what they know. 'To anyone who might be helping Heald evade the police, I would say; consider your actions, this is a very dangerous man, he needs arresting before he can harm anybody else. 'I believe Heald poses a threat to the general public and therefore people should not approach him. If they do see him they should ring 999 immediately. 'Anyone with information can also contact the Major Incident Team on 01377 208989 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' South Yorkshire Police's District Commander, Chief Superintendent Jason Harwin, said: 'We are working closely with our colleagues in Humberside Police to quickly locate and arrest this individual. 'Additional officers are being deployed to support the investigation and to provide reassurance. 'However, the support of the public is essential in this investigation. He has contacts in this area and I would urge anyone who sees him to contact police immediately.' | Detectives receive reports that murder suspect John Heald has been seen . If follows the death of a woman in a guest house in Bridlington, East Yorks . Victim was the hotel's 49-year-old landlady Bei Carter . Police reveal he is also wanted in connection with offence in Rotherham . Public told not to approach Heald, said to have been staying at hotel . | 220d01008e8acf59c135f4f51e24c2c34be5360b |
A Mexican national who fatally beat a former Baylor University history professor in 1997 was executed Wednesday night in Texas. Ramiro Hernandez-Llanas, 44, was lethally injected in the state's death chamber in Huntsville. In October 1997, while he was in the U.S. illegally, Hernandez-Llanas led 49-year-old Glen Lich from his house by telling him . that there was a problem with a generator, then repeatedly clubbed him . with a piece of steel rebar. Armed with a knife, he then attacked Lich's . wife. She survived and testified against Hernandez-Llanas, who also had . been linked to a rape and a stabbing. Ramiro Hernandez-Llanas was executed by lethal injection Wednesday evening in Texas for the 1997 fatal beating a former Baylor University history professor . Just 10 days before the murder, Lich had given Hernandez-Llanas a job helping with . renovations at his ranch near Kerrville, about 65 miles northwest of San . Antonio, in exchange for living quarters. Strapped to a gurney inside the death chamber, Hernandez-Llanas asked for forgiveness. 'I'm happy... I am sorry for what I have done,' he said, speaking in Spanish during a nearly five-minute final statement. 'I'm looking at the angel of God.' He blew kisses to family members and also thanked prison officers and the warden. 'I say this with a lot of love and happiness: I have no pain and no guilt. All I have is love,' he said. As the lethal concoction took effect, he snored loudly twice, then appeared to go to sleep. He was pronounced dead 11 minutes later, at 6:28 p.m. Hernandez-Llanas was the second Texas inmate to receive a lethal injection of a new supply of pentobarbital. Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials have refused to identify the source of the powerful sedative, contending secrecy is needed to protect the drug's provider from threats of violence from capital punishment opponents. Texas and other states that have the death penalty have been scrambling for substitute drugs or new sources for drugs for lethal injections after major drugmakers — many based in Europe with longtime opposition to the death penalty — stopped selling to prisons and corrections departments.Hernandez-Llanas' appeals were exhausted, and the Texas parole board on Tuesday refused to delay his death sentence or commute it to life in prison. The injection gurney in the execution chamber at the Walls Unit prison in Huntsville, Texas where Ramiro Hernandez-Llanas was executed Wednesday evening . On Wednesday, the Mexican government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement condemning the execution. 'This is the fourth case of a Mexican being executed in clear violation of the judgment of the International Court of Justice,' the ministry said. 'The Government of Mexico expresses its most vigorous protest at the failure to comply.' Hernandez-Llanas was in Texas after escaping from a Mexican prison, where he was serving a 25-year sentence for a 1989 bludgeoning murder in Nuevo Laredo. He was linked to the rape of a 15-year-old girl and a stabbing in Kerrville. While awaiting trial, evidence showed he slashed another inmate's face with a razor blade. In prison, he was found with homemade weapons. 'This is exactly why we have the death penalty,' Lucy Wilke, an assistant Kerr County district attorney who helped prosecute Hernandez-Llanas, said ahead of the execution. 'Nobody, even prison guards, is safe from him.' Hernandez-Llanas was the sixth prisoner executed this year in Texas, the nation's busiest death penalty state. | Ramiro Hernandez-Llanas beat 49-year-old Glen Lich with a piece of steel rebar repeatedly . Lich has given Hernandez-Llanas a job helping with renovations at his ranch near Kerrville in exchange for free accommodations . Hernandez-Llanas was in the U.S. illegally and escaped from a Mexican prison where he was service time for a murder conviction . He is the sixth person executed in Texas this year . | ed0ebfa102e856f588d380c6227d979d089c33c4 |
(CNN) -- Here's a fact that may surprise people: Garbage collecting is one of the most dangerous jobs you can do. A bulldozer shuffles more trash on to a heap on a landfill in Macedonia. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the people who collect our trash are carrying out "high-hazard" roles. And staggeringly, they are three times more likely to be killed at work than the police or fire services are, according to Toxicsaction.org. Much of this could have to do with a fairly basic fact: the majority of our trash goes to landfills, and landfills have been accused of (among other things) being breeding grounds for disease. If landfills do leak, leachate -- a toxic substance -- is released into the groundwater and soil, leading to the possibility that local drinking water supplies could get contaminated. And one of the contaminants that can potentially escape into the water supply is vinyl chloride, a human carcinogen. According to Toxicsaction.org, there have been higher incidences of liver cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among adults that live within close vicinity of landfills -- while children have been known to be born with birth defects. Modern landfills are now installed with filtering systems, so they in theory shouldn't leak at all. But as far as the old ones are concerned, that's not always necessarily the case, according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report in 1987 which said: "eventually all landfills leak". 'Landfill gas' Aside from leachate, there is, of course, the massive environmental risk associated with landfills. Landfills give out what is commonly referred to as "landfill gas," made up 50 percent to 60 percent methane and 35 percent to 40 percent carbon dioxide (CO2). Methane is more than 20 times more powerful than CO2 when it comes to heating the atmosphere, scientists say. And landfills are releasing enough of it to earn them the title of biggest methane producers in the world. (The world's methane levels have also tripled in the last 150 years, according to PlanetArk) According to the EPA, in 2000, global landfills accounted for more than 730 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent -- representing more than 12 percent of global methane emissions. (The United States, Africa, Eastern Europe and China together contributed 42 percent of the world's landfill-generated methane emissions.) And the figures are going to keep growing, the EPA says, by 9 percent between 2005 and 2020. Just 1 million tons of waste in a landfill produces enough methane, that if you removed it from the atmosphere, the EPA says, it would be the same as taking 8,800 cars off the road. Waste varies by nation . The amount we send to landfill varies vastly from one country to another, but in sheer number of tons, the clear leaders are China and the United Staes. According to United Nations figures, the U.S. sends 53.4 percent percent of its municipal waste (222 million tons) to landfills, while China is catching up, with 43 percent of its waste going to landfills (148 million tons). (China has a growing waste problem, with now 65 percent of its cities on the edge of landfills, according to Time.) It is estimated that the U.S alone could have around 10,000 abandoned landfills which are a potential hazard to those that live nearby. But according to the United Nations Environmental Protection Programme (UNEP), that number could be even higher. According to UNEP, "tens of thousands of square kilometers of land" worldwide have been contaminated to date by inadequate landfills and the unsafe handling of hazardous waste. The agency says the U.S could have as many as 40,000 of them, with six European countries having another 55,000. (According to WasteAge, less than 10 percent to 15 percent of closed U.S. landfills ever get redeveloped.) The developing world's landfill problems are getting increasingly severe, too, UNEP says. It points out that in Latin America, two-fifths of landfills that exist "do not meet even minimum standards, and are little more than rubbish tips," UNEP says. While in Africa, anything up to 80 percent of solid waste is left out in the open, presumably untreated. Some governments around the world have come to the conclusion in recent years that securing old landfills -- by redeveloping them (or regenerating, as it is known) into something else -- is better than doing nothing at all. Landfills have been redeveloped over the years with varying degrees of success. (Around 70 golf courses in the U.S. used to be landfill sites, according to WasteAge). According to the Scotsman newspaper, a landfill site in Glasgow has drawn ire from locals over the years who suspect that it's toxic waste could be responsible for Down's syndrome births in the surrounding areas. The locals have more reason to be cheerful these days, however, since the local county council decided to transform it into the UK's largest urban forest. Liverpool is another city in the UK that was heralded for its decision to build a park on top of its old landfill. Even Fresh Kills, in New York, which before its closure in 2001 was given the accolade of the world's biggest landfill (covering 3.5 square miles, with 225-feet high towers of trash and allegedly viewable by space) is being primed for development as an urban paradise -- although it could take up to 20 years to bear fruit. According to the Sierra Club, the Center for Urban Restoration Ecology (CURE), lacking the funding to fully regenerate the Fresh Kills site, set out to see if it could prompt natural forces to take care of it for them back in the early 1990s. CURE planted a small number of trees and shrubs to attract birds, bees and small mammals to it in the hope that they in turn could drop more seeds to develop it further. (As CURE's director said in an interview with Sierra Club, "We wanted to find out if we could enlist the birds as landscape architects.") All seems to be going well there so far. But in Thailand, it's another story and perhaps there is a lesson here for any governments looking to regenerate their landfills on a more ambitious scale. Cracks have been appearing in the runway at Bangkok Airport, according to Time, delaying take-offs and disrupting schedules. It turns out Suvarnabhumi International is sitting on a landfill -- which may be sinking. E-mail to a friend . Sources: WasteAge, Time, Sierra Club, CNN.com, Scotsman, Treehugger.com, Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Environmental Protection Programme, Project Integra, ToxicsAction.org, PlanetArk . | China and U.S landfill more waste than any other countries . Landfills are the biggest emitters of the greenhouse gas, methane . Higher incidences of cancer, other diseases amongst people living near landfills . "Tens of thousands of square kilometers" of land could be contaminated . | c05aa047be9673d73766c930e3cd3f6fce87eb77 |
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Conflicting accounts of a botched NATO raid that killed five Afghans in February have led to a new investigation ordered by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, a NATO military spokesman said Monday. Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a NATO spokesman, said Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who oversees all U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, called for the review after receiving a briefing from Afghan officials in late March. On Sunday, NATO acknowledged that its troops killed five Afghans in the nighttime raid in February, after initially saying the civilians may have been the victims of an "honor killing." Although civilian casualties at the hands of NATO troops have fallen off in recent months, such incidents have strained the relationship between Afghanistan and the Western nations that make up the International Security Assistance Force. According to two U.S. military officials, in the March briefing, Afghan officials from the Interior Ministry told McChrystal that after the incident, they visited the compound where the Afghans were killed and found evidence of bloodstained walls being washed down and bullets being dug out. McChrystal wants a thorough review now to see why U.S. and Afghan accounts differ so greatly, according to one of the sources, a senior U.S. official familiar with the briefing. The senior U.S. official said that by the time the Afghan investigators got to the compound, the people who lived there may have been attempting to clean it up. NATO officials believe the U.S. and Afghan troops may have dug some bullets out of the wall for purposes of the initial investigation, which is a common practice, the official said. In March, the International Security Assistance Force released a statement denying a report by a British newspaper that NATO had covered up the involvement of troops in the incident. U.S. officials continue to deny that there was any coverup of U.S. involvement. "We have no evidence to date anything improper was done," the senior U.S. official said. At the time of the February 12 incident, NATO said its troops went to a compound in the village of Khatabeh in Paktia province, believing it to be a militant hideout. A firefight ensued, and several insurgents died, NATO said at the time. When soldiers entered the compound, they found the bodies of two men and two women who had been shot "execution-style," a senior U.S. military official said then. "It has the earmarks of a traditional honor killing," the official said, adding that the women were found bound and gagged. An honor killing is a slaying carried out by a family or community member against someone thought to have brought dishonor to them. The senior U.S. military official said that at the time, it wasn't clear whether dishonor in the case stemmed from accusations of acts such as adultery or even cooperation with NATO forces. But on Sunday, NATO made an about-face from its earlier claims. "International forces were responsible for the deaths of three women who were in the same compound where two men were killed by the joint Afghan-international patrol searching for a Taliban insurgent," NATO said in a statement. There was no explanation given for the cause of the third woman's death or why it wasn't mentioned previously. The two armed men whom troops killed were not insurgents, NATO said Sunday. "The force went to the compound based on reliable information in search of a Taliban insurgent and believed that the two men posed a threat to their personal safety," the NATO statement said. "We now understand that the men killed were only trying to protect their families." NATO said a lack of forensic evidence made it difficult to determine how or when the three women died. But it concluded that they were killed when troops fired at the men. As for the initial report about the women being found bound and gagged, the NATO statement said it stemmed from a cultural misunderstanding. "The statement noted the women had been bound and gagged, but this information was taken from an initial report by the international members of the joint force who were not familiar with Islamic burial customs," the statement said, without elaborating. NATO troops who went to the scene after the raid may have misinterpreted burial rites. Muslims wrap their dead in clean white cloth before they are placed in the ground. NATO said it will apologize to the victims' family members and offer compensation in accordance with local customs. The NATO admission follows the fatal shooting of five Afghan soldiers by troops in a friendly fire incident in northern Afghanistan on Friday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has strongly criticized civilian deaths by international troops, and the deaths have bred resentment among many Afghans. The numbers have fallen off in recent months since McChrystal took over as U.S. commander in Afghanistan. "It is better to miss a target than to cause civilian casualties," McChrystal said in December. "We can always target enemy leaders later. We can't make up for the fact that we killed civilians." CNN's Barbara Starr contributed to this report. | NATO: Acknowledges killing 5 civilians in nighttime February raid . At time, NATO said deaths had earmarks of honor killing . Three women, two men were found killed in compound in village of Khatabeh . Civilian casualties have strained Afghan relations with Western nations . | e2dd2c323d9119c8b5271f040a9c9d0e003eb7f8 |
A Florida couple who were high on drugs spent two days believing they were trapped in a janitors closet and eventually called 911 for help, only to be told by police they could have just opened the door themselves. Amber Campbell, 25, and John Arwood, 31, were freed - and then arrested. The strange incident occurred at the Marine and Environmental Science Center at Daytona State College on Tuesday. Inside the closet, police said they found feces and copper scouring pads used to smoke meth and crack cocaine, according toThe Orlando Sentinel. Hard couple of days: Amber Campbell, 25, and John Arwood, 31, were rescued Tuesday from inside Daytona State College, which was closed for the holidays, after being 'trapped' in an unlocked closet . Dazed: Amber Campbell is seen here being loaded into a police outside the Marine and Environmental Science Center at Daytona State College . Confused: According to Daytona Beach police, John Arwood (pictured) and Amber Campbell were found in a locked closet at Daytona State College. Police said they had been in the closet for two days . Police said they smelled meth in the closet. Campbell and Arwood claim to have been chased into the closet on Sunday. It is not known what they were doing at the facility. The campus was closed for the holidays. It is also not clear why the pair waited until Tuesday to seek help. However Arwood called 911 and told police they were trapped. Police used his cell phone to trace the location and arrived to let the two out. But an officer, trying to understand what had happened, went into the closet and shut the door. The door did not lock. Previous arrest: Amber Campbell is seen here in her 2013 mug shot . Arwood and Campbell were charged with trespassing. No drugs were found. Campbell was also charged with violating her probation, stemming from a 2013 arrest. Arwood has a colorful criminal history. He has been to jail five times, with his first stint in 2000. His offenses range from armed burglary, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and fleeing law enforcement. | Amber Campbell, 25, and John Arwood, 31, said they were trapped inside Daytona State College on Sunday . They were rescued Tuesday after calling police, who traced the call to them . Police said the door was not locked . Inside the closet were feces and drug paraphernalia . | 4acf3aea74284133a18553539cdb352d8c03c984 |
By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 00:19 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:36 EST, 23 May 2013 . Sisters, who recently lost their beloved mother to cancer, were ejected from a Philadelphia shopping mall on Sunday after refusing to remove profanity-laden hats expressing their hatred of breast cancer. Jackie Underwood passed away on May 14, she had first battled cancer in 2004 before it returned in 2011. In the time leading up to her death, her daughters Makia Underwood, 32, Zakia Clark, 29, and Tasha Clark, 27 had worn hats and shirts featuring the expression ‘F**k cancer’ as a show of support. Makia Underwood, left, and sister Zakia Clark, along with their uncle Curran Underwood, right, wear their anti-cancer gear in Philadelphia, on May 21 . The women, who nursed their mom through her final days, actually designed and produced the clothing to raise money for cancer awareness. On Sunday, the three sisters visited the King of Prussia Mall in the Upper Merion Township, with a group of friends and relatives to pick out a dress for Zakia's 9-year-old daughter to wear to her grandmother's funeral on 22 May. Zakia and Tasha decided to wear their ‘F**k cancer’ hats which include a pink ribbon substituting for the third letter of the first word. Zakia said it is the only word strong enough to defeat the word 'cancer.' After several hours of shopping, several members of the group including Zakia and Tasha decided to get some food. Mall manager Robert Hart at the King of Prussia Mall, near Philadelphia, has since apologized for his staff's heavy-handed behavior . As they were eating, the ladies were approached by a security guard who told them to remove their hats because they were offensive. Zakia instinctively took hers off, but Tasha, who had once worked at the mall, told the guard she wanted to see something in writing. Her brave stance prompted her sister to put her own hat back on. ‘He said, “Since you don't want to take your hat off, you can leave my mall,'" Zakia told Philly.com. ‘He stood there while we ate and threatened to call the cops.’ The ladies say seven more guards appeared and surrounded them, scaring Zakia’s daughter who started to cry. The group was then escorted to the mall office, where they were met by a local police officer who had been called by security guards. ‘The officer said, “I find it offensive that you even have that hat that says 'F**k cancer'" Zakia said. "He said, 'It's their mall, they want you out, you have to get out.'" The ladies objected, pointing out that stores at . the mall, such as Urban Outfitters, sell t-shirts featuring similar . language, but they were then escorted from the premises. Mall manager Robert Hart has since apologized for his staff's heavy-handed behavior. He sent his condolences to the sisters, but noted that since the mall is a family place their code of conduct doesn't tolerate profanity. He also promised to make a donation to a cancer charity of their choice. Video: Profane cancer hats get sisters kicked out of mall . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. | Jackie Underwood died of cancer on May 14 . Her daughters wore clothing emblazoned with 'F**k cancer' to support her and as a tribute now she is gone . Two daughters were asked to leave their local mall after wearing hats deemed 'offensive' | 53daa20d7448a67ff18d589cef6eac6a2ce8b5e2 |
By . Julian Robinson . Prince William's friend, Guy Pelly, appears at Hammersmith Magistrates Court where he is on trial accused of driving a motor vehicle when his alcohol level was above the limit . A close friend of Prince William refused to puff into a police breathalyser after he 'panicked' knowing he was close to the drink drive limit, a court heard today. Nightclub owner Guy Pelly was pulled over while driving his £90,000 Audi R8 GT V10 Coupe through London’s Knightsbridge, in the early hours of May 28 last year, after visiting an exclusive club he owns. At first the 32-year-old refused to give a sample at the roadside before being arrested and taken to Belgravia Police Station to be tested on a more complex machine. At his trial, his defence team claimed radio waves from his iPhone may then have interfered with the station's intoxicometer - and that the machine may have even been faulty. In the dock, Pelly, who recently married Holiday Inn heiress Lizzy Wilson at a ceremony attended by Princes William and Harry, claimed he had drunk two 'large' glasses of red wine with dinner hours before he was stopped and arrested. He insisted to police at the time that he had drunk two beers although today said that he was unsure of what he told them at the time. Wearing a navy suit, white shirt and navy tie, the aristocrat, whose mother Lady Carolyn Herbert was a close of Princess Diana, said: 'I planned to go to a nightclub I own to check on it and see that stuff was OK. 'I had two large glasses of red wine, I don’t remember what [kind] it was.' Mr Pelly said he opened a bottle to himself on the evening of May 27. He then stopped drinking at around 11pm, with wine left in the bottle, but he could not remember how much, the court heard. He continued: 'I then got in my car and drove to the bar I own. I was there talking to staff, checking the customers are ok, I was in the back office, probably were my staff are, spoke to the staff there, that kind of stuff.' Scroll down for video . Guy Pelly pictured next to his luxury Audi. The 32-year-old refused to give a sample at the roadside before being arrested and taken to Belgravia Police Station, the court heard . He denied that he had had any more to drink at the nightclub before climbing back in to his car shortly before 1am. He was pulled over just before 1.10am by police who claimed he had 'accelerated quickly' in his luxury car. Pelly said: 'I noticed the police when they put their lights on and their sirens, and then they obviously wanted me to pull over so I pulled over to the side of the road.' Well connected: Guy Pelly, 32, with Princess Beatrice . When asked why he refused to give a sample he said: 'I knew that I had drunk alcohol that night, that I had drunk near to what the limit was, so I was anxious. 'In a way I panicked a little bit.' Pelly was arrested and taken to Belgravia Police station after refusing to give a sample. An expert . witness for the defence told Hammersmith Magistrates Court that the US . made intoximeter was behaving irregularly while Pelly was tested. Professor . Hugh Makin, an expert witness for the defence, called into question the . reliability of the breathalyser used at Belgravia Police Station to . record Pelly's alcohol levels. He . claimed that there was an 'anomalous' pause of 125 seconds between the . machine recording a baseline reading of zero and the device's switch . being activated and ready to use. Prof Makin added that the breathalyser used by officers may have also had an out of date fuel cell, rendering it defective. Prince William, pictured with his hand on his head, pictured next to his close friend Guy Pelly at a Six Nations rugby match . Quizzed on the machine's readings of Pelly's breath at 52 microgrammes in 100 millilitres, Prof Makin said: 'If something happens with no satisfactory explanation, such as the 125 second delay, I can't use the machine, I can't rely on the output'. But prosecutor Stuart Sampson said: 'There is no evidence that something may take 125 seconds, it does not mean the machine was defective'. Prof Makin replied: 'I don't trust a machine that is anomalous. I can't say it was defective but if I used that argument I'm potentially giving my colleagues a defective answer'. Later, a software expert told the court that signals from the radios worn by officers in the custody area may have interfered with Pelly's breathalyser reading. Dr Peter Thrift said radio waves from Pelly's iPhone may have also affected the machine. 'Radio waves could mean the message between the machine and the reading is corrupted', Dr Thrift added. 'I would query the reading. I can't conclude at all and say it's reliable or unreliable. 'The fact is the reading should not have been done where police radios were, it should have been redone'. Guy Pelly, left, recently married Holiday Inn heiress Lizzy Wilson, right, at a ceremony attended by Princes William and Harry . But Dr Thrift admitted that he is untrained with the intoximeter device used to record Pelly's breath and there was 'no evidence the machine was interfered with'. Mr Sampson said Pelly's evidence that he only drunk two glasses of wine was 'not credible'. 'He says he drunk two large glasses of house red wine - which is an interesting turn of phrase when one is drinking at home. 'He told officers he drank two pints of beer as he said in his police statement which he signed. 'If Mr Pelly is correct then for an hour and a half or so before he was arrested he was in his car. 'He then went to his bar. The Crown say it is not credible he did not have a drink there'. Pelly, . who ran celebrity hotspots Mahiki and Whisky Mist in the past, also . organised Prince William’s stag party in Devon three years ago. His . grandmother, Monica, was a member of the Tate & Lyle sugar dynasty . and his friendship with Harry stems from their participation in the Duke . of Beaufort’s Hunt. District Judge John Zani will give his judgement on the case on a date to be fixed. Pelly, of Pimlico, southwest London, denies driving a motor vehicle when his alcohol level was above the limit. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Guy Pelly refused to puff into a police breathalyser at road side, court told . Nightclub owner was pulled over while driving £90,000 Audi in Knightsbridge . 32-year-old tells court he 'panicked' knowing he had drunk near to the limit . Defence team claims his iPhone may have interfered with police station's intoxicometer . Friend of Prince William denies driving car when alcohol limit was above limit . | 3b7ba62e3a5d5bf7032cd2305b3e68c312de724d |
These eerie pictures show the demise of an abandoned Grade II listed home, once lovingly cared for by a local historian. Situated in the leafy, affluent suburb of Moseley, Birmingham it was once a stunning example of a quintessentially English detached house. It has now been repossessed after its current owners were declared bankrupt, after they left it to decay for at least eight years. Scroll down for video . The front of the Grade II listed home, in Moseley, Birmingham, which has been left abandoned for eight years after its owners went bankrupt . The view from the back of the abandoned property shows the lawn growing out of control and trees and vines climbing up the side of the house . The gardens in the Birmingham property remain overgrown and don't appear to have been maintained at all during the eight years the home has been deserted . The loft inside the home was left almost completely bare. A local history group is growing 'increasingly concerned' about the state of the abandoned property . The fireplace inside the historic stately English home, which was first built in 1916 and once lovingly cared for by a local historian . Couches and mould-covered walls have been left to rot. The building has now been repossessed and remains unsecured after its owners left it about eight years ago . The house tells the story of the changes in English society that have been felt particularly in the West Midlands. The exterior of the house still looks much the same as when it was completed for Albert Gosling, a butcher, in 1916. It maintains features such as the cupola on top of the garage, which allowed exhaust fumes to escape. Inside, many of the original wooden panels and stained glass windows remain. The kitchen has a distinct 1970s kitsch feel, whilst the living room has a picture of Mecca hanging. Fiona Adams, 67, Secretary of the Moseley History Society said: 'It was the home of Fred and Olive Price - the Moseley Local History Group had many meetings there. 'We’ve been increasingly concerned about the state of this charming Arts and Crafts house that Fred lovingly maintained.' Despite the fact the property has been ignored for a number of years, parts of the interior and living room appear to remain in relatively good condition . However, other parts of the home are in need of major repairs. Here the floor of the living room can be seen with holes while a spider has made a room its nest . A court order stuck on the property's window states the home has been repossessed, however the property still remains unsecured . The home is abandoned but little appears to have been done to clean up, with used teacups and cutlery left lying throughout the kitchen . Both the kitchen and one of the sitting rooms need major repairs, with building materials and mould visibly staining the walls . A large Sony television, along with newspapers and photos of Diana remain intact. Much of the house's exterior also remains as it was when it was completed in 1916 . Still in the house were used teacups, a large Sony television, photographs of Lady Diana, newspapers, made beds and family photographs showing Fred Price. Javid Sattar, who was the last owner of the house, is believed to be the President of the World Council of Muslim Youth. A business card stating Mr Sattar's job title and contact details was found in the home. There was also a photograph of Mecca, the Muslim holy site in Saudi Arabia, and a copy of a book issued during the Pakistan National Defence College's 2002 visit to the United Kingdom. A letter from a law firm has been put up in the house notifying Mr Sattar that it is now in their possession. However, the building hasn’t been secured. The house has slipped a long way from it’s former glory giving concern to neighbours who blame the decay for burglaries on their own properties, saying that it has enabled thieves to gain access through the abandoned house’s garden. These photographs show the former owner of the house, Fred Price (right with glasses), hosting a social gathering inside the Grade II listed family home . A copy of the Daily Mail from June 1, 2006, is left lying in the house - giving an indication of just how long the property has been left to decay . A large Sony television, with a thick gathering of dust on it, has been left in the living room. It was once the home of Fred and Olive Price, two local history enthusiasts . The home's dining area remains a mess, with clothes, rubbish, bowls and cutlery left scattered across the floor and dining table . These pictures show Fred Price, who once owned and cared for the historic property, prior to its latest owner abandoning it eight years ago . A photo of Mecca was left hanging on the living room wall inside the property. A business card found at the address states the former owner was the president of the World Council of Muslim Youth . A picture of Lady Diana remains the living room, while on the right is a book commemorating a Pakistan National Defence College visit to the United Kingdom. The former owner, Javid Sattar, is a property magnate who also owns numerous other properties in and around Moseley . | A Grade II-listed home in Moseley, Birmingham, has been left to decay after it was abandoned eight years ago . Built for a local butcher in 1916, the English detached home's former owners left it after they went bankrupt . It was also once occupied by a local historian, and campaign groups are concerned a piece of history will be lost . | 8c8169cdd715cb88bf4c1e05adb572bb15263703 |
(CNN)Palm Beach is just an aisle away. Retail giant Target announced Tuesday its latest designer partnership, with Lilly Pulitzer -- sorority-girl favorite and the queen of bold American resortwear. The 250-piece collection, which launches April 19, will feature apparel, accessories and shoes for women and girls, as well as home decor in 15 exclusive prints. "This spring, we wanted to offer our guests a collection that embraced color, print and pattern in a bold, fresh way," Stacia Andersen, Target's senior vice president of apparel and accessories, said in a release. "As we started to think about the perfect partner to collaborate with, Lilly Pulitzer was the clear choice given the brand's inspiring heritage, authority with print and pattern and resort-chic aesthetic." Pulitzer herself died in 2013 at the age of 81, but the brand lives on. Her sleeveless, collarless shift dresses became a signature of the Palm Beach, Florida, party set after she starting selling them from a juice stand in 1959. Lilly shifts for adults currently retail from about $188 to upwards of $288. Because of her socialite roots (her designs were a favorite of former schoolmate Jacqueline Kennedy), many Lilly lovers on social media weren't seeing the bright side of the design partnership. Target contends that the everyman appeal is the crux of such collaborations: to offer upscale labels at a more modest price point. The big box store has collaborated on capsule collections with design powerhouses like Phillip Lim, Zac Posen, Prabal Gurung, Jason Wu and Joseph Altuzarra. In 2011, Missoni for Target famously caused the retailer's website to crash several times and led to an uptick in utter fashionista hysteria for online marketplace eBay. "The Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection marks a new chapter for our brand, and we're excited to give Lilly fans everywhere, including those who have loved the brand for years and those who will get to know it for the first time through this collaboration, a chance to experience this incredibly chic lifestyle collection," said Jane Schoenborn, Lilly Pulitzer's vice president of creative communications. | Lilly Pulitzer is the latest designer to collaborate with Target . The collection will be available on April 19 . Pulitzer died in 2013, but her preppy clothing line continues . | 5c739bde11b41fae7d986abfa68b9ce62011cadb |
New face in the neighborhood: Oprah Winfrey bought a 66-acre plot of land for $10.85million . A retired nuclear physicist has filed a lawsuit because he feels that his new neighbor, Oprah Winfrey, is planning to cut off access to public hiking trails. Charles Goodman has filed a lawsuit against a host of individuals involved in the sale of 66-acres of land next to his Telluride, Colorado summer home to the media mogul. Winfrey purchased the ski-in, ski-out property in March for $10.85million under one of her subsidiary companies, Yellow Brick Road CO LLC, and now their last-minute dealings to make changes to the long-respected public trail agreements is under new scrutiny. 'I don't care if Oprah is a neighbor, but if she is going to cut off access to trails, I don't find that acceptable,' Mr Goodman told The Denver Post. Winfrey is expected to build a main mansion on the property as well as a guest house, but that is not the only construction that is due to start in the coming months. Between 800 and 1,000 trees will be cut from the property, a new bridge will be built over a ski run to allow easier access and new roads will be paved. Mr Goodman's lawsuit does not take issue with any of the architect's plans, but pertains specifically to the predicted prevention of access to the long-public hiking trails. The 86-year-old physicist bought his home in the development in 1972 and he was one of the driving forces to create hiking trails in the property that sits next to the development. Under dispute: Dr Goodman has filed a suit over the potential changes to the public rights access to hiking trails he helped establish in the area near his home . Incursion: One of the public trails that runs through the 66 acres Winfrey purchased is Galloping Goose Trail . 'Yellow Brick Road CO LLC will continue to work with the residents of the Ski Ranches HOA to enable them to have reasonable access over portions of the company's recently acquired property for recreational trail use,' Yellow Brick Road spokeswoman Wendy Luckenbill told The Denver Post via email. Taking issue: Charles Goodman, a retired nuclear physicist, has owned a summer home next to Winfrey's new lot since 1972 and helped found the trails in 1989 . 'It is our hope that we can work together on a usage plan that is mutually agreeable.' The Denver Post reports that in 1989, when the trails were created, the land belonged to the U.S. Forest Service. The land was later given to Telluride Ski Co. but only under the provision that the trails would remain open to the public and not hindered in any way. Since then, the land was legally redistricted so that it became a part of the neighboring town, Mountain Village, and parts- including the property that Oprah went on to purchase- were sold to individuals who wished to build homes. Oprah's specific land went to Hoyt and Carol Barnett who bought the land in the 1990s. Throughout all of the turnovers, there was always specific language that preserves public access to the trails. That included a 2005 re-mapping of the area while still under the Barnett's ownership, where the trails were incorporated into the map. Mr Goodman has included the Barnetts in his lawsuit because they allegedly asked to change the stipulations to that 2005 document, called a plat, before selling the land to Oprah's company but without notifying any of the residents- including Goodman- who would be effected. 'One month before Oprah closed on the property, the rights of way disappeared entirely,' Mr Goodman's lawyer Robert Korn told The Denver Post. Familiar: Oprah Winfrey first bought property in the area in 1994 when she purchased this cabin in with a view of the San Juan Mountains . Out in nature: Telluride, Colorado draws visitors throughout the year with skiers in winter and hikers in the summer, and the public access to hiking trails is a major part of the tourism industry in the area . Local districting officials argued that when they were approached by the TV mogul's legal team ahead of the March sale, they only clarified the language used in the 2005 'replatting' and did not inherently change the public access rights. 'The town is supportive of continued access to Prospect Basin. And we are working with (Winfrey's) team, and it is pretty clear they want to continue access,' Mountain Village director of community development Chris Hawkins told The Denver Post. Mr Hawkins and the Mountain village mayor are also named in Mr Goodman's lawsuit, as well as the Barnetts and Winfrey's Yellow Brick Road Co. One of the trails that Mr Goodman argues is under seige is Galloping Goose Trail, which extends for 6.7 miles and is used by hikers, bikers, and joggers who don't mind a bit of elevation with their daily run. Lover of land: Oprah Winfrey bought this 41-acre property in Montecito, California for $50million in 2001 (pictured) Different climates: Winfrey also owns an estate in Kula, Hawai . | Oprah Winfrey's LLC bought a 66-acre property in Telluride for $10.85m . Public hiking trails have crossed the land for decades but now her neighbor is filing a lawsuit for fear that access is being cut off . The couple that sold the land to the media mogul went back to the town's land council to get 'clarifications' on the language about the trails . | 8ea8b0c01087daeaa62659acb78c9677ccb50402 |
By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 11:55 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:48 EST, 15 March 2013 . Allowing women the right to travel, work or use contraception without their husbands' permission would lead to the 'complete disintegration' of society, Egypt's powerful Islamic movement has warned. The statement from Muslim Brotherhood - the movement that backs President Mohamed Morsi - came as it urged Muslim countries to reject a UN declaration on women's rights it claims would 'undermine Islamic ethics and destroy the family'. The document, which is being drafted by the UN Commission on the Status of Women, would grant girls 'full sexual freedom', 'allow Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men', and provide 'respect for prostitutes', the party said in a statement on its website. Disintegration of society: The statement on the Muslim Brotherhood website detailed the 'decadence that awaits' should the country sign the UN document on women's rights . The Brotherhood, whose Freedom and Justice Party propelled Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi to power last June, posted the statement objecting to the UN declaration on its English language website on Thursday. It joins Russia, Iran and the Vatican in voicing opposition to the document, which was set to be formally adopted as the 57th session of the Commission in New York came to a close today. The Muslim Brotherhood said the declaration would give 'wives full rights to file legal complaints against husbands accusing them of rape or sexual harassment, obliging competent authorities to deal husbands punishments similar to those prescribed for raping or sexually harassing a stranger'. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice last week touted at the commission - a global policy-making body created in 1946 for the advancement of women - progress made by the United States in reducing the rate of violence against women by their partners. 'All 50 states in our union now have laws that treat date rape or spousal rape as just as much of a crime as rape by a stranger,' Rice said. 'We cannot live in truly free societies, if women and girls are not free to reach their full potential.' The contrasting views show the gap that needs to be breached in negotiations on the declaration, which this year is focused on urging an end to violence against women and girls. The commission failed to agree a declaration last year on a theme of empowering rural women due to similar disagreements. Mohamed Morsi: The Muslim Brotherhood helped to propel President Morsi to power in Egypt last June . Egypt has proposed an amendment, diplomats say, that would allow countries to avoid implementing the declaration if it clashed with national laws, religious or cultural values. But some diplomats say this would undermine the entire declaration. The Muslim Brotherhood warned the declaration would give girls sexual freedom, legalize abortion, provide teenagers with contraceptives, give equality to women in marriage and require men and women to share duties such as child care and chores. It said the declaration would allow 'equal rights to homosexuals, and provide protection and respect for prostitutes' and 'equal rights to adulterous wives and illegitimate sons resulting from adulterous relationships'. A coalition of Arab human rights groups - from Egypt, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Tunisia - called on countries at the Commission on the Status of Women yesterday to stop using religion, culture, and tradition to justify abuse of women. 'The current positions taken by some Arab governments at this meeting is clearly not representative of civil society views, aspirations or best practices regarding the elimination and prevention of violence against women and girls within our countries,' said the statement issued by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies. Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile and head of UN Women, which supports the commission, said the commission was unable to reach a deal a decade ago when it last focused on the theme of women's rights and ending violence against women. 'Ten years later, we simply cannot allow disagreement or indecision to block progress for the world's women,' Bachelet told the opening session of the commission last week. 'The world is watching ... the violence needs to stop'. | Muslim Brotherhood slammed UN report on ending violence against women . Movement urged Muslim countries to 'reject and condemn' document . Report would 'undermine Islamic ethics and destroy the family', it said . | 8960eb4b0549d6346068fc7bdf473c7fee595825 |
By . Richard Arrowsmith . Jeremy Mathieu has described Barcelona 'the best club in the world' after being paraded as the club's latest signing at the Nou Camp. The French defender has completed a £16 million move from Valencia to join newcomers including Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic as the Catalan club attempts to overhaul its playing squad under Luis Enrique. Speaking to the club's official website and Barca TV, Mathieu said: 'The club knows how I play and I'm simply here to offer quality. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Jeremy Mathieu presented to fans in Barcelona . Thumbs up!Jeremy Mathieu has described Barcelona as the 'best club in the world' Get shirty: Jeremy Mathieu (C) poses with the sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta (L) and Vice-President Jordi Mestre . Nou signing: Jeremy Mathieu is Barcelona's latest signing as Luis Enrique looks to overhaul the squad . Big shoes to full: The French defender will replace former captain Carles Puyol at the heart of defence . 'Barça are the best club in the world and coming here is a great opportunity for me. I'm very proud to be here in Barcelona.' The 30-year-old centre back has penned a four-year deal with a contract that carries a buy-out clause of £39.5 million. Mathieu has been brought in to replace Carles Puyol at the heart of Barcelona's defence following the retirement of their former captain. Javier . Mascherano has previously played that role but it is believed Enrique . has earmarked him for a spot in midfield after his performances in that . position for Argentina at the 2014 World Cup helped them reach the . final. Mathieu is likely to compete alongside Gerard Pique and Marc Bartra for a place in the heart of Barcelona's defence. French fancy: Jeremy Mathieu joined from Valencia in a £16m deal that carries a £39.5m buy-out clause . All for one: Jeremy Mathieu is officially unveiled at the Nou Camp . VIDEO Mathieu wants to take centre stage for Barca . Marquee signing: Barcelona's biggest deal this summer has been the £75m transfer of Luis Suarez . | Jeremy Mathieu has called Barcelona 'the best club in the world' French defender has signed from Valencia in a £16m deal . The 30-year-old joins the likes of Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic at Nou Camp . Mathieu has been brought in to replace the departed Carles Puyol . | 441ca5ecdfa23b2443814b53d4f138baadc311fc |
By . Alexandra Klausner . PUBLISHED: . 18:42 EST, 2 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:41 EST, 3 November 2013 . A luminescent orb of lightning speeds its way down a power line in Lachine, Quebec . A huge fireball caused by lightning during a windstorm which left thousands of people without power narrowly missed a home by inches . Huw Griffiths captured the terrifying moment his home was nearly hit by a fireball in Lachine, Montreal, on Friday. Around 350,000 Hydro-Quebec customers lost power in total and 80,000 were still without power by 7pm on Friday. Patrice Lavoie, a spokesperson for Hydro-Quebec, told Global news that, ‘There’s only so much we can do when we have to fight against the elements. ‘ . Recovery teams must wait until the storm is over before they can go back into the area. ‘What gave the severe winds, the . damaging winds, was the rapidly rising pressure behind this intense . weather system front,’ said meteorologist Michael Elliot. Hyrdo-Quebec’s Twitter page has been announcing updates on the storm. ‘In . those cases, our teams have to go over there, remove branches from the . network, in some cases, we have also trees that have fallen on the . networks,’ said Lavoie. Ball lightning has been seen to float across land or through buildings and can even bounce down the aisles of aircraft. But its rarity has made it extremely hard to study and to understand. Eye-witness reports of ball lightning vary wildly in the size of the ball, how long it lasts, and how it moves. Close call: Huw Griffiths photographed the fireball which just missed his home . A trampoline is catapulted into the air during the massive wind storm in Montreal . Fallen trees line the ground in Montreal in the aftermath of the 100 kilometer wind storm . This tree snapped in half cutting someone's cable, internet and phone lines . 'We heard a snap and a large bang and we were without power and then we found out that there was a tree that had fallen down in the park next to us,” said one Montrealer to Global news. Hydro-Quebec said, ‘Unfortunately, in some areas where the system is damaged, the outages might last longer.’ Hydro-Quebec warns people to never approach power lines and to assume that they are charged. | 100 kilometer winds left 350,00 in Quebec without power . Huw Griffiths took footage of a huge fireball nearly missing his home . ‘There’s only so much we can do when . we have to fight against the elements,' said a spokesperson for . Hydro-Quebec . | 8cbd31378df09df9989d927d909c517b80d503ef |
After driving a tractor the length of Africa, Dutch adventurer Manon ‘Tractor Girl’ Ossevoort is setting out for the South Pole. She hopes to fulfil her decade-long dream of travelling the 2,796 miles from Russia’s Novo base to Antarctica and back. When asked whether people think she’s crazy for attempting such a bizzare stunt, the 38-year-old actress replies with a wide smile: ‘Only if they haven’t met me.’ After driving a tractor the length of Africa, Manon Ossevoort is heading for the South Pole . Ossevoort originally began her African journey in 2005, taking four years to drive from her home village in Holland to Cape Town at the southern tip of the continent. She was meant to head to Antarctica to complete the final leg of her trek, but was delayed and ultimately missed the boat that was set to take her there. Frustrated, the former actress spent the following four years back in Holland where she wrote a book and worked as a motivational speaker, while dreaming of the day that she would be able to get back on her tractor. It seems like that day has finally arrived. Ossevoort will battle the elements in her tractor during the 4,500-kilometre trek from Russia to Antarctica . In the video, the new mum of a 10-month-old daughter Hannah, perches on the seat of the tractor in a mini-dress and chats about her epic plans. Mechanics are visible in the background putting the finishing touches on her beloved mode of transport, named the Antarctica 2, in honour of legendary explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, who travelled to the South Pole on a tractor in 1958. Ossevoot plans to spend about 12 hours per day in the tractor seat, bundled up in Arctic gear – as she heads for what she likes to call ‘the end of the world.’ She will make a 2,800-mile round trip across the largest mass of ice on earth – from Russia’s Novo base to the South Pole and back. ‘Ten kilometres an hour would be good,’ she says. ’15 would be nice, 20 lovely.’ The new mum of baby Hannah will miss her daughter's first Christmas, as she will be on the tractor . Ossevoort will also bring with her the 'dreams' - scrawled on scraps of paper and emails - that she has collected from people around the world . She will also bring with her the ‘dreams’ – scrawled on scraps of paper and emails – that she has collected from people in Africa and around the world. They have been converted into digital form and will be placed in the belly of the big snowman that she plans to build at the Pole – to be opened in 80 years time. ‘I want to turn them into a beautiful time capsule of the dreams of the world, so that in the future, children and people can read something about our dreams and not only about politics or war. ‘The tractor, for me, symbolises this very down to Earth fact that if you want to do something, maybe you will not be so fast, but if you keep going and keep your sense of humour, you will get there.’ She will place said 'dreams' in the snowman she plans to build - and ask that it be opened in 80 years time . Though Ossevoort travelled alone during her African expedition, in Antarctica the tractor will need to creep forward both day and night, so French mechanic Nicolas Bachelet will share the driving. They hope to cover 60 to 120 miles each day and complete the trip in four to six weeks. ‘I think I’ll love the experience, travelling the last leg in relative silence over this vast and white continent,’ she says. ‘It’s a beautiful last phase in a long pilgrimage.’ A team of seven will accompany her, including a film crew who will record the journey for a documentary. Her progress can be tracked on the website, antarcticatwo.com. | Adventurer Manon 'Tractor Girl' Ossevoort is setting out for the South Pole . Hopes to fulfill decade-long dream with the help of a French mechanic . In 2005, she travelled the entire length of Africa on her trusty tractor . Once she arrives, plans to create a time capsule of 'dreams' in a snowman . | 80d6299b898287d303c89c1f6f5c315053ff9911 |
(CNN) -- Shareholders of the Olympus Corp. approved a new board Friday despite objections from a vocal minority of shareholders seeking new management that can distance the company from the $1.7 billion cover-up that rocked Japan Inc. The extraordinary shareholders meeting started with the outgoing president, Shuichi Takayama, apologizing to the investors on the cover-up of the losses. He was greeted by boos and hisses. Allegations against the Japanese camera and medical equipment maker came to light after the October dismissal of former President Michael Woodford -- a rare foreign chief executive in corporate Japan -- after he questioned ex-board members about dubious transactions at the center of the case. A special audit of Olympus in December, led by a former Japanese Supreme Court judge, detailed $1.7 billion of hidden losses from failed investments in the 1990s by the company. The report blasted the culture of the company that allowed the losses to be disguised in dubious fees and overvalued payments for companies, as well as the tight control of ex-Chairman Tusyoshi Kikukawa. "The management was rotten to the core, and infected those around it," the panel's report said. Japanese prosecutors arrested seven people tied to the accounting fraud in February, including Kikukawa, ex-Executive Vice President Hisashi Mori and former Auditor Hideo Yamada. Four others arrested were financial advisers who allegedly assisted Olympus executives in the cover-up. The former 11 members of the Olympus board stepped down en masse Friday. The new management includes Yasuyuki Kimoto, a former director of Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, who becomes chairman, while Hiroyuki Sasa, an Olympus executive officer, is promoted to president. Critics -- including Woodford and Institutional Shareholder Services -- opposed the "insider" appointments, questioning Kimoto's ties to Sumitomo, the company's biggest lender. Woodford also questioned Sasa's experience to lead Olympus out from under the shadow of the scandal. Olympus released a statement April 11 reaffirming support for the candidates, noting that the majority of new board members are independent outside directors. "Mr. Sasa's career spans 30 years in the Company's core Medical Business, and in recent years he has been deeply involved in the management of this core business," Olympus said in a statement. Olympus is the world's largest maker of endoscopes, and Sasa is currently director of Olympus Medical Services. "Today would become the touchstone for new Olympus. I would like to ask about the reason of my dismissal," Woodford told Japanese media before entering today's meeting. Company officials refused to answer Woodford's question at the meeting, citing ongoing litigation. Woodford is is suing Olympus for wrongful termination. He released a book in Japanese this week on the scandal entitled "Terminated." Woodford gave up his public fight to be reinstated as chief executive in January. Meeting with the press yesterday in Tokyo, Woodford said he wanted to shine light on corporate governance in Japan. "I'm not a magician ... it is 'Alice in Wonderland,'" Woodford said Thursday at the Tokyo Foreign Correspondent's Club. "All I can do is draw attention to it." Olympus shares lost nearly 80% of its market value in the weeks after Woodford went public with his allegations. The stock is now half its value before the scandal broke. Olympus was fined $2.4 million earlier this by Japanese regulators for filing false financial results. The Olympus saga started with a five-page expose in Japanese magazine FACTA -- a small circulation magazine that has only nine people on staff -- on July 20 that raised questions over advisory fees of $687 million paid in 2008 for the purchase of Gyrus, a UK medical instruments firm. The article also questioned the $773 million paid for three small Japanese companies -- a face cream maker, a plastic container maker and a recycling business, each with fewer than 50 employees. CNN's Junko Ogura contributed to this article . | NEW: Shareholders of the Olympus Corp. approve a new board despite objections . New management will run the camera maker whose $1.7 billion cover-up rocked Japan Inc. Allegations after the October dismissal of former Olympus President Michael Woodford . Outgoing president, Shuichi Takayama, was greeted with boos and hisses from shareholders . | 1412a6d59ec16a07dcab86b3f3f2b4fe7b861fa6 |
(EW.com) -- Roland Emmerich may never win an Oscar (I'm going out on a limb here), but he gets my vote as the greatest practitioner of good bad movies working in Hollywood today. I don't mean that as a backhanded compliment. Seriously. It takes a certain kind of genius to crank out blockbusters as spectacularly silly as "Independence Day," "The Day After Tomorrow" and "2012." And the main difference between Emmerich and fellow maestros of mayhem like Michael Bay is that he actually seems to be in on the joke. He knows his movies are preposterous nonsense, and he embraces it. John Hodgman explains why men in action movies wear those white tank tops . In his latest big-budget excuse to blow up 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, "White House Down," Emmerich doesn't waste time with anything as conventional as a setup; he just dives right in, introducing us to Channing Tatum's John Cale, a divorced Capitol police officer itching to be a Secret Service agent to impress his daughter (Joey King). While his job interview in the West Wing is going south, right-wing mercenaries take over the White House demanding $400 million. Meanwhile, Cale's daughter has been taken hostage and the president (Jamie Foxx) is left unguarded. Guess who steps in to protect the POTUS? 'Fifty Shades' of No: Actors who will NOT star in 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Emmerich and screenwriter James Vanderbilt ("The Amazing Spider-Man") rip off "Die Hard" beat for beat. But when you're having this much fun, why quibble? The entire film is merely an excuse for Tatum to squeeze off machine-gun rounds in a muscle-baring tank top, Foxx to do his cool-cat Obama impression right down to chomping on Nicorette, and Emmerich to revel in what he does best — blast the sets (and plausibility) to kingdom come. Comparisons between this and last March's similarly themed "Olympus Has Fallen" are going to be inevitable, so let me just say that Emmerich's is the D.C. disaster flick to see. Skip it, and you'll be depriving yourself of one of the summer's most satisfyingly stupid pleasures. Grade: B- . See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "White House Down" stars Jamie Foxx as POTUS and Channing Tatum as a police officer . When mercenaries take over the White House, Tatum dives in to protect the president . Roland Emmerich's "White House Down" blows up sets and plausibility . But when you're having this much fun, why quibble? | dedac076c1649b0edf55353e9bd374c0cd4ad956 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:02 EST, 20 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:40 EST, 20 November 2013 . Chinese authorities have successfully moved a 12,000 ton, six-storey building just 38 metres. Developers needed the space as part of a 'face-lift' of the area, but they did not want to lose the Zhengguanghe Building in Shanghai which has become a local landmark. So they hatched a plan to move the red-bricked building to the edge of the block. Moving day: Chinese authorities have successfully moved a 12,000 ton, six-storey building just 38 metres . Face lift: As part of a 'face-lift' of the area, developers decided to save the six-storey red brick Zhengguanghe Building in Shanghai . Moving a structure as large as the building had never been attempted before in the city and it was projected to take 20 days. Shifting the 12,000 ton structure required the use of 12 lifting jacks, each capable of lifting 200 tons, on the eastern side of the building. This was supported by a further 16 on the southern side. Operation: Moving the 12,000 ton building required the use of 12 lifting jacks, each capable of lifting 200 tons . Popular landmark: The building was designed by British architect George Wilson and was completed in 1935 . The building was designed by British architect George Wilson and was completed in 1935. It has always been one of the historic landmarks of the city due to its strong British architecture style. It was originally used as the warehouse of the Zhengguanghe soda factory, but was named a valuable historical building in 1999. The foundations will be reinforced to ensure it stands the test of time. In 2012 a 122-year-old, 6,200 ton building in Zurich was moved 60 metres to make way for the expansion of a nearby railway. The Guinness Book of Records states: 'The heaviest building moved intact is the Fu Gang Building at West Bank Road Wuzhou, in the Guangxi Province of China. 'It was successfully relocated by the Guangzhou Luban Corporation on 10 November 2004.The building weighs 15,140.4 metric tonnes (33.3 million lb) and is 34 m (111 ft) tall. 'The building was moved 35.62 metres horizontally and it took eleven days to complete the relocation at a speed of around 30 centimetres an hour.' Checks: A workman checks the structure as the move is underway . Reinforced: The foundations will be reinforced, to ensure it stands the test of time . | Developers decided to save the six-storey red brick Zhengguanghe Building . Used 18 lifting jacks, each capable of lifting 200 tons to move building . Building was constructed in 1935 after being designed by British architect . | c811c45a5335627ef2ce376076187f3ba05d849b |
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 2 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:47 EST, 3 January 2013 . A New Year's driver and his passenger are lucky to be alive after a crash left their car leaning upwards against a tree. The smashed up vehicle - believed to be a Renault Clio - ended up in a vertical position after hitting a lamppost at an accident blackspot in Leeds yesterday. Astonishing photographs show how the car was left standing on its front bumper. Lucky: Two men survived this New Year's Day crash which left a Renault Clio up a tree in Leeds . Blackspot: The vehicle hit a lamppost at the same spot where a young man was killed in 2007 . And incredibly the two men survived the incident, which emergency services say could easily have killed them. The crash happened at around 9.40am on Tuesday and two men in their twenties were cut from the car by fire crews and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police were forced to close the section . of road in Leeds, West Yorkshire and Paul Smith, Watch Commander of . Gipton Fire Station, said: 'The driver lost control and hit a lamppost and a tree, leaving the bumpers just touching the ground.' Underneath the tree new tributes and flowers had been laid following a similar accident. Phil Rayson was killed in exactly the same spot on New Year's Eve in 2007 after losing control of a Vauxhall Astra. | Two men in their 20s survive after hitting lamppost in Renault Clio . Another driver was killed at the same spot in an accident in 2007 . | 6caa01c5ee50a7420fea75733bf59b8d1ba35d75 |
(CNN Student News) -- May 23, 2014 . China vows to severely punish those responsible for an apparent terrorist attack. This Friday, we report on what happened, and we examine NOAA's forecast for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season. We also look into the history of Memorial Day, and we report on what Americans should look out for concerning a nationwide recall of ground beef. Please note: CNN Student News will return on Tuesday, May 27 after the Memorial Day holiday. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . What audio and video elements would you include in a local news story about Memorial Day? Weekly Newsquiz: The following questions relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. What European nation located east of the Adriatic Sea experienced its worst flooding since records have been kept? 2. After English and Spanish, what is the most widely spoken language in homes across the U.S.? 3. What iconic toy, also the single best-selling toy of all time, celebrated its 40th birthday this week? 4. What U.S. government agency is charged with regulating communications including satellite, cable and TV? 5. What form of law is imposed when the military takes over a country, usually in times of emergency? 6. In what U.S. state did residents in the town of Moore remember those who lost their lives in an EF5 tornado one year ago? 7. What was the occupation of the person who designed the current U.S. flag? 8. To what central African nation has the U.S. sent 80 troops to assist in the search for kidnapped Nigerian girls? 9. By what name was Memorial Day originally known? 10. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recalled 1.8 million pounds of what food due to possible E. coli contamination? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request. | This page includes the show Transcript and the Daily Curriculum . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . The Daily Curriculum's Newsquiz tests students' knowledge of events in the news . At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum . | 7bc5007e21acac996f0b2c12c86714ce8b818276 |
Constructed from the metal hulls of old barges and held together by Scandinavian pine, this 23-metre high, 30-metre wide and 135-metre long real-life Noah's Ark stands four-storeys tall, is as long as a football field and even comes with its own animals. Dutch contractor Johan Huibers - who took three years to build the vessel - was inspired by a dream about a flood that would wipe out Holland. 'I dreamed a part of Holland was flooded,' Mr Huibers, explained during an interview with the American television programme the Today Show. Scroll down for video . Labour of love: It took Dutch contractor Johan Huibers three years to construct his Ark of Noah . Animal displays in the ark, which cost over £1 million to build. The tourist attraction also has two amphitheaters . 'Then, the next day I get the idea to build an ark of Noah.' The gigantic wooden structure is the closest to the original ark in terms of its dimensions as Mr Huibers built the vessel to the specifications in the Bible, which states that Noah's Ark was 50 cubits wide, 30 cubits high and 300 cubits long. The tourist attraction, which is so big it's classed as a building not a boat, cost an estimated $1.6 million (over £1 million) to build. Mr Huiber's began planning the structure in 1992 but construction of his ark began only in 2009. Work was completed in 2012 by his team of 50 people. Planning for the 23-metre high, 30-metre wide and 135-metre long boat began in 1992 . The gigantic wooden structure is the closest to the original ark in terms of its dimensions as Mr Huibers built the vessel to the specifications in the Bible . Work was completed in 2012 by contractor and his team of 50 people . The Dutchman had previously built a smaller model measuring nine-metres wide, 13-metres high and 70-metres long which he sold in order to concentrate on the real-life version. Inside the Ark are two amphitheaters and fake animal displays as well as presentations on Noah's history. Despite its ability to float on water and sail, Huibers told has said that, 'this time the Ark is not meant to save people from a global flood as Noah did 4,000 years ago, but to tell people that there is a God who loves us, and that He has a plan for our lives'. The ark, located at Dordrecht, is now open to the public. Admission costs €7.50 (£5.95) for children and €12.50 (£9.90) for adults. | Dutch contractor Johan Huibers dreamt that Holland would be flooded . The 23-m high, 30-m wide and 135-m long boat is classified as a building . Body of the ark is constructed from metal hulls and Scandinavian pine . | ad6d50bf2e06b336cd540c1be4b9af1c4b301cf6 |
Families are taking more holidays overseas, but they are spending less when they hit the attractions and clubs. The tightening of the purse strings which has brought reductions in supermarket spending at home appears to have continued once families board their flights for a summer break. Spending by UK residents while on overseas visits has dipped 16per cent in the first six months of 2014 compared with the same period last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced. Holiday: Families are taking more holidays overseas, but they are spending less once they get there, official figures suggest . The spending figure, at £12.83 billion, fell despite the number of visits abroad taken by UK residents rising four per cent to 27.14 million in the first half of this year. The fall appears to be at least partly a reflection of the fact that the pound has soared in value against most foreign currencies, which means British travellers get more for them money. The same ONS study found that spending by foreign tourists to the UK in the first six months of this year was largely the same as the same period last year at some £8.92billion. Spending less: The spending figure, at £12.83 billion, fell despite the number of visits abroad taken by UK residents rising four per cent to 27.14 million in the first half of this year . The first six months of 2014 have seen overseas residents making 16.41 million trips to the UK - an eight per cent rise on the January-June 2013 total. David Edwards, head of research and forecasting at VisitBritain, said: ‘Tourism is an essential part of the wider success of our economy and these first six months have set us up for what could be another record year for inbound tourism. ‘It’s also hugely positive to see growth both from our high-volume European markets and also emerging markets across Asia and Latin America.’ Tourism minister Helen Grant said: ‘It’s fantastic that Britain’s tourism industry is performing so strongly with a record number of visits for 2014 so far . It shows the Government’s tourism strategy is working - creating more jobs, encouraging greater spend and growing the economy.' | Office for National Statistics reveals British holidaymakers spending less . Number of trips overseas rises 4% to 27.14 million in first half of 2014 . Spending figure fall to £12.83 billion reflected in strength of the pound . Overseas residents have made 16.41 million trips to the UK . | 24c15128c56f1197ac527811f918cb16d1b55f6e |
A burglar has been caught red-handed after accidentally filming a break-in on his mobile phone. Emmanuel Jerome, 23, from Newsome, thought he had switched on a torch on his iPhone during the night-time burglary. Instead, he mistakenly recorded the raid on its camera device. Emmanuel Jerome, 23, from Newsome, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court, pictured . Mr Jerome, who was found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary last month, was sentenced to 44 weeks in prison this week. Judge John Potter was told that Mr Jerome still protested his innocence. Mr Jerome was arrested after trying to break in to three other properties. Police then found video clips of a house in Marsh in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, which was targeted by a gang of burglars while the owners were on holiday. Property worth tens of thousands of pounds was taken. Judge Potter told Mr Jerome: 'Significantly, in my view, camera footage of the invasion of that property was captured on your mobile phone. 'You, in my judgement, were an important member of the team that attacked that property on those occasions.' The burglar accidentally filmed a break-in after he mistook the video camera on his iPhone for a torch . Another member of the gang, Levi Castledine, of Oakes, is in prison following an earlier hearing. Martin Sharpe, acting for Mr Jerome, said that although his client had previous convictions for burglary when he was a teenager, he had not committed similar offences for more than five years. Mr Sharpe said Mr Jerome was married and that his wife was expecting their first child. Judge Potter said that some of the burgled properties had been occupied at the time of the break-ins and property including cars, mobile phones and jewellery had been stolen. He branded the burglaries "acts of selfishness". Mr Jerome was arrested by police officers after he tried to burgle three other properties . | Emmanuel Jerome, 23, has been sentenced to 44 weeks in prison after he mistook a video camera for a torch and filmed a raid . Police arrested the burglar after he tried to break into three other properties . Bradford Crown Court heard he still protested his innocence . | 2002a80edd33c5d56f543f10927473399276d11e |
Britain's Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish were yesterday disqualified from the women's team sprint after officials judged they had overtaken too early. The pair were relegated out of the gold medal final after Pendleton came past Varnish before the designated changeover line on the straight of the track. Riders must change over within an allocated area, similar to sprinters in a relay race. Pendleton looks inconsolable after learning of her disqualification from the women's team sprint final . Pendleton and Varnish had set a world record during their heat, though it was quickly overtaken by the Chinese team . Pendleton's face is one of dejection but she still has two more chances to win gold at these Olympics . It put an end to Varnish's Olympic hopes, but Pendleton will still ride for gold in the women's sprint and the keirin. The crowd voiced their displeasure . after the announcement was made and the pair were consoled by members of . the men's team sprint team, who won gold despite Philip Hindes' crash controversy. The pair had looked in good shape and had set a new world record in their heat - though China did beat it minutes later. Victoria, the model: Pendleton has appeared on the cover of men's magazine FHM and in commercials for hair care products . Germany, who replaced Great Britain in the gold medal race, clinched gold from China, while Australia beat Ukraine to take bronze. Afterwards, Pendleton said: 'It is just one of those things. Now and again, these things happen. 'Overall, . we've had a really excellent run and I thought we were in for a gold or . silver ride. I guess all I can do now is concentrate on tomorrow. 'We . were a bit too overwhelmed, a bit too eager. Jess moves up the track . and I just come through, I just go. It's not Jess's fault it's not my . fault.' The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were at the Velodrome for the first night of track cycling . Should to cry on: Pendleton sought the support of fellow British cycling colleague Chris Hoy after learning of her disqualification . Sir Chris Hoy comforts his teammate Pendleton after the disqualification . Rob Hayles, Double Olympic medallist . and BBC cycling commentator at the Velodrome explained: 'I believe it . was Victoria Pendleton taking over too early. 'There . are two points on the straight, and like athletics where you have to . hand over the baton, you have to change over within a certain place on . the track. 'Vicky must not . take over before a certain point or after a certain point and they have . changed over outside the allocated area on the track.' Pendleton (left) and Varnish were favourites to claim a medal in the team sprint before their disqualification . Varnish (left) and Pendleton warm up before the race this evening . BBC pundit said: 'It's the Olympic Games, it's the biggest thing and to spend four years getting ready for it only to lose in a fraction of a second is gut wrenching.' The . Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were in the audience at the Velodrome in . the Olympic Park and they later saw the British men's team sprint . quartet set a world record and win gold. The win increased Britain's medal haul on the day to three golds and three silvers - just a few short of 'Super Saturday' at the Beijing Olympics when Team GB won four golds, one silver and four bronzes. | British pair adjudged by officials to have overtaken outside allocated section of track . Relegated from gold medal races after setting world record in heats . GB replaced by Germany in the final against China . | 1c7e48e3f760eccce0707c5dab0656ad65157e92 |
Most parents find two young children cause enough havoc to keep them occupied, but not this family, - who have 145 exotic pets. Jamie and Michelle Mintram, from Weeting, Norfolk, share their three-bed with their two children, plus an array of unusual animals. The family own a baby crocodile, a scorpion, two skunks, an Argentinian horned frog and two Boa constrictors - as well as more than 100 other creatures. Scroll down for video . Jamie and Michelle Mintram and their two children, Josh and Chloe, live with 145 exotic pets in their family home in Weeting, Norfolk . The family's menagerie includes tortoises, snakes, giant rabbits, chameleons (pictured) raccoons, skinny pigs and a baby crocodile . Mr Mintram, holding the baby crocodile, likes lizards and snakes, but his wife prefers furrier critters . Mr Mintram takes in a lot of reptiles as rescue animals but most of the other creatures are the family's pets . Mr Mintram, 39, has a licence to look after the exotic pets and has rescued a number of his reptiles from owners who could not care for them. But most of their staggering collection are family pets, with some of them living in their children's bedrooms. The Mintrams hope to open up a small zoo nearby, which will mainly be made up of rescued animals. Mr Mintram and his wife, 32, met when they were both lab technicians 12 years ago and instantly bonded over their shared love of animals. Since moving in together they have filled every nook and cranny of their detached house and garden with a different animal, including pigs, insects, a hedgehog and a raccoon. Mr Mintram said: 'I have always loved reptiles, but Michelle preferred more furry animals. Watch the full video on Good Morning Britain here. Mrs Mintram, pictured holding her pet raccoon, met her husband at work and they instantly bonded over their shared love for exotic creatures . Mr Mintram and his family live with around 145 animals, and shares his bedroom with some of them . Mr Mintram, who bought his first animal aged 11, has a licence allowing him to look after exotic animals . 'Farther back, my mum bred parrots and parakeets and was a pioneer in captive breeding. It rubbed off on me. 'I bought my first cornsnake at 11 and my collection grew from there, but I never set out to get 145 pets. 'We have so many because we are a rescue sanctuary for exotic animals, which there are not many of.' The couple have more than 30 snakes, including the Boa constrictors, five baby pythons and cornsnakes that live in the garage along with the crocodile, monitor lizard and a shed-load of creepy crawlies. Inside the house, every room, apart from the animal-free the living room, is jam-packed with tanks and cages from floor to ceiling. The Mintrams share their bedroom with two baby tortoises, while their children also house animals in their rooms. Eight-year-old Josh has three chinchillas living in his room, while Chloe, six, shares her room with a pink cornsnake and a yellow budgie. Mr Mintram has collected pets since he was 11 and wants to set up a zoo near the family home . The Mintrams have to clean the house once a day to stop the house from smelling, which was an impossible task on the one occasion that the skunks sprayed their bedroom . Their house may look normal from the outside, but the Mintram family home houses 145 creatures . 'It's nothing unusual for [the children] to see me coming home with a raccoon or a crocodile,' said Mr Mintram. The animal-mad family clean the house and gardens every day so the smell never gets too pungent, but the skunks, which have their own toilet, once sprayed in the bedroom, leaving an acrid stench for days. Unsurprisingly, looking after so many animals can be expensive, with the food bill reaching £100 a month and Mr Mintram striking a deal with a local greengrocer to cut down the cost. 'We also have to fork out about £250 a month for heating as many of the animals require a constant heat source,' Mr Mintram said. 'We have a number of scorpions and the shiny burrowing scorpion is always trying to sting me. 'And the boa constrictor is not the friendliest - but we wouldn't swap any of them for the world.' A baby crocodile . An Asian palm civet . An African pygmy hedgehog . Four giant rabbits . Two chincillas . Two skinny pigs . Three ferrets . Three guinea pigs . A Bosc's monitor lizard . A 9ft Boa constrictor . An albino Boa constrictor . An Irian Jaya jaguar python . Three royal pythons . Five baby pythons . A blue-tongued skink . Two sand skinks . Two bearded dragons . Three geckos . A Sudan plated lizard . A Ruthven's kingsnake . An Albino grey-banded kingsnake . Two chameleons . Two red-footed tortoises . Two baby tortoises . A scorpion . Two meerkats . A raccoon . A coati . Two skunks . A musk turtle . A budgerigar . Two corn snakes . An Argentinian horned frog . An imperial scorpion . A giant millipede . A giant thorny stick insect . A domino tiger beetle . An unknown number of giant African land snails . An unknown number of tiger banded hissing cockroaches . | Jamie and Michelle Mintram share their Norfolk home with 145 exotic pets . Their menagerie includes a baby crocodile, Boa constrictors and a scorpion . The couple's children share their bedrooms with a snake and chinchillas . Family give the house a deep clean every day to get rid of the animal smell . When their two skunks sprayed their bedroom, the stench lasted for days . Mr Mintram has a licence to look after the exotic pets . He has rescued several reptiles from owners who could not care for them . Family hope to open up a small zoo - featuring mainly rescued animals . | a605fbd2d816d48bc2b3c41f061c9917463c3911 |
By . Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 03:03 EST, 4 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:14 EST, 4 June 2012 . A woman of 24 who cannot conceive naturally must wait six years before she is eligible for IVF treatment on the National Health Service. Andrea Heywood, a nursery nurse, was left infertile after a childhood illness. When she and her husband Aaron applied for fertility treatment to their primary care trust, NHS Portsmouth, they were told that they would not be considered until she turned 30. Andrea and Aaron Heywood, from Portsmouth, pictured on their wedding day. She was left unable to have children after suffering from appendicitis as a child . National guidelines suggest that . women should be eligible for IVF from the age of 23, but this is not an . obligation and each trust is free to impose its own restrictions, . creating a postcode lottery. The couple, who married three years . ago, say they are the victims of age discrimination and that delaying . treatment could reduce their chances of conceiving. Mrs Heywood said: ‘It is bad enough . not to be able to have children naturally, but this is like someone is . saying, “No, you can’t have children – you have got to wait”. ‘I feel guilty for my husband because I am the one with the problem. I feel as if I have let him down.’ Mrs Heywood suffered severe scarring . to her fallopian tubes at the age of six when her appendix burst, and it . was confirmed later that she was infertile. St James' Hospital, Portsmouth. n Portsmouth, a woman must be aged 30-34 to qualify for an NHS funded cycle of treatment . The couple were bitterly disappointed . when they were turned down three times for a free round of fertility . treatment worth £5,000. They initially threatened to sue the . trust in a strongly worded legal letter, but decided not to pursue their . case through the courts when NHS chiefs refused to back down. Mr Heywood, 25, said: ‘We have just got to wait or find the money ourselves. ‘Some people might say it is not a lot of money to have children but it is a lot of money if you have not got it. ‘All our friends from school and college are having children now. So when we go round to see them it can be upsetting.’ The National Institute for Clinical . Excellence (NICE) states that couples should be considered for free IVF . between the ages of 23 and 39, and is considering expanding its criteria . for free treatment. Recent draft guidelines recommend . scrapping the lower age limit and suggest infertility should be treated . as soon as possible because the chances of success decline with age. The rationing body is also considering offering IVF to women aged 40 to 42, and extending it to gay and lesbian couples. However, NHS Portsmouth provides free IVF only for women aged 30 to 34. The couple’s lawyer, Louisa Ghevaert . of solicitors Porter Dodson, said: ‘NICE guidance is not mandatory and . it remains to be seen whether the new draft proposals will bring greater . recognition of IVF as a legitimate clinical need. ‘We need greater fairness in . accessing fertility treatment on the NHS for couples like Andrea and . Aaron who are battling with the postcode lottery and varying . restrictions imposed by PCTs, which continue to flout the guidance . across the country.’ NHS Portsmouth was unavailable for comment. | Andrea Heywood must wait until she's 30 to qualify for a free round of treatment . Her lawyer says Portsmouth City PCT's decision is 'unreasonable, unlawful and unfair' Postcode lottery means trusts can pick their own IVF criteria and don't have to follow national guidelines . | eea9e579db1840c2f4392cf36329c2d839981077 |
By . Ray Massey, Transport Editor . One in 20 drivers unknowingly suffers from a sleeping disorder that puts them at risk of nodding off at the wheel, the RAC warns today. It says 1.4million motorists are a risk to themselves and other road users due to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome. Research suggests the problem may be responsible for up to one in five accidents and is increasing with growing cases of obesity and sedentary lifestyles. Nodding off? One in 20 drivers suffers Obstructive Sleep Apnoea which contributes to accidents (file photo) It said that in tests of simulated driving, ‘sleep apnoea patients had a driving performance at least as bad as drivers over the alcohol limit’. The RAC said: ‘It is a serious condition where the muscles in the throat relax too much during sleep, obstructing the airway, which causes the sufferer to temporarily stop breathing and consequently repeatedly wake up to start breathing again. Severe: The condition affects more than a million Britons (file photo) ‘The sufferer is usually unaware this is going on and it can occur hundreds of times in a night, leading to daytime sleepiness and other serious health problems. ‘Those drivers who have the condition, but who are not being treated, are six times more likely to have an accident than others.’ The RAC, which has joined forces with the Sleep Apnoea Partnership Group to raise awareness, said: ‘While 400,000 people have been diagnosed and are being treated for the condition, it is believed that up to 1.4million drivers have not been diagnosed.’ Effective treatment is available which can address the symptoms very quickly and enable patients to again drive safely, it adds. Professor John Stradling, a leading sleep clinician, said: ‘The usual treatment is to use a simple continuous positive airway pressure device while asleep. ‘Typically, sufferers are often overweight and that extra weight around the neck puts pressure on the throat. ‘A sedentary kind of lifestyle only makes the condition worse, and people who spend a long time behind the wheel seem to be especially at risk.’ If the sleepiness is sufficient to impair driving, the sufferer must notify the DVLA and will be advised to stop driving. ‘But the treatment available today is very effective and need not necessitate a long period of time off the road,’ he added. Danger: Motorway driving makes people more prone to sleep because it is repetitive and hypnotic . Cases have increased as levels of obesity have risen, with nocturnal symptoms including loud snoring, pauses in breathing, occasional choking sensations and restless sleep. In the case of ‘OSAS’ further symptoms are present, most notably daytime sleepiness and reduced ability to concentrate. If this sleepiness is sufficient to impair driving, the sufferer must notify the DVLA and will be advised to stop driving. Prof Stradling added: ‘We fully understand that there is a very reasonable concern among drivers about losing their driving licence, but the treatment available today is very effective and need not necessitate a long period of time off the road.’ RAC technical director David Bizley said driving on a motorway can exacerbate the problem as it can be extremely monotonous and hypnotic, particularly if people are already feeling sleepy. ‘The consequences of falling asleep at the wheel can be catastrophic, both for the driver themselves and anybody in their vicinity,' he said. ‘But it’s also important to emphasise there is a solution as very effective treatment is available. If you suspect that you may have the condition, speak to your GP and get it checked out.’ | Many drivers suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome, said RAC . Obese drivers more susceptible as extra weight puts pressure on throat . Motoring group has launched a campaign to raise wider awareness . | 9845c38290f9eeda8670c7d1d4211be7d9b875df |
New photographs of Alice Gross were released by her family today as they finally said farewell to the teenager at a humanist funeral service designed to 'focus on the joy of Alice's life'. As the family of the murdered teenager described her as 'so spirited, so present, so vital and so full of promise', they joined Alice's friends and teachers at a humanist funeral service near their family home in Hanwell, west London. Her parents, Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross, and sister, Nina, said: 'We find it almost impossible to understand what has happened and that we have to say goodbye to her', . But they said they wanted the schoolgirl's funeral - held eight weeks to the day since she left home for the last time - to 'focus on the joy of Alice's life and the joy of having known her'. Scroll down for video . New photos of Alice Gross were released by her family today as they held a private funeral for the 14-year-old . Alice's family also released this photograph today showing Alice, centre left, with her parents and sister, Nina . Traffic stopped and local residents came out of their houses and bowed their heads as the funeral procession swept past the flower-covered clock tower in Hanwell, west London, which has become a focal point for those mourning the 14-year-old. The hearse carried a brightly coloured coffin which had been painted by Alice's grandmother and decorated with a meadow scene showing Alice's pet cats and dog. The schoolgirl's famly thanked people in their local community in Hanwell 'for being so kind and supportive', and said the funeral was a 'humanist celebration... full of music, with videos of Alice playing and singing songs she wrote herself'. Alice's parents and sister paid tribute to their daughter, while her grandfather read Surprised By Joy by William Wordsworth, written by the poet at the loss of his own three-year-old daughter. The coffin, featuring Alice's cats Lottie, Louis and Pattie, and dog, Peggy, was painted to reflect her love of nature by her grandmother, Anne Hodgkiss, and family friend, Carole McCourt. Meanwhile, mourners sang You Are My Sunshine, while Alice's music teachers performed musical tributes to the schoolgirl who was known for her musical talent. The clock tower near the murdered teenager's home in west London has become a focal point for mourners . Cortege: A hearse bearing Alice's yellow-painted coffin drove through Hanwell, west London, this morning . Paying their respects: Alice's murder this summer left the local community in west London devastated . The disappearance two months ago and murder of the Hanwell schoolgirl devastated the local community . Yellow ribbons - once a symbol of hope that Alice would be found alive - festooned trees, railings and traffic signs along the funeral cortege's route. Locals lit small candles arranged to spell out 'We love you Alice' and watered flowers, many of them yellow, ahead of the funeral. One note left at the clock tower said: 'You will always be in our hearts.' Marion McCarthy, 39, a nurse from nearby Ealing, said the effect on the community had been 'horrendous'. She said: 'It has brought a sense of shock. We have been united. I'm a mother of a girl the same age. It's every parent's worst scenario ever.' Only family and friends were invited to attend the funeral today, but there will be a public memorial ceremony for her on 2 November at Greenford Town Hall. The family said they wanted to thank local people 'whose outpouring of support and grief has touched them very deeply'. The beautifully decorated coffin was a reminder that Alice had barely entered her teens before she was killed . Yellow flowers and ribbons covered the clock tower which has become a shrine to the teenager's memory . The streets of Hanwell have been covered with yellow ribbons since the school went missing on 28 August . Alice Gross was last seen on 28 August and her body was found on 30 September in the River Brent . Mourners wiped their eyes as the funeral procession for the 14-year-old schoolgirl passed by this morning . 'You will always be the brightest star in the sky': The hearse was filled with wreaths and notes to Alice . The community in Hanwell, west London, was deeply affected by the murder of the well-loved teenager . They added: 'We would like to thank everyone for being so kind and supportive. 'We have been moved by the depth of sympathy and compassion around us, not only from close family and friends but also from the local community.' And they asked those who wanted to make a donation to give to the Youth Music charity in Alice's memory. In a statement released by the family, they spoke of her love for music, saying: 'A tribute and donation page has been set up in Alice's memory with Youth Music. 'We feel this is a fitting tribute to our daughter Alice. She loved music and loved making music and would have wanted other children to experience this joy.' Ealing Council leader Julian Bell said: 'Even on this most difficult of days, it is testament to the family's generosity of spirit that they would rather people remembered Alice by making a donation to the charity the National Foundation for Youth Music.' Flags were flown at half-mast over Ealing Town Hall, symbolising the grief of the local community which was devastated by Alice's disappearance and murder over the summer. Grief: Alice lived with her parents Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross and her elder sister, Nina Gross . Alice left her family home in Hanwell at around 1pm on 28 August, telling her mother she would be home by 6pm. At 4.26pm she was captured on CCTV walking along the canal under Trumper's Way, a bridge crossing the canal, heading back towards Hanwell. CCTV also showed a cyclist, later identified as murder suspect Arnis Zalkalns, cycling a few minutes behind her. On 1 September her parents appealed for her to get in touch, saying they desperately missed her. On 3 September convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns, 41, was last seen at home in Ealing, where he lived with his partner and child. Latvian builder Arnis Zalkalns, left, is believed to have murdered the 14-year-old who went missing in August . The next day Zalkalns, a builder from Latvia, failed to meet a friend and bike to work with him - Zalkalns, who rode a red Trek mountain bike, would always cycle along the Grand Union Canal to work on a building site in Isleworth. On 5 September Zalkalns was reported missing from his home to police. Six days later, police say builders found Alice's bag in undergrowth near the canal the day after she went missing. It contained the trainers she was wearing when she left her house, underwear, and rubbish from her packed lunch, but not her white iPhone, which was last used on 28 August. On 16 September detectives appeared on BBC Crimewatch appealing for help in tracing Alice and saying they wanted to find another missing person, Arnis Zalkalns. Two days later, they admitted they were treating him as a suspect, and the day after that, a reward of £20,000 for information leading to Alice was announced. Police said the hunt for Alice and her killer was the biggest manhunt staged by the Met since the 7/7 London bombings in 2005. On the weekend of 20/21 September, British detectives finally asked police in Latvia, where Zalkalns had a conviction for murdering his wife, for help. On 30 September, Alice's body was found in the River Brent, covered in plastic and hidden under logs. Zalkalns' body was found hanged in woodland in Boston Manor Park, just a mile from where Alice's body was found, on 4 October. The general labourer, who worked at a building site in Isleworth, west London, is believed to have come to the UK in 2007, but authorities here are thought to have had no record of his murder conviction. A review of how the case was handled is currently being carried out by Scotland Yard. Inquests into both their deaths have been opened and adjourned, with further tests going on to find out how Alice died. | Alice's family say they are 'devastated by appalling circumstances of death' They released new photos of their beloved daughter on the day of funeral . Residents bowed heads as the funeral cortege passed through west London . Yellow coffin was painted by Alice's grandmother featuring her cats and dog . Mourners at humanist celebration of Alice's life sang You Are My Sunshine . Alice left her home in Hanwell, west London, for the last time on 28 August . Schoolgirl, 14, last seen walking along towpath beside Grand Union Canal . Her body was discovered hidden under logs in River Brent on 30 September . Murder suspect Arnis Zalkalns found hanged in nearby park on 4 October . | cec8d568b8cc12d5d439b87d928d97b925a9ff50 |
The grandmother of a three-year-old boy who tragically died just two days before Christmas after crashing his motorcycle has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her grandson. The boy suffered abdominal injuries was riding on a private rural property in Millaa Millaa on the Atherton Tablelands on Wednesday. His grandmother Sari Geraghty said the family were in shock, saying it was a 'freak accident'. The boy suffered abdominal injuries was riding on a private rural property in Millaa Millaa on the Atherton Tablelands . 'He meant so much to us. He touched so many lives,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'We're struggling to come to terms with it.' When the toddler fell off the bike he got back up while crying at the Campbell Road address, The Courier Mail reported. It is thought the father of the child was there at the time of the incident. A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the boy was taken to Atherton District Hospital by road in an ambulance. She said the service was called to the property at 11.13am on Tuesday and the child was in 'an altered level of consciousness'. Paramedics were called to the property at 11.13am on Tuesday and the child was in 'an altered level of consciousness' RACQ Careflight were also alerted to the incident and arrived with a medical team, but were not required to transport the boy. A Queensland police spokesman confirmed to Daily Mail Australia officers were called to investigate the incident and the boy was riding a motorcycle. He said a report would be provided to the coroner. A Millaa Millaa resident told Daily Mail Australia the toddler's family were a local dairy family. 'It's a very small town... I just heard about it 15 minutes ago,' she said on Wednesday. | The boy was taken by ambulance to Atherton Hospital in Queensland . He was riding a bike on a rural property in Millaa Millaa when he crashed . It is thought the toddler's father was with him at the time of the incident . Area is known for its dairy and farmers have called it a 'freak accident' | 27520fd2b55f754b497f1e0dfa282e9c2cabc19e |
Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne looked down in the dumps as he put his bins out in what is his first public appearance since he was sectioned following an alcohol meltdown. The 47-year-old looked downcast when he was spotted wearing a blue dressing gown, tartan pyjama bottoms and slip-on shoes outside his property in Poole, Dorset. The former midfielder, who was sectioned for his own safety last month, was also sporting scars to his face following a recent fall while he carried out the chore at 1pm on Thursday. Scroll down for video . Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne looked down in the dumps as he put his bins out in Poole, Dorset . The former midfielder looked downcast as he carried out the chore in his dressing gown and pyjama bottoms . It is the first time Gascoigne, who retired from football in 2004, has been pictured in public since being sectioned under the Mental Health Act on October 24. The star was placed on a three-day emergency detox after being rushed to hospital in the early hours following an apparent alcohol binge. He is now said to be recovering at home with his new 44-year-old girlfriend Mandy Thomas, who he only recently started seeing. She is said to have vowed to stand by him and is helping him with his recovery. Less than 48 hours prior to his hospitalisation last month, the pair were pictured out and about and onlookers said they had been discussing their plans for the future. They are said to have met after the former Newcastle, Tottenham and Rangers star visited the post office she runs in Bournemouth, Dorset. The star was placed on a three-day emergency detox last month after being rushed to hospital in the early hours following an apparent alcohol binge. He is now said to be recovering at home with his new girlfriend . It is the first time Gascoigne, who retired from football in 2004, has been pictured in public since being sectioned under the Mental Health Act on October 24. He has suffered a lengthy battle with alcoholism . Ms Thomas, who is separated from her husband and has two children, is said to be 'besotted' with the star with whom she has become 'inseparable'. She reportedly helped him move into his new apartment in the expensive area of Sandbanks in Poole in August. It was shortly after he was released from Poole Hospital after another alcoholic breakdown that he was found slumped outside his flat clutching a bottle of gin. Friends said the new couple viewed the move as a fresh start and said that Ms Thomas hopes to help him through the most recent 'setback'. Gascoigne and his new love Mandy Thomas appear to be the picture of domestic bliss as they pose together in the garden of his new home two days prior to his hospitalisation. Ms Thomas (right) is supporting him . The 47-year-old star was rushed to hospital at 3am on October 24 and sectioned under the Mental Health Act . The football ace has suffered a long battle with alcoholism and was previously sectioned six years ago. The star, who made 57 appearances for his country, has been in rehab seven times and was first sectioned under the Mental Health Act in 2008, following an incident at a Newcastle hotel. His seventh stint in rehab was in January this year when he checked into a £6,000-a-month treatment clinic in Southampton. Last month, the star was pictured cradling a chicken while enjoying a pint and speaking to locals in a pub beer garden. At the time of his hospitalisation, Gascoigne's agent Terry Baker told MailOnline that the star 'is not very well' but refused to comment on his condition any further. Paul Gascoigne leans in for a kiss with his girlfriend Mandy Thomas who was with him in hospital last month . Gascogine looking weak and frail in August (left) and in his footballing glory days playing for England (right) Former England star Gascoigne netted two huge fish during an outing with a friend in Hampshire last month . | Gazza spotted for the first time since being sectioned last month . 47-year-old looked downcast as he put the bins out outside home in Poole . Spotted in blue dressing gown and pyjama bottoms on Thursday afternoon . Former footballer put on emergency three-day detox in October after binge . New girlfriend Mandy Thomas has vowed to stand by him through ordeal . Former England star has suffered a long battle with alcoholism and drugs . | 9ca32ad1aacaadbe94b2398586085c918ac0e2e5 |
An alarming video of two shirtless men fighting in a street in regional Queensland has gone viral. The footage was taken in Festival Street in Rockville - in the state's south-east - and starts off with just two men in a front yard exchanging punches while onlookers stand clear of the conflict. But the incident soon escalates when a third man takes a large stick and bashes one of the men involved in the initial brawl with it. Scroll down for video . The footage was taken in Festival Street in Rockville - in the state's south-east - and has gone viral . It starts off with just two men in a front yard exchanging punches while onlookers stand clear of the conflict . The exchange becomes so heated that it soon makes its way onto the neighbour's lawn, with some witnesses pulling out smartphones to film the exchange. But it is not the first time, neighbours on Festival Street - an area with public housing - have heard of fights unfolding near their homes. Resident Sarah Giddy moved with her husband and five children to Rockville just eight months ago and told The Chronicle she had already witnessed a number of other fights in the street. 'It happens quite frequently and there are usually police here straight away,' she said. But the incident soon escalates when a third man takes a large stick and bashes one of the men involved in the initial brawl with it . The exchange becomes so heated that it soon makes its way onto the neighbour's lawn . 'They haven't done anything to us but there are other people who could get hurt.' Another resident - who wished to remain anonymous - said he had seen the fight take place on Saturday from his house. He said the street had died down in previous years but incidents of this kind were starting to pop up again. 'It is mainly the young fellows,' the man told the APN-owned newspaper. But neighbours say it is not the first time fights have broken out on the suburban street . The video was originally posted on Facebook and in just a few days it had attracted more than 400,000 views. This comes after a disturbing Facebook page emerged, featuring videos of students fighting at a Perth school. Kinross College is looking to have the group shut down but Facebook is refusing to budge. In one video on the Perth Fights page, two Year 9 students are seen punching and kicking each other, while being cheered on by other students. Onlookers can be heard encouraging the fighters and are heard shouting: 'Go…fight, fight, fight'. | Incident happened in Festival Street, Rockville - in Queensland's south-east . Initial brawl involved two men fighting on a front lawn before a third joins in . The third man comes over and decides to hit one of them with a large stick . It turns into a second fight, which makes its way onto neighbour's lawn . Latest incident comes after a Facebook 'fight club' emerged two days ago . On this page, videos of students from a Perth school are seen fighting . | 993be74f9e6772fcf3fd2184d8adfba0b2fa6c17 |
With no political experience and little knowledge of economics, performing arts professor Vladimir Franz was already an unlikely candidate for the Czech Republic presidential election. The fact that 90 per cent of his body is covered in tattoos makes it even more surprising that not only is he standing for election - he currently stands third in the polls. One in nine voters are believed to be planning on backing the 53-year-old opera composer and painter in this weekend's presidential elections after a £15,000 election campaign that didn't even include posters. Scroll down for video . Avatar kingmaker: Professor Vladimir Franz is third in line in the run-up to the Czech presidential elections - despite little to no political experience and a body covered in tattoos . He's tipped to win around 11 per cent in the first round of votes on Friday and Saturday, which is not enough to go through, but may make him kingmaker. Leading candidates Jan Fischer and Milos Zeman, both former prime ministers, ought to be keen to benefit from his following if the vote goes to a second round. And Mr Franz, a Professor at Prague's Academy of Performing Arts, is not short of admirers. In a country where voters are increasingly tired of corrupt politicians who, they say, fail to keep promises more than two decades after the fall of communism, Mr Franz's agenda of promoting human rights, democracy and green energy policies has made an impact. ‘The (political) system is so enchanted with itself that it has lost the ability to self-reflect,’ he said in an interview yesterday. 'Czechs are fed up with this c**p.’ Double figures: Vladimir Franz, seen smiling prior to a rehearsal of his opera 'War with the Newts' at the State Opera in Prague, Czech Republic yesterday, is predicted 11 per cent in the first round of voting this weekend . Competition: Both Jan Fischer, left, and Milos Zeman, right, are former prime ministers of the Czech Republic . Mr Franz says he only threw his hat in . the ring after a group of admirers established the Franz for President . initiative and begged him to shake up the race through his shock factor. But he's stirred up such goodwill that a leading economist offered his . services for free and his campaign workers are also volunteers. He's only spent £15,575 ($25,000) from donations on his campaign and hasn't put up any posters. Changes; Vladimir Franz says Czechs are fed up with the current political system . Franz burst onto the political scene with an eye-catching 88,000 signatures from the public at the end of 2012 - far more than the 50,000 required by law. Not affiliated with any party, he has campaigned mostly on a platform highlighting graft, the importance of education and the nation's moral standing. He's proven particularly popular with young voters - and those not yet eligible to cast a ballot. In a mock presidential election at 441 high schools across the country a month before the vote, Franz won by a landslide, garnering more than 40 per cent of some 60,000 votes. And, perhaps surprisingly, few take issue with his tattoos. ‘Personally, . I wouldn't vote for him - but (the tattoos) are not a problem at all,’ said Tomas Pistora, a 33-year-old IT specialist from Prague. ‘The young . people prefer him because they don't have a better choice.’ ‘The . tattoo doesn't make any difference,’ said Jakub Fisera, a student in . Prague, adding a lack of experience in politics was more an issue. For the first time, the Czech . president will be elected in a popular vote - a new system that makes it . possible for independent candidates like Franz to run for the largely . ceremonial post. Vaclav . Klaus, the incumbent, opposed the change, calling it ‘a fatal mistake’ and said he feared the likes of Franz might succeed him. A total of nine candidates are . running. Unlike the Euro-skeptic Klaus who attacked the EU at every . opportunity, the favorites, Zeman and Fischer, have a more moderate . approach to the bloc which the country joined in 2004. Zeman, the leftist premier in 1998-02, . leads the polls with about 25 per cent support. Fischer, a centrist and . a former state bureaucrat, gained significant popularity when he led a . caretaker government in 2009-10. He polls at about 20 per cent. Back to basics: Classical music composer, painter and opera singer Vladimir Franz has little knowledge of economics, but promotes human rights, democracy and renewable energy . Disapproval: Incumbent president Vaclav Klaus called the introduction of a popular vote and allowing independent candidates such as Mr Franz, was a 'fatal mistake' As . the campaign approached its end on Tuesday, eight candidates were busy drumming up votes. The ninth - Franz - had other matters to deal with: a . final rehearsal of his opera, War With The Newts, at the State Opera. Torn between art and politics, Franz cut short his appearance at an election debate to return to the opera house that is part of Prague's National Theater. But he committed to staying to the end of Thursday's final televised debate. It wasn't an easy choice, but he realized his credibility demanded that he take part. ‘For a Czech composer to have a world premiere in the National Theater is something extraordinary. I had to make a choice between a service to the public and the fulfillment of my life-long dream. I've made the choice and will be at the debate.’ | Tattooed presidential candidate Vladimir Franz may become kingmaker . Third place for this weekend's elections after poster-less campaign . Performing arts professor, nicknamed 'Avatar', has no political experience . | 4e6a506ee8c6cef66f954df7aa919aa958bf95f3 |
(CNN) -- It's been more than 20 years since he fought in a sandpit, but Lone Chaw still recalls the dusty village lots of his youth, unmarked except for footprints stained by sweat and blood. Stamping about in a ritual known as "lat kha maung," he slaps his open palms against his elbows, imitating the wings of a fighting cock, as if attempting to summon its spirit. Lat kha maung is performed before the matches as a kind of ritual that originated in farming villages. This is the way of Lethwei -- Myanmar's traditional form of boxing. Hidden from the rest of the world for decades, the sport, like Myanmar itself, is experiencing a revival and rediscovery both at home and abroad. In August, the Woodlands Sports Hall in Singapore hosted an international bare-knuckled Lethwei challenger fight. Similar events in Bangkok have helped usher in a new era for Lethwei. Fighters turned trainers . Once derided as a sport fit for only rugged brutes -- Lone Chaw required eight stitches in his face after a fight at age 17 -- Lethwei is finding new respect at the Thut Ti Myanmar Lethwei Club in Yangon. Here, Lone Chaw teaches introductory lessons to a stratum of society distinctly different from the fierce yet humble fighters he grew up facing in the Ayeyarwady Delta region. His students are local doctors, foreign investment bankers and even Myanmar celebrities, including advertisement pinup Wutt Hmone Shwe Yi. "Two years ago, foreigners began coming here," says Win Zin Oo, founder and director of the gym. "Today the Lethwei classes are, on average, half foreign and half local." Weekend classes can attract up to 10 students, he says. The boxing club is especially proud of having trained a headline-making Lethwei fighter from the UK, "Mr. Hammer" Sean Bardoe. During a fight in 2013, Bardoe, 44, displayed a "mental and physical toughness," according to Mr. Win, that won over the crowd and landed him a draw in the ring. But those interested in taking up the sport don't have to have professional aspirations. "The workout for extreme pro fighters may not be appropriate for starters so we use a more simplified form for our students," says Mr. Win, who by day is the Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Director for World Vision, an American NGO. Mr. Win (as he prefers to be called) is Mickey to Lone Chaw's Rocky. He coached the Golden Belt freeweight champion until the fighter's retirement. One of Mr. Win's fondest memories of coaching was Lone Chaw's first fight in Japan, 10 years ago. Competing under Lethwei rules, a local jujitsu star went up against the then-29-year-old Lone Chaw. Lone Chaw took him down in less than a minute, leaving the Nagasaki crowd astonished. "They watched a country boy KO his opponent in the first round, unexpectedly," Mr. Win recalls with pride. Fewer kicks, higher intensity . At Thut Ti Gym, Lone Chaw and Mr. Win now work as tag-team instructors, offering training sessions for 5,000 kyat ($5) per person. The setting is typical of the improvised simplicity familiar across Myanmar. An iron-wrought roof and plastic tarps are all that shield the gym from the elements. Novices practice agility by bouncing on tires. The modest ring vibrates with energy every Saturday, when practitioners spar. Though it bears some resemblance to the Muay Thai practiced in neighboring Thailand, Lethwei is different in a number of ways. "In Muay Thai, kicks and knee strikes prevail, but Lethwei fighters use more punches and fewer kicks," explains Mr. Win. "Traditionally, Lethwei fighters don't fight with gloves, and we use a lot of other components such as throwing, choking and head butts. At a more elemental level, the momentum and fighting intensity are much faster." Bare-knuckled fighting . Watching matches, that momentum becomes evident. Strikes are uncompromisingly fierce. Knockouts come quickly. "There are no five or six rounds in Lethwei," says James Ko, a 30-year-old private equity professional from Hong Kong, now living in Yangon. "Fundamentally, it's a bare-knuckled sport. "If you get close and elbow [your opponent] once, then you got him. It's really about that one blow." In its traditional form, Lethwei is "fought with bare knuckles bound by cloth," says Mr. Win. Boxing gloves are a recent development. As part of its current revival and reform period, contemporary mixed martial arts matches incorporating Lethwei fighters tend to enforce the use of gloves. "Myanmar Lethwei fighters never put on gloves until now," says Mr. Win. Still, the old sandpit spirit perseveres. Having previously trained under Muay Thai rules, James Ko has over the past year become one of the most dedicated foreign attendees at Thut Ti Gym. Above all, he says he's learned that in Lethwei, self-defense is crucial. "Before taking up Lethwei, I didn't realize I was so unprotected," says Ko. "If you wear a 14-ounce [boxing] glove, your chin is protected, but when you are in a Lethwei fight it's much easier [for your opponent] to make contact, so you must be more on guard." It's a lesson an increasingly diverse array of students is learning in Yangon and across Asia. Thut Ti Myanmar Lethwei Club, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Yangon; +95 9 731 87441; about $5 per session (5,000 kyat) In Asia since 2006, Justin Calderon's work has been featured in The New York Times, Newsweek (Japan), CNN Travel, Global Post, Borneo Post and The Nation (Bangkok). | Ignored for decades, Myanmar's traditional boxing form of Lethwei is experiencing a revival . Former champ now teaches foreign investment bankers and local celebs . Lethwei fighters use punches, throws, choking and head butts . In its traditional form, Lethwei is fought with bare knuckles bound by cloth . | 765627556edb59e6d23e89a311f6e58ca7398535 |
By . Steph Cockroft . A security guard stopped British cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy from entering the velodrome named in his honour because he did not have the right pass. The six-time Gold medallist, who is Team GB's most successful Olympian, was due to commentate on today's action at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow on the opening day of the Commonwealth Games. BBC Radio 5live reported how Sir Chris was asked for identification to enter his own velodrome - after the female guard did not recognise him. Scroll down for video . Sir Chris Hoy, pictured here at the velodrome which bears his name, was refused entry to the stadium because he did not have the right accreditation . After explaining who he was, Sir Chris was allowed in by the official for the start of the action. Realising her error, the embarrassed guard told a 5live reporter: 'Please, please can you apologise to him.' The woman, who claimed Sir Chris had been on the telephone at the time, added: 'I didn't realise who he was. My mum is going to kill me!' He then tweeted: 'All set and ready to go here at the velodrome, nice vantage point here up in the commentary box!' After explaining who he was, Sir Chris was allowed in to the velodrome - which bears his name, as pictured above - by the official for the start of the action . The Olympian was clearly unfazed by the incident, tweeting: 'She was just doing her job!!' A Commonwealth Games spokesperson was unavailable for comment. Earlier this week gold medal-winning . cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins complained that Sir Chris Hoy had been 'done . over' by the corporate branding on the velodrome. Wiggins said: 'I'd be a bit p***** off . if I were him, because they've stuck a great big Emirates sign over his . name and it doesn't stand out that it's the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome . other than a little thing as you walk in. The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, pictured above, is where the . Commonwealth Games cycling action will take place - but Sir Chris himself was not recognised at the door . Members of the Malaysian Cycling Team trained in the velodrome, pictured above, ahead of the start of the Commonwealth Games . 'It's more like a shopping sign with an Emirates thing on it,' he said. The airline is the official sponsorship partner of Glasgow 2014. Wiggins added that Sir Chris deserved to have a 'whopping great statue outside'. Edinburgh-born Hoy, who is reporting for the BBC during the Games, insisted he was delighted with the facility. The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome played host to the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in November 2012, the Scottish National Track Championships and the UCI Under-13 Track Championships in 2013. A bid is being made to host the 2016 World Track Championships. | Cyclist was due to commentate on today's action at Glasgow velodrome . But guard refused six-time Gold medallist entry after failing to recognise him . She said: 'I didn't realise who he was. My mum is going to kill me!' The cyclist later tweeted his 586,000 followers: 'She was just doing her job!!' | 751d0d8030149c538aed9f1383b81eadf4de457a |
South Africa captain Jean de Villiers faces a race to be fit for next year's World Cup. De Villiers was carried off during the Springboks' 12-6 defeat against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday after twisting his left knee and suffering a dislocated knee cap. Scans shortly after the match revealed significant ligament damage, and 33-year-old De Villiers was assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon in Cape Town on Monday, who advised that the centre requires surgical reconstruction of the knee. VIDEO Scroll down for Sportsmail's Big Match Stats from Wales vs South Africa . Jean de Villiers was carried off the Millennium Stadium pitch on a stretcher on Saturday . The Springboks captain dislocated his knee after twisting his leg during a challenge on Saturday . De Villiers saw a specialist on Monday to find out whether he has a chance of playing in the World Cup . Springboks team doctor Craig Roberts told www.sarugby.net that 106 times-capped De Villiers' absence from rugby 'would probably be at least eight months'. South Africa kick off their World Cup campaign against Japan in Brighton on September 19 next year. 'We are currently consulting with the best specialists in South Africa to determine the best way to approach the surgery, as there are potentially a few options available,' Roberts said. Wales' Dan Biggar (left) and Rhys Webb (right) tackle South Africa's De Villiers on Saturday . 'It's imperative that the best course of action is decided on so that Jean can start recovery and rehabilitation as soon as possible to give him the best chance to be fit for the World Cup. 'At this stage it's still difficult to determine how long he will be out of action, but it would probably be at least eight months.' | Jean de Villiers dislocated his left knee cap against Wales . Springboks captain saw an orthopaedic surgeon in Cape Town on Monday . The 33-year-old could miss the World Cup in 2015 as surgery is needed . Wales beat South Africa 12-6 at Millennium Stadium on Saturday . De Villiers faces at least eight months out due to injury . | b5fb388a7fb8950a5ad0ae495cfa8b137b6d5101 |
Three-year-old covered in cuts and bruises and feeding tube held in place by tape . Neighbours didn't even know the child existed . Mother, 28, tells police she suffers from depression . By . Paul Thompson . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 10 November 2011 . A mother is . facing child abuse charges after she starved her three-year- old son to the point . that he went into cardiac arrest. Arlena . Alanz, 28, is alleged to have tied the special needs toddler to his crib with a rope to stop . him from climbing out. The severely malnourished boy weighed . just 26lbs when he was finally taken to a hospital in Houston, Texas on October 2. Scroll down for video . Abuse: Arlena Alaniz, 28, has been charged with injuring a child after her three-year-old child, who has special needs, was starved and tied up at her apartment in Houston, Texas . Authorities found the boy after Alaniz called emergency services to her dilapidated apartment in a west Houston complex when the child stopped breathing, said Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva. Doctors . said that the child was in cardiac arrest and suffering from severe 'failure to thrive'. The boy was covered in bruises and cuts and at one point it was thought he would not survive. Investigators who interviewed the boy’s four-year-old brother said his . mother hit the younger child because he was always crying. The disabled child has to be fed through a feeding tube but after it fell out, Alaniz taped it to . his face to keep it in place. During an . interview with child protection officers, the single mother said she was unaware how her youngest . son suffered multiple injuries. Impoverished: The stairwell of the apartment block where the single mother lived with her two young sons in Houston, Texas . She also . told detectives that she suffered from depression and took sleeping pills every night. Neighbours . who know the family told police that they weren't aware Alaniz had a second . child because they never saw him. Doctors told investigators that the child's condition is consistent with abuse. Both children are now being cared for by Child Protective Services and are said to be doing well. Alaniz was charged with injury to a child at Harris County Jail on $20,000 bail. She is scheduled to appear in court later today. She has previously been convicted for driving while drunk. Police Say Mom Beat, Starved 3-Year-Old Son: MyFoxHOUSTON.com . | Three-year-old covered in cuts and bruises and feeding tube held in place by tape . Neighbours didn't even know the child existed . Mother, 28, tells police she suffers from depression . | da334a1bd4415b9e8750ec6b8c3b2620b3dda17f |
Chris Froome was such a disappointment to Team Sky less than three years ago that manager Dave Brailsford was ready to dump him — and told a rival team he was going to be available. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that on the eve of the Vuelta a España in August 2011, Brailsford told a senior official from RadioShack that Froome was among riders whose contracts were expiring and who were not in Sky’s plans for 2012. Turnaround: In 2013 Froome won the Tour de France for Team Sky but two years earlier they didn't want him . In the shadow: Before 2012 Froome (left) was firmly in the shadow of Bradley Wiggins (centre) Sources say both teams were staying at the same hotel in Benidorm, and the pair were discussing their rider requirements. RadioShack were interested in Sky’s Steve Cummings but Brailsford said he was already planning to go elsewhere. ‘Dave then suggested that RadioShack might be interested in Froome,’ said a source with knowledge of the meeting. ‘He made it clear things weren’t working out as envisaged and that Froome might be able to do a job elsewhere.’ RadioShack did not see Froome as the kind of rider they needed. Touted: Froome was offered to RadioShack but they too were not keen on the British rider . Abandoned: Froome was almost dropped by Sky until a strong perfomance in 2010 changed their minds . As it transpired, Froome rode the race of his life over the next few weeks, finishing second in a breakthrough event that changed the course of his entire career. Sky retained him and bumped up his £80,000-a-year wages. He went on to became an integral part of Bradley Wiggins’s Tour win in 2012 before winning it himself in 2013. Froome has credited his rise in part to diagnosis and treatment of bilharzia, a tropical disease he had been unwittingly carrying until late 2010, when he embarked on a three-year battle to get rid of it. | In 2010 Sky offered British rider to RadioShack . RadioShack were not interested so Froome remained . Rider earned a new contract supporting Bradley Wiggins . Froome went on to win 2013 Tour de France . | 9bb94191739dd5cab68930bade639cc3db18f9d7 |
CLICK HERE to read why Xavi reckons Lionel Messi would be even BETTER in the Premier League . Barcelona pass master Xavi has a long standing admiration for the English game and admits he would have loved to have played with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard at the Nou Camp. The two midfielders have created a conundrum for a succession of England managers puzzling over how to fit them both in the same team, but Xavi insists that they have the technique to play at any level. When asked by BBC Sport which English players could play at Barca, the Spaniard said: 'I would have in my team any top technically-gifted player. Barcelona veteran Xavi (R) revealed that he was reared on watching English football . The Spanish playmaker rates Steven Gerrard (R) among his favourite current English players . Gerrard and Frank Lampard (above) have the necessary skills to play for Barcelona, says Xavi . 'Gerrard could have played for Barcelona, as could Lampard. They're players with top-quality technique. Here we prioritise technique over the physical aspect of the game. So a lot of English players could play for Barcelona.' The 34-year-old still rates Gerrard and Lampard among his favourite current English players and has praise for a couple of next generation talents. Jack Wilshere and Raheem Sterling (R) are Xavi's picks from England's next generation . 'There is a lot of talent out there and I think Jack Wilshire is an amazing player, very good. Raheem Sterling has a great future ahead of him. 'Then there's the older guys such as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and John Terry. They're part of English history, winning every single title.' Xavi grew up watching spectacular goals scored by Southampton's Matt Le Tissier (C) The 34-year-old also recalls the so-called 'sombrero' scored by Paul Gascoigne against Scotland at Euro 96 . Xavi also revealed he was nurtured on watching English football, although the fact that his affection was reserved for exponents of the beautiful game is less surprising. 'I remember John Barnes, Paul Gascoigne and Matt Le Tissier. We used to watch a lot of English football. They used to show highlights and Le Tissier scored some spectacular goals. 'I remember the European Championships in England with Gascoigne playing some great matches and remember the 'sombrero' at Wembley [Gascoigne's goal against Scotland]. It was spectacular.' | Barcelona star Xavi revealed he has grown up watching English football . Spain international picks out Steven Lampard, Frank Lampard, Jack Wilshere and Raheem Sterling as his favourite current players . Xavi used to admire John Barnes, Paul Gascoigne and Matthew Le Tissier . | 953b4e2542caa29bf42db799141d042188cc7cbe |
By . James Rush . Sir Roger Bannister has revealed he is suffering from Parkinson's disease, 60 years after becoming the first man to run a four-minute mile. The former athlete, who went on to have a distinguished career as a neurologist, said he had been diagnosed with the condition three years ago but had refrained from speaking publicly about it until now. The 85-year-old said he was now having 'troubles with walking' as he made the admission in a BBC Radio Oxford documentary to mark the anniversary of his famous run in the city, which will be broadcast today. Scroll down for video . Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run under a four-minute mile, has revealed he is suffering from Parkinson's disease . Sir Roger went on to have a distinguished career as a neurologist following his retirement from athletics. His work as a neurologist led to a greater understanding of degenerative disease and disorders of the autonomic nervous system. Decades of neurological training, clinical work and research at the National Hospital and St Mary's Hospital in London made him an expert on Parkinson's many years before he was diagnosed. He said: 'I am having troubles with walking. Ironically it is a neurological disorder - Parkinson's. 'There's a gentle irony to it. I have seen and looked after patients with so many neurological and other disorders that I am not surprised I have acquired an illness. It's in the nature of things. 'I am being well looked after and I don't intend to let it interfere - as much as I can.' Sir Roger (pictured in February this year) said he was 'being well looked after' and 'I don't intend to let it interfere - as much as I can' Sir Roger broke the four-minute mile mark on May 6, 1954, at Oxford's Iffley Road Track with the help of Sir Christopher Chataway and Chris Brasher who acted as pacesetters . He went on to say: 'Just consider the alternatives - that is the way I look at it. 'One of my pleasures in life - apart from running - has been walking. Intellectually I am not (degenerating) and what is walking anyway!' Sir Roger broke the four-minute mile barrier on May 6, 1954, at Oxford's Iffley Road Track with the help of Sir Christopher Chataway and Chris Brasher who acted as pacesetters. Brasher died in 2003 after a short illness and Chataway died of cancer in January this year. Sir Roger's interest in neurology was one of the main reasons for his decision to curtail his athletics career after the 1964 European Championships. Sir Roger Bannister with his wife Lady Moyra Bannister, pictured on their engagement day before their wedding in 1955 . Sir Roger Bannister (left) with his wife Lady Moyra Bannister (holding baby) at the christening of their baby son Clive Christopher . In an interview with the Guardian in . 2004, Sir Roger said: 'I had always wanted to become a neurologist, . which is one of the most demanding vocations in medicine. 'Where do you stop, after all, with the brain? How does it function? What are its limits? The work seems unending.' Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurological disorder, characterised by a deficiency of dopamine. This affects the way the brain co-ordinates the movements of the muscles in different parts of the body. The disease mainly develops in the over 50s. About 5 in 1,000 people in their 60s, and about 40 in 1,000 people in their 80s have the condition. The main symptoms are slowness of movement, stiffness of muscles and shaking. These tend to slowly worsen with time although the rate varies from patient to patient. There is currently no cure, although drugs, therapies and surgery can control the symptoms. He told the programme he believes there is much work still to do before a cure for the condition with which he has been afflicted can be found. Sir Roger added: 'I know quite a lot about [Parkinson's] and have treated a lot of people with it. 'I am aware of all the research that's been done. I think it will take some time before there is a breakthrough. But the management and drug treatments are improving all the time.' Four-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Matthew Pinsent took to Twitter to voice his support for Sir Roger today. Sir Matthew tweeted: 'Such sad news about Sir Roger Bannister - diagnosed with Parkinson's. A gentleman and a scholar.' Hundreds of other people added their voices to the wave of support. Photographer Rich Clark said: 'Sad to hear that Sir Roger Bannister has #parkinsons He cured my father when he returned from Africa with encephalitis. #hero #gentleman.' Josh Goodfellow, a bodybuilder with cerebral palsy from Boston, Lincolnshire, said: 'Sad news regarding Sir Roger Bannister. Suffering from Parkinson's disease. Will always be an icon in Athletics. He was part of a revolution.' Professional golfer Ben Storey simply added: 'Roger Bannister, what a man.' Decades of neurological training, clinical work and research at the National Hospital and St Mary's Hospital in London made Sir Roger (pictured at his home in Oxford) an expert on Parkinson's many years before he was diagnosed . Following the announcement, Steve Ford, Chief Executive at Parkinson’s UK, said: 'An inspiration to so many, Sir Roger Bannister is a much-loved sporting legend and we are saddened to hear that he is being treated for Parkinson’s. 'One person every hour in the UK will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s, yet it remains a little understood condition and we applaud Sir Roger and his decision to speak publicly about his diagnosis at this stage in his long life. 'There are 127,000 people in the UK, who like Sir Roger, are living with Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s can be challenging to live with, and symptoms – such as slowness of movement or tremor – changing on a daily, or even hourly basis. 'Many people, with the right medication, continue to live a full and active live with Parkinson’s, but for some, it can be life changing and we hope that Sir Roger gets the support he needs to continue to live with this complex condition. 'We wish Sir Roger and his family all the best.' The race to be the first man to break the four-minute mile mark captured imaginations around the world. It had become the sport's Everest, as much a test of the human spirit as the body. It was a spring evening in Oxford when Sir Roger Bannister wrote his name into sporting history. The date was May 6, 1954, and the venue the university's Iffley Road track. Supported by pacemakers Christopher Chataway and Chris Brasher and cheered on by an expectant 3,000-strong crowd, the 25-year-old medical student burst through the line in 3m 59.4s. It was a spring evening in Oxford when Sir Roger Bannister wrote his name into sporting history by breaking the four-minute mile mark . He had knocked an incredible two seconds off Sweden’s Gunder Hagg's record. A trailblazer, the rest, including the likes of Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram, would follow his lead. For Bannister it was a case of redemption after he finished fourth, out of the medals, in the 1500m final at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, the disappointment fuelling his ambitions in the mile. He went on to win Commonwealth gold medal over the mile in Vancouver in August 1954, beating John Landy, who had taken his record two months earlier, to the title, and the man himself regards that success as a greater achievement than his world record. His winning time was a personal best, 3:58.8. Sir Roger Bannister, pictured at Motspur Park in 1953, went on to win Commonwealth gold medal over the mile in Vancouver in August 1954 . He also went on to win 1500m gold that year at the European Championships in Bern before hanging up his spikes to focus on his medical career. He became a distinguished neurologist, served as chairman of the Sports Council between 1971 and 1974 and was knighted in 1975. Bannister was master of Pembroke College at the University of Oxford from 1985 and 1993. It was that run from 1954 which made him a national hero, though. The Iffley Road track is now named after Bannister and a blue plaque commemorates his performance. And it is an an achievement which has diminished not one bit over the past 60 years. | Sir Roger Bannister said he was diagnosed with condition three years ago . The 85-year-old said he was now 'having troubles with walking' Sir Roger broke the four-minute mile barrier on May 6, 1954, in Oxford . He went on to have a distinguished career as a neurologist . | 30121c0eed6a9e11710f4fdac0dd774963b77eff |
(CNN) -- I hate Super Bowl parties. My wife would prefer that I not open this column with that sentence. "We'll never be invited to another one," she says. Hmm ... I hate Super Bowl parties. Hate them. Oh, I love the Super Bowl. I love Vince Ferragamo and the Los Angeles Rams nearly upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980. I love Jack Squirek's walk-into-the-end zone interception of Joe Theismann in 1984. I love Marcus Allen reversing field and William Perry running over the Patriots and Doug Williams shocking the Broncos and Jeff Hostetler filling in for Phil Simms and Steve Young yanking the monkey off his back. Opinion: Who is God backing in the Super Bowl? I absolutely, positively love the Super Bowl. Just not Super Bowl parties. Back when I was a kid, growing up on the mean streets of Mahopac, New York, Super Bowl watching was simple: me, alone, plopped down in front of the television in my den, football tucked beneath my arm, a bowl of pretzels to the side. I didn't want to be bothered; I didn't want to engage. I wanted to watch a football game -- in peace. Still do. But nowadays, Super Bowl parties have joined Christmas Eve dinners and Easter egg hunts as requisite American rituals -- enjoyment be damned. If you're not in a room with a large-screen TV and a bunch of balloons and 40 people complaining about the nacho dip, you're in the wrong place. Well, to hell with that. Nothing ruins the Super Bowl like a Super Bowl party. Or, to be more precise, the people attending a Super Bowl party. Not everyone, of course. But for every shindig thrown, there's guaranteed to be at least one dolt who -- like a "Terminator" sent back in time -- is programmed to ruin everything. The non-fan's guide to Super Bowl parties . Here's a quick breakdown: . 1. The Knows-Everything-That's-About-to-Happen Dolt: Four years ago, while watching the Cardinals and Steelers play one of the great Super Bowls in NFL history, I had the misfortune of being in the same room as Myles. I'd once played flag football with Myles and was, well, unimpressed. A short, stout man in his early 40s, he boasted hands of stone and speed of mud but talked as if he were Randy Moss. When I first spotted him at the Super Bowl party I thought, "Uh, this can't be good." It wasn't. Myles predicted every play five seconds before the snap -- and was right approximately .00872% of the time. "Oh, they're gonna run James up the middle here" -- pass. "Big Ben needs to throw a long one" -- screen. Myles didn't just prognosticate. He did so in a r-e-a-l-l-y loud voice. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to dress Myles in a Cowboys jersey and banish him to a bar in Philadelphia. Instead, I sat there, listening as this fool behaved like John Madden on whippets. 2. The Quiet!-the-Commercials-Are-on Dolt: Don't get me started. The Super Bowl is about football. Seriously -- it's about football and two elite teams and runs up the gut and slants and touchdowns and interceptions and field goals. It's not about the Alf puppet, John Oates and Justin Bieber teaming up for a wacky Pepsi commercial. I get it: Commercials are sometimes funny and clever. Fine. But if one more person jabbers on throughout the game, then tells me to "Shhhh ..." so he/she can watch the friggin' Clydesdales, I'm losing it. 3. The Long-Suffering-Fan-in-the-Jersey-With-the-Price-Tag-Still-on Dolt: Inevitably, someone will arrive this Sunday wearing a brand new Ray Rice Ravens jersey while talking about "all the years I've suffered waiting for this day." "Can you name five members of the Ravens?" Ray Rice. "Good." Ray Lewis. "OK." Jim Flacco. "Go away." I'm a fan of the New York Jets. I was born in 1972. Not only have I gone 40 years without my team appearing in the Super Bowl, but I've had to sit through the likes of Blair Thomas, Rich Kotite and JoJo Townsell. In other words -- zip it. 4. The Box Dolt: I can't remember the last time I attended a Super Bowl party where someone failed to pass around a sheet of paper with a bunch of boxes, and everyone was guilted into plunking down $5. Then, throughout the game, someone screams out "14!" or "27!" and everyone cheers. To this day, I have no remote idea what this means -- only that it irks the living hell out of me. 5. The Drunk Dolt: Not much really needs to be said -- he drinks 12 beers, eats all the nachos, vomits all the nachos on your shoes while screaming, "Go Astros!" and is sent home early. Fortunately, this year should be OK. The wife has agreed that we'll stay home, order a pizza and watch Ravens-49ers in the den with our kids. As long as no one talks, I'm golden. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeff Pearlman. | Jeff Pearlman says he loves the Super Bowl, just hates having to go to a party . He says when he was young, it was him, with football under arm, the TV, and no talking . Now a dolt's always blabbing through game and wanting quiet during commercials, he says . Pearlman says this year he's staying home with family to watch -- in peace and quiet . | 0bae83154a34e0730d2d3c23bf83b12ec5aeb5e8 |
By . Katy Dartford . PUBLISHED: . 07:49 EST, 25 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:55 EST, 25 October 2012 . The FBI is joining an investigation into bogus letters sent to many Florida residents, including the Republican Party of Florida chairman, that raise questions about their eligibility to vote. The FBI will focus on letters received by voters in 18 counties in central and southwest Florida. According to the Republican Party of Florida, Chairman Lenny Curry received one of the fake letters on Tuesday. Scroll down for Video . The fake polling letters raise questions about the voter's citizenship and appear to intend to intimidate people . 'This type of activity is not only disgusting, it is criminal, and must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,' Curry said. 'I call on Florida Democrats to join me in condemning this false letter writing campaign that appears to target likely voters in Florida, and help RPOF get the word out about this false campaign.' The bogus letters claim to be from county supervisors of elections but are postmarked from Seattle. They raise questions about the voter's citizenship and appear intended to intimidate people. Officials on Monday said voters who had received the letters so far are white, registered Republicans who consistently vote in elections. The bogus letters claim to be from county supervisors of elections but are postmarked from Seattle . 'This is a major concern,' said Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Mike Ertel, who received a letter from a voter mailed from Seattle with no return address. 'You should not expect a letter from your elections office saying, 'You're not registered to vote, please don't go to the polls.' That's ridiculous.' On Tuesday, the state of Florida said there have been reports from more than 20 counties where voters have received fraudulent letters impersonating supervisors of elections. 'We are working with the state’s supervisors of elections as well as law enforcement to find the source of these letters and put a stop to them. 'We have provided all of the information we have received to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement,' said Chris Cate, communications director for the Florida Department of State. 'We have no tolerance for voter fraud or intimidation, and any attempts at fraud or intimidation will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.' Voters in more than 20 counties have received fraudulent letters impersonating supervisors of elections . Inside the letter is the resident's supervisor of election's name, the resident's name and address, and a warning that doubts the voter's citizenship, saying the resident is not eligible to vote unless a letter is returned in an enclosed form within 15 days. 'It creates confusion, it's just a big distraction,' said Linda Tanko of the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, which has received multiple letters. Some voters said it's easy to be fooled. 'It looks official,' a Central Florida resident said. 'I would think they were full of it because I would ask for someone to prove it,' said another voter when showed a copy of the fraudulent letter. East Naples resident Wayne Hoss said he received his letter on Saturday and immediately knew it was a hoax because he was born in the United States. Hoss says the letter included a form seeking personal information, including his Social Security and driver's license numbers. The FBI says voters who get a letter should contact their supervisor of elections and then keep the letter for the FBI. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is also investigating. Voter fraud is punishable with up to a 5 year prison sentence. Video . | Voters in 18 counties in central and southwest Florida receive them . Letters postmarked from Seattle say they are from election supervisors . Bogus letters question voter's citizenship and appear to intimidate people . | 50e23789408c714eb7a0ea093466d6e1f0c2a70b |
Hong Kong (CNN) -- A high-profile monk who played a key role in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West has been murdered in southwest China, police say. Tarap Shetrup Akong, who has British citizenship , was killed along with his nephew and another man in Sichuan province on Tuesday, police in the provincial capital Chengdu said on their official account on the microblogging site Weibo. Police said that three suspects have been captured, and that the victims were stabbed in a financial dispute. Akong was born in Tibet in 1940 and left for exile in 1959. He founded a monastery called Samye Ling in a secluded part of Scotland. The victim's brother said in a statement on the monastery's website that he had been "assassinated" but did not give any further details. Robbie Barnett, a Tibet expert at Columbia University in New York, said that he was known for his social as much as spiritual work. "The bulk of his life's work was on providing social welfare to villagers, rural communities, townspeople, nomads and monasteries in Tibet and other countries." Barnett said that he had great diplomatic skill and was able to maintain relationships with high-level Chinese officials without compromising his work with Tibetans on the ground. CNN's Jaime FlorCruz in Beijing contributed reporting . | A high-profile British Tibetan monk and two other men have been killed in China . Police said that three suspects have been captured . The victims were killed over a financial dispute, police added . Victim's brother says he was "assassinated" | 2183cbc3d45892e673c680373eeb60757fe2d707 |
Bayern Munich put smiles on the faces of schoolchildren and the local community in Macedonia when they donated seats from their stadium in order for a new ground to be built at the Nuri Mazari school. The German champions were approached by the school about the possibility of donating 100 seats from the renovated South Stand of the Allianz Arena earlier this summer. And with Bayern having part of the stadium knocked down for a standing-only vicinity in the close season, this left hundreds of seats up for grabs. VIDEO Scroll down to see Franck Ribery take on shooting practice . Before: The Nuri Mazari school's stadium was far from impressive prior to the renovation . Thank you Bayern: The school express their gratitude to the German champions for their generosity . Engaging: The new stadium will be a great place for the school children and community to interact . Admiring: Local people take a look around their impressive new stadium . Impressive: The new stadium at the Nuri Mazari schoolcan hold up to 255 people . Unveiling: Local schoolchildren gather for the grand opening at the new stadium . And Bayern were more than happy to help offering an additional 155 seats to the original quota, bringing the total up to 255. The small town of Dollogozhda couldn't have imagined beyond their wildest dreams that such a gesture would be made by one of the world's biggest clubs, with the new stadium now a prized location for the community to interact together. At the grand opening a tournament was hosted with a huge number of the school children celebrating the unveiling fittingly with a game of football. | The German champions donated 255 seats to a school in Macedonia following their summer renovation of the Allianz Arena . The South Stand was knocked down for a standing only vicinity leaving hundreds of seats available . Students from the Nuri Mazari school in Delogozdi have benefitted from it . | da40b39e1e427ebf0318a1f76782f0021e9e6d4e |
Ministers' decision to cancel direct flights to the UK from West African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak has been sharply criticised by MPs, who said it had 'no basis in science'. The Commons Public Accounts Committee said the suspension of direct flights in the face of what it said was 'scaremongering' increased the cost of dealing with the disease and may have led to further loss of life. Direct flights from the region – including a British Airways route from Liberia to Heathrow with a stopover in Sierra Leone – were halted in August amid concerns passengers could bring the disease into the UK. Commons Public Accounts Committee labelled the flights suspension as 'scaremongering' and say it may have led to further loss of life . In October, Gambia Bird airlines was given permission to resume flights from Sierra Leone to Gatwick, only for them to be swiftly suspended again. Aid agencies have complained the restrictions hamper efforts to get assistance to the stricken region and the committee said they should now be lifted. The committee said: 'The revocation of licences to carriers to fly direct to the region was a political decision with no basis in science and was inconsistent with World Health Organisation advice. 'In our judgment, it will inevitably have led to an increase in the costs of dealing with the outbreak and, potentially, to further loss of life.' In October, Gambia Bird airlines (pictured) was given permission to resume flights from Sierra Leone to Gatwick, only for them to be swiftly suspended again . The committee echoed the findings of previous reports on the crisis that the response of the WHO and the international community to the outbreak was 'totally inadequate'. While it praised the 'bravery' of British volunteers and members of the armed forces who were now working in Sierra Leone, it said the Department for International Development had been 'far too slow' to react the developing situation. 'The department could and should have listened to and responded to the views of Medecins Sans Frontieres and others on the ground who were warning of the seriousness of the outbreak rather than relying on it simply to follow the trajectory of previous outbreaks, which there was every indication it would not do,' it said. International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: 'Britain's decision to shoulder responsibility for tackling the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone has saved lives, not cost lives. 'Everyone agrees that the World Health Organisation should have reacted faster and the global system must reform to improve collective detection and reaction.' Ministers' decision to cancel direct flights to the UK from West African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak (pictured is a Liberian preparing to administer an Ebola vaccine) has been criticised by MPs . | Direct flights from Britain to Ebola-hit countries were suspended last year . Amid concerns travellers from Liberia or Sierra Leone could carry disease . Commons Public Accounts Committee called the move 'scaremongering' MPs warned it may have increased cost of aid effort and the death toll . | d44372550d12b70b03241adfe27dec3247674f54 |
(CNN) -- A U.S. satellite project said Wednesday it has found evidence of additional mass graves in South Kordofan, a day after the Sudanese president called for a unilateral cease-fire in the state. The Satellite Sentinel Project said it has evidence of a total of eight mass graves in the area since June, including two additional ones recently in and around Kadugli. Kadugli is the capital of the border state. The project cited witness accounts and images of what it says are body bags. "This report presents more visual evidence and new information by eyewitnesses ... of the collection and burial of human remains wrapped in tarps and/or body bags by the Sudanese Red Crescent Society," it said in a statement. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir rejected the findings as propaganda from the west. The Satellite Sentinel Project, which is partially funded by U.S. actor George Clooney, is based on the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative's analysis of satellite imagery and witness reports. In the past, the government has said rebels are to blame for the violence in the region, and has been engaged in a fierce campaign to battle what it says are militia in the area. Al-Bashir on Tuesday called for a two-week, unilateral cease-fire in the state, saying the government would assess the situation after that period. The report follows allegations by human rights groups that Sudanese forces have conducted widespread killings in the region this summer. The project has said its evidence is consistent with allegations that Sudan forces and militias "have engaged in a campaign of killing civilians." Nuba fighters helped South Sudan during the civil war with Sudan, which raged for decades and left millions dead. South Sudan became an independent nation in July. South Kordofan remains a territory of the Sudanese government in the north, but borders South Sudan. In July, a United Nations report detailed new allegations of violence, including mass graves, in the volatile border state. Reported incidents included aerial attacks that killed civilians, attacks on churches, arbitrary arrests, abductions and house-to-house searches, said the report. "This report provides only a small window on what's happening in Southern Kordofan," Philippe Bolopion of Human Rights Watch said last month. | NEW: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir rejects the findings . A U.S. satellite project says it has found evidence in South Kordofan . Its report includes witness accounts and images of what it says are body bags . | d3bace8ebf395bf1ed127f2ca4812f05358a2046 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:45 EST, 8 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 9 November 2013 . The shocking moment a drunk 25-year-old man was Tasered by police after resisting arrest has been caught on camera. A Windsor Star reporter filmed Thursday night's dramatic confrontation in which a 6'2" man was surrounded by five police officers outside a Canadian bar. The unidentified man had allegedly tried to start a fight with another patron before officers approached him at The Dugout bar in Windsor about 9pm. Scroll down for video . Uncooperative: Five police officers struggled to arrest a drunk 25-year-old man, who appeared to be about 6'2" and 250 pounds, at the Dugout bar in Windsor, Canada . Run for it: The young man charges up the stairs in a desperate bid to escape police . Get a grip: The officers pull of the unidentified man's jacket as he tries to run away . The video shows police telling the inebriated man to drop to his knees and that he was under arrest. The man refused to comply and continued to smoke a cigarette. Officers grabbed at his jacket as he tried to escape up the stairs, pulling it off his back. 'Stop resisting. Stop!', the officers can be heard shouting. After a brief scuffle, the officers yell 'Taser, Taser' as one cop pulls out the high-voltage device. Just one shot brings the man to his knees. He can be heard howling in pain before falling on his face. Officers handcuff him. Agony: The drunk man howls in pain as he falls to the floor after being Tasered . Painful: The man's body quivers after he was Tasered . Man down: Four police officers hold the man down after he's been Tasered . Under arrest: Police continue to hold down the man even though he can barely move after being Tasered, as the firing officer looks at the Taser . 'He has a history of violence and . he's a rather large individual and he became aggressive and officers had . trouble controlling him so the sergeant deployed a Taser, and it was a . successful arrest,' Sgt. Alan Adams, who did not identify the . suspect, told Windsor Star. 'He was transported to headquarters without incident. He’s fine . now and he’s in custody.' The Dugout bartender Brad Tayles said the man had been acting strangely and was gearing up to fight with a patron who was keeping an eye on him. 'It . was an odd event,' Tayles said. 'A guy came in. Apparently he walked . right into the door. I knew something was a little different about him. Then I see him working on our waitress’s computer. 'The funny thing is, . he found out how to order himself a Blue, and you have to know what . you’re doing. But I told him forget it. Time to leave.' | Shocking footage shows the moment a drunk bar patron was Tasered by police . The 25-year-old unidentified man resisted arrest outside a Canadian waterhole on Thursday night . Witnesses said he was about to fight with another patron before five officers arrived . | 113a0b8ab9b6bfd41f5a67fe062f39423c1915f0 |
A massive California fire left one dead and six injured as flames blazed on for hours Wednesday night and into Thursday's early hours. The four-alarm fire broke out around 6.50pm Wednesday at a large building in San Francisco's Mission District, according to ABC7. Local fire chief Joanne Hayes White told Mission Local that there has been one confirmed death, an adult male, and six others are being treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation and burns. Scroll down for video . Massive Fire: A massive California fire left one dead and six injured as flames blazed on for hours Wednesday night and into Thursday's early hours . Mission District: The four-alarm fire broke out around 6.50pm Wednesday at a large building in San Francisco's Mission District . Details of the man's death have not been released. The fire reportedly started in the attic of the building located near 22nd and Mission streets and quickly escalated. Flames quickly engulfed the building's roof and top floor, San Jose Mercury News reports. By 7.33pm the second floor of the three-story building was in flames as dozens of firefighters fought back flames dancing on the building's roof. Escalated: The fire reportedly started in the attic of the building located near 22nd and Mission streets and quickly escalated . Refuge: An official said that firefighters made at least 11 rescues as of around 11pm, several were from fire escapes and others from stairwells where people sought refuge from the flames . Pieces of the building began to collapse as firefighters doused the building with water, according to Mission. Hayes White told Mission that firefighters made at least 11 rescues as of around 11pm, several were from fire escapes and others from stairwells where people sought refuge from the flames. Arson investigators were on-scene as the blaze continued and will conduct an investigation. Displaced: Mission reports that at least 40 have been displaced due to the massive fire and Red Cross has set up a temporary unit for the victims at the City College of San Francisco's Mission Campus . Building: The building contained restaurants and shops on its first floor, offices on the second, and apartments on the third . The fire was still not under control at 1.30am Thursday. Mission reports that at least 40 have been displaced due to the massive fire and Red Cross has set up a temporary unit for the victims at the City College of San Francisco's Mission Campus. The building contained restaurants and shops on its first floor, offices on the second, and apartments on the third. | A massive California fire left one dead and six injured as flames blazed on for hours Wednesday night and into Thursday's early hours . The four-alarm fire broke out around 6.50pm Wednesday at a large building in San Francisco's Mission District . At least 40 have been displaced as a result of the massive fire . Pieces of the building began to collapse as firefighters fought to battle the blaze throughout the night . | bfd62f5865b4fb51c488421258ab632ee9d2487c |
It may look like the control panel from a sci-fi spaceship, but this plethora of buttons and futuristic steering wheel is the cockpit of the Bloodhound supersonic car. This is the view that driver Andy Green will see when he aims to become the first person in history to hit 1,000mph (1,609kph) on land. The 51-year-old hopes to break the world land speed record with the £10 million rocket-powered car. Click and drag to manipulate the cockpit below and scroll down for videos . This is the view that driver Andy Green will see when he aims to become the first person in history to hit 1,000mph (1,609kph) on land. Click and drag to take a tour of Bloodhound SSC's cockpit . The SSC stands for ‘SuperSonic Car’ because the Bloodhound will be going faster than the speed of sound. The vehicle has four wheels and is powered by both a jet and rocket. It is designed to go over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) per hour. The slender body, 44 feet (14 metres) long, keeps the entire vehicle aerodynamic. It weighs just over seven tonnes and the engines will produce more than 135,000 horsepower. That’s more than six times the power of all the cars on a Formula 1 starting grid put together. In the coming years the vehicle will begin test runs at lower speeds before attempting to set a new land speed record. The current land speed record stands at 763.035 miles (1,227.985 kilometres) per hour, set by former RAF pilot Andy Green (who will also drive the Bloodhound) back in 1997 in the ThrustSSC. The Bloodhound will beat this record by some distance if it is successful. The complex cockpit has been tailored to the needs of Wing Commander Green - an RAF fighter pilot - who will make his bid to smash the world record next year. It has been made from five different types of carbon fibre weave and two different resins. It has taken more than 10,000 hours to design and manufacture in total. Sandwiched between the layers of carbon fibre are three different thicknesses of aluminium honeycomb core, which provide additional strength. At its thickest point the hi-tech material is made up of 13 layers but measures just 24mm thick. The structure weighs 441lbs (200kg) and bolts directly to the metallic rear chassis carrying the jet, rocket and racing car engine. It has to be so strong as this front . section will have to endure peak aerodynamic loads of up to three tonnes . per square metre at 1,000mph (1,609kph) as well the considerable forces . generated by the front wheels and suspension. The 51-year-old RAF pilot hopes to break the world land speed record - and with it the sound barrier - with the £10 million rocket-powered car. A model is pictured . It will also carry ballistic armour to protect Wing Commander Green should a stone be thrown up by the front wheels at very high speeds. The roof of the cockpit has been designed to create a series of shockwaves that will channel the air into the Eurojet EJ200 jet engine. The pencil-shaped car is 44ft (14 metres) long, 6.2 feet (1.9 metres) wide and weighs 14,158lbs (6,422kg) when fully fuelled. In its ultimate form, it is expected to generate the combined output of 95 Formula One cars. ‘Carbon fibre is an extraordinary material,’ said Wing Commander Green. ‘It is the same high-tech material from which we make jet fighters, F1 cars and in this particular case, the strongest safety cell in the history of motorsport. ‘It is a fantastic piece of technology and it needs to be phenomenally strong to take the load and thrust from 210 kilonewtons and 130,000 horsepower of engine thrust from the back of the car and to take the aerodynamic load of up to 12 tonnes per metre.’ The complex cockpit (pictured) has been tailored to the needs of Wing Commander Green, an RAF fighter pilot, who will make his bid to smash the world record next year . The car will also use a highly specialised windscreen, which has been custom-made from acrylic. The plastic is heated, stretched and then two layers are bonded together to create a 25mm section - thicker than a fighter jet’s windscreen and sufficient to withstand an impact from a 2.2lbs (1kg) bird at 900mph (1,448kph). ‘I am actually looking through two inches (5cm) of plastic which needs to be optimally perfect so I can see what I am doing,’ he said. ‘That kind of plastic is that thick and strong to survive a 1,000mph airflow and also, worst case, to take a bird strike from a big bird, maybe 4.4lbs (2kg) at 650mph (1,046kph) or half that weight approaching 1,000mph (1,609kph).’ The cockpit is positioned in front of three incredibly loud motors - the jet, a cluster of hybrid rockets and the racing car engine that drives the rocket’s oxidiser pump, which are expected to generate a noise level estimated at 140 decibels - the equivalent to a shotgun blast. Wing Commander Green (pictured left) will wear a . specially made in-ear communications system to protect his hearing and . to ensure that he can communicate with mission control during his blisteringly fast drive (illustrated right) The structure (pictured) weighs 441lbs (200kg) and bolts directly to the metallic rear chassis carrying the jet, rocket and racing car engine . Wing Commander Green will wear a specially made in-ear communications system to protect his hearing and to ensure that he can communicate with mission control. He has drawn on his experience of flying fast jets and driving world land speed record winners Thrust SSC and JCB Dieselmax to design the dashboard and cockpit layout. He will climb into the Bloodhound via a carbon fibre hatch, eight inches (50cm) in diameter, just below the jet air intake. During a 1,000mph (1,609kph) run, Bloodhound will cover 12 miles (19km) in two minutes, exerting an acceleration force of almost 2G and peak deceleration force of 3G on its driver. This long-duration G force is another experience unique to Bloodhound. Formula One drivers may experience higher G forces, but they only do so for a few seconds at a time. Wing Commander Green said: ‘All of this technology will give me the most extraordinary working environment with which to get Bloodhound up to 1,000mph and also the highest level of protection we can possibly get. It’s a brilliant piece of engineering.’ The Bristol-based Bloodhound team will be attempting to break the 1,000mph (1,609kph) barrier on a purpose-built 12-mile track in the South African desert in 2015 and 2016. The Bristol-based Bloodhound team will be attempting to break the 1,000mph (1,609kph) barrier on a purpose-built 12-mile track in the South African desert in 2015 and 2016. An illustration of the attempt is pictured . The team behind the Bloodhound SSC have revealed how they intend to slow it from 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) per hour to zero. The engineers based in Bristol have been trying to find brakes that can withstand the huge temperatures and stresses of the vehicle - and they might now have the answer. After the car reaches its top speed, air brakes and parachutes will slow it to 160 miles (260 kilometres) per hour. Breaking to this speed is done at a constant 3G deceleration - equivalent to going from 60 miles (95 kilometres) per hour in a normal car to zero in one second - for 20 seconds. This last stint to zero is where the problem lies, however. Even at this speed the cars wheels are still spinning 10,000 times per minute. Attempts to use carbon rotors from a jet fighter in the form of car-like disc brakes shattered at speeds of just half this, so the team needed a new approach. Instead, they switched to steel rotors from brake manufacturer AP Racing. In tests these proved much more promising, withstanding temperatures of up to 850°C (1,560°F). They even survived to such an extent that they can be used again. The next step will be to test these brakes out at the full 10,000rpm that will be experienced. But hopes are high that they could be the solution to bring the Bloodhound safely to a halt. | The cockpit of Bloodhound SSC is made from layers of carbon fibre . It took 10,000 hours to design and manufacture . The structure weighs 441lbs (200kg) and has to be strong to withstand forces generated by the front wheels and suspension . Driver Andy Green will use the controls in a bid to become the first person in history to hit 1,000mph (1,609kph) on land . He hopes to break the world land speed record with the £10 million car . First record attempt will take place in the South African desert next year . | efb46dc8fc4cc32b248c0414c2d2064885e2a46e |
Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm believes Spain are still the team to beat despite Joachim Low's side lifting the World Cup this summer. Vicente del Bosque's Spain won three consecutive major tournaments in a row between 2008 and 2012, including the 2010 World Cup. Germany dethroned Spain this summer but Lahm who retired from international football following the World Cup glory, insists despite their group stage exit, Spain remain the top side in the world. VIDEO Scroll down for Franck Ribery in Bayern Munich shooting practice session . Work to do: Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm believes Spain are still the team to beat in world football . Champions: The Bayern Munich defender guided Germany to the World Cup in Brazil this summer . 'I don't think that people can already compare us with Spain. They won three titles in a row,' Lahm told Sport Bild. 'Only when Germany can achieve something similar can we say that Germany are the new benchmark. 'For me, Spain remain the team to beat at the moment and also at Euro 2016.' Retired: Since winning the World Cup Lahm has retired from international football to focus on Bayern Munich . New recruit: Pepe Reina signed for Bayern Munich for £2million from Liverpool this summer . Stuck in: Franck Ribery was injured for the World Cup and has retired from international football with France . Focused: Striker Claudio Pizarro (centre) has yet to feature for the Bundesliga champions this season . Still top? Lahm claims 2010 World Champions Spain are still the team to beat and will be a threat at Euro 2016 . The Bayern Munich defender reflected on Germany's performances over the past decade and claimed the catalyst was their dismal Euro 2004 campaign. 'Germany have gone through a lot to get here. I still remember the group-stage elimination at Euro 2004, which was a huge disappointment. 'We learned a lot, though, and developed as a team in the following years. There was the semi-final at the 2006 World Cup, the final at Euro 2008 and semi-finals at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. New leader: Bastian Schweinsteiger lifts the World Cup and has replaced Philipp Lahm as Germany captain . 'The road to the World Cup title was a long one.' Lahm will now concentrate on success with Bayern Munich who have had a mixed start to the new season. The reigning Bundesliga champions lost the German Super Cup 2-0 to rivals Borussia Dortmund and drew 1-1 at Schalke on Saturday. Summer deal: Xabi Alonso has joined Lahm at Bayern Munich from Real Madrid, wanting a new challenge . | Spain won three consecutive major tournaments between 2008-2012 . Lahm captained Germany to the World Cup in Brazil this summer . Spain crashed out of the World Cup this summer in the group stages . The Bayern Munich defender has since retired from international football . | e192e1d5c05ed89a8ecb87e1d08a0fc86d854cf5 |
After three years of searching, the remains of Holly Bobo have been found in Tennessee. The 20-year-old nursing student was last seen alive in 2011. Hundreds of volunteers turned out to search for her, and her case yielded more than $450,000 in reward money offered. Bobo's remains were found Sunday in Decatur County, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Monday night. CNN affiliate WREG reported that hunters had found a human skull. District Attorney Matt Stowe said he is "ready, willing and able to seek the death penalty in this case." "We are going to make sure that everyone who played a part in the heinous crime that has attacked the peace and dignity of the great state of Tennessee faces a consequence for that," Stowe said Monday night. Two men have been charged in connection with Bobo's death: Jason Wayne Autry and Zachary Adams. Both have pleaded not guilty. Bobo's brother has told authorities he saw a man in camouflage leading Bobo away from their home in the town of Darden in April 2011. Volunteers from at least five counties searched for the student, but to no avail. 'Right hand before God, I'm innocent,' says man charged in case . | District attorney: We are ready to seek the death penalty in this case . Bobo disappeared in April 2011 from her rural Tennessee home . | bc5709ec3a512a920945072a916c96213183a395 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:45 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:45 EST, 9 August 2013 . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's crusade to rid the City of all things unhealthy has taken aim at various fattening foods and harmful products like cigarettes and trans fats. He even once tried - and failed - to ban large containers of soda within New York's five boroughs. But Bloomberg's now gone a step further - not only does hizzonor not want you to smoke cigarettes, he doesn't want you smoke fake cigarettes, either. Recently leaked drafts of three tobacco-related bills that are expected to be introduced into the City Council indicate that Bloomberg's planning to regulate e-cigs into extinction. Smoke 'em if you got 'em: New York City is attempting to snuff out electronic cigarettes, like those made famous by actor Stephen Dorff in the Blue e-cig ad campaign . The bills are written to include stricter regulations on all tobacco products by doing things like raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. The plan also would prohibit the display of cigarette advertising in stores and create a $10.50 price floor for cigarette . packs. It also would prohibit the use of tobacco coupons and increase fines against those selling illegal cigarettes. So e-cigs - which contain absolutely no tobacco - wouldn't be included, right? Wrong - according to the . Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association, the bills . would also classify e-cigs as 'tobacco products' so they would be . included with regular tobacco for the sake of the stricter regulations. It's yet to be determined whether e-cigs are safer than cigarettes. They don't contain tar or tobacco, but they aren't simply water vapor and nicotine, as e-cig manufacturers would want you to believe. Health Czar: Mayor Michael Bloomberg is on a crusade to rid New York of all things unhealthy. He recently attempted to ban large sodas . The . Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about e-cigs . in 2009, noting that some samples contained ingredients found in anti-freeze. The agency determined that they could not approved by the FDA, and would not be deemed safe without further testing. Additionally, critics of e-cigs argue that they have no no purpose other than to perpetuate nicotine addiction. However, a study released this month by Drexel University concluded that the chemicals in e-cigs are not harmful to users or those in their proximity. Regardless, for the purposes of the new tobacco bills, they contain precisely zero tobacco. Safe? It's yet to be determined whether e-cigs are safe. They are not FDA approved but studies show they aren't harmful . Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, is a supporter of e-cigs and believes Bloomberg's proposals 'would be a public health disaster.' 'I have no problems with this ordinance as a whole—raising the age, . banning advertising. But [electronic-cigarettes] are a product that's . literally saving people's lives, people who are literally at risk of . disease and death, and giving them an alternative,' Siegel told Gothamist. 'What are these people gonna do?' | Recently leaked drafts of three . tobacco-related bills that are expected to be introduced into the City . Council indicate that Bloomberg's planning to regulate e-cigs into . extinction . Under the new legislation, e-cigs would be considered tobacco products and subject to the same level of regulation . It's yet to be determined whether e-cigs are unhealthy, but a recently released study concluded that they aren't harmful to users or those who ingest second-hand nicotine vapor . | a896585e9e1de452bac52862bbcca0b7c7559d03 |
After launching his sporting tournament for wounded soldiers with spectacular ceremony last night, Prince Harry was enthralled in every aspect of the first events of the Invictus Games today. But, as disabled servicemen and women competed in athletics events, the royal and his father Prince Charles found themselves distracted by something on his brother's iPhone. The fourth-in-line to the throne grimaced and giggled alongside his amused father as the Duke of Cambridge held out his phone in the stands at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre in north London. So funny was the image on Prince William's white iPhone, he shared it with another guest who had turned out to watch soldiers from 13 different nations compete in the event. While it's not clear what had exactly had the royals in fits of laughter, their high spirits were matched by those of the jovial crowds on the first day of the inspiring tournament. Scroll down for video . Taking a look: Prince William brings out his phone to show his father and younger brother something amusing at the Invictus Games . Prince Charles looks bemused as Harry stretches his neck to get a closer look of the image the Duke of Cambridge is keen to share . Cracking a smile, Prince William looks up at his father who appears surprised at the image while the family watch athletics on the first day of the Invictus Games at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre . What's so funny? Pointing at his son's white iPhone, Prince Charles grimaces and giggles at the image which had Prince Harry laughing too . Fit of the giggles: Prince Charles can't contain his laughter as his sons share a joke with him. The royals watched from the stands as hundreds of injured soldiers took part in athletics today . A woman sitting in front of the royal family turns her head to see what the fuss is about as Prince Charles and William continue to laugh . The image was so funny, the Duke of Cambridge decided to share it with another guest at the athletics centre this afternoon . Back to the Games: After sharing the joke with his father and brother Prince William puts his phone away and returns his full attention to the Athletics . In high spirits: The three princes shared jokes and laughter throughout the day after attending a remembrance ceremony in the morning for fallen soldiers . Messing around: Prince William throws his Invictus Games fleece over his father's shoulders as they wait for the next event from one of the stands . | Prince William was seen holding up his iPhone to show his father and brother something during Invictus Games . Prince Charles looked shocked and then burst into laughter as royal trio shared a joke while watching athletics . Invictus Games for wounded servicemen and women was launched with spectacular ceremony last night . Athletics at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre were among the first events of the tournament . | 5fafd993980d8370c39e16fca71eb43314c3af43 |
By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 17:09 EST, 22 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:34 EST, 22 November 2012 . For the victims of superstorm Sandy, . it is a hard day to be thankful when so many were left devastated by the loss of loved ones, their . homes and businesses lying in pieces around them. But like many times in the aftermath of the devastating storm, their fellow citizens rallied around, giving up their own Thanksgiving today to prepare meals and distribute supplies. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was reflective on Thursday as he praised police, firefighters, armed services personnel, . sanitation workers and volunteers involved in the storm response. His . office was coordinating the distribution of 26,500 meals at 30 sites in . neighborhoods affected by Sandy and other organizations were . pitching in. Scroll down for video . Coming together: Residents of Queens enjoyed a meal with each other as they took a brief pause in dealing with the aftermath of last month's devastating storm . Giving back: Residents gather for a free Thanksgiving dinner at St Francis de Sales Parish in the Rockaway neighborhood, Queens . Being thankful: Volunteers at Saint Charles Church prepare Thanksgiving meals to be delivered to the victims of superstorm Sandy today in Staten Island . Survivors: Santiago, Anthony, Natalia and Julio Munoz eat a donated Thanksgiving dinner in the Rockaway neighborhood . George . Alvarez, whose Toms River, New Jersey, home suffered moderate damage when . Sandy hit the coast, said his family usually does 'the traditional big . dinner' on Thanksgiving. But this year, they chose to attend a community . dinner held at an area church. 'This storm not only impacted us, it . impacted a lot of our friends, our community, our psyche,' Alvarez said . shortly before his family headed out for their meal. 'We could have had our usual dinner . here at home, but this year it felt like we should be with others who . are experiencing the same concerns we are. 'We made it through this . devastating storm, and that's something to celebrate.' Disaster zones on Staten Island were brimming with food and volunteers from Glen Rock, New Jersey who . organized using social media. 'We had three carloads of food,' said . volunteer Beth Fernandez. 'The whole town of Glen Rock pitched in. ... It's really cool. It's my best, my favorite Thanksgiving ever.' Grateful: Volunteers say a prayer before serving Thanksgiving dinner to residents in the Rockaways . Showing support: Volunteers gather donated goods at a distribution point on Beach Channel Drive where a Thanksgiving dinner was served to residents in the Rockaways . On Long Island, the Long Beach . nonprofit Surf For All hosted a Thanksgiving event that fed 1,200 . people. Carol Gross, 72, a Long Beach native, said she went to volunteer . but was turned away because of a surplus of helpers. 'A lot of people like me, old-timers, we've never seen anything like this horror,' she said, recalling the destruction. Gross' brother, Jerry, who moved to Arizona in the 1960s, was stunned by what he saw when he returned for Thanksgiving. Good helping: Volunteers serve Thanksgiving dinner to residents in the Rockaways . Altogether now: Gary Holmes, left, Dave Fort, right, and Marcelo Saardera, eat turkey dinners provided by the Red Cross on Thanksgiving in Seaside Heights, NJ, taking a break from repairing a neighbor's house . Not alone: Volunteers serve Thanksgiving dinner to residents in New York . 'To . come back and see the boardwalk all devastated like it is, it's like . going to Manhattan and finding Times Square gone,' he said. Some victims of Superstorm Sandy were given front row seats to the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade after the store provided 5,000 tickets and transportation. 'It means a lot,' said Karen Panetta, of the hard-hit Broad Channel section of Queens, as she sat in a special viewing section set aside for New Yorkers displaced by the storm. 'We're thankful to be here and actually be a family and to feel like life's a little normal today.' Going door to door: Tim Hynes and his wife Laura deliver prepared Thanksgiving meals from Saint Charles Church to Angela Ng in Staten Island . Sharing: Lourides Rivera (right) is served Thanksgiving dinner by volunteers in the Rockaways section of Queens on November 22 . A chance to celebrate: Sandy survivors front row at the parade in Manhattan. Macy's donated tickets and transportation to 5,000 people from neighborhoods hardest hit . | Volunteers headed for devastated East Coast neighborhoods to provide meals and supplies . Mayor's office distributed 26,500 meals at 30 sites across NYC . Surfers' charity in Long Island fed 1,200 people . | 2caca89a444c9474eec63ae2091dfb10a341afb6 |
For 13-year-old McClain Hermes, the inspiration to impact her world began in 2009, after her father showed her a magazine article about a shoe recycling program. "We decided (that instead of) recycling them, we would collect them and give them to people that needed them," she says. And with that, Shoes for the Souls was born and delivered 365 pairs of shoes that first year. In the five years since, the Georgia teen and her father, Matt Hermes, have collected about 10,000 pairs of shoes for an Atlanta homeless shelter. But what's especially impressive about this middle school student is she does this despite the daily struggles life brings her. About the time she began collecting shoes, she developed vision problems that ended up with one of her retinas detached and her vision extremely limited in the other. She's now legally blind, and doctors say she will be completely without sight in the next two to five years. Outside the comfort of her home, she oftentimes will need to use a cane. Her family has taken several vacations to scenic destinations such as the Grand Canyon, wanting McClain to be able to experience breathtaking views while she still has a little vision left. But her disability hasn't stopped her from becoming a young dynamo. Besides Shoes for the Souls, McClain is a competitive swimmer with dreams of making the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She wears special goggles and a special cane is used by another person so she knows when she's approaching the wall. Her shoe initiative has made her an inspiration for those much older as well. An employee off McClain's father, Ingle Chadwick-Ard, first came in contact with the Hermes family after one of her daughters was in the same Sunday school class as McClain. She doesn't mince words about her potential, saying this with a hearty laugh: "She's going to take over the world, that kid." But she still enjoys having fun and has found ways to work in some hijinks with her father on their project. "The second year, my dad made an agreement with me that if we collected 1,000 pairs of shoes, which he thought was completely out of the ballpark, that I could shave his head, so 1,598 shoes later, he had a shaved head!" But deep down, it's a very serious way to help those in crisis. And the residents at the Atlanta Mission, where McClain donates the shoes, are extremely grateful for what she does. Dennis Williams ended up at the shelter after struggling with substance abuse. Everything he wears was donated. "Her example is an awesome example of being selfless," he says. McClain enjoys the appreciation she receives from the shelter residents: "The men, a lot of them come up and give me hugs and say thank you after we're done." Her childhood has been different from than most of her peers, but she refuses to let it be an excuse. She challenges others to go out and be of service to others. "If you have a dream and you think it's unrealistic, just keep on doing it because you'll get there." | McClain Hermes, 13, is legally blind but still collects thousands of shoes for less fortunate. McClain thought footwear would be better off donated than recycled . Shoes for the Souls began in 2009 and has collected around 10,000 pairs . Her family says she is selfless and very rarely dwells on her handicap . | a419351c62c8c35d648572b9cf1c76bd4034ea0f |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:16 EST, 2 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:44 EST, 3 March 2014 . A web designer who claims two A&E departments failed to X-ray his broken leg is still waiting for surgery three weeks later. Colin Wilson tripped while visiting friends in Hull, East Yorkshire, on February 9 and was taken to A&E at Hull Royal Infirmary two days later in pain. But a triage nurse did not offer the 31-year-old an X-ray and told him to visit a hospital near his home in Keighley, West Yorkshire - 100 miles away - where once again he was not given the scan. A dog's life: Colin Wilson, 31, is stuck at home after he claimed two A&E departments failed to X-ray his leg . In limbo: Mr Wilson at home with son Mark, 17 (left) and the X-ray which was finally performed on his leg (right) Unable to drive, he was given a lift home but claimed instead of X-raying him, staff at Airedale Hospital gave him an appointment to see a physiotherapist a week later. When he attended the appointment, the expert immediately sought a second opinion and he was lined up for surgery, he said. But after further delays, the surgery has still not happened. Stuck: Mr Wilson did not attend hospital for two days after his fall, but the pain increased . Mr Wilson, who said he plans to take legal action against the hospitals, said: 'I tripped and at first I thought it was a sprain but the pain gradually got worse so I went to A&E two days later. 'I . only got as far as the triage nurse who told me it was a bit pointless . me being there and I should go to my local hospital as an outpatient. There was no X-ray. 'So I had to get 100 miles home with a broken leg. 'At . the Airedale A&E department I did at least get to see a doctor, he . was even moving my leg back and forth but I was given no X-ray, no pain . relief and told to see the physiotherapist. 'A . week later at the physio he walked into the cubicle and took one look . at my leg and walked out again saying he was getting a second opinion. 'When he looked at it again he said he wasn't happy with the state of the leg and I should go to A&E. 'Eventually they did an X-ray and discovered I had broken my tibia and it had actually shattered.' The self-employed web designer said he has had to halt plans to start a business while he recovers. A spokesperson for Hull and East . Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'To date we have not received any . contact from Mr Wilson about this issue, so we would encourage him to . speak with us directly.' Stacey Hunter, director of operations at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said: 'It is regrettable that Mr Wilson was not X-rayed when he first attended our A&E department with his leg injury. A spokesman for the second hospital said the error was 'regrettable' but they are planning to operate . Off work: The freelance web designer has had to put plans to start his own business on hold while he recovers . 'However, concerns about his injury were picked up as part of his physiotherapy referral and he was X-rayed and immediately referred to an orthopaedic specialist. 'Further tests and discussions with colleagues followed to ensure the most appropriate treatment was carried out. 'Our rescheduling of his operation was a clinical decision to ensure we had a full picture of his injury and that a knee specialist could carry out his surgery. We apologise to Mr Wilson for the breakdown in communication.' | Colin Wilson, 31, tripped and broke his leg while visiting friends in Hull . A&E staff told him to go home to Keighley, West Yorkshire, 100 miles away . He attended his local hospital there but still wasn't given an X-ray . The problem was only picked up at a physiotherapy appointment . | 31207e022406504dc00e1972a355a7846598928a |
Think your commute is bad? Spare a thought for the small band of dedicated workers who live in Cornwall but work... in Shetland. Their gruelling 900-mile journey from one end of the UK to the other is revealed in analysis by the Office for National Statistics – which has found the most exhausting trips made by Britain’s 11.3million commuters. Some 175 Shetlanders work in other parts of Britain, with a further 494 journeying to their office in the remote northern isles from other parts of the country. A study into commutes by the Office for National Statistics found some people travel from their homes in Cornwall (pictured) to the Shetland Islands on a regular basis for work . This includes three people who regularly head to the islands from Cornwall – which is 700 miles as the crow flies and about 900 miles by the shortest commute. A handful travel to there from the South coast and London, with a further 195 people from across Britain regularly commuting to their workplace in Orkney. The lure of jobs in London also pulls in commuters from far and wide. Of the 867,630 who travel to the capital for work, 285 come from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Dozens even make the journey to London from the Highlands and Northern Ireland – plus two people from Orkney and one Shetlander. The distance from Cornwall to the Shetland Islands (pictured) is 700 miles as the crow flies but 900 miles for the shortest commute. The lengthy journey takes at least 24 hours by car . Previous analysis found that the average commute in England and Wales increased from 8.3 miles in 2001 to 9.3 miles in 2011. On average, workers in the East of England had the longest commute at 10.6 miles, while Londoners had the shortest commute at 6.8 miles. In both 2001 and 2011, men travelled further to work than women. This map shows the number of working residents in each local authority commuting to work in Greater London . Do you have a ridiculous commute that involves travelling the length of the country? We would like to hear from you. Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. | Three workers commute from their homes in Cornwall to Shetland Islands . Journey is 700 miles as the crow flies but 900 miles by shortest commute . One of the biggest commutes recorded by Office for National Statistics study . | bfc8bcdea0dc29b213516389ab40a26378ee344a |
By . Katie Davies, Daily Mail Reporter and Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 21:33 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:49 EST, 4 October 2013 . Charges against the 22-year-old nephew of New York Giants owner John Mara stemming from a brutal assault at a New Year's Eve party have been dismissed. The nephew, also named John Mara, faced up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of felony first-degree assault and misdemeanor breach of the peace. The Mount Kisco, New York, resident professed his innocence from the very beginning, insisting he wasn't the person who battered party goer Phillip Blackman with a glass bottle. Boozy brawl: A witness picked John Mara (left), the nephew of the New York Giants owner of the same name, out of a photo lineup, identifying him as the man who hit party-goer Philip Blackman (right) with a bottle . William Dow III, Mr Mara's lawyer, was confident a jury would agree his client was innocent. He said today's dismissal vindicated that belief. ‘From the very beginning, Jack Mara swore he was innocent,’ Mr Dow said in a prepared statement, according to the Danbury Daily Voice. 'He did not assault the complainant,the evidence has proven his innocence,' Mr Dow continued. 'We are gratified that the State has agreed and that the charges are dismissed.' The lawyer trumpeted the decision further, professing faith Mr Mara was in an unfortunate place that he will not soon find himself in again. 'Jack is an outstanding young man and has a bright future,' said Mr Dow. 'He and his family intend to move on from this unfortunate incident. The alleged victim, Philip Blackman, . said he had no recollection of the assault. He said doctors told him . that if he had not gotten to the hospital and had emergency surgery to . relieve pressure on his brain he might have died that night. The arrest affidavit states that Blackman suffered a skull fracture and a brain hemorrhage. According to his LinkedIn profile, . Blackman worked as an auto technician assistant for Weston Service . Center in Weston, Connecticut. He is expected to graduate from . Fairfield University with a bachelor's degree in communications and . marketing. Vindicated: John Mara, pictured on his Twitter account, was accused of beating another man at an exclusive New Year's Eve party . NFL family: John Mara, pictured, is President and CEO of the New York Giants. The Mara family co-own the NFL team . Luke Kazmierczak, who was home from . college for the holidays, told police he witnessed the incident. But he . initially did not pick Mara out of a photo lineup of six men, the . affidavit says. Police said in the affidavit that the . photo of Mara, a senior at Fairfield University, was when he was a . freshman and looked significantly different. When Mr Kazmierczak was later shown an updated photo, he immediately picked out Mara as the person he saw hit Blackman, police said in the original arrest affadavit. Also, David O'Brien, a friend of . Mr Kazmierczak's, took a photo of Mara that night and picked Mara out from a . photo lineup as the person his friend told him committed the assault, . the affidavit said. Mr Blackman said his friends told him he . had bumped into a girl by accident at the party and some people at the . party were trying to kick him and his friends out, according to the . affidavit. Police initially said that Mr Mara was upset after he was . told while walking to the house that his roommate's girlfriend was hit . by someone. They describe him as highly intoxicated at the time and not . wearing a shirt despite below-freezing temperatures. Celebrating the 2011 Super Bowl: Frank Mara, left, also works at the Giants. His son Jack was facing a prison sentence of up to 20 years . Cousin: US actress Rooney Mara is Jack Mara's cousin. The 22-year-old was accused of beating another student almost to death . ‘I saw them fighting,’ a witness told . the New York Daily News. ‘I saw both groups come in. Both were drunk, . looking for a fight and aggressive. Just drunk college kids.’ Another witness told the paper at the time that Mara was defending himself against a bigger man. ‘If you have a bottle in your hand, you don't need to be [big],’ said the witness, who is also a student at Fairfield. Mr Mara has denied the assault from the beginning, police said. But they say when they first asked him why others were accusing him of the . assault, he said: ‘I'm not sure. If I actually did do it, I would love . to find out.’ Police said when they asked if it was . possible he did not know he hit Blackman, Mara replied: ‘It could of . happened because I was very drunk and there's a shot that I didn't . remember.’ The younger Mr Mara is an anthropology and sociology . major at the Jesuit School and lives in the nearby beachfront . neighborhood where the assault allegedly occurred, university . spokeswoman Martha Milcarek has said. Mr Mara, whose father, Frank Mara, is . also Vice President of Community Relations for the Giants originally turned himself . in to a police station in Fairfield, Connecticut. College brawl: Jack Mara was accused of beating a fellow student of Fairfield University in the incident on New Year's Eve . Students: Jack Mara and the 'victim' both attended Fairfield University, pictured . Frank and his son Jack are central figures in the large but close-knit Mara clan. Jack . regularly posts pictures from Giants games he attends with his father . on his various social media profiles where he keeps in touch with many . members of his extended family. His father is the youngest son of the 11 children of Giants founder Wellington Mara and his wife Ann. The Mara family own 50 per cent of the . team with Frank's oldest brother, John, at the helm and their brother . Chris also in the front office. The . Irish-American clan are well-known in New York as well as Hollywood . where Jack's cousins actresses Rooney and Kate have become stars in . their own right. Like his son, Frank attended Fairfield University, graduating in 1982. He lives in Bedford Corners, New York, with his wife Lynn. They have three other sons Sean, Frankie and Owen. Jack's . mother Lynn is an artist and teaches sixth grade religion at St Paul's . in Greenwich. She also sits on the Giants Foundation. In an interview for a Hamptons Magazine she said her perfect day would include 'a long happy dinner time with family and all the kids'. | Jack Mara, 22, of Mount Kisco, had been charged with felony first degree assault and misdemeanor breach of the peace . The Fairfield University student was accused of attacking a fellow party-goer with a bottle on New Year's Eve 'nearly battering him to death' The victim, identified as Philip Blackman, suffered skull fracture and brain hemorrhage . Mara's uncle John is co-owner and president of the New York Giants and cousin is Hollywood actress Rooney Mara . | a7647d0980796acce52dd8b0869983098c8f8cad |
By . Sadie Whitelocks . A 'super plus-size' model has told how going from thin to fat helped her achieve career success. Velvet D'Amour, a New York native now based in Paris, tried to make it as a model when she was 21 years old but was deemed 'too fat' by agents at a petite 117lbs. Ironically, the five-foot-eight-inch blonde went on to get her big break in French Vogue and on the catwalk for John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier, aged 38, weighing 300lbs and a size 26. Scroll down for video . Pushing size acceptance: Velvet D'Amour was deemed too big by model agents when she was 21 years old and weighing 117lbs (pictured left) but shot to fame at the Jean Paul Gaultier catwalk show as a size 26 (right) For the past eight years she has been . striving to 'push size acceptance along' and today unveiled the fourth . issue of her diversity-focused women's magazine, Vol Up 2. D'Amour, 46, launched the quarterly publication in February last year in a bid to encourage women to embrace their 'imperfections' and be proud of their bodies. It features plus-size as well as mainstream models. Through working in fashion - as a model, photographer and now magazine editor - D’Amour . has many thoughts on the status of modeling and the changes she would like to see happen. She told Bustle.com: 'The women we hold as icons of beauty are not happy. And if they’re not happy, who is happy. 'All . the images that are out in the media [are] the same - the 16-year old . white girl who is totally emaciated. Spreading the word: For the past eight years the bubbly blonde has been striving to 'push size acceptance along' and today unveiled the forth issue of her diversity-focused womens magazine, Vol Up 2 . 'Older women are excluded . . . Different ethnicities are never shown.' D’Amour, the youngest of five children from Rochester, New York, said she always dreamed of being a fashion illustrator or designer and would look at 1940s photos of her parents for inspiration. 'I became obsessed with the more eccentric styles,' she says. But because the illustration field was dying out, D’Amour turned her hand to artwork, photography, and performance arts. 'At the time everyone was coked up and maybe 99lbs. So I went down to 117 and model agents said I was still too fat' She moved to Manhattan to study at the School of Visual Arts. With a great bone structure, slender figure and long curly hair, people would often mistake her for a model. 'They’d say you have the face of talent,' she says. IMG models showed interest in her - the same agency representing Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, and Alek Wek - but D'Amour says she couldn't lose enough weight to be on their books. At the time she tipped the scales at a light 140lbs. 'At . the time everyone was completely coked up and maybe 99lbs,' she . added. 'So I went down to 117 and they said I was still too fat.' Feeling rejected, she went on to focus on photography, spending a year studying in Italy under American photographer James White before returning to New York. Keeping toned: While she refuses to obsess over dieting, D'Amour enjoys to swim regularly . D'Amour says when her weight shot up she felt ashamed about her body. But the more she worked with 'perfect-looking unhappy' models the more she came to terms with her larger frame. 'I . started out photographing models and that's actually where my size . acceptance came into play. 'Because I was shooting models and I was not . feeling good about my body and I was shooting women who were the ideal . of beauty. And I was thinking, "They're not happy with themselves". And . that was a huge revelation. 'It was highly ironic that I was getting signed at 300 lbs! I considered it a personal victory for all the struggles that I went through to accept my body' 'That . here I was with these ideals of feminine beauty and they hated their . bodies. Now if these women who are the ideals of feminine beauty of our . society hate their bodies, then what exactly is going on?' When the first French plus-size modleing agency opened in Paris, Agence Plus, D’Amour, who was then based in the city, approached them about being a photographer. 'I showed them my [work] so they’d get a feel for my talent,' she recalled. 'But I also included photos of myself so they could see I was a plus-size woman, and they said, "Well, we want to sign YOU." She previously told Raannt.com during an interview: 'It was highly ironic that I was getting signed at age 38 and near 300 lbs! 'I considered it a personal victory for all the struggles that I went through to accept my body and the rollercoaster ride which yoyo dieting led it on.' Embracing her curves: D'Amour says when her weight shot up she felt ashamed about her body. But the more she worked with 'perfect-looking unhappy' models the more she came to terms with her larger frame . She made headlines after appearing as a plus-size model in Jean-Paul Gaultier's Paris Fashion Week show in October 2006. She also made a catwalk appearance in John Galliano's runway presentation entitled 'Everybody is Beautiful' the same season, scoring her a spot in French Vogue shot by photographer Nick Knight. A keen performer, the same year she landed the lead role in Avida, a French dark comedy, and later participated in the third season of France's popular reality TV show, Celebrity Farm. Critics have accused D'Amour of 'promoting obesity' but she insists she is healthy and has no high blood pressure or cholesterol problems. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she says she does not abuse drugs, alcohol or cigarettes. Big is beautiful: D'Amour launched the magazine Vol Up 2 last February to try and crack fashion's obsession with size zero . She . concludes on her blog: 'For those who spend their nights up wringing . their hands together, sick with worry over my health, there are so many . examples of unhealthy models and celebrities. 'Sadly some aren’t just unhealthy, but actually dead, and yet none are banned from the media. 'So many women suffer from poor body image, wake each day to loathe their image in the mirror, do you sincerely believe that by pretending fat people don’t exist somehow changes this phenomenon for the better?! 'We do exist, we always have and we always will, there will always be a fatty somewhere in this vast world. 'If there is any shred of sincerity in your feigned concern over a fat person’s health, then instead of mocking us when we do get to the gym, or track, or waddle our way into a pool, take a second to encourage someone to better health. 'At the end of the day, the true beauty we will all be left with isn’t cloaked in Dior or Lanvin, it’s the simple acts of kindness which have made a difference in the lives of others, which no cellulite or wrinkle can ever erase.' | Velvet D'Amour, a New York native now based in Paris, was deemed 'too fat' by model agents when she was aged 21 and weighed 117lbs . Ironically, the five-foot-eight-inch blonde went on to get her big break aged 38, weighing 300lbs and a size 26 . Today she published the fourth issue of her diversity-focused magazine, Vol Up 2, in a bid to get women embracing their 'imperfections' | 98f97e5fcb27adffbd3c026189ce221e37e6e97d |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 02:56 EST, 20 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:18 EST, 21 September 2012 . Sky TV boss James Murdoch is being lined up to take direct responsibility for New Corp's U.S. television businesses, it has emerged. The news that News Corp is looking to expand Mr Murdoch's role was revealed on the day he was censured by the media watchdog for his 'ill-judged' handling of the phone-hacking crisis. His role will be expanded to include responsibility for the Fox Networks Group following publication of the Ofcom report. James Murdoch's conduct as chairman of BSkyB was today described as 'ill-judged' by Ofcom . Mr Murdoch was heavily criticised in the report, with his record in the UK attacked by media regulator Ofcom. Sky was cleared to continue airing . programmes, as Ofcom today said BSkyb remained a ‘fit and proper’ broadcaster despite the phone-hacking scandal. It found no evidence that Sky was directly or indirectly involved in any of the wrongdoing either admitted or alleged. BSkyB has been cleared as a 'fit and proper' broadcaster despite its parent company being embroiled in the phone hacking scandal . Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation owns a 39 per cent stake in BSkyB. News Corp had hoped to buy the rest of BSkyB but was forced to drop its bid as the phone hacking scandal erupted. The review was launched last year . after News International, also owned by News Corp, was forced to close . the News of the World after a wave of allegations of phone hacking at . the Sunday tabloid newspaper. James Murdoch was chief executive of News International and chairman of BSkyB when the scandal erupted. He remains a non-executive director at Sky and an executive director at News Corp. Ofcom said his failure to get to the bottom of the allegations sooner was ‘difficult to comprehend and ill-judged'. But it said there was no evidence that James Murdoch knew of widespread wrongdoing or that he was complicit in a cover-up. Sky welcomed the licence decision today, insisting it was ‘committed to high standards of governance’. ‘As Ofcom acknowledges, our track record of compliance in broadcasting is good,’ the firm said in a statement. But Ofcom was critical of James Murdoch’s failure to act. It said: ‘We consider James Murdoch’s conduct, including his failure to initiate action on his own account on a number of occasions, to be both difficult to comprehend and ill-judged.' He was not involved with News International until the end of 2007, . almost a year after the sentencing of News of the World's royal editor . Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire for phone hacking. But after he took over as chief . executive, he received an email suggesting that criminal activities were . more widespread, although he claimed he failed to read the . correspondence fully. Rupert Murdoch dropped his bid to buy BSkyB outright in the wake of allegations about phone hacking . Ofcom added: 'We consider that the events set out above raise questions . regarding James Murdoch's competence in the handling of these matters . and his attitude towards the possibility of wrongdoing in the companies . for which he was responsible.' Ofcom said its duty to be satisfied that a licensee is fit and proper is ongoing. 'Should further relevant evidence become available in the future, Ofcom would need to consider that evidence in order to fulfil its duty.' In July 2011, Ofcom announced it had a duty to investigate whether Sky was fit and proper to continue to hold its broadcast licences, in light of allegations about phone hacking. In a statement today the regulator said: 'Ofcom considers that, on the evidence currently available and having taken into account all the relevant factors, Sky is fit and proper to hold its broadcast licences.' Harriet Harman, Labour's shadow culture secretary, said: 'While Ofcom has found Sky is fit and proper to hold a broadcasting licence, its criticisms of James Murdoch are damning. 'His continued presence on Sky’s board casts a shadow over one of our most important national broadcasters.' James and Rupert Murdoch give evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee last July . In March James Murdoch wrote to the Commons Culture, Media, Sport Select Committee to apologise for his conduct. He . conceded he should have 'asked more questions, requested more documents . and taken a more challenging and sceptical view of what I was told.' Labour MP Tom Watson, a leading critic of the Murdoch empire, said he was 'disappointed but not surprised' by Ofcom's ruling. Mr Watson said: 'I do think it shows the flaws in Ofcom methodology. They cannot do deep investigations in the way that other organisations can. 'They also do hedge their bets, they say that the test can be applied at any time if there is new evidence, and were also critical of James Murdoch where they say his conduct wasn’t that becoming of a chairman or a chief executive. So they’re not entirely cleared by the report.' Mr Watson also suggested there could be more revelations in the future which could reopen the question of the Murdoch empire's governance. 'I think the share arrangements of News Corporation that’s two tiered and effectively means that Rupert Murdoch and his family effectively control the entire organisation, will ultimately come back and haunt both him and James Murdoch. 'I think there’ll be more revelations in the years to come that mean that Ofcom might have to apply that fit and proper person test in the near future and they might be regretting this report today.' News Corp welcomed Ofcom's decision but defended James Murdoch, saying he deserved credit for leading Sky to its outstanding record as a broadcaster. It said in a statement: 'We are pleased that Ofcom recognises BSkyB as a fit and proper holder of a broadcast licence and remain proud of both News Corporation's and James Murdoch's distinguished record in facilitating the transformation of Sky into Britain's leading pay television and home communications provider. 'We disagree, however, with certain of the report's statements about James Murdoch's prior actions as an executive and director, which are not at all substantiated by evidence.' | Watchdog says it is 'difficult to comprehend' why Murdoch did not investigate hacking claims sooner . BSkyB cleared as a 'fit and proper' broadcaster . Labour's Tom Watson says further revelations are likely and Ofcom will 'regret' its report . | 7faa3707a8d18c9288426e7a0523fac4c951e5b8 |
He was the wooden puppet who dreamed about being a real boy. Pinocchio was the creation of Italian writer Carlo Collodi who wrote Le avventure di Pinocchio in 1883 at the Villa dei Satiri, near Florence, Italy. It has since become a children’s classic spawning a classic Disney film in 1940. The Villa dei Satiri, near Florence, Italy where Carlo Collodi wrote Le avventure di Pinocchio in 1883 . Now the villa where Collodi wrote the story is up for sale with a price tag of €19million (£15m) and potential buyers will get a taste of military as well as literary history – others who have stayed at the house, which dates back to 1366 include Ferdinand of Austria, Napoleon Bonaparte and Anna de' Medici. The main house is beautifully situated in Italianate gardens complete with terraces, steps, statues and fountains with water features. The main house is beautifully situated in Italianate gardens complete with terraces, steps, statues and fountains with water features. Pinocchio - with his creator Geppetto - wanted to be a real boy. Now the location of his creation is up for sale near Florence, Italy . Approximately 40 miles from Florence the main villa is set in the ruins of an original fortress and is spread across 32,600 sq feet. The estate agents describe it as 'spread over four levels that can be reached via a monumental double flight of steps'. As well as a villa potential buyers could also expect to get a summer house, a farm, a restaurant, baths building or Bagnetti and even a butterfly house for their money. The Villa dei Satiri, near Florence, Italy was built in 1366 and as well as Carlo Collodi has played host to Ferdinand of Austria, Napoleon Bonaparte and Anna de' Medici . Italian author Carlo Collodi looked out on this statue as he composed the tale of the wooden puppet who wanted to be a real boy . The ornate gardens of Villa dei Satiri, near Florence, Italy where Carlo Collodi created Pinnocchio . Outside the complex includes additional land, measuring about 12 hectares in total, with woods and a small productive olive grove containing 70 olive trees. The agents Casaitalia International said: "Its high-impact image and large surface area, divided into several buildings, with the villa in a private, dominant position and the service buildings lower down, suggest uses that ranges from a prestigious residence to a high-level accommodation complex, a cultural centre or an exclusive intellectual retreat. "It is also ideal as a location for hosting high-level events, thanks to its easy-to-reach location, far from the traffic and the crowds, while excellently connected to the airport, the motorway and to some of the major Tuscan cities of art - Florence, Lucca and Pisa. "It is also close to the sea and the lake." The grounds of Villa dei Satiri, near Florence, Italy are replete with statues . Artworks dot the walls of Carlo Collodi's former home around 40 miles from Florence . The inside of Carlo Collodi's home near Florence . The staircases at the Villa dei Satiri are decorated with cherubs at the foot of the stairs . The amazing ceilings at the Villa dei Satiri have incredible designs . Approximately 40 miles from Florence the main villa is set in the ruins of an original fortress and is spread across 32,600 sq feet . As well as a villa potential buyers could also expect to get a summer house, a farm, a restaurant, baths building or Bagnetti and even a butterfly house for their money . Now the villa where Collodi wrote Pinocchio is up for sale with a price tag of €19million (£15m) and potential buyers will get a taste of military as well as literary history – others who have stayed at the house, which dates back to 1366 include Ferdinand of Austria, Napoleon Bonaparte and Anna de' Medici. Approximately 40 miles from Florence the main villa is set in the ruins of an original fortress and is spread across 32,600 sq feet. If you have a spare £15million, you can buy the Florence villa where Carlo Collodi wrote the story of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet who wanted to be a real boy . The main house is beautifully situated in Italianate gardens complete with terraces, steps, statues and fountains with water features . | Carlo Collodi wrote Le avventure di Pinocchio in 1883 at the Villa dei Satiri, near Florence, Italy . Main house is situated in Italianate gardens complete with terraces, steps, statues and fountains with water features . As well as a villa buyers also get a summer house, a farm, a restaurant, baths building and even a butterfly house . | 837e5d05acc16368c058704ace97f34784d9d0a4 |
Margaret Thatcher would have rejected and confronted the ‘pessimism’ of Ukip, George Osborne said last night. The Chancellor sought to seize the mantle of the late prime minister for today’s Conservatives, saying they should project an optimistic vision of Britain’s future and address the country’s self-doubt. He likened Lady Thatcher’s mission to drag the country out of the malaise of the 1970s to that now facing the Government, and said the success in turning the economy round over the past five years showed Britain’s best days still lie ahead. George Osborne has said Margaret Thatcher would have rejected and confronted the 'pessimism' of Ukip . Addressing the first Margaret Thatcher Conference on Liberty, organised by the Centre for Policy Studies think tank, Mr Osborne said Labour was represented by ‘pessimists’ who ‘don’t trust human instincts’ and want to ‘control and suppress them with a more powerful state’. But in a clear reference to the rise of Ukip, which topped the polls in last month’s European elections, he added: ‘There’s also a pessimistic tendency that can emerge on the populist right. The tendency to bemoan the present day, and put the past on a pedestal. ‘It sees life as better in 1954 or even 1854, than 2014. It is a tendency that says Britain’s best days are behind it – when I believe our country’s brightest days lie ahead. Margaret Thatcher confronted and overcame the same pessimism in Britain in the 1970s. She was always talking the country up, not down. We must do the same.’ Former Tory minister Jonathan Aitken, Lady Thatcher’s unofficial biographer, has said she would not have voted Ukip but might have been ‘secretly cheering them on’. Questioning: Mr Osborne suggested she would have dismissed the pessimistic prospectus of Nigel Farage's party . But Mr Osborne suggested she would have dismissed Ukip’s pessimistic prospectus. ‘She believed Britain could be a strong economy again; that militant trade unions could be overcome; that the Cold War could be won,’ he told delegates at London’s Guildhall. ‘It is difficult to appreciate today how completely outside the consensus her confidence in Britain and its capabilities was. ‘Not just on the Left, but the Right too, a deep malaise had crept in. Managed decline had been the mantra until she arrived. ‘As optimistic Conservatives who believe in the power of ideas like freedom and aspiration, our generation’s mission is to confront and overcome this latest bout of western self-doubt. Our free market economy can be the most prosperous.’ Education Secretary Michael Gove undermined Mr Osborne’s message by telling the same conference that ‘living in the 18th century ... for many of us would be a very attractive thing to do’. | Chancellor says Tories should project optimistic vision of Britain's future . Said Thatcher overcame similar malaise in the 1970s by talking country up . 'Our country's brightest days lie ahead,' says Osborne . Suggests Thatcher would have dismissed Ukip's pessimistic prospectus . | 093774069a087f3df420df317f7af028be79a57b |
By . Damien Gayle . Last updated at 3:42 PM on 7th January 2012 . Multi-millionaire fraudster and Liberal Democrat donor Michael Brown has been arrested in the Dominican Republic after three years on the run, police said. Brown was sentenced in his absence to seven years in jail after being convicted of fraud at Southwark Crown Court in 2008. He donated about £2.4million to the Lib Dems ahead of the 2005 general election - the party's largest donation to date. Fraudster: Michael Brown and his wife Sharon in Mallorca in 2008. The multi-millionaire fraudster has been arrested in the Dominican Republic . An international manhunt was launched when Brown went on the run after stealing £36million from clients, including nearly £8million from the former chairman of Manchester United. He posed as a highly successful bond dealer and claimed connections with royalty to steal the money from Martin Edwards and others. He secretly used investors' money to fund the record donation to the Lib Dems' 2005 election war chest and also blew a large slice of his ill-gotten gains on an 'extravagant' lifestyle. Brown mixed freely with senior Lib Dem figures, and channelled his substantial cash gift to them through a company called 5th Avenue Partners. The Electoral Commission investigated the affair but ruled the party did not have to hand back the money, which Lib Dem senior figures admitted had been spent anyway. It emerged in September that police had tracked Brown to the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean nation neighbouring Haiti - which has no extradition treaty with Britain. No Briton has ever been forced to return from . the Dominican Republic but prosecutors remain hopeful they can secure a . ground-breaking deal. There is no guarantee that his latest arrest means he will face justice in the UK. Brown's former solicitor, Jamil Ahmed, would not disclose what he has been arrested for. He said: 'He has been arrested but it is unrelated to what went on in the UK. It is nothing to do with previous convictions that were found against him. 'The arrest is not the doing of the UK police but they are likely to want to go over there and interview him or see him.' Crook: Brown fraudulently obtained millions from various individuals including former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards . Brown's escape before standing trial . was facilitated by convicted drug smuggler Paul Nally, who gave him a . fake passport and travelled with him to the Dominican Republic on June . 30, 2008, according to The Sunday Telegraph. Nally . came back a week later, but Brown stayed and set up bank accounts and . real estate ventures using a fake name – Darren P Nally. He has been living a low-key life of luxury on the island, renting expensive properties and playing golf on exclusive courses. A . photo from a golf club membership card revealed he has lost weight, . grown a beard and allowed his blond-dyed hair to turn grey. The whereabouts of his wife of 15 years, Sharon, remains a mystery. Brown’s disappearance was only . possible in the first place because another Lib Dem donor, Lord . Strasburger, had put up the £250,000 bail money. Brown fled to the Dominican Republic in 2008 before being sentenced in absentia in Britain to seven years in jail for a multi-million pound fraud . A Lib Dem spokesman said: 'The Electoral Commission inquiry in 2009 found that the party accepted the donation in good faith, and were in no way at fault. 'It cleared the party of all wrongdoing and accepted that at the time of the donation, Michael Brown was a permitted donor. 'There is no indication that the Electoral Commission will revise its opinion in this matter but any arrest abroad should lead to his extradition to the UK.' A City of London Police spokesman said . yesterday: 'We are pleased to hear that Michael Brown has been detained . by authorities in the Dominican Republic, and are currently . establishing contact with them to find out further details about his . arrest. 'Clearly, at some stage we will look . for his return to the United Kingdom, so he can serve the sentence for . the fraud offences for which he has been convicted in this country.' | Convicted in absentia in 2008 of defrauding clients including Manchester United chairman of £36million . Brown made the Lib Dems biggest ever campaign donation of £2.4million in 2005 . Electoral commission cleared the party of any wrongdoing after investigation . | 84bc5505e99597d95ccc2e12ba4f36f00c6c2b48 |
By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 10:44 EST, 11 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:55 EST, 11 March 2013 . She has refused all attempts to move her and continues to live alone in the Siberian wilderness as she has done all her life. Although Agafya Lykova wants to stay in the wooden shack she was born in, the hermit has asked for a small gift from officials during her latest contact with the outside world - a new goat and some boots. Agafya, 68, is the last surviving member of the Old Believer Lykov family who fled from Stalin's religious persecution into the Siberian taiga in 1936. Alone: Agafya Lykova, pictured in the 1980s with father Karl, left, at their home, and a professor, right, asked for a goat and some boots during her latest visit from rangers . Rehomed: Agafya gave two kittens in exchange for supplies. Bagira, pictured, has been given to new family . They did not see another human being until 1978 when a team of geologists stumbled across their self-built home. Her family, father Karp Iosifovich, mother Akulina, brothers Savvin and Dmitry and sister Natalya have all since died but Agafya refuses to move. Rangers visited her last month and she asked for a new cockerel, a goat and some boots. She also asked that they take two kittens - a male and female - back with them. The animals are descendants of cats taken by the family when they fled into the forest. Agafya, who was born in the forest, asked for the gifts in exchange for the cats and instead of a medal 'For Belief and Kindness' that Aman Tuleyev, Governor of the Kemerovo region wanted to give her. She was quoted in the Siberian Times . as saying: 'My old cock stopped crowing, please can I have a new one? Also my old goat died and I need another one. Old Believers: Agafya and her father Karp pictured after they were found by geologists in 1978 . Survivor: Agafya, pictured with her sister Natalia, is the only member of her family still alive . Home: The Lykov family lived in this hand-built log cabin in the depths of the Siberian taiga . 'And another thing please can I have new boots. I am feeling well thank you. Do say hello to governor Aman Tuleyev.' The rangers said she is well but is struggling more than ever to manage in her home. They helped with repairs during the visit by helicopter and chopped some firewood. One of the cats - a black female called Bagira - has been rehomed and it is hoped the male cat will be found a home soon. Agafya has lived alone since 1988 when her father died. Savvin, 45, Dmitry, 36, and Natalya, 42, all died in 1981 and her mother died in 1961. Family: Karp Lykov, second left, with Dmitry and Agafya, and a Soviet geologist in the 1970s . Wilderness: The family fled Stalinist persecution and set up home in the remote Siberia taiga (file picture) They fled after the Stalinist regime began persecuting Christians, including Old Believers - a fundamentalist Russian orthodox sect which had been persecuted since the days of Peter the Great in the early 18th century. When they were discovered by the geologists, the family - apart from Karp - had never seen bread and they spoke in a blurred and distorted language. Their clothes were repaired using hemp cloth and one harsh winter had been reduced to eating leather shoes. But despite the hardship, Agafya has continued to live at the family home and now has two nanny goats, a male goat, eight cats, a rooster, hens and a dog called Taiga. | Agafya Lykova's family fled religious persecution to the remote Siberian taiga . Had no human contact until Russian geologists stumbled across their home . Agafya, 68, has lived alone since 1988 after her father Karp died . In latest contact with outside world asked for a goat, a cockerel and boots . She exchanged two kittens, which will be rehomed, for the supplies . | 58926f022fe953af8893f72b6a8d60b1963dce7d |
(CNN) -- A man celebrating his friend's impending marriage fell to his death from a Black Hawk, Colorado, hotel window early Saturday, police said. Dirk Anderson, 29, was sitting on the ledge of an open window in the 11th-floor room at the Lady Luck Hotel and Casino when the screen on which he was leaning gave way, according to reports by CNN television affiliates KUSA and KCNC. The Thornton, Colorado, man landed on the roof of a parking garage five levels below, police said. While there was alcohol at the bachelor party, investigators said they don't know if Anderson had been drinking before his fall. There was no evidence of horseplay and it appeared to be an accident, police said. Black Hawk, a 19th-century gold-mining town, is home to several casinos that attract tourists and gamblers from Denver, 35 miles away. Woman on first date plunges to her death off 17th-floor balcony . CNN's John Branch contributed to this report. | Dirk Anderson, 29, landed on the roof of a parking garage five levels below . Investigators don't know if Anderson had been drinking before his fall . No evidence of horseplay and it appears to be an accident, police say . | 045f8aacd5bce0a59ab5cb8737de50ab87bfea54 |
Teachers have banned parents from attending a school sports day in case it leads to a 'Hillsborough-style crush' on the playing field, it has been claimed. The bizarre ruling was enforced at Glapton Academy primary school in Clifton, Nottinghamshire, this week. Headteacher Ruth Ellis wrote to parents telling them they were not invited to next month’s event, which includes the traditional egg and spoon race, because of 'rising pupil numbers'. Furious: Lisa Darby (right) and other mothers are unhappy they have been banned from Glapton's sports day . The school claimed an increase in the number of parents wanting to cheer on their children could cause a crush on the playing fields. Some parents even say they were told the school implemented the ban in order to 'avoid another Hillsborough'. The newsletter to parents sent on Monday stated: 'Thursday 3rd July is planned for sports day. 'Unfortunately, due to rising pupil numbers, we will not be able to invite parents to sports day this year.' Yesterday, furious parents blasted the decision branding it 'health and safety gone mad'. Crowd control: The bizarre ruling was enforced at Glapton Academy primary school in Clifton, Nottinghamshire . David Elliott, 35, whose six-year-old son attends the school, said: 'This is bonkers. Simple as that. 'We got a letter from school saying parents would not be invited to this year’s sports day. 'I rang the school up and spoke to someone who said it was because of health and safety. 'I asked what that meant and the woman said it was because there were more pupils at the school and therefore more potential parents coming on sports day. 'When I asked what the school was afraid might happen she said there was a potential for a crush. I said "what like Hillsborough?" sort of as a joke, and she said "yes".' 'I was gobsmacked. I’ve never heard anything do ridiculous in my life.' The school claims an increase in the number of parents could cause a crush on the playing fields (pictured) Other parents threatened to boycott the sports day on July 3 in protest at the ban. Vicky Samson, 32, whose two children Elliott, 11, and Daisy-May, five, go to the school, said: 'I’m not happy about this at all. 'If we can’t watch, then my children will not be taking part in the sports day. 'My son is in Year 6, so it will be his last sports day - I really want to see him compete. 'The sports day is held on a massive field as well and it’s never full. 'They manage to cram all the parents into a school hall, but apparently we won’t be able to watch on the huge field.' Lisa Darby, 32, whose six-year-old daughter Libby is in Year 1, added: 'I was absolutely fuming when I read the letter. 'Sports day should be a family event and parents should be able to share their child’s excitement at taking part in all the races. The primary school became an academy in January 2013 and was rated 'good' by Ofsted in its last inspection . 'It’s also a big part of growing up - I remember having my parents there at every sports day when I was a child. 'They even used to take part in things like the egg-and-spoon race.' Ms Darby said she was allowed to attend every sports day when her older daughter Chloe, 13, was a pupil at the school. She added: 'It just seems really unfair on Libby now, that she can’t have her mum and dad there like Chloe did. 'I just can’t understand the decision. It seems a big enough sports field to me and I don’t think there are more pupils there than last year.' 'When you’re a working parent, it’s hard to get involved in school life, so you have to take every opportunity you can' Manda Wilkinson, 26, mother . Manda Wilkinson, 26, said her son Logan, eight, was upset to learn his parents wouldn’t be able to cheer him on. She said: 'I find it disgusting that the school aren’t giving us the choice over whether we want to come or not. 'When you’re a working parent, it’s hard to get involved in school life, so you have to take every opportunity you can. 'Are they going to stop us watching the Christmas plays next?' The primary school, which only became an academy in January 2013, was rated 'good' by Ofsted in their last inspection in June last year. Inspectors reported that the school - which caters for boys and girls aged between 3-11 - had 318 pupils on the roll, an increase from 284 who attended in 2010. The teachers’ union NASUWT also hit out at Glapton Academy, blaming their new status for the decision. Neil Lawrence, secretary of the union in Nottingham, said: 'The decision to ban parents from sports day is another example of the loss of control the community feels when a local school becomes an academy and withdraws from local authority control. 'Decisions are made arbitrarily and without consultation.' 'Safeguarding our children is our main priority' Nick Ydlibi, chair of governors . Roger Steel, Conservative Nottingham City Councillor for the Clifton North ward, added: 'It’s traditional that parents attend sports days and I can’t see any logic behind restricting them. 'There’s a benefit to both the children and the parents, who are proud to see their youngsters getting fit through sport.' The Association for Physical Education has also criticised the school’s decision. Spokesman Eileen Marchant said: 'Schools always have reasons for making decisions but it’s a shame this school hasn’t made public its reasons. 'Parents always enjoy going to school sports days and it’s important to have them there to encourage the children. 'So much investment has been put into primary schools through the Government’s PE and school sport premium. 'One of the things schools are expected to do with this is increase competitive opportunities for children. Sports day would be an ideal opportunity to showcase how they are achieving this.' However, Nick Ydlibi, chairman of governors, said: 'No parent has contacted the school to comment on the matter of us being 'unable to invite' parents to our sports day this year. 'Safeguarding our children is our main priority. We feel that due to the rise in pupil numbers along with the close proximity of current major road and tram works a lot of strangers are in and around our school locality. 'Because of this it would be extremely difficult for us to guarantee the safety of our children at an outdoor event with open gates; this is why this year, this very difficult decision has had to be made. 'Our school offers parents lots of opportunities to come to special indoor events, such as Glapton’s Got Talent, our Art Gallery, and Show Time events which are happening in June and July.' The Hillsborough disaster happened on April 15, 1989, at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield during a match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. A human crush resulted in the deaths of 96 people and injuries to 766 others. The incident has since been blamed primarily on the police for letting too many people enter the stadium and remains the worst stadium-related disaster in British history and one of the world's worst football disasters . | Ruling enforced at Glapton Academy primary school in Nottinghamshire . Headteacher Ruth Ellis wrote to parents banning them from the event . Furious parents branded decision as 'health and safety gone mad' | b85cf81cbb9c2f846509f645c1ebfc1bffccb426 |
Sony is set to take on the cable and satellite firms by turning its Playstation 4 console into a 'super set top box' that combines live TV and catchup services. The web-based TV service, PlayStation Vue, is expected to be commercially launched during the first quarter of 2015, and will also be available on the iPad and other devices. It allows users to access live TV and on-demand content without a cable or satellite service, the company said. The web-based television service allows users to access live TV and on-demand content without a cable or satellite service - and will offer 75 channels . The service offers catch-up and on-demand TV. It makes the past three days of popular programming available without the need to schedule recordings, the company said. During the invite-only beta, PlayStation Vue will initially offer around 75 channels per market from major programmers, such as CBS, Discovery Communications, Fox, NBCUniversal, Scripps Networks Interactive and Viacom. The service offers catch-up and on-demand TV. It makes the past three days of popular programming available without the need to schedule recordings, the company said. During the invite-only beta, PlayStation Vue will initially offer around 75 channels per market from major programmers, such as CBS, Discovery Communications, Fox, NBCUniversal, Scripps Networks Interactive and Viacom. PlayStation Vue will begin an invite-only beta preview during November for select PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 owners, with a phased rollout starting in New York followed by Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, the company said. The service will also be available on iPad shortly thereafter, and later on to more Sony and non-Sony devices. 'Everyday TV is about to become extraordinary with our new cloud-based TV service, PlayStation Vue,' said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment . 'PlayStation Vue reinvents the traditional viewing experience so your programming effortlessly finds you, enabling you to watch much more of what you want and search a lot less. Users can choose programmes by channel, and see all of the available episodes for each show as well as watch them live. They can also easily search shows to find new programmes they may like. 'PlayStationVue brings the best of live TV and a robust catalog of the latest content, always keeping you connected to what's popular, new and trending. Pricing and packaging details will be revealed at commercial launch but PlayStation™Vue is changing the rules for how people pay for subscription TV. | Will offer live and on demand services, with 75 channels to choose from . Set to launch in New York as an invite-only beta this month . Expected to launch commercially early next year . | b22b339d8b85db186678b5884d6654321bcbd966 |
Prague, Czech Republic (CNN) -- How do you see the popular uprising sweeping the Middle East and North Africa? It's an epoch-making event. We don't know what it will lead to, how it will finish up. But there is one thing I find very interesting -- there are thousands of experts at ministries, at universities, in science institutes, who specialize in the Arab world. Not one of them predicted that this would happen. More than 10 countries are now experiencing this revolt. There are many similarities with the fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe, but also many "dissimilarities." There is one thing I would add -- in the countries where it's impossible to do a free poll, it's hard to see what is happening below the surface. I remember that Western journalists were telling us for years: You charter-signers and dissidents are Don Quixotes. You are not supported by the working class or farmers or some serious political power. What kind of sense do you think it makes? I was saying: "Be careful. Be careful. What do you know about what's happening under the surface of the society?" Those are the things which someone, especially coming from the free world, would never expect to be happening. And all of a sudden, it explodes somewhere, it's contagious, hitting other countries. And that's similar to what was happening here 20 years ago. How could the experts get it so wrong? For example Gadhafi -- everybody knew he's a fool, a clown, a ridiculous figure. But nobody said he's a madman and a criminal. He had to start murdering his own nation and forbidding the removal of dead bodies from the streets before something which should have been known was finally recognized. Is it because Gadhafi had oil resources? That's another thing which plays an important role, of course. And as long as the economic interests will be superior to human interests and the interests of human rights, the development of this civilization won't be good. But that's generally a problem of civilization. It's not just about Gadhafi. What ignites this human passion for freedom? It's the snowball principle. Totally marginal thing starts rolling, wrapping up many other layers and eventually it leads to something nobody awaited, expected, or predicted. But what is also sleeping under the surface and is invisible is a longing for certain elementary freedoms and that doesn't usually break out just like that, by itself. The snowball is created, it's rolling and rolling and, very often, it turns into an avalanche. But this avalanche doesn't start just by itself. What kind of person should they choose to lead them? There are certainly enough people in all those Arab countries which long for democracy. They are fighting for democracy, for freedom, for human rights, but they still haven't had a chance to express themselves. They will be probably positioning themselves very quickly according to the new situation and there will be partners. Today, it's harder for the free world than during our times because there are no similar dissident organizations or structures, though there are also some hints of that as well in all of those countries. But there are no alternative powers in position, so they have to get in positioned very quickly. So the situation is naturally harder for the Western world, because they don't really know whom to contact or support. The whole [1989] revolutionary movement was made easier thanks to some kinds of alternative structures. It was not just people accidentally passing through Wenceslas Square who went on the balcony there. And a long time before that, many years before that, we were taken as partners, up to a certain degree. That means it was easier than it is now, where the partnerships are forming and taking shape. I think the leaders can't come from the political sphere, because any political opponent was murdered a long time ago, suppressed, chased out of the country and so on. People from other professions must become politicians quickly, overnight. That's something what we have experienced. I believe that the younger generation, students, etc. will offer, will create, and will form such personalities. Five days is enough. In the modern media era, a few days is enough so that a person becomes generally known and viewed as someone who really cares about freeing people, about democracy. What are your concerns for these uprisings now? I was following all those events very closely, especially in Egypt. And I was longing very much for a quick end, because I know that the longer it lasts, the more violence appears. And in Libya, it has been lasting a long time and it turned into a fratricidal war. The faster the process of change, the fewer victims there are. By some political instinct, it's necessary to estimate a certain point when it should culminate and end. To drag it out brings many new dangers. And it's not only a question of numbers, that there are more victims over more days, but it's also becoming worse in other ways. Freed prisoners become a part of it, become thieves [for example]. If the people of the Middle East want real democracy, where must they keep their focus? I wouldn't like to play the role of an advisor to Arab countries. I think it's also important to respect the cultural differences, differences of traditions. But in the Arab world, like in any other civilization, there exist certain basic values, some common, shared, moral and political minimum which is necessary to defend. And it works like this: the world has to go through big shake-ups so it can recover its freedom. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created after World War II. It could hardly have been created later. It's a question of whether another movement toward deepening human freedoms will demand another such catastrophe or if it will be possible without it. How difficult is it going to be for them to build the institutions of a democracy? First of all, let's realize that these countries haven't actually experienced democracy. They don't have the tradition which the central European countries had had at least a little of. That makes it harder. But of course it requires creation of a whole institutional system. Perhaps more important than whether we have a one or two-chamber parliament, more important than the institutional aspect is the political culture -- a certain spirit of the institutions, I would say. That's a problem still until today, even here, even though it has been 20 years since our big political change. There is a struggle between those who are called spiritualists, who talk about the spirit of institutions, mechanisms, elections and so on, and those who are defenders of legal positivism, formalists, who are betting on the institutions as such. Are the countries that saw revolutionary change in 1989, are some of them backsliding now? I think that the authoritarian elements that we can observe in Russia and in a much worse way in Belarus and now in a certain way in Ukraine are of a different nature than the pure totalitarian system as we remember it. They are different because they are more sophisticated and are motivated by economic interests. It's a dictatorship in gloves. But it is also necessary to come to terms with this. I would say it's a typical post-communist phenomenon. What do you hope is your personal legacy? I would be glad if it was felt that I have done something generally useful. I don't care much about personal fame or popularity. I would be satisfied with the feeling that I had a chance to help with something in general, something good. That history gave me that chance. | Former Czech Vaclav Havel helped lay foundations for democracy in eastern Europe . Havel: Development of civilization will not be good if economic interests are superior to human interests . Hopes his personal legacy is that history gave him the chance to help with something good . Havel: I wouldn't like to play the role of an advisor to Arab countries . | 4cf62efb10fe5f6026ca0c083d9ca789e9e529f9 |
By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 00:59 EST, 21 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:38 EST, 21 September 2012 . Maggie Rizer's two-year-old golden retriever Bea was healthy and prepared for her flight across the country, according to the doting dog owner who says she took every precaution to ensure the dog's safety. So when the model, her husband Alex Mehran and their 10-month-old son Zander landed in San Francisco from New York earlier this month, the last thing they expected to hear was that one of their two dogs didn't make it. 'We drove to the dark cargo terminal and on arrival in the hangar were told simply, “One of them is dead” by the emotionless worker who seemed more interested in his text messages,' Maggie wrote in a heated web post on Thursday titled: 'United Airlines Killed Our Golden Retriever.' Killed: Bea, a two-year-old golden retriever died earlier this month from heatstroke, according to a veterinarian's report, suffered while travelling on a United Airlines flight . Attack: Bea's owner is model Maggie Rizer, who blasted the airline over her pet's death . Having heard stories of pets not surviving flights before - though Bea and her other two dogs Al and Hen have flown previously - the nervous owner says she took every precaution her and her husband could think of to ensure their safety, including a full health examination four days before, as required by United's PetSafe flight programme. After a six-hour drive to New York City to avoid a connecting flight that could potentially stress or separate their dogs, she says she paid the airline $1,800 in addition to their plane tickets to ensure their pets' safety as passengers. However, it seems that the airline failed to keep its promises about the dogs. '[The airline] didn't even have an excuse,' she told PEOPLE Magazine this week. After retrieving their dog's body, which they were originally told had already been sent to a local vet for an autopsy, Maggie’s own veterinarian determined that Bea had died from heatstroke. ‘She died 30 feet below us, alone and . scared. Nobody was there to help her because someone made a mistake,’ Maggie told PEOPLE of the dog that had been given to the couple at . their wedding in 2010. Healthy and loved: The golden retriever, seen cuddling with Maggie's husband Alex Mehran, had undergone a health inspection just four days before their flight from New York to San Francisco, California . Family: Bea was one of three dogs belonging to the couple, Al and Hen pictured with them, after gifted at their wedding in 2010 . 'We understand that the loss of a beloved pet is difficult and express our condolences to Ms Rizer and her family for their loss,’ United told PEOPLE in a statement. 'After careful review, we found there were no mechanical operational issues with Bea's flight and also determined she was in a temperature-controlled environment for her entire journey. We would like [to] finalize the review but are unable until we receive a copy of the necropsy.’ 'I am disappointed by United's statement and continued show of disrespect,' Maggie retorted in her own written statement on her Facebook page on Thursday. Despite her anger the model, married to an IBM heir, writes that she doesn't plan to file a lawsuit or become . an advocate against the airline. Stern warning: Bea is seen snoozing in Maggie's home in an earlier taken photo, with the heartbroken owner now warning pet owners about flying with their pets . 'I am writing this to help make people aware that airlines are incapable of ensuring the safety of our pets. All it takes is for one employee to not follow the proper procedure and then like me, your dog is dead.' Responding to condolences on her Facebook page this week, Maggie showed her appreciation for her compassionate friends and fans. 'Thank you for the kind thoughts. She was an amazing dog with a heart of gold. So incredibly happy and sweet, so lovable. We still cannot believe she is gone. She will be missed more then I can express. My heart is broken and forever changed.' | Bea, the couple's two-year-old dog, died of heatstroke while aboard the United flight according to an autopsy report . Owners say they paid $1,800 in addition to their plane tickets to transport their two dogs on United's PetSafe programme . | 50d20a262d22c06c17dd9affa7a099b8ef875369 |
The man who shared images of the abuse that a Filipino maid allegedly suffered on the job in Saudi Arabia said he did so because he didn't know what else to do. Arnel Tahal is a cousin of the victim, Pahima Alagai Palacasi, and was shown the graphic photos of burns all over Palacasi's back, arms and legs by another cousin. Tahal said he posted the pictures on Facebook because "I did not know what to do. But after people started sharing the pictures, some told us what we can do to help her." The result is that the injured Palacasi, who is married and has two young children, will remain in Riyadh in a search for justice. The burns allegedly came at the hands of her employer's mother. The 22-year-old maid was at the home of her employer's mother on May 4 when "her sponsor's mother poured boiled water over Palacasi due to a simple misunderstanding," according to a Philippines Labor Ministry statement posted Tuesday. Tahal told CNN that the employer's mother poured a thermos of scalding water on the maid after yelling at her for not preparing coffee quick enough. Two days later, the employer took Palacasi for medical care. While at hospital, Palacasi was able to reach a relative who lives in Riyadh who helped her sneak out of hospital. The cousin then posted graphic photos of Palacasi's wounds on Facebook, showing bright pink and white scalded skin all over her back, the backs of her arms, and parts of her leg, according to the ministry statement. "I feel that we need more help from the government of the Philippines to get justice for my cousin," Tahal said. The Philippines government said it would help Palacasi file a case against her employer and has suspended the work of the Saudi recruitment agency that hired her. The English-language Saudi daily Arab News reported Wednesday that Riyadh police were conducting a joint investigation of the case. Palacasi alleges that her employer began physically abusing her within days of her arrival, kicking and lashing her after she complained of being homesick. She also claimed her employers deprived her of food. "[My employer's mother] asked me to throw away all the leftover food but I didn't do it so that when I got hungry I could have something to eat," Palacasi said in a cellphone video reportedly taken by her cousin and released to ABS-CBN, a CNN affiliate in the Philippines. CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video. "Please help me," Palacasi says in the video. "Help me file a case against my employer. I suffered a lot." Palacasi is currently at an embassy shelter in Riyadh. "She is stable, in high spirits, and is relating well with fellow (Filipino workers)," according to the government statement. "We are following up on the case with the police and the embassy and we will respond once we have all the details of the case," Mohammed Almadi of Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission told CNN. Saudi Arabia pledges to protect foreign workers, as Indonesian maids face execution . Saudi minister responds to damning human rights report . | The cousin who posted the pictures says he didn't know what to do . The maid claims her Saudi boss's mother poured boiling water on her . The photos sparked outrage on social media . | c803d0b957abefb26e1fe0ad87aea5fc80180a20 |
Apple's iPhone 7 could have a dramatically improved camera that uses two lenses to capture images rivalling those from professional cameras, it has been claimed. Highly regarded Apple blogger John Gruber said sources at Apple have spoken of 'the biggest ever camera jump' for the next version of the hugely successful iPhone. The handset is expected to be revealed in September. Scroll down for video . The new handset could use two camera lenses to create pictures that rival snaps from a professional camera, it has been claimed. The iPhone 6 featured a new 8-megapixel iSight camera. It included autofocus with Focus Pixels to improve quality, optical image stabilization (iPhone 6 Plus only) and a True Tone flash. The tip was revealed by Gruber in the latest episode of The Talk Show podcast, when he revealed he has heard 'from a birdie of a birdie' that Apple is working on the 'biggest camera jump ever' for the next iPhone. 'The specific thing I heard is that next years camera might be the biggest camera jump ever,' he said. 'I don't even know what sense this makes, but I've heard that it's some kind of weird two-lens system where the back camera uses two lenses and it somehow takes it up into DSLR quality imagery.' HTC's most recent phone, the M8, also comes with two lenses so that you can add 3-D effects to photos. However, Apple's approach is believes to be designed to add quality to pictures rather than create special effects. In the iPhone 6, there have been a whole host of technical improvements to the camera sensor, and in MailOnline's review, we said 'but in a nutshell, this is among the best cameras on any smartphone - and a huge leap forward from what was already a great camera in the iPhone 5.' The iPhone 6 offered a major improvement in camera quality- but the iPhone 7 promises an ever bigger leap. Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus cameras feature 'focus pixels' which let the auto focus work twice as fast, and be capable of taking 43 Megapixel panoramic photos. There is a dedicated hardware system within handset's A8 processor which will enable fast advanced face detection, and the larger 6 Plus has a new optical image stabilisation system. The smaller iPhone 6 will still come with a digital image stabiliser. The slow-motion video camera can take up to 240 frames a second, and allows you to slow footage down and speed it back up again at will. | Journalist John Gruber claims an insider at Apple made the revelation . iPhone 7 expected to have dual lens system to improve image quality . | e497cdbed23a06287bc18ed2335b192e01d7e5fb |
Dave King has declared he sees no impediments to him returning to take a hands-on role at Rangers. The South Africa-based businessman has requisitioned the Ibrox board for an EGM at which he, Paul Murray and John Gilligan hope to replace chairman David Somers, James Easdale and Mike Ashley placemen Derek Llambias and Barry Leach. The current incumbents are resisting the request though, and have asked the regulator of the Alternative Investment Market to rule King unsuitable for directorship on account of his 41 contraventions of South African Income Tax Law. Dave King (above) sees no impediment to him being able to return to a hands-on role at Rangers . Rangers Chairman David Somers (left) with Derek Llambias (right) King previously agreed to pay the South African Revenue Services (SARS) £40m as part of a settlement and was fined £186,000 rather than face 84 years in prison. As well as satisfying the Stock Exchange of his suitability to take up a directorial role, King, who served on the oldco Rangers board, must also pass the SFA’s fit and proper person criteria which takes a dim view of criminal convictions and association with insolvency over the past five years. Recent reports in his adopted country pertaining to the discovery of unlawful activity within SARS had raised questions over the validity of the investigation that led to what King this week described as a ‘favourable tax settlement’. But, citing the fact he is already executive chairman of a public company, King on Wednesday waived his right to see that matter reopened by launching a staunch defence of his credentials. Mike Ashley (left) appointed his associate Derek Llambias (right) as Rangers Chief Executive in December . A statement on his behalf read: ‘There has been media coverage in the UK following a report in the South African Sunday Times that dealt with the suspension of senior managers of the South African Revenue Services (SARS) for allegedly operating a rogue intelligence unit that spied on senior politicians and businessmen. I am named in the report as one of the business people who was spied on. ‘It was suggested in the Sunday Times report that this unlawful activity by SARS could put many of the recently concluded tax settlements at risk - mine included. This is an obvious conclusion for the journalist to reach. If SARS obtained information unlawfully and such information was used to coerce settlement with me (or any other taxpayer) then I could apply to have my settlement set aside. According to my advice that is the correct legal position. ‘For the avoidance of doubt I wish to make my position clear. I will not be making an application to have my settlement reviewed and/or set aside for two reasons: . Off-field politics have prompted numerous protests from Rangers fans this season . '1. My settlement resulted from prolonged and robust litigation that was fully in the public arena. There was no information produced or used by SARS that was unlawfully gained and, in my opinion, the individuals I dealt with at SARS acted in good faith - both during and after my settlement negotiations. I consequently have no legal basis to argue for the review and setting aside of my settlement. '2. Even if my legal team could make out a case for review I would not pursue it. I am happy with the settlement and the opportunity this created for me to lead a normal business and personal life. My business interests have performed very strongly post-settlement with the SA government by far my largest customer. I am also able to enjoy my role as Executive Chairman of a public company without the integrity issues that previously dogged me. 'Importantly, I also now have sufficient time and resources to invest in getting Rangers back on track.’ The future of the Scottish giants remains uncertain following continuing financial problems . | Dave King does not see any reason for him not to return to Rangers . South Africa-based businessman wants a hands-on role at the club . But he has 41 contraventions of South African Income Tax law . King wants himself, Paul Murray and John Gilligan on the Rangers board . He wants to replace Mike Ashley's men, Derek Llambias and Barry Leach . | 7c71011ba5ad563f2edb027ce66510b1abeb283f |
By . Valerie Elliott . Mosquito traps have been set up at motorway service stations because motorists returning from the Continent could be carrying home a deadly species. The Asian tiger mosquito, which can bite 50 times in 15 minutes and carries the life-threatening dengue fever, yellow and Chikungunya fevers, hides in caravans, camping trailers and motorhomes. It has been spreading north from southern Europe and experts believe it could soon establish in the UK. Deadly species: The Asian tiger mosquito (pictured), which can bite 50 times in 15 minutes and carries the life-threatening dengue fever, yellow and Chikungunya fevers, hides in caravans, trailers and motorhomes . The traps have been installed on the main routes from the Channel ferry ports and the Eurotunnel terminal. They resemble black plant pots and contain water to attract the insects. A few . leaves are inserted and a small polystyrene square placed on top of the . water. The dark, wet spaces are ideal shelters for mosquitoes to lay . their eggs. The sticky larvae then attaches to the polystyrene. Scientists . check the traps every two weeks. If larvae are seen, the polystyrene is . removed and bagged, and a replacement inserted. Samples are then tested . in the laboratory to identify the insect species. Traps: Mosquito traps that attract the insects have now been set up at motorway service stations (file picture) Jolyon Medlock, head of medical entomology at Public Health England, said: 'Asian tiger mosquitoes have now spread along motorways from Greece, . Spain and Italy through the south of France as far as Lyon. 'But with . many holidaymakers driving to the south of France, Italy and Spain the . potential is there for the mosquito to enter the country. 'If a mosquito . flies into a car you’ll swat them, but people are unlikely to know if a . mosquito is sheltering inside a caravan or trailer. 'So we’ve decided to . set up traps away from the coast where mosquitoes may escape from . vehicles into the environment.' Shipments to Britain of used tyres where the mosquito likes to nest are also routinely inspected. Asian tiger mosquitoes, named after their distinctive striped markings, thrive in temperate climate and can carry more than 20 exotic diseases. Dr Medlock said the intensive mosquito surveillance was necessary so health chiefs could plan for possible disease outbreaks and warn people about the potential threat. Surveillance is also being extended in a triangle from Basildon in Essex to Canterbury and Dartford in Kent to monitor the spread of another dangerous mosquito, known as Culex modestus, which can transmit West Nile Virus which can be fatal to humans. Until four years, ago this mosquito was thought to be extinct in the UK, but it was found in a trap in marshes at Cliffe north, Kent, and has extended to Faversham. Mosquitoes trapped and tested have so far been free of the virus. July is the peak time for mosquitoes in Britain, but householders can reduce numbers in their garden by emptying paddling pools, covering water butts and turning buckets, plant pots or other containers upside down to prevent collecting water which attracts the insects. | Asian tiger mosquitoes can bite 50 times in 15 minutes and carry diseases . These include life-threatening dengue fever, yellow and Chikungunya fevers . Insects are known to hide in caravans, camping trailers and motorhomes . Traps resemble black plant pots and contain water to attract mosquitoes . | 2e65d6169216defd6919aa786e661c12d093be6e |
Google and Apple already want to be in your pocket and on your wrist, and for their next battle the rivals are gunning for your car's dashboard. 2015 will be the year Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay systems roll out to more cars and reach the mainstream. But concerns have already been raised about how dangerous the software is for drivers and how much the tech giants will be able to track owners. Scroll down for videos . Apple's contender: The firm first toyed with an in-car system at its Worldwide Developer Conference in June 2013. At that point it was known as 'iOS in the Car' but following changes in the design team the system was unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show, under the moniker CarPlay (Apple Maps on CarPlay pictured) Google's fighter: Google used its annual developer I/O in June to unveil Android Auto, a key feature of its latest operating system Android Lollipop. Android Auto works with any Android phone to show a user's information on the dashboard (Google Maps on Android Auto pictured) Apple first toyed with an in-car system at its Worldwide Developer Conference in June 2013. At that point it was known as 'iOS in the Car' but following changes in the design team the system was officially unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show, under the moniker CarPlay. Google used its own annual developer I/O in June to unveil Android Auto, a key feature of its latest operating system Android Lollipop. Android Auto works with any Android Lollipop phone to show information on the dashboard. In April, Texas researchers found that using voice to send text messages while driving - on software such as Apple's Siri - is just as dangerous as texting with fingers. They found both methods impacted . driver response times equally - but it often took voice . recognition users longer to fix mistakes with their messages. While a separate study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in the US, discovered that hands-free kits increase mental workload and distractions, causing reaction times to get slower and brain function to become compromised. This results in drivers scanning the road less and potentially not seeing items right in front of them, including pedestrians. Rather than running its own operating system, the unit acts an external display for connected devices. The software automatically starts when a user plugs in their phone, and Google has subsequently demonstrated how maps, Google Now cards and music will appear on the car's built-in screen through a series of promotional videos and trailers. Android Auto uses voice control for navigation, using Google Maps, and can read and reply to messages. Music is accessed through Google Play or the phone's music library. Certain models of car will have a voice-activation button on the wheel, while others will respond automatically to 'OK Google.' At the launch, Google's Patrick Brady said the firm will allow developers to build cars apps for audio and messaging applications and has signed up more than 28 car makers. These include Abarth, Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jeep, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Ram, Renault, Seat, Skoda, Subaru, Suzuki, Volkswagen and Volvo. The first wave of Android Auto cars are 'coming soon', but they are expected to launch this year. Apple's integrated CarPlay system works in an almost identical way. Plugging an iPhone into the car starts the system. It works with the iPhone 5 up to the iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 7 and above, and features Siri Eyes Free - a voice-activated, hands-free way to use the system with Apple's Siri software. Once connected, Siri can be used to access the phone’s contacts, make calls, return missed calls and listen to voicemails. Navigation uses Apple Maps, and music can be played through apps including Apple's own Beats Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify and Stitcher. Both systems work with connected handsets and let drivers control maps, make calls (CarPlay pictured), open and respond to texts and play music using voice commands. In Apple CarPlay this is called Siri Eyes Free. CarPlay is compatible with the iPhone 5 and above while Android Auto works with Android Lollipop . Android Auto uses voice control for navigation, using Google Maps, and can read and reply to messages. Music will be accessed through Google Play (pictured) or the phone's music library . Many car manufacturers will also include touchscreen controls, plus physical knobs and controls in their vehicles. The first car to be sold with a fully-functioning version of CarPlay was Ferrari's FF unveiled in September. Earlier this month Hyundai confirmed its Sonata sedan will have the features by the end of March. Other partners include Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroen including its DS branch, Dodge, Fiat, Honda, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Renault, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. Certain models of car (Kia example pictured) will have a voice-activation button on the wheel, while others will respond automatically to spoken commands such as 'OK Google' And by 2016 all new Ford models are expected to have either Android Auto or CarPlay built-in. But despite the promises from both firms in terms of adding easy-to-use, hands-free features, a recent study from Texas Transportation Institute found the technology may be as dangerous as texting. The first car to be sold with a fully-functioning version of CarPlay was Ferrari's FF (pictured) unveiled in September. Earlier this month Hyundai confirmed its Sonata sedan will have the features by the end of March . Other CarPlay and Android Auto partners include Abarth, Audi, BMW, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Volvo (CarpPlay on a Volvo car pictured). By 2016, all Fords are expected to have either Android or CarPlay built-in . While a separate study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in the US, discovered that hands-free kits increase mental workload and distractions, causing reaction times to get slower and brain function to become compromised. CarPlay works with the iPhone 5 up to the iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 7 and iOS 8 (pictured) This results in drivers scanning the road less and potentially not seeing items right in front of them, including pedestrians. Apple has not commented on the findings, but during a demonstration of Google's technology Andrew Brenner, the lead project manager of Android Auto, told the New York Times that no action on the system should take more than two seconds. This was designed to comply with the Transportation Department’s voluntary guidelines. For example, there is no Back or Recents button, and the font on Google Maps is larger and less detailed to be less distracting. Video streaming is blocked, as is most social media, and texts will only be sent using voice commands. And with the latest rumours about Apple's electric, self-driving car project Titan, both dashboard systems could be just the next step towards vehicles running solely on Android or iOS. Android Auto will also take advantage of Google Now (example pictured). Google Now scans calendar entries to work out where a user is, or should be. It combines this with location data from the phone's GPS, as well as posts on social networks and email. It then shows Cards designed to offer support it thinks the user needs . Apple said many cars will also include touchscreen controls, plus physical knobs and controls to make controlling CarPlay as easy as possible without distracting the driver. A recent study from Texas Transportation Institute found the technology may be as dangerous as texting . Reports claim Apple has several hundred employees developing its own electric car at a secret lab. Speculation was rife earlier this month when an Apple-owned car was spotted driving around California fitted with Street View-style cameras. Further cars were spotted in Florida and Hawaii. If Apple was developing such technology, it would would rival Google's self-driving cars. Google's head of self-driving cars recently said he expects people to be using them on public roads in two to five years. Chris Urmson added the cars would still be test vehicles, and Google would collect data on how they interact with other vehicles and pedestrians. Following the latest rumours about Apple's electric self-driving car project Titan, both systems could be just the next step towards vehicles running solely on Android or iOS. Speculation was rife earlier this month when an Apple-owned car was spotted driving around California fitted with Street View-style cameras (pictured) If Apple was developing such technology, it would would rival Google's self-driving cars (pictured). Google's head of self-driving cars Chris Urmson recently said he expects people to be using them on public roads in two to five years and Google would collect data on how they interact with other vehicles and pedestrians . Similarly, Apple is said to be working on a release date of 2020 for its own range of vehicles. Other concerns around Android Auto, CarPlay and both firms entering the car market involve privacy and tracking. Following users on their phones, into their cars as well as their homes, campaigners are worried the tech giants will have access to a wealth of personal information. But Mr Brenner responded: 'It’s exactly the same as having it in your pocket in your phone because it is on your phone. So the same privacy controls that we have already for Google Now and for other third-party applications exist for this as well.' | 2015 will see Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay rolling out to more cars . Both firms have developed dashboard technology that sync with phones . Devices running Android Lollipop and iOS 7 can plug into the systems . Systems then allow drivers to control maps, make calls, open and respond to texts and play music from their handsets using voice commands . Ferrari and Hyundai are first cars signed up to run full versions of CarPlay . Google has teamed up with 28 manufacturers including Audi and Bentley . But concerns have already been raised about how dangerous the software is for drivers and how much the tech giants will be able to track owners . | e0225bd49ed573b78cf3b58d8a6c07ecce2c92cd |
A woman has stabbed a man with a shard of glass, a knife and a pair of scissors after she took exception to the TV channel being changed. Police say the two, who are known to each other, got into a fight on Thursday afternoon after the man arrived at the woman's Cairns home unannounced. It's alleged the woman become upset after the man changed the TV channel and she stabbed him three times. 'The man received three stab wounds after its alleged he was stabbed with a shard of glass, a kitchen knife and a pair of scissors,' police said in a statement. The 54-year-old alleged victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries. A 35-year-old woman is facing three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one charge of common assault. She is to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Friday. A Queensland woman faces assault charges after stabbing a man with scissors, a knife and a shard of glass when he changed the TV channel at her Cairns home . | A 35-year-old woman faces assault charges over the stabbing of a 54-year-old man in her North Queensland home . The woman allegedly became upset when the man changed the TV channel . The male victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries . | 8cea77465ce095d06ed74d4c1ff457a05eb0e9da |
(CNN) -- The prosecutor in the U.S. government's case against an Indian diplomat charged in New York with visa fraud related to her treatment of her housekeeper expressed dismay Wednesday over the direction the case has taken. "There has been much misinformation and factual inaccuracy in the reporting on the charges against Devyani Khobragade," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara about India's 39-year-old deputy consul general for political, economic, commercial and women's affairs, who was arrested December 12 in New York by federal agents. "It is important to correct these inaccuracies because they are misleading people and creating an inflammatory atmosphere on an unfounded basis." He was referring to reporting about Khobragade's arrest outside her daughter's school, her detention in a cell with other women and her having been subjected to a strip search -- all of which raised diplomatic hackles in New Delhi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the diplomat's treatment "deplorable;" Indian National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon called it "barbaric," CNN sister network IBN reported. Indian officials summoned U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell, took away U.S. diplomats' identification cards that gave them diplomatic benefits and removed security barriers outside the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. But Bharara said Khobragade's treatment was justified. He cited an 11-page complaint that alleged she had promised in the visa application under which her housekeeper moved from India to the United States to pay her at least $9.75 per hour, the minimum wage in New York, and to require that she work no more than 40 hours per week. But the complaint alleges that Khobragade then had the housekeeper, who has been identified as Sangeeta Richard, sign a second contract, which paid her less than $3.31 per hour and required that she work much longer hours. The second contract, which was not to be revealed to the U.S. government, "deleted the required language protecting the victim from other forms of exploitation and abuse" and also deleted language that said Khobragade agreed to abide by U.S. laws, he said. Khobragade is charged with one count of visa fraud -- which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison -- and one count of making false statements -- which carries a maximum sentence of five years. Khobragade's lawyer, Daniel Arshack, said the allegations were unsubstantiated. "When the facts are looked at, it's perfectly clear that Dr. Khobragade did nothing wrong," he told CNN's "Piers Morgan." "She paid her worker exactly what she was supposed to pay her and the government has simply made a whole series of spectacular blunders, which has enroiled (sic) them into quite a remarkable diplomatic kerfuffle." He added that the housekeeper was paid "well above the minimum wage," and that his client had -- at the housekeeper's request -- sent a portion of that money to the housekeeper's husband each month in India. "The balance of her pay was paid to her in the United States -- all of it," he said. Arshack accused the U.S. government of having treated his client "like an ordinary U.S. citizen charged with a crime. The fact is she isn't an ordinary U.S. citizen. She's a diplomat with immunity." Citizens of India express their outrage . Concern over the treatment by U.S. authorities of Khobragade, not her alleged treatment of her housekeeper, has sparked outrage. On Tuesday, outside the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, demonstrators seething over what they considered to be humiliating treatment of the Indian diplomat, carried signs protesting the U.S. handling of the matter. "If USA will not respect Indians, then Americans will not be respected in India also," read one. In his statement, Bharara noted that Khobragade was charged not only with trying to evade U.S. law intended to protect domestic employees of diplomats and consular workers from exploitation, but also with causing the victim and her spouse "to attest to false documents and be a part of her scheme to lie to U.S. government officials." He bemoaned that public outrage was focusing not on Khobragade's alleged treatment of the housekeeper and her spouse, but on the U.S. government's treatment of the diplomat. "Is it for U.S. prosecutors to look the other way, ignore the law and the civil rights of victims (again, here an Indian national), or is it the responsibility of the diplomats and consular officers and their government to make sure the law is observed?" he asked rhetorically. Bharara defended the handling of the arrest and custody, though his office was not involved. "Khobragade was accorded courtesies well beyond what other defendants, most of whom are American citizens, are accorded," he said. "She was not, as has been incorrectly reported, arrested in front of her children. The agents arrested her in the most discreet way possible, and unlike most defendants, she was not then handcuffed or restrained." In addition, she was allowed to keep her phone and make calls to arrange personal matters, including child care, he said. "Because it was cold outside, the agents let her make those calls from their car and even brought her coffee and offered to get her food. It is true that she was fully searched by a female deputy marshal -- in a private setting -- when she was brought into the U.S. Marshals' custody, but this is standard practice for every defendant, rich or poor, American or not, in order to make sure that no prisoner keeps anything on his person that could harm anyone, including himself. This is in the interests of everyone's safety." Bharara acknowledged that the alleged victim's family has been brought to the United States, but said that that happened after a legal process was initiated in India in an attempt to silence her and compel her to return to India. An injunction was issued in September by the Delhi High Court seeking to stop Richard from "instituting any actions or proceedings against Dr. Khobragade outside India on the terms or conditions of her employment," the Indian Embassy said last week in a statement. It said the U.S. government had been asked to find her "and facilitate the service of an arrest warrant, issued by the Metropolitan Magistrate of the South District Court in New Delhi." Bharara said it had been necessary to bring Richard's family to the United States. "This office and the Justice Department are compelled to make sure that victims, witnesses and their families are safe and secure while cases are pending," he said. Complaints reach the highest levels . Still, the complaints from the Indian government, a close U.S. ally, have reached the highest authorities. President Barack Obama has been briefed on the issue, White House spokesman Jay Carney said. And the top U.S. diplomat, Secretary of State John Kerry, called Indian National Security Adviser Menon on Wednesday and tried to smooth over the ruffled feathers. "As a father of two daughters about the same age as Devyani Khobragade, the secretary empathizes with the sensitivities we are hearing from India about the events that unfolded after Ms. Khobragade's arrest, and in his conversation with National Security Adviser Menon he expressed his regret, as well as his concern that we not allow this unfortunate public issue to hurt our close and vital relationship with India," the State Department said. Asked whether Kerry's regret was about what happened in New York or the response to it in India, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said, "Regret on the situation at large, I would say both, honestly. He certainly expressed regret about what happened with this case at large, sort of how this has all played out." Harf said appropriate procedures appeared to have been followed in the arrest by U.S. marshals, but that conditions surrounding Khobragade's processing would be examined "to ensure that all appropriate procedures were followed and every opportunity for courtesy was extended." Still, the charges stand. Harf also said that Khobragade enjoys "consular immunity," a limited diplomatic immunity related to her official duties. Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, consular officials can be arrested for acts committed outside official job functions. The State Department said Khobragade's consular immunity does not cover the charges she faces. Indian officials, too, appeared to be intent on keeping the diplomatic eruption from escalating. "Let me assure you that there is no change in the security situation as regards to any diplomats in India, including U.S. diplomats," said Syed Akbaruddin, a spokesman for India's External Affairs Ministry. He said U.S. officials shouldn't read too much into the removal of cement barriers in front of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. "India is fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all diplomats in Delhi and elsewhere. So, please do not have any doubts on that score; we will provide full safety and security within the confines of India law." Dana Sussman, a lawyer for the housekeeper, said Richard had tried to improve her situation by dealing directly with Khobragade, but the attempts were unsuccessful. The issue goes beyond a labor dispute for Richard and others in similar positions. "Our clients who work as domestic workers are living in the home with their employers," she said. "So, if they leave, they not only leave their legal status, they leave their only source of income, they leave the only home that they've known in a foreign country." She said Richard has no passport, is living with friends and has been granted temporary legal status that allows her to remain and work in the United States until the matter is resolved. Richard herself has brought no claim against Khobragade and has no plans to do so, she said. A source who has spoken with Richard said she is in her early 40s and had worked previously with other diplomatic families in India. CNN's Jethro Mullen, Deborah Feyerick, Elise Labott, Harmeet Shah Singh and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | Kerry calls India's national security adviser, expresses "regret" President Obama has been briefed on the situation . India's deputy consul general was detained and strip-searched . She's accused of visa fraud involving underpaying a housekeeper . | 2f2600ed52e8ed085ddb770e42dae71aa52cef98 |
Denver (CNN) -- To win in November, Mitt Romney must emerge from his first debate with President Barack Obama as the leader on this campaign's defining question: Which candidate do voters trust more to handle the economy? "He has to paint a compelling picture of a better economic future and why he can lead us there and President Obama can't," GOP pollster Whit Ayres told CNN when asked to define Romney's paramount debate challenge. Democratic pollster Peter Hart made the same point but in more colorful language: "If Romney loses this issue, then he is toast." How to watch, clip and share the debate . Yes, there are other important challenges for both the Republican challenger and the Democratic incumbent as they share the debate stage for the first of three encounters. Romney, for example, must pass a test all challengers face when appearing side by side with an incumbent: look and sound like a credible alternative, like a president. The GOP standard-bearer also needs to quiet the jitters among Republicans who see the presidential campaign trending in a direction they worry could hurt down-ballot. Candidate 'tells' a cue to debate performance . For the president, some aides and advisers worry most about coming across as smug, or too dismissive, of criticism of his economic stewardship. His burden also includes the challenge of showing how the next four years would be different without helping his challenger's case that the approach of the last four years was misguided. But given the state of the race, very competitive but with an Obama advantage in several of the most important battleground states, veteran strategists in both parties agree the heavier burden in the first debate is on Romney. Five things to watch for tonight . And they agree his overriding challenge is to seize the upper hand in the economy argument. The candidates enter the Denver debate tied on that key question. Our new CNN/ORC International poll asked likely voters which candidate would better handle the economy. Obama was the choice of 49%, Romney of 48%. Pollster Ayres said the key in winning over undecided and persuadable voters is for Romney to make the case the president's economic proposals are "government-driven" and that Romney's rely on small business and the broader private sector as engines of growth. Romney: Debates aren't about a win . The president's response, according to aides familiar with his debate preparations, will be twofold: cast Romney's proposals as little or nothing new, a throwback to favor-the-rich GOP policies that the president argues contributed to the economic ditch, and raise questions about Romney's understanding of, and empathy for, the struggles of working- and middle-class families. The format should offer voters a clear contrast: . • Three segments on the economy . • One on health care . • One on the role of government . • And one on governing leadership and style. As always, there is the debate season sideshow known as the expectations game. It can be fun to watch, especially when high-profile surrogates like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ignore the Romney campaign talking points and instead promise a campaign-changing debate performance. Fun, but in the end meaningless. The surrogates and spinners aren't on the debate stage. Or on the ballot. This is about Obama and Romney, their first of three debates a test of whether the challenger can make a persuasive case that he has a better economic plan or the incumbent can sell voters on staying the course. 10 questions you would ask at the presidential debate . Obama: 'They're making me do my homework' Latino vote in Nevada up for grabs . | Campaign's defining question is who voters trust to handle economy . Romney faces same question all challengers do -- is he credible alternative? Obama faces challenge of showing how next four years would be different from last four . Bottom line is the debate rests on which of two men on stage are more persuasive . | f3e7ed8acfc05f268d8d2aebae18acc4d27ebe33 |
London (CNN) -- Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson said she was "ashamed" of her drug use but preferred to be honest, as she took the stand for a second day Thursday as a witness in the fraud trial of two former personal assistants. Lawson's first day of testimony Wednesday gripped the media, as she admitted using cocaine in two periods of her life and spoke of her troubled relationship with ex-husband Charles Saatchi, a millionaire art collector. Quizzed again on the subject Thursday, she said, "I have been frank, and the fact is I would rather be honest, if ashamed, and explain the drug use rather than be bullied with lies about something that happened in a humiliating and very public way." In light of her tribulations, she described 2013 as "the longest year of my life." The former aides, Italian sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, deny embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds on Saatchi's company credit cards while employed by Lawson and Saatchi. Lawson was also asked again Thursday about her initial reluctance to come to court. The allegations of drug use emerged in June, around the time Lawson and Saatchi were photographed having an argument in a restaurant, Scott's. In the photos, which were splashed across the front pages of national newspapers, Saatchi is seen with his hand around Lawson's throat and appears to pinch and look up her nose. Saatchi accepted a police caution for assault, and the couple announced they would divorce soon afterward. Lawson told the court the only thing she objected to was the story "that I was taking drugs at Scott's," a reference to an alleged claim by Saatchi that he was wiping cocaine from her nose at the restaurant. Asked why she hadn't sued Saatchi for libel over the claim, Lawson said that she didn't have the money and did not want to go to court because her ex-husband enjoyed litigation. "I do not appreciate being bullied. I am not going to continue to be bullied," she said. Lawson said she felt it was her duty to come to court in this case. "I felt it would be an unpleasant experience, but that's not an excuse not to do one's civic duty." Referring to Saatchi's request for her to attend the trial, made in a letter sent by his lawyers, Lawson said Wednesday: "He had said to me if I didn't get back to him and clear his name, he would destroy me." No 'written-down rules' The two defendants, who worked for Lawson and Saatchi for a number of years, were supposed to use the cards for household expenses, but allegedly spent large amounts on themselves. Francesca Grillo's lawyer questioned Lawson on Thursday about exactly what her client was responsible for paying for. Lawson rejected the notion that Francesca had been given free rein to use the credit cards. "There were not written-down rules. ... But it was known that they were not for personal use unless directed," Lawson said. "I don't think any normal person would think that someone else's credit card was for their personal use." Lawson said she disputed "completely" the claim that Francesca had given money to her two children and stepdaughter to pay for lunches, dinners, public transit and excursions amounting to 29,000 pounds in one year. She also hit out at Francesca's lawyer for raising personal details about her children. Francesca Grillo's lawyer listed a number of purchases of luxury goods made on the company credit card, including 7,000 pounds at Chanel in St. Tropez, which her client said had been approved by Lawson as a treat. Lawson responded, "7000 pounds of designer wardrobe! No, I would not have said that." Asked if she had noticed that her personal assistant wore designer clothing, Lawson said Francesca had always claimed they were knock-offs or bought from a sample sale. 'I did not have a drug problem' Lawson denied defense allegations Thursday that she kept cocaine in a jewelry box, or that rolled-up notes used for snorting drugs were left around her house. "People who are regular cocaine users do not look like this," the TV star said, gesturing to her body and face. Lawson said she was a sole parent who looked after herself. "If you think I am going to sabotage my health and risk leaving my children as orphans, you are very wrong," she said. Lawson told the court Wednesday that she had used cocaine about six times with her late husband, John Diamond, when he learned that his cancer was terminal, in order to give him "some escape from his treatment." She also used cocaine once in July 2010 when she felt subject to "terrorism" by her then-husband, Saatchi, she said. At that point she felt trapped, isolated and unhappy, she said, and a friend offered her the drug. Lawson also admitted using cannabis but said she has given it up. She said she took the prescription drug Xanax only as instructed by her doctor. Lawson insisted, "I've never been a drug addict, I've never been an habitual user. ... I did not have a drug problem, I had a life problem." Saatchi had claimed in an e-mail that Lawson had used drugs regularly, but in testimony Friday, he backed off that claim. In the e-mail, which was shared with the court by the defense in a pretrial hearing, Saatchi wrote that the assistants would probably "get off" because Lawson was using cocaine and marijuana on a daily basis and "allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked." Lawson, whose culinary skills and flirtatious manner have long entranced UK audiences, has also appeared as a judge on ABC show "The Taste" in the United States. A second season of the show is due to air in January. The trial is expected to continue Friday. CNN's Claudia Rebaza contributed to this report. | NEW: "People who are regular cocaine users do not look like this," Nigella Lawson says . Lawson says she'd rather be honest about her drug use "than be bullied with lies" It was known that the aides' credit cards were not for personal use, Lawson says . Italian sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo deny embezzling large sums . | 1fc00cea6df02b7b744475579053af2bdc7cf96d |
By . Alasdair Glennie and Sara Smyth . PUBLISHED: . 19:02 EST, 11 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:05 EST, 12 November 2013 . For budding pop stars or rebellious teens, a tattoo is virtually a rite of passage. Until now, the same could not be said of ageing BBC broadcasters. But David Dimbleby has thrown convention to the wind at the ripe old age of 75… by having a scorpion inked onto his shoulder. Last-minute regrets? David Dimbleby, 75, looks a little wary as he has his tattoo done . The veteran presenter said he decided to ‘man up’ and visit an east London tattoo parlour while filming his latest TV series Britain And The Sea for BBC1. He was researching the history of Polynesian tribal tattoos, which were first brought to the UK by Captain Cook’s crew in the 18th Century, when a producer suggested he have one done himself. Work of art: He had a scorpion iinked on his shoulder to mark his star sign, Scorpio . Mr Dimbleby said he initially refused on the grounds he was too old, despite admitting it was a lifetime’s ambition. But he then decided to have a design to mark his star sign Scorpio. He told Radio Times: ‘Instead they did something with black pencil that can be washed off. ‘But when I saw it in a preview of the film I thought: “That’s a bit feeble.” I thought it was wimpish having it just drawn on and I needed to man up.’ Mr Dimbleby’s two-and-a-half inch tattoo cost £60 at the Vagabond tattoo agency in east London last month. He said: ‘It took about 30 minutes - an hour in all - and I thought of Winston Churchill having his done while mine was being done. It wasn’t painful at all, it just zings a bit.’ ‘It’s modest. It can’t be seen unless I choose to show it to someone. I’m rather fond of it actually, this little scorpion sitting on my shoulder ready to attack my enemies.’ The co-owner of Vagabond, Rebecca Morris, told the Daily Mail Mr Dimbleby was ‘a pleasure to work on’. She said: ‘He’s not someone who is representative of our client base, but we have had older people come to have tattoos. ‘He was very light hearted and in high spirits. He dealt with the pain well - he flinched a few times but he was chatting all the way through. Manning up: The veteran presenter said he decided to 'man up' and visit an east London tattoo parlour while filming his latest TV series Britain And The Sea, pictured, for BBC1 . ‘It was nice to see him in a different light, he was friendly and approachable and much less serious than you would imagine.’ As well as presenting the BBC’s long-running Question Time series, Mr Dimbleby is known as the solemn anchor of nearly every televised state occasion. He has presented every general election since 1979. Renowned: As well as presenting the BBC's long-running Question Time series, pictured, Mr Dimbleby is known as the solemn anchor of nearly every televised state occasion . As a former member of The Bullingdon . Club at Oxford University – whose elite alumni include David Cameron and . Boris Johnson – he is often seen as one of the BBC’s most Establishment . figures. But the presenter revealed he is a secret connoisseur of body art, saying: ‘You are only old once. I have always wanted a tattoo. 'I thought I might as well have it done now. It’s a dream come true for me. It’s beautifully done, actually. It’s a work of art.’ Reaction: Mr Dimbleby said his second wife Belinda Giles, pictured, was 'mildly amused' by his tattoo . He added: ‘They have these 3D tattoos . now that are done using photographs, which are just astonishing, but I . wasn’t about to have one myself. ‘And then there’s Cheryl Cole’s bottom. I wasn’t tempted to have any private parts decorated, I have to tell you. I thought the shoulder was the most discreet place. I didn’t want it on my arm because it would show every time I rolled up my sleeve.’ 'I thought I might as well have it done now. It's a dream come true for me' - David Dimbleby . Mr Dimbleby – who is the son of broadcasting legend Richard Dimbleby and the brother of BBC journalist Jonathan – lives in East Sussex with his second wife, Belinda Giles. Asked what she made of his tattoo, he said: ‘I think she’s mildly amused. I believe she wanted a tattoo once, but has never got around to it. Maybe I’ll be able to persuade her.’ Mr Dimbleby is not the first famous septuagenarian to have a tattoo. Last year, Lady Judy Steel, the wife of former Liberal Democrat leader David Steel, revealed she had a pink jaguar inked onto her shoulder, saying ‘you’re never too old to do mad things’. | David Dimbleby visited Vagabond tattoo parlour in east London . Had scorpion inked on his shoulder to mark his star sign, Scorpio . 'It is sitting on my shoulder ready to attack my enemies,' he warns . | 2727ea48680b8eb3c6aeb8b1f3ca54f9ffb2ac8e |
By . Pa Reporter . British number one Heather Watson is through to the second round of the Rogers Cup in Montreal after a 6-4 5-7 6-4 win over Tereza Smitkova. The first set was a topsy-turvy affair but Watson prevailed as she broke her Czech opponent three times. The 22-year-old was not as clinical in the second as she took just one of four break points and that was enough to let the world number 93 back into the match. On her way: British number one Heather Watson is through to the second round of the Rogers Cup in Montreal . Tough: Watson beat the Czech Tereza Smitkova in three sets in order to progress in Canada . But Watson is ranked 36 places above Smitikova and she held her nerve to take the third and advance to a clash against either Francoise Abanda or 10th seed Dominika Cibulkova. | Watson won in three sets 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 . British No 1 will play either Francoise Abanda or Dominika Cibulkova . Cibulkova is 10th seed in the Canadian tournament . | 3e9e053f526408e86e1222537e8588f076036523 |
President Barack Obama knew his criticism of Christianity at the National Prayer Breakfast would cause a commotion, a former senior adviser to the president, David Axelrod, contends. 'I think he knew what he was saying and he knew it was provocative,' Axelrod told Fox News' Bill O'Reilly during a Monday evening appearance. Axelrod, who served as the chief strategist on both of Obama's presidential campaigns and served as a top aide to the president at the White House in between, said Obama's 'point is we have a quarter of the world’s population Islamic and the vast majority of them have nothing to do with extremism.' 'And his point is let us not define that entire quarter of the planet by the actions of extremists, let's isolate the extremists,' Axelrod told O'Reilly. 'I think he knew what he was saying and he knew it was provocative,' longtime Obama associate David Axelrod said of the president's remakrs at the National Prayer Breakfast during an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly on Monday . Obama's 'point is we have a quarter of the world’s population Islamic and the vast majority of them have nothing to do with extremism,' Axelrod said . Speaking indirectly about radicalized Islamists,Obama implored his Christian audience at the annual Washington, D.C. gathering last Thursday to get off their 'high horse' and show 'some basic humility.' Expounding on the importance of reconciling the 'profound good, the strength, the tenacity, the compassion and love that can flow from all of our faiths, operating alongside those who seek to hijack religious for their own murderous ends,' Obama argued that 'there is a tendency in us ....that can pervert and distort our faith' and it is not 'unique to one group or one religion.' 'Remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ,' Obama said. Amid a barrage of attacks from the right, White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters the next day his interpretation of the comments was 'that over the course of human history there are times where extremists pervert their own religion to justify violence.' The explanation did little to quell anger, particularly among conservatives. 'Everything he does is against what Christians stand for, and he's against the Jews in Israel,' presumed Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said Monday on Fox and Friends. 'The one group of people that can know they have his undying, unfailing support would be the Muslim community. It doesn't matter whether it's the radical Muslim community or the more moderate Muslim community,' he charged. President Barack Obama commended German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday 'speaking out forcefully against xenophobia and prejudice and on behalf of pluralism and diversity.' Obama said, 'she’s made it clear that all religious communities have a place in Germany - just as they do here in the United States' Despite the blow back, Obama didn't appear chagrined on Monday afternoon during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Instead, he again addressed religious and cultural intolerance, and suggested that it is in effect a recruitment tool for extremist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS. The best people to prevent young people from falling prey to militant ideology are their 'local communities, families, neighbors, faith leaders,' Obama said. 'But we can help these communities, starting with the tone and the example that we set in our own countries.' Commending Chancellor Merkel for 'speaking out forcefully against xenophobia and prejudice and on behalf of pluralism and diversity,' Obama said, 'she’s made it clear that all religious communities have a place in Germany - just as they do here in the United States.' | Axelrod served as the chief strategist on both of Obama's presidential campaigns and served as a top aide to the president in between . Obama's 'point is we have a quarter of the world’s population Islamic and the vast majority of them have nothing to do with extremism,' he said . The president isn't backing down; he again addressed religious intolerance yesterday and suggested it's a recruitment tool for extremists . | bd386826f04c27b7e436b6f332cb3d75005ceaa8 |
By . Sanchez Manning . Its brutal concrete exterior and reputation as a dumping ground for society’s ills earned it the name ‘Hell’s waiting room’. But now, one of London’s toughest council estates has been given a brighter look after its residents posed for photographs recreating famous works of art. The images, which were inspired by the likes of Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, Beryl Cook and Andy Warhol, have been erected around the perimeter of the notorious Aylesbury Estate in Walworth, South-East London. Not such an old master: Tony Taitte, 61, left, recreates a 1661 Rembrandt self-portrait . Regal: Susan Wallace, left, her daughter Kerryanne Corby, right, and sister-in-law Jackie Wallace as Gainsborough's Three Elder Princesses . The giant canvases mask the demolition of parts of the sprawling 1960s development, which is undergoing a multi-million-pound, 15-year regeneration after the labyrinth of concrete corridors linking its 2,700 flats became a magnet for crime. People living on the 28-acre estate volunteered to dress in costume and pose for the 15 photographs. Charlotte Benstead, director of the Creation Trust, the group behind the art project, said it was a way to get tenants involved in the regeneration. Brutal: People living on the notorious Aylesbury Estate in London (pictured) volunteered to dress in costume and pose for the 15 photographs . 'Forgotten': Tony Blair chose the estate to make his first speech as Prime Minister, in which he described its 7,500 residents as the 'forgotten people' and promised to tackle their problems . The giant canvases mask the demolition of parts of the sprawling 1960s development, which is undergoing a multi-million-pound, 15-year regeneration after the labyrinth of concrete corridors linking its 2,700 flats became a magnet for crime . Donna Grant, 51, moved to the Aylesbury Estate two days before her tenth birthday and appears in the re-creation of Beryl Cook’s witty depiction of female bowlers, Sabotage. She said: ‘Taking part in the art project was one of the best things I’ve ever done. We had so much fun together – it was hilarious getting dressed up.’ Nursery assistant Ryan Harris, 18, who recreates a Vincent Van Gogh self-portrait, said: ‘I’m proud to have my photo up on a billboard – I’m one of the faces of Aylesbury.' Cheeky: Jean Bartett, Donna Grant and Charlotte Benstead recreate Beryl Cook's painting Sabotage . Original: The artist created the quirky painting in 2003 . In another image, Susan Wallace and two relatives recreate Gainsborough’s 1784 masterpiece The Three Elder Princesses . Tony Blair chose the Aylesbury Estate to make his first speech as Prime Minister, in which he described its 7,500 residents as the ‘forgotten people’ and promised to tackle their problems. But not everyone is unhappy there. Tony Taitte, 61, who recreated a 1661 Rembrandt self- portrait, said: ‘Where I live will be knocked down soon. We are being asked if we want to stay on the estate or move elsewhere. 'I’m definitely staying. I love it here, it’s the very essence of London.’ A new sort of 'selfie': Ryan Harris as Vincent Van Gogh . | Tenants of the notorious Aylesbury Estate in Walworth, London, have posed for photographs recreating famous works of art . Inspired by the likes of Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir and Beryl Cook . Images mask the demolition of parts of the sprawling 1960s development . | 6e2fe4fa64548f11035fcd5d0788f6503607e778 |
By . Tom Worden . PUBLISHED: . 10:06 EST, 24 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:58 EST, 24 October 2012 . A Briton has been arrested in Bolivia with a stash of firearms and a hit list of people he intended to murder, police said today. Armed officers stormed the suspect's hotel room and found a sub-machine gun, a revolver, ammunition and a small quantity of cocaine. Agapito Torres, regional commander of the National Police's specialist crime-fighting unit, said his officers found 'firearms, ammunition and a list with the names of various people he allegedly planned to assassinate,' local media reported. Remote: A Briton has been arrested in the Bolivian jungle town of Rurrenabaque (pictured) with a stash of firearms and a hit list of people he intended to murder, police said today . The man, who has not been named, had been staying at a hotel in the jungle town of Rurrenabaque, 250 miles north of the capital La Paz. The town, on the River Beni, is popular with backpackers who use it as a base to explore the spectacular rainforest of the Medidi National Park. Police raided the hotel on Monday after a neighbour in the town reported that the Briton had threatened to kill him. The suspect had been staying at the hotel since September 16. Caught out: Police raided the hotel where the tourist was staying on Monday after a neighbour in the town reported that the Briton had threatened to kill him . Prosecutor Dennis Benavidez said: 'In his hotel room we found high calibre weapons, a 9mm sub-machine gun, a .38 revolver, bullets, and we also found drugs.' One local report said the man had claimed to be a from the UK military's special forces. He did not offer any resistance when arrested. The suspect arrived in Bolivia on a 90-day tourist visa last month. | Armed officers storm suspect's hotel room in jungle town of Rurrenabaque . Police raid hotel after neighbour said Briton had threatened to kill him . | aaf55cd925dd083d06c79a60e861f7a632b58bf5 |
(CNN) -- Call it maternal instinct. As the monster tornado approached, Terimy Miller put her three sons in a closet in their Moore, Oklahoma, house. But something didn't feel right. "It was just that feeling," Miller told CNN's Brooke Baldwin on Wednesday. "I just got to get out of here. I'm not chancing this." So she put her three boys -- ages 11, 7 and 6 -- in the family car. She was moving so fast that she couldn't round up the two family dogs, which were somewhere outside. Doctor's quick thinking save patients . As they prepared their escape, she and son Jules heard a local weatherman on television advise families in Moore that if they didn't have a storm shelter, they should abandon the house. "We got away from the storm," said son Jules, 7. Confirmation of the mother's intuition came when she and her boys returned to the house. Miller hyperventilated. She cried. Opinion: Helping kids recover and feel safe . The tornado had annihilated the home. "We walk up and it's gone," Miller said. "I'm like, no, this can't be happening. Why? "It's a war zone," she said. Added her son: "The thunderstorm took away all my favorite stuff. It's gone." Families remember Oklahoma tornado victims . Miller lost the sentimental photos, yearbooks, and mementos from her days in the Navy. Her memories will now have to suffice, she said. As for the dogs, they survived, but one of them will lose his right eye, injured by the twister. Despite the material losses, Miller counts her blessings. "We're lucky: I have my children and everything will be OK," she said. The family will rebuild the home, she added. Storm-scattered mementos finding their homes via Facebook . | Terimy Miller puts her three small sons in the house closet as the tornado nears . But she gets a feeling: "I just got to get out of here. I'm not chancing this." The mother drives her boys away from the house in Moore, Oklahoma . The home's eventual obliteration confirms she made the right decision . | cd7405d019e31a5e7fab018016687fcbde8bf392 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:45 EST, 20 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:10 EST, 29 May 2013 . Thomas Kinkade's widow and girlfriend have reached a settlement after a dispute over the late artist's $66 million estate, their attorneys said on Wednesday. The San Jose Mercury News reports that counsel for Nanette Kinkade and his girlfriend Amy Pinto announced the settlement but wouldn't provide further details, leaving it unclear who will inherit Kinkade's San Francisco Bay area mansion and his warehouse of paintings. In a statement, they said the women kept Kinkade's message of 'love, spirituality and optimism' in their amicable resolution. Family: The artist's wife Nanette, pictured right with their four daughters, took her late husband's girlfriend to court to keep her from getting a share of Kinkade's estate . Mistress: Amy Pinto, who began dating Kinkade six months after his marriage of 28 years imploded, said the man Kinkade wrote two notes bequeathing her his mansion and $10 million . The famous artist Thomas Kinkade's signature has been appearing on new paintings, despite his death last year . The dispute went public after the 54-year-old artist died on April 6 from an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription tranquilizers. Pinto, who began dating Kinkade six months after his marriage of 28 years imploded, claimed Kinkade wrote two notes bequeathing her his mansion and $10 million to establish a museum of his paintings. The barely legible note read: ‘I, Thomas Kinkade, being . of sound mind and body do hereby bequeath to Amy Pinto $10,000,000 . in cash from my corporate policy.’ He . also wrote that Pinto should have his two properties on . Ridgecrest Avenue ‘for her security'. It is signed and dated November . 18, 2011. Nanette . Kinkade disputed those claims and sought full control of the . estate. His estate - of which Mrs Kinkade is . the principal trustee - has filed documents with a Santa Clara court . seeking an injunction against Ms Pinto. Will and testament: The will was written on notepaper and is barely legible . In April, lawyers portrayed Mr . Kinkade's girlfriend as a ruthless gold digger who was out to 'tear down' the late artist's reputation and do irreparable damage to his family. Lawyers for Pinto filed court papers stating that she and Kinkade had planned to marry as soon as his divorce went through. But despite the acrimonious battle of the summer, the two parties said they have put their differences aside in honor of the memory of Kinkade. 'Putting Mr. Kinkade's message of love, spirituality, and optimism at the forefront, the parties are pleased that they have honored Mr. Kinkade by resolving their differences amicably,' they said in a joint statement on Wednesday. No details of the settlement were made public. Painter of light: Mr Kinkade's talent, shown here in Living Waters: Golfer's Paradise, Hole One is a characteristic of his serene style that put roughly one of his paintings in every 20 homes . Father: Mr Kinkade, pictured here drawing his daughter Winsor, was said by his brother to have been cleaning himself up to remain in his children's lives . Kinkade, the self-described 'Painter of Light,' was known for sentimental scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes. His work led to a commercial empire of franchised galleries, reproduced artwork and spin-off products that was said to fetch some $100 million each year in sales. It is estimated that one in every 20 homes in American contains a piece an artwork by the 'Painter of Light'. Mr Kinkade died of accidental acute intoxication from alcohol . and an anti-anxiety medication at his home in Northern California at the age of 54. The . Santa Clara County Coroner's Office reported Kinkade's cause of death . as 'acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication' and manner of death as . 'accident.' Success: Mr Kinkade's works were popular, but his battle with alcoholism led him to an arrest for DUI (right) Diazepam is the active ingredient in name-brand drug Valium. Kinkade, whose work captivated . millions of Americans despite the scorn of many art critics, died in . April . According to a coroner’s report, the painter suffered from ‘hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease.’ His . brother said that the painter had . battled alcoholism for several years and suffered a relapse before he . died. Patrick Kinkade said . his brother had been burdened in recent years by a separation from his . wife, financial troubles and the low opinion of his work by critics. Thomas Kinkade was arrested for drunk driving in 2010, the same year his company filed for bankruptcy. Art galleries reported a surge in sales of Kinkade's paintings following his death. | The painter married wife Nanette in 1982 and they had four daughters . The couple split in 2010 and Kinkade started an affair with Amy Pinto . The artist died in April 2012 of acute intoxication from alcohol and Valium . Pinto produced a will scrawled on notepaper, she claimed entitled her to his two houses and $10m . The wife contested the so-called revised will and launched a legal challenge this summer, calling the mistress a gold-digger . Now the widow and girlfriend say they have put 'Kinkade's message of love, spirituality, and optimism at the forefront' and reached a settlement . | eec0add7c2efd6cb35e98fa93b65f785b97bc615 |
A mother of three has found an unusual way to beat the baby weight - by running an impressive eight miles a day with her double buggy and two youngest children in tow. Marcela Gracova, 30, from Brampton, Cambridgeshire, wanted a way to get rid of her baby weight whilst also spending quality time with her children. A keen runner, the solution was simple - she would take her buggy and two children with her on her gruelling eight-mile runs. Mother-of-three Marcela Gracova can run over eight miles a day with her two children and their double buggy. Thanks to her intriguing exercise regime, she has since gone from size 14 to a size 8 . Marcela loves running so much she brought a . double buggy so she can take her two youngest children with her . (pictured running through her local town) Marcella crept up to a size 14 after giving birth to her three children, Ivanna, eight, Isabelle, five, and Peter, two. But when Peter was just 11 days old Marcela decided it was time to lose the baby weight and started running again. Marcela said: 'I couldn't wait to get out of the house, I was the heaviest I've ever been and I wanted to finally shift the weight. She crept up to a size 14 after giving birth to her three children, Ivanna, right, Isabelle, five, and Peter, two. When Peter was just 11 days old Marcela decided it was time to lose the baby weight and started running again . It was only after meeting her partner, Peter, a running fanatic, that she decided to give it a go and hasn't looked back since - she has become known as Super Mummy by locals . Marcela in her running gear with Isabelle and Peter, who she takes on runs with her . 'I started running when Isabella was eight months old but had to stop whilst I was pregnant again. 'I was craving oranges and watermelons to begin with but by the end of the pregnancy I was eating loads of junk and takeaways. 'I've always been an outdoors person, I don't like being stuck inside for very long and I was itching to get my running shoes back on. 'I began by running on my own, but my partner Peter, 35, works shifts and it became increasingly difficult as I couldn't leave the children alone. 'I didn't want to give up something I had become so passionate about so I decided to take the double buggy with Isabelle and Peter in it.' Marcela is so passionate about running, and her children, that she decided to combine the two . Coming through! Marcela, who has become famous in her town, said: 'I've always been an outdoors person, I don't like being stuck inside for very long and I was itching to get my running shoes back on' Marcela can now run over a staggering eight miles a day with her children in tow, she's now a size eight and weighs 9st. In the past, Marcela had assumed running long distances was dangerous due to the impact it had on the knees and back. It was only after meeting her partner, Peter, a running fanatic, that she decided to give it a go and hasn't looked back since. She said: 'I tried dieting after I had Ivanna, my first baby, but I stopped eating as much as I should and I became extremely tired. 'Now I eat healthily but simply exercise as well. I'm a competitive person and it makes me feel good being thinner and fitter. Marcela and partner Peter with children (L-R) Isabelle, Ivanna and Peter) said it was only after meeting her partner, Peter, a running fanatic, that she decided to give it a go and hasn't looked back since . 'Running with the buggy is harder than it looks, Peter has tried before and struggled, it takes balance and co-ordination.' Marcela has become known as 'Super Mummy' to both her children and some of the locals. She runs into town to get her food shopping, to go to the children's play group and sometimes just to get some fresh air. She said: 'Running excites me, I get such a buzz every time I put my running shoes on - I couldn't imagine my life without it. Marcela, pictured shortly after giving birth, was eating loads of junk and takeaways by the end of her pregnancy and was keen to shift the weight . 'You won't believe how much my little double buggy can carry. 'The kids love when we go for a run, when they see me putting my running shoes on their little faces light up. 'I hate driving, for both mine and my children's health it makes sense to run to wherever we need to go within reason. 'I'm now known around town and it's so funny when people stop me in shops and ask me if I'm the lady who runs everywhere with my buggy and kids.' Marcela has been running for over five years now and doesn't plan to stop any time soon. She has just entered herself into the Milton Keynes half marathon which she will be running alone. Marcela, pictured shortly after giving birth to Ivanna, now eight, said she hates driving, for both her and her children's health it makes sense to run to wherever she needs to go 'within reason' Marcela, pictured shortly after giving birth to Isabelle, now five, has just entered herself into the Milton Keynes half marathon which she will be running alone . | Marcela Gracova, 30, wanted to banish baby weight and see kids . Ate junk food through pregnancy and was size 14 . Runs with buggy and children in tow to local shops and play centre . Is now a size 8 and weighs 9st . Has become famous in Brampton, Cambridge for her buggy running . Known as 'Super Mummy' by children and locals . Children's faces 'light up' when she puts running shoes on . | 0395d024dc0e622471249194c75f1d6afa326e3d |
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