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(CNN) -- The Supreme Court of the United States has long been a unique political and legal institution. Our justices are the only judges in the world who sit on a nation's highest court for life. Their power to strike down the political decisions of the president, the Congress and the states (the power of judicial review) is nowhere spelled out in our Constitution. Yet, since the beginning, both the court and the American people have assumed that power to exist. The justices don't act like normal judges bound by law (because they're not), but they are not quite lawmakers, either. Having neither the "purse nor the sword," the justices rely solely on the elected branches of government for the enforcement of their decisions. Their power rests mostly on the prestige they hold with the governed, and lately, more and more of the governed are having grave doubts about the nine most powerful judges in the world. Last week, a new poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a Democratic Party-allied pollster, for Democracy Corps set the social media world atwitter. More than 50% of those polled were reported to believe that the justices let "their own personal or political views influence their decisions," and more than 70% said that the justices should have fixed terms, not life tenure. Not surprisingly, the poll revealed great support for television cameras in the Supreme Court, a move the justices have rejected for way too long. Over 85% of those polled also said that the justices should be bound by the same judicial code of ethics as other federal judges (they are not) and that their financial records should be more transparent. There can be quibbles with how some of the poll questions were asked, but there is little doubt that the results demonstrated that the American people are becoming more disenchanted with the nation's highest Court. On Sunday, Adam Liptak, the excellent Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times, wrote a lengthy story suggesting that the court is more partisan than ever before, reflecting the deep divisions in our political and media world. The tag line for an article on the new poll in Salon was "in an increasingly divided country, it seems that everyone can agree that they hate the Supreme Court." And the Huffington Post concluded that "wide majorities are losing faith in the Roberts Supreme Court." This new poll confirms what I have been arguing, including on this website, for a long time. There are (at least) two fundamental changes that we need to make to the Supreme Court of the United States. The first is easy and should be non-controversial. The American people have a right to see on their televisions, tablets and smartphones the oral arguments and decision announcements of the Supreme Court. More than half of state supreme courts, and the Supreme Courts of Canada and the United Kingdom, televise their proceedings with great success, and there are simply no persuasive arguments that the most powerful court in the world shouldn't do the same. The American people feel that the justices are hiding from them, and that cannot do anything but damage the confidence we have in the justices. The second change is much harder but even more important. Here's a simple rule that I think applies to all democracies: No governmental official who wields great power should hold their office for life. Period. The original idea was that the justices would be appointed at a relatively old age and serve for a few years. That idea is not just quaint but antiquated. Justices John Paul Stevens and William Brennan both served for more than 30 years, and Justice Elena Kagan, who was 50 when appointed, may well serve for 40 more years. No human being can be expected to perform their job well when they know they have such great power and can never be fired. Additionally, numerous justices such as William O. Douglas and Thurgood Marshall served past the time of competence. Moreover, it is just crazy that presidents who serve the same number of years appoint fewer or greater justices based on either the randomness of illness and death or even politically timed judicial retirements. For example, President George W. Bush drastically changed the balance on the court by appointing Justice Samuel Alito, a staunch conservative, to replace the more moderate Sandra Day O'Connor, while President Carter didn't have the opportunity to nominate even a single justice during his four years as president. We need a constitutional amendment giving the justices fixed terms and a salary for life. This type of system provides much-needed judicial independence without the downsides of life tenure. As far as hoping the justices will decide cases under the law without regard to their personal value preferences, no poll can provide a solution to that problem which will be with us for as long as the justices exercise judicial review. But at least we can make them use that power more transparently for all the world to see and limit the time that each individual justice wields such extraordinary authority. | Poll finds public believes Supreme Court decides cases on political grounds . Eric Segall says Americans losing faith in the court because of its partisanship . He says court should televise its proceedings and judges shouldn't have life tenure . Segall: Extraordinary power of justices should be reined in by time limits, transparency . | e14e4a90dc7d771c56a0ef69bdc96afd253c8f5c |
Roy Hodgson risks riling Luis Suarez before Thursday’s showdown by claiming the Uruguay striker cannot yet claim to be true world class. The England manager says Suarez, who scored 31 times for Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League last season and was PFA Player of the Year, cannot be mentioned in the same class as true greats such as Diego Maradona or Pele until he performs wonders at the World Cup. Suarez is expected to start for Uruguay in the crunch clash with England in Sao Paulo. Speaking after England’s 2-1 defeat against Italy, Hodgson said: ‘He (Suarez) will only be at that level when he shows it on this particular stage. Not quite there: Roy Hodgson says Luis Suarez still has a way to go to be considered one of the world's best . Brave: The England manager is awaiting Uruguay and Suarez in the next World Cup Group D game . ‘If you are saying “do I think he has got the potential, is he a wonderful footballer?”, yes he sure is. But if you are really going to put him up there with Maradona, Pele, Beckenbauer and Cruyff, you might argue Messi needs to have that sort of tournament to get up there with the legends. ‘Pirlo is challenging that category. He has done it time and again, shown what a wonderful footballer he is because this is the stage you have to do it on. ‘Being a great player in your league will get you lots of plaudits but for the world to recognise you are one of the all-time greats you have to do it at the World Cup.’ Suarez has been recovering from injury and watched Uruguay’s opening game, a 3-1 defeat against Costa Rica, from the substitutes’ bench. He will be desperate to face an England team which is likely to include five of his Liverpool team-mates. Hodgson turned his attention to Uruguay yesterday after the England team flew back to Rio de Janeiro from Manaus. Frustrating: Suarez, carrying an injury, was forced to watch on as Uruguay lost to Costa Rica on Saturday . Key man: Suarez was in superb form for Liverpool last season, notching 31 Premier League goals . Hodgson insists he will not panic but he admitted it is impossible to condition his young England stars to become world beaters overnight. Hodgson said: ‘We will try to cheer the players up, show them some of the things in the game that were very good and address some of the issues that need to be addressed. ‘But in my time with the national team, that is the most positive performance in many ways that I have seen. ‘It gives me great hope going forward, not just for the next two games, because we have players who can all develop into very strong players. ‘You can’t really expect Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck, Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw [to have] the experience of De Rossi and Pirlo. ‘We have to give them games. In a game which was very difficult I don’t think they let anyone down.’ Belief: Hodgson said his team can take plenty of pride from the 2-1 defeat to Italy in Manaus . Encouraging: Daniel Sturridge scored England's goal, a fine move in the first half . Hodgson admitted Italy were more ruthless in front of goal and will demand more from his forward line against Uruguay. Claudio Marchisio scored Italy’s opener and Mario Balotelli’s 50th-minute header was enough for victory. Hodgson said: ‘We were not outclassed but they were more ruthless at taking their chances. But the number of chances we created, even during the first half of the second half, should have given us an opportunity to score more than one goal. We have to be a bit more ruthless. ‘Had we scored two or three goals I don’t think anybody would have said “you were lucky there”.’ Hodgson also admitted he will work on the team’s defensive vulnerability after Italy sliced through England’s backline for their second goal. Although the perceived weakness was at right back with Glen Johnson, Italy attacked down England’s left flank. They exposed Wayne Rooney, who had been shifted out there, and left-back Leighton Baines. Sloppy: Hodgson insisted his team will work on their defensive failures from the game . Hodgson said: ‘You can’t blame purely the left-back, we didn’t defend the area that well. We were playing very offensive wide midfield players, Rooney, Welbeck and Sterling, we are going to get caught in those areas from time to time, I’m afraid. ‘We did much better second half defending it. The players gave their all. I certainly wouldn’t be prepared to go and blame anybody. ‘There were some sterling efforts, if you’ll excuse the pun. It just wasn’t good enough on the night.’ Hodgson was pleased with Sterling’s contribution and he has done more than enough to keep his place. Hodgson said: ‘The more I work with him, the more I see. At the moment, I am very happy that we can have him in two positions. ‘We thought with his pace, ability and sharpness around Pirlo and De Rossi, it might help us nullify [them]. However hard you work against them, especially in this heat and humidity, they are going to get on the ball.’ Star man: But on Saturday night, Sterling lit up the World Cup with a fine match against Italy . Hodgson has the option of using Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on Thursday after the England midfielder started ball work following the injury to his right knee. Hodgson added: ‘I have the opportunity to make changes if I want, but I want to have a close look at the Italy game again.’ England’s head physio Gary Lewin has returned home after he fractured an ankle celebrating Daniel Sturridge’s equaliser. Lewin, a popular member of the England set-up, jumped into the air and landed on a water bottle when Sturridge tucked away Rooney’s cross. Hodgson said: ‘We will miss him. I am really sad for him but we can cover for him because we have extra physios. ‘For him to have such an unfortunate accident is really sad. We will miss him because he is very experienced, very popular, and close to the players and it was a heart-breaking moment.’ | Hodgson says Suarez isn't in same league as Pele or Diego Maradona . Also argues that Lionel Messi needs a fine tournament to reach that stage . England play Uruguay on Thursday night in the second Group D game . Lost their World Cup, 2-1 to Italy in Manaus . | ad33c5f209737552a9bfac98d4ca681ff07542cf |
Tottenham Hotspur fans were left feeling aggrieved on Tuesday afternoon when their team was described as lackadaisical... by search engine Google. As is customary with the popular website, when you type in a word you are offered some details of its meaning; a definition, some synonyms, and a sentence with the word included in it. Unfortunately for Spurs fans, they are the butt of the joke in the example sentence. A quick Google search of the word 'lackadaisical' reveals an obvious trolling of Tottenham Hotspur . Michel Vorm fetches the ball from his net after Tottenham conceded against Leicester in the FA Cup . Dwight Gayle celebrates his goal for Crystal Palace against Spurs - some more lackadaisical defending . It reads: 'A lackadaisical defence left Spurs adrift in the second half.' Google confirmed to Sportsmail that the example sentence, and in fact their entire definition service, is provided by Oxford Dictionaries, and is not 'anything sinister' by a cheeky Arsenal fan, as was suggested by some Twitter users. And if you don't believe us... give it a search. | Google gives sentence examples when you use its search engine . The word 'lackadaisical' throws up a humorous response when typed in . Google says: 'A lackadaisical defence left Spurs adrift in the second half' Oxford Dictionaries provide Google with their definitions . | 821128258db54c3a8e1eeb9edbc8dcb39b2edeb9 |
(CNN) -- Former world number one Justine Henin has ruled herself out of the U.S. Open after sustaining an elbow injury in her Wimbledon exit to Belgian rival Kim Clijsters. It is a shattering blow for Henin, who will also miss her 'Best of Belgium' clash with Clijsters in Brussels on July 8. Henin, who made her comeback to competitive tennis at the start of the year after 18 months in retirement, picked up the injury during her fourth round defeat to Clijsters. Clijsters wins Battle of Belgians at Wimbledon . She suffered the injury when falling early in the first set, but bravely played on in a match that lasted three sets. Henin confirmed the news in a statement on her personal website. "Following my fall at Wimbledon....I took several medical examinations which have revealed a ligament partial fracture at the right elbow," it read. "There I regret to announce that I can't unfortunately play in Best of Belgium this July 8. I'll be nevertheless present for this wonderful Belgian event which is important for me. "This injury will keep me away from the courts during a rough period of two months with the consequence the withdrawal of my U.S. round of tournaments, including the US Open." The 28-year-old added that she will undergo further medical examinations to decide on when she returns to the WTA Tour later this season. Aside from missing the final grand slam of the year, Henin's exhibition head to head against Clijsters was set to attract a world record crowd of 40,000 for a tennis match. Organizers say they plan to find a replacement player for Henin, who has been beaten three times by Cljisters since her return to action. Clijsters was later beaten by Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, leaving both of the Belgian stars still searching for their first grand slam title at SW19. The U.S. Open begins on August 30 in New York, where Clijsters will be defending the crown she won in sensational fashion in her comeback year in 2009. | Justine Henin out of U.S. Open and 'Battle of Belgians' with elbow injury . Henin picked up the injury during her Wimbledon defeat to Kim Clijsters . Henin hopes to return to the WTA Tour later in the year . | 17210ebaf3240098c56f0f7ab39fd9fc52ab0be3 |
(CNN) -- An 84-year-old nun was sentenced to 35 months in prison Tuesday for breaking into a nuclear facility, her lawyer said. In May, a federal jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, found Sister Megan Rice; Greg Boertje-Obed, 57; and Michael Walli, 63, guilty of destroying U.S. government property and causing more than $1,000 in damage to federal property. It was not immediately clear what the sentences were for the two other peace activists. The incident began before dawn on July 28, 2012, when the three cut through a chain-link fence surrounding the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They then walked nearly a mile, cutting through three more fences and breaching what was supposed to be the most tightly secured uranium processing and storage facility in the country. It was not until hours later that a guard finally confronted the activists who, by then, had hoisted banners, spray-painted messages and splattered human blood on a building that houses highly enriched uranium. "They're at peace about this. They're peacemakers, and they knew that they risked this," Joe Quigley, attorney for Walli, told CNN affiliate WATE in May after their trial. "Nobody is happy to go jail, but they understand." In response to the incident, Congress has held a series of hearings and issued security recommendations to the Department of Energy and its National Nuclear Security Administration, which runs Y-12 and seven other nuclear weapons sites. In March, Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee that the Department of Energy had taken "several major actions ... to improve security" since the breach, including management changes and independent security reviews. CNN's Tricia Escobedo contributed to this report. | Sister Megan Rice, 84, was found guilty of damaging and destroying government property . She and two other peace activists were arrested in 2012 for breaking into nuclear facility . The uranium processing and storage complex was supposed to have been tightly secured . | 27950fb086e9fccec58a4eb5bcb934552519277a |
Just weeks ago 15-year-old Ruta Meilutyte was sitting with classmates at Plymouth College.Today she's an Olympic champion. The Lithuanian swimming prodigy, taught and trained at an English secondary school, stormed to victory in the 100m breaststroke final. Nobody expected Miss Meilutyte to even reach the final and she was so shocked by her own success, the teenager held her hands over her mouth when she first clapped eyes on the scoreboard. Scroll down to see Ruta interviewed . I don't believe it! Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte reacts with shock after discovering she has won the women's 100m breaststroke final . Hands up if you've won gold: Meilutyte's emotion soon turns to one of joy as it sinks in that she is Olympic champion . The 15-year-old Plymouth schoolgirl celebrates with her medal . When the BBC approached her for an interview poolside, the shaken Miss Meilutyte told retired British swimmer Sharron Davies: 'I can't believe it. It's all too much for me. I just can't believe it.' The 15-year-old not only became the first swimmer from her country to win an Olympic medal she did it in under extraordinary circumstances. The start, a time when swimmers are already battling their nerves, was delayed by a technical malfunction that saw the starter's gun go off before he had called 'on your marks'. American Breeja Larson dived into the pool on the gun but was able to race because of the malfunction. Plymouth College Olympians: Ruta Meilutyte (right), with Tom Daley, Ugandan swimmer Jamilia Lunkuse (far left) and Zambian swimmer Jade Howard . Happy family: Meilutyte with, left to right, brother Mindaugas, father Saulius, grandmother Aldonas, and brother Margiris . High emotion: Meilutyte cries on the podium with her gold medal before composing herself to give a big smile for the world's press . The eight finalists sat down while the problem was fixed and an unfazed Miss Meilutyte still got off the blocks fastest and led at the turn but then had to survive a fierce challenge from American Rebecca Soni, the reigning world champion in the event. The more experienced Miss Soni drew level in the final few strokes but Miss Meilutyte kept her cool and got her hands on the wall first in one minute, 05.47 seconds. Miss Soni was second in 1:05.55 while Japan's Satomi Suzuki finished third in 1:06.46. Australia's . Leisel Jones, the defending Olympic champion who won a silver medal at . the 2000 Sydney Games when she was 15, finished fifth overall in her . fourth and final appearance at the Games. The . only person who won't be surprised by Miss Meilutyte's gold medal is . Jon Rudd, her coach at the internationally acclaimed Plymouth Leander . Swimming programme. Fine margins: Meilutyte, right, touches to win just inches ahead of Rebecca Soni of the US . 17-year-old US swimmer Missy Franklin celebrates winning the women's 100m backstroke final . Franklin celebrates with Britain's Gemma Spofforth, who finished fifth . Speaking before the final, Rudd, who describes his pupil as 'super human', told the Plymouth Herald: 'The only limit to what she is capable of achieving is herself. 'There are girls out there with long standing experience and they are going to bring that to the final. 'But what Ruta (left) brings is youth and vibrancy. She is not worried about reputations. 'She has already achieved her ambition by reaching the semi-finals.' She wasn't the only teenage success story at the aquatics centre last night,. Missy Franklin started a fantastic night in the pool for Team USA, claiming the first of two golds when she stormed to victory in the 100m backstroke final. The 17-year-old, competing in seven events at her first Games, overhauled Australia's Emily Seebohm in the final few strokes, to win her first individual medal of London 2012. The night quickly got better for the American team when Matt Grevers and Nick Thoman powered to a gold and silver one-two in the men's 100m backstroke. The jubilation made up for Ryan Lochte's disappointment earlier in the night. The heavily fancied 27-year-old crashed out of the medal positions during a scintillating 200m freestyle final, which was won by Frenchman Yannick Agnel. Franklin's victory was made all the more impressive considering she had swum in a 200m freestyle semi-final just 20 minutes earlier. It didn't stop her storming past Seebohm, who led the turn under world record pace, but had to settle for silver ahead of Japan's Aya Terakawa was third. British world record holder Gemma Spofforth finished fifth. The American gold medal winner said afterwards: 'I knew it was going to be tough, and I somehow managed to get the gold medal and I have never been as happy in my whole life.' Giant Grevers collected his first individual gold medal in the final of the men's 100 metres backstroke. Using every inch of his 6ft 8 in frame, Grevers stretched his long arms out to win in a time of 52.16 seconds, a new Olympic record and just 0.22 outside the world record set by Aaron Peirsol. American Nick Thoman finished second in 52.92 while Japan's Ryosuke Irie got the bronze medal. Brit Liam Tancock finished in fourth, just four tenths of a second outside the bronze medal position. The final American medal of the night was collected by Rebecca Soni, who had to settle for silver when she couldn't overpower 15-year-old Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte. The medal haul makes up for the disappointment in the night's first final when favourite Ryan Lochte was stunned out of the medal positions during an electric 200m final in the Aquatics Centre. United States' Ryan Lochte reacts after failing to win a medal in the men's 200m freestyle . The American faded in the last two lengths as Agnel powered away from the chasing pack to claim gold. Yang Sun and Taehwan Park shared silver, ahead of Lochte in fourth and Britain's Robbie Renwick in sixth. Speaking after his sixth place finish, Glaswegian Renwick said: "If I can keep going the way I am going then who knows maybe in the next four years I could actually get a medal. It all went well, it was another PB for me. It's all about getting amongst the medals but sixth place I can't have done much more.' Spofforth was equally philosophical after her fifth place finish. The 25 year old has come close to quitting swimming in the past and insisted tonight's performance in a strong field dominated by Frankling, justified her decision to return to the pool. She said: 'I've always said it's the journey and not the destination. I am disappointed but everything happens for a reason and I am just really enjoying my swimming right now. 'I have been rock-bottom but it's great to be back enjoying life again and have my passion back for life and swimming. Training with Ryan (Lochte) and working with Olympians is what really inspires me and I work with children back at home and want to inspire them.' Brit Liam Tancock came agonisingly close to a medal in the 100m backstroke, finishing just four tenths of a second outside third place . After coming so close to landing a gold for Britain, Liam Tancock, the world champion at 50m, has vowed to return in four years time - when he'll be 31. A Brazilian who won bronze in judo broke his medal when he wore it into the shower, and faces a fight to have it replaced. Felipe Kitadai said he decided to take his medal into the shower as a joke, but dropped it. The Brazilian Olympic Committee admitted the IOC had no obligation to give Kitadai another one. He said: 'I went out there and gave it everything, it didn't quite come off for me but Rio is only four years away. I just love what I do, swimming is an amazing sport. It's an absolute dream to swim in a pool like this, in front of a crowd like this. 'I was walking before and saw the poster about inspiring future generations and I hope we are doing that, not just me but the whole of team GB, hopefully we will inspire the next generation of swimmers.' Earlier in the pool, Britain's Caitlin McClatchey qualified for the women's 200m freestyle final with a strong second place finish in her semi-final heat. McClatchey led world champion Federica Pellegrini at the final turn, but was eventually overtaken by the Italian - qualifying sixth fastest. She said afterwards: 'I could hear the crowd the whole way through, it was incredible. I have had a really tough two years and thought about quitting but I am really enjoying it now. I have got a fantastic team at Loughborough University and without them I couldn't have done it.' | Brits Spofforth, Renwick and Tancock miss out on medals . Americans scoop two golds and two silvers in winning night for Team USA . US teen Missy Franklin, 17, wins her first gold . But Ryan Lochte misses out on a medal, finishing 4th in 100m freestyle . | a902560247c753a04307086e047a3e04182d22cd |
By . Victoria Woollaston . A web button has been created that scans websites for abusive comments and replaces the negative words with more positive ones. For example, angry words such as 'hate' are replaced with words including 'love' or 'kittens'. The button is a plugin that can be downloaded on the Chrome or Safari browser and was inspired by the torrent of abuse directed to magazine GQ after they ran a series of One Direction covers. An online button has been designed by V Energy to replace abusive comments on websites with positive 'words of love'. It scans for swear words or negative language on Twitter, pictured, and YouTube and replaces them with words including cupcake and delicious puppies . The GQ debacle with One Direction fans kicked off on Twitter earlier this week. The bands exclusive interview with GQ . magazine was classed as 'their most revealing to date', but One . Direction's devoted fans weren't happy with how their idols were . portrayed. Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis . Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan were unveiled as the latest cover . stars for the publication this week, with topics discussed in the . accompanying interview including bisexual rumours, groupies and their . tangled love lives. And since the publication of the . interview, the magazine has experienced a major backlash from dedicated . Directioners, who bombarded the GQ Twitter account with a string of foul-mouthed and abusive messages. There are similar plugins available already that can block out all mentions of Justin Bieber, for example, as well as James Corden or the Royal baby. It works by using a database of negative and positive words. Swear words, as well as words such as 'hate', 'stupid' and 'punch' are classed as negative. Words such as 'rainbow', 'unicorn' candyfloss', 'hug' and so on are classed as positive words. The VQ-Hab de-troller is part of V Energy drinks V-Hab.com’s Silence The Troll campaign that uses a comment converter to make internet trolls appear less angry or aggressive. The anti-trolling browser extension works with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. A V-hab.com spokesperson said, 'We . Love British GQ, but boy did those poor souls not know what they were . getting themselves into! 'Luckily for them, at V-hab we’re all . about countering trolls with a bit of positive energy so we’ve created . VQ-hab to take some heat of those poor journalists and try and inject a . bit of humour and positivity into what has clearly been a rather large . misunderstanding on all sides.' Not so lucky: GQ's Twitter account was subjected to a barrage of abuse thanks to its One Direction cover . VQ-hab has taken the most notable tweets in the original GQ article and run them through the anti-trolling comment converter to show what the internet could look like if everyone was just a bit more positive and understanding. The GQ debacle with One Direction fans kicked off on Twitter earlier this week. The bands exclusive interview with GQ magazine was classed as 'their most revealing to date', but One Direction's devoted fans weren't happy with how their idols were portrayed. Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan were unveiled as the latest cover stars for the publication this week, with topics discussed in the accompanying interview including bisexual rumours, groupies and their tangled love lives. Since the publication of the interview, the magazine has experienced a major backlash from dedicated Directioners, who bombarded the GQ Twitter account with a string of often foul-mouthed and abusive messages. | The web button can be added to the Chrome and Safari browsers . When activated it scans websites for abusive comments and swear words . The VQ-Hab tool replaces negative language with 'words of love' Back to Mail Online home . Back to the page you came from . | c3cf9e997610e4d312226992eed23723335b2355 |
Twitter has refused to close the accounts of London rioters who used the service to spread unrest and insisted that Tweets must 'continue to flow'. The US-based company said that 'freedom of expression' was essential and that information would be 'kept flowing'. Social networks have faced criticism for allowing rioters and looters to incite violence and public disorder across the country since riots began last Saturday in Tottenham. Twitter and BlackBerry Messenger were used by rioters and police have signaled that they will trawl people's accounts to find offenders. Targeted: Government spooks will track to the riot ringleaders' mobile phones to hunt down those responsible for the organising the violence . But Twitter refused to take their own . action against offenders. A spokesman told the Telegraph that a blog . post on the issue earlier this year was still relevant. Eight people in Cheshire had been arrested on suspicion of encouraging rioting via social media. A 20-year-old man from Northwich has been charged with intentionally encouraging the commissioning of an offence and is due to appear before magistrates. A 13-year-old boy from Warrington was released on police bail pending further inquiries. Two 22-year-old men from Warrington, a 23-year-old man from Chester and a 24-year-old man from Runcorn continue to be questioned. Two other males, both from Warrington and aged 17 and 18, were released without charge. 'Our goal is to instantly connect . people everywhere to what is most meaningful to them. For this to . happen, freedom of expression is essential,' it says. 'Some tweets may facilitate positive . change in a repressed country, some make us laugh, some make us think, . some downright anger a vast majority of users. We don't always agree . with the things people choose to tweet, but we keep the information . flowing irrespective of any view we may have about the content.' The revalation came as . Government spies have been drafted in to track riot ringleaders who . have been using encrypted instant messages on their BlackBerry . smartphones to avoid detection. Experts at the GCHQ listening station . in Cheltenham have joined forces with Scotland Yard to hunt down . hundreds of criminals suspected of masterminding some of the worst . looting. They are tracking communications over the internet and mobile phones that organised the mass rioting. The . development came as calls grew for the service to be shut down after it . played a key role in helping mobilise looters involved in the riots . across London. Mike Butcher, a technology journalist and digital adviser to Boris Johnson, said it was 'unbelievable' that the BBM service had not been disabled. Looter: Pictures put on Twitter showed some of the rioters using shopping trolleys to carry away stolen items including TVs and mobile phones . Messages on the service, along with . posts on Twitter, helped spread the locations of riots like wildfire and . brought hordes of teenagers together to attack neighbourhoods . throughout the weekend. However, . there are difficulties intercepting the instant and virtually . untraceable messages sent via BlackBerry Messenger, known as BBM, to . private networks of one or more people. Unlike social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, messages sent through BBM cannot be traced back to the sender. They are also encrypted, adding to the handset’s popularity among security-conscious business chiefs and criminals alike. Mr . Butcher described the BBM service as 'text messaging with steroids', as . Blackberry itself denied reports it had planned to disable the . messenging service. Mr Butcher had tweeted last night: 'It is unbelievable that @UK_BlackBerry is not shutting down BBM right now.' He . told the BBC Today programme this morning: 'Mobile phones have become . weaponised in their capability of spreading information about where to . target next. Intercepted: GCHQ employs some of the most skilled experts in intercepting messages and they may be able to recover information from phones . 'There is . evidence that BBM is an encrypted, very secure, safe, fast, cheap, easy . way for disaffected urban youths to spread messages for their next . target. 'It's like text . messaging with steroids - you can send messages to hundreds of people . and once it's gone from your phone it cannot be traced back to you.' GCHQ was brought in to trace the messages after senior officials designated bringing rioters to justice a ‘national priority’. Home Office sources said ‘several hundred’ ringleaders had already been identified by police intelligence staff. ‘Many of these people are part of . organised criminal gangs,’ said an official. ‘We know who they are and . we can see who else they are talking to. We are using all the resources . at our disposal. This is a national priority.’ Asked . if GCHQ was involved, a Downing Street official added: ‘All the usual . sources are being used to make sure the police have the information they . need. The idea is to round these people up and publicise who they are. We want to arrest them or spook them into staying off the streets.’ GCHQ employs some of the world’s most skilled experts in intercepting and recovering electronic communications. Police technical experts may also be able to recover incriminating information from the mobile phones – even the BlackBerrys – of suspects. This could include a record of their messages as well as photographs and internet searches. It is also possible undercover agents may have been able to infiltrate message networks. Research in Motion, the firm behind the BlackBerry, said it would ‘engage with the authorities’. This brought threats from hackers against the company. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh, of the Met, said: ‘A lot of people who are seeing these BlackBerry messages are forwarding them to the police.’ A BlackBerry spokesman suggested that the company may help police trace those responsible for stirring up violence. He said: ‘We feel for those impacted by the riots in London. We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can.’ | Police will trawl accounts to find offenders . Twitter and other social networks face criticism . Messages on Twitter spread information among rioters . | bb367dc82cbf66270668c0a0251a05ae6fee981e |
By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 06:03 EST, 25 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:07 EST, 25 December 2013 . A Christmas miracle took place at an animal shelter when a puppy declared stillborn sprang to life 45 minutes later. Vets at the Aurora Animal Shelter in Colorado were astonished by the event, which was described as ‘impossible’. The heartwarming story begins on Christmas Eve, when a small dog in labor was brought to the front desk. Christmas miracle: Aurora Animal Shelter staff hold the newborn puppy and its mother . Veterinarian Dr Nicole Bartley wrote on the shelter’s Facebook page: ‘A quick exam showed that the puppy she was trying to have was far too large to fit. She needed an emergency C-section and she needed it NOW. It was obvious the puppy had been stuck for a long time. ‘There was a lot of infection and very little chance for the puppy. However, we always try to save puppies and kittens born by C-section and the veterinary technicians went to work, but the puppy never breathed, never moved.’ What happened next left the staff at the shelter in a state of disbelief. Remarkable: The puppy didn't respond to vets at first, but eventually sprang to life . The puppy was assumed to be dead and the technicians worked to clear the mother of infection, then they heard a startling sound. Dr Bartley explained that as they stirred the mother from anesthesia 45 minutes later a crying noise began emanating from the blanket the puppy was wrapped in. She added: ‘It was alive! And crying for its mama! It should not have been possible for that puppy to be alive that much later when we couldn’t get it to respond right away.’ Aww-some: The tiny puppy began crying for its mother leaving vets in a state of disbelief . Staff decided that there was only one possible name for the puppy – Miracle. After the dramatic birth the mother and Miracle spent the night under close observation and have now gone into foster care, the Facebook post explained. As Gary Beasley commented, it’s not quite a Miracle on 34th Street, ‘but it’ll do’. | Staff at the Aurora Animal Shelter described the event as 'impossible' The puppy has been named Miracle and has gone into foster care . | 4a6073114560eedd785040e7db35b132e37c9c42 |
By . Chris Kitching for MailOnline . A passenger plane was evacuated and grounded for six hours after its pilot and a cabin crew member brawled just before the aircraft was scheduled to take off. The Saudi Arabian Airlines flight was preparing to depart Cairo’s international airport for Medina, Saudi Arabia when an argument between the captain and steward turned violent. More than 150 passengers were removed from the plane without injury and taken to a transit hall while officials separated the combatants. Brawl: A Saudi Arabian Airlines pilot and steward got into a fight aboard a plane at Cairo International Airport . Once security personnel broke up the fist fight, the steward was treated at the airport for hand injuries. The pilot suffered an eye injury and was transported to hospital, Stuff.co.nz reported. ‘The fight took place as the plane was about to take off,’ said Col Mutaz Youssef, duty head of the airport police. The 153 passengers were put back on the plane, which departed about six hours behind schedule. It is not known what triggered the fight between the pilot and steward. Airport bust-up: The pilot suffered an eye injury, while the steward was treated for a hand injury . | Passenger plane bound for Saudi Arabia was grounded for six hours . More than 150 passengers were removed from the plane without injury . The pilot suffered an eye injury and was transported to hospital . | d2d61b2d97e5e42fc493860453f1c7d776d23ac7 |
Joan Lunden bravely appeared bald on this week's cover of People magazine, and now she's revealed why she decided to make her battle with breast cancer public. 'Sometimes, you just want to give voice to other people,' she told Today's Hoda Kotb and Matt Lauer Tuesday morning. The former Good Morning America host, 64, has undergone chemotherapy and a lumpectomy since her diagnosis with triple negative breast cancer in June. Scroll down for video . Brave: Joan Lunden appeared on the Today show Tuesday morning to discuss her public battle with breast cancer . 'You want to put a face that says "All right, I'm going through this, but I'm still me." And I think women are incredibly tied up in their hair,' she said. She continued: 'Twenty years ago, women didn't talk about this. In fact, women wouldn't go and get a breast exam because they were so afraid of losing their hair or losing their breast. And that's still going on today. But what's the alternative? It's losing your life.' She also said she feels a responsibility to encourage other women to have regular breast exams. New outlook: 'It's a shame you have to go through something that almost takes life away to appreciate it more,' Ms Lunden said during an interview at her home . 'By assuming this role and trying to be a voice for women and trying to make a difference, and to try to get women out there to realize that early detection is everything ... Don't think that it's okay to wait another year for the mammogram, and don't wait till you're 40 - if you have a lot [of breast cancer] in your family, maybe you need to get it earlier - because that is going to depend on your survival. And in a way, it makes the whole fight better because it turns it into something very meaningful.' Ms Lunden said that the 'very complicated battle' with the disease has given her a new outlook. 'It's a shame you have to go through something that almost takes life away to appreciate it more. But it certainly does do it to you,' she told Ms Kotb in an interview at her Connecticut home last week that aired today. Bold move: Ms Lunden discussed her decision to shave off all her hair in a recent interview with People . The veteran journalist publicly announced her diagnosis to fellow cancer survivor Robin Roberts on GMA in July. 'Robin told me waiting for your hair to fall out is excruciating, so I didn't want to wait,' she told People of her decision to shave off her hair one week after finishing her first chemotherapy treatment. She added: 'You know it's going to happen one of these days and you are wondering how and when, so I just owned it.' | The former Good Morning America host, 64, has undergone chemotherapy and a lumpectomy since her diagnosis with triple negative breast cancer in June . Ms Lunden also addressed the stigma of hair loss, saying that the fear of chemo still prevents women from getting breast exams . | c2ca18390ae78071eb7050c70d2c5d9c9e594fd9 |
A Texas prosecutor's office says it knew nothing of a 2004 attack on an Indiana woman when it offered a lighter sentence in a 2009 sexual assault case to a man now suspected of several killings. In a statement Monday, Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said she offered Darren Vann a plea deal of five years' imprisonment in the 2009 case because it was weakened by the victim's delayed outcry, a resulting loss of DNA evidence and her inconsistent statements. The original charge could have meant up to 99 years in prison. Lehmberg said Vann's criminal history then 'revealed no prior history of sexual assault and no prior convictions.' Lehmberg spokesman Rudy Magallanes said the 2004 case didn't appear in Vann's criminal history. Police in Indiana say Vann has confessed to killing seven women. Case: Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, right, said she offered Darren Vann, left, a plea deal of five years' imprisonment in a Texas 2009 sexual assault case because it had been weakened. Police in Indian say Vann recently confessed to killing seven women . Victim: Vann has been charged in the death of Afrikka Hardy, pictured, whose body was found October 17, 2014 in a bathtub at a Motel 6 in Hammond, Indiana. Authorities say Vann has confessed to killing her . Last Wednesday, Vann refused to speak or even acknowledge his name to a judge, and a sheriff explained later that the suspect was upset his hearing was in open court before dozens of journalists. The judge asked Vann, 43, of Gary, Indiana, at his initial court appearance if he understood the reason for the hearing in the strangulation death of 19-year-old Afrikka Hardy. But Vann stood unmoving and stone-faced, staring back silently at the judge. 'Mr. Vann, are you choosing not to take part in this hearing?' Magistrate Judge Kathleen Sullivan asked Vann sternly. When Vann — wearing striped jail garb, with his wrists and legs shackled and flanked by two guards at the lockup — still offered no response, Sullivan told his public defender to 'tell your client that he stays in jail the rest of his life until this hearing takes place.' Putting his hand on Vann's shoulder, public defender Matthew Fech, encouraged him to speak — but he again stood silently. The judge then found him in contempt and said she would schedule another hearing for this week. Before entering the room, Vann had peered through a window at spectator benches, asking why so many journalists were there and refusing to even enter, Lake County Sheriff John Buncich said later. Fech finally convinced Vann to at least enter. Until the October 22 hearing in Crown Point, the sheriff said Vann's demeanor had been 'quiet, calm and collected,' which included confessing to investigators and leading police to abandoned homes where several bodies were hidden. Deaths: The bodies of Teaira Bately (left) and Anith Jones (right) were found last weekend in Indiana . Authorities: Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 in Crown Point, Indiana. Darren Vann is set to appear in a court hearing this week . Vann is held in isolation on 24-hour-a-day watch in jail, Bunich said, so it's unclear how the contempt charge will alter his status. His silence, if it persists, could raise complicated legal questions that might severely slow the prosecution process. At the 10-minute hearing, the judge also issued a gag order, meaning investigators can no longer interview Vann unless they first get his permission through his attorney. Authorities, who had provided details of the case, can also no longer discuss it publicly. Vann, a convicted sex offender, was arrested October 18 and charged with the strangulation death of Hardy, whose body was found October 17 in a bathtub at a Motel 6 in Hammond, 20 miles southeast of Chicago. On October 22, he also was charged in the death of 35-year-old Anith Jones of, Merrillville, Indiana, whose body was found in an abandoned house Saturday night in Gary. Five more bodies were found October 19 in other homes, said Hammond Police Chief John Doughty, who identified two of the women as Gary residents Teaira Batey, 28, and Kristine Williams, 36. Lake County Coroner Merilee Frey said three bodies remain unidentified, one was found with a silver-colored bracelet with the words 'Best Aunt.' But bodies were largely skeletonized so other markings, like identifying scars or birthmarks, weren't present. Members of 17 different families have called the coroner's office inquiring about the bodies, and one call led to DNA tests on the third unidentified victim, Frey said. Scene: This October 20, 2014 file photo shows an abandoned home in Gary, Indiania where police found the one of six women's bodies . House of horros: Another body was found inside this separate residence, also in Gary, Indiana . Investigators in Indiana and Texas, where Vann also lived, have been poring over cold case files and missing person reports to determine if there are more victims. Inquiries were also being made in Illinois. Hammond Police discovered information indicating Vann may have been in various communities just across the state line in Illinois in Cook County between the day Hardy's body was found and when Vann was arrested. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart confirmed that 'through technology' investigators believe that Vann was in the area of Hazelcrest, Markham and Harvey then, but he wouldn't elaborate. But a law enforcement official close to the investigation said what Hammond investigators gave to the sheriff's department were cellphone records tracking Vann's phone through the region. The official, who was not authorized to speak about the investigation and would only discuss it anonymously, said investigators were also informed Vann told detectives that after a killing he would visit abandoned buildings where he'd stashed previous victims to ensure bodies had not been discovered. Vann was convicted in 2009 of raping a woman in his Austin, Texas, apartment. He was released from prison last year and moved back to Indiana. Before that conviction, he served a year in prison in Indiana after he grabbed a Gary woman in a chokehold in 2004, doused her with gasoline and threatened to set her on fire. In both cases, the charges against Vann were reduced in plea bargains, and Texas officials deemed him a low risk for violence. Vann registered as a sex offender in Indiana and police made a routine check in September that he lived at the address he provided. Sherriff Buncich said he wished registered sex offenders, like Vann, could be monitored more closely than they are but that budgetary and legal constraints make that difficult. | A Texas prosecutor's office says it knew nothing of a 2004 attack on an Indiana woman when it offered a lighter sentence in a 2009 sexual assault case to Darren Vann . Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said she offered Vann a plea deal of five years' imprisonment in the 2009 case . She said the case was weakened by the victim's delayed outcry, a resulting loss of DNA evidence and her inconsistent statements . Police in Indiana say Vann has confessed to killing seven women . He has been charged in the deaths of Afrikka Hardy, 19, and Anith Jones, 35 . | 6b05f8f24e221ad2f44823be507eb4d0669eb7e8 |
Rachael Owhin, 23, raised nearly £11,000 in eight days after discovering she could not afford her tuition fees at Oxford University . An Oxford student who set up a fundraising page to raise money for her Masters degree has raised nearly £11,000 in eight days. Rachael Owhin, from Brent, London, was ecstatic after receiving an offer to study a MSc in migration studies at the Oxford University in March. But after she was turned down for a scholarship, the 23-year-old spent three months worrying that her savings and bank loan would not cover the extortionate tuition fees - a staggering £18,110. She had saved £6,000 herself, and her mother lent her £2,000, but she was still £10,000 short. In an ambitious bid to raise enough money Miss Owhin, a law graduate at Sussex University, set up a profile on crowd-funding site Hubbub with the slogan ‘£10,000 in ten days’. She used #Oxford10000 to generate interest on social media, and rewarded people who donated to her cause. She promised that a £10 donation would get a public thank you on Twitter. Donors who gave £1,000 were rewarded with a formal invitation to a dinner at Wolfson College, Oxford. The page received 197 donations in just eight days, and her total now stands at £10,916 - meaning she can afford the tuition fees. One anonymous donor left £1,002 after seeing the campaign on Twitter. Her involvement as a mentor at the Powerlist Foundation - which provides career support for people from disadvantaged backgrounds - also led to a generous donation from Dragons Den star Piers Linney, who is one of the foundation’s trustees. Miss Owhin, whose mother works for a charity which helps disadvantaged children in the UK and Africa fund their education, said: ‘Going to Oxford is the fulfilment of all my dreams. ‘When they sent me the offer, they told me to apply for a scholarship for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. 'I thought I had a good chance of getting the scholarship but in June I found out I didn’t. I went to the toilet and cried - my dream became a nightmare. Scroll down for video . Miss Owhin, who volunteered at the 2012 Olympics, started a crowd-funding page after the university told her she would not be receiving a scholarship . Using the Twitter hashtag #Oxford10000, Miss Owhin's crowd-funding page was inundated with donations . ‘I had looked at crowd-funding, but I thought it was so ineffective. I needed serious money. ‘I did some research and decided that with the right social media campaign it was worth setting up a site. My sister came up with the hashtag idea in the shower. 'On the first day, one of my Tweets got over 700 retweets - thank god for Twitter. It’s amazing to see how social media can be used for good.’ Miss Owhin added: ‘Oxford had no way to help. I’ve called them so often and numerous times they’ve told me to just apply next year. That’s such a horrible thing to say, to have only one option. ‘There’s nothing in place to support minority students that can’t afford the course. The tuition fees are a huge burden for someone who isn’t wealthy. '£18,000, not to mention living costs, is extortionate. Most people can’t afford that.’ Miss Owhin will have to pay a total of £18,000 for her MSc in migration studies at Oxford, which starts soon . The 23-year-old saved £6,000 herself, and her mother lent her £2,000 - leaving her £10,000 short . An Oxford University spokesman said: ‘Fundraising for postgraduate scholarships is one of the University’s key priorities and this year over 1,000 fully-funded scholarships were available from the University, its colleges and supporters for new master’s and doctoral students in 2014-15. ‘But for the many aspiring graduate students who do not receive scholarships, it can be very difficult to find the money for their studies and we hope that more can be done at a national level to ensure postgraduate study is open to all.’ Other students hoping to complete a masters degree at Oxford have also had to turn to crowd-funding. Emily-Rose Eastop raised over £26,000 on Hubbub in July so she could study a MSc in cognitive and evolutionary anthropology. And Zu Barbie hopes to raise nearly £60,000 so she can complete a two-year MPhil in political theory. To make a further donation to Rachael’s studies, visit her donation page. Emily-Rose Eastop raised over £26,000 on Hubbub in July so she could study for an MSc at Oxford University . Zu Barbie hopes to raise nearly £60,000 so she can complete a two-year MPhil in political theory at Oxford . | Rachael Owhin set up crowd-funding page to raise money for university fees . The 23-year-old law graduate had been turned down for a scholarship . In just eight days she had the £11,000 to fund her Masters degree at Oxford . | 7c7d3815d76d538544f10adbf6bf39aad07814f5 |
By . Richard Shears . and Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:27 EST, 18 December 2013 . Cleared: British multi-millionaire entrepreneur Gregory Cox (pictured at court this week) was today found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman, 21 . A British tycoon accused of forcing a woman to perform oral sex on him on Australia's Bondi Beach was today found not guilty. Gregory Charles Cox, 32, faced two charges of sexual intercourse without consent with a 21-year-old tourist on the iconic beach in Sydney. The holidaymaker from Bermuda claimed Cox had said: ‘You . can tell the police, you can tell whoever you like but this will never . go anywhere – I’ve got a lot of money.’ But after a trial that lasted three weeks at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, the jury found him not guilty of the two charges today. Crown Prosecutor Elizabeth Wilkins SC had . told the court that the woman had kissed and exchanged phone . numbers with Cox’s friend Christopher Galea. The . court heard that the 21-year-old woman also spoke to Cox, who founded . his own financial services firm, about the English private school he . went to while at beachfront bar The Bucket List in January 2012. She claimed the pair then went to the beach after many hours drinking together when she . remembers Cox sitting against a concrete wall while she had her back to . the ocean. In . his opening address to the jury in May, prosecutor Huw Baker said: ‘She . recalls being on her knees and she tried to stand up but being unable . to stand up because something was holding her down,’ he said. ‘She . recalls being terrified at that point.’ Cox is then said to have forced her to perform a sex act on him. Afterwards she cried and hit Cox on the thighs as she told him: ‘Please stop, please stop – I don’t want this.’ Mr Baker said: ‘She was trying to get up but felt the accused’s hand on the back of her head.’ 'Will go nowhere': The court heard that Cox (pictured leaving court) told the woman that 'you can tell the police, you can tell whoever you like but this will never go anywhere - I've got a lot of money'. A jury today cleared him of the charges . The court was told her cries for help were later heard . by a young couple and she was taken to a police station, where officers . described her as being ‘distressed, shivering and crying’. Police were also said to have heard her say: ‘He told me over and over again that he had a lot of money.’ Cox, who founded the Manchester-based . Quintessential Finance Group, was on holiday in Australia in January last year when he met the woman. He had been staying in a luxury beach-side apartment in the suburb of Bronte, a few miles from Bondi. The businessman, who lists Peaches . Geldof among his Facebook friends, was arrested four days after the . alleged incident when he returned to the bar and was spotted by staff . who had been supplied with his description by police. Met while holidaying: The woman, a holidaymaker from Bermuda, met Cox at The Bucket List bar in the Bondi Pavilion (pictured) on the beachfront where they talked about the English private school that Cox went to, the court heard . Graeme Turnbull, defending, told the . Sydney court that the woman’s conduct ‘was entirely consistent with a . willing participant’. The jury heard that Cox had told friends the woman ‘freaked out’ after the sex act, threw her handbag in the air and ran off. As she left her belongings on the . beach, said Mr Turnbull, Cox had handed them in to a city centre police . station, where he gave his own details. Mr Turnbull also said that his client had gone back to the Bondi beach bar to ask if anyone knew the woman. ‘If he is a rapist, is that consistent?’ he asked the court. A jury found him not guilty of all the charges against him. After hours of drinking: The woman claimed the incident happened on Bondi Beach, Sydney, which is visited by thousands of Britons every year . | Greg Cox, 32, was accused of attacking a 21-year-old on the Sydney beach . He was charged with two counts of having sexual intercourse without consent . He denied the charges and was today found not guilty by a jury . Cox is head of British loan firm called Quintessential Finance Group . | 77c2583b85cd7b4b914d8f1a62d3ffb669ecf63e |
(TIME.com) -- Just before heading to bed one night in August, I got a text message from Bibhu Mohapatra. It contained a photo of First Lady Michelle Obama in a citrus-print sleeveless sheer yoke cocktail dress. Above it, a message: "Just found out, Michelle is wearing the yellow dress." Mohapatra has dressed Kristen Wiig, Hilary Swank and Glenn Close, but this was different. There she was, America's fashion icon on The Tonight Show, validating Mohapatra's work before a national audience. It is Mohapatra's moment, but it's a story that almost wasn't. He had never been on a plane before 1995, when he left his native Orissa, India, at age 23 with a one-way ticket to Logan, Utah, to pursue a master's degree in economics on an academic scholarship to Utah State University. Between homework assignments, he'd sketch. And sketch. Until, by chance, a professor saw his sketchbook of dresses, jackets and coats and said, "You're in the wrong business." So Mohapatra called his dad, who told him, "Close your eyes and picture yourself 10 years from now, having the most fun, being the most happy -- that's your answer." Mohapatra packed his bags, moved to New York City and landed a spot at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where he could finally pursue his lifelong passion. Time.com: Fashion's Sister Act: A Conversation with Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy . Now 40 and a newly minted member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Mohapatra launched his namesake label in 2009 after nine years at J. Mendel, where he worked his way up from assistant to design director. "As a creative person, you want to start with a blank canvas," he says. "This is like having the biggest canvas on which to paint." His clothes do have a painterly quality: rich color, prints and patterns on structured silhouettes. Modern yet supremely feminine. There are shades of India, too, in the embroidery and beading -- traditional dressmaking techniques that Mohapatra likes to call "Old World bones." I recently paid him a visit at his cavernous, 5,000-sq.-ft. studio in the heart of Manhattan's garment district -- a big upgrade from the cramped 600-sq.-ft. space a block away where he used to work. His new spot is a sea of white walls and columns punctuated by splashes of color: a sage gown with beads and feathers from his 2013 resort collection and a chaise longue he found on the street and re-covered in lapis-print fabric of his own design. He greets me at the door with his signature boyish grin and a hug. "He has the biggest smile in fashion and lacks any of the attitude that sometimes comes with a young designer's success," says Steven Kolb, the CFDA's CEO. "Bibhu is a gracious and tasteful gentleman," says Linda Fargo, senior vice president of Bergdorf Goodman, Mohapatra's biggest account. "His métier is elegance." As Mohapatra describes them, his designs are a study in opposites. "Masculine and feminine, graphic and organic, but always staying true to the core of making beautiful clothes," he says. He has a hat trick of debuts coming up: in September, he'll show his first collection with handbags; in January, his first pre-fall collection; in February, a complete line of handbags. "A lot of exciting things are happening," he says. "I hope to grow another head and two more hands," he adds with a laugh, "like an Indian goddess." To see CNN national correspondent Alina Cho's interview with Bibhu Mohapatra and for more coverage of New York Fashion Week, tune in to Fashion: Backstage Pass, airing on CNN on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 2:30 p.m. Time.com: Shades of Autumn . | Mohapatra has has dressed actresses and the First Lady. Mohapatra is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. He uses traditional dressmaking techniques. | 28af462c5a4ed9e4dd9d4810f4c666b543c7f4ef |
Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny has conceded his side were beaten by Chelsea's 'brilliance' on Sunday, but maintains he is satisfied with the Gunners' start to the season. Goals from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa sealed a 2-0 win for the Blues at Stamford Bridge - keeping them five points clear at the top and nine above Arsenal - with Szczesny admitting that Jose Mourinho's side's individual class shone through in the end. Szczesny told reporters: 'I thought it was a very even game but Chelsea have an ability to keep clean sheets at home and I thought they were very good, they took their chances with two brilliant moments. Wojciech Szczesny admits Arsenal were outdone by moments of brilliance from Chelsea on the day . Eden Hazard produced a classy display for Chelsea as they beat Arsenal 2-0 at Stamford Bridge . 'One, the brilliant run from [Eden] Hazard that led to the penalty. On the second goal, the ball from Cesc [Fabregas] and the finish. Sometimes you've got to take your hat off to the brilliance of the opposition. 'We've had a tough run so far. But I'd like to think that our start has been solid, not as good as we expected from ourselves but I believe that, after the international break, we can push on and get more points. 'You can't say we've played badly against Chelsea, it's just that we've come up against a very strong side, probably the favourites to win the Premier League at this point.' Arsene Wenger's side find themselves eighth in the Premier League currently with 10 points from their opening seven games whereas Chelsea lead the pack with a comfortable five-point cushion, with 19 points overall. VIDEO We were in control - Mourinho . | Wojciech Szczesny hails Chelsea after they beat Arsenal 2-0 on Sunday . The Gunners No 1 admitted that the Blues' took their chances in devastating fashion . Szczesny remains satisfied with Arsenal's start to the season . Arsene Wenger's men are nine points adrift of the leaders Chelsea . | c0836269be4bc692224711d7e5d26fa02d9daf65 |
Almost 35 years have passed since I tried to exchange sterling for roubles at the reception desk of a Moscow hotel. It was a modest sum, about £30, but the receptionist became agitated. ‘Don’t change here!’ she whispered. ‘We pay only the official rate.’ ‘Where, then?’ I asked. She pointed across the lobby at a figure in a sombre green jacket, with stiff-brimmed cap and face blank as an empty soup plate. ‘Him!’ she said. ‘He pays six times the rate.’ She reached for my notes, and hurried across to the militia man. They held a brief conversation, the transaction was made, and she returned, smiling. ‘He asked me where you are from, and I told him Britain,’ she said. ‘He said he likes British, so he gave me seven times.’ FIFA president Sepp Blatter announces Qatar as the hosts for the 2022 World Cup in December 2010 . Sepp Blatter (right) hands the World Cup to Qatar’s Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani . She picked out her own, modest, commission, and handed me a bundle of roubles. The deed was done. It was all perfectly open; nobody reacted, nobody seemed to care. That was the way life was lived in Soviet Russia. I repeated the performance three or four times over the period of the Moscow Olympics. The man would nod to me as I walked through the foyer; occasionally he would pat the wallet in his inside pocket. I told myself that, while illegal, it was harmless, a victimless crime which everybody committed. It was several weeks later, when the Olympics were over and I was back home, that the doubts started to crowd in. Of course Russian society was hopelessly corrupt from top to bottom. But through my complicity in that tacky deception, hadn’t I helped to make it a little more squalid? Which brings us, quite naturally, to England’s hapless bid to stage the 2018 World Cup. In this column on December 5, 2010 - three days after the humiliating vote - I related details of a private dinner party I had attended in a Mayfair hotel. The dinner had taken place 11 months earlier, and guests included senior civil servants, three or four journalists, and leading members of the England World Cup 2018 bid team. David Beckham shakes hands with Blatter and hands over England's ill-fated World Cup 2018 bid book . After the meal, the bid’s chief executive, Andy Anson, was asked about rumours of corruption among the FIFA executive committee who would choose the host nation. To general amazement, he told us that the matter had been given a great deal of thought, and he and his team had concluded that, of the 24 voting members, ‘at least 13 are buyable’. It was a major faux pas, and one which Anson’s underlings were swift to smother. Retractions were made, explanations were offered, assurances of FIFA’s probity were uttered. But he had said it, he clearly meant it, and the conclusion was obvious: if 13 were ‘buyable’, then presumably they would be bought. But bought by whom? For how much? And what measures had the bid team taken to obtain such damaging facts? I remember worrying about the issue for several weeks. On the one hand, the dinner was a private function, with everything off the record. On the other, the bidding team were spinning the story that England had great expectations of success. David Beckham, Lord Coe and Andy Anson look dejected as England miss out on hosting the 2018 World Cup . Media criticism was contemptuously rejected, international rascals were shamelessly embraced, squalid promises were lightly offered and about £21million was wastefully spent. And all this on a bid which 13 ‘buyable’ chancers had already rendered irrelevant; a bid which they knew was doomed to fail. Had Anson’s remark been reported, then FIFA would have erupted and England’s bid would have been instantly withdrawn. And we, the dreaded media, would have suffered both the blame and the consequences. And so, having promised silence, I said nothing, wincing as the charade unfolded and biting my tongue as breezy, baseless forecasts were doled out to a wholly unsuspecting public. And it came to pass that a magnificent bid which was superior to the rest by every criterion — and immeasurably superior to the Russian entry — received just two votes and went out on the first ballot. Once again, Anson tried to blame the media, a reaction which would have been hilarious were it not so depressing, and with the medieval emirate of Qatar profiting through an even more outrageous fix, the movers and shakers at FIFA celebrated a clean sweep for the bad guys. Football's world governing body has come under enormous scrutiny after its handling of the World Cup vote . The fact is, they feel themselves to be invulnerable. And after last week’s farcical developments, who shall blame them? The details have been well ventilated; the former US prosecutor, Michael Garcia, composed a deeply damaging report on the bidding processes for 2018 and 2022. He had faced certain drawbacks: his inquiry could not demand the presence of witnesses, he was banned from visiting Russia, and many of the Russians by and large declined to turn up, then told him their computers had been destroyed and their emails were lost, the high-tech equivalent of ‘the dog ate my homework’. The Qataris, similarly, lavished £1.15m on the African Confederation’s conference and doled out seductive grants to developing countries through their ‘Aspire Academy’. FIFA decided against publishing his 430-page report, but instead commissioned a precis by Hans-Joachim Eckert, the chair of the adjudicating chamber of FIFA’s ‘Ethics Committee’. His conclusion, that everything was sweetness and light with both bids, seemed to be repeatedly contradicted by much of the evidence he had published. Even when Garcia complained with great bitterness that his report had been wilfully misrepresented, their complacency was unshaken. People read the headlines, you see; the small print does not carry the same impact. So, it’s trebles all round and a whitewash well done. For the truth is, they believe they can get away with it. And history tells us they are probably right. Michael Garcia (left) and Hans-Joachim Eckert pictured together in 2012 at FIFA headquarters in Zurich . The FA chairman, Greg Dyke, called it ‘a bit of a joke’, which was an understatement, but he also said something of real importance: ‘The whole of the way football operates at that sort of level is suspect, and has been for many years. I don’t think FIFA are a straight organisation and haven’t been for many years.’ Think about that: the man who leads the oldest football association in the world believes that the world governing body are not straight; in other words, they are crooked, and they have been for years. Is that not a desperately serious allegation? FIFA are corrupt, indefensible, unfit for purpose; yet they expect to sail serenely on, led by their dubious, 78-year-old president Sepp Blatter, who has an outrageous ambition to serve his fifth five-year term. They appear to be banking on the notion that nobody really cares, that things will always be this way, that wholesale, deep-rooted corruption is a way of life. Soviet Russia, a rather more substantial monolith, harboured a similar delusion. Yet scarcely a decade later it was gone, buried beneath the debris of its own moral anarchy. There may be a lesson there, if Blatter and his cronies care to learn it. FA chairman Greg Dyke appeared on Newsnight on Thursday to discuss the FIFA report into corruption . P.S . The legalised loan sharks known as Wonga have graciously announced that they are to remove their logo from Newcastle United’s replica shirts and training kit for children, up to the age of 13. The move is the brainwave of Wonga’s new chairman, one Andy Haste, who apparently wants to ensure that the young ones are not persuaded to rush out and snap up loans at an extortionate rate of interest. There is a word to describe this latest gimmick, but our lawyer refuses to let me use it. So we must settle for ‘disingenuous’. Newcastle sponsors Wonga have announced that they will remove their logo from children's replica shirts . | FIFA are corrupt, indefensible and unfit for purpose . Sepp Blatter sails on with an ambition to serve his fifth five-year term . Andy Anson once revealed of 24 voting members for the 2018 World Cup bid, ‘at least 13 are buyable’ | 68117b03f77735be9f70fd80deba146b29306d61 |
A recent plague of feral cats could mean Australia's native bilbies are on the verge of extinction, with only 200 marsupials left in a Queensland national park . A recent plague of feral cats could mean Australia's native bilbies are on the verge of extinction, with only 200 marsupials left in a Queensland national park. Astrebla Downs National Park, west of Brisbane, Queensland, is the 'state's most important wild population of the greater bilby', according to Queensland's Department of National Parks, which homed around 700 bilbies in recent times. Now, Andrew Powell, Queensland Environment and Heritage Minister, has told Radio National's Background Briefing that bilbies are diminishing due to feral cat attacks, the ABC reported. Despite Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service attempt to kill off more than 3,000 feral cats by spending $350,000 to shoot them, the bilby population is still heading for extinction. But Minister Powell insists his department will not let that happen. 'As a state we will do what we can and we'll continue to put funds towards their management and obviously any additional funds that come from the Federal Government would be welcome,' he said . 'We have seen feral cats occurring in plague proportions over the last few years, particularly in key areas such as the habitat of the greater bilby which has had dire consequences.' In the radio interview Minister Powell declares war on feral cats. The high number of feral cats appeared when a plague of longhaired rats entered the 176,000 hectare property, home to hundreds of protected bilbies. Once all the rats had been eaten, the feral cats began to feed on the marsupials and between 2012 and 2014 over 120 bilbies were found inside feral cats. Frank Manthey, co-founder of Save the Bilby said the government needs to spend more time on this 'heartbreaking' problem . Astrebla Downs National Park, west of Brisbane, Queensland, is the 'state's most important wild population of the greater bilby', according to Queensland's Department of National Parks, homing around 700 bilbies in recent times . Frank Manthey, co-founder of Save the Bilby said the government needs to spend more time on this 'heartbreaking' problem. He said the bilbies that were pulled out of the dissected feral cats were young and inexperienced, making it even more devastating for the bilby population. Mr Manthey believes government officials and conservation groups should get involved in a summit and figure out a solution before it is too late. Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt agreed with Mr Manthey and said that next year he will plans to host the summit and will suggest government parties sign a 10-year plan to stop bilby extinction. He said the bilbies that were pulled out of the dissected feral cats were young and inexperienced, making it even more devastating for the bilby population . Radio National's Background Briefing program will discuss the issue of bilby extinction due to feral cats on Sunday . Radio National's Background Briefing program will discuss the issue of bilby extinction due to feral cats on Sunday at 8:00am. | A plague of feral cats have been feeding on Australia's native bilbies . Once home to 700 bilbies, Astrebla Downs National Park, west of Brisbane, Queensland, now only has 200 marsupials left . Over 120 bilbies were pulled out of dissected feral cats . Environmental officials are calling for a summit on the issue . | f0888ad174471a0e81e8fd188a94a454b1de77a2 |
Arnetta Welch, 42, pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension in two vicious gang killings in Camden, New Jersey . A mother has admitted that her home was the site of a gang-related double slaying and she helped two of her children conceal evidence after the killings. Arnetta Welch, 42, of Camden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in Superior Court on Wednesday to hindering apprehension in the deaths of Burlington County couple Michael Hawkins, 23, and Muriah Huff, 18. The pair's bodies were buried in shallow graves behind Welch's house after the couple was tortured, beaten, gagged, stabbed and shot for hours at the home in February 2010, the South Jersey Times reported. Welch is thought to have purchased cleaning supplies and removed evidence of the brutal killings. She is expected to get a two-year probation term when she's sentenced in March. Her children Shatara Carter, 19, and Dennis Welch, 24, were among 10 defendants, believed to be members of the Bloods gang, who are serving 297 years in prison for various counts in the double murder. Carter, who was 14 at the time of the killing, was prosecuted as an adult and pleaded guilty last year to aggravated manslaughter and is serving 22 years in the death of Ms Huff. The young Welch pleaded guilty to the same charge in 2013 and is serving 25 years in the death of Mr Hawkins. The young man was beaten and stabbed before being shot. Arnetta Welch helped clean up after her children Shatara Carter (left) and Dennis Welch (right) were involved in a gang-related killing . Ms Huff was said to be beaten with a chair until it broke apart and choked before dying when she had a plastic bag put over her head, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Carter said at trial that her mother had tried to step between then-25-year-old gang leader Kuasheim Powell and Ms Huff during her beating. The younger Welch told police that he stayed with his mother in a nearby room for an hour and listened to music after saying that she didn't need to be involved in the incident. Gang members said they covered Mrs Welch's eyes as she left the room. The killers ranged in age from 14 to their mid-twenties. Muriah Huff, 18, was tortured before being killed along with boyfriend Michael Hawkins, 23, at Arnetta Welch's home in Camden, New Jersey . The bodies of Mr Hawkins, thought to be involved with the rival Crips gang, and Ms Huff weren't discovered for three days. Mr Hawkins, from Mount Holly, New Jersey, was killed over a gang dispute and a stolen bottle of liquor, authorities say. Ms Huff, from Cinnaminson, New Jersey, had accompanied Hawkins to the home and was killed to prevent her from identifying the attackers, they say. Camden routinely ranks high on lists of the most dangerous cities in America, though its murder rate has fallen in recent years. | New Jersey's Arnetta Welch, 42, pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension . Children Shatara Carter and Dennis Welch were among 10 in gang killing . Michael Hawkins, 23, and Muriah Huff, 18, were tortured before being killed . Ms Huff bashed with chair until it broke apart and choked . Mrs Welch had attempted to step between Ms Huff and her killers . Mother expected to receive two-year probation term at sentencing . | d75edd0041dc4c57f853eae81120c48dba62d8cf |
City dwellers will soon be able to make greener travel choices just by looking at their smartphone. The CO2GO smartphone app automatically detects whether its owner is traveling by rail, car or bus and calculates the emissions using an advanced algorithm. The app has been designed by MIT's SENSEable City Lab and they expect it to be available for download by the summer. They say the technology will also turn citizens into walking sensors, collecting detailed information about how people use cities. "We're in the middle of this kind of technology revolution," says director Carlo Ratti. "Data allows you to make better decisions, either if you are the mayor or if you are the citizen." Thanks to smartphone technologies and embedded sensors on everyday objects, a wealth of real-time information can today be tracked, harnessed and shared with citizens instantly, helping urban people adapt their behavior and make better choices, says Ratti. In a nutshell, "hacking" the city's data can help its inhabitants to be greener. It can also help city planners make better choices for the future, they say. Capturing urban information -- figures on energy use, mobility, food and water consumption -- will allow planners to run simulations of potential scenarios and start asking "what if" questions. They say visualization will help them to deal with pressing problems like mass urbanization, aging infrastructure and carbon emissions. "It's the capacity to play 'SimCity' for real," says James Moore, senior vice president for National Community Planning and Urban Design at architecture firm HDR, referring to the popular computer game. "You can figure out what the algorithms are and then you can begin to say, 'Well, if you want to add 100,000 people over the next 10 years, what's the optimal way to do it?'" More from Road to Rio: 'Living' buildings could inhale city carbon emissions . Moving toward models that show possible alternative scenarios can help avoid planning mistakes and optimize decisions about the ideal size and density level of a city, says Emma Stewart, senior manager for sustainability at technology group Autodesk. "Ultimately that's the challenge here -- to figure out how many people, per square foot, per resource, to achieve a certain quality of life, that's the ultimate algorithm," she adds. There are already many groups that have started incorporating data visualizations and cloud-based simulations -- which offer users access to sophisticated tools from anywhere in the world -- as tools that could help tackle urban problems. In Bangalore, India, the Next Generation Infrastructure Lab, a division of policy research organization CSTEP, has been exploring and building simulations to imagine different kinds of urban scenarios over a long period of time. The group has also been holding gaming workshops where interactive simulations help decision makers and users understand the implications of different energy choices, such as usage of solar power over coal or oil. The goal of such workshops is to come up with the ideal sustainable mix that will cover India's energy needs for the following years, organizers say. Gabriel Harp, research manager for Technology Horizons at Silicon Valley-based Institute for the Future (IFTF) says such moves are important because they allow city planners, decision makers and citizens to come together at an early stage to find solutions at different urban problems. "In particular, having conversations between the designers and the users of the system can be very important," adds Harp, who prior to joining IFTF worked with CSTEP in India. Floods, heat, migration: How extreme weather will transform cities . In Madrid, Spain, the "In The Air" project aims to make citizens more aware about pollution levels by using real time data provided by the city's authorities. The researchers have developed different interfaces to communicate the data, such as a web-based application that shows pollution levels and their evolution over time. They're also interested in bringing the information into the public space -- for example, fitting the outside of buildings with large digital screens to reflect a certain color depending on the level of pollution, or developing small portable gadgets that show pollution levels nearby. Nerea Calvillo, creator of "In The Air," says the project aims to increase the public knowledge of an invisible urban ecosystem. It also wants "to generate awareness of the high levels of some of the components that exist in our cities and, finally, to enhance personal engagement of citizens that would end up in decision making and political action." Can we afford eco-cities? Ratti says that technology can radically change the way people interact with the urban environment and could allow them to get more engaged in decisions about where they live -- a key part of shaping environmentally friendly cities in the future. "Building and managing cities have always been bottom-up collaborative processes -- some of this changed in the last couple of centuries with a top-down approach from city planners and decision-makers," he adds. "Technology (will) allow us to return to (that in) the future in a way." | Cities are a mass of data, if you know how to get at it -- that's where technology comes in . Tech experts are harnessing data to help plan better cities for the future mass urbanization and CO2 emissions . In the U.S. a smartphone app turns commuters into walking CO2 emissions sensors . In Bangalore, gaming-style simulations allow city planners to see how their decsions could play out over five years . | cd1fdc6f588d54dd30d2f486422aed29bc6c1ee2 |
By . Jessica Jerreat . It came from the depths of the ocean. A strange, billowing deep-sea creature that unexpectedly floated into view on an oil rig camera. The mysterious sea creature was spotted 5,000ft deep in the Gulf of Mexico two years ago, but it has only just been identified by marine biologists. A quick glimpse of a hexagonal pattern on its billowing skin helped a team of scientists figure out that the strange creature was a huge jellyfish. Scroll down for video . Mysterious: This billowing sea creature was spotted near an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico . Curious: The membrane-like creature was filmed at depths of 5,000ft . The rarely seen species which can grow to about 2ft wide is known as deepstaria reticulum or placental jellyfish. After it glided into view of the rig, the camera operator moved the focus from the rig structure to the murky depths to try to get a closer look. At first the jellyfish disappeared into the darkness of the deep sea, but it soon floated back into view. It is more usually found in the cooler waters of the Antarctic that the Gulf of Mexico, which led many people to first suggest that the strangely shaped object could actually be a whale placenta. When the footage was first released it . led to widespread speculation on the internet as web users tried to . determine what they were seeing. A marine biologists from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Center finally confirmed that it was the placental jellyfish. The species is seen so rarely alive and intact that scientists had to use old dive notes from the 1960s and 1980s to help identify it, Deep Sea News reported. Markers: Its hexagonal pattern helped marine biologists to identify it as a placental jellyfish . Unusual: The jellyfish is rarely seen alive or intact, which made its sighting interesting to the science community . Deep sea mystery: The jellyfish had only a few identifying markers to help marine biologists name it . Unexpected: The jellyfish can grow to 2ft wide and is more commonly found in the Antarctic . | Deep sea species was seen gliding through the Gulf of Mexico . Hexagonal pattern on membrane-like skin helped finally identify it . | 3f6bb9bf58dc8cfc77bef5da987d512581467a7c |
(CNN)For 10 days following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, two CNN colleagues and I lived in a tent hospital run by Project Medishare. Our hearts ached as we heard the cries of the injured, as we watched surgeons performed amputations without general anesthesia, as people died in front of our eyes. But, in the midst of this despair, a miracle arrived at Project Medishare. CNN Senior Photographer Ferre Dollar caught these images seconds after she arrived. Look closely at the center of the photo. This 4-month-old baby had spent four days alone in the rubble and was unconscious and extremely dehydrated. No one knew if she would live or die. But look at her now! CNN medical producer John Bonifield and I had the pure joy of seeing this wonderful young lady again last week. Her name is Jenny, and she's 5 years old and a pre-kindergartner in Miami. She can write her name and loves to color and dress up as a princess and is adorable and spunky and smart and funny. Here are all the miracles that it took to save her life: . 1. That someone happened to find Jenny in the rubble four days after the quake. 2. That at a time when vehicles were in short supply, Jenny's rescuers flagged down a car to rush her to the hospital. 3. That the Medishare team of doctors and nurses, led by Dr. Karen Schneider, an emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins, managed to get fluids into her. Jenny was so dehydrated her veins had collapsed and Schneider had to put a needle through her shinbone and directly into her bone marrow to deliver fluids. They didn't have to sedate her -- Jenny was so unconscious she didn't even cry. Here's Schneider reunited with Jenny a year after her rescue. 4. That Project Medishare found a flight headed immediately to Miami, because she needed surgery the tent hospital couldn't provide. Hospital workers flagged down a UN truck and promised the driver they'd name the baby after her if she got the airport on time. 5. That the baby, then named Patricia after the truck driver, survived the flight to Miami and the emergency surgery. When the baby arrived in Miami, it was presumed her parents were dead. She'd been found in the rubble next to the body of a woman, thought to be her mother. But that woman turned out to be her baby sitter. Shortly after the baby arrived in Miami, a couple came forward saying they were her parents. Many people doubted them, thinking they just wanted to get to Miami, but DNA testing showed they were telling the truth and the baby's name was actually Jenny. Now Jenny and her parents, Nadine Devilme and Junior Alexis, and her 17-month-old little sister, Naima, live in an apartment in North Miami. Her parents have explained to Jenny that the bumpy scars on her left arm are from when she was crushed in the rubble of the Haiti earthquake. They've told her she's a miracle, that Jesus saved her. Jenny nods her head and says she understands. But really she's a little embarrassed by all the attention and just wants to go put on her Cinderella dress and go outside and ride her bike and then draw pictures of big red flowers under a sun and sign her name: . Jenny Alexis. | A 4-month-old baby spent four days alone in the rubble after the Haiti earthquake . Jenny was evacuated to Florida for medical treatment; only later were her parents able to claim her . Five years later, she is a happy and healthy little girl . | 6678627f3a8da8dccfd5160a04ecd1337e5f31cb |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:02 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:01 EST, 7 November 2012 . Two 'premier league' bird egg collectors have been fined for stealing hundreds of rare eggs after a two year police investigation to find the culprits. 'Obsessive' collectors Marcus Betteridge, 52, and Seymour Crang, 49, built up a unique collection of rare eggs after stealing them from the nests of birds including lesser redpolls, tree pipits and redshanks. Police raided their homes after a two year joint investigation with the RSPCA and National Wildlife Crime Unit and discovered hundreds of eggs, collecting equipment, photographs and diaries relating to activities at nest sites. Egg thieves: Egg collector Marcus Betteridge, left, was fined £1,000 for disturbing rare Dartford warblers while fellow enthusiast Seymour Crang, right, was fined £1,000 for unlawful possession of wild birds' eggs . Rare collection: A selection of wild bird eggs found at Devon home of Seymour Crang . Five eggs of a lesser redpoll, four of a tree pipit, five linnet eggs and one of a redshank, all kept in a cotton-wool lined ice cream carton were found at the home of Crang. Police also discovered a diary belonging to Mr Betteridge which contained hundreds of pages with detailed notes covering more than a decade of activity. Newton Abbot Magistrates Court heard Crang and Betteridge are 'premier league' and 'obsessional' egg thieves with a 'twisted psyche'. Quite a haul: PC Josh Marshall with some of the eggs Seymour Crang and Marcus Betteridge stole . Betteridge, 52, from Totnes, was fined £1,000 after he pleaded guilty to the disturbance of Dartford warbler's nest. The RSPB lists the Dartford warbler on its 'amber; species list, meaning it is often considered among one of the country's rarer breeds. The society's website said of the species: '(A) small, dark, long-tailed warbler is resident in the UK and has suffered in the past from severe winters. Its population crashed to a few pairs in the 1960s, since when it has gradually recovered, increasing in both numbers and range.' His co-defendant, from Bittaford near Ivybridge, was also fined £1,000 after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of wild birds' eggs. They were also ordered to pay £200 in costs each. Nigel Butt, defending, insisted the pair were just 'passionate about their subject and have had to adjust their behaviour'. Pc Josh Marshall, a wildlife crime officer, said: 'This prosecution and sentencing highlights the benefits of joint partnership working in tackling wildlife crime and the determination to bring offenders to justice. 'This should send a clear message to persons engaged in such criminal activity that they will be identified and brought to justice.' Betteridge was a former associate of Colin Watson - Britain’s most notorious egg collector - who died falling from a tree. Police caught the pair after a two year investigation into the bird egg thefts . Rare birds and their eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act . Watson, 63, had a string of convictions for stealing rare eggs over a 14-year period which saw him fined £4,600. Watson was killed when he lost his footing and fell to his death after climbing three quarters of the way up a 40ft tree in hunt of a nest. The RSPB confiscated a large part of his collection following a raid on his home in 1985. More than 2,000 eggs, including golden eagle, osprey, sparrowhawk and red kite were found. Enthusiasts: The pair were described as 'obsessive' bird egg collectors . | 'Premier league' bird egg collector Marcus Betteridge fined £1,000 for disturbing rare Dartford warbler's nest . Seymour Crang also fined £1,000 for unlawful possession of wild birds' eggs . | 2229941f147841f76110f44f1ff3e98f033d145c |
By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 08:53 EST, 3 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:14 EST, 3 March 2014 . A 19-year-old college student who went missing four days ago has been found safe, police said today. Adeline Munguia, 19, who attends California State University, vanished last Thursday afternoon after reportedly meeting a man through dating app Tinder. A university spokesman told MailOnline today that the young woman was found with no signs of foul play in Montebello, California - around eight miles from campus. Scroll down for video . Adeline Munguia, 19, who attends California State University vanished last Thursday but has since been found 'with no signs of foul play' The 19-year-old college student was last seen boarding a bus from Cal State University to downtown LA. She was found today in Montebello - eight miles from campus . The investigation was ongoing into where the student had been and why she had not made contact, the spokesman said on Monday. It is not clear if Miss Munguia, who is a California native, is from Montebello. Police earlier told MailOnline that Miss . Munguia lives in the college dorms and was last seen boarding an MTA bus . by herself from the campus to downtown LA. Detectives had been looking into all of her social networking activity for clues as to where the 19-year-old may have gone. The officer said it was not known if the young woman shared details of where she was going or if she was meeting anyone with friends. She was last seen on surveillance footage at 3.30pm on Thursday wearing a pink top with thin straps, black pants, open-toed shoes, carrying a beige and brown purse. She appeared to be looking down at her phone. Tinder is a dating app where potential dates connect with each other using profiles with limited information - typically just a few pictures, first name and how close geographically that person is to you. The app was launched by college students in California last year. Users 'swipe' a potential date's profile to the right on their smartphone screens if they like it. If two people do the same, they can then instant message each other to arrange a meeting. Tinder is a location-based social networking app that allows mutually interested users to link up with each other - simply by swiping the screen of their smartphone. It has quickly become known as a dating and even a 'hook up' app with 1.5billion profiles created since its launch. Of those, 5 million users are now accessing the app on average seven times per day. The app is currently generating 10 million matches every day. Tinder was launched at a campus party at the University of Southern California in 2012. It quickly spread to other college campuses before catching on among the wider population. It is most popular with men and women aged 18-35. Tinder is the fastest growing free dating app in the U.S. Once the app is downloaded on to a smart phone, users are asked by the app to allow access to their Facebook profile. An individual's Tinder profile (like the example pictured right) is then set up using just a first name, age, sexual orientation and a handful of photos. Immediately the faces of people between a certain age range and within a certain radius appear on screen. Each individual uses their touch-screen phone to 'swipe' that face to the right if they like it, and left if they don't. The face profiles then continue in a steady stream. If both users swipe to 'like' each other, a chat box appears - and a private conversation can begin. The 19-year-old student was last seen at her college campus before boarding a bus to downtown Los Angeles . | Adeline Munguia, 19, who attends California State University vanished last Thursday . The Los Angeles student's disappearance was believed to have been related to a man she met through the dating app Tinder . | a0a5d6ffa901d76d80fcca8e3abbd09d75939ff3 |
By . Louise Cheer . Looking more like a stealth aircraft because of its black paint job, Boeing's highly anticipated first Dreamliner 787-9 has been handed over to Air New Zealand at a glitzy ceremony in the United States. New Zealand's national carrier became the first airline to receive the Rolls-Royce powered, fuel-efficient passenger plane when it was unveiled in front of hundreds of aviation enthusiasts at the Future of Flight museum near Seattle on Thursday. In line with the country's all-conquering All Blacks rugby union side, the aircraft was decked out in the dark hue with the iconic silver fern breaking up the uniformity on its tail. Scroll down for video . The new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner delivered to Air New Zealand was the first of its kind . Boeing delivered its first 787-9 to Air New Zealand in front of a crowd of thousands of media and guests . It was painted in New Zealand's signature colour of black with the iconic silver fern on its tail . It took 12 painters five days and about 350 litres of paint to complete the sleek look. Inside the 63m-long plane, the theme continues with its passenger seats covered in black upholstery contrasted with a violet colour for the backs of the chairs and television screens installed in the head rests. When full, the Dreamliner's two economy cabins will fly a total of 263 passengers along with 18 business class ticket holders and 21 in premium economy, with a range of 15,372km. The difference between the 787-9 and its sister Dreamliner model is mostly cosmetic. Its body is more than 6m longer than the 787-8 and will fly up to 40 more passengers an additional 830km using 20 per cent less fuel and 20 per cent lower emissions than similar-sized airplanes. Like the earlier model, it will also continue to offer passengers features such as large windows, roomy stow bins, modern LED lighting, higher humidity, a lower cabin altitude, cleaner air and a smoother ride. The plane is 63m-long with a wingspan of 60m, with a cruise speed of more than 900km and range of 15,000km . It was unveiled at the Future of Flight museum near Seattle in Washington in the United States . The new aircraft boasts a capacity of 302 passengers, with 18 business class and 21 premium economy seats . So far, Boeing has received 409 orders for the 787-9 from 26 airlines worldwide, which is almost 40 percent of all 787 orders. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will makes its maiden flight in October, flying from Auckland to Perth - one of three international routes including Auckland to Tokyo and Auckland to Shanghai. Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon said the delivery of the 787-9 was the start of an exciting new era for the airline. 'It's a privilege to be the global launch customer for this aircraft and our team is looking forward to flying it home to New Zealand,' he said. It will make its maiden voyage with Air New Zealand in October from Auckland to Perth . There are lie-down beds in business class (left) as well as ones in the crew cabin for long-haul flights (right) Inside the plane's black theme continues with dark hued upholstery on on-board passenger seats . It took 12 painters five days and about 350 litres of paint to cover the plane in black . 'The 787-9 is a real game changer and we can’t wait for our customers to experience it.' Boeing's John Wojick said the delivery was a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the organisation's employees. 'Air New Zealand was a perfect partner for us in developing the 787-9, given its innovative spirit, unique mission requirements and geography,' the senior vice president of Global Sales and Marketing said. 'The 787-9, combined with Air New Zealand's exceptional onboard service, will set them apart from the competition by providing an unrivaled flying experience.' The plane is confirmed to fly three different international flights from Auckland to Perth, Tokyo and Shanghai . Air New Zealand currently has 10 of these planes on order with Boeing, and replace the current 767 fleet . | The 63m-long plane was revealed at a ceremony near Seattle . It took 12 painters five days and 350 litres of paint to complete the job . The plane flies 302 passengers and has a cruise speed of 902 km/h . It is more than 6m longer than its predecessor, the 787-8 . It will first take to the skies in October, flying from Auckland to Perth . | 017f1c6c10e60c48341b51e2a7fc431bd218d8c9 |
The mysterious benefactor behind the @HiddenCash phenomenon has finally come forward. Jason Buzi, a real estate investor and entrepreneur from San Francisco, California, revealed himself this week to be the brain behind the @HiddenCash operation, hiding money across California and drawing large crowds seeking to strike it rich. Buzi started the hunt on May 22 in San Francisco, using the Twitter handle @HiddenCash to announce the money-drop locations. Scroll down for video . Jason Buzi, a real estate investor, revealed this week that he was the mastermind behind @HiddenCash, the phenomenon that swept California . Scavenger hunt: Hundreds sifted through the sand at Hermosa Beach on Saturday, searching for 36 containers of hidden cash . Tools: The man above got creative by using a rake to look for the hidden treasure . The Angry Bird toy Buzi used to hide money in. Pictured in Hermosa Beach, California . Buzi, who revealed his identity to NBC Bay Area as well as Inside Edition this week, had attempted a similar stunt before. In 2008, Buzi had organized 'CashTomato' in New York City, hiding money in containers of tomatoes in Union Square Park. The publicity stunt quickly devolved into a riot. According to NBC Bay Area, Buzi had told a local newspaper after the disaster that he would 'plan it better next time.' In an investigation by NBC Bay Area, it was revealed that Buzi was active in real estate in Palo Alto, California, and had also been involved with multiple money-making enterprises in the past. A picture of the 2008 CashTomato riot in New York City. CashTomato, which hid money inside of boxes of tomatoes, was the brainchild of Jason Buzi and a possible forebearer to @HiddenCash . Most notably, Buzi worked as a real estate investor in Palo Alto, California, offering to purchase homes for cash. This sparked the ire of some residents, who believed that Buzi was attempting to scam them. 'Real-estate agents obviously don't like me buying right from the seller' Buzi told Palo Alto Online in a 2012 article. In addition to this business, Buzi is also listed as involved with multiple other enterprises. This includes an entity called the Pantera Group, listed as doing business in Redwood City, California. The business is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and results show up for it on sites like RipoffReport.com. In the late 90s, Buzi pushed a CD called 'How to Make Big Money on the Internet.' Buzi reportedly promoted this through mass emails, in which he said 'If you have internet access, you have a goldmine at your fingertips.' Buzi also attempted to write a book, posting a story idea on a forum. 'The book was to be about a stockbroker who's running different scams and . then commits murder to cover his tracks," he wrote in his post. 'All . his scams and schemes come from this insecurity. This is based on . someone I know.' Buzi admitted to NBC Bay Area that he had written this post. Two winners from Saturday's event winners above . Spending money: The cash packed in side the Angry Birds toys ranged from $40 to more than $100. Above, two of the winners . Doing good: Some of the winners have continued to pay-it-foward by gifting their winnings to the homeless. Two of Saturday's winners pictured above . The cash . prizes for @HiddenCash, which Buzi hid in Angry Birds toys, ranged from . $40 to more than $100 for the lucky few who found their own red toy. 'I . was walking kind of halfheartedly and I kept going and I was like, . ‘That feels like something.’ So reached down and I was like "Oh, my . gosh"' Amy Howard told NBC Los Angeles. 'It was this red thing and I called the girls over, and now they have some cash.' 'I . love to give back,' Buzi told the Los Angeles Times before revealing . his identity. 'I would love to have more join me to give back more.' One family took Buzi's message to heart, . using their winnings to continue the theme of paying-it-foward, by . giving the money to the homeless. Despite his previous business history, Buzi insisted that @HiddenCash is a 'not a business or promotion' and 'not for profit' | Man behind Twitter account is Jason Buzi, a real estate investor/flipper and entrepreneur . Buzi accused of running scams by members of community where he flipped houses . Attempted a similar stunt in 2008 with CashTomato, which was unsuccessful and almost started a riot . @HiddenCash concluded on Sunday, no injuries or problems reported . Buzi: @HiddenCash 'not a business or promotion' and 'not for profit' | b405a7a146733fd1d2e89a879e66e88744575d5d |
(CNN) -- To avoid getting caught with their pants down, Venezuelan officials say they will confront a toilet paper shortage by importing 50 million rolls to meet demand. Toilet paper is just one of the basic goods and foodstuffs that have been disappearing from store shelves over the past few months, as the government and private companies blame each other for the scarcity. Venezuelan Minister of Commerce Alejandro Fleming announced the toilet paper measure on Tuesday, the state-run AVN news agency reported. Repeating the government's stance, he blamed the media for provoking fear in consumers, who in turn begin hoarding items. "There is no deficiency in production, but an excessive demand generating purchases by a nervous population because of a media campaign that has been created to undermine the country," Fleming said. "We are going to saturate the market so that our people will calm down and understand that they should not let themselves be manipulated by the media that says there are shortages." But Venezuelans say the shortages are very real, as staples such as rice and cooking oil are scarce. The lack of toilet paper is apparent in Caracas, where shoppers hurry to buy rolls and make long lines when the bathroom tissues are in stock. Venezuela's monthly demand for toilet paper is about 125 million rolls a month, Fleming said. The government also casts blame on private companies, who they accuse of hoarding their products in hopes of selling it later at a higher price. But businesses and the political opposition say government policies, including price controls on basic goods and tight restrictions on foreign currency, are to blame. The regulation discourage production, and many producers can't break even with the price controls, they say. Other hygiene products, such as tooth paste and soap, might also be imported in bulk to meet demand, Fleming said. CNN's Rafael Romo contributed to this report. | Venezuela is facing a shortage of a number of basic goods . The government announced it will import 50 million rolls of toilet paper . Officials blame private companies and the media for the shortage . The opposition says the government's own economic policies are failing . | 4e91fcbcc168aa09e0581d9f9049c406a479493e |
Editor's note: A nationally syndicated columnist, Roland S. Martin is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith" and "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America." Visit his Web site for more information. Roland S. Martin says he doesn't buy all the hype associated with Valentine's Day. (CNN) -- With retailers hurting and the U.S. president trying to encourage Americans to spend money to restore consumer confidence, what I'm about to say may seem like treason. But here goes: Please boycott Valentine's Day and all that is associated with this horrendous "holiday." For several years I have ripped into Valentine's Day. Not because I'm against love and relationships, but mainly because the holiday is such a farce. First of all, Valentine's Day is not built around a religious event like Christmas or Easter; nor does it have any special meaning to the nation such as Memorial Day or Veterans Day. It is nothing more than a commercial holiday created by rabid retailers who needed a major shopping day between Christmas and Easter in order to give people a reason to spend money. Now folks, I love my wife. She is truly an awesome woman who is smart, talented, fine, and, did I say fine? But do I really need a special day to show my affection for her? I've long maintained that if I sent my flowers at other times during the year, why do I have to fall victim to peer pressure and send her some roses that have quadrupled in price leading up to February 14? Why should I be inundated with mailings, e-mails and commercials to show her that I love her by buying jewelry or clothing? If we went shopping in June or September or last month, can I get some kind of waiver or "Get out of Valentine's Day" card? As for this silly flower thing, it's even got to the point that any flowers can't do. Some years ago I planned on sending a woman some flowers that weren't roses, and the (female) co-workers were aghast. They felt that nothing mattered except roses. First of all, I didn't have a lot of dough and felt a nice bouquet was sufficient, but they were appalled. So I told them to go to hell and I'll do what I want. I guess for them, the thought really doesn't matter. Then there are the women on the job who measure the love of their men based on those flowers. You know how some folks are. If there are flowers on the desk of 10 other women, and one woman doesn't have anything, folks get to talking and whispering as if something is wrong in her relationship. I've learned that even if you get the biggest-ever rose bouquet -- the relationship might be crumbling and you just refuse to admit it. And Valentine's Day really isn't even a two-way street. Men are utterly irrelevant except to serve as pawns in this commercial game, emptying their wallets in order to satisfy their lovers or those around them. Oh yea, retailers know the con game. Most of these guys are hapless saps who have ignored their wives or girlfriends all year, so they buy the flowers and candy, and set a reservation at one of the city's most expensive restaurants, all to say, "Honey, I love you." Ladies, and men, stop it! It's time to say enough is enough with Valentine's Day. What do I want? How about men and women loving, caring and sharing the other 364 days a year? February 14 isn't the only time to send flowers to your woman (ladies, we wouldn't mind getting a surprise delivery as well!). How about dropping her a flower arrangement on May 14? And on that card you need to write, "Just because..." Instead of men and women spicing up their sex life on February 14, make the effort to satisfy your mate the rest of the year. If last Valentine's Day was the last time you took your significant other out to a really nice restaurant, you deserve to be in trouble. Are you planning to treat your man or woman to a wonderful day at the spa this Saturday? Well, I'm sure he or she would thoroughly enjoy the same in June or July. It's time that we all take stock of our relationships and learn that we are to be loving and fulfilled 365 days a year, and not reduce our affection to flowers, candy, jewelry, clothes and a meal on one day a year. The people who plan their lives around Valentine's are like those who spend more time planning their wedding day rather than planning their marriage. The day is nice and wonderful, but what makes it last is what you do on the "non-special" days. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Roland Martin. | Roland Martin: Valentine's Day is good for retailers but it's a bad idea overall . He says overpriced flowers and dinner at a fancy restaurant don't cut it . Martin: Show your love for your mate all 365 days a year . | 78bd7b695e0ee6502b0fbff8deca8a4d7579fdf7 |
(CNN) -- At the end of "22 Jump Street" -- a sequel that made fun of the concept of sequels -- the film cheekily proposed humorous possibilities for yet another follow-up. Looks like it may happen, whether that was the idea or not. A source at Sony with knowledge of productions confirms to CNN that "23 Jump Street" is in the works and that Rodney Rothman is writing the script. Deadline.com first reported the news. Rothman was one of the writers of "22 Jump Street." Deadline also reports that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who directed "22," are overseeing the process but haven't decided whether they'll return to direct. Neal Moritz and stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are also producing. Despite "22 Jump Street's" puckishness, Sony must have loved the idea of another film as soon as it saw the box office. "22 Jump Street" has made $191 million domestically and another $129 million overseas, a particularly good return given the $50 million budget. It's also well in front of the first film's take. "21 Jump Street" made about $200 million worldwide. The first film starred Hill and Tatum as cops who went undercover at a high school; the second placed them at a college. No word on where "23 Jump Street" will take place, but if "22 Jump Street's" closing credits are any indication, they have plenty of choices. Indeed, perhaps they might want to change out the title. "22 Jump Street 2," anyone? CNN's Joan Yeam contributed to this report. | Source at Sony: "23 Jump Street" in the works . "22 Jump Street" writer hired to work on new film . "22 Jump Street" made fun of sequels . | a9c2a89d243bfcbd6eef4a29d7d67e01710c77cb |
Five University staff members lived in the residence hall where a third-year University of Chicago student was found dead and decomposing in his room Saturday. Nicholas Barnes, 20, last swiped his key card to enter Booth Hall on February 7, and was discovered eight days later, face down on his dorm room floor. While five staff members live in the dorm, university officials says they don't check up on the residents often. Scroll down for video . Died alone: Third-year University of Chicago student Nicholas Barnes, 20, was discovered dead in his single dorm room Saturday and police say he had been decomposing for at least 72 hours . Mystery: Police said they do not suspect foul-play in the case, and will have to wait a month for toxicology reports to determine the cause of Barnes' untimely death . Record: The last time Barnes used his keycard to swipe into his dorm was February 7, more than a week before he was discovered dead . Resident Jordan Ginsburg doesn't understand how his fellow dorm mate's death could have gone unnoticed for so long. 'I don't understand how the people that . live next door, and the people who were responsible for his wellbeing . could have not seen that he has been gone for a week,' resident Jordan . Ginsburg told ABC7. Police spokesman Mike Sullivan says Nicholas Brastins Barnes, 20, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had been dead for some time. Monitors: Five staff members live in Booth Hall where Barnes was discovered dead, but university officials say staff don't often check in on the students . Chicago . police found the body Saturday around 4:15pm 'in a decomposed state' after other students complained about a foul odor in Booth Hall where he . lived. He was found dead in the form room where he lived alone and pronounced dead at 4:50pm. Barnes was majoring in Germanic studies and had last used his keycard to enter his dorm on February 7. University officials said students don't always need to use their key cards when entering or exiting the building, depending on the time, so Barnes may have entered the building some time after that date. Authorities believe Barnes had been dead for at least 72 hours. Student residence: The huge International House houses hundreds of students and takes up an entire city block . Traumatic: Students held a minute of silence for Nicholas Barnes after police discovered his body face-down in his dorm room on Saturday . Many students are disturbed by the fact that no one had raised the alarm about Barnes' absence from class. 'I think that if I didn't speak to any of my friends for a week they would start to notice. And the classes are small here too, so you'd think that someone in your class would notice,' one student told ABC7. Booth Hall houses 253 students, including international students, all in single rooms. The cause of death is under investigation. Karen Warren Coleman, vice president for campus life and student services sought to reassure students living at International House, saying in an email that there was no evidence of foul play in the death of Barnes. Officials say staff members are 'making every effort' to understand the circumstances around the death. An autopsy performed on Sunday was inconclusive pending further toxicology testing. University officials say Barnes’ family is planning a funeral in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Friendly: While it's strange his death went unnoticed for so long, pictures posted on Facebook prove he wasn't friendless . 'Nick will be painfully missed. He was an excellent student, admired by faculty and peers alike,' said Susan Art, the dean of students. Barnes had studied abroad in the school's Vienna program in the fall quarter of 2012. He was also involved with the school's literary publication Sliced Bread. The university has made counselors available to students and a memorial will be held for Barnes tonight in the Ida Noyes library at 8pm. Going home: Barnes' family have planned a funeral for him in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he grew up . | The body of Nicholas Barnes, 20, was discovered Saturday after students noticed a foul odor . He was lying face-down in his dorm room in International House, where he lived alone . He last used his key card to enter the building on February 7, meaning he could have been dead more than a week . Students are disturbed that no one alerted authorities to the Barnes' absence from class . An autopsy proved inconclusive pending toxicology results . Police say the death does not appear to be a suicide . University officials told students there was no evidence of foul play . | 3b8019cd48ac44ee6a27b005fbc9d40142f01974 |
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 12:36 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:51 EST, 9 January 2013 . A well-known music promoter has admitted making anti-semitic comments towards a Jewish Labour MP during a drunken tirade at a star-studded awards ceremony. Luciana Berger was shocked by Philip Hayes' racially abusive rant at the Liverpool Music Awards last year. Hayes, who has a history of alcohol abuse, suggested that the MP was Israeli rather than British, and later shouted, 'I f****** hate Jewish people' in her direction. Although he contacted her via Facebook to apologise the next day, magistrates fined him £175 after he pleaded guilty to two charges of racially aggravated disorder. Abuse: Philip Hayes, left, admitted making anti-semitic remarks to Labour MP Luciana Berger, right . Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard that Hayes, 53, and Ms Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, were both guests at the VIP event on November 17, which was attended by the likes of Spice Girl Mel C and X-Factor stars Craig Colton and Rebecca Ferguson. They started discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a drunk Hayes made comments which upset and offended the 31-year-old politician. 'During Mr Hayes and Miss Berger's conversation about Gaza, Mr Hayes made a number of remarks about Jewish people,' prosecutor Amanda Haycock said. 'He said, "All Jewish people have money," and began talking about a Rolls Royce.' The music mogul referred to a prominent local solicitor as a 'f****** Jewish t***', and accused Ms Berger of regarding Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as her national leader. Fined: The music promoter was ordered to pay a £175 fine over the drunken tirade . Later in the evening, the two crossed paths again. Ms Haycock described how Hayes shouted, 'I f****** hate Jewish people' in the direction of the MP and her friend. 'As Miss Berger was the only Jewish person there she felt the comment was directed at her and she called a cab and left,' the prosecutor said. The next day Hayes wrote to Ms Berger on Facebook apologising for his abusive language. However, after a complaint was made to Merseyside Police, the force's dedicated hate crime unit launched an investigation into the incident. During a police interview, Hayes claimed he could not remember exactly what he said, but admitted he had used foul and insulting language. His lawyer George White told the court his client had 'fallen off the wagon' after five years battling a drink problem. Star-studded: The event where they met was also attended by celebrities such as Spice Girl Mel C, seen here arriving at the bash . VIP: Liverpudlian X-Factor stars Craig Colton, left, and Rebecca Ferguson, right, were at the awards ceremony . 'The fact that he was drunk let him down that night and the words spoken were completely out of character,' he said. 'He has let down many of his friends from ethnic and diverse backgrounds.' Mr White blamed Hayes's drinking on 'financial problems' at The Picket, the legendary Liverpool gig venue he runs which launched the career of Elvis Costello, the La's and the Coral. 'I sincerely apologise for the hurt and offence my behaviour has caused Miss Berger,' Hayes said in statement read by his solicitor outside court. 'Prior to this offence for over 30 years I have always tried to fight racism in every form in my personal and professional life. 'I have tried to promote tolerance and celebration of all races and creeds. 'I don't believe the words I spoke on that night reflect who I am, but I accept that I said them and caused offence by uttering them.' | Philip Hayes admitted abusing Luciana Berger at Liverpool Music Awards . Shouted 'I f****** hate Jewish people' at MP after arguing over Israel . Fined £175 after apologising and insisting he is not racist or anti-semitic . | cb740745d647d08b3d6ffb4fed9f87fef8d320f9 |
West Ham hope to complete the signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate on Monday following a medical. The Senegalese defender was on the wish-list of La Liga's Valencia but it seems the Hammers have fought off competition to bag the 24-year-old. A £7million deal is expected to be hashed out for the player who can also play in a midfield role. VIDEO Scroll down to see West Ham's newest star... an eight-year-old doing tricks! Target: Cheikhou Kouyate (left) vies with Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the ball during their Champions League clash . Target: West Ham look to have all but signed Kouyate following a medical with the Hammers . Sam Allardyce has been given an ultimatum by West Ham's co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan. The pair have demanded the Hammers boss provides more entertainment next season, and that would start with more flair in the side. Teddy Sherringham has joined the Upton Park outfit as an attacking coach, while Argentinian striker Mauro Zarate joined on a three-year deal from Velez Sarsfield. At the other end, Allardyce has his eye on Manchester City defenders Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards, and also goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon. Happy about it? Kouyate (right) looks set to be West Ham manager Sam Allardyce's latest signing . | West Ham hope to announce signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate on Monday following a medical . Kouyate is a defender by nature but can fit into midfield role . Hammers look to have seen off competition from Valencia . | 3621c4ca61a01189ffe5b396a42df837bab07e8a |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- On the same day that it announced record suicides among its soldiers, the U.S. Army said Thursday that it will soon conduct service-wide training to help identify soldiers at risk of suicide. The program will teach soldiers how to recognize behaviors that may lead to suicide, and how to intervene. The program, which will run February 15 through March 15, will include training to recognize behaviors that may lead to suicide and instruction on how to intervene. The Army will follow the training with another teaching program, from March 15 to June 15, focused on suicide prevention at all unit levels. Earlier Thursday, the Army reported the highest one-year level of suicides among its soldiers since it began tracking the rate 28 years ago. The Army said that 128 soldiers were confirmed to have committed suicide in 2008, and an additional 15 were suspected to have committed suicide that year in cases under investigation among active-duty soldiers and activated National Guard and reserves. The Army's confirmed rate of suicides in 2008 was 20.2 per 100,000 soldiers. The nation's suicide rate was 19.5 per 100,000 people in 2005, a figure considered the most recent, Army officials said last month. In 2007, the Army reported 115 confirmed suicides, which was then the highest level since 1980, when it began tracking suicides. Suicides for Marines were also up in 2008. There were 41 in 2008, up from 33 in 2007 and 25 in 2006, according to a Marines report. In addition to the training the Army announced Thursday, the service has a program called Battlemind, intended to prepare soldiers and their families to cope with the stresses of war before, during and after deployment. It also is intended to help detect mental-health issues before and after deployments. The Army and the National Institute of Mental Health signed an agreement in October to conduct research to identify factors affecting the mental and behavioral health of soldiers and to share strategies to lower the suicide rate. The five-year study will examine active-duty, National Guard and reserve soldiers and their families. | Service-wide training to help soldiers identify those at risk of suicide . 2008 was record year for U.S. Army suicides, service reports . Army: 128 soldiers confirmed to have committed suicide in 2008 . | 5768cc590a884058e921fc14773b239f9a6c0e4b |
By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 02:20 EST, 11 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:39 EST, 11 October 2013 . Hungry: The British Red Cross is to distribute food to poorer families for the first time since the Second World War in a bid to tackle food poverty . The British Red Cross is to start distributing food to hard-up families for the first time since the Second World War as it warned that thousands face cuts to their household budgets. Volunteers from the charity will go into supermarkets from next month to ask shoppers to donate tinned and dry food to be passed on to families facing food poverty. The charity blamed a combination of the recession, welfare cuts and the increased cost of living for more UK families struggling to put food on the table. It described its campaign as a 'toe in the water' as it considers further steps to tackle the growing problem of food poverty. Once food is collected from shoppers, it will be passed on to the most needy through the FareShare charity. Juliet Mountford, the charity's head of UK service development, said the Red Cross agreed to assist FareShare on the basis of 'strong evidence of an increased need for support on food poverty issues'. Nearly 500,000 people in the UK needed support from food banks last year, according to figures from the Trussel Trust. Last month a report shed light on the chronic throw-away culture affecting the food industry, where up to two-fifths of a crop of fruit or vegetables can be wasted because it is 'ugly'. Produce grown in the UK that does not meet retailer standards on size or shape or is blemished is often used for animal feed or simply ploughed back into the ground even though it is edible, with as much as 40 per cent of a crop rejected. The report, commissioned by the UK's global food security programme, also showed that the average household throws away more than 5kg (11lb) of food per week, and nearly two-thirds of that is avoidable. The waste costs £480 a year per household on average, and £680 per family. Households throw away a fifth of the food they buy, wasting it for reasons ranging from cooking and preparing too much to not using it before it goes off, the study showed. Campaign: Red Cross volunteers will be asking people shopping in supermarkets to donate some food to the campaign . Consumption and initial production are the areas where the majority of food is wasted in the UK, the study said. According to a Red Cross report released today the number of people relying on food aid has increased by 75 per cent across Europe over the last three years with an estimated 43 million struggling for enough food to eat. A further 120million are at risk of poverty, according to the Independent. Bekele Geleta, the Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross, warned governments on the continent against 'indiscriminate cuts' to health and social care funding. | The charity will distribute food to poor families for the first time since Second World War . It will work with fellow charity FareShare as it dips a 'toe in the water' in terms of tackling food poverty . | 841c1a16767711ee2cf709b99181640f1aae92f5 |
Luis Suarez paid tribute to England goalkeeper Joe Hart after the keeper’s last minute penalty save helped keep Manchester City in the Champions League. Speaking to Sport 890 radio in Uruguay the Barcelona striker, who has now scored four times against the goalkeeper in their last two meetings, said: ‘Hart is a great professional. He congratulated me just as he had done at the World Cup. And to do that in the circumstances shows the type of person he is.’ With the score left at 2-0 after Hart saved Lionel Messi’s spot-kick, City still have a chance of progressing and the Barcelona foward added: ‘It was important to get a good first leg lead especially against a team as strong as City but we know that the tie is not settled yet. Luis Suarez has paid tribute to Joe Hart after the Man City goalkeeper's penalty save against Barcelona . Hart dives to his left to deny Lionel Messi towards the end of Barcelona's 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium . Suarez looks on as Messi is left grounded after heading the rebound wide of Hart's goal on Tuesday . 'Scoring goals when you are the away team is not easy but they are a very good side so we know it is not over. We knew how tough it would be when the draw was made. Only Chelsea with PSG had as a difficult a draw.’ It was Suarez's first brace since joining Barcelona from Liverpool in the summer for £75m. He admitted to starting to feel the pressure of not having scored many goals in his first season but said his relationship on and off the field with Messi and Neymar had helped him come through it. Suarez said: ‘I’m aware of the team that I have joined and the amount of money that was paid for me and I knew everyone would be watching to see if I was going to justify that but I am also very conscious of the quality of the players that I have around me. ‘I am performing a function that helps them. I drag defenders out of position and that leaves space for Leo and Neymar and I play passes to them. And we know that when they get one on one with defenders – in situations like that they are unstoppable. Suarez fires Barcelona ahead from after the ball fell to him off Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany . Suarez wheels away to celebrate after giving Barcelona the lead in Tuesday Champions League tie . Suarez slides in ahead of Martin Demichelis to flick Jordi Alba's cross past Joe Hart and double Barca's lead . Suarez now has nine goals in 23 games for Barcelona. He said: ‘I have been used to teams pushing up and leaving space in behind but when you play for Barcelona most teams sit deep and don’t leave any space behind. ‘In the beginning I wasn’t worried at all because I knew the goals would come. But there was a time about a month ago at the start of the year when it started to play on my mind. ‘I am hard on myself when I feel I’m letting the team down and there was a time when I was missing good chances. But I have been around long enough to know that you play through these moments in your career. ‘Neymar is a joker and I get on well with him. And the relationship is very good with Leo and Masherano. No one in the squad feels superior to anyone else. I was surprised when I joined by how down to earth the players are.’ Suarez has formed a fearsome Barcelona trio alongside fellow frontmen Neymar (left) and Lionel Messi . | Joe Hart saved Lionel Messi' s penalty during Man City defeat to Barcelona . Luis Suarez, who scored a brace, has paid tribute to England's No 1 . The Uruguay international now has nine goals and 12 assists for the club . READ: Hart's penalty save 'gives us a chance,' admits Manuel Pellegrini . CLICK HERE for all the latest Man City news . | 04610c553f8d2f22c992314ad49173c20035bfef |
Pensioner Dave Northcote has spent £55,000 on developing and manufacturing a device which helps put pillows into pillowcases . A pensioner has spent his life savings of £55,000 on an invention that helps put pillows into pillowcases - but has so far not sold a single device. Former care agency boss Dave Northcote came up with the idea after struggling with the chore while recovering from an operation. He has contacted major stores including Tesco, Sainsbury's and John Lewis, but has so far not sold any of the Easyfit devices, which have cost him and his wife their entire pension savings. The grandfather of 27 is now looking for a manufacturer to mass produce the device - a U-shaped plastic tray which slides the pillow into its case. Mr Northcote said his wife June, 67, is concerned about how much money has been spent on the invention, but he is confident it will take off. He said: 'To me this invention is another cat’s eyes. It works 100 per cent every time with every kind of pillow, from great big bulky ones to ones with memory foam.' The device comes in a deluxe 'Zoox' version, which is expected to retail for up to £15, and a £5 'Znooze' supermarket variety. Mr Northcote said most of the money had been spent on buying and fitting an industrial unit in West Heath, Birmingham, along with materials, machines, prototypes, patents, design rights and the registered trademark. He said: 'Both June and I have staked our entire pension savings of £55,000 but at no time did we give up hope that our patent would be granted. Scroll down for video . The device works by compressing the pillow into a shape with is then more easily slid into a pillow case . Once inside the pillowcase, the pillow is then able to expand back to its original shape . 'Once you’ve started, you’re committed to carrying on. We are living on our uppers, but we are happy as pigs in muck because we now have the patent and I have a lot of faith in this. 'Now at 68 and almost broke I feel it too late to start manufacturing and selling but we are hopeful someone will like our product enough to produce it under licence. And they can have a free one.' Mr Northcote said he came up with the idea while recovering at home from major surgery to have bones in his right arm fused. He said: 'I was doing chores around the . home and successfully tackled them all, except for putting pillows in . cases. It just came into my head. If you have a problem, solve it, my . mother used to say.' Mr Northcote said his wife June, 67, is concerned about how much money has been spent on the invention, but he is confident it will take off . The grandfather of 27 is now looking for a manufacturer to mass produce the device - a U-shaped plastic tray which slides the pillow into its case . Mr Northcote said the device works by compressing the pillow into a shape which can then be placed into the pillow. He said: 'Because pillows are getting bigger and plumper and are now a lot bigger than most pillow cases, this product compresses the pillow into a funnel, then it expands inside the case.' He believes the invention could be used to save hours of work at hotels, hospitals and care homes. He, his wife and their 40-year-old son Darren have already made 400 of the products and had them tested at hotels. | Dave Northcote came up with idea while recovering at home from operation . He has built 400 of the devices and contacted a number of major stores . The former care agency boss is now looking for a manufacturer . | 4615ac73c030b57d71cb6bcccbcd585c344497b7 |
By . Lydia Warren . Sex offender: Jeffrey Epstein served 13 months in prison in 2007 for relations with teen girls . Victims of billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have won the right to see the negotiations that led to an apparently lenient plea deal that saw him avoid federal prosecution. An appeals court ruled that the two victims, known only as Jane Doe 1 and 2, can soon view the documents - as their attorneys ask whether Epstein's wealth and connections affected his sentence. Epstein, 61, had counted numerous celebrities, . politicians and socialites as friends, including Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Donald Trump and Naomi Campbell. The financier was first arrested in 2005, after the stepmother of a 14-year-old girl told Florida police that he'd paid the girl $200 for an 'erotic massage'. An FBI investigation led to Epstein being accused of keeping a harem of women - many of them teenagers - at his luxury homes in New York and Palm Beach, and on a private Caribbean island. By 2008, the FBI believed it had identified at least 20 victims who might level sexual allegations against the financier in court. But Epstein struck a plea deal with prosecutors, which saw him plead guilty to a state charge of procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution. The rest of the case was dropped. He received an 18-month jail sentence, of which 13 were spent behind bars, and was put on Florida’s sex offenders register. He escaped prosecution on more serious pedophilia charges, which might have seen him jailed for life. Scene: He allegedly paid underage girls for 'erotic massages' at his private Caribbean island, Little St James . But it also also resulted in civil . suits being filed against Epstein, who reportedly settled claims from about two dozen young women, some as young as 14, who he allegedly paid for massages. The latest ruling in the case was issued on Friday and orders federal authorities to disclose the correspondence that took place between Epstein's attorneys and federal prosecutors when they were negotiating the 2007 agreement, the Sun Sentinel reported. 'We're trying to figure out if Epstein used his political connections and great wealth to secure this kind of arrangement, that was unheard of, frankly, if you look at these charges,' said attorney Paul Cassell. Court filings say that when federal prosecutors struck the non-prosecution deal with Epstein in September 2007, the victims weren't told. 'Not only did the United States neglect to confer with the victims before it entered into the agreement with Epstein, it also failed to notify them of its existence for at least nine months,' Circuit Judge William H. Pryor wrote in the decision. Friends: Among his good friends were Bill Clinton (pictured), his wife Hillary, Donald Trump and Naomi Campbell . Now the two victims are hoping that the documents will shed light on the deal, and their attorney hopes that the deal will be invalidated and that Epstein will face a new prosecution. They have yet to see the documents, however. The attorneys were initially told they would receive them on Monday, but they were not yet ready to be viewed. One of Epstein's attorney's, Martin Weinberg, insisted that the plea agreement was 'reached in good faith' and that there was nothing improper about the dealings. He said he will ask the appeal court to review their decision. | Jeffrey Epstein was accused of paying underage girls - some as young as 14 - for 'erotic massages' at his Florida home and Caribbean island . In 2007, he struck a secret plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to just 18 months in prison . Epstein was friends with the Clintons, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew . An appeals court has ruled that the victims' attorneys can view the negotiation documents that led to the deal, which they call lenient . But his lawyers insist it was 'reached in good faith' | 4253cb1b252bde20993203433c49ff43e4978ef1 |
By . SIMON JONES . Victor Wanyama wants to follow Mauricio Pochettino from Southampton to Tottenham. The Kenyan midfielder made it clear his week that he felt Saints should have done more to keep the Argentinian boss. Wanyama has benefited under Pochettino's coaching where he has been used as a defensive screen in midfield and has notably reduced the number of goals Southampton concede when in the side. Earning his Spurs? Victor Wanyama (left) may follow his former boss Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham . And could use Suso as part of deal with Sevilla . He joined for £12million last summer and has struggled to settle though Pochettino has become a key figure in his career. Tottenham have question marks over the future of Chelsea target Paulinho, Sandro and Etienne Capoue who are both being considered by Napoli . Wanyama said: 'I learnt a lot from him, he taught me more and that's why I have grown as a player and there is a big difference compared to when I was at Celtic. Talking to Capital Sport, he added: 'He played a big role in my career development. 'I wanted him to remain because he had the passion for the club and I think the owners should not have let him go because the team can do better next season. It's a big blow because he had good connection with the players.' Gone: Mauricio Pochettino left Southampton to take charge at St Mary's this week . Southampton already have offers for Luke . Shaw and Adam Lallana while Jay Rodriguez, Dejan Lovren, Morgan . Schneiderlin, Calum Chambers and Rickie Lambert are all attracting . attention from other clubs too. Southampton's board cannot afford to let . all of them go despite the temptation and that could affect Wanyama's . hopes. The 22-year-old had also been the subject of interest from Manchester City earlier in the season but they have been looking at other targets and a move to White Hart Lane would be his ideal. Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger said: 'We are in control of all the player transfers. All the top players are under long term contracts. Any transfers that take place will be under our terms. We will decide the terms to potential transfers in and out of the club. 'We will involve the manager. That is important for everybody to know. That's why we have been able to not agree to any transfers to date, because we have control of the situation, and anybody who is saying anything else doesn't understand that we are in a strong position with the Saints.' Erik Lamela will not be allowed to leave Tottenham on loan but the club are willing to sell for around £25million. That's the information being . circulated around Italian clubs at the moment and was reported on Sky . Italia on Thursday. Lamela's fortunes may change though under the tutelage of . Mauricio Pochettino, who knows the player well. Spurs misfit . Roberto Soldado remains keen to go with Atletico Madrid very much in the . frame. They have an interest in Romelu Lukaku but the Chelsea striker . is understood to be reluctant to go to Spain. Franco Baldini's role at Tottenham remains under question. Ending their White Hart pain: Erik Lamela can leave Spurs for £25m, while Atletico want Roberto Soldado . Manchester City have taken encouragement in developments with Mehdi Benatia at Roma. Sportsmail reported City's interest in Benatia earlier this month as an alternative to Eiaquim Mangala of Porto who has declared a desire to join Chelsea. Benatia, 27, is facing a fine from his club after an outburst in the Italian papers regarding the club's contract offer. The France-born Morocco defender said: 'I never said I want to leave. But Roma have not kept their promises. They had told me that they would make me a new contract offer if I had a great season. 'My agent is doing his job, I could go away but I could also stay and finish my career in Roma. But I was disappointed (with the new wage offer), I deserved more respect. 'I have received an unacceptable proposal, less than €3million per season. I replied that I would not sign it. Developments: Manchester City target Mehdi Benatia is unhappy with Roma's contract offer . 'I'm in love with Roma, I'm very fine here but my mistake was to be too correct with the club and too honest.' Regarding speculation about him leaving, he added: 'I only said that anyone dreams of teams like Real, Bayern and City. 'My agent is doing his job, I could leave but I could also stay and finish my career in Roma. But I was disappointed (with the new wage offer), I deserved more respect.' City remain interested in Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero also as competition for Joe Hart with Costel Pantilimon ready to look at a new club with Arsenal among those to have shown interest - although they have a few names on their list. City are also understood to be exploring the possibility of . signing David Villa for their New York City franchise. Villa, 32, has . just won the Spanish league title and is looking at his next challenge. City's franchise will be ready next year and they are recruiting big . names now. Carles Puyol and Xavi have also been mooted with . both players keen on the MLS project. Sportsmail revealed that David . Beckham was keen to get Xavi involved in his Miami franchise but that . may be too far ahead for the 34-year-old. Xavi is due to hold . talks over his future with new coach Luis Enrique prior to making his . decision. Big cheese in the Big Apple: Manchester City want David Villa (left) to join their New York franchise . Wigan . are showing an interest in Chelsea midfielder George Saville. The . 20-year-old is in the final year of his contract Stamford Bridge and . they are ready to sell rather than loan him out again. Saville had a . successful loan spell at Brentford last season and Uwe Rosler has kept . him mind ahead of his plans for the Championship next season. The German is keen to stay at the DW Stadium and build for promotion again after going so close this year. Saville . is also attracting interest from Wolves and Chelsea would be looking . for around £750,000 with the price eventually rising to £1million. Road to Wigan: Chelsea's George Saville, here on loan at Brentford, is wanted by Uwe Rosler at the DW . Former Liverpool and Oldham . goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis will return to Australia after signing a . two-year A-League deal with the Western Sydney Wanderers. The 23-year-old has spent the past seven years playing in Europe and joins the fledgling club from Carlisle. Bouzanis . moved abroad in 2007 to link up with Liverpool and will join up with . former Crystal Palace defender-turned-coach Tony Popovic. He said: 'I've seen how good a coach Popa is with the results that he's got, and it all just went from there.' Going Down Under: Goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis, here playing for Oldham, is heading back to Australia . Premier League and Championship clubs are keeping a check on St Patrick's Athletic winger Christopher Forrester. Scouts are expected at Friday night's game in Dublin with Derry City and the 21-year-old is understood to be the main attraction. Everton and Sunderland have a long-held interest but West Ham and Leeds have also checked on his progress. He has chipped in with some spectacular goals notably a 35-yard lob against Drogheda last month and St Patrick's rate him at around £200,000. | Wanyama wants to follow his ex-Southampton boss Pochettino to Spurs . Move to Tottenham would be ideal for Kenyan midfielder . Lamela and Roberto Soldado could be allowed to leave Spurs . Manchester City in encouraging talks with Mehdi Benatia . City also want David Villa to join their New York side . Wigan set to bid for Chelsea midfielder George Saville . | a5605989740fec6f95cca9e3465188da417e0d78 |
Former N-Dubz singer Dappy leaves Guildford Crown Court today after he avoided jail despite assaulting a man while serving a suspended prison sentence . Former N-Dubz singer Dappy has been spared jailed and walked free from court despite assaulting a man in a nightclub while serving a suspended prison sentence. The 27-year-old prayed and thanked the judge as his sentence was read out and he learned that instead of prison, he would be subject to a curfew with an electronic tag. The rapper, who was tried under his real name Costadinos Contostavlos, was found guilty in September of punching a football coach on the dancefloor of the Evissa nightclub in Reading, Berkshire. Judge Neil Stewart told the sentencing hearing at Guildford Crown Court that he would give the troubled star a chance, taking his responsibilities to his two children and his remorse into account. He decided not to activate his suspended jail sentence when sentencing him for the nightclub assault. Instead the judge handed him a two-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, a four-month curfew with an electronic tag keeping him at home between the hours of 10pm and 5am and ordered him to pay a fine and compensation. The singer was in court today for breaching a six-month suspended jail term by getting into a dancefloor brawl over a girl which left the coach with a bleeding nose. The judge told the star: 'You have a thread of violence throughout, not at the high level, but it continues. 'You plainly have a temper. No doubt you have attracted unwelcome attention on a number of occasions and that takes a toll. 'That doesn't justify the sort of reaction characterised by these offences.' The star, dressed in black trousers, a white shirt and black jumper with brown Louis Vuitton trainers and a red poppy, had his hands in a prayer position as he sat in the dock awaiting his sentence. He had arrived with a large holdall ready for a custodial sentence and looked desperate, with his head in his hands, as the prosecution ran through guidelines for sentencing. Waving at his friends and supporters in the court, he mouthed ‘See ya,’ - before he discovered he would walk free. The court heard that the start of Dappy’s trial was delayed at the beginning of the year because he was in the Celebrity Big Brother house. Scroll down for video . The rapper was flanked by minders as he walked free. He instead was made the subject of a curfew with an electronic tag . Jon Harrison, defending, said the rapper was struggling financially, having put his house up for sale to pay large tax debts he had run up. Mr Harrison said Dappy had 'underlying issues' and wanted to 'address the root cause of his bad reactions to other people,' and would welcome having a curfew with an electronic tag to keep him out of clubs. The singer has been seeing a psychiatrist, the court heard, who said the death of Dappy’s father had had a big impact on him. Dappy was found guilty in September of punching football coach Devonn Reid at the club in a fight over a girl. Outside the court Dappy told reporters that it felt amazing after he escaped jail and said it was the start of a 'brand new me' A district judge sitting at Reading Magistrates’ Court previously heard that a fight broke out on the dancefloor of Evissa nightclub last October because Dappy, from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, began chatting to a man’s girlfriend and female friend. Mr Reid was out celebrating his 21st birthday at the club in Reading, when he asked the rapper to stop talking to the women. He said that the star 'popped my nose.' Dappy denied the attack, claiming he had felt threatened by a 'group of six or seven big boys' at the bar and said he’d been pulled away by a bouncer before a punch was thrown. Earlier in the day, Dappy arrived at Guildford Crown Court dressed in black trousers, a white shirt and black jumper with brown Louis Vuitton trainers and a red poppy . Sentencing for the nightclub attack was adjourned at Reading Magistrates’ Court last month when District Judge Davinder Lachhar decided the matter should be dealt with at Guildford Crown Court. She said this was because his latest conviction put him in breach of a six-month suspended sentence handed down for a previous affray and assault, which could now be activated. His six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months was for affray and assault at a petrol station in Guildford, Surrey, in February 2012. Dappy spat at two teenagers, Grace Cochran and Serena Burton, both aged 19, leading to a fight in which three men were seriously injured. The rapper was caught on CCTV slapping a man in a nightclub in Chelmsford in Essex earlier this year . The rapper and the Celebrity Big Brother star was fined £800 for the attack . The rapper and Celebrity Big Brother star was also fined £800 earlier this year for slapping a man at a nightclub in Chelmsford, Essex. Leaving court today and flanked by his minders, Dappy told waiting reporters: 'I feel amazing. It’s a brand new me.' As part of his sentence the rapper must take part in the Thinking Skills Programme for offenders. The group programme helps people work on their self-control and problem-solving skills in order to curb negative behaviour. | Rapper prayed and thanked the judge after he avoided being jailed . Was previously found guilty of punching a man in a nightclub in Reading . 27-year-old already serving a suspended prison sentence for another attack . Judge said he would give him a chance as he had showed remorse . The N-Dubz star will instead be subject to a curfew with an electronic tag . Dappy was convicted last year of assault and affray at a petrol station . Was also fined earlier this year for slapping a man in a Chelmsford nightclub . | 21ff76ef0214b382a8c10edd067e93cc6ed56062 |
Parents should cut back on the amount of sugar their children consume by giving them yoghurt instead of ice cream, according to a new Government campaign. Change4Life, launched today by Public Health England, is promoting 'sugar swap' tips as part of a push to cut back on the amount of sugar being consumed by young Britons on a daily basis. It comes as a survey found that two-thirds of parents are worried about the amount of sugar in their children’s diets, while nearly half believe that their family consumes too much sugar. Parents should cut back on the amount of sugar their children consume by giving them yoghurt instead of ice cream, according to a new Government campaign (posed by model) According to Department of Health guidelines, added sugars should make up just one tenth of a person's calorie intake. But statistics show that younger children, particularly those aged between four and 10, are consuming up to 50 per cent more than this. The Change4Life campaign will offer parents a 'sugar challenge', suggesting food which can be substituted for sugary products. Examples include giving a child water or milk instead of soft drinks, or a wholewheat biscuit cereal rather than a sugary cereal at breakfast. Professor Kevin Fenton, national director of health and well-being at PHE said the impact on our health of eating too much sugar is evident. He said: 'Reducing sugar intake is important for the health of our children both now and in the future. 'We are all eating too much sugar and the impact this has on our health is evident. This campaign is about taking small steps to address this. 17 per cent from soft drinks . 17 per cent from biscuits, buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies . 14 per cent from confectionery . 13 per cent from fruit juice . 8 per cent from breakfast cereal . 'We know from past campaigns that making simple swaps works and makes a real difference.' Research from the University of Reading found that the average sugar intake of 50 families went down by 40 per cent when they followed the Change4Life advice. In one month, the average dropped from 483g to 287g - the equivalent of 49 sugar cubes per day. Dr Daniel Lamport, Research Fellow at the University of Reading and Challenge data collection coordinator, comments: 'It is fantastic to see that the sugar swaps resulted in a reduction in sugar intake for these families. 'The University of Reading is delighted to support preventative health campaigns such as this which can help make a real difference to the health of the nation.' Earlier this year, the Government's own scientific advisers called for the target for added sugar to be reduced by half to 5 per cent of a person's daily intake. Excess sugar intake has become a key focus for health researchers and campaigners after it emerged that it causes at least as much damage as vices such as salt. Two-thirds of parents are worried about the amount of sugar in their children’s diets, while nearly half believe that their family consume too much sugar . A study last month claimed that sugar is likely to be a more significant factor in pushing up blood pressure than salt. But the findings were challenged by other experts who said a direct link between sugar and hypertension had not yet been proven. Sugar has nonetheless been identified as a key cause of obesity and associated diseases later in life such as heart problems, cancer and type two diabetes. It is also impacting dental health. Eating and drinking too much sugar means extra calories, which causes fat to build up inside the body. This can lead to heart disease, some cancers or type 2 diabetes later in life. Four sugar swaps recommended by Change4Life: . The breakfast swap: Swap sugary cereal for plain cereal, such as a wholewheat biscuit cereal . The drink swap: Swap from sugary drinks to sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks . The after school swap: Swap, for example, a muffin to a fruited teacake . The pudding swap: Swap, for example, from ice cream to low-fat lower-sugar yoghurt . Children who are overweight or obese when they are young are far more likely to become overweight or obese adults. Recently published data highlights that approximately 1 in 5 children aged 4 to 5 years old and 1 in 3 children aged 10 to 11 years old is overweight or obese. Cathy Court, founder of Netmums said: 'We know that mums want to provide a healthy diet for their children but balancing a number of competing priorities, including healthy eating, can be tricky. 'This research with Netmums showed that sugar consumption is a worry for parents but taking steps to reduce sugar can be really difficult. 'We hope that these simple sugar swaps from Change4Life will make it easier for parents to reduce their family's sugar intake. The Change4Life campaign will feature media advertising as well as a national roadshow and the delivery of sugar swap packs to parents. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of people do not know how many calories the average person needs to maintain a healthy weight, according to separate research commissioned by Diabetes UK, The British Heart Foundation and Tesco. A YouGov survey of 2,025 people, commissioned to mark the launch of a new partnership between the three organisations that aims to improve the health of the nation, found that just 35% of respondents knew the average man needs to consume 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight. Only slightly more, 37%, could pinpoint 2,000 calories as the equivalent for women. | Public Health Campaign offers 'sugar swap' tips for cakes, cereal and juice . Children consume 50 per cent more sugar than Government recommends . Two-thirds of parents are worried about how much sugar child consumes . | 34435f4559edf0be02a4c0eb26393a2a177e3f67 |
By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 14:30 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:40 EST, 8 March 2013 . More than 130,000 people applied for one of Tourism Australia’s six ‘Best Jobs in the World’, within 72 hours of recruitment opening. With youth unemployment of 20.8 . per cent among those aged 16-24 in Britain the prospect of earning £34,000 for . six months' work has attracted a surge of applications. Out of 140 countries which have seen candidates applying for roles such as 'taste master' and 'chief funster', Britain is ranked fifth. Scroll down for video . Out of the blue: You'll get to swim with sea lions in the role of 'wildlife caretaker' on Kangaroo Island . The recruitment drive is aimed at . showcasing the benefits of the Working Holiday Visa Maker Programme to . young people from around the world. The six jobs on offer include a park ranger in Queensland, a taste master in Western Australia, a wildlife caretaker on Kangaroo Island, a chief funster in Sydney, a lifestyle photographer in Melbourne and an outback adventurer in the Northern Territory. Rodney Harrex, the regional general manager of Tourism Australia, . said: 'The huge response to the ‘Best Jobs’ recruitment drive within . three days, and the increasing demand for Working Holiday Visas over the . past year shows that young Brits are looking to live the Aussie . lifestyle, swapping the challenging economic environment here for a new . adventure down under. 'At the moment, we’re also seeing . large number of job applications from the USA, France and Italy, so . Brits wanting to follow in Ben Southall’s footsteps will need to make . their video application stand out from the crowd.' Rachel Parker, a University College . London student who applied for the lifestyle photographer job said: . 'This competition is awesome. I take my camera everywhere and I’ve . always wanted to go to Australia so I’ve applied for the lifestyle . photographer job. 'Earning so much money, whilst doing . something you love in an incredible city like Melbourne is not something . I want to miss out on.' Rock star: Duties for outback adventurers include 'gazing upon breathtaking sunsets at Uluru' The competition has been revived following the success of Tourism Australia’s campaign to find a 'caretaker' of . Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef in 2009. Briton Ben Southall beat over 34,000 . applicants from over 200 countries to win the dream job, which required him 'to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, . snorkel, make friends with the locals and generally enjoy the tropical . Queensland climate and lifestyle'. With six jobs available this year, the number of applicants has nearly quadrupled for the unusual roles. The job title of 'outback adventurer' is suitably vague but the job description involves getting 'up close and . personal' with the wildlife, sleeping under the stars in a bush camp and soaring . across 'postcard-worthy' landscapes in a hot air balloon. The successful applicant will also be expected to immerse themselves in the indigenous culture, taste traditional bushfoods and 'gaze upon . breathtaking sunsets at Uluru'. Park ranger duties include protecting and promoting Queensland's native plants and . animals, along with patrolling the beaches and ‘checking the water temperature’. Applicants are required to have an 'adventurous spirit, a . connection with nature and a love of the outdoors' and are asked to . ‘leave only footprints’. Island adventure: Park ranger duties in Queensland include protecting and promoting the state's native plants and animals and patrolling the beaches of Lizard Island . The person hired as 'wildlife caretaker' on Kangaroo Island in South Australia will help to look after the eponymous kangaroos, swim with dolphins and sea lions, cuddle koalas and sunbathe with seals on the . pristine beach at Seal Bay. The role is not for the faint-hearted though, as the job description states the successful candidate will come 'face-to-face' with great white sharks. Those with a talent for photography and writing features can apply for the position of lifestyle photojournalist for Time Out Melbourne. The successful applicant will be required to photograph the city's cafes and bars as well as major festivals, music events and tourist activities a little further afield, including surfing on the Great Ocean Road, skiing at Mount Hotham or meeting penguins at Phillip Island. Snap happy: Those with a talent for photography can apply for a job as a photojournalist in Melbourne . Foodies can apply for the role of ‘taste master’ in Western Australia, and will be required to tour the best restaurants, pubs, wineries and breweries and mastering the art of wine and beer making. The ‘chief funster’ hired in New South Wales, where will live like a VIP in . Sydney and work behind the scenes reviewing the Sydney . Festival, Mardi Gras and Vivid Festival, and the spectacular New Year’s . Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour. A vine romance: The role of 'taste master' in Western Australia will involve mastering the art of wine making . Applications for the competition opened on March 4 and candidates can complete an online application form at www.facebook.com/australianworkingholiday or www.australia.com/bestjobs. To apply candidates must submit a 30-second video explaining why they are right for the role. The closing date is April 10 and the successful applicants will be expected to take up their positions on August 1, sharing their experiences with regular blogs and social media updates. Tourism Australia managing director . Andrew McEvoy said: ‘We've taken one of the most successful tourism . campaigns in recent times - ‘Best Job in the World’ - and made it bigger . and better by coming up with a competition which represents our . breathtaking landscapes, our unique wildlife, great food and wine and, . of course, our huge sense of fun.' Light fantastic: The 'chief funster' in New South Wales will get to work behind the scenes of the spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks on Sydney Harbour . After winning Tourism Australia's competition in 2009, Mr Southall stayed in five-star resorts and enjoyed jet skiing and diving on Australia's stunning Hamilton Island. He even managed to squeeze . in a six-part show for National Geographic, where he retraced the route . taken by James Cook more than 240 years ago. He described it as 'the best expedition in . the world', and spent four months kayaking, cycling and sailing 1,600km . along the length of the Great Barrier Reef. But Mr Southall said that he found the 'dream job' exhausting due to the combination of long hours and a strong work ethic. 'It should have been called, "the busiest job in the world",' he joked. Life's a beach: Briton Ben Southall - who won Tourism Australia's competition in 2009 - appears in a video to promote this year's six dream jobs . Mr Southall also had a brush with death soon after he started the role after he was stung by a poisonous jellyfish during a post-Christmas jet ski session. The incident did not deter him, however, and he excelled at his job - so much so that his job title was changed to 'tourism ambassador'. This extended his remit to promote not just the reef but the whole of Queensland - including the outback, the rainforest and Gold Coast. 'The job has allowed me to have adventures and keep exploring, write about it and learn new skills like filming, editing, presenting, public speaking and TV work,' he said. Applications for the six jobs opened on Monday 4 March, 2013. | Six jobs offering £34,000 salary including 'taste master' and 'chief funster' More than 130,000 people from 140 countries applied in the first 72 hours . Britain ranked fifth after U.S, France, Australia and Italy . Candidates must send 30-second videos to apply for the 'best job' roles . | 54c8bdaa8fa2a97bd4563fd7eb111ce5d461890e |
A New York police officer captured on a smartphone video punching a teenage suspect during an arrest has been suspended. New York Police Department officials announced the suspension on Friday but didn't name the officer. The arrest occurred last Monday after police were responding to a report of an assault in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. Scroll down for video . The New York police officer captured on a smartphone video punching a teenage suspect during an arrest last week has been suspended, although the department refused to divulge the officer's name . 'Punch': Footage appears to show the man punching the boy as officers move to let him into the circle . The NYPD hasn't released the name of the officer, left, who was in plain clothes at the time of the incident . The video shows several uniformed officers struggling to handcuff a 16-year-old boy before a plainclothes officer rushes in and throws two punches. A woman can be heard yelling at the officers to stop what they're doing. Another woman says she can't believe what she's seeing after 'everything that's happened,' an apparent reference to the chokehold death of Eric Garner. Garner, a black man, died after a white officer applied an alleged chokehold while arresting him for selling un-taxed cigarettes during the summer. When a grand jury opted not to indict the officer last month, thousands took to the streets of New York City in protest. In the video taken last Monday, the teen appeared to be resisting officers who were attempting to handcuff him. Suddenly, a plain-clothes cop ran up from behind and punched the teen several times in the side. Screams: Witnesses screamed at the man to stop as the 16-year-old boy lost his footing . Witnesses filming the attack screamed at the man to stop. 'Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop it! Get off of him!' one woman yells at the officers. One woman shouts that the suspect is just 12 years old. She identifies herself as a lawyer and says: 'I can't believe he just did that after everything that's happened.' 'Get a different profession, this is not a war. Go to war, the woman jeers.' Actress Sarah Doneghy, who caught the incident on her phone camera, said on YouTube: 'This happened today on my way to the post office. 'The kids were 12. They had supposedly pushed one of their classmates down. 'However when the victim was asked, he said those weren't the guys.' 'They were still taken away,' Doneghy added. '12. Years. Old.' The NYPD later confirmed the suspect was 16 years old. Officers said the teen has a history of arrests. He and two others were arrested for assaulting someone who walked with a cane. | The police officer caught on camera punching a 16-year-old in the back while he was being arrested has been suspended . The NYPD hasn't released the name of the officer who was in plain clothes at the time of the incident . | ef9f209dfd7d98da5354ef5caa7e85c6ae0f4104 |
The Hague, Netherlands (CNN) -- Prosecutors in the long-awaited war crimes trial of Radovan Karadzic said they will push ahead Tuesday, though the Bosnian Serb leader is expected to be a no-show once again. On Monday -- the opening day of the trial -- the court was forced to adjourn after Karadzic refused to appear, saying he did not have enough time to prepare. Karadzic, who is accused of masterminding the worst massacre in Europe since World War II, is representing himself. "Obviously, it is the court's preference for Karadzic to attend," said Nerma Jelacic, spokeswoman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. "But if he chooses not to attend, then some facility will be provided to him to allow him to watch the court's proceedings from his prison cell." The court cannot force a defendant to appear. Karadzic, as a "self-representing accused," is the only one who can cross-examine witnesses and speak in court about the substance of the charges against him. However, judges can impose a lawyer on Karadzic if he continues to refuse to cooperate. Karadzic faces 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against Bosnian Muslims, Bosnian Croats and other non-Serbian civilians during the brutal and bloody dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Bosnia and Herzegovina were a part of Yugoslavia at the time. The conflict introduced the phrase "ethnic cleansing" into the lexicon describing war crimes, as different factions in multi-ethnic Yugoslavia sought to kill or drive out other groups. Karadzic was arrested last year after more than a decade on the run and was found to have been living in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and practicing alternative medicine in disguise. In a letter dated Wednesday and made public Thursday, Karadzic complained to the International Criminal Tribunal that he had not received the relevant case material on time. He also said there was too much material to go through, even had he received it promptly. "I ask Your Excellencies -- why and how is it possible that the prosecution is allowed to literally bury me under a million of pages, only to start disclosing relevant material many months after my arrest?" he wrote. "Why and how is it possible that the prosecution is allowed to file its final indictment against me on the eve of the planned trial date?" He promised to continue his preparations in "the most intensive way" and inform the court when he is ready. The genocide charges against Karadzic stem partly from killings in Srebrenica, the most notorious massacre of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Memories of the massacre remain raw. Watch the video . Prosecutors at the U.N. war crimes tribunal accuse Karadzic of responsibility. "On 8 March 1995, Karadzic instructed Bosnian Serb forces under his command to create an unbearable situation of total insecurity with no hope of further survival for the inhabitants of Srebrenica, amongst other places," the tribunal said in a statement this month. The Hague indictment also said Karadzic committed genocide when forces under his command killed non-Serbs during and after attacks in more than a dozen Bosnian municipalities early in the war. Karadzic, who faces life in prison if he is convicted, denies the charges. The court cannot impose the death penalty. The 1992-95 Bosnian war was the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations. Karadzic was removed from power in 1995, when the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war barred anyone accused of war crimes from holding office. Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague. | Court spokeswoman: Radovan Karadzic can watch trial from cell . Ex-Bosnian Serb leader on genocide charges at International Criminal Tribunal . Prosecutors seek to impose lawyer on Karadzic if he refuses to cooperate . Karadzic was arrested last year in Belgrade after more than a decade on the run . | 176592e0c2ae1a625fea9bf78e7c5300f2ed2fe5 |
Washington (CNN) -- A "defiant" pregnant woman who was subjected to three Taser stun gun shocks by law enforcement officers after refusing to sign a speeding ticket will not get her appeal addressed by the Supreme Court. The justices without comment Tuesday rejected separate petitions from both Malaika Brooks and the Seattle Police officers sued for excessive force. The court also rejected a similar appeal from a separate plaintiff in Hawaii. Hundreds of such Taser-related lawsuits have been working their way through lower state and federal courts, but the Supreme Court so far has refused to address the issue of what the officers call "a useful pain technique." Brooks was seven months pregnant and driving her 11-year-old son to school in 2004. Police clocked her going 32 miles per hour in a 20 mph school zone. She handed over her driver's license but denied wrongdoing. A speeding citation was issued but the woman refused to sign it as state law required. Brooks later claimed she mistakenly believed signing the ticket was an admission of guilt. An argument ensued with two police officers. A federal appeals court later said, "she remained defiant even after (Officer) Jones told her she'd be arrested if she continued to refuse." A police sergeant soon arrived and informed the motorist that force would be applied if she did not get out of her vehicle as ordered. Brooks refused. A Taser electro-shock weapon was displayed, and officers warned her it would be used if there was further resistance. Brooks explained her pregnancy, and later claimed one of the officers replied, "Well, don't do it in her stomach, do it in her thigh." The Taser was applied in a "drive-stun" mode three times in a one-minute span -- in her thigh, arm, then neck, according to court testimony. Brooks fell out of the vehicle, was dragged onto the street face down, and then was handcuffed. She gave birth weeks later to a healthy girl. Soon after, the then-33-year-old woman was cited for a misdemeanor, refusing to sign the ticket, but not for resisting arrest. She sued, claiming emotional and physical scars from the incident. A federal appeals court in San Francisco eventually issued a split decision, finding excessive force was used, but saying the officers could not be sued because "it was not sufficiently clear" in the law at the time that what they were doing was a constitutional violation. First the judges found the force applied was unreasonable. "The record unambiguously reflects that the officers knew about and considered Brooks's pregnancy before tasing her," said the ruling from October. "Three tasings in such rapid succession provided no time for Brooks to recover from the extreme pain she experienced, gather herself, and reconsider her refusal to comply." But on the immunity question, the officers were cleared from liability. Two judges said Brooks brought some of the problems on herself. "The officers, for their part, were endlessly patient, despite being called liars and otherwise abused by Brooks," said Chief Judge Alex Kozinski. "They deserve our praise, not the opprobrium of being declared constitutional violators. The city of Seattle should award them commendations for grace under fire." And Judge Barry Silverman noted force must sometimes be used even when the underlying offense is minor. "No constitutional violation was shown. Brooks conceded that the police had the right to remove her from the car when she repeatedly refused to step out voluntarily," said the judge. "There are only so many ways that a person can be extracted from a vehicle against her will, and none of them is pretty. Fists, batons, choke holds, dogs, tear gas, and chemical spray all carry their own risks to suspects and officers alike." A similar appeal heard by the judges came from Maui, when a 2006 domestic disturbance got out of hand after officers arrived on the scene. Jayzel Mattos was tased with a dart-mode device in a rapidly escalating and confusing scene inside a residence. She and her husband, Troy, were arrested on harassment, resisting arrest and obstruction charges, which were eventually dropped. The appeals court ruled the same: force was excessive, but the officers could not be sued. The appeals court rulings ultimately cleared the officers, but made clear future law enforcement use of a Taser and similar devices might be a constitutional violation of a suspect's search-and-seizure rights. The Supreme Court has generally been tolerant of police use of force when dealing with belligerent or defiant individuals, but has not yet accepted any cases on the specific use of Tasers, a brand name from a company by the same name. The justices have noted similar excessive force claims are by nature fact-specific, and have usually been reluctant to substitute their hindsight judgment for the real-time decision-making officers must practice in a stressful, often dangerous situation. In an unrelated the 2007 ruling, the high court noted that while any "attempt to craft an easy-to-apply legal test in the Fourth Amendment context is admirable, in the end we must still slosh our way through the factbound morass of 'reasonableness.' Whether or not (an officer's use of forceful) actions constituted application of "deadly force," all that matters is whether (the officer's) actions were reasonable." Tasers are handheld devices that use electric current to cause a disruption of physical control from "neuromuscular incapacitation," according to the company's website. Some law enforcement agencies consider them a safer alternative to other forced-restraint methods, for both suspects and police. Brooks asked the high court to hold the officers liable for damages, while the officers asked the high court not to restrict future use of the forced-compliance and immobilizing tools. Their employer, the Seattle Police Department, had asked the justices to stay out of the case, worried it and other law enforcement agencies would be subject to a flood of personal injury claims. Brooks herself is continuing a separate state lawsuit seeking damages. The cases are Daman v. Brooks (11-898); Brooks v. Daman (11-1045); Agarano v. Mattos (11-1032); and Mattos v. Agarano (11-1165). | Malaika Brooks sued Seattle Police officers, saying they used excessive force . She refused to sign a speeding ticket because she thought doing so would admit guilt . Justices rejected her appeal without comment, along with a petition from police officers . | 9523e6ea5e0c781bec5d17560afb8c08e57beac3 |
The New Year is not yet a week old but already Rory McIlroy's love life is the subject of golf gossips across the globe. The Open and US PGA Champion has been romantically linked with several glamourous girls since his split with Caroline Wozniacki last May, but this time there's a twist. Remember when McIlroy nearly scuppered the Ryder Cup Miracle at Medinah before it had even started by oversleeping? Well, he is now reported to be dating the PGA employee who came to his rescue before police rushed him to the course that morning in September 2012. Talk about a fairytale romance. Golf's world No 1 Rory McIlroy has a new girlfriend, Erica Stoll (right), according to reports in Ireland . Stoll came to McIlroy's rescue at the 2012 Ryder Cup when he nearly missed his Sunday tee time . The Northern Irishman overslept and was rushed to the course by police at Medinah just in time . The girl in question is Erica Stoll, a stunning 27-year-old blonde, who is manager of Championship Volunteer Operations at the PGA of America. The new couple have apparently been dating for around three months and, according to several Irish newspapers, saw in the New Year together at a luxury hotel in the 13th-century Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo. McIlroy shared a picture on Instagram that night of a champagne bottle with two glasses resting on napkins bearing the hotel's logo. Just 12 months previously, Wozniacki had been showing off a shiny engagement ring after McIlroy had popped the question on New Year's Eve. He also had only two majors to his name and the world was wondering why his form on the course was so bad. How times change. Since then the 25-year-old world No 1 has had rumoured romances with Irish model Nadia Forde, who went on to appear in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, receptionist Sasha Gale, South African model Shashi Naidoo and now Stoll. McIlroy shared this picture on New Year's Eve of a champagne bottle and two glasses at a luxury hotel . The Open and US PGA champion is gearing up for a return to the course in Abu Dhabi later this month . McIlroy broke off his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki in May last year . Since the break-up McIlroy has been romantically linked with Nadia Forde (left) and Sasha Gale (right) Shashi Naidoo (third left) joined McIlroy's family at the Ryder Cup last September to spark more rumours . Mclroy is back to work in preparation for his return to the course at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in the Emirate on January 15. His major aim this year will be to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April. Should the Ulsterman claim the green jacket at Augusta National he would then have a shot at becoming the first golfer since Tiger Woods in 2001 to hold all the major titles at once when he competes in the US Open at Chambers Bay in June. But it appears McIlroy could have found a birdie he cherishes even more than those he earns on the course in the form of his Ryder Cup heroine. | Rory McIlroy has reportedly started romance with Erica Stoll . Stoll helped McIlroy avoid disaster at 2012 Ryder Cup after he overslept . The pair 'spent New Year's Eve together' in Ireland . McIlroy split with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki last year . Northern Irishman is preparing for his return to action in Abu Dhabi . | 6bf7b651df386b9b4b005b8fb10a284f4a51c25d |
Everton are considering a bid for Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis after Romelu Lukaku injured his ankle against Liverpool on Tuesday night. The influential Belgian has damaged his ligaments and faces three to four weeks on the sidelines. They need another strike option as Lacina Traore is still some way off with his hamstring injury and Arouna Kone is out for most of the season. Wishlist: Everton could launch a move for Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis (centre) before the window closes . Blow: Everton want to sign a new striker after Romelu Lukaku was injured against Liverpool . Click here to read Part I of the Transfer Column . France centre forward Gomis is a long-time target of Newcastle but they grew tired of negotiating for the 28-year-old and have switched their attention to midfield and Clement Grenier to replace Yohan Cabaye. Lyon need the money but Gomis is out of contract in the summer and ready to leave after enduring a strained relationship with the club. Everton ideally want younger players but, if Lyon can be tempted with a bid of around £3million, they may be able to reach an agreement. Manager Roberto Martinez also remains keen to bring in another defensive midfielder on loan from abroad. He had designs on Gueida Fofana from Lyon but they are not prepared to deal with Grenier’s pending move and Arsenal considering Yoan Gourcuff as an alternative to other plans. West Bromwich Albion are looking at a diverse set of targets as they look to replace Shane Long. Chief scout Stuart White watched Leeds United against Leicester at the weekend and was at Burnley against Brighton on Tuesday night. In demand: West Brom and Sunderland are among the clubs interested in Ross McCormack . Ross McCormack is understood to be the object of his attention on Saturday while Burnley’s Danny Ings was the target at Turf Moor. They have made an enquiry for Valencia’s 29-year-old forward Jonas but, as West Ham found out earlier this month, he will struggle to gain a work permit as he does not have a dual passport and has not played the necessary games for Brazil. Albion have also asked about Espanyol’s Thievy Bifouma, as have Leicester City, while QPR target Ishak Belfodil of Inter Milan has been offered on loan, as has former Manchester City striker Rolando Bianchi, now 30 and at Torino. Belfodil was in the stands at Loftus Road on Tuesday night. His deal there has fallen through over terms of a proposed permanent deal but he is open to joining an English club until May. Seeking a move: Ishak Belfodil (right) has seen a move to QPR fall through but is still keen to come to England . Albion have a large squad and could still take offers for Nicolas Anelka while Markus Rosenberg is still expected to join Malmo. Offers have been made from Turkish sides for Diego Lugano but Pepe Mel sees the Uruguayan as someone who can help get his message across to the other players and he will stay. Midfielder George Thorne is likely to join Derby County on loan later on Wednesday. West Ham have been criticised by the sporting director of La Liga club Osasuna over the proposed transfer of Raoul Loe that failed to materialise last week. The Hammers had moved to sign the Cameroon defensive midfielder but backed out at the last minute after becoming aware that they could definitely sign Antonio Nocerino from AC Milan. It left 24-year-old Loe ‘sorely disappointed’. Vasiljevic said: ‘I cannot understand how a club at that level can negotiate and work in a two-faced way like that. Raoul had a bad Saturday night.’ West Ham believe it was more misleading information from the agents involved but there will be a few more upset players like that this week as clubs and agents adopt an almost scatter-gun approach across Europe. New arrivals: West Ham boss Sam Allardyce with Marco Borriello (left) and Antonio Nocerino . Wigan fear they will miss out on Hull City’s Jack Hobbs as Nottingham Forest seem to be in pole position. Leicester are also lurking with Fulham poised to bid again for the injured Liam Moore but Hull manager Steve Bruce said: ‘I would expect Jack to go. We have accepted a bid from Forest, we have accepted a bid from Wigan and we have accepted a bid from Reading, so I would expect him by Friday to take up one of those options.’ With that in mind, Wigan have considered Bolton target Craig Dawson as a loan from West Brom but are now leaning towards a move for former New York Red Bulls defender Markus Holgersson. The 28-year-old Swedish man is a free agent after failing to take up a new deal at Red Bulls for the new season. Sunderland have also expressed an interest in Ross McCormack. Manager Gus Poyet has been offered deals for Tomane from Guimaraes and Valencia winger Andres Guardado but is reluctant to bring in too many more foreign players. He remains keen on bringing in Liam Bridcutt from Brighton which may entail Connor Wickham going the other way. Swap deal: Liam Bridcutt (left) could join Sunderland from Brighton with Connor Wickham going the other way . Losing McCormack would be a blow to Leeds and manager Brian McDermott. West Ham are unlikely now to make a renewed bid but West Brom have watched him too. McDermott fears the 27-year-old may be sold as Leeds’ prospective new owners continue to jostle for position. The Italian consortium led by Cagliari’s Massimo Cellino were not seen at Elland Road on Tuesday night despite being expected. Their move on Leeds is being heralded in Italy as a chance for Cagliari playmaker Andrea Tabanelli to move to Yorkshire on loan for the rest of the season. That news has not gone down too well with some playing staff, who fear more Italians could follow if that buy-out goes through. | Everton are considering a bid for Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis . West Brom target Ross McCormack and Danny Ings to replace Shane Long . Sunderland also interested in Leeds forward McCormack . Gus Poyet could swap Connor Wickham for Brighton's Liam Bridcutt . West Ham blasted by Osasuna after Raoul Loe deal falls through . Nottingham Forest, Wigan and Reading vie for Hull defender Jack Hobbs . | b91fa12c59ae22c4e534656da52065cd27cef916 |
Exploitation: Insurance fraudster Shoaib Nawaz . A crackdown on whiplash fraud has led to a 10 per cent fall in the number of motor insurance injury claims, figures reveal today. This has seen the cost of motoring personal injury claims by controversial companies cashing in on them plummet by 33 per cent from £354million to £238million, a report by industry watchdogs says. The £116million reduction – the first in a decade – follows legal changes last year and a cull of claims management companies, whose numbers have fallen by 35 per cent to 1,214. ‘There appears to be a correlation between these drops,’ the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries says. As a result, it adds, the cost of average third-party motor insurance premiums has fallen by nearly a fifth. The report says: ‘The number of claims management companies has now halved from its peak of more than 2,500 in 2011 and stands at levels last seen at the end of 2007.’ The crackdown last year came after MPs on the all-party transport select committee condemned the motor insurance claims system as ‘dysfunctional’, making Britain ‘the whiplash capital of Europe’ because of widespread fraud. The targets of the crackdown included ‘crash-for-cash’ gangs such as the one run by Mohammed Omar Gulzar, 31, who devised at least 39 collisions across South Yorkshire to claim up to £500,000 from insurance companies. Working with actors and the fraudulent company City Claims 4 U, Gulzar filed dozens of claims for injuries such as whiplash. On one occasion, he and his employee Shoaib Nawaz, 25, filled a single-decker bus with co-conspirators, before driver Adam Herbert – who was in on the plot – deliberately crashed into a Vauxhall Zafira. Afterwards, 25 people made claims for whiplash. In January, Gulzar and Nawaz were jailed for four-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years respectively for conspiring to defraud insurance companies. Herbert, 26, was jailed for 20 months. The IFoA has long expressed concern about ‘discrepancies’ showing that while the number of damage claims was falling, those for personal injury were soaring. But David Brown, one of the authors of the new report, said: ‘Legal changes in 2013 appear to have had a significant impact on motor insurance injury claims.’ Pain: Whiplash claims dropped last year from £354m to £238m, said the report by watchdogs (posed by model) The biggest changes were those imposed under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment Offenders Act, which slashed the fees that could be earned by ‘no-win, no-fee’ legal firms. The Government announced last October that whiplash cheats would be targeted by independent medical panels considering evidence only from accredited doctors so that ‘people can no longer profit from exaggerated or fraudulent compensation claims’. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said this would help ‘turn the tide on the compensation culture’. Referal fees paid by lawyers, insurers and claims firms have also been outlawed. Claims firms have been banned from rewarding individuals who bring them business, and the maximum that lawyers can charge for handling uncontested minor injury claims has been slashed from £1,200 to £500, removing a key incentive to settle without asking too many questions. Mr Brown said: ‘The motor insurance industry anticipated the impact of legal changes and has already passed on the reduction in costs to consumers.’ Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said that while the reforms had put ‘downward pressure’ on premiums, ‘too many people are tempted to make a claim knowing that whiplash injury is extremely difficult to disprove’. He added: ‘Government intervention to further toughen up the legal processes could help prevent the otherwise inevitable.’ | Claims dropped from £354m to £238m last year, the first fall in a decade . Report says third-party premiums have dropped by a fifth as a result . MPs had said 'dysfunctional' system made UK Europe's 'whiplash capital' | fc477133ffe17de8604802ae6efb1122f34ae24f |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:43 EST, 19 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:24 EST, 19 March 2013 . A TV soap star who wanted to prove to his girlfriend that he was bisexual raped and sexually assaulted a young boy, a court heard yesterday. The teenage actor, who cannot be identified because of his age, is accused of forcing himself on the 14-year-old boy, a fellow pupil at a stage school, during a rehearsal at a theatre. He allegedly grabbed the boy, dragged him down the stairs to a fire escape and performed a sex act on him. Court hearing: A 17-year-old child soap star is on trial at Blackfriars Crown Court, pictured, for allegedly molesting a fellow student at a stage school in London over two months in 2010 . The next day the actor’s girlfriend blocked the doors in the same stairwell and watched as he raped the boy, a court heard. Just before the second alleged attack, . the actor told the boy that they ‘needed to show (his girlfriend)’ what . they had done. The actor’s girlfriend had also urged the boy to ‘do it . for me’, Blackfriars Crown Court in London heard. Giving evidence yesterday, the boy said: ‘I said we didn’t need to show her anything, I said I need to get out.’ Timothy Forster, prosecuting, asked: ‘Could you get out?’ The boy replied: ‘No, (the girlfriend) was sitting against the doors. She was saying “do it for me”. I said I didn’t want to.’ The boy told the court he only stopped the attack by biting the actor and forcing his way past the girlfriend and fleeing. After the alleged attacks, the boy said he felt shocked, scared and embarrassed. Asked why he did not immediately tell . anyone about what had happened, he replied: ‘I was just scared and . worried what other people would think. I was more scared that I would . not know how to say it.’ The attacks are said to have taken place in July, 2010. The court was told that the actor had also approached the boy and sexually assaulted him in a toilet in September 2010. The prosecutor told the court that . further incidents took place on a weekly basis over a six-month period, . ‘none of which he wanted’. The boy collapsed while giving evidence behind a screen in court on Monday and so yesterday gave evidence via video. Jurors heard how the TV actor’s . girlfriend first approached the boy during a rehearsal and broached the . subject of the boy’s sexuality. The same day the actor told him he was ‘bi’ and asked him to ‘come downstairs’, but the boy refused, the court heard. After that the actor sent a string of . text messages to the boy saying ‘that he had to prove to (his . girlfriend) that he was bi and saying that he wanted to “do it” with . (him) and do it so that (his girlfriend) could watch,’ Mr Forster said. The boy told the court he could not remember the first person he told about the attacks. He did, however, recall a conversation with a friend who claimed the actor had been asking about his own sexuality. ‘(The friend) spoke to me about it,’ the boy said. ‘He was saying (the defendant) was . asking him whether he was gay and whether he would do stuff and he was . telling me about that,’ he told the court. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Accused child soap star cannot be named as he is under 18 years old . He allegedly molested his victim, then 14, over a two-month period in 2010 . Both teens were students at a stage school in London at the time . Victim claims the headteacher tried to brush complaints 'under the table' Blackfriars Crown Court told actor molested victim to prove he was bisexual . Teenager told the court the actor also sent him an explicit photo of himself . The 17-year-old actor denies the charges and the trial continues . | 1d0368808e91dc05584345739d85122d6aed1ff1 |
By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 11:47 EST, 6 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:04 EST, 8 December 2013 . If you're planning to slip into a slinky frock for your Christmas party but your gym regime has been neglected, one company thinks it has the answer. Figgahugga, a new British brand, has unveiled a range of dresses that offer your body a '360 degree hug' and make you look slimmer in the process. While the new brand is far from being the only shapewear on the market, unlike Spanx, brightly-coloured Figgahuggas are designed to be seen. Scroll down for video . Festival wear: As well as smoothing your shape, the garments have a silicone hem - perfect for clubbing . As a result, the £49.99 garments only come in vibrant colours, among them neon green, bright pink and electric blue. Each . dress in the range is constructed with a seamed 'secret support' lining, . which works like a corset, helping to shape your figure, define your waist and create a . smooth silhouette - all while keeping you cool and dry. The colourful garments, which come in four different sizes, are made from a comfortable mix of nylon and lycra. Although the cheerful hues might not be to everyone's taste, they do, say the company, double as festival attire thanks to the silicone hem that promises to stop . the dress riding up when dancing. Before and after: The dresses give a 360 degree 'hug' and flatten your tummy, while concealing VPL . Difference: Unlike Spanx and other brands, the Figgahugga is designed to be seen underneath clothes . Figure-hugging: Available in sizes 8-22, these creations by M&S are intended to offer a day-to-night solution . Flattering: Kimberley Walsh and Kym Lomax are big fans of Body Frocks, which enhance the female figure . Slimming: Body Frock dresses, which start at £155, should fit like a corset according to the makers . Thrifty: Gok Wan has also created a range of slimming dresses, £35 each, for at TU for Sainsbury's . | The Figgahugga is the latest fashion fix for lumps and bumps . £49.99 nylon dresses come in bright neon colours designed to be seen . Functions like a corset and whittles down the waist and hips . | b4c5b0163996586b2b02b11c9652a0b405a2d60e |
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:01 EST, 21 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:42 EST, 21 May 2013 . Concerned: Missing student Jason Fyles has not been seen since last Thursday after he claimed people had turned their backs on him . Police have stepped up their search for a student who went missing after posting a disturbing Twitter message claiming people had turned their backs on him. Jason Fyles, a 19-year-old Newcastle University student, vanished after a night out with friends five days ago. 'I find it really sad that everyone that I tried to get help. From just. Turned. Their. Back,' he tweeted after leaving a friend's house during the early hours of . Thursday morning. He has not been seen or heard from since. Jason's family, parents Ian and Caroline, brother Shaun and sister Kimberley, have now travelled to Newcastle from their hometown of Southport on Merseyside, to help search for him. 'Jason, please get in touch,' they said in a statement today. 'We love you very much and all we want is to hear your voice and know that you're safe. 'Please call us or call the police so that we know that you are alright. 'Whatever it is that is troubling you, whatever has happened to upset you - please give us a chance to help you sort it out. 'We would also ask Jason's friends, or anyone who has seen him or has any information that could possibly help to find him, to get in touch with police.' Earlier his aunt, Wendy, 48, had also made an emotional plea for help to find her nephew. She said: 'We just want him back so we can give him a hug. We just need to know where he is. There's such a big piece missing from the family.' Final message: Jason sent this poignant tweet and has not been seen or heard from since . Hunt: Northumbria Police officers search the Sandyford area of Newcastle where Jason was last seen in the early hours of Thursday May 16 . Jason moved to Tyneside only nine months ago to study town planning, and had been staying in Newcastle University's halls of residence at Bowsden Court in South Gosforth. Methodical: An officer uses a ladder to check the flat roof and perhaps inside this garage for any signs of the missing teenager . His family said he had settled well into student life and was in regular contact with his mother and father. His aunt said he was in good spirits when he confirmed he would join the family on their annual trip to the Yorkshire Show, and asked his mum to buy him a ticket. 'He said he wanted a ticket and was in good spirits,' said Wendy. 'He was in good spirits and there was absolutely nothing unusual in that phone call.' That night, Jason joined fellow students on a night out and drank with friends at Sam Jacks and Tup Tup Palace in Newcastle city centre before becoming separated from the group. He later paid a late-night visit to his friend Sean Peacock's home in Sandyford. Sean, who is on the same course as Jason, said he phoned him a number of times before knocking on the door. When he realised Jason was drunk, Sean offered him a bed for the night, but his friend refused and left. Then, at just after 3am, Jason sent his final tweet. Jason's friends reported him missing to police, who then contacted his family. 'His dad received a phone call on Friday evening from Northumbria Police to say his friends had reported him missing,' his aunt Wendy said. 'Immediately after that all the family tried his mobile constantly but it wasn't switched on and nobody has seen or heard from him since. 'He hasn't put anything on Facebook or Twitter either, which is unusual as, like most teenagers, he is a regular user of these.' Plea: Jason's family have come to the North East and have urged anyone with information about him to contact the police . Jason's loved ones can think of no reason why he could go missing, and now fear the worst. 'Jason is a quiet, reserved lad but he has a very happy disposition,' said Wendy. 'He's just a really nice kid. He's very academic, he had big plans for the future. 'Our family is very, very close. He's at university but he still speaks to his parents every week, which isn't the case with a lot of students. He was very much enjoying uni. He loved the work, had made friends, and was enjoying life in Newcastle, like most students do. 'It's the most out-of-character thing you could imagine from him. He is the youngest of three children and very, very close to his mum.' Jason's parents have spent the last few days walking the streets of Newcastle and giving out posters with Jason's picture on. Wendy added: 'They have spent hours and hours traipsing the streets.' Message: Northumbria Police fear for Jason's safety and say his disappearance is out of character . Supt Andy McDyer, of Northumbria Police's Newcastle Area Command, said: 'His disappearance is out of character and we're concerned for his welfare due to the length of time he's been missing. 'I'd urge anyone who sees him or who has information about his whereabouts to contact police.' More than 6,000 people have now joined a Facebook group called 'Missing Newcastle Student: Jason Fyles', and scores of messages have been posted. Anyone with any information on his whereabouts are asked to contact Northumbria Police. | Jason Fyles was last seen in Newcastle last Thursday after a night out . Teenage student sent poignant tweet after night of drinking with friends . His family have today pleaded for him to let them know he is safe . 'We love you very much and all we want is to hear your voice,' they said . | d96e0cac042acbb79ca51260627caa3f7afad709 |
By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 08:13 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:15 EST, 9 December 2013 . A woman is set to marry the man who saved her life on their first date. Cheryl Wray, 22, had a tumour the size of a satsuma removed from her pancreas after fiancé Stephen Kittles insisted she see a doctor. He was concerned after noticing she was suffering from severe pain in her side. Cheryl Wray, 22, was diagnosed with a tumour on her pancreas after Stephen Kittles insisted that she went to see a doctor about a pain in her side . Miss Wray, of White Notley, Essex, said: . ‘I thought the pain was due to muscle strain. I was working at a . supermarket and was doing a fair amount of heavy lifting at the time. ‘Me and Stephen were in a car together when I put the seat back and involuntarily yelped out in pain. ‘He became very concerned and asked what was wrong. I told him it was probably nothing but he said, “no, you have to go to see a doctor”. ‘I didn't want to be thought of as a hypochondriac so was ready to brush it aside, but Stephen being so insistent made me change my mind and I booked an appointment.’ Miss Wray visited her GP in January 2009 and was sent for an urgent ultrasound scan. She said: ‘At first we thought it was kidney stones. Stephen came with me to the scan for support. ‘The doctor phoned me with the results before I went to work. I knew straight away that something serious was going on - the doctor doesn't usually call you directly.’ Ms Wray was not intending to see a doctor about the pain as she thought it was caused by a strained muscle she had suffered while working in a supermarket . Ms Wray (pictured with her father, Patrick, in hospital) had to have surgery to remove the precancerous tumour . The ultrasound revealed an alarming growth suggesting a cancerous or pre-cancerous tumour on her pancreas. It is rare for teenagers to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which is often fatal. A month after the growth was revealed, Miss Wray and Mr Kittles, 27, became engaged during a visit to Clacton-on-Sea. She said: ‘I asked him to marry me on the beach by writing the words in the sand. He wrote “yes” and then took me to the end of the pier, where he got down on one knee and asked me back. ‘When we met, it took just two hours for me to realise I wanted to be with him. We both love Bon Jovi - especially the songs “Always” and “Thank You for Loving Me”, which has become our song.’ Ms Wray no longer has any signs of the tumour in her body but she still has to go for check ups every year . Ms Wray spent a month in hospital recovering from her operation. Picture shows her 18-inch scar . After several nervous months of further tests, Ms Wray underwent surgery just days after her 18th birthday in July 2009. She said: ‘I signed all the consent forms in a state of disbelief and shock. It was difficult to understand what was happening to me. They removed the growth, but were sufficiently worried to remove my spleen too.’ Miraculously, the growth was judged to be precancerous and there were no signs of the cancer spreading to any other part of her body. The realisation of how precarious her position had been only dawned on her as she lay in hospital for a month recovering from the operation. Ms Wray said: 'I signed all the consent forms in a state of disbelief and shock. It was difficult to understand what was happening to me. They removed the growth, but were sufficiently worried to remove my spleen too' She said: ‘It suddenly dawned on me how serious things were. The tumour had grown really quickly and had I left it any longer the surgeons probably wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. ‘I was shocked and broke down in tears, but Stephen did a really good job looking after me.’ Mr Kittles, who works at a bowling alley . in Braintree, said: ‘Looking back I'm so glad I was so insistent that . Cheryl went to the doctor. Even though we'd only just met, I was very . worried about her. Pancreatic cancer is notoriously hard to diagnose as it rarely causes symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms do not tend to develop until the cancer is advanced. The first symptoms can include pain in the upper abdomen, unexpected weight loss and loss of appetite, jaundice, diabetes, nausea and vomiting. Source: NHS Choices . ‘It was very difficult to see Cheryl suffering through the diagnosis and the surgery, but I stayed supportive, and I always will be supportive.’ Ms Wray, who now requires annual cancer scans, said she is looking forward to enjoying a happy, healthy life with her fiancé. She said: ‘We're trying to have children and I'm on medication to help us along with that. We'll get married as soon as we can, but we don't know when that will be yet.’ Miss Wray now offers support to sufferers of pancreatic cancer on Facebook, giving encouragement and advice through her group entitled "Pancreatic Cancer-help". She said: ‘Some people feel as though they can't talk to their families and I know how hard that can be. ‘I'm here to talk to people if they want.’ | Cheryl Wray thought the pain in her side was caused by a muscle strain . Stephen Kittles heard her yelp in pain and said she should see a doctor . Doctors initially thought she had kidney stones but an ultrasound scan revealed a precancerous growth the size of a satsuma on her pancreas . She had surgery to remove the growth as well as her spleen . The tumour hadn't spread but she now has to have annual check ups . | 2415f2a90d57f2b792331b057766c898fedde075 |
A football club has been charged with race victimisation by the FA after it 'refused to pay medical bills' for an injured black striker. Gillingham Football Club and its chairman Paul Scally have been charged over the dismissal of retired striker Mark McCammon after the football governing body judged its rules had been breached. The former Barbados international player sued the club in August 2012 after being sacked the previous year amid claims he was treated differently because he was black. Gillingham Football Club chairman Paul Scally (right) and his club have been charged over the dismissal of former striker Mark McCammon (left) who was sacked in 2011 . He said staff victimised the club's black players and treated them differently to their white team mates. McCammon, 36, claimed the League One club tried to 'frustrate him out' by refusing to pay private medical bills that would help him regain fitness following a serious injury. The club offered the operation on the NHS rather than privately - a move he described as 'completely out of character' for a Football League club. He was then fined two weeks' wages when he paid a visit to a private consultant. McCammon, who signed for Gillingham for £2,500 a week in 2008, told an employment tribunal in 2012 he had been put 'through hell' McCammon claimed he was docked wages when he failed to turn up for training during heavy snow while some white players were told they were not required. He was subsequently dismissed from the club . However, the 6ft 2in striker said an injured white team-mate was flown to Dubai for treatment by an eminent physiotherapist at the club's expense. Mark McCammon, pictured at his employment tribunal in 2012, claimed black players were treated differently to his white teammates . McCammon also claimed he was docked wages when he failed to turn up for training during heavy snow when driving conditions were 'treacherous', while some white players were told they were not required. The striker was subsequently ordered to attend a disciplinary hearing and later received a letter saying he was dismissed. McCammon, who signed for Gillingham for £2,500 a week in 2008, told an employment tribunal in 2012 he had been put 'through hell' and had not been given an answer over why he was treated differently to other players. Dubai-based Gillingham chairman Paul Scally described McCammon's claims as being made 'maliciously and without foundation', adding that the club had not had to deal with an allegation of racism in 18 years. The club lost an appeal last September and the original decision was upheld and they had to pay £68,000 compensation to McCammon, who also played for Doncaster Rovers and Millwall. Now the association say the club breached FA Rule E3 by failing to act in the best interests of the game, and/or bringing the game into disrepute by committing an act of race victimisation by dismissing Mark McCammon. Both Gillingham FC and Mr Scally have until November 14 to respond. | Gillingham Football Club and chairman Paul Scally have been charged . It's after retired striker Mark McCammon was dismissed from club in 2011 . FA judged club committed act of race victimisation - breaching its rules . McCammon sued club in August 2012 and awarded £68,000 compensation . Both Gillingham FC and Mr Scally have until November 14 to respond . | f672b8742cac2f3d361e70d8f96dfdd053c4eb6b |
By . Julian Gavaghan . PUBLISHED: . 06:43 EST, 18 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:08 EST, 25 April 2012 . This is the shabby seaside flat where a British businessmen murdered in China conducted an affair with the woman who is chief suspect in his death, it is claimed. Neil Heywood is said to have shared the £250,000 top-floor terrace apartment near the Bournemouth seafront with Gu Kailai, the wife of one of China's communist party leaders. Mrs Gu has been named as chief suspect in the Old Harrovian's death in a hotel room in Chongqing last November. Mr Heywood was even spotted pinching her bottom as they walked up stairs, it was claimed. Modest: Keystone House where Gu Kailai owned a flat and Neil Heywood is believed to have stayed as with her . Her playboy son Bo Guagua, now 24, is believed to have also occasionally stayed at Keystone House, which was listed as Mrs Gu’s address by Company House. She first came to Britain in 2001 to set up a business in nearby Poole while her husband rose the ranks within China’s Politburo, which has been badly tainted by the scandal. She also sent her son to Papplewick prep school, near Ascot, Berkshire and later Harrow and Oxford University. Wang Kang, a Chongqing scholar with contacts inside Mr Bo's circle, told The Times that there was a ‘definite’ romantic attachment between Mr Heywood and Mrs Gu. He alleged that Mrs Gu, a lawyer, was denied ‘any normal passion’ from her husband, who also wanted to set aside her career ambitions. An early theory put forward into Mr Heywood's death suggested he was killed after Mr Bo found out about the affair. Mr Heywood, who had known the Bo family . for more than a decade, was said to have confided in a friend about the . alleged affair with Mrs Gu, saying it had ‘left his life under threat’. 'Romantically linked': Gu Kailai and Neil Heywood are said to had an affair due to her husband's 'lack of passion' Regarding their apparent love nest in Bournemouth, another source told the newspaper: ‘He stayed in the first room on the right. ‘Most mornings he was lean out of the window having a fag. She was always in the kitchen’ The claims come amid increasing rumours on Chinese websites that the pair were having an affair. It is said that Mr Heywood later called off the relationship for unknown reasons. Some sources suggest that Mrs Gu was becoming increasingly paranoid. And now it has been claimed that Mr Heywood was poisoned after threatening to expose a plan by Mrs Gu to move money abroad. It was the first time a specific motive has been revealed for Neil Heywood's murder last November, a death which ended Chinese leader Bo Xilai's hopes of emerging as a top central leader and threw off balance the Communist Party's looming leadership succession. Mrs Gu asked Heywood late last year to move a large sum of money abroad, and she became outraged when he demanded a larger cut of the money than she had expected due to the size of the transaction, two sources with knowledge of the investigation said. Questions: Chinese officials are investigating . whether Mr Heywood was poisoned with cyanide after falling out with Mr . Bo (right) and his wife Gu Kailai (left) Allegations last week claimed that Mr Heywood had hidden details of Bo Xilai's financial dealings with his lawyers in Britain . The claims tie up with allegations . last week that Mr Heywood had hidden details of Bo Xilai's financial . dealings with his lawyers in Britain. The murder has provoked a scandal in both China, where Mr Bo had been a likely successor to the presidency, and Britain. David Cameron has criticised spies’ failure to warn that one of China’s most powerful politicians was linked to the murder. The Secret Intelligence Service took three months to brief William Hague on the close links between the Mr Heywood and Mr Bo. Within that time, the Foreign Secretary’s own staff learnt that the death was suspicious but still waited three weeks before passing this onto him. The Mail has learned that Mr Cameron’s aides have demanded answers from both MI6 officers and Foreign Office officials about how the Government was blindsided by Mr Heywood’s death last November. Chinese officials are investigating whether Mr Heywood was poisoned with cyanide after falling out with Mr Bo and his wife Gu Kailai. Mr Bo has now been ousted from his powerful position as the Communist Party boss of Chongqing as a power struggle rages at the top of the Politburo in Beijing. Questions remain: It is thought that Mr Heywood . was killed in one of the mountain-top hotel's £600-a-night villas, but . details of his demise are sketchy . Suspicious: The reception area of the Nanshan . Lijing Holiday Hotel in Chongqing, China, where British businessman Neil . Heywood was found dead . Mr Hague has ordered an investigation into what went wrong, telling Parliament that the Foreign Office raised the alarm in late January only after warnings from expat businessmen in China. The delay meant that Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne met Mr Bo and posed with a panda on November 15 – the day after Mr Heywood was found dead – unaware of links between the two men. The Prime Minister told his staff to demand answers before he met Chinese propaganda chief Li Changchun in Downing Street. Mr Hague said Foreign Office officials were first made aware of suspicions about 41-year-old Mr Heywood’s death on January 18, two months after his death. He was not personally briefed until . February 7, the day after Bo Xilai’s police chief told U.S. authorities . that Mr Heywood was poisoned. They had previously maintained that he died after taking excessive alcohol. Mr Heywood’s friends have said he rarely drank alcohol and questioned the official explanation. Living it up: Bo Guagua, centre, who was well known . for his lavish lifestyle and love of partying during his days as a . student at Oxford University, is also believed to have stayed at the flat in Bournemouth . Keeping up the pressure: David Cameron meets . China's propaganda chief Li Changchun at Downing Street, seeking . reassurances that the probe into Mr Heywood's death would follow due . process . British . expats in China have accused the Foreign Office of failing to push for a . full investigation into the death because of fears over crucial trade . links between the two countries. Internet reports claimed Mrs Gu, who . was godmother to the Heywoods’ two young children, met Mr Heywood’s . widow Wang Lulu in a cafe two days after his death, accompanied by two . armed policemen. The . politician’s wife was said to have begged Mrs Heywood to agree to a . swift cremation without a post-mortem examination. Mrs Heywood was . unavailable for comment. A . city official in Chongqing, Xia Deliang, has been arrested and allegedly . confessed that he prepared the poison and handed it to an employee of . Mr Bo. The internet reports were not immediately blocked by Beijing’s . censors, which has been interpreted to mean they were officially . sanctioned. Mr Bo has accused his political . enemies of ‘pouring filth’ on his family. The Boxun website has . previously carried claims he was a womaniser who slept with more than . 100 women. It also alleged . he and his wife were involved in a series of murders and that Mr Bo . accepted nearly £100million in bribes while he was party leader in . Chongqing. Senior . politicians are surprised that MI6 did not raise the alarm before then . because Mr Bo, 62, was expected to be promoted to the Politburo in a . once-a-decade shake-up of Chinese leaders this autumn. | Neil Heywood 'seen pinching bottom of Gu Kailai on way up to £250,000 flat' Sources claim 'affair began due to party boss husband's lack of passion' She moved to Britain in 2001 to send son to school and set up business . Mrs Gu now chief suspect in death, which has sparked scandal in China . | bb9a243e9dce639500af86cf48eee39bc4835da2 |
(CNN) -- It was an upscale, expensive vehicle -- a 2012 silver Range Rover -- sitting unoccupied in a parking deck at an upscale, expensive New Jersey mall crowded with Sunday holiday shoppers. Police say the luxury SUV's owners -- a 30-year-old Hoboken attorney and his wife -- returned to it after shopping, walking straight into an apparent carjack attempt. A few seconds and a few bullets later, the young attorney lay shot in the head and dying in a shopping mall parking lot, his shocked and stunned wife likely in a panic nearby as two suspects sped from the scene in the Range Rover. On Monday, New Jersey's legal community, friends and family were mourning the death of Dustin Friedland, who, police said, had performed one last act for his wife before the couple was accosted. He had opened the car door for her. And on Monday, police found that 2012 silver Range Rover parked in Newark, apparently with no obvious signs of what had happened to the two carjackers who became killers in a matter of seconds Sunday night in the parking deck of The Mall at Short Hills. According to authorities, Friedland apparently was walking behind the vehicle after opening his wife's door and helping her get in, when he was confronted. There was a struggle, authorities believe, and shots were fired. Friedland's wife heard the struggle and had gotten out of the SUV when the two attackers got in and drove off. She was not injured. Friedland was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital in Morristown. A manhunt for the suspects was launched, with authorities fanning out from the mall with its 150-store roster of retailers including Cartier, Prada, Gucci and Dior in addition to Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus. The Essex County, New Jersey, Sheriff's Crime Stoppers program announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects. Police described the two still-at-large suspects as being armed and dangerous, but beyond that, few details of the investigation were released. Essex County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly would not confirm how many shots were fired during the seconds of the struggle behind the SUV, pending autopsy results. CNN's Jean Casarez and Lorenzo Ferrigno contributed to this report. | One of Dustin Friedland's last acts was to open the car door for his wife . As he was walking behind the couple's Range Rover, he was accosted by two men . Gunshots rang out, Friedland was shot in the head, the thieves drove off in the SUV . Police say it was apparently an attempted carjacking that became a killing . | a2a291499de3ea3ce0685f52f49d363f3dc9ae04 |
By . Louise Boyle and Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 10:07 EST, 2 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:38 EST, 2 May 2013 . A Colorado mother accused in the heat stroke deaths of her two young children has been offered a plea deal, even though the victims’ relatives want to see the woman executed. Heather Jensen appeared in court Wednesday with a fresh perm and a smile on her face, waiving her right to a preliminary hearing so that she could consider a plea agreement offer put to her by the prosecution. The 25-year-old Palisade woman is charged with child abuse resulting in death, criminally negligent homicide and false reporting to authorities. Weigh in her options: Heather Jensen, 25, waived her right to a preliminary hearing, signaling to the prosecution that she may be interested in a plea deal . Serious charges: Jensen was arrested in January for allegedly causing the deaths of her toddler sons in November by leaving them in an overheated SUV for 90 minutes while she had sex in a truck . Tragedy: Two-year-old William (left) died on November 27 in Colorado while his four-year-old brother Tyler (right) died a week later in hospital. The two had been left by their mother in an SUV with the engine running for 90 minutes . The charges stem for a tragic November . incident in which Jensen allegedly left her two sons, 2-year-old . William and 4-year-old Tyler, locked in a car with the heat running for . more than an hour while she took drugs and had sex with a man in a truck . nearby . The younger of the two boys died of hyperthermia at the scene, while his older brother passed away at a hospital a week later. Call for justice: The victims' grandfather, Robert Mathena, said the family would have liked to see Jensen executed . Under a possible plea deal, the . details of which were not made public during the Wednesday hearing, . Jensen's charges could be reduced to two counts of criminally negligent . homicide carrying a sentence of 12 to 24 years in prison, according to . the boys' grandparents. 'They [the prosecutor and an . investigator] asked us what we would like to see done. Of course, we . said, "The electric chair,"' the victims' step-grandfather, Robert . Mathena, told The Denver Post. 'But we would like to see this come to an end.' The death penalty is not an option for the 25-year-old Jensen based on her current charges. Mathena and his wife, Diane, have spent more than two months fighting the mother in court over the fate of her sons' remains. Tyler and Willem died just six week after the Mathenas' son and Jensen's husband, Eric, was killed in a car crash. The woman was planning to have her . boys cremated, but their grandparents won the right to lay them to rest . next to their father in Palisade. The toddlers were finally buried in . February, nearly four months after their deaths. Robert Mathena told CBS Denver he was outraged to . find a letter penned by Jensen in prison that was attached to the . heart-shaped headstone erected on the grave for the two boys and their . dad. Letter from prison: The dead boys' grandparents were shocked to discover a note from Jensen attached to their headstone stating that she was sorry, and that she was a 'good mommy' to them . The 25-year-old woman has been in . jail on a $150,000 bond since her arrest last winter, but the Mathenas . believe she had sent her letter to a friend who then brought it to the . cemetery. In her missive, Jensen wrote that she . was sorry, called her sons' deaths an accident and described herself as a . 'good mommy' who always tried to keep her kids from harm. The letter was supplemented by a birthday card for William, who would have turned three years old last Friday. Jensen is scheduled to be arraigned . May 30, at which time the details of the plea deal could be revealed, . should she choose to accept it. Speaking to CBS Denver, Robert Denver . said that he is tired of Jensen 'playing her little games' and wants her . out of their lives forever. But in an interview with The Daily . Sentinel, the grandfather pointed out that seeing the 25-year-old woman . walk away with three or four years of probation would not be acceptable . to the family. Widowed: Heather Jensen, 24, lost her 26-year-old husband Eric in a car accident last year . Devastating loss: The young mother lost both her sons in the tragic accident last year . Deadly: Heather Jensen dialed 911 on November 27 when she realized that her youngest son was not breathing in the back seat . 'I'd like to see her do some serious time,' he concluded. Law enforcement officials say the Palisade woman left her sons on November 27, 2012, in a parked SUV for 90 minutes . while she met up with a male friend in a car sitting next to her own. Mrs Jensen called 911 that night to say . two-year-old William was not breathing and had no pulse from the car . park close to Powderhorn Mountain ski resort in Grand Junction, . Colorado. She also told dispatchers at around 7pm that four-year-old Tyler was barely breathing. William died at the scene while Tyler was airlifted to Aurora's children's hospital but passed away a week later. Both children died from hyperthermia, according to the autopsy by Mesa County coroner. Hyperthermia is a condition which causes extreme overheating in the body. Mrs Jensen told investigators that . she had gone to meet a male friend on November 27 when the tragedy took . place. In love: Mr and Mrs Jensen with their youngest son William. The young mother lost both her sons and husband in a matter of weeks . Adorable: Tyler died at a Denver hospital while William (right) was pronounced dead at the scene . Deaths: Mr Jensen was killed in October when his car was hit head-on by an SUV. His sons William and Tyler also died in a vehicle-related death . She initially told deputies that she . left her sons in the car for 10 minutes to talk to a friend but later . admitted that it had been much longer. Heather . Jensen was widowed after her 26-year-old husband, Eric, was killed when . his car was hit head-on by an SUV on October 10. The other driver . suffered minor injuries. According to the Daily Sentinel, she let the boys play in the snow on November 27 before putting them back in her Toyota 4Runner and turning the engine on. She then sat in the man's truck for around an hour and a half, police investigators said. The . 25-year-old, who has a history of taking anti-depressants, was on . probation for a domestic violence assault against her late husband . earlier this year. | Heather Jensen, 25, 'left boys in the back seat for 90 minutes' with the heating on . William, two, dead at the scene in Grand Junction, Colorado while Tyler, four, flown to Denver hospital but died a week later . Coroner confirmed brothers' cause of death was hyperthermia . Jensen could potentially face 12 to 24 years in prison under a plea deal . Boys' grandparents found letter from Jensen on their tomb stating that their deaths were accidental and that she was a 'good mommy' | 0f88e14eb4fd0cfce17d894932f87f67f97a54a8 |
(Travel + Leisure) -- You're sitting in a hip Tokyo cafe, having a fish cake and sake. Your server has been especially attentive, so when the check arrives, you think nothing of pulling out some extra yen and leaving a healthy 20 percent tip. But suddenly things go horribly wrong: the server turns wide-eyed, becomes agitated, and walks away. What happened?! You'll likely come across more people at a hotel that need to be tipped than anywhere else as you travel. Tipping in Japan and many other Asian countries is simply not a way of life. In fact, it's usually regarded as a vulgar display of wealth and a disregard for the culture. The same can be true in Europe and Latin America ... though not always. And in the United States, of course, tipping is expected (and sometimes demanded). With expectations all over the map, it's not surprising that anxiety and confusion about whom to tip -- and how much -- are commonplace for travelers. So we've done the legwork for you, talking with concierges, tourist boards, and other travelers to find out the real protocol on when (and when not) to reach into your wallet and how much of a tip you should give to waiters, sky caps, maids, doormen, and cabbies all over the world. Of course, tipping is confusing enough for Americans traveling domestically. The expectation is to tip not only big but also often, from the kid handing you a Venti coffee at Starbucks to the multiple hotel hands that rush to open doors, carry bags, and offer an escort to the hotel room. Go abroad and the situation changes. The legion of skycaps, cab drivers, bellboys, and waiters may perform the same services as their U.S. counterparts, but they often have radically different expectations of a tip. You can credit different customs, as well as a service industry with a different wage scale. In the United States, tips usually abet low wages. In other parts of the world, service employees are often paid a living wage. If you're taking a taxi in Chile or New Zealand, for example, the driver won't give you the evil eye if you don't tip -- it's not expected. Read Travel + Leisure's guide to tipping around the world . At a hotel, you'll encounter more people who potentially need to be tipped than anywhere else during your travels. In fact, there are so many people it can become confusing. If a doorman opens the door of your cab, another takes your bag, and a third delivers it to your room, who gets the tip? It should be the last person in the chain -- the one who actually brings the bags to your room. And at checkout, only tip the one who loads your bags onto a cart and takes them out of the room. Restaurants can be tricky, too: keep an eye out for the service charge. In many European countries, this charge averages 10 percent, but it's usually included in the price of a meal. If it is, then do as the European do, and leave a few extra coins or round up the bill -- in cash, even if you've paid for the meal with a credit card. And if you're heading to Fiji, Malaysia, or South Korea, be aware that no tip is required in restaurants. Here are some other scenarios: . Spa Therapists: Tipping 15 or 20 percent is common practice in the United States but rare at any spa abroad, where a service charge is typically added to the cost of the treatment. Concierges: Situational. If a concierge gets you theater or train tickets, or has been especially helpful during the course of your stay, then a $10 or $20 tip (in local currency) is in order. Guides: Booking a ski guide to take you off-piste in Switzerland, a golf pro in Scotland, or a fishing guide in Ireland? All should be compensated in the 10 to 15 percent range, as they would be in the United States. A good tip on tipping? Get small bills or coins from your hotel's front desk to make tipping easier. But if you have only large bills, it's perfectly acceptable to ask a hotel porter or even a skycap for change when you give them a tip. After all, tips are a part of their business. They're not embarrassed, and you needn't be either. And if you don't have local currency, U.S. greenbacks can work just as well as a "thank you" in London, Lombok, or Lahore. E-mail to a friend . Planning a beach getaway this summer? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Great American Beaches . Copyright 2009 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. | Tipping conventions overseas can be vastly different from those in the United States . More people at a hotel will potentially need to be tipped than anywhere else . Get small bills or coins from your hotel's front desk to make tipping easier . | 742f110e33d3b756ebfdf313257963b07eb0ca0f |
(CNN) -- Girls don't do science. If that's the stereotype, then good luck telling that to these women. From space archaeologists, to racing car drivers, and Higgs Boson physicists, here are 12 ladies with some of the world's coolest jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). But it wasn't always this way. Growing up, some were told "You're OK for a girl," or "If you're beautiful, you can't also be smart." Luckily for us, they didn't take much notice. We take a look at their most inspirational quotes. 1. Karen Nyberg, Astronaut . "When I was in high school, I was certain that being an astronaut was my goal. It was a very important time -- Sally Ride was making her first flight into space and she had a real impact on me. Those 'firsts' kind of stick in your head and really become inspirations for you." 2. Zaha Hadid, Architect . "I used to not like being called a 'woman architect.' I'm an architect, not just a woman architect. The guys used to tap me on the head and say 'you're OK for a girl.' But I see an incredible amount of need from other women for reassurance that it can be done, so I don't mind anymore." 3. Fabiola Gianotti, Higgs Boson physicist . "This job is a great scientific adventure. But it's also a great human adventure. "Mankind has made giant steps forward," she said. "However, what we know is really very, very little compared to what we still have to know." 4. Milka Duno, Race car driver . "When you put the helmet on, it doesn't matter if you are woman or man: your mission is to compete to win. The important thing is your ability, your intelligence and your determination." 5. Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, former engineer at Google . "People ask me all the time: 'What is it like to be a woman at Google?' I'm not a woman at Google, I'm a geek at Google. And being a geek is just great. "I'm a geek, I like to code, I even like to use spreadsheets when I cook." 6. Nichelle Nichols, former NASA Ambassador and actress . "Science is not a boy's game, it's not a girl's game. It's everyone's game. It's about where we are and where we're going. "Space travel benefits us here on Earth. And we ain't stopped yet. There's more exploration to come." 7. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder of drug company Biocon . "I have never let gender get in my way. "It has taken me over 30 years to get from a garage to the huge campus that we have today. And it's been a long journey." 8. Danica McKellar, Mathematician, writer and actress . "If you're beautiful, you're led to believe that you can't also be smart," "But you can be fun and fit and social and be really smart. And the smarter you are, the more capable you'll be to handle whatever challenges come up in life." 9. Regina Agyare, Founder of software company Soronko Solutions . "When I was young I was very interested in science and technology, and my dad brought home the first computer. I played pac man and I was hooked! By learning to create technology, girls learn to speak up." 10. Weili Dai, Co-founder of Marvell Tech . "I believe every single woman could accomplish what I've accomplished." 11. Peta Clarke, Technical Lead at Black Girls Code . "Now we're in an age where technology is mandatory, and we wanted young girls to have this understanding and know how to build an app." 12. Dr Sarah Parcak, Space Archaeologist . "When I was a kid we'd rent Indiana Jones movies on VHS tapes. It inspired a whole generation of scholars because we saw the excitement, and the passion, and the drama. What's amazing to me about archaeology is the stories are even better than what you see in a Hollywood movie." We'd love to see your photos of girls rocking science, with the best images featured on CNN. Submit your iReport here. How do we get more girls into STEM? Join @CNNIwomen's Twitter chat with experts on October 9 at 5pm GMT/12pm EST. #CNNWomen #IDG14 . | Think girls don't do STEM? Think again . Here are 12 women with the coolest jobs in science . Inspirational quotes from Zaha Hadid, Nichelle Nichols, Marissa Mayer . Marking International Day of the Girl, Ada Lovelace Day . | 2b77112cab21f964a569e52e13e047449c529221 |
Spanish newspapers Mundo Deportivo and Sport reflect on Barcelona's 2-1 Champions League win against Manchester City with much of the focus being on two-goal hero Luis Suarez. Suarez stole the show with a first-half brace during the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie, however the Spanish publications believe the Catalan giants still have a lot to do. Sport believe Barcelona 'showed their quality in a big occasion' as they scored two crucial away goals to secure a narrow win. Spanish newspaper Sport focus on Barcelona's 2-1 win against Premier League outfit Manchester City . Luis Suarez is the main image on Mundo Deportivo's front page while Marca preview Atletico Madrid's Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen . Madrid-based newspaper Marca preview Atletico Madrid's match against Bayer Leverkusen - with their headline reading 'Atlei, now it is your turn'. The Spanish champions will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Real Madrid and Barcelona by winning the first leg of their last-16 encounter. AS carry an interesting line regarding the future of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea as they say Real Madrid still want the keeper and believe a deal is possible. They would face a battle though as United are close to a new deal for the stopper. Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been a key man for Louis van Gaal's side this season . AS suggest De Gea wants to leave Old Trafford because of Louis van Gaal's 'bad character' Meanwhile in Italy, Juventus' 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund is the main talking point in La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport. Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata netted against the Germans to hand the Italian side the initiative. La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport reflect on Juventus' 2-1 win against Dortmund . | Luis Suarez helped Barcelona claim 2-1 win against Manchester City . Spanish papers praise Luis Enrique's side for display at the Etihad . AS cover Real Madrid's pursuit of Manchester United keeper David de Gea . Juventus duo Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata scored against Dortmund . | aa341a152d97a780f7229394246c9bd30ccc33fc |
PUBLISHED: . 10:47 EST, 13 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:48 EST, 13 September 2013 . Anyone can make themselves look good in an online profile photo. That gorgeous model you see on Twitter could simply be an illusion of lights, camera angle and filter action. Meet them in real life, and you might get a shock. That hasn’t stopped apps such as ‘Bang with Friends’ or ‘Zoosk’, which focus heavily on photos, from gaining huge popularity with men. Now a free-to-use app, Twine, is hoping . to offer to fill a niche in the market by providing the modern day . alternative to a ‘blind date’. A free-to-use app, Twine, is hoping to offer the modern day alternative to a 'blind date' Twine tries to match you up with three people per day in your age range and who share Facebook interests. When you are matched with someone, it lets you chat with that person. At first, however, their Facebook profile picture is blurred out. But if the chat goes well, you can then choose to reveal your name and photos. Twine tries to match you up with three people per day in your age range and who share Facebook interests . At first, your profile picture is blurred out. If the chat goes well, you can then choose to reveal your photos . It even helps you think of conversation topics. ‘With our patent-pending ICE Breaker, Twine will suggest topics that will help you get to know the other person better,’ says the website. The app maintains a policy that women and men must join the app in equal numbers. If your gender is over-represented, you have to go on a waiting list. It was developed by San Francisco-based Sourcebits and is available on both iOS and Android. Whether a dating site with no photos will catch on, however, remains to be seen. Last month, a study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that men value women’s looks over other traits. Women on the other hand, were more concerned about a man’s social status. The study found that after chatting with the opposite-sex with both low and moderate levels of these traits, men, more than women, rejected and reported less attraction toward potential mates with low physical attractiveness. Women, however, indicated similar aversion toward those with low social status. According the study, men and women differ mostly on the low-end qualities that they want to avoid, not the high-end traits that they ideally desire. | The app, called Twine, matches you up with three people per day . The idea is to match people based on common interests rather than looks . At first, it blurs out any profile photos, which you can chose to reveal later . It also provides an 'ice breaker' function to help you think of conversation . | ff2c7f2aa35176c5bac1a96d0544de05c28cdc93 |
Beijing (CNN)In this narrow Beijing hutong, the rainbow flag flies free. I'm in Two Cities Cafe, a popular meeting place for the local gay community. Here, I meet with some of the country's leading LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) advocates to learn about gay identity in China. In the last two decades, China's LGBT community has made huge gains in social acceptance. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1997, and a few years later it was removed from an official list of mental illnesses. But unlike their counterparts in the West, China's LGBT community does not have to face down strident political opposition or right-wing religious uproar. For them, the biggest source of pressure comes from the family, brought on in part by China's one-child policy. "You have only one child so you want your child to be as 'normal' as everybody else," says Xiaogang Wei, Executive Director of the Beijing Gender Health Education Institute. "There's also the pressure of carrying on the family line," adds Chi Heng Foundation founder Chung To. Fake marriages? Many Chinese gays and lesbians are responding to the family pressure with "cooperative marriages" -- gay men and lesbian women marrying each other out of social and economic convenience, often finding each other online. "I grew up in the 80s and 90s and most of the people my age, everyone, got into marriage -- no matter gay or straight," says Xu Bin, founder of the advocacy group Common Language. "If you're not, you're a monster." Despite advances, the social stigma remains immense. According to a 2013 survey by U.S. research group Pew, only 21% of China's population was in favor of the acceptance of homosexuality. Same-sex marriage remains a taboo topic for many across China. And a number of clinics in China offer so-called "conversion" shock treatment to "cure" homosexuality. Earlier this year, a Beijing court heard China's first case to challenge the treatment. But a delay in the ruling has raised concerns in the gay community that clinics may continue to provide such treatments without challenge. Discrimination . China's LGBT professionals must also contend with a lack of legal protection against discrimination at work. "The job discrimination is very subtle and you might not get a promotion because you are single. You might get fired because of all kinds of reasons," says To. "There's no protection." Though China has a long way to go before its gay professionals thrive professionally in all workplaces, Chinese gay activists are encouraged by the recent announcement by Apple CEO Tim Cook. "I think Tim Cook's coming out of the closet is very important to the Chinese society, especially in the business world," Wei tells me. "It also very effectively motivated people into thinking about the direct and non-direct connections between homosexual people and the products that we all use in our lives." New generation . With these forces for change coming from both outside and inside China, the country's LGBT community is forging ahead, despite its unique set of challenges. "For the past ten years, the most change probably came from the visibility of the LGBT community in Chinese society. For the next ten years, I would say it's the visibility of LGBT rights in China," says Xu. As the focus shifts to a stronger call for greater rights, China's pioneering gay activists are looking to the younger generation to pick up the mantle. "This generation is a lot more confident and self-assertive," To tells me. "And they have more resources," adds Xu. "In the end, I think we're fighting not just for a better situation for LGBT (people), but a better situation for all minorities and vulnerable people," says To. Out and proud, China's gay activists are an increasingly vocal minority pushing for change that could very well reach every corner of Chinese society. | China's LGBT community has made huge gains in social acceptance . Unlike Western counterparts, they face little religious opposition . The biggest source of pressure comes from family, and the one-child policy . There is no legal protection in the work place for the LGBT community . | 9e4bcbd2b92cc3b68f0384a43b13b4927e22a600 |
By . Kerry Mcqueeney . PUBLISHED: . 11:50 EST, 12 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:37 EST, 12 July 2012 . An art school student triggered a terror alert in central London today after leaving a bomb-like backpack - complete with trailing wires - at a college. Students from Central Saint Martins were forced to flee the art school's campus in Back Hill, Clerkenwell, after the suspect package was reported to police. The 'art project' was thought to have been deliberately placed in reception by a student as part of an installation. Security alert: A Central Saint Martins college student calling herself Young Choo (in grey t-shirt with her back to camera) with the bomb-like art installation on her back . Police . terror response vehicles - already on high alert prior to the London 2012 Olympic . games - rushed to the scene and evacuated the building while . the surrounding streets were blocked off. Once it was established the backpack was a hoax, the student - named as Young Choo - was given a stern talking to by police. A Scotland . Yard spokesman told MailOnline: 'We responded to reports of a suspect . package at about 1.30pm at Central Saint Martins college campus on Back . Hill. 'Several people were evacuated from . the building before it was found to be non-suspicious. Words of advice . were given to the student.' 'Words of advice': Young Choo, pictured right with a friend, was given a stern talking to by police . High alert: A group of police cars outside the Back Hill campus . Choo - an American 'summer study . abroad' student - said she left the package as part of the project . titled 'Intervention' before going to have lunch. The convincing 'bomb' consisted of a black rucksack wrapped in red tape and featured a canister and trailing wires. When she returned to the scene, she was questioned by police before being made . to dismantle the package in a bin. She was not charged with any offence and was allowed to leave the scene. Choo said she is studying Contemporary Fine Art Practice, a course which the college website describes as 'an interdisciplinary fine art . course that will provide an innovative and experimental approach to the . making and development of your work'. Central Saint Martins college was unavailable for comment. | Students from Central Saint Martins were forced to flee the art school's Clerkenwell campus after 'suspect package' was reported to police . Terror police - on high alert prior to the Olympics - evacuated the building and blocked off surrounding streets . The 'art project' was thought to have been deliberately placed in the college reception as part of a student's installation . Police forced student to dismantle the backpack before giving her some 'word of advice' over the stunt . | 61404ee5a594a43671ea49b067b93c70ef75bffb |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:49 EST, 15 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:28 EST, 15 May 2013 . Paedophile: David Cameron, who had sex with two young girls after giving them drink and drugs, has been jailed for ten years . A predatory paedophile who had sex with two young girls after giving them drink and drugs has been jailed for ten years. David Cameron, 48, was said to have put candles and rose petals in his bathroom in an attempt to seduce one of the girls. He was convicted by a jury of sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl when she was drunk and he had given her drugs. He also had sex with her in the grounds of a school late at night in the summer of 2009. Cameron, of Keighley, West Yorkshire, threatened the 13-year-old that her family would come to harm if she told anyone what he had done. He also abused a 15-year-old girl after he gave her neat vodka one night in October 2012. He followed her upstairs and had sex with her as she lay on a bed. Both girls had to give evidence at his trial after he denied any wrongdoing. He was found guilty of five charges of sexual activity with a child - one offence against the 13-year-old girl and the rest involving his 15-year-old victim. At Bradford Crown Court yesterday, Judge Robert Bartfield said Cameron 'wormed his way into their confidence' and that both girls were vulnerable and had troubled backgrounds. 'She [the 13-year-old] was virtually incapable of resistance and this came as near to rape as can possibly be imagined,' Judge Bartfield said. 'They have been significantly traumatised by these events.' After the case, PC Andy Teale, of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, said: 'Cameron attempted to gain the trust of his victims through association. 'He took advantage of their vulnerability, supplying them with both alcohol and drugs. 'These two young victims are now left to battle with the consequences of Cameron's depraved actions. Scene: Cameron was said to have put candles and rose petals in the bathroom at his home (pictured), in Keighley, in an attempt to seduce one of the girls . 'The sentence really reflects the seriousness of this man's behaviour and the threat that he posed to those around him. 'I sincerely hope that the outcome will now provide an opportunity for the victims to find some closure.' Cameron must sign the sex offenders' register for life and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order protects his victims and other young girls from him in the future. | Paedophile David Cameron jailed after having sex with two young girls . Jury convicted him of sexual activity with 13-year-old when she was drunk . Also abused a 15-year-old girl after he gave her neat vodka . | c741b44a1883f2a7c72a797f149bbe39b1ccb8e1 |
Funny, isn’t it, how trends come around again. I started at Marks & Spencer in the early Seventies, when bell-bottom flares and denims filled the racks. Now, in 2015, they’re back in fashion. What I’m more surprised about is seeing a Seventies throw-back in our politics. Labour’s attack this week on a major British business smacked of the destructive anti-business mood that went out of political fashion decades ago. Stefano Pessina — the boss of Boots the chemist — voiced his fears about the implications of a Labour government. Scroll down for video . Stuart Rose (left), who left M&S in 2010 after saving the company, has branded Ed Miliband (right) a '1970s throwback' following comments which he says 'smack of anti-business mood' Some seemed unhappy about the fact that Mr Pessina is not a British citizen, with the view that somehow he had no right to comment. But more than 40 of the chief executives in the FTSE 100 companies are not British — and a quarter of the chairmen aren’t British either. Why should they be disqualified from speaking about matters which are directly their concern? As a man responsible for 70,000 workers — that’s 70,000 livelihoods supporting 70,000 families — Mr Pessina was perfectly entitled to speak out. What happens in Westminster has a direct impact on his employees and his customers. But Labour reacted with furious attacks. There was a tide of derision from their backbenches; personal jibes about Mr Pessina and his ‘big mansion’; even slights against the boss of one of our best-loved High Street chains from the shadow business secretary himself. Though some might dismiss this as just another political spat, to me it is more significant. It marks a turning of the tide that every business and worker in the country should pay attention to. For a long time, we seemed to have reached a consensus about business in Britain. Mainstream politicians agreed that business was not the enemy but the vital engine that kept our economy moving, creating jobs and opportunities. Stefano Pessina voiced fears about the implications of a Labour government, prompting Labour to react with furious attacks . There was an agreement that enterprise should be rewarded; that wealth-creators should not be squeezed ‘until the pips squeak’, as the Labour Chancellor Denis Healey is alleged to have said in the Seventies — but that they should be welcomed for the contribution they make to our economy, and the dynamism they bring. The old days of punitive taxes on business-people, of class war and the stirring of resentment, seemed hopelessly old-fashioned. Politicians on both the Right and Left were united in a belief that a strong economy was not, in the end, built by officials in Whitehall, but by enterprising individuals on High Streets and in offices up and down the country — and that beyond reasonable regulation and taxation, governments should let them get on with the job. That was then. Now, Ed Miliband and the Labour Party have blown that consensus apart. For the past few years, there has been a steady drum-beat of anti-business policies from Labour. It started with a speech in which Ed Miliband labelled businesses as ‘predators’. Labour has mooted a National Insurance rise that would squeeze small firms and make it less attractive to take on new workers. It has proposed a hike in corporation tax — a policy which might play well to the gallery, but which would see British jobs being lost overseas. Their ill-advised energy price freeze policy threatened investment into the UK. Most important, Labour lacks a clear and credible plan to deal with Britain’s remaining budget deficit. Four decades of experience have taught me that businesses crave one thing above anything else: certainty. As a man responsible for 70,000 workers Mr Pessina, chief executive of Boots (pictured), was perfectly entitled to speak out, according to Lord Rose . If business leaders are to grow their firms, if investors are to put their money in the UK, they need to know that our economy is built on firm foundations. The prospect of more borrowing, spiralling interest rates and falling confidence is a worrying one, to say the least. And all this is happening against the backdrop of a turbulent global economy — an economy in which winning deals, trading and making a living is a daily battle for businesses in Britain. I know how competitive this global economy is. If Britain gets bogged down in another era of sky-high taxes, over-regulation and business bashing, the jobs and the investment will simply go elsewhere — and the impact will be felt in shuttered shop fronts, empty High Streets and lengthening dole queues. The M&S former chief says there has been a steady drum-beat of anti-business policies from Labour, starting with a speech in which Ed Miliband (pictured) labelled businesses as ‘predators’ These are the very possible real repercussions of anti-business policy and rhetoric. In my view, we need to back British businesses to the hilt; to hear their concerns and not attack them for having them. Last year, during the Scottish referendum, we saw how attacks on businesses can quickly spin out of control. Businesses that voiced their concerns about the impact of independence — and stated their support for the Union — faced withering criticism and threats of boycotts. One senior politician even talked about a ‘day of reckoning’ for businesses and banks that had dared to speak about the potential downsides of independence. It was an extraordinary comment — a chilling comment — for any politician to make during what was a largely good-tempered debate about Scotland’s future. But it underlined the danger of resorting to abuse and personal attacks when people raise genuine concerns. In a healthy, thriving democracy, people must be free to speak out without fear or favour. So I have a suggestion for Ed Miliband and Labour. When you run a major retail business, as I have done, and a lot of your time is spent in boardrooms and meetings, it’s a good idea every now and again to ‘walk the floor’ — to get down onto the shop floor, get to know your staff, speak to customers and generally find out what is happening in the real world. Miliband and his team should try doing the same. They should ‘walk the floor’ in Britain’s businesses to experience the reality they face: earning a living, keeping overheads down, paying the wages each month. If they did, they would see that most firms, large or small, are made up not of greedy tycoons, but of men and women who work incredibly hard, who often commute long hours and who pay their taxes — like the 70,000 people who work for Boots. This is the real face of British business. They aren’t the enemy. They are the backbone of our economy — and they deserve the support and respect of our politicians. | Labour's attack on major British business smacked of destructive mood . Boots boss Stefano Pessina had voiced fears about a Labour government . He had a right to speak out as affairs in Westminster affects his employees . But Labour reacted furiously, reflecting the party's anti-business policies . Labour has mooted National Insurance rise and a hike in corporation tax . Their ill-advised energy price freeze policy threatened investment into UK . Miliband needs to realise businesses are made up on hardworking Britons . | ad3627568cf19987d01736d7aa45729649db88f9 |
(CNN) -- Early each morning, millions of farmers around the world rise to toil in their fields. By night, gangs of mobsters scheme and legions of poker players shuffle up and deal. Sure, none of it's real. But the overwhelming popularity of so-called social gaming -- simple games that let people play with their friends on networking sites such as Facebook -- is changing the face of video games, experts say. And as the maker of popular titles like FarmVille and Mafia Wars, San Francisco, California-based Zynga has ridden the games' skyrocketing popularity to the top of that emerging market. For Zynga founder Mark Pincus, the formula for gaming success on Facebook, MySpace and other sites was as simple as it might seem counterintuitive: create simple games that people like but can easily set aside. "We built the games so they could be played in a tab on your browser while you're on a conference call," said Pincus, a veteran Web entrepreneur who created Zynga in 2007. Of course, they've been helped by the massive growth of Facebook, where the games are so popular they've spawned "fan" pages devoted to complaining about having to watch friends play them. Facebook, with its 400 million users, is where the vast majority of people play FarmVille and Mafia Wars along with other Zynga titles like FishVille, Vampires, Café World, YoVille and Zynga Poker. In all, more than 65 million people play Zynga games every day, according to media tracking company Developer Analytics. Zynga's top title, FarmVille, is played by an estimated 75 million people each month -- roughly equal to the number who have played the classic arcade and desktop game Tetris during its entire existence. The massive growth was satisfying but not altogether surprising to Pincus, whose previous startups had included Freeloader, a Web-based information-gathering service; tech-support company SupportSoft; and Tribe.net, an early social networking site from 2003. He said that starting the game company, which he named after his late English bulldog, was an effort to fill what he considered a surprising void in most people's daily Internet use. "I thought in 2007 that something had gone oddly wrong with the whole Internet experience," Pincus said. "I would have thought games would have been one of the top two or three experiences people had on the Internet." What Pincus got right, according to gaming expert Scott Steinberg, was a sort of return to the "golden era" of games like Pac-man and Super Mario Bros. "Video games actually appealed to a huge cross-section. They appealed to everybody," said Steinberg, publisher of DigitalTrends.com. "What happened is, as we went through the mid-'80s to the mid-2000s, you started to see gaming become more incestuous in terms of 18- to 34-year-old males making games for people just like them." By contrast, three of Zynga's top five games -- FarmVille, Café World and FishVille -- have mostly female players, with many players outside the traditional 18- to 34-year-old range. Those games all operate on the same basic premise. Starting with a simple farm, fish tank or restaurant, the player works to make it bigger and fancier, sharing items with friends and helping each other along the way. Some of Zynga's early titles simply mirrored existing board and card games. It was Mafia Wars -- in which players team up to whack other gangs -- that first exhibited what would become the hallmarks of social gaming: simple, single-player action that's enhanced by teamwork. With FarmVille, that formula would become complete. Players plant virtual crops that can be harvested hours, or days, later. Along the way, they invite online friends to become their neighbors and help each other by sending gifts or helping with the farming. There's no way to "win," but players take satisfaction in building big, fancy farms that they can showcase to their friends. "A farm is something that is internationally understood and known. It's cross-cultural, cross-gender, cross-age," Pincus said. "A great social game should be like a great cocktail party. If you want it to appeal to absolutely everyone you invite, it has to be broad in its content so that everyone gets it." Not that Zynga's success has come without criticism. With hundreds of smaller companies vying for a piece of the social gaming market, some rivals have accused Zynga of using its hefty venture capital to crowd out less-financed competitors. Many of its most popular games, including FarmVille, are similar to pre-existing games from smaller companies, a fact Pincus dismisses by noting that video games have always fallen into genres with similar titles from competing companies. Psycho Monkey LLC, the makers of Mob Wars, filed a lawsuit claiming that Mafia Wars ripped them off. Zynga settled that case in August, said a spokeswoman for the company. Zynga also was hit with complaints and lawsuits over its original business model, which let players earn in-game rewards for things like signing up for a credit card or video-rental membership. Critics said some of the offers amounted to scams, leading players to download unwanted software or unwittingly sign up for memberships that appeared stealthily on their phone bills. Pincus has acknowledged not being vigilant enough with the automated ads that appeared on Zynga games during the company's early days. "We were playing whack-a-mole," Pincus said. "Every time we found one of these or got a complaint, we would take them down. Eventually ... we realized we had to take a much more aggressive stance than a normal Web site." In November, Zynga removed all "lead-generating" ads, relying for revenue instead on the roughly 1 to 3 percent of the player base that pays for in-game items, such as a barn in FarmVille. It has since been putting the advertisements back in, with a new system that lets it more closely monitor what kind of ads show up, Pincus said. "We'll see where this goes for the entire industry," Pincus said. "It was really important to us to maintain a trusted position with our users. We wanted to do the right thing, and I think we did." Pincus offers a ray of hope for another vocal group of critics: the social-media users who say they're tired of seeing all of their friends' updates about Zynga and other social games. On Facebook, a group called "I dont care about your farm, or your fish, or your park, or your mafia!!!" had more than 5.2 million members recently. "Please. No more of this stuff," wrote one member. "I've had all I can take. About to hang up FACEBOOK. Just want a nice cozy place to talk with my friends!" Pincus said he hopes that messages from games can eventually be targeted to a more select audience. "We have to evolve," Pincus said "I think it's heading to a place that's more narrow-casting. I think you'll get to a place where Facebook will be better about showing feeds to people who have a registered interest in them." For example, he said, there might eventually be a way to send game notifications only to people who play social games themselves. "It's not just games. It's going to be true for music, for pictures, for status updates," Pincus said. "I think, over time, these networks are going to start to shape more to ... your [registered interests]." Meanwhile, Zynga will be among the developers continuing to change how people look at video gaming. It's a change that Steinberg, the gaming guru, says will be for the better. While heavyweights like Electronic Arts and the popular Civilization series are making inroads into social gaming, Steinberg said, the genre is also opening up opportunities for smaller developers. "We're seeing, in many ways, a second renaissance for games," Steinberg said. "There's been an epiphany among the developer community saying, 'Look at these millions of users that we've forgotten to speak to for years.' This can only be a good thing for the gaming industry in the end." | Zynga games like FarmVille, Mafia Wars are played by millions every day on Facebook . Expert says social gaming succeeds by appealing to women, other non-traditional gamers . Zynga founder says key to success was games that can be played during conference call . Backlash leads to FB group of 5 million saying they're tired of seeing games . | e4407bbedabb72aaae7a8b63f01309de6a27ba54 |
A student has been told he can keep a £3,600 haul of goods from Amazon including a television and tablet computer after he was sent them because of a computer glitch. Christmas came early for Robert Quinn, 22, when he started receiving parcels which appeared to have been destined to be returned to the online retailer, only to arrive at his family home in Bromley, south London. In total 51 packages addressed to Mr Quinn have been sent to his parents' house ranging from a £150 baby buggy to a £50 portable heater - and they keep coming. Christmas comes early! Student Robert Quinn with the thousands of pounds worth of goods he received . Haul: Student Robert Quinn (left) has been told he can keep a £3,600 stash of goods from Amazon (right) including a leaf blower, a single bed and a Sony PSP after he was sent them because of a computer glitch . The packages started arriving a week ago, and the most recent arrivals yesterday included a £165 computer processor. He also received a book on neurological physiotherapy, a pirate outfit and an £18.98 Lego fire truck, as well as the £889 55-inch Samsung 3D television and the 12 inch Galaxy Pro, which retails on the site for £338. Other parcels contained larger items such as a single bed, a bookcase and a chest of drawers. And there has been a £120 laptop, a baby buggy, a Sony PSP console, a £90 Waterman pen, a £170 electric wine cooler, a Lotus car user manual, CDs, DVDs and books. Mr Quinn, 22, who is currently away at the University of Liverpool where he studies engineering, believes a computer glitch meant the goods were sent to him, instead of a returns depot as the items had been packaged up with returns labels. His haul remains at his family home but sensibly, he took the pen back to Liverpool for his studies. He said: 'At first I phoned up Amazon and they said that people must be "gifting" them to me, but there’s no way that’s happening because I don’t know any of these people. 'I was worried that people were losing out on their stuff so I phone Amazon again and said I’m happy to accept these gifts if they are footing the cost, but I’m not happy if these people are going to lose out. But Amazon said "it’s on us". 'I don’t think they’ve rectified the problem because I’m still getting more stuff.' Some of the gifts he plans to give as presents to his family, but may sell the £340 tablet despite his father having a keen eye on it. 'My brother wants the Dolce and Gabbana aftershave and my dad wants the Galaxy tablet,' he said. 'My brother can get the aftershave but I’m not sure my dad can have that tablet for free. 'My mum wants the leaf blower, she can have that. The rest I might sell back on Amazon.' The keen inventor is planning to give some of the items away to charity and sell the rest to fund an 'innovative' new cannabis grinder he is designing. He said: 'I should have about £1,600 to play with this summer and I might take my girlfriend to Bruges. 'And at the moment I’m working on an electrical cannabis grinder. I’m thinking about getting a patent on it.' Lucky: The goods include a 55-inch Samsung television, similar to this model, and a tablet computer . Christmas comes early: The parcels were sent to Mr Quinn's family home, and included a Samsung tablet computer, similar to the one pictured . A spokesman for Amazon told MailOnline: 'This matter has now been resolved and I can confirm that on this occasion the customer has been informed that he can keep the items that were delivered.' Amazon.co.uk, and many of the sellers who run their businesses through the website, offer returns for most items within 30 days of receipt of delivery, although this has been extended for the Christmas period. Many buyers are given a label to print and fix to their item before posting it back to the retailer. Last week the retailer experienced a record-breaking Black Friday when it sold 5.5million items at a rate of 64 purchases a second. It has also hired 13,000 extra staff to deal with pre-Christmas demand. Good business: Last week Amazon experienced a record-breaking Black Friday when it sold 5.5million items at a rate of 64 purchases a second. Pictured are workers at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Cambridgeshire . | Robert Quinn, 22, was sent 51 packages at his family home in Bromley . Included in the haul was a £889 Samsung TV and a Galaxy tablet . He also received a pirate costume, bed, bookcase and chest of drawers . Student plans to sell the electrical items and give other goods to charity . The profit will fund trip to Bruges and a cannabis grinder he is designing . Mr Quinn believes a computer glitch led returns to arrive at his house . Amazon says matter has been resolved and Mr Quinn can keep the items . | f34218b22dbc9c5b6ab0b223ec5f6d0138ca25cb |
By . Laura Williamson . Follow @@laura_mail . Jose Mourinho has invited Frank Lampard to return to Chelsea as his assistant manager after admitting that letting the midfielder go was one of the most difficult acts of his career. The Chelsea boss praised Lampard in the highest terms, saying he was the best all-round midfield player of the past decade. He also insisted the 35-year-old’s move away from Stamford Bridge this summer is merely a ‘little break’, not the end of his career there. Mourinho hinted that Ashley Cole’s time at the club may not be over, revealing he has yet to talk to the left back about his future. Job for life: Frank Lampard can return to Chelsea any time he wants, says Jose Mourinho . Top dog: Mourinho also described Lampard as the most complete all-round midfielder of the past decade . Cole, 33, is also out of contract but . no official announcement has been made following the player’s comment on . Twitter last month that he was ‘weighing up his options’ and ‘sadly it . does not look like Chelsea will be one of them’. Lampard, . meanwhile, is considering a move to Major League Soccer in the States . after leaving as Chelsea’s all-time record goal-scorer with 11 major . honours, including three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the . Champions League and Europa League. Mourinho . said: ‘You can’t imagine how difficult it was. I think only Frank knows . that, but at the same time I can feel some happiness about the process . because, for sure, he comes back to Chelsea. ‘For . sure. Everybody wants it. Mr Abramovich — the No 1, the most important . person — wants Frank to be back very much, I want him to be back and the . staff want him back, so he comes back for sure. ‘He . can come back the way he wants. Mr Abramovich has left the door . completely open for him on the understanding Frank can do anything he . wants at this club. To repeat Mr Abramovich’s words, “He can come back . the way he wants”. ‘He can . be a coach, he can start at the academy, he can start being my assistant . at the same time because he is doing his coaching badges, or he can . start in a different role. ‘It’s not the end of Frank Lampard’s career in Chelsea. It’s just a little break. ‘He will be back, hopefully for many, many years, because he’s one of the most important players in the history of Chelsea.’ New boy: Chelsea are believed to have a deal lined up to sign Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas . Fresh start: Lampard is expected to sign for MLS side New York City after the World Cup is over . Lampard’s . former manager acknowledged the midfielder’s determination to continue . playing for two or three more years, but said a footballer of his . calibre needs to compete in a league where he is the ‘top man’. Lampard . completed only 11 Barclays Premier League matches last season and . Mourinho revealed he had advised him to give up international football . after this World Cup, having already won 104 caps. ‘The . World Cup is the perfect way for somebody with more than 100 caps to . finish his career in the national team,’ said Mourinho. ‘I told him, . “Don’t go more than the World Cup. The World Cup is the right moment to . finish”. He accepts that. To finish around 110 caps is a crazy number . for an outfield player. He’s not a goalkeeper that plays till 40 years . of age. ‘He’s a man to play . a major role in a team, not like what happened in the last year. I . think for him, for his mentality, for his personality, it’s better to . get a club and probably a competition where he is really the top man. ‘Lampard is a No 6, a No 10 and he wears the No 8, because he is the six and the 10 and he becomes the eight. ‘For . me, he is the best No 8 I have managed, for sure, and I don’t see a . better No 8 in the last decade. He was the best for 10 years. I don’t . see another one.’ Thumbs up: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich would welcome Lampard back to Chelsea with open arms . Cole . retired from international football after being left out of Roy . Hodgson’s squad for Brazil, but Mourinho said the defender was still in . the ‘perfect condition’. The . left back started only five Premier League matches in 2014 after losing . his place to Cesar Azpilicueta following a rib injury last autumn, but . Mourinho said he pushed Cole towards the end of the campaign in the hope . he would be selected for the World Cup. Jose Mourinho is an exclusive analyst for Yahoo’s worldwide football coverage at www.yahoo.co.uk/worldcup . Not over yet: Mourinho has also hinted that Ashley Cole could still have a future with Chelsea . In demand: Cole is believed to be weighing up his options amid a lot of interest in his signature . | Jose Mourinho says letting Frank Lampard go was hardest act of his career . Chelsea boss claims Lampard was best all-round midfielder of last decade . Owner Roman Abramovich says Lampard can return however he wants . Mourinho also hints that Ashley Cole still has a future at Stamford Bridge . | 251c87b71272bb93b7a840e42fed77d8bff071b2 |
Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN)The Indonesian military said Tuesday that it was stopping its efforts to recover the remains of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 almost a month after the commercial jet crashed into the sea. Indonesia's search and rescue agency, Basarnas, will continue its work to try to retrieve bodies from the wreckage site in the Java Sea, the head of the agency, Bambang Soelistyo, said Wednesday. The military provided the majority of personnel and hardware involved in the recovery operation, which was hindered by bad weather and technical problems. "We are really disappointed," Imam Sampurno, whose four family members who were on the plane still haven't been found, said of the military's announcement. "We really hope the evacuation process is still going." Basarnas said it would have 60 divers, eight salvage experts, seven boats, two helicopters and a fixed-wing plane taking part in the continued search efforts, which will resume Saturday after the teams take a rest. Flight QZ8501 went down on December 28 as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya toward Singapore with 162 people on board. So far, searchers have managed to recover 70 bodies from the sea, leaving 92 still unaccounted for. Over the weekend, navy divers tried to lift part of the fuselage of the plane using wire ropes and giant balloons. But the attempts failed after lines attached to the wreckage broke. An effort to lift a smaller piece of wreckage was also unsuccessful, the military said. "Our main priority is to find the bodies. We are not going to focus on lifting the fuselage," Soelistyo said Wednesday about the future search plans. The chief of the Indonesian armed forces, Gen. Moeldoko, on Tuesday ordered the military teams involved in the operation to pull out, said military spokesman Manahan Simorangkir. Officials said that 19 of the 81 navy divers working on the recovery efforts had fallen ill with decompression sickness and would be taken for treatment at a hospital in Jakarta, the capital. "I told them safety first. But as we know, soldiers, they are always working hard to find the bodies," said Rear Adm. Widodo, commander of the Indonesian Navy's western fleet. "They are not thinking about safety but about doing their duty." The divers haven't been able to see any more bodies inside the wreckage of the fuselage, Widodo said. Officials had previously suggested that many of the missing human remains might be found inside the fuselage. But Widodo said some bodies could be trapped or hidden under wreckage on the seafloor. Searchers have recovered at least 14 bodies from the fuselage site, including some that floated free during attempts to lift the wreckage, according to officials. Indonesian aviation investigators are still trying to establish why Flight QZ8501 went down in an area of heavy thunderstorms last month while other planes nearby completed their journeys safely. Investigators are looking at whether the aircraft's flight augmentation computers (FACs) played a role in what went wrong, the news agency Reuters reported Tuesday, citing two unidentified people familiar with the matter. The FAC helps pilots with the stability and control of the aircraft, keeping it on course at the proper altitude and making sure adjustments to the rudder are smooth. It also warns pilots if they try to manually push the plane beyond its capabilities. Flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200, had two FACs, one serving as a backup. Indonesian officials have said the aircraft climbed rapidly before it fell into the water. The reason for the sharp ascent is unclear, but aviation analysts say the FAC could have recognized trouble and, at a critical moment, automatically shifted full control back to the pilots who may not have realized it amid the crisis. Investigators have submitted their preliminary report into the crash, officials said Tuesday. But authorities have said they don't plan to release it to the public. Indonesian Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan told CNN on Monday that the final report into the disaster should be published in less than a year. "It won't be a year, that's my promise," he said. CNN's Pamela Boykoff reported from Jakarta, and Jethro Mullen wrote from Hong Kong. CNN's Saima Mohsin and Tom Foreman, and journalists Masrur Jamaluddin and Rudy Madanir contributed to this report. | Indonesia's search agency says it will have 60 divers and 7 boats . The military chief orders his teams to pull out of the wreckage area . Investigators are reportedly looking at whether on-board computers played role in crash . | 315186b16891c90c65d00b6b2f42bd010fd0aec6 |
The famous 'Naked Gardeners' who created their very own Garden of Eden around a country manor are selling up after 'Eve' filed for divorce on the grounds her husband is a 'womanising alcoholic', it was revealed today. Barbara Pollard walked out on husband Ian after five years of marriage, leading to fears the beautiful garden they created together in Malmesbury, Wiltshire could be closed to the public and become overgrown. Mrs Pollard first suggested a divorce just a few months after she was married to Mr Pollard, he claimed today, but the couple made a go of things until she moved out three months ago and accused him of being a 'womanising alcoholic' in divorce papers. Naked gardeners Ian and Barbara Pollard found fame after taking over Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury, Wiltshire and transforming the manor's gardens to attract visitors . But the couple are now selling the estate following Mrs Pollard's decision to file for divorce after five years of marriage and 20 years living at the property together . The couple met when she went to work . at his Wiltshire-based property development company 30 years ago, after . his first wife declared their marriage was over. They . bought picturesque Abbey House from a group of nuns in 1994 and spent . four years transforming the home and gardens, before opening the grounds . to the public. They got . married five years ago after Mr Pollard was told he might not survive an . operation to replace a defective aortic valve in his heart. He pulled through but said his new wife . soon spoke of divorce and has now accused him of being a womaniser who . drinks too much, claims he denies. The couple rose to fame in the 1990s when TV programmes were made about the thousands of nudist visitors who flocked to their manor and its beautiful gardens . The couple wrap up in fur while showing off their book - The Naked Gardeners . Speaking today, Mr Pollard said: 'Eleven weeks after we got married Barbara suggested that maybe it would be a good idea if we had a controlled separation and divorce - that was the first suggestion for it. I don't know what brought that thing on.' He said Mrs Pollard soon moved into another area of the house but the marriage continued until last July when she attended a course at Glastonbury on 'family healing'. He added: 'After coming back she walked out on me, the three kids - who are 18, 22, and 27 - and her own mother, who is 89 and lives in a flat upstairs.' According to Mr Pollard, his wife filed for divorce three months ago, but then moved back to the 12-bedroom property ten days ago when the lease on her rented home ran out. When asked the reason for the split, . he said: 'I'm a womanising alcoholic [according to divorce papers]. To . all parties concerned it is "where the hell did she dream that one up". 'To . call me a womaniser is ludicrous. Also an alcoholic - I like drinking . like 80 or 90 per cent of the country. Her idea is that you shouldn't . drink at all, you should abstain from alcohol completely. 'She also said I left the marital bed, but she was the one that moved.' Mr . Pollard said he did not want to sell the home, but could not afford to . buy out her share of the property, which is expected to go for 'quite a . lot' in the coming weeks. Mr Pollard says he feels bound to explain the reasons behind the sale as it will affect the local economy in Malmesbury, Wilstshire . Mr Pollard says his estate has seen visitor numbers soar to the are off the back of the garden's popularity . In a statement, Mrs Pollard said: 'All I can say is that Ian and I are very different people but with common interests. We have brought different skills to the development of Abbey House and its gardens, which it has been a privilege to participate in. 'However I am not getting any younger, I will not last forever and I believe it is time to let someone else create a new chapter here. I wish to continue my interest in gardening, approach it in a different way and grow food among the flowers.' Abbey House Gardens has attracted nearly half a million visitors since it opened its doors in 1998. The building - parts of which date back to Saxon times - became a home for the couple and their three children and made them one of Britain's most famous nudist couples. The couple's fame grew when they later unearthed the skeleton of a 12th century monk in the tulip beds. But . after just five years of marriage, Mrs Pollard recently left and the . home and gardens are now set to go on the market in the coming weeks. The . pending sale is likely to spell the end of the road for the medieval . town's naked tourists and locals fear the treasured garden could be shut . to the public. Mr Pollard . added: 'As well as the personal issues, there is an added impact on the . gardens and the town, so I believe people deserve an explanation. 'We have 20 people here who are either employed or volunteer, and Abbey House Gardens are a big draw for the town. Locals now fear the lovingly looked-after gardens may be closed off to the public or allowed to go back to their former overgrown state . The beautiful tulip borders to the some of the garden's lawns are among the many wonderful features which have attracted so many visitors . 'The house and the gardens will be going on the market in the next few weeks but we have agreed that any sale will not impact on this season, so we will stay open until October as usual. 'But there will obviously be no guarantee that whoever buys Abbey House will want to keep it open. 'We are constantly described by visitors as being much better than Hidcote or Highgrove or Sittinghurst, and some describe us as one of the best gardens in the world. 'It would be lovely if they did see that they could open up the gardens to the public and get an income which covers the expenses of keeping the garden, but who knows?' Malmesbury's mayor Sue Poole appealed for any prospective buyer to keep the gardens open. 'Abbey House Gardens are very important to the town and has brought in a lot of people to Malmesbury. It has put the town on the map,' she said. 'People come to the tourist information centre and the town hall and ask 'where are the Naked Gardeners' and it will be a very sad loss to Malmesbury.' | Ian and Barbara Pollard took over Abbey House Gardens in Wiltshire . Couple then transformed the Malmesbury estate into a nudist attraction . Couple's dream is set to come to an end after Mrs Pollard filed for divorce . Mr Pollard says he will be forced to sell the property, prompting fears the gardens may be shut . | 4ab6f3d113b97f5a60d7f4ed8fe162ce63e07b9a |
Iraq has urged the United Nations to investigate Islamic State terrorists' bloody trade in human organs after the Iraqi ambassador said doctors are being executed for not harvesting body parts. Mohamed Alhakim claimed that dozens of bodies with surgical incisions and missing body parts have been found in shallow mass graves near ISIS stronghold Mosul over the past few weeks. ISIS' horrifying trade in human organs, which was revealed by MailOnline last December, is just the latest way for the terrorist organisation to finance its activities, with other major sources of the group's $2 million-a-day income being the sale of oil, ransom payments, and smuggled antiques. Lucrative: ISIS has set up a specialist organ-smuggling division whose sole responsibility is to sell human hearts, livers and kidneys on the lucrative international black market . Speaking of ISIS' organ harvesting operations, Mr Alhakim said: 'We have bodies. Come and examine them. It is clear they are missing certain parts.' He also said a dozen doctors have been 'executed' in Mosul for refusing to participate in organ harvesting. Mr Alhakim briefed the UN Security Council on the overall situation in Iraq and accused ISIS of 'crimes of genocide' in targeting certain ethnic groups. The outgoing UN envoy to Iraq, Nikolay Mladenov, also told the council that last month alone, 790 people were killed by terrorism and armed conflict in the country. He also noted the increasing number of reports and allegations that IS is using organ harvesting as a financing method, but he said only that 'it's very clear that the tactics ISIL is using expand by the day'. He used an acronym for the group. Making them rich: Mohamed Alhakim claimed that dozens of bodies with surgical incisions and missing body parts have been found in shallow mass graves near ISIS stronghold Mosul (pictured) over the past few weeks . Mr Mladenov said Iraq's most pressing goal is to win back the vast territory that ISIS has seized over the past year. The Sunni militants currently controls around a third of both Iraq and neighbouring Syria and imposed its strict interpretation of Sharia law in its self-declared caliphate - subjecting a population of around four million people to a brutal campaign of rape and massacre. 'Especially worrying is the increasing number of reports of revenge attacks committed particularly against members of the Sunni community in areas liberated from ISIL control,' Mr Mladenov said, using an alternative acronym for the group known as ISIS in the West and Daesh in Arab nations. The shocking news of ISIS trade in human organs was first revealed in a report by al-Monitor news website in December, citing an Iraqi ear, nose and throat doctor named Siruwan al-Mosuli. He told the site that ISIS commanders hired foreign doctors to run an extensive organ trafficking system from a hospital in Mosul that is already beginning to generate huge profits. Militants: Each of the letters is signed with a purple stamp, indicating the province from which it was sent. They are understood to have been handed to ISIS' network of messengers and fighters . The al-Monitor report also claims the terror organisation has even set up a specialist organ-smuggling division whose sole responsibility is to sell human hearts, livers and kidneys on the lucrative international black market. '[Al-Mosuli] said that lately he noticed unusual movement within medical facilities in Mosul Arab and foreign surgeons were hired, but prohibited from mixing with local doctors,' the report's author wrote. 'Information then leaked about organ selling.' The report went on: 'Surgeries take place within a hospital and organs are quickly transported through networks specialized in trafficking human organs. Mosuli said that the organs come from fallen fighters who were quickly transported to the hospital, injured people who were abandoned or individuals who were kidnapped.' Most of the organs are then smuggled out of Syria and Iraq into neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia or Turkey where criminal gangs sell them on to shady buyers across the globe, the Assyrian International News Agency reported. While organ harvesting may be the most shocking of IS' revenue streams, the report highlights a string of others that contribute to the group's $2million annual income. Security: ISIS' horrifying trade in human organs, which was revealed by MailOnline last December, is just the latest way for the terrorist organisation to finance its activities, with other major sources of the group's $2 million-a-day income being the sale of oil, ransom payments, and smuggled antiques . Intelligence chiefs are investigating claims the Islamic State jihadi who led the executions of 21 Egyptians was an American recruit. The militant, who spoke English with a U.S. accent, appeared in a horrific video on Sunday showing the beheadings of a group of Coptic Christians on a beach in Libya. Brandishing a knife, he declares: 'All crusaders... the sea you have hidden Sheikh Osama bin Laden's body in, we swear to Allah we will mix it with your blood.' The men are then forced to lie face-down before they are beheaded simultaneously. U.S. officials are understood to be analysing the militant's facial features and speech patterns as has been done in the hunt for the British executioner known as Jihadi John, who has appeared in a number of beheading videos in Syria. Professor Erik Thomas, a linguistics expert at North Carolina State University, believes he 'sounds like an American' with some Arabic influence, based on some of word pronunciations. One tactic is smuggling families and individuals into other countries. The report highlights one instance when a family paid ISIS over $8,000 per individual to sneak them into Turkey. Drug smuggling is another. Al Monitor's report claims that IS traffics Afghan heroin into Europe from the city of Nineveh, which the Russian Federal Drug Control Service (RFDCS) says is generating 'significant revenues.' Its drug business has become so successful in recent months that the RFDCS claims that IS now supplies half of Europe's entire heroin market. Yesterday it was revealed that militants fighting for ISIS in Syria are making millions of pounds selling ancient statues and mosaics to wealthy Westerners using a complex system of smugglers and middle men. Looted from ancient buildings in ISIS strongholds, such as the group's de facto capital city Raqqa, the antiquities are up to 10,000-years-old and can exchange hands for more than $1 million each. The most expensive items are covertly smuggled overseas - usually on the orders of wealthy Europeans - but there is also a lucrative trade in less historically important objects, which often find their way into tourist shops and markets in neighbouring Lebanon and Turkey. The trade in antiquities is one of ISIS' primary sources of funding, along with oil and ransom payments, and is estimated to fills the terrorists coffers with tens of millions of pounds every year. The finer points of ISIS trade in antiquities was uncovered in an investigation by the BBC. It revealed that ISIS militants charge smugglers 20 per cent on the sale of ancient items found or looted in territory under its control. If the smugglers decide not to buy the items, they are promptly smashed to pieces as examples of idolatry, regardless of their historic significance. | Iraqi ambassador says corpses are being found with missing body parts . Victims have been found in mass graves close to ISIS stronghold Mosul . Mohamed Alhakim says doctors are killed if they refuse to harvest organs . Horrifying trade in human organs is boosting ISIS' $2 million-a-day income . | 34c8d9f58cba687ccd3c0a7e283d7f8c4500ca2f |
Manchester United have completed the signing of Salford City trialist and ex-Manchester City teenager Sadiq El Fitouri. Sportsmail revealed last week how the 20-year-old right back, who only joined Salford in December, had impressed United staff during a game between United's Under 21s and first-team fringe players. Adnan Januzaj, Darren Fletcher and Victor Valdes were among the stars to feature in that match, with El Fitouri standing out. Sadiq El Fitouri has earned himself an 18-month deal after impressing during his week trial with United . The former Manchester City youngster has joined Manchester United . El Fitouri in action for Salford City in his only game for the club - a 2-1 win against Kendall Town on January 3 . Neville (second left) and Scholes (second right) watch on from the touchline at a Salford game . He has continued to impress in training, so much so the Red Devils have offered an 18-month deal. El Fitouri is understood to have been initially recommended to United by Salford City joint owners Paul Scholes and Phil Neville, after the duo gave him his debut for the Evo Stick Northern Premier League side in a 2-1 win against Kendall Town on January 3. Gary Neville, also a co-owner at Salford, hailed brother Phil and Scholes on Twitter for giving the youngster the opportunity to showcase his talent when he made his Salford debut a little over three weeks ago. He said: 'Incredible story on @salfordcityfc on Sadiq El Fitouri. Well done to Phil and Scholesy for showing belief in a lad who was out of the game!' On the move a delighted El Fitouri told www.manutd.com: 'This is honestly a dream come true for me and I have to thank Salford City for the chance, as well as the faith they have shown in me. Paul Scholes (left) and Phil Neville (middle) are understood to have recommended El Fitouri to United . Former City youngster (far right) El Fitouri takes part in a Community schools event during his time at the club . El Fitouri will link up with Warren Joyce's Under-21 side set-up after completing a move to United . 'I am really looking forward to what happens next and to be given the opportunity to do so at Manchester United is unbelievable.' It caps a remarkable turnaround for the youngster, who apparently fell out of love with the game when his chances of breaking through into the professional game looked unlikely. Although he won't necessarily jump straight into Louis van Gaal's first-team squad, El Fitouri will help boost numbers and quality in Warren Joyce's Under-21 set-up. The Libya-born defender has connections in the game, with his brother Hamam on the books at fellow Premier League outfit Burnley. United boss Louis van Gaal has bloodied various youngsters into the United team this season and El Fitouri could be another one in the near future . Hamam El Fitouri, brother of Sadiq, in action for Burnley against Nottingham Forest in a youth match . | Sadiq El Fitouri has penned an 18-month deal at Old Trafford . The 20-year-old impressed staff at the club during a match between United's Under 21 side and first-team fringe players . El Fitouri used to be on the books at rivals Manchester City as a teenager . Phil Neville and Paul Scholes handed El Fitouri his debut for Salford earlier this month against Kendall Town . | d7966c6c7612f86a41eea2f30ed026b6b54040ed |
(CNN) -- International soccer star Lionel Messi has paid €10 million ($13 million) in taxes to cover the tax period 2010-2011, prosecutors in Barcelona, Spain, told CNN Tuesday, but efforts to prosecute him for alleged tax fraud from 2007 to 2009 are still going ahead. Messi's payment does not affect the existing investigation into the alleged tax fraud, said Jose Miguel Compan, a spokesman for the Barcelona prosecutor's office. Messi's lawyer, Cristobal Martell, is not taking any calls from journalists, his office said Tuesday. Compan said Messi's lawyers had not approached prosecutors about making a deal to settle the earlier tax claim. Any deal would have to involve Messi admitting guilt, paying the amount he owes, and a fine of two to six times as much as the outstanding amount. That could total €12 million ($15.7 million) to €28 million ($36.7 million). Messi and his father, who is also a target of the investigation, are due to appear in court on September 17. The four-time world player of the year and his father Jorge Horacio Messi are suspected of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of more than $5 million between 2006 and 2009. They deny the charges. The 26-year-old is was listed as the 10th highest-paid athletes in the world by business magazine Forbes with earnings of $41 million. Messi took to his Facebook website page to deny the charges earlier this month. "We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities," read the statement in Spanish and English. "We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement. "We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants, who will take care of clarifying this situation." | Lionel Messi has paid $13 million in taxes for period 2010-2011 . Barcelona star still being prosecuted for alleged tax fraud between 2007-2009 . Messi's lawyer refusing to take phone calls from journalists Tuesday . Football star could face final bill of $36.7 million . | 5d1888801758f85e34ffef2c89d8cb187aaf146e |
Plans are underway to make the biggest heavyweight fight on British soil since Frank Bruno fought Lennox Lewis, with Anthony Joshua’s camp hopeful of delivering a domestic blockbuster against Tyson Fury next summer. Much will depend on whether Wladimir Klitschko honours Fury’s status as mandatory challenger for his WBO title. But with Fury admitting significant doubts that the Ukrainian great will meet him next summer, Sportsmail has been told Joshua’s team are now actively considering the possibility of a fight that would pose an enormous challenge in what has so far been a devastating surge through the professional ranks. Anthony Joshua (left) is hoping to take on Tyson Fury in summer 2015 in what will be his biggest test yet . Fury (right) demolished Dereck Chisora (left) at the weekend and has his sights set on world titles . Joshua v Fury would be an all-English blockbuster with both unbeaten in 10 and 23 fights respectively . Age: 25 (Watford) Fights: 10 Wins: 10 . Losses: 0 KOs: 10 . Age: 26 (Manchester) Fights: 23 Wins: 23 . Losses: 0 KOs: 17 . Whatever reservations there might have been over Joshua’s readiness for a dangerous opponent such as Fury seem to have all but disappeared, with both men extending their unbeaten records to 10 and 23 fights respectively in the past fortnight. Joshua, 25, will on Wednesday hold a press conference to discuss his January 31 fight with America’s Kevin Johnson at London’s 02 Arena – a bout first revealed by Sportsmail in October. A huge match-up with one of the most divisive figures in the sport would then possibly take place at the O2 in London, with each man certain to land the biggest paydays of their careers to date. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, wrote in his MailOnline column: ‘Tyson Fury is on the horizon for next summer. 'We are moving towards the inevitable, which is a fight with Fury and the other top domestic fighters. It's going to be great times for British boxing. 'I watched the main event from the show at the ExCel at the weekend and I have to say Fury-Dereck Chisora (which Fury won when Chisora retired at the end of the 10th) was one of the dullest heavyweight fights I have seen. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn says a Fury bout for the young heavyweight is inevitable . 'Fury is a great character and a quality fighter but do you really see him coping with Anthony’s power, speed and work rate? Do you not think Anthony would have blasted Chisora out of there far earlier? 'People ask if AJ is ready to fight Fury but, to be honest, is Fury ready to fight AJ? I believe this is a fight that will bring both men to new levels in terms of financial rewards. It's a numbers game and these numbers add up.' Klitschko remains a significant obstacle to the fight, with the 38-year-old expected to defend his WBO, WBA and IBF belts in March. He would then have four months to fight Fury, 26, whose convincing yet unspectacular dismantling on Chisora made him the mandatory challenger for the WBO strap. Fury is convinced Klistchko will sidestep him before retiring, saying: ‘I believe he’s got one or two more fights. I don’t believe he’s going to fight me. ‘He will fight some American and he will probably try to get the unification fight with (WBC champion) Bermane Stiverne. ‘He will probably beat Stiverne and then retire as a great, great champion. If he does that, good luck to him. If he doesn’t, I’m here. Fury's win came after Chisora retired at the end of the 10th round at the Excel in London . Joshua (left) batters Michael Sprott at Liverpool's Echo Arena on his way to a first round win in November . ‘He’s made around 20 title defences - he’s ruled the division for a long time. It’s time for new blood in the division and that new blood is me.’ That much is open to debate, such has been Joshua’s rapid and dramatic rise since turning professional after winning gold in the London Olympics. Only one of Joshua’s 10 fights to date has reached the third round, with faded former European champion Michael Sprott demolished within two minutes in his last outing on November 22. Johnson will surely provide more of a test, having gone the distance with Vitali Klitschko, Fury and Chisora. There is then the possibility of a final fight before he steps in with Fury in what would be one of the most anticipated match-ups in British boxing’s recent history. Fury used his Twitter account in October to challenge Joshua to meet him in the ring, with the giant Mancunian desperate to fight more regularly after missing out on a £5million payday when David Haye pulled out of their scheduled fight last year. | Anthony Joshua's camp is hoping to make fight against Tyson Fury . Fury is mandatory challenger for Wladimir Klitschko's heavyweight titles . With question marks over that bout happening, Joshua hopes to step in . Joshua fights Kevin Johnson at London’s O2 Arena on January 31 . Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury: Plan underway for Battle of Britain . | fc33686d2cbc9c47662ec4c03a1c74e675ae0b0f |
Her side of the story: Maria Di Toro, now 31, has opened up for the first time about how she claims she was raped by Greg Kelly in 2011, though no charges were ever filed . The woman who accused a prominent New York news anchor of rape has spoken out for the first time after the alleged 2011 attack. Maria Di Toro accused Greg Kelly, who was known for his role as a local Fox News anchor and the son of the then-police commissioner Ray Kelly, of rape but the district attorney’s office refused to prosecute citing a lack of evidence. As soon as it became clear that charges were not going to be filed, her name was released publicly but an exclusive new interview with Buzzfeed that was published Monday marked the first time that she or her longtime boyfriend had ever spoken about the ordeal. ‘I was really scared into submission,' Ms Di Toro told Buzzfeed. ‘I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I realize that I didn’t do all that I could have done to stand up for myself… I was always like a puny little thing, but I always stood up for myself… And I didn’t this time. And it’s eaten away at my core every day.’ The alleged assault took place in early October 2011. According to Ms Di Toro, she met Kelly on the street and approached him to say that he looked better in person than he did on television. At this point in time, she was a 29-year-old paralegal and had been dating her then-48-year-old boyfriend for three years. When she happened to meet Kelly, who was also in a relationship, he asked for her number and they began a texting exchange that went from ‘casual, G-rated stuff’ to ‘casual, trusting, and consensually explicit’. At one point, they spoke by phone while she was at her law office about what their favorite sexual positions. They agreed to get drinks on Saturday October 8 at a bar in the South Street Seaport called Jeremy’s Ale House, and Kelly paid for the first round of drinks before she returned the favor with both the second and third rounds. She told the police, and more recently Buzzfeed, that after only two sips of the third drink, she became strongly impaired and she can only remember the rest of the afternoon in snippets. They walked back to her law office, and she remembered a flashback of being pushed up against a building and kissed by Kelly. Then she remembers being on the floor in her office and seeing him bare-chested on top of her. He allegedly told her to ‘get up, get up, get up’ at one point and she could not move. Accused: Greg Kelly is a co-anchor for Good Day New York on the local Fox affiliate and the district attorney chose to never charge him in the case. He maintained his innocence throughout . Backlash: The day after the district attorney announced that they would not be pressing charges, The New York Post- which is owned by the same company that owns the network where Kelly is a co-anchor- revealed her identity and put her on the front page . She also says that he was later sitting and looking at his phone as he asked her if she was on the pill- which she was not because her boyfriend, Francis Laros, had had a vasectomy. She spent the rest of the weekend refusing to talk to her relatives about what happened and feeling nauseous. She eventually told her boyfriend and her twin sister, and they both came to the conclusion that Kelly had raped her. On Monday, Kelly called her and talked to her about how drunk they had been on Saturday- after only two full drinks- and when he asked if she had a good time, she said she could not remember. He then filled in the details, allegedly reliving graphic details and telling specifics about their alleged sexual encounter. He concluded the call by asking if she wanted to ‘f*** again’ and she said that she ‘croaked out “Yeah, sure.”’ They never met in person again. She spoke to him again two days later and told her that her boyfriend had found out and that her life ‘had been turned upside down’. She aked him if there was any possibility she could be pregnant from their encounter and he reportedly said no, and when she asked if he had put something in her drink, he allegedly said that he did not like what she was implying. ‘I wasn’t accusing him of anything, but I couldn’t believe I got that drunk off only two drinks and couldn’t remember the whole evening, not even remember the hours later and how I got home,’ she wrote in an official statement to the district attorney. Video Source MyFoxNY.com . Connections: Kelly is also the son of Ray Kelly (right), who was the longtime New York Police Department commissioner at the time of the alleged October 2011 incident . Their conversation ended with Kelly reportedly saying that he would call her in a month ‘when things cooled down’ but that never happened- and tensions only continued to mount when she realized two weeks later that she was pregnant. Both she and her boyfriend had tried getting in touch with Kelly- with her boyfriend even saying something to his father, Ray Kelly, when he happened to pass him on the street just days after the alleged rape. Greg Kelly never responded to any of their texts or voicemails. Ms Di Toro sought council from nuns at a mission on the Upper East Side who agreed that she had been raped, and she determined that she would get an abortion, which a letter from a Manhattan doctor confirmed on November 12. It was not until January 24, 2012 that Ms Di Toro reported the incident to police, and considering three months had passed after the alleged rape, there was no tangible evidence that they could use against Kelly in any court of law, but she had known that from the beginning, citing knowledge gleaned from reports of other rapes and Law and Order: SVU. She explained to Buzzfeed that it took time for her to conceptualize the fact that she had been raped, not to mention the time that she needed to decide to come forward with the support of her boyfriend, who has stayed by her side throughout. ‘All I kept thinking for those three months is that if my niece came up to me and told me what happened to me happened to her, I would want to kill the man and make sure she got justice,’ she said. Support: Di Toro, who is now 31, has stayed with her boyfriend Francis Laros (right) who she was dating at the time that she went to meet up with Kelly . That was not the case for Ms Di Toro, however, as the chief of the district attorney’s sex crimes unit released a letter saying that no charges would be filed against Kelly because ‘the facts established during our investigation do not fit the definitions of sexual assault crimes under New York criminal law. Therefore, no criminal charges are appropriate’. ‘Because of that letter, the press was able to say, “Here’s physical proof that what she’s saying is a lie.” Because of that letter, the press got a free pass to tell me, along with the rest of the world, that what happened to me didn’t happen to me. Because of that stupid letter, they’re saying I was not raped,’ Ms Di Toro told Buzzfeed. Kelly’s station, Fox5, is owned by the same parent company as the New York Post which led the local coverage of the accusations, using quotes from unidentified colleagues who said that he was a nice guy who they could never imagine involved in such a situation. Two days after the letter from the district attorney’s office was released, the Post ran a picture of Di Toro wearing a large sunhat that they took from her Facebook account as the front page with the headline ‘Shady Lady’. ‘I thought that was one of the most personal things they could have ever done. They didn’t kill my mother or anything, but they came pretty damn close to it. It felt like being violated a second time, third time, fourth time,’ she said of the coverage. After taking a leave of absence following the initial onset of the investigation, Kelly returned to the morning news the day after the ‘Shady Lady’ cover and thanked his fans for staying by him after a ‘tough couple of weeks’. Kelly, now 45, remains one of the Good Day New York co-anchors. In a statement released after the district attorney’s letter, he said he was ‘thankful that the investigation established what I’ve known all along, that I am innocent of the allegations that were waged against me. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family and friends whose support for me never wavered.’ | Maria Di Toro accused Fox News Good Day New York co-anchor Greg Kelly of rape in October 2011 . Kelly, who is the son of the former NYPD commissioner, was never charged with any crimes after she reported the alleged rape three months later . She claimed that she met up with Kelly for two drinks and suddenly could no longer remember anything but flashbacks of an alleged rape . Found out she was pregnant two weeks later and had an abortion . Was attacked in local media coverage- much of which was published by The New York Post, which is owned by Kelly's employer, Fox News . She has spoken out for the first time in an interview with Buzzfeed . | 4fd281ad25b6a9bfae25ddd2e01bf8a8ef50c3d7 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:59 EST, 4 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:24 EST, 4 July 2013 . He may be the one of the most famous businessmen on the planet with a Hollywood film based on his life, but a family of foxes have overtaken Mark Zuckerberg as the biggest celebrities at Facebook's headquarters. The cute quintet have taken up residence at Menlo Park, near San Jose, California, and they have now become the unofficial mascots of the site. The so-called FB foxes have been given their own tribute page on the social network website and so far have almost 80,000 'likes'. Scroll down for video . Celebrities: The fox family are regularly seen roaming Menlo Park in California . Loved: Employees regularly post pictures of sightings of the foxes but are not allowed to feed them . Some of the thousands of employees that work at the site regularly post pictures of the foxes whenever they are sighted. The family are seemingly tame, and unusually for the primarily nocturnal animals, the foxes are often seen wandering around the 57-acre campus. They are so comfortable with the employees that they have also been pictured sleeping on car hoods. Even Facebook billionaire has joined in on the action and was pictured last month looking at a cub out his office window. It was uploaded to the site with the caption 'FB Fox crashes Zuck's meeting'. The cubs are now moving on but Facebook hopes the adults will have more cubs on site next year. Although, employees get very excited . when they see these little celebrities, they have all been urged to . remember they are wildlife. New home: It is hoped the family will return to Menlo Park, California, to raise a family next year . A note on the Facebook page asks: 'A page to appreciate the fantastic FB Fox at MPK. 'Share your celebrity sightings here! Please honor the MPK Fox - no chasing or feeding - just mutual respect.' That has advice has worked so well that the company has been presented with a Certified Wildlife Habitat plaque by the National Wildlife Federation, reports GrindTV. The certificate is now displayed in Menlo Park's Zen garden. NWF naturalist David Mizews wrote in his blog on the foundation's website: 'The Facebook foxes are a perfect symbol of the fact that the natural world isn’t just in faraway, exotic places. 'It’s all around us, sometimes literally right outside our doors. Good stewardship of wildlife habitat in our cities and towns means that all it takes to have amazing animal encounters is to simply get outdoors.' | Employees at Menlo Park, California, post images of the family . Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has even posed with the foxes . | c12a0f9da85e37734453c20f6f38a78e6e752be3 |
It is a time when emotions are already heightened, but these airport farewells just got a lot more tearful. Dutch airline KLM allowed friends and family members to write special messages to their loved ones and leave them attached to headrests on their plane seats. Called Cover Greetings, the service was offered at Amsterdam Schipol Airport, where airline workers are seen helping people write messages then rushing to the place to make sure they are in place by the time passengers board. Passengers are shocked to find personalised greetings from loved ones on board their flight . It's all too much for this lady who sheds a tear after reading her special message . Unknown to them, passengers are set for a special welcome when they sit in their seat . The move by KLM is the latest in a series of customer focus drives that have been warmly received . The special greetings are admired by all who board the KLM aeroplanes . A video created by the airline shows passengers arriving at their seats to find personliased headrests complete with drawings and notes from their loved ones. While some laughed at the funny messages, others were reduced to tears by heartfelt notes sent by those left behind. One girl recognised her artwork as being from her sister adding: 'So I'll miss her. I'm not going to cry anymore.' The idea has gone down well with internet users since the video was uploaded to Youtube. A loving embrace between family members is always the hardest when leaving to board a plane . KLM's move is sure to tug at the heartstrings of passengers who leave family behind . This couple get to work on writing a special message to a loved one who is leaving them . The idea has gone down well with users of KLM who are impressed with the personal touch . Ryan Owiti wrote: 'That's So Special and Awesome!! I Love it!! That's why I love KLM and the rest of the Sky Team. Cannot wait to travel KLM Again!! 'Whenever you think that does not get better, KLM comes and goes one better. Even if it this is just a one-time action for the filming of a promotional film, the idea is compelling,' adds Jakob Ruprecht. Arturo Eggler wrote: 'It´s about how you make your customers feel.... Great campaign KLM!!!' It's not the first time KLM have developed a customer-led strategy 'out of the ordinary' carried out by their staff. Back in October a newlywed couple were treated to an express trolley drive, complete with tin cans and a 'Just Married' sign to board their plane. The 'upgrade' formed part of the #HappyToHelp programme KLM launched on Twitter. | Personalised greetings delivered to plane and pinned to back of seats . Many make passengers more emotional, but some find comfort in them . Latest in series of customer focus programmes by KLM . | a6b86af56fe9583ba209d51a8ad0c6a5bffb82b6 |
By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 06:47 EST, 17 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:02 EST, 17 July 2012 . A 50-year-old father has converted the derelict Victorian baths where he learned to swim into a £1.2million luxury family home. Paul Smith was heartbroken at seeing the swimming pool of his childhood, which lies on the coast at Penarth, near Cardiff, fall into ruin. He decided to turn the beautiful 19th-century building into his dream house, giving it a comfortable modern feel while retaining its unique character. Luxury lifestyle: Paul Smith has converted the beautiful 19th-century building into a dream home for his family . Memories: Mr Smith was devastated when the baths fell into disrepair after being closed to the public . The five-bedroom home boasts elaborate stone window . dressings, archways and vaulted ceilings and still features . the original intricate brick and ironwork. Mr Smith, who runs a scaffolding company, said: 'When I was a child I use to go swimming there every Saturday morning. 'I originally looked into the building with no interest in buying it whatsoever, but when I was inside I had an "Oh my god" moment. 'The feeling when you walk inside it’s really fantastic. You can see so much of history of the place when you are in there.' Vaulted: The elegant conversion has retained period features while adding a modern twist . Cosy: The seaside home features exposed brickwork and ironwork and tasteful new furnishings . The baths closed to the public 30 years . ago. They were briefly used as a pub called Inn At The Deep End before . being boarded up and left to fall into disrepair. But Mr Smith, who is married with two grown-up children, committed himself to a major renovation and converted the building into a chic designer home. The property now has its own indoor spa complete with steam room, sauna and jacuzzi. It spans 5,000 square feet over three storeys and includes ensuite bathrooms, a dressing room and a home cinema. Passage of time: Mr Smith, who owns a scaffolding company, used to swim at the baths every Saturday morning . Last word in comfort: The baths, which were used briefly as a pub before being shut completely, will now be the scene of happy family dinners . Spacious: The converted baths measure 5,000 square feet, spread over three storeys beneath vaulted ceilings . Mr Smith is now preparing to wave . goodbye to the dream home he lovingly created and has put it on the . market at an asking price of £1.2m. A spokesman for estate agents Savills, of Cardiff, called it 'an extraordinary luxury home of considerable style and character'. 'It offers incredibly spacious accommodation in a most interesting and versatile layout', he said. 'It forms part of an iconic former municipal baths, enviably positioned immediately on the seafront enjoying open sea views and just steps away from the charming Victorian pier.' Relaxing: The house has five chic bedrooms with elaborate stone window sills . Wet room: Mr Smith has installed a dressing room, sauna and jacuzzi to recreate the ambiance of the baths . Spotlight: The unique home is now a piece of history, and lies close to the Victorian pier on the seafront . | Paul Smith converted the disused building into a stylish five-bedroom house . Kept the original vaulted ceilings, stone window sills and brickwork . | 89ffec405763affb79320be177f861ce07aa94c9 |
(CNN) -- Cesc Fabregas is returning to London and the English Premier League after the Spain international signed for Chelsea from Barcelona Thursday. The midfielder, who started his career with Barcelona, spent eight years with Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal between 2003 and 2011, before rejoining the Catalan club. "Firstly I'd like to thank everyone at Barcelona where I enjoyed three wonderful years," said Fabregas, who has joined Chelsea on a five-year contract, in a statement on the club's website. "It was my childhood club and I'll always be proud and honored that I had a chance to play for such a great team," added the 27-year-old, who is on World Cup duty with Spain in Brazil. Chelsea finished third last season, securing the EPL's third European Champions League automatic qualifying spot. In manager Jose Mourinho's first season back in charge at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea also reached the Champions League semifinals before being knocked out by Atletico Madrid. Fabregas' arrival gives Mourinho a wealth of midfield talent, given Chelsea's Portuguese manager already has Eden Hazard, Oscar, Ramires, Nemanja Matic and John Obi Mikel at his disposal. "I do feel that I have unfinished business in the Premier League and now is the right time to return," said Fabregas, who played over 300 games for Arsenal during his first spell in England but won just one trophy -- the FA Cup in 2005. "I considered all the other offers very carefully and I firmly believe that Chelsea is the best choice. They match my footballing ambitions with their hunger and desire to win trophies. "They have an amazing squad of players and an incredible manager. I'm fully committed to this team and I can't wait to start playing." Barcelona, which failed to retain the Spanish title last season, issued a statement thanking Fabregas for his "professionalism and dedication" during his time at the Nou Camp. The Spanish club will reportedly receive an upfront payment of $45.4 million for Fabregas, though the transfer fee could rise with contractual add-ons. Chelsea are also reportedly keen to sign another La Liga player -- Atletico Madrid's Spain international striker Diego Costa. | Cesc Fabregas signs five-year contract with Chelsea . Spain midfielder moves to London for second time from Barcelona . Fabregas, 27, is on World Cup duty with Spain in Brazil . He is hoping to win trophies after a barren season in Spain . | 211730a38f3fb3618570ba8fa05b6849d2557bbf |
(CNN) -- One of seven suspects charged with murder in the deaths of a Florida couple will be extradited from Alabama to Florida to stand trial, authorities said Monday. Donald Stallworth Jr. will plead not guilty to the slayings, his lawyer says. A warrant for Donald Stallworth Jr.'s extradition has been processed by governors' offices in Florida and Alabama and sent to the jail where he is being housed, Florida State Attorney Bill Eddins said. "At this time, he is ready to be transported back to Escambia County, Florida, to face double murder charges and home invasion robbery," the statement said, adding Stallworth would be transported "in the very near future." Stallworth faces charges in connection with the shooting deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings on July 8. He is one of seven suspects charged with murder; an eighth person has been charged with being an accessory after the fact. Authorities have said the Billingses, who were known for adopting special-needs children, were killed during a home invasion robbery in Beulah, Florida. A small safe containing prescription medication, family documents and some jewelry was taken, and later found in the backyard of the eighth suspect, Pamela Wiggins, authorities have said. Two sources familiar with the investigation have told CNN that a second safe at the home contained at least $100,000. Police have described another suspect, Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., as the organizer of the crime. Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has said Gonzalez once worked for a car dealership Byrd Billings owned, and court documents state that Gonzalez received financial support from the family for a martial-arts studio he ran. An attorney representing the Billingses has said that Byrd Billings made a nominal donation to Gonzalez's karate charity. Stallworth's attorney, David White, said last week that his client would plead not guilty. The evidence against Stallworth is based solely on the word of another suspect who said he was at the crime scene, White said. It was not clear to which suspect White was referring. CNN's Aaron Cooper and Ross Levitt contributed to this report. | Donald Stallworth Jr. is one of 7 suspects in slayings of Byrd and Melanie Billings . Stallworth will be moved from Alabama to Florida to stand trial . Billingses were killed during a home invasion robbery in Beulah, Florida . | 2b043d0d6bcdb3ae0f479ea608941d3e7ab5778b |
By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 12:29 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:10 EST, 8 August 2013 . Matt Damon’s new sci-fi blockbuster 'Elysium' has received a deluge of criticism that it is pushing a socialist agenda - inspired by the Occupy movement - down moviegoers’ throats. Set in the year 2154, ‘Elysium’ imagines a world where the wealthy elite have abandoned an overcrowded Earth for a better life aboard a luxury space station. While Earth is characterized by crime-riddled and poverty-stricken slums, the super-rich live in Elysium, an exclusive gated community in space complete with a cure for all illnesses and robots that enforce strict anti-immigration laws. Scroll down for video . Matt Damon denies his new movie is an attempt to promote a socialist agency with its storyline about the wealthy elite leaving earth to live on an exclusive space station . Elysium is an exclusive gated community in space for the rich elite complete with a cure for all illnesses and robots that enforce strict anti-immigration laws . The extreme disparity between the haves and have nots in the movie bears strong parallels with the Occupy movement’s fight against social and economic inequality and the vilification of the one per cent. The Hollywood Reporter has called it a ‘politically charged flight of speculative fiction’, while Newsmax has escribed it as ‘political propaganda’ and 'sci-fi socialism.' Variety said it is one of the ‘more openly socialist political agendas of any Hollywood movie in memory, beating the drum loudly not just for universal healthcare, but for open borders, unconditional amnesty and the abolition of class distinctions as well.’ The film’s star – and renowned Hollywood liberal - Matt Damon has denied that it has an overtly political message. L.A. in 2154 is depicted as an overcrowded, crime-riddled and poverty-stricken slums . Jodie Foster stars as Elysium’s Secretary of Defense and violent robots enforce strict anti-immigration laws . Variety has described 'Elysium' as having one of the 'more openly socialist political agendas of any Hollywood movie in memory' ‘I don’t think it is trying to say anything. It just presents the issue – the distinct difference between the haves and the have nots,’ he told Fox. The movie’s director Neill Blomkamp has also denied that he wanted to be a political statement and said it is unfortunate that parallels had been drawn with the Occupy movement. But critics have rubbished their denials. ‘It’s not just hypocritical to say this movie isn’t political, it’s hilarious. This is just the latest of several Hollywood movies this year to try and co-opt Occupy Wall Street plotlines into their films,” Dan Gainor, VP of Business and Culture at the Media Research Center, told FOX. The scenes on earth and supposedly set in Los Angeles a century and a half from now were filmed in Mexico, while luxury space station was based on real designs for how habitable space station might look. Future life? The concept of people living in space stations is something that NASA has been working on since the 1970s . NASA estimates that it would cost about $828.11 billion to build a space station capable of sustaining life . This premise of people living in space might seem far-fetched considering how man's interest in space exploration has waned in the 30 years, but it could soon be within our reach. NASA has been working on designs since the 1970s. In 1975, a report titled 'Space Settlements: A Design Study' was created in an attempt to detail the costs and needs of life in space. The estimated price tag of a space station was about $190.8 billion, in 1975 dollars. Adjusting for inflation, the cost jumps to about $828.11 billion. 'The future takes imagination, you have to extrapolate for the technology we have today. Within the next 1000 years, the type of technology used to support a space station like Elysium could be developed,' Mark Uhran, former director of the International Space Station Division at NASA headquarters, told ABC News. 'We’re already demonstrating some of this technology on the international space station today.' In Elysium the super rich live in an exclusive space station that orbits the over-crowded earth . | 'Elysium' is set in a future-world where the rich elite have left earth to live in a luxury space station . The place they've left behind is characterized by crime-riddled and poverty-stricken slums . Critics have accused it of flaunting an 'openly socialist political agenda' Matt Damon and director Neill Blomkamp deny that they're making an overt statement about the widening gap between rich and poor . | 57152f0c9c2a3df30b461fba8a61ecc8db3d8472 |
Switzerland is lobbying for the art of yodelling to be given Unesco World Heritage status. The form of Alpine singing, which has existed since the 1830s, would be added to the Unesco World Heritage list alongside Stonehenge and the Taj Mahal, if the status is granted. The request comes after the Argentinian tango was named a World Heritage tradition in 2009. Falconry and the Mediterranean diet have also been added to the list. Scroll down for video . Tradition since 1830: Alpine horn blowers and yodelling chorus from the Geneva Swiss Alps canton of Valais . Traditionally, World Heritage status was only granted to buildings, monuments and places of natural beauty but in 2003, the category of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ was created. The Swiss government has now asked for eight ‘intangible heritage’ traditions to be added to the prestigious list, The Daily Telegraph reported. As well as yodelling, the Swiss have asked for, among others, mechanical watchmaking and managing the risk of avalanches to be given official status. But they may have to wait eight years for the status to be granted as under current rules countries can only submit one ‘intangible heritage’ entry each year. Status: The form of Alpine singing would be added to the Unesco World Heritage list alongside Stonehenge (left) and the Taj Mahal (right), if the status is granted . The yodel is a song sung with an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch and makes a high-low-high-low sound. Developed in the Central Alps as a method of communication between mountaineers or between villages, the yodel later became part of the region's traditional lore and musical expression. Most westerners of a certain age know it purely through a version of a song warbled by Julie Andrews in the classic Austrian-set musical The Sound of Music. | Song sung with extended note rapidly and repeatedly changing in pitch . It would be added to Unesco World Heritage list alongside Taj Mahal . Five years ago Argentinian tango was named World Heritage tradition . | aae2e99064bd45ce9324b9c3b40041cb00c12391 |
(CNN)Just outside of a white and yellow tent in Germany, an elephant heaves a heavy sigh. His ears are lowered, his skin relaxed -- his trunk arched into a final pose. "That's my favorite part of the circus," Dutch photographer Wiesje Peels said. "When there's a moment, five minutes before (performers) get on and five minutes after they get off." Peels' fascination with the circus began as a child. Her father traveled Europe as a one-man show, "Theatro Picollini," performing at hospitals and amusement parks. At 6 years old, Peels began helping her father as the magician's assistant. For five years, she watched her father walk a tightrope between being her dad and performing as a magician. It's what the majority of Peels' work focuses on, something she calls "in between worlds." In 2001, Peels traveled to India to follow and photograph a large ship. But instead, she felt a calling to run away with the Great Bombay Circus. Starkly different from her father's small production, the circus boasted multiple tents and more than 100 performers. She photographed the show for two weeks. At first, she shot the expected -- the splendor of the circus act. But it wasn't the whimsy on stage that truly appealed to Peels' artistry. She became interested in the evolution that occurred behind the curtain. Her book "Mimus" binds together roughly 100 photographs taken at several traveling circuses in Europe. The images capture a "glimpse of the hidden life of the performing artist." Social media . Follow @CNNPhotos on Twitter to join the conversation about photography. The performers carry a certain melancholy when transitioning in and out of character. This is illustrated clearly in Peels' photo of a clown. He's still in costume, his makeup still intact, yet he's off-stage, no longer part of an act. He emanates an "unavoidable authenticity," Peels says. Peels' work is heavily influenced by other artwork, specifically 19th-century paintings. Before photographing every circus, she visits local museums to derive inspiration. But the true genius lies in her ability to relate to the performer. She finds herself "in between worlds," too. "There's the home life and the artist life," Peels says. As a wife and a mother of two, Peels says she struggles to find time to create, and she often seeks solace at artist residencies to focus solely on her work. Now she's in Zundert, Netherlands, the birthplace of Vincent van Gogh, in an effort to draw space to become a character of her own. "I live in two worlds," she said. "So do you." Wiesje Peels is a photographer based in the Netherlands. You can follow her on Facebook. | Dutch photographer Wiesje Peels has followed several traveling circuses in Europe . The photos in her book "Mimus" capture a glimpse of the performers' "hidden life" Her fascination with the circus began as a child, when she worked with her dad's one-man show . | 19152ca233f5a8aa5cdd8defd5d484c6603bcd78 |
Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- The clothing factory fire that killed more than 100 workers in Bangladesh over the weekend was no accident, the country's prime minister said. The fire Saturday at the factory near Dhaka, and a second fire at another factory Monday were "planned arson," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Monday. Two people were arrested Monday trying to set fire to an apparel factory on the outskirts of Dhaka, but local police said they had not yet found any links between the arrests and the other factory fires. Hasina's remarks came the night before Tuesday's day of mourning for those killed at the factory and for the victims from a recent overpass collapse in southeastern Bangladesh. All apparel factories were to be closed Tuesday, and special prayers will be offered at mosques, churches and temples, the government said. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. put some distance between it and the clothing factory, saying the factory was no longer authorized to produce merchandise for the company. "A supplier subcontracted work to this factory without authorization and in direct violation of our policies. Today, we have terminated the relationship with that supplier," Wal-Mart said Monday. The clothing factory, housed in a multistory building near the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, caught fire Saturday night. More than 100 people were killed and at least 200 were injured as they rushed to escape the factory in Ashulia, police said. "How the factory caught fire, I don't know. But when we heard 'fire,' we all rushed out and we were trying to get out of the factory," said Parul Begum, a survivor. "One factory worker broke a window and one of the workers pulled me through. After the fire, we tried to run out the door, but it was locked. When the floor (became) dark with smoke, the boys came to rescue me," she said. Fire rips through clothing factory near Dhaka . Thousands of workers from dozens of clothing factories in Ashulia took to the streets Monday to protest the deaths of their colleagues. The protesters blocked traffic and demonstrated for several hours, demanding compensation and a full investigation into what happened. The Bangladeshi government has ordered such an investigation, asking two committees to file reports within a week. On Tuesday, Hasina urged factory owners to be more careful about the safety of their workers, but also to remain vigilant to the possibility of suspicious activities in their mills. Overpass collapse kills 11 in Bangladesh . Police and witnesses said the latest fire, at a 10-story clothing factory in the suburb of Uttara, began Monday morning, and it took firefighters about four hours to bring it under control. "Firefighters have brought the flames under control, and no one died in the incident," Brigadier Gen. Abu Nayeem Mohammad Shahidullah, director general of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense, told reporters. Local police said at least 10 people were injured in Uttara as they jumped from windows to escape. They said the fire began on the second floor, where a large quantity of fabric and yarn were stored, and it spread immediately to the fourth floor. Bangladesh's ready-made garments make up 80% of the country's $24 billion in annual exports. The country has about 4,500 garment factories that make clothes for stores including Tesco, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Kohl's and Carrefour. The sector earned $19 billion this year as of June. The state-run news agency, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), recently reported that some 6,000 people die every year in fires in the country. CNN's Atika Shubert contributed to this report. | NEW: Bangladesh's prime minister says arsonists were behind the deadly factory fire . Wal-Mart cuts ties with a supplier that subcontracted work to the factory . More than 100 people were killed in the blaze in Bangladesh . A day of mourning is scheduled for Tuesday . | 99e3e419eaf8e79c903a9b6ac2f9d12264a32755 |
California health officials on Wednesday declared electronic cigarettes a health threat that should be strictly regulated like tobacco products, joining other states and health advocates across the U.S. in seeking tighter controls as 'vaping' grows in popularity. The California Department of Public Health report says e-cigarettes emit cancer-causing chemicals and get users hooked on nicotine but acknowledges that more research needs to be done to determine the immediate and long-term health effects. 'E-cigarettes are not as harmful as conventional cigarettes, but e-cigarettes are not harmless' said California Health Officer Ron Chapman. 'They are not safe.' Safer than tobacco? Paul Frohman smokes an electronic cigarette outside an office building in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday - the same day that California declared the method of nicotine delivery to be unsafe . New generations of young people will become nicotine addicts if the products remain largely unregulated, Chapman said. Last year, 17 percent of high school seniors reported using e-cigarettes, known as vaping, according to the report. 'Without action, it is likely that California's more than two decades of progress to prevent and reduce traditional tobacco use will erode as e-cigarettes re-normalize smoking behavior,' the report says. E-cigarettes heat liquid nicotine into inhalable vapor without the tar and other chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. A cartridge of nicotine can cost anywhere from $5 to $20 dollars and can be reused. California banned the sale of e-cigarettes to minors in 2010, but the report raises concerns about the products appeal to children with flavors such as cotton candy and gummy bear. Reports of children under 5 with e-cigarette poisoning jumped from seven in 2012 to 154 last year. Cross country: Tyler Newman, 24, vapes during his managing shift at the e-cigarette shop Infinite Vapor in Madison, Wisconsin . The California report says e-cigarettes emit as many as 10 toxic chemicals, but advocates say there is no evidence those substances are released at dangerous levels. 'Despite the health officer's false claims, there is ample evidence that vaping helps smokers quit and is far less hazardous than smoking,' Gregory Conley, president of the e-cigarette advocacy group American Vaping Association, said in an email. 'Smokers deserve truthful and accurate information about the relative risks of different nicotine products, not hype and conjecture based on cherry-picked reports.' Health officials called for restrictions on the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes, protections against accidental ingestion of liquid nicotine and an education campaign on the dangers of using e-cigarettes. A state senator introduced legislation this week that would regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products and ban their use in public places such as hospitals, bars and schools. A similar bill was defeated last year over opposition from tobacco companies. Enthusiastic: Geoff Braithwaite, owner of Tasty Vapor, exhales vapor after using an electronic cigarette. California health officials on Wednesday declared electronic cigarettes a health threat that should be strictly regulated like tobacco products . Chapman, the health official, would not take a position on legislation, but said his department would be rolling out an e-cigarette awareness campaign with possible television and radio advertisements. E-cigarettes have become more visible as they grow in popularity and commercials for the products air in places where traditional cigarette ads have been banned. Businesses related to e-cigarettes, including vaping lounges, are rapidly popping up in cities across California. Geoff Braithwaite, co-owner of an Oakland store that sells liquid nicotine for e-cigarettes, said he understands the need to restrict vaping in public and prevent sales to minors. He says his customers are longtime smokers who should be able to get a nicotine buzz without the harshness of a regular cigarette. 'Nicotine has all this stigma attached solely to the medium we used to use,' Braithwaite said. 'When you try to outright ban e-cigarettes, you're lumping in the solution with the problem.' Other states, including Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas, already have issued advisories cautioning the use of e-cigarettes. Legislatures have been exploring restrictions on e-cigarette marketing, adding childproof packaging requirements and imposing taxes to discourage use. 'Health officials want to be proactive on this important public health issue,' said Lisa Waddell, who leads community health and prevention at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. 'The issue of real concern here is we really don't know everything that's in these products, and you are seeing the rise of use of these products in our children as well as our adults.' | 'E-cigarettes are not as harmful as conventional cigarettes, but e-cigarettes are not harmless' said California Health Officer Ron Chapman. 'They are not safe.' | 21bc055fa753c0cdbf55158de533a3db8ceba4e8 |
(CNN)Wednesday was a day for digging out in New England. But forecasters are warning more snow might be on the way. To be sure, it will be nothing compared to what has already fallen this week. Worcester, Massachusetts, received a record 34.5 inches from Monday through Wednesday. "There's so much of it, you have a problem because there's just nothing to do with it," a resident told CNN affiliate WHDH. He compared it with a blizzard in 1978 and a storm in 2013. "This is much worse," he said. "It just never stopped." For many people in New England this blizzard brought whiteout conditions from heavy snow and wind greater than 35 mph for as long as 14 hours. In towns and cities from Connecticut to Massachusetts to New Hampshire there were plenty of folks who were digging through more than 30 inches of fresh snow on sidewalks and driveways. Homeowners weren't just dealing with the question of where to put all the snow. Some had to call their insurance agents, like residents of 11 homes in Marshfield, Massachusetts, where there was significant damage after a seawall breach. After deserting the streets Tuesday as the storm struck, traffic moved again along major roads in Massachusetts and beyond. Boston's Logan International Airport accepted incoming flights around 8 a.m., according to spokesman Matthew Brelis. Buses and trains in Massachusetts -- including the Boston-area subway system, the "T" -- ran again, with major roads reopened as well, said incoming state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack. But schools in Boston were closed, as they will be Thursday. The National Weather Service said Wednesday that another system is moving toward the area and several more inches of snow could come down Thursday night into Friday night. The high on Saturday is forecast to be 16 degrees. CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said as the low pressure develops off the coast, damaging winds might yet again be in store for New England on Friday and Saturday. If anyone has a right to complain, it was those digging out Wednesday not just in New England but also on New York's Long Island. The weather service reported that Orient on the tip of Long Island, ended up with 30 inches of snow. That's about 10 inches more than fell across Long Island Sound in New London, Connecticut, though Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio noted that his city has up to 8-foot drifts and some roads that were still impassable Wednesday morning. "We're getting there," said Finizio. "But it will be another day or two digging out from this. This isn't going anywhere." "There are still a few dead ends that we still need to punch through to get to, to make sure that people can get out of their houses," the mayor said. One good thing: Because it was colder than expected, most of the snow didn't weigh enough to snap too many limbs down onto too many power lines. So instead of 300,000 power outages in Massachusetts, as authorities had feared, the number topped out at 36,000, according to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Peter Judge. "Although we may end up with record snow, it's not going to be a record disaster, which it could have very well been," Judge said. Still, any outage can be deadly in a winter storm like this. And at one point an entire island, Nantucket, was in the dark. Four hours after the power went out, Danielle Smith gave birth to her first child at Nantucket Cottage Hospital -- with a few lights on and some heat, thanks to the facility's generator. "And Danielle is a superstar," said Dr. Margaret Koehm, who noted that a "blizzard girl" joined Smith's "blizzard boy," Cayden, a short time later at the same hospital. "She did it all naturally." In central Connecticut, Heather Klein felt her contractions coming on overnight Monday. After getting the OK from Hartford police to break the travel ban, she drove in and settled into the hospital in time for the birth of her baby, Anna. Mom and baby had plenty of quality time together Tuesday, since visitors couldn't hit the roads to come see them. "It's so boring," Klein said. "I can't wait to go home." For Jennifer Bruno, there's no going home. The Iraq war veteran had evacuated to a friend's house overnight, knowing that things might not be safe in her own home of Marshfield, a town of 25,000 located 30 miles south of Boston. When she got back home, the National Guard sergeant broke down in tears. "Part of the roof collapsed, the wall, my door was missing," Bruno said of her house. "It was just destroyed." She wasn't alone, as 10 other homes in the same seaside town were also damaged after the powerful storm tore down about 50 feet of seawall. Two of the houses were damaged badly enough to be condemned. There was significant flooding there and in other coastal communities around Massachusetts, which had to deal not only with storm surges but lashing winds that in some places topped 75 mph. Even so, there is also recognition that -- for the vast majority of the 58 million people in the storm's path, especially given the dire warnings -- it could have been even worse. "Despite the fact that we had record-breaking snowfall in many parts of Massachusetts," Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday, "we have come out of this, I think, in relatively good shape." CNN's Steve Almasy, Tina Burnside, Brian Todd, Anderson Cooper and Ana Cabrera contributed to this report. | Worcester, Massachusetts sets record with total for one snowstorm . Towns in New England and on Long Island under 30 inches of snow . More snow -- much less this time -- appears to be in the near future . | d31661c707dc754748c65e8226bf00676f942d3f |
(CNN) -- Four people were electrocuted when a Carnival float struck power lines in the Brazilian port city of Santos early Tuesday, state broadcaster Agencia Brazil reported. Three men pushing the float were killed instantly, and a 19-year-old spectator who stepped up to help them was also shocked. She died at an emergency room soon afterward, the network reported. The fatalities marred the last day of Carnival, the Catholic tradition that draws millions of Brazilians to the streets for a pre-Lent party. It is the equivalent of Mardi Gras in the French-settled regions of North America. | Four die when a Carnival float hits a power line . The fatalities marred the final day of the festival . | 560b6b629c218dcbdcb11ed7b926eb0b1fb3d364 |
(CNN) -- Researchers have discovered a previously unknown group of rare monkeys in the forests of Vietnam. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys were so skittish, researchers captured a photo of only one: an adult male. Several biologists caught fleeting glimpses of about 15 or 20 Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys in a remote area near the Chinese frontier, the wildlife conservation group Fauna & Flora International said Thursday. The "bizarre-looking" monkeys -- on the brink of extinction -- were so skittish around people that researchers were able to snap a photo of just one of them: an adult male scampering through the trees. The monkeys were "very sensitive to the presence of people, giving warning signs to one another and fleeing" whenever biologists approached, the group said in a statement. "It was apparent that the monkeys associated humans with danger -- perhaps due to ongoing threats from hunters," the group said. So few Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys have survived in the wild that scientists thought until recently that they were extinct. Now they estimate that roughly 200 remain, mainly in parts of northern Vietnam near the Chinese border. Hunters with a taste for bush meat and the loss of habitat have pushed the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey toward extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. It classifies the primate as critically endangered "because its population size is estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals, with no subpopulation greater than 50 mature individuals, and it is experiencing a continuing decline." Fauna & Flora said it is working with a variety of groups to improve the livelihoods and "reduce human pressures on the forest ecosystem" in an effort to safeguard the newly discovered group, which was spotted in a patch of forest in the Quan Ba district of Vietnam's Ha Giang province. The sighting thrilled conservation biologist Le Khac Quyet, described by Fauna & Flora as "one of the few people in the world who can claim to be an expert on this mysterious species" and as the person credited with discovering the new group of that species. "When I saw the Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys ... I was overjoyed," he said in the Fauna & Flora statement. "There is still time to save this unique species, but with just 200 or so left and threats still strong, we need to act now." | About 15 or 20 Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys seen near Chinese frontier . Population thought to be "fewer than 250 mature individuals," wildlife group says . Group says monkeys fled humans, possibly because of hunting . To save species, "we need to act now," conservation biologist says . | 4861396da28e67513d46a496565dacc378e47835 |
(CNN) -- Paris is perpetually one of the world's most popular cities. And the 16 million tourists who travel to the home of La Tour Eiffel and the Louvre leave a whopping $17.8 billion behind during their trips, according to MasterCard's 2012 Global Destination Cities Index. While Paris isn't generally a place you go to save money, it can be done. Even in this pricey place, the clever traveler can track down activities, services and just plain pleasures that don't cost a single centime. Here's a list of 10 fabulous and free finds in the City of Light. Tour the city for free. Spend an hour or 90 minutes strolling city streets on free tours -- except for the voluntary tips you give -- with Parisian natives through Discover Walks. Held 363 days a year -- each day except December 24 and 25 -- these rain-or-shine, small-group tours show you the Right and Left Bank, Notre Dame, the hip-and-trendy Marais and the picturesque city village of Montmartre. Just show up ready to walk. You don't even have to book in advance unless you're bringing a group of eight or more. Soak up the organ sounds at Saint-Sulpice. Here's a favorite of "Europe Through the Back Door" travel guru and public television series host Rick Steves. The Left Bank church of Saint-Sulpice -- which gained fame thanks to its prominent role as a location in "The Da Vinci Code" -- has a pipe organ tradition dating back to the mid-16th century. Visitors can climb up a spiral staircase to the organ loft to meet multilingual virtuoso Daniel Roth after the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass and subsequent organ recital. Guests can watch this living legend play one of Europe's most majestic pipe organs during the 12:05 p.m. Mass. Amazing grace, indeed. Drink up -- at a sparkling water fountain. Leave it to Paris to create a public water tap -- inside a lovely park, no less -- with the bubbly stuff. For the past couple years, the Jardin de Reuilly in the city's southeast 12th arrondissement has been serving up cooled sparkling water to quench Parisian thirsts (available any time the park is open). The park's La Pétillante public fountain was the first in France to add carbon dioxide to the city's tap water, and locals lapped it up by bringing their own bottles to fill. You'd expect no less in the country that gave the world Perrier. On a clear day you can see ... Sure, you can climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe or Eiffel Tower, but some of the City of Light's most stunning -- and free! -- views can be found from the roof terrace of the Left Bank's Institut du Monde Arabe. An über-modern, curved-façade facility designed by famed French architect Jean Nouvel, the Institut was founded by 18 Arab nations and France to take a multidisciplinary look at the Islamic Arab world. It allows visitors, whether or not they're visiting the Institut's recently revamped museum, library or bookshops, to take its glass elevator up to the ninth floor terrace. From here, gaze out at Notre Dame, the Centre Pompidou or the landmark column standing in Place de la Bastille. Under 26? Catch up on contemporary French art at MAC/VAL -- the Musée d'Art Contemporain du Val de Marne. Who says youth is wasted on the young? Not if they're lovers of contemporary art and artists like Christian Boltanski, Bruno Perramant and Gina Pane. Here, out in the 'burb of Vitry-sur-Seine, MAC/VAL offers visitors a range of French modern art from the 1950s through today. And if these visitors are under 26, they get to experience it all gratis (flash an ID to borrow a free audio guide). From established talent to emerging artists, you'll find them at MAC/VAL, which hosts three to four temporary exhibits each year. Look for the loos. Most folks don't get particularly psyched about toilets. But when they're the space-age, self-cleaning, pod-like gray structures dotting the Parisian streetscape, you just might. You'll find 400 of these disabled-accessible bathrooms scattered all around Paris (they're open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.) near major tourist spots, food markets and taxi stands. Each time a visitor uses these "sanisettes," the toilet bowl and floor are automatically cleaned, dried and disinfected -- and they contain coat hooks, a mirror and sink. And with natural roof lighting, reduced water use and renewable-source electricity, they're eco-friendly to boot. Mother Nature must be thrilled. Life's a beach (during the summer, at least). So what if the Seine River that snakes through Paris has no beach? This city is nothing if not inventive -- so Mayor Bertrand Delanoë spearheaded the creation of Paris Plages, man-made "beaches" that offer locals and tourists alike a "Seine-side holiday" each summer. Starting around July 20 and for four weeks after, the city closes the streets along the river, brings in tons of sand and palm trees and offers a slew of entertaining options from beach volleyball to kayaking to open-air concerts on three different "beaches." Of course, this being France, riverside cafés, restaurants and ice cream vendors are de rigueur. You'll have to wait 'til next year to take advantage of the next installment, but what a Parisian way to spend those dog days of summer, from 8 a.m. to midnight. Make it a museum. Just like museums in most world-class cities, many of those within Paris open themselves to visitors free of charge one day a week. In the City of Light, that's the first Sunday of each month. Save those euros for a few café au laits or souvenirs and check out the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée National Rodin (hello, The Thinker!), among others. Some, like the Musée Carnavalet, offer free admission to their permanent and themed collections each day. For those seeking a free dose of nighttime culture -- and who visit Paris in mid-May -- Nuit des Musées is just the ticket. Nearly 200 city museums keep their doors open during this one night from 6 p.m. until at least midnight. See Paris through local eyes. There's nothing like traipsing through a city with a local resident by your side. The Parisien d'Un Jour, Paris Greeter program, pairs city visitors with regular residents -- students, working people, retirees and others. These folks aren't formal guides or interpreters, just passionate Parisians willing to spend two or three hours walking with groups of six or fewer tourists, showing off their favorite areas and spots based on your interests and language. Just go online to register. (Paris Greeters welcome visitors with disabilities, too.) Got questions about navigating the Métro or Parisian quirks? Ask away. And while the service is free, the program happily accepts donations. Savor free sounds on Sunday. As it has since the early 1930s, the American Church in Paris has hosted the Atelier Concert Series, which offers a performance venue to musicians of diverse backgrounds and musical styles. Staged at the legendary Left Bank church every Sunday at 5 p.m. from September to November and January through June, music lovers will hear everything from classical pianists to opera singers to flute-and-guitar ensembles. Feel like giving thanks? Drop something in the voluntary offering at the door. Maureen Jenkins is a freelance travel and food writer who lives outside Paris and blogs at UrbanTravelGirl.com. | Free programs pair tourists with locals to explore the city . Take in views from the top of the Left Bank's Institut du Monde Arabe at no cost . Free concerts and museum admission give visitors a complimentary taste of culture . | 4b23583d3a6c2163ee53ed0a90314f67b1af64de |
San Diego, California (CNN) -- Republicans portray themselves as the party of family values. Yet, in Wyoming, one prominent group of right wing kinfolk will spend the holidays embroiled in a family feud. You don't get to choose your family. Still, family members might choose a destructive lifestyle that puts them at odds with loved ones. They make others uncomfortable, and hurt those who love them. These people are often thinking only of themselves, and they haven't considered the consequences of their behavior. Liz Cheney is one of these people. And the destructive lifestyle she has chosen is that of a politician. The Republican Senate candidate from Wyoming is running to the right of Republican incumbent Sen. Mike Enzi. And because that might not be so easy to do, whenever the challenger offers an opinion on a topic, it's difficult to know if she's speaking from the heart -- or pandering to the lowest common denominator. An independent political group calling itself the American Principles Fund, which is defending Enzi, recently launched an ad attacking Cheney for opposing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and supporting the decision of the State Department to give benefits to same-sex partners of employees. Cheney sisters spar over same-sex marriage, parents weigh in . This week, while calling on Enzi to denounce the ad and labeling it "gutter politics," Cheney stood by those earlier positions. During an interview on "Fox News Sunday," she said: . "I don't believe we ought to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation. If people are in a same-sex relationship and they want their partner to be able to have health benefits or be designated as a beneficiary on their life insurance, there's no reason we shouldn't do that." Nonetheless, that ad puts Cheney in a tight spot, and given that Wyoming is a very conservative state and given that she's trying to position herself on the far right of the spectrum, she can't be seen as soft on same-sex marriage. Thus, in the same interview, she made clear that she doesn't favor allowing same-sex couples to wed and that she supports "the traditional definition of marriage." It's a position that Cheney has long held. That is part of the problem. In a country where, as public opinion polls make clear, the opinion of so many Americans on same-sex marriage is rapidly evolving due in large part to the fact that young Americans consider this a nonissue, it would have been good to see some personal growth from Cheney. Besides, she should tread lightly on this subject. Why? Because blood is thicker than votes. And because Michael Corleone was right, and -- even in the rough and tumble of politics -- you "don't ever take sides with anyone against the family." And, for the Cheney family, this issue is personal. Liz's sister, Mary, is in a same-sex marriage and has two children with her wife and longtime companion, Heather Poe. "I love Mary very much. I love her family very much. This is just an issue in which we disagree," Cheney said on "Fox News Sunday." Mary Cheney wasn't having any of it. Not long after the interview, she posted this rebuttal on Facebook: . "Liz -- this isn't just an issue on which we disagree -- you're just wrong -- and on the wrong side of history." Mary also shared a post by Poe, who was likewise bothered by Liz's comments. It read: . "I was watching my sister-in-law on Fox News Sunday (yes Liz, in fifteen states and the District of Columbia you are my sister-in-law) and was very disappointed to hear her say 'I do believe in the traditional definition of marriage.... "Liz has been a guest in our home, has spent time and shared holidays with our children, and when Mary and I got married in 2012 -- she didn't hesitate to tell us how happy she was for us. "To have her now say she doesn't support our right to marry is offensive to say the least." Here is what Liz Cheney missed: To many proponents of marriage equality, the very idea of "traditional marriage" is offensive. You see, tradition is the antithesis of progress. It was once tradition that women didn't have the right to vote, and African-Americans used separate restrooms, and U.S.-born Mexican-Americans were swept up in immigration sweeps. Those things had to change, and they did. In those instances, Americans decided that tradition should take a back seat to things like fairness, justice and equality. This year, Christmas dinner at the Cheney house is bound to be awkward. The kids are fighting, and that sort of thing always hurts the parents most of all. "This is an issue we have dealt with privately for many years, and we are pained to see it become public," Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, said Monday in a statement. They insisted that Liz Cheney has "always treated her sister and her sister's family with love and respect, exactly as she should have done." And, they said, "Compassion is called for, even when there is disagreement about such a fundamental matter." The Cheneys know something about compassion. Over the years, they have been remarkably graceful and supportive toward Mary Cheney and her family. Dick Cheney has challenged conservatives in his own party by saying that gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry and that -- despite calls for a federal ban on same-sex marriage -- the issue should be handled at the state level. I know something about what Liz Cheney is going through. As recently as 14 years ago, I was opposed to same-sex marriage and supported the watered-down alternative: civil unions. I thought this was a battle that wasn't worth fighting and that gay activists should focus their attention elsewhere. However, my younger brother, who is gay, wouldn't let me get away with it. He challenged me. He told me I was wrong. He forced me to be a better person. I changed my view, and came to understand that Americans can't have a two-tiered system, where some of us enjoy the right to marry the people we love while our brothers and sisters and cousins are denied that right, based on nothing more than sexual orientation. It's discrimination with all its ugliness. In the end, this is where we should arrive. Not just because you love your brother, or your sister, but because, just as importantly, you love your country. And you understand what America stands for above all else: freedom. For all of us. Or none of us. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette. | Liz Cheney, running for U.S. Senate, declared opposition to same-sex marriage . Cheney's sister, who is in a same-sex marriage, says Liz is on the wrong side of history . Ruben Navarrette: Liz Cheney should recognize that same-sex marriage is about freedom . He says his brother, who is gay, persuaded him to change his view on marriage . | 1d296c4ada100fe849f5831ec102093421264de8 |
(CNN) -- Jessica Alba gave birth Saturday to her second daughter with husband Cash Warren, according to a post Sunday on the actress' Facebook page. Haven Garner Warren weighed in at 7 pounds and measured 19 inches long, Alba said in the posting. "Healthy and happy! Big Sister Honor couldn't be more excited about the new addition to our family," the post read. She concluded the post by thanking fans for their support during her pregnancy. "It means the world to me." | Haven Garner Warren is the couple's second daughter together . She was born Saturday . | aa4217fe6665419497ce213f9eb5fccbd29a03b4 |
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 10:25 EST, 21 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:51 EST, 25 January 2013 . A schoolboy has been left with a broken back after being knocked off his motorcycle by a driver who then swore at him and drove way from the scene. Steven Smith was nearly paralysed in the hit-and-run smash, and his parents are appealing for help in bringing the driver to justice. The teenager has recalled how the driver who hit the back of the bike walked over to him and said, 'serves you right' before leaving him bleeding in the road. His father Paul said: 'Accidents do happen - but I would not have left a dog like this. He left my son in the road to die.' Shock: Steven Smith, pictured in hospital with his mother Celia, sister Shirene and father Paul, broke his back in three places after being hit by a car while riding his motorbike . Steven was given the bike as a birthday present in November last year, and was riding round Old Whittington in Derbyshire on January 6 when he was hit by a black people-carrier. After the driver sped off, a passer-by who knew first aid found him lying in the road and put him in the recovery position while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Doctors at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital believe her quick thinking may have saved Steven from being paralysed for life, and say that the teenager will eventually be able to walk again. Two of the three breaks he sustained to his back are set to mend on their own, but the third, which is close to his spine, could require surgery. Steven is currently recuperating in the hospital's spinal unit, where he will remain for the next two months, and is unable to stand or sit up. He has had to put his plans to leave school and become a bricklayer on hold while he recovers from the crash. Callous: The driver got out of his car and laughed at the victim before speeding off again . Recounting his ordeal, he said: 'All I remember is a black people-carrier clipping the back of my bike - he kept speeding up behind me before hitting me and I went flying into the air. 'The driver got out of the vehicle and walked over to me. I was in terrific pain but he just stood there effing and blinding, he said, "Serves you right", then he laughed and drove off. 'It was obvious I was badly injured but he thought it was funny.' Steven continued: 'Luckily a woman with first aid experience found me. She realised I had a serious back injury and knew exactly what to do. 'If it hadn't been for her I could be spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair.' Scene: The accident happened while Steven was riding in Old Whittington in Derbyshire . His mother Celia said she had been almost unable to process the horror of her son's accident. 'I got the phone call every parent dreads,' she said. 'It was one of his friends who told me Steven had been involved in an accident. 'I screamed and dropped the phone. My daughter picked it up and found out where Steven was. 'We drove to the accident scene and found Steven covered in the blood and being treated by emergency services in the road. It was a terrible sight - a paramedic was cutting off his clothes and told us he had spinal injuries. 'We can't believe that anyone could be so heartless and cruel. The man even got out of the vehicle and swore at him. We are all devastated and just want Steven home and whoever did this caught.' Mr Smith added: 'To leave a lad in the road without calling for help is callous. We just hope the appeal jogs someone's memory and they come forward.' For more information on recommended first aid practice please visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/first_aid/what_is_first_aid/responsibilitiesatanrta_index.shtml . | Steven Smith broke his back in three places after being hit by car . Could have been paralysed if passer-by had not given him first aid . Parents appeal for information on driver who left the scene after accident . | 5872b23815fe748cdd2b58fa284442ec294b061d |
Kirk charged with a felony after he allegedly attempted to intimidate the woman out of testifying against him . By . Daily Mail Reporter . Frank Kirk, 70, was arrested last month after he allegedly brought sex toys to a woman at the county jail . An attorney has been charged after he allegedly tried to prevent a female inmate from testifying against him over sex acts he engaged in with her in prison. Frank Kirk, 70, from Oklahoma, was arrested last month after he allegedly engaged in lewd acts with the woman at the county jail. Kirk brought sex toys, lubricant, baby wipes and a cell phone into the jail in a hidden compartment of his laptop bag, court documents revealed. The female alleged that Kirk gave her the items so that he could watch her masturbate, according to a probable cause affidavit seen by newsok.com. The prisoner also alleges that he told her to expose her breasts and forced her to touch his penis. Kirk allegedly duped the woman into performing the acts over a three-month period in exchange for her legal fees - despite the fact that he was never actually her lawyer. The woman, who is jailed on drug charges, is represented by the public defender's office so it is unclear why she believed Kirk to be her lawyer. Her identity has been withheld. Kirk was arrested on March 3 after the sex acts allegedly took place four of the six times that Kirk visited the inmate in jail. On March 21, Kirk allegedly contacted the woman to try to intimidate her out of testifying against him. 'The victim was fearful of testifying against Kirk', the affidavit reads, according to newsok.com. He was charged on Monday with one felony count of attempting to prevent a witness from testifying. He was also charged with five misdemeanor counts of lewdness. Kirk is out on $10,000 bail. Kirk has been charged with a felony count of attempting to prevent a witness from testifying after he allegedly engaged her in lewd acts at Oklahoma County Jail (pictured) | Frank Kirk, 70, from Oklahoma, was arrested last month after he allegedly brought sex toys into the county jail . It is unclear how the inmate, who is jailed on drug charges, came to believe that Kirk was her attorney as she is represented by a public defender . Kirk charged with a felony after he allegedly attempted to intimidate the woman out of testifying against him . | 8bb1899413c6876d9ef8b4142b1f796db089681d |
By . Heidi Parker . PUBLISHED: . 14:15 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:37 EST, 15 November 2013 . Simon Cowell's pregnant girlfriend Lauren Silverman reached a divorce settlement with estranged husband Andrew in August, and now new details of the rather unusual agreement have emerged. The terms included a clause that states the X Factor mogul cannot go near Lauren's son Adam, aged seven, until January 2015, according to TMZ. If he does, Lauren will be fined $50,000. A spokesperson for Lauren declined to comment to MailOnline. TMZ also reported on Thursday the exes are using mutual friend Sir Philip Green, the billionaire CEO of the Arcadia Group, as well as attorney Martin Edelman to settle any future disputes over the next five years. From friends to foes: On Thursday TMZ reported Andrew Silverman (left) doesn't want his son Adam, aged seven, to be around his old pal - and now ex-wife's soon-to-be baby daddy - Simon Cowell (right) until 2015 . Also, if Lauren allows her son and Simon to interact three times, she will lose all contact with her child until a court decides what to do. Andrew and Simon used to be friends, and the New York City businessman is allegedly so upset that his pal has romanced and impregnated his wife (she's six months along) that he added a few other unusual clauses into his divorce. Lauren has to make sure her son doesn't call Simon - who UsWeekly claimed this week has a ring and will propose to the Manhattan beauty next year - 'father.' Andrew has to make sure the child doesn't call anyone but Lauren 'mother.' Baby (and ring?) in 2014: UsWeekly reported Simon (seen here with his pregnant lady love in September) will pop the question next year . The man in the middle: Sir Philip Green, seen here in September, will help Andrew and Lauren settle any issues that come up over the next five years . TMZ also reports, 'The settlement agreement also provides Andrew cannot trash Simon to Adam and has a legal obligation to make sure no one else around him talks smack.' As far as child support, Andrew is paying his socialite ex only $3,000 a month. The site speculates that 'Simon will become the cash cow.' The British TV personality is reportedly worth $370m. Finally, Lauren and Andrew altered the the cause of divorce from adultery to 'broken down irretrievably.' Simon, who was spotted with Lauren in West Hollywood on Wednesday evening, has never looked happier. News that Simon had impregnated Lauren broke in late July when the beauty was 10 weeks along. E! reported Lauren, Andrew and Simon had been longtime friends, having met on a vacation years ago. In 2012 the trio was photographed looking like very close friends while aboard a yacht. But in early 2013 a romance reportedly blossomed between the reality icon and the stunning brunette. 'He was friends with Lauren and her husband but things developed between them,' E!'s source explains. 'Lauren and her husband had a messy split and Simon became a shoulder to cry on for her.' Loving life: Even though he's been involved in a bitter breakup between Lauren and Andrew, Simon (with his gal pal in LA on Wednesday) has never seemed happier . | Simon cannot go near Lauren's son until 2015 . If Simon sees child three times Lauren will temporarily lose custody . Andrew and Lauren are using billionaire Sir Philip Green as a mediator for next five years . Son not allowed to call Simon 'father' Andrew banned from speaking poorly of Simon to child . Lauren gets $3,000 a month in child support . | a22f51e60e272fa9921fed9b732213ccd18e4ce1 |
Hundreds of mourners including the Danish Prime Minister have attended the funeral of a filmmaker gunned down as he tried to stop a massacre in Copenhagen last week. Finn Noergaard, 55, was shot dead on February 14 during a seminar on free speech and Islam in the first of two attacks by a jihadi gunman who also killed a Jewish man outside a synagogue. Today Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt was among 750 people who gathered at Grundtvigs Church, Copenhagen, to pay their respects. Around 750 mourners including the Danish Prime Minister attended the funeral of documentary maker Finn Noergaard, 55, in Copenhagen today after he was shot dead during the terror attack a week ago . Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt was pictured wiping tears from her eyes as crowds gathered at the Grundtvigs Church, Copenhagen, to pay their respects to Mr Noergaard (right) Ms Thorning-Schmidt attended the service before joining a procession which followed the hearse carrying Mr Noergaard down a cordoned-off street . Around 40 heavily armed police were present at the service to guard members of Denmark's Jewish and Muslim communities after a spate of deadly attacks across Europe. Jesper Lynghus, a spokesman for Mr Noergaard's family, said: 'The last thing Finn would have wanted in this life was for an incident like this to... push people further away from each other.' Friends of Mr Noergaard paid tribute to the documentary-maker an hour-long ceremony before tearful mourners emerged from the church carrying a white coffin covered in flowers. They then assembled behind a hearse before the coffin was driven down a cordoned-off street. Zubair Butt Hussain, a Muslim activist and former spokesman for the Muslim Council, said: 'I think they have honoured him in a very special manner.' According to reports of the shooting gunman Omar El-Hussein, 22, a Dane of Palestinian origin, fired 30 bullets at the Krudttonden cafe during his attack. Around 40 heavily armed officers watched over the funeral after a spate of deadly attacks across Europe . Members of Denmark's Muslim and Jewish communities joined together to pay their respects today after rising tensions between the two communities in recent weeks . Mr Noergaard was killed with a single shot from a M95 assault rifle, police said, before the cafe was sprayed with 27 bullets, wounding three police officers inside. Witnesses said Mr Noergaard deliberately put himself between the shooter and the cafe. In an open letter, his sisters said: 'We do not know what Finn was thinking in that situation, but we are sure it was not his own security but that of others he was concerned about. 'Finn was a human who took action when help was needed or in dangerous situations.' Known for his documentaries, Noergaard had a special interest in the problems of integration. One of his best known works was a 2004 film about a young Australian boomerang thrower. The Finn Noergaard Foundation, set up by the filmmaker's family to aid 'the integration of immigrants and their children' into Danish society, had received 50,000 Danish kroner ($7,600) in donations, by this afternoon. An armed police officer stands guard in front of floral tributes during the memorial service today . Mr Noergaard was killed with a single bullet to the head by Omar El-Hussein who opened fire outside a free speech event being held at the Krudttonden cafe, Copenhagen . The funeral is the last for those killed during the attack, after Dan Uzan, the Jewish security guard shot outside a Synagogue shortly after Mr Noergaard, was buried last week. Ms Thorning-Schmidt also attended that ceremony, which was watched over by police snipers while sniffer dogs patrolled on the ground. Around 500 people also attended the funeral of shooter El-Hussein, who was killed by police after opening fire on one of their cordons. Prominent Salafist campaigners such as Adnan Avdic took photographs next to his tombstone, despite the owners of the cemetery raising objections. Police say El-Hussein, 22, shot Mr Noergaard before riddling the cafe (pictured) with 27 bullets, injuring three police officers inside . The service for Mr Noergaard comes a week after similar scenes at the funeral of Dan Uzan, 37, the Jewish security guard killed outside a Synagogue during the same shooting spree . Around 00 mourners also arrived at the funeral for shooter El-Hussein as he was buried in a Muslim cemetery, despite protests from its owners . Meanwhile, questions mounted Tuesday over whether Danish police had done enough to prevent the February 14 attack in which Noergaard lost his life. Unnamed employees of the cultural centre told the daily Politiken that Danish police sat with their backs to the entrance drinking coffee before the venue's staff alarmed them to the shooter outside. Swedish Mohammed cartoonist Lars Vilks - who fled into the kitchen as his permanent security detail reacted to the attack - said last week he thought Danish police had underestimated the threat against the seminar following the January Paris attacks, in which jihadist gunmen killed 17 people. | Finn Noergaard, 55, was shot dead in Copenhagen attack ten days ago . Today 750 people attended funeral including PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt . Crowds watched over by 40 heavily armed officers after spate of attacks . | 3f9b879a13eaf16d07133ca758b443fee3cce2dc |
A New York police union has told Bill de Blasio to stay away from funerals of cops killed in the line of duty. The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association posted a form on its website that members could download and sign, barring the mayor and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito from their service. It simply reads: 'As a New York City police officer, (I) request that Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito refrain from attending my funeral services.' Scroll down for video . The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association posted a form on its website that members could download and sign, barring Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito from their service . The letter then goes on to state that their 'consistent refusal to show police officers the support and respect they deserve' would mean their attendance is an 'insult'. The mayor and the speaker released a joint statement condemning the move. According to the Daily News, the pair said: This is deeply disappointing. Incendiary rhetoric like this serves only to divide the city, and New Yorkers reject these tactics. 'The mayor and the speaker both know better than to think this inappropriate stunt represents the views of the majority of police officers and their families.' PBA head Pat Lynch offered no comment Friday after the letter appeared. 'I don’t think that’s right' one officer told the Daily News. 'They shouldn’t be doing that ... Politics is politics, but that sounds a little personal. Last week, following days of protests in New York as a result of the grand jury decisions not to indict cops involved in the killing of Mike Brown or Eric Garner, the mayor caused anger among officers when he said his son, Dante, should be wary when dealing with the police . He added: 'It's different for a white child, it's just a reality in this country.' During an interview with ABC he said that the United States was confronting 'centuries of racism'. The downloadable form on their website states that the pair's 'consistent refusal to show police officers the support and respect they deserve' would mean their attendance is an 'insult' The letter would then be sent to the organization who would make the arrangements . He added: 'We have to have an honest conversation in this country about a history of racism, we have to have an honest conversation about the problems that have caused parents to feel that their children may be in danger in their dynamics with police, when in fact police are there to protect them. 'Our police keep us safe, and yet there's been not just decades of problems, a history of centuries of racism that undergird this reality.' De Blasio, who is white and married to a black woman with whom he has mixed-race children, added: 'We have to retrain police forces in how to work with communities differently, we have to work on things like body cameras that will provide a different level of transparency and accountability. 'This is something systemic and we bluntly have to talk about the historical racial dynamics underlying (it).' Pat Lynch (center), the head of the PBA, did not comment on the letter that emerged on Friday. Many were torn was to what they thought of the move . Speaking from personal experience, de Blasio told ABC that he feared for his son's safety in dealing with the police. 'What parents have done for decades with children of color, especially young men of color, is train them to be very careful, when they have a connection with a police officer, when they have an encounter with a police officer,' he said. 'It's different for a white child, it's just a reality in this country. 'And with Dante, very early on, my son, we used to say, look, if a police officer stops you, do everything he tells you to do, don't move suddenly, don't reach for your cellphone, because we knew, sadly, there is a greater chance it might be misinterpreted if it was a young man of color.' He continued: 'There's that fear that there could be that moment of misunderstanding with a young man of color, and that young man may never come back.' | The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association posted a form on its website . Allowed members to sign a letter barring the mayor and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito from their service . Say it's because of their 'consistent refusal' to show officers respect . Goes on to add that their attendance would be considered an 'insult' De Blasio prompted anger last week when he said his black son Dante should be 'wary' when dealing with the police . | 9b64376df02e9b724817fc0cf0e172d83a7ede77 |
(CNN) -- Randy Pausch, the professor whose "last lecture" became a runaway phenomenon on the Internet and was turned into a best-selling book, died Friday of pancreatic cancer, Carnegie Mellon University announced on its Web site. Randy Pausch emphasized the joy of life in his "last lecture," originally given in September 2007. Pausch, 47, a computer science professor, delivered the lecture, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007, a month after being told he had three to six months to live because his cancer had returned. The lanky, energetic Pausch talked about goals he had accomplished, like experiencing zero gravity and creating Disney attractions, and those he had not, including becoming a professional football player. He used rejections he was handed when he applied for jobs at Disney to comment on the importance of persistence. "The brick walls are there for a reason ... to show us how badly we want something," he said. "Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." Watch what Pausch did for his wife » . Starting with a joke about "a deathbed conversion" -- "I just bought a Macintosh" computer -- the educator went on to say that one of his childhood dreams was to write an entry in the World Book Encyclopedia. "I guess you can tell the nerds early," he added. An expert in virtual reality, Pausch did go on to write an encyclopedia entry on the subject. He discussed his fondness for winning stuffed animals at fairs, showed a slide of them, then -- pretending to be concerned his audience would think the image had been digitally manipulated -- produced them onstage. Donning silly costume items like a vest with arrows sticking out of it and a Mad Hatter's hat, he described working with students as a way to help other people achieve their dreams. He also played down his own importance, saying that after he got a Ph.D., his mother took to introducing him as "a doctor, but not the kind who helps people." The lecture has been viewed more than 3.2 million times since it was posted on YouTube in December. Pausch co-founded the university's Entertainment Technology Center and was known for developing interdisciplinary courses and research projects that attracted new students to the field of computer science. He also spent his career encouraging computer scientists to collaborate with artists, dramatists and designers, Carnegie Mellon said. The university's president, Jared Cohon, described Pausch as "a brilliant researcher and gifted teacher." "His love of teaching, his sense of fun and his brilliance came together in the Alice project, which teaches students computer programming while enabling them to do something fun -- making animated movies and games," Cohon added. "Carnegie Mellon -- and the world -- are better places for having had Randy Pausch in them." Pausch describes Cohon urging him to talk about having fun in his lecture, and telling him it's difficult because it's like asking a fish to talk about water. "I don't know how not to have fun," he said. "I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left." Pausch is survived by his wife, Jai, and three children. | Randy Pausch was computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon . His September 2007 "Last Lecture" became Internet sensation, best-seller . Pausch's lecture celebrated living the life he always dreamed . | e21871892c63ec9638bf1bd3c3a1c3ebdae88796 |
By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 17:20 EST, 15 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:45 EST, 15 May 2012 . Approval: People with Alzheimer's have been left waiting for years to receive new drugs on the NHS it is claimed because the rationing body is bogged down in other tasks . Patients are waiting up to nine years for cancer and Alzheimer’s drugs to be available on the health service because approval takes so long. The delays mean that even new drugs given the all-clear in extensive trials remain stuck in the queue for years. A major study found that on average it takes five years from a treatment’s launch by a manufacturer to approval by the rationing body, NICE. But the process often lasts far longer, and on occasions NICE will not even start its assessment until a drug has been on the market for more than a year. One of the problems is that NICE – the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence – has a wide-ranging remit which includes drawing up NHS guidance on tackling obesity, alcohol abuse and other public health issues. But last night doctors and charities said it was unfair that patients were being denied potentially life-saving drugs just because the rationing body is bogged down in other tasks. They said the delays are affecting patients’ quality of life and could make the difference between someone being able to live independently or needing full-time care. Although patients can get drugs that have not yet been approved by NICE by paying privately or applying to the Cancer Drugs Fund, doctors are often reluctant to prescribe them. The report by the Office for Health Economics, obtained by GP Newspaper, looked at all the drugs approved by NICE since 2000, covering a total of nearly 300 treatments including those for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart problems. When making its decisions, NICE classifies drugs into two groups. Those which would be used on their own undergo ‘single’ appraisals, while those which are taken with another drug are subject to ‘multiple’ appraisals. These take several years longer. Delays: A major study found that on average it takes the NHS rationing body NICE five years to give approval to a treatment after its launch . In 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available, the average delay for the 11 drugs which were approved after multiple appraisals was 10.2 years. They included treatments for arthritis, hepatitis C and Crohn’s disease, a debilitating bowel disorder. The average delay for multiple drugs given the green light in 2005 was 8.7 years. They included treatments for bowel cancer (irinotecan and oxaliplatin) and cancer of the womb (topotecan and pacilitaxel). In 2006 NICE approved three Alzheimer’s drugs, Aricept, Reminyl and Exelon, although only for patients in the ‘moderate’ stages of the disease. These treatments would have been classified as multiple appraisals, and that year the average time these assessments had taken was 7.8 years. Delays: Patients can get drugs that have not yet been approved by NICE by paying privately or applying to the Cancer Drugs Fund, but doctors are often reluctant to approve them . Last night Andrew Chidgey of the Alzheimer’s Society said: ‘People with all types of dementia desperately need effective treatments to live a better quality of life and stay independent for longer. ‘Five years is a long time to wait. Whenever a new drug is available, NICE guidance should be issued as quickly as possible.’ Heather Walker of Cancer Research UK said patients needed effective drugs ‘swiftly’ and added: ‘There needs to be a balance between giving NICE enough time to make the right decisions and ensuring that drugs get to patients as soon as possible.’ Dr Anita Sharma, a senior GP in Manchester, said: ‘Being too busy to appraise a drug is not acceptable.’ NICE’s role includes drawing up public health guidelines such as how NHS trusts should tackle obesity. It also sets ‘quality standards’ which state how patients with a range of illnesses should best be treated. Earlier this year the watchdog took on yet another role and began drawing up guidelines on social care. It will shortly be issuing advice on how NHS staff should care for the elderly with dementia and vulnerable children. A spokesman from NICE said: ‘We don’t recognise most of the conclusions reached by the Office for Health Economics report which was published in January this year. ‘The report includes in its average figures some drugs that received their licences many years before NICE was established in 1999. ‘NICE has since been asked to appraise such drugs, but their inclusion in this report has skewed the average length of time elapsed from marketing authorisation to published NICE guidance quite considerably.’ | Rationing body NICE is denying potentially life saving drugs because it is bogged down in other tasks, doctors claim . Delays can make the difference between someone being able to live independently or needing full time care . Some treatments for Alzheimer's, arthritis and hepatitis C delayed for more than a decade on average . | ce2184fddfd916d6f587affbaaf507fce15daf4f |
(CNN) -- A U.S. soldier accused of killing civilians in Afghanistan will face a court-martial on murder and other charges, as recommended by an Army officer. The document approving the recommendation for the court-martial of Spc. Jeremy Morlock was signed by the officer in charge Friday. It was obtained by CNN, along with other documents, that summarize last week's hearing at an Army-Air Force installation outside Tacoma, Washington, where prosecutors presented evidence against against Morlock. Base officials would not confirm the authenticity of the document, which has not been publicly released. Morlock is one of five members of the Army's 5th Stryker Brigade who is accused of premeditated murder in a series of incidents between January and May. He has been charged with three counts of premeditated murder and several other charges, including obstruction of justice, assault and using drugs. Morlock's attorneys argued during last week's hearing that he was operating at "diminished mental capacity" because of the use of drugs, including hashish and pain medication. But the recommendation from the investigating officer found "no evidence that the accused was behaving in an erratic, impaired or irrational manner" at the time of the killings. In addition to the five men charged with murder, seven other soldiers from the same unit face charges ranging from conspiracy and interfering in a military investigation to drug use -- specifically hashish -- while in Afghanistan. | NEW: Spc. Jeremy Morlock will face court-martial . NEW: Recommendation was approved and signed by officer in charge . Documents containing court-martial recommendation obtained by CNN . Morlock is one of 5 soldiers charged with murdering Afghan civilians . | f4e157a6242d68384c7af05b9c43b771993a34ff |
Kyle Walker could make his long awaited return for Tottenham in the crunch London derby against Chelsea at the start of December. The England international has missed the start of the season with an abdominal injury that's troubled him for six months. He underwent surgery last month to cure the problem that also caused him to miss the World Cup in Brazil. Kyle Walker (right) may return in time to face Chelsea's Eden Hazard (left) for Tottenham in December . Walker is pursued by Hazard in Tottenham's game against Chelsea last season . Walker has resumed light training at Tottenham's Enfield HQ and is said to making pleasing progress from his injury. Provided the rehabilitation process goes according to plan, Walker should return to full training with during the middle of next month. The clash against Jose Mourinho's side is December 3, and the defender is eyeing the encounter as a possible comeback date. | Kyle Walker has missed the start of the season with an abdominal injury . Surgery was needed for the problem that forced him out of the World Cup . The defender has resumed light training at Tottenham's Enfield HQ . | 1c147088893294730070ed5912af3ecc0282a553 |
By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 07:08 EST, 3 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:59 EST, 3 October 2013 . A homeowner was recovering in hospital today after his airbed exploded with such force it shattered roof tiles and blew out windows. Kenny McAdam was rushed to hospital following the blast, which sparked fears among neighbours there had been a gas explosion. Emergency services were called to the flat Mr McAdam, 53, shares with his partner Lynn, 49, after the street was showered with debris from the explosion. Explosion: A homeowner had to be rushed to hospital after an airbed exploded and blew a hole in his roof . Debris: The airbed exploded with such force neighbours feared there had been a gas blast . Mr McAdam had been inflating an airbed when it exploded at the home in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, yesterday. It is believed the blast was caused by a fault with the bed’s built-in compressor. Neighbour Wendy Morrison, 41, who lives in the ground floor flat below, said: 'It was utter chaos. 'All of a sudden there was a massive explosion. The whole building shook and they felt it 100 yards further down the road. 'There were a couple of bangs after that. I made sure all my cats and dogs were in the house and ran out. I thought it was a gas explosion. 'All the windows of his flat were blown out and there was glass everywhere. Half of the roof was blown off. Home: Emergency services were called to the flat after the street was showered with debris from the explosion . 'The police and fire service arrived and told me I wouldn’t be allowed back into my house. 'Kenny was taken away in an ambulance. He didn’t look too good but I think he was just in shock. 'He owns all the roof space and they converted it into bedrooms but I’m not sure where the airbed exploded. 'Luckily I don’t have much damage but they are going to do a survey to check for structural damage. I’m still in shock.' Mr McAdam, who was described as 'walking wounded', was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley as a precaution as the Scottish Fire Service and building control officers began their investigation. Damage: It is believed the blast was caused by a fault with the bed's built-in compressor . Police officers, who closed off the street and diverted traffic, described the blast as a 'household accident'. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'It is understood a blow-up airbed exploded. The airbed had a fault and the built-in compressor has burst and exploded. 'A man was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.' The spokesman said the street was closed to traffic as a precautionary measure. A Scottish Fire Service spokeswoman added: 'Crews were originally called out to reports of a house fire in Alexandria. 'However, upon arrival crews established that some kind of explosion had taken place. 'The incident had caused significant damage to the building, including windows being blown out. 'Firefighters requested assistance from building control and a fire investigation team were called out to the site.' | Kenny McAdam was rushed to hospital following the blast at his home . It is believed the explosion was caused by a fault with the bed . Street was showered with debris from the explosion as it blew out windows . | a23d907c97161415fa36d13983bfd8daf8ca16ab |
By . Laura Williamson . Follow @@laura_mail . A white tent next to a bowling green at the Belvidere Bowling Club near Celtic Park, with police snipers bearing down from the rooftops of neighbouring high-rise flats, was not perhaps the most fitting welcome to Glasgow for a knight of the realm. But it didn’t seem to bother Sir Bradley Wiggins. ‘No-one calls me that anyway,’ he said. ‘No-one. Only Sir Dave.’ He meant Sir David Brailsford, the former director of British Cycling and now principal of Team Sky: also known as the man who left Wiggins out of Sky’s team for this year’s Tour de France. No wonder Wiggins’ voice was dripping with sarcasm. Representing: Sir Bradley Wiggins will be riding for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . In practice: Wiggins during a training session at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow . ‘F***ing Chris Froome,’ was his opening gambit, delivered strictly tongue-in-cheek and with a cheeky smile as he took off his rockstar sunglasses to speak to the assembled press. He was bang on time, interesting and engaging. Most unlike your average sportsman, in fact. We had, however, already been politely told that all Tour de France questions were strictly off the menu. Wiggins is here in Glasgow to concentrate on other things, after all. His primary focus has now switched back to the track: first the 4,000 metres of the team pursuit on Thursday, the only event he will contest in Glasgow, and then his attempt to win his fifth Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in two years’ time. Another Olympic title would take his overall medal tally to eight; one ahead of Sir Chris Hoy, who won six golds and a silver medal during his career. The 34-year-old had plenty to say about his fellow cycling knight, mind you; primarily about the arena which bears Sir Chris’ name and in which Wiggins will race this week. ‘It is a bit odd,’ he 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. It’s more like a shopping sign with an Emirates thing on it. ‘I think there should be more made for him. Stick a whopping great statue outside because it doesn’t hit you straight away that it’s his velodrome. I think he got done over a bit. ‘But he won’t complain because he’s far too nice. So I’ll complain for him. They should do something about it.’ Ambassador: Despite not competing in it, Sir Chris Hoy is one of the faces of the Commonwealth Games . The Real McCoy: The legend won six Olympic golds in his career, including two at London 2012 . Sir Brad had spoken, but there was little of the stoic elder statesman about an athlete who seemed to have rediscovered his love for the track he left six years ago to concentrate on road racing. He spoke of feeling refreshed and excited to be back in an environment that began when he won the three-kilometre individual pursuit at the world junior championship in 1998 and then silver in the team pursuit at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpar later that year. He said: ‘Especially having not been selected for the Tour, the track was kind of like the perfect distraction. ‘The road’s so different. It’s not enjoyable the road, in some ways. You go there and there’s so much pressure on you because of who you are within road cycling. ‘Everyone’s watching you all the time, whereas you can go into the track and have off days and no-one really sees. ‘I remember finding out I wasn’t doing the Tour. Then it was like: “Monday morning I was hitting the track.” It was like going back 15 years: the excitement of building my bike up again and getting back on the track for the first time. It was really refreshing actually, just enjoyable. ‘I felt back in with the boys and they didn’t really care who you were. It was kind of like I had been away for the school holidays and come back to a new year and there new kids starting and everything. ‘I’m a lot stronger than I used to be in the event, which is one of the things the road has given me. Hopefully that will continue for the next two years.’ Rivalry: The past two Tour de France winners Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome . More success: Wiggins is hoping to add to his previous Olympic triumphs, with gold at London 2012 one of his seven medals . Glasgow may only be a stepping stone in Wiggins’ bid to become the most decorated British Olympian in history, but this competition clearly means something to him. He has won three silver medals but never a gold, and was enthused yesteday about the competitiveness of the track cycling. England will face tough opposition from Australia and New Zealand in particular. ‘The Commonwealth Games is a fantastic event in its own right,’ said Wiggins. ‘Going up against Australia or New Zealand, it could be an Olympic final or world final. ‘Being part of it all at 18 in Kuala Lumpar was like being at the Olympics. I was in the Village with the likes of Steve Backley, Iwan Thomas and all those types of people. ‘At the time it was massive. I guess that was the warm-up to the Olympics two years later and that inspired me to move on.’ The famous sideburns may have gone, so too the yellow jersey, but Wiggins’ star quality remains. SIR BRADLEY WIGGINS: I'd be p***** off if I was Sir Chris Hoy... they've put a big sign over his name at his velodrome in Glasgow . VIDEO Striving for better - Lizzie Armistead . | Wiggins preparing for track return at Commonwealth Games . Was left out of Tour de France in favour of Chris Froome for Team Sky . Targeting more gold medals at the Rio Olympics in 2016 . | 3548a3305bdde36faccad5c1c1b3a3e20ae41960 |
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